154 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 



review the cavahy ; from tlie Immble window of my apartmeut will tlie 

 ball be fired wbicb will go tbrough bis bead.'' 



I leave it to be imagined witb wbat despair I received tbis confidence. 

 I made ever}- imaginable eflbrt to deter Brissot from bis sinister project: 

 1 remarked bow all tbose wbo bad rusbed on enterprises of tbis nature bad 

 been branded in bistory b^' tbe odious title of assassin. Notbing suc- 

 ceeded in sbaking bis fatal resolution ; I only obtained from bim a 

 liromise on bis bouor tbat tbe execution of it sliould be postponed for a 

 time, and I put myself in quest of means for rendering it abortive. 



Tbe idea of announcing Brissot's project to tbe autborities did not 

 even enter ray tbougbts. It seemed a fatality wbicb came to smite me, 

 and of wbicb I must undergo tbe consequences, bowever serious tbey 

 migbt be. 



I counted mucb on tbe solicitations of Brissot's motber, already so 

 cruelly tried during tbe revolution. I went to ber bome, in tbe Eue de 

 Conde, and implored ber earnestly to cooperate witb me in preventing 

 her sou from carrying out bis sanguinary resolution. "Ab, sir," replied 

 tbis lady, wbo was naturally a model of gentleness, "if Silvaiu" (tbis 

 was tbe uame of ber son) "believes tbat be is accomplisbing a patriotic 

 duty, 1 bave neitber tbe intention nor tbe desire to turn bim from bis 

 project." 



It was from myself tbat I must bencefortb draw all my resources. I 

 had remarked tbat Brissot was addicted to tbe composition of romances 

 and pieces of poetry. I encouraged tbis passion, and every Sunday, 

 above all, wben I knew tbat there would be a review, I went to letch 

 him, and drew bim into tbe countrj', in tbe environs of Paris. I listened 

 then complacently to the reading of tbose chapters of his romance 

 which he had composed during the week. 



Tbe first excursions frightened me a little, for, armed witb bis pistols, 

 Brissot seized every occasion of showing bis great skill; and I retlected 

 tbat this circumstance would lead to my being considered as bis accom- 

 plice, if be ever carried out his project. At last, bis pretensions to 

 literary' fame, which I flattered to tbe utmost, tbe ho])es (though I bad 

 none myself) wbicb I led him to conceive of the success of an attach- 

 ment of which he bad confided tbe secret to me, made bim receive with 

 attention tbe reflections which I constantly made to him on bis enter- 

 prise. He determined on making a journey beyond tbe seas, and thus 

 relieved me from the most serious anxiety which I bave experienced in 

 all my life. 



Brissot died after having covered tbe walls of Paris with printed 

 handbills in favor of the Bourbon restoration. 



I had scarcely entered the observatory, when I became tbe fellow- 

 laborer of Biot in researches on the refraction of gases, already com- 

 menced by Borda. 



While engaged in tbis work tbe celebrated academician and I often 

 conversed on tbe interest there would be in resuming in Spain the 



