Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 03.djvu/260

242 Advocate-conclusions; the sleeping tempest that is in Vergniaud can be awakened. Restless Brissot brings up Reports, Accusations, endless thin Logic; it is the man's highday even now. Condorcet redacts, with his firm pen, our 'Address of the Legislative Assembly to the French Nation.' Fiery Max Isnard, who, for the rest, will 'carry not Fire and Sword' on those Cimmerian Enemies, 'but Liberty,'—is for declaring 'that we hold Ministers responsible; and that by responsibility we mean death, nous entendons la mort.'

For verily it grows serious: the time presses, and traitors there are. Bertrand-Moleville has a smooth tongue, the known Aristocrat; gall in his heart. How his answers and explanations flow ready; jesuitic, plausible to the ear! But perhaps the notablest is this, which befell once when Bertrand had done answering and was withdrawn. Scarcely had the august Assembly begun considering what was to be done with him, when the Hall fills with smoke. Thick sour smoke: no oratory, only wheezing and barking;—irremediable; so that the august Assembly has to adjourn! A miracle? Typical miracle? One knows not: only this one seems to know, that 'the Keeper of the Stoves was appointed by Bertrand' or by some underling of his!—O fuliginous confused Kingdom of Dis, with thy Tantalus-Ixion toils, with thy angry Firefloods, and Streams named of Lamentation, why hast thou not thy Lethe too, that so one might finish?

let not Patriotism despair. Have we not, in Paris at least, a virtuous Pétion, a wholly Patriotic