condorcet: a biography. 225 



man whose enlightened understanding, patriotism, and high position are 

 a triple guarantee of truthfulness? In future the following apostrophe of 

 a workman to the corarauue will not stand alone as an isolated expression 

 of individual opinion: 



" You pretend to be destroying the enemies of the country. I do not 

 call unarmed men such. Lead to the Champ de Mars these unfortun- 

 ates who, as you say, would rejoice in the failure of the republic. Let 

 us meet them equal in numbers, equal in arms, and there will then be 

 nothing in their death to cause us to blush." 



Condorcet bore his seclusion with great resignation until he heard of 

 the tragical death of the Girondist conventionalists, who had been con- 

 demned on the same day as himself. This terrible circumstance concen- 

 trated all his thoughts upon the danger incurred by Madame Vernet. 

 Ho had an interview with his brave protectress, which, although it 

 seems like sacrilege, I give without changing a single word : 



"Your kindnesses, madam, are engraved upon my heart with ineiface- 

 able lines. The more I admire your courage, the more I feel it my duty 

 as an honest man not to impose further upon it. The law is positive : 

 if I am discovered in your 'dwelling, you will have the same sad end as 

 myself. 1 am an outlaw; I cannot remain longer." "The convention, 

 monsieur, has the right to put you beyond the amenities of the law, but 

 has not the power to place you beyond those of humanity ; you will re- 

 main." 



This admirable answer was immediately followed by the organization 

 in No. 21 Servandoni street of a system of surveillance to prevent the 

 departure of the illustrious refugee, in which most of the members of 

 the household, and particularly the humble porter, had a part. Mad- 

 am Vernet inspired with her own virtue all those who surrounded her. 

 From this day Condorcet did not make a movement which was not ob- 

 served. 



At this time occurred an incident which shows the superior intelli- 

 gence of Madam Vernet, and her profound knowledge of the human 

 heart. 



One day as he was mounting the staircase leading to the chamber he 

 occupied, Condorcet encountered the citizen Marcos, deputy solicitor to 

 the convention for the department of Mont Blanc. Marcos belonged to 

 the section of the mountaineers; he had been lodging for several days 

 with Madam Vernet. Under his disguise, Condorcet had not been rec- 

 ognized; but was it possible to count upon this good fortune for any 

 length of time ? The illustrious prescript confided his uneasiness to his 

 devoted hostess. " Wait," said she, " I will arrange this matter immedi- 

 ately." She ascended to the chamber of Marcos, and, without any pre- 

 amble, addressed these words to him : "Citizen, Condorcet dwells under 

 the same roof with yourself; if he is arrested it will be you who has 

 denounced him ; if he perishes it will be you who has caused his head 

 to fall. You are a benevolent man ; I have no need to say more." This 

 S. Mis. 59 15 



