VIII.
A TERRIBLE PLAN.
The fanaticism of the Revolutionary party—the strange mixture of the exaltation and self-sacrifice of a religious faith, and of a readiness to appeal to the most unscrupulous means for gaining their end—all this is brought out by the following story. If we did not know what times these were, the story would be incredible; as it is, M. Pasquier only confirms what has appeared in the memoirs of the Revolutionary leaders. This is his story of an interview with his Revolutionary friend, Ducos:
"In the exultation of his triumph he revealed everything, and he told me a thing which the 'Memoirs of Madame Roland' have since confirmed, namely, the resolution reached at one of their caucuses to sacrifice one of their number, and to have him murdered, in order to impute his assassination to the Court, if no other means were forthcoming to excite the people against it. One Grangeneuve, I believe, had offered to sacrifice his life, and was to be the victim."
IX.
THE DEATH OF THE KING.
Pasquier saw the execution of the King—unwillingly and accidentally. This is what happened:
