'HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



159 



hnnd that, as they hod been parta- 

 kers of his better fortune, they 

 might now share in his adversity. 

 They were accordingly inciuded in 

 the arrest, together with St. Just 

 and Robespierre's brother, who 

 seems to have provoked his fate by 

 his audacious behaviour to theCon- 

 vention. 



Such was the habitual terror in 

 which individuals had been held by 

 Robespierre, that theofficerchnrgcd 

 to take him into custody, was at a 

 stand whether to obey; till he lilm- 

 self signified his readiness to com- 

 ply. He was led with his fellow- 

 prisoners to the prison of the Lux- 

 embourg ; but the policc-otficer 

 on duty there, one of his adlie- 

 rents, refused to take charge cfihe 

 prisoners : upon which they were 

 conducted to the town-house, ra- 

 tlier in a sort of triumpli than as 

 persons under an arrest. 



These extraordinary proceedings 

 were soon reported over all Pj.ris. 

 Robespierre's party assembled im- 

 mediately under their leaders: and 

 the Jacobin club endeavoured to 

 excite the people to insurrection. 

 The alarm-bells rung ; numbers 

 armed themselves; and guns were 

 brought against the liail of the 

 Convention. Henriot, commander 

 in chief of the national guards, 

 had been arrested, pursuant to the 

 Convention's decree ; but had 

 found means to escape, and to col- 

 lect a body of men, whicli he di- 

 vided into three parts. One was 

 stationed at the town-house, as a 

 guard to the m^^nicipali^y ; another 

 Was di.ipatched against the corn- 

 imittee of public safely ; and the 

 other agaiuit the Convention itself. 

 This arrangement of their force 

 inspired the party of llobespierre, 

 wli'rch had formed a regular as5'.;m- 



bly at the town-house, with so 

 much confidence, tlsatthey declared 

 the Convention enemies and trai- 

 tors to the state, a-id themselves 

 the true representatives of^the 

 people. 



The Convention, alarmed at this 

 hold and desperate measure, and 

 conscious that their lives were at 

 stake, lost no time in preparing the 

 most vigorous measures . against 

 l!,ir:r adversaries. They began bv 

 proclaiming a sentence of outlawry 

 against all those who furnied the 

 meeting at the town-house. I.e 

 Gendre and Barras, two men of 

 known intrepidity, were placed at 

 the head of the militarj', and of 

 otiiers who had rejiaired to their 

 assistance. Seven other members 

 were deputed to the principal parts 

 of the metropolis, to issue in each ,i 

 proclamation explaining the real 

 state of the case between the Con- 

 vention and its opposers. These 

 deputies exertt^d themselves with 

 so much expedition as well as pru- 

 dence, that long before night the 

 diti'erent sections of Paris were se- 

 cured to the Convention, and so- 

 lemnly renewed their oaths of fide- 

 lity to that body, as sole represen- 

 tatives of the nation, 



Tiie principle that now operated 

 most essentially in iavour of tlie 

 Convention, v.as, that very tertx^r 

 by which Robespierre had kept the 

 public in subjection Keleased 

 tDin their fears, people now -'ave 

 the reins to their ind.inations'and 

 realscntiments. As those only who 

 subsisted through his tyranny werii 

 interested in ita support, an im- 

 mense majority appeared instantly 

 against it. The reputable classes, 

 who embraced the opportunity of 

 throwing off so cruel a yoke, 

 seized tlie auspicious hour when 



the 



