Star. — 1829-09-11 (London, England)

FRENCH LITERATURE.  XEMOIRES D'UN PRETRE REGICIDE.  One of the Journals, in which MARAT preached Murder and codavatioa, fell into my band the same day en which 1 learned my appointment u a Member of the Convention. Wm: denounced to all France the choice of my Electors as a crime ; and poured out against myself invective of the most disgusting nature. —I determined at once to see him, and was directed to No. I, Rue St. Honore. Arrived there, I had to ascend a dark and crooked  staircase to the fourth story, and knocked,—when a voice feeble and Irresolute, resembling that of a woman, demanded my name : A Deputy of the National Convention"—l replied. I then beard the clank of several keys taken down from the wall; which, being inserted and turned in several locks. at length the dsor opened. "M. Pdaauvr?" I exclaimed—for the appellation of Maas was not yet in vogue. The answer was, "lamhe !" I saw a man scarcely more than four feet in height,—his head co►ered with a dirty night-cap, his hair gathered together bt ' a piece of packthread—a pocket-handkerchief tied round his neck—his legs covered with ungartered worsted stockings— exhaling from his whole body a fetid smell of impurity. His face was bristled with a ruffian beard ; his eyelashes and eye-brows of a fawn colour, and his head of enormous dimension.. I could scarce believe my senses. Surely this could not be the man of &lint Sulpia thought I had mistaken, and reiterated M. MAaatt!— " I am Maaat"—replied he in a tone of ill humour, while he darted a terrible look—" What would you ?"—" I would converse with you an instant".—" Enter."—The apartment occupied by this hideous dwarf was worthyof such a host :—a bed in disorder covered with filth,—a cabinet loaded to coe fusion with papers and inundated with ink,—several wretched chairs—a wooden clock surmounted with a little guillotine; in this behold the entire furniture of a man before whom the whole capital trembled. When I first knocked, MARA? was in conversation with a person of tall stature, of an expressive countenance,—ltis manners agreeable, and his elegant attire singularly contrasting with the personage he was visiting. The instant he perceived me he retired, to leave me free to particular conversation. Mama offered me a chair, with the air of MC who wishes to dismiss an intruder. I tranquilly accepted it, and nom. menced the conversation.  The eyes of Maw.: sparkled like those of a hyena, ready to spring upon his prey. I know not to what extremity his rage had not precipitated this Thersites, if the glance of a poignard,—which many of the Deputies at that time carried about their permits,— bad not met his eye. I had involuntarily displayed it when unbuttoning my coat, and the sight seemed to have paralyzed hint. The master, suddenly discovering the pale and rapid changes of blaaav's 'hap. without guessing the cause, approached us with Politeness ; —with a look of benevolence, be interrupted our convened= ; and offered me his hand, which I warmly pressed. I then made my bow to Mum; who had ceased to address me,—rentalting as if frozen with terror on his chair. The stranger then conducted me to the landing place, where, with the greatest politeness, be Wined me as I paired. " How can two men so dissimilar comprehend each other ?—and what can they have In common?"—l repeated to myself as I &wended the stair. case. At the deer I beheld a mob of the people,—two of whom had a kind of Utter on their shoulders, Intended to carry MALT in triumph through the streets of Paris. Shortly after. I heard the cries of " Long live /dams? !" resounding on every side ; and immediately beheld the impure divinity,—who, plaiting himself in his palanquin, gave the order for his triumphant much. Three days after, u I crossed the Rue de Greve, u a criminal was being attached to the pillory, I raised my eyes, when— Judge of my astonlshment—l beheld to the executioner the stranger I had seen in the home of Nous ! The hand which he had grasped was seined with s sensation of tremour, as if in the access Os fever.  ••• • •