accomplishments, her diversions, her
talents,--a harp beside an open harpsichord, a guitar on a chair, an
embroidering frame with a square of satin stretched on it, a
half-finished miniature on a table among papers and books, a bookcase in
dire disorder as if rifled by the hand of a fair reader as eager to know
as to feel.

She gave him her hand to kiss, and addressed him:

"Greeting, sir juryman!... This very day Robespierre the elder gave me a
letter in your favour to be handed to the President Herman, a very well
turned letter, pretty much to this effect:

"I bring to your notice the _citoyen_ Gamelin, commendable alike for his
talents and for his patriotism. I have made it my duty to make known to
you a patriot whose principles are good and his conduct steadfast in the
right line of revolution. You will not let slip the opportunity of being
useful to a Republican.... This letter I carried there and then to the
President Herman, who received me with an exquisite politeness and
signed your appointment on the spot. The thing is done."

After a moment's pause:

"_Citoyenne_," said Gamelin, "though I have not a morsel of bread to
give my mother, I swear on my honour I accept the duties of a juror only
to serve the Republic and avenge her on her foes."

The _citoyenne_ thought this but a cold way of expressing gratitude and
considered the sentiment high-flown. The young man was no adept, she
suspected, at graceful courtesies. But she was too great an admirer of
youth not to excuse some little lack of polish. Gamelin was a handsome
fellow, and that was merit enough in her eyes. "We will form him," she
said to herself. So she invited him to her suppers to which she welcomed
her friends every evening after the theatre.

"You will meet at my house men of wit and talent,--Elleviou, Talma, the
_citoyen_ Vigee, who turns bouts-rimes with a marvellous aptitude. The
_citoyen_ Francois read us his 'Pamela' the other day, the piece
rehearsing at the present moment at the _Theatre de la Nation_. The
style is elegant and chaste, as everything is that comes from the
_citoyen_ Francois' pen. The plot is touching; it brought tears to all
our eyes. It is the young _citoyenne_ Lange who is to take the part of
'Pamela.'"

"I believe it if you say so, _citoyenne_," answered Gamelin, "but the
_Theatre de la Nation_ is scarcely National and it is hard on the
_citoyen_ Francois that his works should be produced on the boards
degraded