Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-07-04

land clung on to ruin. viper! known only by
your coil. and your poisons; like the original
serpent, degraded even from the brute into the
reptile. you already feel your sentence pro-
nounce it before all. The man to whom you
now cling will crush YOU. Macmillan 10
bespierre, is not your heel already lifted up to
tread out the life of this traitor! Macmillan
Robesperre," he repeated with still more
piercing sound, edo | not speak the truth2--
Have not stripped theveil from your thought?
Am not looking on your hearth He then ad-
dressed each of the Jacobin leaders in brief
appeal. ''Billand Varenness stand forth-do
| YOU not long to drive the dagger into the boz
| som of this new tyrant? Bolloted Herbos,
! have you not pronounced him perjured, peffidi-
GUS and unfit TO live? St.Just, have you not
in your bosom the list of those'who have pledg-
ed themselves that Danton shall never be die
! tator? that lis grave shall be dug, before he
shall read. on the first step of the throne? that
his ashes shall be scattered to the four winds
of heaven? that he shall never gorge on
! France?"
A hollow murnur, like the echo of the
vaults beneath, repeated the concluding words.
! The m,rmur had scarcely subsidized when this
extraordinary apparition, tlinging around him
long white cloak, which he had hitherto car
red on his arm, and which in the dim light,
gave him the look of one covered with
shroud, cried out in voice Of still deeper so
lemnity, George Jaques Danton, you have this
might pronounced the death of your king;
now pronounce your own. By the victims of
the 10th Of August--by the victims of the I'd
of Septenber-by the thousands whom your
treachery has sent to perish in foreign grave
by the millions whom the war which you
have kindled will lay in the field of slaughter
j cite you to appear before tribunal, where
sits a Judge whom none can elude and none
can defy. Within one year and month,
cite you to meet the spirits of your victims be-
fore the Throne of the Eternal"
He stopped; not a voice was heard. He de-
scended the steps OF the tribune, and stalked
slowly through the hall; not a hand was rails
ed against him. He pursued his way with as
much calmness and security as if he had been
q supernatural yisitant, uutil he vanished in
the darkness.
This singular occurrence threw a complete
damp on their regicidal ardor; and as no one
seemed inclined to mount the tribune, the club
would probably have broken up for the night;
when loud knocking at the door, and the
beating of drums, aroused the drowsy sisters
on the benches. The gallery was as much a
wake as ever; but seemed occupied with evil
dent expectation of either new revolt, or a
spectacle; pistols were taken out to be new
primed, and the points and edges of knives du-
ly examined.
The doors at length We're thrown open. and
crowd, one half of whom appeared to be in
the last state of intoxication, and the other
half not far from insanity. came dancing and
carousing into the body of the building. In
the midst of their troops they carried two
busts covered with laurels-the busts of the
regicides, Ravaillac and Clement, with flags
before them, inscribed, ''They were glorious,
for they slew kingsl' The busts were pre-
scented to the president, and their bearers, a
pair of poisardes, insisted upon giving him the
embrace, in sign of determination.
The president, in return, invited them to
the ''honors of sitting;" and thus reinforced,
the discussion on the death of the unhappy
monarch commenced once more, and the vote.
was carried by reclamation. The National
Convention was still to be applied to for the
completion of the sentence; but the decree of
the Jacobins was the law of the land.