Robert Tournay: A Romance of the French Revolution

by William Sage

  CHAPTER XIV

  SOMETHING HIDDEN

  "Colonel Robert Tournay, you are summoned before the Committee of PublicSafety!" Silence followed this call. The clerk repeated his summons.Again silence.

  "I move," said one of the members, "that the examination proceed. Thecitizen colonel was summoned and has not appeared. If he is not here todefend himself, that is his affair, not ours."

  "Citizen Bernard Gardin," said the president, "repeat to the committeethe result of your interview with the Citizen Tournay."

  Gardin rose. "The said citizen, Colonel Tournay, refused to recognizethe mandate of the Committee of Public Safety. The commissioners sent toapprehend his person were treated with marked disrespect and expelledfrom the camp with insult." Gardin spoke the words with bitter emphasis.

  Without even looking at him, Danton interrupted the witness. "Thecitizen colonel pleaded that an impending battle made it necessary forhim to remain in the field, did he not?"

  "He did make some such excuse," sneered Gardin.

  "Instead of refusing to obey the summons, the citizen colonel statedthat, the battle once decided, he would hasten to Paris, did he not?"continued Danton, lifting his voice and turning his eyes full uponGardin.

  "He did say he would come at some future time," admitted Gardin, "but herefused to obey the summons which called upon him to return with thecommissioners."

  "And thereby insulted the committee," said Couthon.

  "If the committee recalls our officers from the field upon the eve ofbattle they must expect our armies to be defeated," Danton remarkeddryly. "Colonel Tournay refused to obey the letter of the summons andremained at his post of duty. The French armies have just won a gloriousvictory at Wissembourg in which the accused distinguished himself bygreat bravery and devotion to the Republic. I move that when he doesappear he receive the thanks of this committee in the name of France."

  "Do you advocate rewarding him for his disobedience and his indifferenceto our authority?" inquired President Robespierre.

  "I believe that victories are more important to France at this juncture,citizen president, than any slight disregard of the letter of thecommittee's authority."

  Robespierre shut his thin lips together and turned to St. Just.

  "Let us proceed with the inquiry," he said after a moment'sconsultation. "Clerk, call the other witnesses."

  "Are you not going to give Colonel Tournay twelve hours longer in whichto appear in person?" persisted Danton.

  "Of what use would that be?" asked Couthon. "He will not come withintwelve months."

  "Let the inquiry proceed," commanded the president impatiently.

  As if to show his indifference to the proceedings, Danton rose from hisseat, yawned, and then strolled to the window. As he did so, a suddenshout rose from a crowd gathered below. Danton bent forward and lookedout into the street to ascertain the cause.

  The door swung open and Colonel Tournay entered the room. He wasfollowed by many of the crowd. The news of the great victory of theFrench armies on the frontier had just reached Paris and stirred it withenthusiasm. The people in the streets had caught sight of his uniformand surmising that he had just come from the scene of war pressed abouthim closely, crying for details of the battle. Some had recognized himpersonally and called out his name. The great crowd had taken it up, andcheered wildly for one of the heroes of Wissembourg and Landau.

  There was a flush of excitement on his cheek and a sparkle in his eye ashe stepped forward.

  "I understand that I am called before this committee to answer certaincharges," he said in a clear ringing voice. "What is the accusation? Iam here to answer it."

  The crowd outside the door took up the shout.

  "Yes, of what is the citizen colonel accused? Who accuses the hero ofLandau?"

  Robespierre changed color and hesitated. Danton eyed the president witha sneer upon his lips, which he made no attempt to conceal. The breachbetween the two men had widened to such an extent that it had become amatter of common gossip.

  "You are accused of winning a battle," said Danton with a laugh,--"arare event in these days."

  Robespierre turned and whispered to St. Just. The latter answeredTournay.

  "There are three charges against you," he said. "First, you are accusedof having been concerned in the rescue of a certain Citizeness deRochefort from prison boat number four on the River Loire. Secondly, ofescorting the said Citizeness de Rochefort across France under a falsename. Thirdly, of having insulted the authority of four commissionerssent by the Committee of Public Safety to arrest you. These accusationshave been preferred against you before this committee, which feelscalled upon to investigate them carefully. If they decide that there issufficient evidence to warrant it, they will bring the case before theRevolutionary Tribunal. Now that you have heard the charges, I ask you:Do you wish to employ counsel?"

  "With the permission of the committee I leave my case in the hands of amember of the convention, Citizen Danton," said Tournay.

  "Call the first witness," said St. Just.

  "Citizen Leboeuf to the stand," cried the clerk.

  The bulky form of Leboeuf lumbered forward. His face was red and hiseyes heavy. His testimony was given hesitatingly, as if he wereendeavoring to conceal some of the facts. He deposed that the accused,Tournay, had assisted in rescuing the Citizeness de Rochefort from theprison boat number four on the River Loire on the fifth Nivose.Cross-examined by Danton, he admitted reluctantly that he could notswear to the identity of the accused, but felt certain it was he. It wasa man of just his height and general appearance; he had good reason toknow that the citizen colonel was much interested in the fate of theCitizeness de Rochefort.

  Danton dismissed him with a contemptuous wave of the hand, and Leboeufretired, outwardly discomfited and purple of face, yet with a certaininward sense of relief that the examination was over.

  "The citizen colonel admits that he escorted a woman to the frontier,"Danton went on, "but it was under a passport issued by the Committee ofPublic Safety. It has not been proven that this woman was the escapedprisoner, Citizeness de Rochefort. He also admits having refused toaccompany the commissioners to Paris, and having expelled them from hiscamp. For this act of discourtesy to the committee he offers an apology,and pleads in extenuation that it was on the eve of a battle in whichhis presence was necessary to our armies."

  Robespierre turned to St. Just and Couthon. They held an animateddiscussion, during which both the latter were seen to remonstrate.Finally at a signal from the president, the entire committee withdrewfor consultation.

  Tournay glanced about the room. He knew that he had the interest andsympathy of most who were present, and from the manner in which theinquiry had been conducted, he felt little anxiety as to the result.

  He had not long to wait before the members of the committee entered theroom and took their places.

  The president touched the bell. St. Just rose, and speaking withapparent reluctance said:--

  "The committee do not find sufficient evidence to warrant the trial ofColonel Robert Tournay upon the charge of treason to the Republic."

  A cheer rang through the room, which was re-echoed in the corridor andout into the street beyond.

  The president touched his bell sharply. St. Just continued:--

  "The committee relieves Colonel Tournay from his command for thepresent. He will await here in Paris the orders of the committee inregard to returning to the army. The inquiry is now ended, and themeeting adjourns."

  Tournay walked out of the court accompanied by Danton and through thestreet to his friend's lodgings, followed by an admiring crowd cheeringthe hero of Landau.

  Two incidents took place in quick succession during the short walk toDanton's house.

  These incidents had no relation to each other, yet they both gaveTournay the uncomfortable sensation that besets a man when he iscontending with unknown or secret forces.

  In passing by the Jacobin Club he saw a man ente
r at the door. He couldnot see the face, but the figure and movements were so much like thoseof de Lacheville that had he not felt sure that it would be equivalentto the marquis's death-sentence for him to be found in Paris, he wouldhave been certain it was his enemy. The idea was so unlikely, however,that he dismissed it from his mind.

  As they passed down the Rue des Cordelieres and reached the door ofDanton's house, a man, issuing from the crowd, brushed closely againstTournay's shoulder. In doing so the colonel felt a letter slipped intohis hand. "From a friend," sounded in his ear. "Examine it when alone."Tournay mechanically put the paper in his pocket, and followed Dantoninto the house, upon the giant uttering the laconic invitation:--

  "Come in."

  "You have not said a word about the prompt dismissal of the chargesagainst me," said Tournay, as they entered the dingy room which servedDanton for office as well as salon.

  The giant threw off his coat and filled his pipe. Taking a seat he beganto smoke rapidly.

  "There is more behind it," he said.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Did you not notice that no attempt was made to convict you?"

  "I did, but I attributed it to lack of evidence on their part."

  "Lack of evidence!" repeated Danton. "They are capable of manufacturingthat when needed."

  "I confess I thought it possible that the popularity of the army withthe people had something to do with it."

  Danton smiled pityingly.

  "I tell you that there is something behind it all. I cannot account forRobespierre's sudden change. It was he who directed your acquittal.There is something behind all this. He works in the dark, and secretly.Tournay, I mistrust that man as much as I hate him," and he began tosmoke violently.

  "Why do you not crush him, Jacques?" asked Tournay coolly.

  "Ay, that's the question I often ask myself," said Danton, lifting uphis mighty arm and looking at it, smiling grimly the while as if he werethinking of Robespierre's sallow face and puny body.

  "If you don't crush him, he will sting you to death," added Tournayimpressively, as he rose to go.

  Danton doubled up his arm once more till the muscles swelled into greatknots upon it. "Ha, ha," he laughed, "I don't fear that, Tournay; he'stoo much of a coward to lay hands upon me."

  "Do you never fear for your own safety when you see so many fallingbeneath the hand of this man who rules France?" asked Tournay.

  Danton started at the words "rules France."

  "Yes, he does rule France. He rules the tribunal. He rules me, cursehim! But as for fearing him, Jacques Danton fears nothing in this worldor the next."

  "Good-night," said Tournay shortly. "But remember, Jacques, you, of allmen, can crush the tyrant if you will."

  "Good-night," said Danton, placing his huge hand on Tournay's shoulder."Be assured that Robespierre is holding something back. There issomething behind the mask. Be prepared."

  Tournay laughed. "I cannot, perhaps, say unreservedly that I fearnothing in this world or the next, Jacques, but be assured, I do notfear him." And he walked away with head erect and military swing, towardthe Rue des Mathurins. Danton resumed his pipe, muttering to himselflike some volcano rumbling inwardly,--

  "Jacques, you can crush him if you will!"