but I would give up my
brother if he were one of the 'indulgents.' I am not ashamed to say that
I have received favours from this man."

"Aha!--and thou dost honestly hold the doctrine that where a man
threatens my life all personal favours are to be forgotten?"

"All!"

"Good citizen!--kind Nicot!--oblige me by writing the address of this
Glyndon."

Nicot stooped to the table; and suddenly when the pen was in his hand, a
thought flashed across him, and he paused, embarrassed and confused.

"Write on, KIND Nicot!"

The painter slowly obeyed.

"Who are the other familiars of Glyndon?"

"It was on that point I was about to speak to thee, Representant," said
Nicot. "He visits daily a woman, a foreigner, who knows all his secrets;
she affects to be poor, and to support her child by industry. But she is
the wife of an Italian of immense wealth, and there is no doubt that
she has moneys which are spent in corrupting the citizens. She should be
seized and arrested."

"Write down her name also."

"But no time is to be lost; for I know that both have a design to escape
from Paris this very night."

"Our government is prompt, good Nicot,--never fear. Humph!--humph!" and
Robespierre took the paper on which Nicot had written, and stooping over
it--for he was near-sighted--added, smilingly, "Dost thou always write
the same hand, citizen? This seems almost like a disguised character."

"I should not like them to know who denounced them, Representant."

"Good! good! Thy virtue shall be rewarded, trust me. Salut et
fraternite!"

Robespierre half rose as he spoke, and Nicot withdrew.

"Ho, there!--without!" cried the Dictator, ringing his bell; and as the
ready Jacobin attended the summons, "Follow that man, Jean Nicot. The
instant he has cleared the house seize him. At once to the Conciergerie
with him. Stay!--nothing against the law; there is thy warrant. The
public accuser shall have my instruction. Away!--quick!"

The Jacobin vanished. All trace of illness, of infirmity, had gone from
the valetudinarian; he stood erect on the floor, his face
twitching convulsively, and his arms folded. "Ho! Guerin!" the spy
reappeared--"take these addresses! Within an hour this Englishman and
his woman must be in prison; their revelations will aid me against
worthier foes. They shall die: they shall perish with the rest on the
10th,--the third day from this. There!" and he wrote hastily,--"there,
also, is thy warrant! Off!

"