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commotion which he found on his return。 Then there had been a
comparative hush to listen to the voice of a speaker who denounced
the First and Second Estates from the pedestal of the statue of
Louis XV。 Now the air was vibrant with the voice of the multitude
itself； raised in anger。 Here and there men were fighting with
canes and fists； everywhere a fierce excitement raged； and the
gendarmes sent thither by the King's Lieutenant to restore and
maintain order were so much helpless flotsam in that tempestuous
human ocean。
There were cries of 〃To the Palais！ To the Palais！ Down with the
assassins！ Down with the nobles！ To the Palais！〃
An artisan who stood shoulder to shoulder with him in the press
enlightened Andre…Louis on the score of the increased excitement。
〃They've shot him dead。 His body is lying there where it fell at
the foot of the statue。 And there was another student killed not
an hour ago over there by the cathedral works。 Pardi！ If they
can't prevail in one way they'll prevail in another。〃 The man was
fiercely emphatic。 〃They'll stop at nothing。 If they can't overawe
us； by God； they'll assassinate us。 They are determined to conduct
these States of Brittany in their own way。 No interests but their
own shall be considered。〃
Andre…Louis left him still talking； and clove himself a way through
that human press。
At the statue's base he came upon a little cluster of students about
the body of the murdered lad； all stricken with fear and helplessness。
〃You here； Moreau！〃 said a voice。
He looked round to find himself confronted by a slight； swarthy man
of little more than thirty； firm of mouth and impertinent of nose；
who considered him with disapproval。 It was Le Chapelier； a lawyer
of Rennes； a prominent member of the Literary Chamber of that city；
a forceful man； fertile in revolutionary ideas and of an exceptional
gift of eloquence。
〃Ah； it is you； Chapelier！ Why don't you speak to them？ Why don't
you tell them what to do？ Up with you； man！〃 And he pointed to
the plinth。
Le Chapelier's dark； restless eyes searched the other's impassive
face for some trace of the irony he suspected。 They were as wide
asunder as the poles； these two； in their political views； and
mistrusted as Andre…Louis was by all his colleagues of the Literary
Chamber of Rennes； he was by none mistrusted so thoroughly as by
this vigorous republican。 Indeed； had Le Chapelier been able to
prevail against the influence of the seminarist Vilmorin；
Andre…Louis would long since have found himself excluded from that
assembly of the intellectual youth of Rennes； which he exasperated
by his eternal mockery of their ideals。
So now Le Chapelier suspected mockery in that invitation； suspected
it even when he failed to find traces of it on Andre…Louis' face；
for he had learnt by experience that it was a face not often to be
trusted for an indication of the real thoughts that moved behind it。
〃Your notions and mine on that score can hardly coincide；〃 said he。
〃Can there be two opinions？〃 quoth Andre…Louis。
〃There are usually two opinions whenever you and I are together；
Moreau … more than ever now that you are the appointed delegate of
a nobleman。 You see what your friends have done。 No doubt you
approve their methods。〃 He was coldly hostile。
Andre…Louis looked at him without surprise。 So invariably opposed
to each other in academic debates； how should Le Chapelier suspect
his present intentions？
〃If you won't tell them what is to be done； I will；〃 said he。
〃Nom de Dieu！ If you want to invite a bullet from the other side；
I shall not hinder you。 It may help to square the account。〃
Scarcely were the words out than he repented them； for as if in
answer to that challenge Andre…Louis sprang up on to the plinth。
Alarmed now； for he could only suppose it to be Andre…Louis'
intention to speak on behalf of Privilege； of which he was a
publicly appointed representative； Le Chapelier clutched him by the
leg to pull him down again。
〃Ah； that； no！〃 he was shouting。 〃Come down； you fool。 Do you
think we will let you ruin everything by your clowning？ Come down！〃
Andre…Louis； maintaining his position by clutching one of the legs
of the bronze horse； flung his voice like a bugle…note over the
heads of that seething mob。
〃Citizens of Rennes； the motherland is in danger！〃
The effect was electric。 A stir ran； like a ripple over water；
across that froth of upturned human faces； and completest silence
followed。 In that great silence they looked at this slim young man；
hatless； long wisps of his black hair fluttering in the breeze； his
neckcloth in disorder； his face white； his eyes on fire。
Andre…Louis felt a sudden surge of exaltation as he realized by
instinct that at one grip he had seized that crowd； and that he held
it fast in the spell of his cry and his audacity。
Even Le Chapelier； though still clinging to his ankle； had ceased
to tug。 The reformer； though unshaken in his assumption of
Andre…Louis' intentions； was for a moment bewildered by the first
note of his appeal。
And then； slowly； impressively； in a voice that travelled clear to
the ends of the square； the young lawyer of Gavrillac began to speak。
〃Shuddering in horror of the vile deed here perpetrated； my voice
demands to be heard by you。 You have seen murder done under your
eyes … the murder of one who nobly； without any thought of self；
gave voice to the wrongs by which we are all oppressed。 Fearing
that voice； shunning the truth as foul things shun the light； our
oppressors sent their agents to silence him in death。〃
Le Chapelier released at last his hold of Andre…Louis' ankle；
staring up at him the while in sheer amazement。 It seemed that the
fellow was in earnest； serious for once； and for once on the right
side。 What had come to him？
〃Of assassins what shall you look for but assassination？ I have a
tale to tell which will show that this is no new thing that you
have witnessed here to…day； it will reveal to you the forces with
which you have to deal。 Yesterday。。。 〃
There was an interruption。 A voice in the crowd； some twenty paces；
perhaps； was raised to shout：
〃Yet another of them！〃
Immediately after the voice came a pistol…shot； and a bullet
flattened itself against the bronze figure just behind Andre…Louis。
Instantly there was turmoil in the crowd； most intense about the
spot whence the shot had been fired。 The assailant was one of a
considerable group of the opposition； a group that found itself at
once beset on every side； and hard put to it to defend him。
》From the foot of the plinth rang the voice of the students making
chorus to Le Chapelier； who was bidding Andre…Louis to seek shelter。
〃Come down！ Come down at once！ They'll murder you as they murdered
La Riviere。〃
〃Let them！〃 He flung wide his arms in a gesture supremely theatrical；
and laughed。 〃I stand here at their mercy。 Let them； if they will；
add mine to the blood that will presently rise up to choke them。
Let them assassinate me。 It is a trade they understand。 But until
they do so； they shall not prevent me from speakin