(The reader is to remember that the interlocutors in the

following discourse, though they may speak with the air of ingenious sophists or of calculating politicians, are in truth only two shapeless, idiot faced dolls.

These puppets, which have been long in my family, possess the strange and awful quality of assuming the appearance and character of any deceased personage at the mere will of their master.

It is not necessary—nor would it be expedient—to enumerate the means or the rites by which animation is produced. It is enough to say that the puppets are, as far as I have been able to ascertain, clothed in the very flesh and habit of the dead, that they stand some nine inches high, and that once they have exchanged their inanimate stare for the semblance of life they pass absolutely out of the control of him who first rendered them quick. The spirit with which they appear to be infused usually works in them for about a space of half an hour, after which they relapse into their original state.

The influences which I had summoned upon the occasion wills which we are concerned were those of Robespierre—perhaps the most convinced sentimentalist of the French Revolution—and of Honor°, of whom I then knew nothing save that he was one of Hebert's Sans-culotte party in the Committee of Public Safety.

I have experienced some difficulty in translating the speeches of the latter, as they were couched in the most extraordinary jargon conceivable, the greater part of it exceedingly coarse and much of it almost incomprehensible. I formed the impression that its uncouthness was largely assumed.

This puppet, upon receiving animation, immediately seated itself at a small doll's table which I had provided, and, judging by its motions, apparently supposed itself to be engaged in. drinking. There was in reality nothing in the little glass. The little Robespierre paced up and down. Unlike Molnar°, who was filthy, he was dressed in the neatest, most finicking manner conceivable—a speckless blue coat, black knee breeches, and powdered queue. The conversation began in the following terms.) ROBESPIERRE : I repeat it. I feel the absolute necessity of a Supreme Being, a being, you are to remember, full of ten- derness for the cause of humanity, not desiring men as slavish worshippers—nay, rejecting such worship—but accept- ing the free sane homage of those who have become capable of comprehending his nature. And it is to this Supreme Being— (The little creature threw out its right hand with a declamatory

gesture).

31011080 (interrupting): Oh, confounded rubbish, Robe- spierre ! You can't believe all that. (Ile began to hum)

"Madame Veto avait promis

De faire egorger tout Paris, On lui coups la tote—" ROBESPIERRE (coldly): Forgive me if I weary you; you asked for my views, though I had thought them pretty well

known. But must we have that song in private as well as in public?

MostoRo : Sorry, it runs in one's head these days; but go on. I didn't mean to shut you up, only all that about the Supreme Being strikes me as rather cant. I know it's got to

be said outside, but- ROBESPIERRE: Like your perpetual Carmagnole, citoyen? . . . But you are quite right, it must be said " outside "—ono of the chief feasts of the Republic shall, if I can compass it, be "the Feast of the Supreme Being." He shall he openly acknowledged by all Paris. What a spectacle! The images of Tyranny and Suspicion burnt, disappearing in clouds of sulphurous smoke, to give place to a snow-white statue of Virtue, who shall smile a serene benediction upon the

assembly- (Momorto emerging from his glass.)

Momono : First class, and why not have Mlle. Candeille from the Opera now as Virtue, instead of a wretched statue,

and some nice little girls—as much a la grecque as you like— to dance and all that? Candeille makes up all right, you know.

She was quite the thing as " Reason," even if she is getting a bit fat. I had supper with her afterwards, and- ROBESPIERRE : Thank you, I do not aspire to imitate your

Feast of "Reason"; also I should prefer not to hear the edifying details of your supper with a lady, who probably required a little lively relaxation after playing a part so foreign to her nature.

I, at least, intend to appeal to our citizens by noble means, for man is, after all, a noble creature, by nature free, by nature equal, by nature loving and fraternal. I look along the vista of the ages and see no limit to the moral grandeur of which he may become capable now that be is free. I cannot but be convinced of the Ultimate Perfectibility of Man. I am no better than my brothers, but I know from the evidence within my own breast that man is magnificent and is immortal. (The mannikin seemed possessed by a panther-like energy.)

Itomoao Oh, I agree, I agree. (He reeled off the familiar doctrine.) Man is noble, man is magnificent—like you, I feel the certainty of it within this breast—(he struck it with a greasy hand)—but, then, why do you insist upon a Supreme Being P Isn't man sufficient to himself, noble, almost all- knowing, capable of reason, ultimately perfectible, capable, above all, of enjoying the present ROBESPIERRE (earnestly): Momoro, even the noblest being must have a final cause.

Momono (The spring of second-hand thoughts was not exhausted): Why seek that which is hid ? Man is mighty as a god while he lives, and being dead, "Here is eternal sleep."* It is enough for me to know that I am alive and able to enjoy Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity—(he dropped the tone).

Fact is, my Incorruptible, you worry far too much over things like that—of course I know how important they are—none better—but if you were more a man of the world you would sea these things in a proper balance, as I do. Have some brandy ?

ROBESPIERRE (impatiently): No, thank you; it makes me sick.

MOMORO : There you go! If you'd only try living like a

reasonable man with your wine and your — instead of sending the pretty creatures to the guillotine. Why, I saw one yesterday at that d—d tribunal—wasn't sixteen—pretty little thing, like a doll—you're a fool—I'd have found a use for her in your place.

That's a thing I can't make out about you, all this claptrap about a Supreme Being, and then I don't believe you mind all this butchering business a bit more than I do. By the way, have you heard the latest ? They've just set up a tannery at Meudon; you can guess what they tan . . . the women's skins are no good, too soft—the man that flayed the . . . goods told m e that. Jolly, ain't it ?

(I thought Robespierre would have been physically sick, he turned so livid a colour. Momoro resumed with an air of candour, his small eyes full of some sort of calculation.)

Look here, d'you know what I came here this evening for, instead of going to supper with Candeille ? To tell you something. Of course, we—the Hebertists—know you're on the right side—want to stop this and all that; but look here, people on our side are beginning to say you're a bit slow and . . . I say, why haven't you been to the Committee for nearly a month?

ROBESPIERRE : People on our side, did you say, Momoro P I desire to stop all this P I am not—sure—that I do. You jump to conclusions, mon ami.

(The two puppets sat for an instant staring in one another's eyes, Robespierre as cold as a snake. Momoro's face paled; I noticed that his hands twitched a little.) MOMORO : What do you mean?

ROBESPIERRE Be quiet. I am going to tell you the argu- ments upon which my conduct for the next week or two will be based. Not that you will understand either my arguments or my motives, but I choose to inform you of them.

For a month I have abstained from attending the Committee in order to reflect. During that time I have come to the conclusion—rightly or wrongly—that the " Terror," for all its welter of blood, must continue. (If I speak autocratic- ally, it is because, as you know, the balance of power in the Committee has, at the moment, in fact, given me absolute power to decide.) My reasons are to me conclusive. Though I do not like brandy, I am human, I shrink from butchery ; but

• This was put up in a.11 cemeteries until Robespierre decreed the immortality of the soul.

I—unlike Danton—still remember the goal which all had in view when the Revolution came into being. I mean the inauguration of Rousseau's Ideal State—Rousseau's State, which shall show none of the infirmities which I know, as well as any, have crept into our present government, in which all shall have perfect liberty, in which all shall be protected from the horrible, the degrading effects of poverty, disease, and vice, oh, unspeakable !—in which none shall be called upon to slay his fellow in the name of some grinning mockery of judicial procedure, in which all shall worship the Supreme Being in cheerful, unforced adoration. For this ideal I am prepared to let the purge work a little longer in France— guillotine, noyades, whatever may be necessary.

Momono (He poured out a torrent of horror-stricken words): You can't mean that, Robespierre ! Think ! You're not going to leave us, Danton, Camille Desmoulins, Hebertists, and alL We all stand— Oh! Great God, where do we stand if you throw your weight on the other side ? Oh, why didn't we- ROBESPIERRE (coldly): I am under no engagement that I know of to your party.

MOMORO (He seemed to search for something, anything, any argument to turn the implacable): But think, citoyen ! Why, in the .name of reason, must your Ideal State depend upon this Terror ? You know you bate it—you must—and we have declared against it—all too openly to go back. We thought we were certain of you now we'd got a humane sort of policy.

RomsrixnnE : I will tell you my reasons, though again you will not comprehend them.

The Ideal State demands absolute freedom of thought and action for the individual. There are still many persons aline to whom, owing to their disaffection to the State, it would be impossible to grant this absoluto freedom. Measures to restrain the disaffected can find no place upon the statute- book of the Ideal State. If the disaffected exist in any numbers, such measures will necessarily creep into it and prove a canker which will ultimately eat away the liberty of the true citizen. Therefore, till the disaffected have been (he paused a moment) purged away, the Ideal State is impossible. Also, Denton will have nothing to do with my Supreme Being.

Momono : But you can't know what this means! What the other side will do ! It means just this for us ! (He made a gesture with his hand to represent the sharp thudding descent of the guillotine knife.) ROBESPIERRE: You may have to take your chance of that too. Humanity may demand such a sacrifice. Did I tell you that I return to sit upon the Committee to-morrow ? Perhaps that will convince you that the conclusions I have reached are

final. I can at this juncture trust none but myself to establish the doctrines necessary to the complete happiness of mankind ; therefore for once I have my own supremacy as my object, and-

MOMOao (interrupting): If that's all, we will give you all the power .. . all the glory you can want, if only you will- ROBESPIERRE (He stopped him sternly) : Sir, this is bribery. Momono : No, no, it- ROBESPIERRE : Twelve years ago I renounced the emolu- ments and honours of a judgeship upon a point of conscience —the inviolable sanctity of human life. It is vain to endeavour to bribe me with power and glory, which in the first place are not yours to dispose of.

Momoao : Oh, I withdraw what I said—but, can't you see ? it's just this sacredness of human life that I am begging you to consider—fifty heads fall every day in Paris alone ! men, women, and even children.

ROBESPIERRE: Even the doctrine of the sanctity of human life must yield place for a little while to reasons of State—the Ideal State. But after—then it will be as the Phoenix rising from its ashes. There is One above who knows the purity of my heart. I do not expect you—I know your coarsened mind you believe all sorts of selfish motives lie behind what I say.

Momono (urgently): Oh, no, I don't. But, for God's sake, for once don't think about abstractions. Our blood'll be upon you—mine, and Danton's, and Hebert's, and Camille Desmoulins', and Chaumette's, and Vincent's, and Rosin's. Have you no feeling for your old brothers in Liberty ?

ROBEsPrEnnE (still quite coldly): Denton will have nothing

to do with my Supreme Being or the immortality of the soul.

Momouo : On my knees, I—

(Here the life suddenly began to ebb from both puppets. A moment, and Robespierre and his frenzied petitioner became quiescent and inanimate.

No report of the words uttered can give a just notion of the ghastly impression which this scene made upon me, its sole witness.

Nor will I attempt to describe it, but only add that it was several months before I again endued the puppets with vitality, and even then only in an effort to efface a memory which had become unbearably oppressive.

May I remind the reader of the following dates? I suggest from internal evidence that the puppets believed themselves to have reached the evening of March 14th, 1794 :— On March 15th Robespierre returned to the Committee.

On March 24th the Hibertists, including Momoro, were executed.

On April 5th Minton perished.

On June 8th the Feast of the Supreme Being was solemnised, and

On July 28th Robespierre himself was guillotined.)

FLATIIIB.