Middletown transcript., 1873-10-18

obtained abundance tUto tHc Souc"'Sc'V
to console or bless the dying, awaited 10
the corridor the conclusion Of the supprr
the doors we're open. and he observed aud
noted down ia his mind the gestures. the
.ishs. aud the words Of those assembled
there aud it is to him that posteri'y owes
the gren,er portion Of these details--fai'h-
ful as conscience, md exact rs the memo-
ry Of last friend.
The rcpast was prolonged till dawn.
Vcrgninud. seated at the centre Of the In.
bic. presided. with the same calm dignity
he had presided at the Convention ON the
nigh, Of the 10Th Of August. Vergniaud
was, Of all. the one who least regretted
lifc--for be had gained suflicien, glory.
and left neither father. mother. wife, nor
children behind him. The others formed
groups, with the exception of Brssot who
.a, a, the end of the table, eating bu, lit
tie. and no, uttcring word.
For long time nothing in their features
or conversation indicated that this repast
was the prelude to death They ate and
drank with appetite, but sohrieiy; but
when the table was cleared, and noihing
left except the fruit, wine, and flowers
the conversation became alternately ani-
mated uoi.y. and grave, AS the conversa-
ton OF careless men. whose thoughts and
tor rucs are freed by wine. Maiuviellc, :,
An,boul, Duehatcl, Fonfrcidc, Ducos aud
all those young men who could not feel
themselves sufficiently aged in an hour TO
die on the morrow, burst into gay and joy.
Gus sallics; but their language, contrasted
with approaching death proiancd the sane
tity Of their last hours, aud threw n Ia
cia preston over the false gnyc'y d
these young men.
Bi,sot, Fauch Sillcry, Iasourcc Is.
hardy, Cara. strove sometimes to reply Ia
these noisy rrovoca,ions, but the misplaced
I cnycty o( these young men found 40 ceho
| IN the hearts Of their older colleagues
/ Nyrgniaud. more grave aud more really
intrepid IN his gravity, gaa1d on Duco'
and foufrtiie with u smile in which iu'
diligence was mingled with compassion
Toward the morning the conversation
became more solemn Brissat spoke pro.
| phciically Of the misfpr,unes Of the repub
lc deprived Of her most vifluous nnl elo
uueni citizens "lIuw much blood will i
require to wash Gu, our own cried he
They were silent for u moment. aud up
penred terrified ut the phantom Of the ia
,urc evoked by Brissot Z" My friends,
replied Nergniaui, we have killed th'
tree BY pruning it. II was too aged
Robespicrre cuts il viii he be more for
tunatc than ourselves? No. the soil il to'
weak to npurish the roots Of civic liberty
this pcople is too childish to wicld lis Law
without hurting itself II will return Il
it. kings. as babes return to their toys
We were deceived n to ihe agc IN whul
We w.rp born, aud ia which ~ d. taa rh
freedom oi the wnrll c,utlnurI h. w
deemed uurs,lvr, at Rome. aud NJ w,r
a, Paris. Bot revolutions are like tnus
crises which tlauch in s,nso night III
hair OF a mun--,hry suvn brlng ualions t
maturity Our blond is sufficiently war;
to fsrtilize the soil of the republic. l.,
Us not carry away with Us ,hr future; an
L., Us bclacalh to the people hope, IN cs
change FOR the death we shall receive I
their hands
\ long silence followed this speech
Nerguiaud's. aud the conversation iurne
from earth to heaven, What shall "
, be doing to morrow at this time y sal
puco., who always mingled mirth wit
tho mos, serious subjects. Each reptile
, according 10 his nature. I've shall slice
|, after the fatigue. Of the day" replied .om
The skep,icism Of the age corrupted eve
their las, thoughts aud only promised Il
destruction of the saul to those men vi
, were about to die for the Immortality
n human idea. The Immortality Of Il
I, soul, and the sublime conjre,ures Of III
, future life to which they were so uear. o
fered n more fitting theme for their la
l.. Al.
became more solemn; fanfrcde. Gc
some. Cara, Faaebet, aud Biissu,. spol
!. in terms in which breaihed all the divin
ty of human reason, aud all the certain
Of conscience on the mysterious problem
of the imma,crial destiny of the huns
mind
fauchct made au eloquen. discourse I
,l,, ,,ss;nn ,n,npnttng thpir dsath In :,