Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/749

Rh of his letter, unanimously voted that he retired with the thanks and gratitude of his country.

At length on the fatal 10th of August, when the king and royal family were made prisoners, Roland, Clavieres, and Servan, the ministers who wished to prevent this catastrophe, were recalled, and he again resumed his labours. But when a few sanguinary men dipped their hands in the blood of the clergy and aristocracy, after mock trials, he and the deputies of the Gironde complained aloud, and endeavoured to bring those concerned in the September massacres to condign punishment.

Roland therefore became very unpopular. His house, formerly reverenced as if it had been the sanctuary of a divinity, was now treated with outrage; his person, and that of his wife, were threatened with every indignity; and the lives of both were frequently in imminent danger. They were twice prevailed upon by their friends to sleep from home, but resolved not to comply with any future solicitations of the same kind. So great however, were their fears, that Madame Roland always had pistols under her pillow.

On this occasion, the populace were inflamed by the most diabolical arts. Roland was at one time represented as being a royalist; at another, he was connected with the commotions of La Vendée, which now began to wear a terrifying appearance; and it was even said, that he was in league with the Duke of Brunswick. It was also industriously circulated, that he was an ex-noble, and longed for the return of the ancient government.

Roland, who remained in office as long as he could act with honour, at length resigned, that his name might not be employed to countenance crimes, the very mention of which struck him with horror.

He found it also necessary to leave Paris, and conceal himself,