CHAPTER I.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 19, 6 February 1891, Page 23

CHAPTER I.

old friend of on*.f#i,iTy, hißßftV a J lsßi'Pr^Wr*srrlsW Mn ot He was a,^pvflicia|i,,wl)Q p^d {laspep tp^ ]»j^orß^) tjP^jJ-lQfi tne Bevolution in 4pc,b .a. BprrQr nf fncse,aays, that, at the dislapp> <#, nftyVeaj-ihe, could t)mhof, bp^alf Jdf," it S; m.[' Btlf nor hear oftera,( Bneak o^_lt v, H« newr c^tt.sj|mtoJaMf|cffefa ll'; courage to open* BiJ^gTe gbpj| on tjne history of tb^^rexicTi "Bevolulion, no matter from "what point;, of view it might be written. ' The' moment this eppc^'was^ttßnbjeci of conversation he disappeared. We at last resp^ct6dliißrtrjdgTiance,ifaaTie*ef intfoWceW the subject into oui conversations. One morning When fete bad daHedltd pay ma'a vUit^ dn his leaving the Hotel Dieu/1 *?ked4itm if he w*trmpiedto&&t tisvyssd'epetitiicle that the hospital offered each day.' - ' " CertaiD^Qam/'^Y^Mt th^U^BatWPoß9^^ personal recollections which are most painf nl to me, and although I have gene there every morning for H the .^stT^fty, ye^iji,! have-,never auit^ tt without a load^Mi my hsarif, - } y ' L', , , "Ji^ >iri ' ' My old doc^,^d^ari?^y ut^ejred thepe wgr.^s.^han'hWe 1 Rented ; but seeing my cijnbsiiy excifex neThoi/gbiliespbuld have Jittlaneace till he had rev&lfed tdtnfe'thß sad ftWrifr heWi rJnif^Tf&'tfce'fftbesaea his heart. He therefore began to rerate'n to toe foeafriy^n^^b'wOTds '! " I am the«(in of W^lriiWsl f*lfsi6saii i floffl'tfie.«rtg*bxs'firhood of Arras. I posset^l the toferi<Ss&»p' 1«f1 «f ibdityuewif'tofaVtillitiy/who had the kindness to sen4-me tpiPa^q/atj.^jß/opn expense, for the purpose of stndying^medicine. This excellent man was a countrymartyf Kobeipierre'B. 'He had the nmfortona to make his acquaintance, aid to retain him as counsel in a law suit in which he was engaged\f Paris in the year 1788.1 Bobeeplerre was notfconteht watt-letting him loie his suit, he made him lose his head also, and sent him to t a ■ scaffold in 1794, with'hvs wife and two thildten^ ' ' p>mit" The murder of my benefactor was my first personal grief as far as the Revolution was concerned ; the o' hersll am about to relate. " I had already become the favourite pupil of the celebrated surgeon Deseaul, and had been attending him at the Hotel Dieu. I concentrated all my thoughts on the duties of my profession, and endeavoured to bear tip amid the horrible scene&iof 1 wiiich, during this terrible period, " Tae lii ign of Terror." had penetiated cv( n the Hotel Dieu This hospital, founded by (St. Landry in tbd sixtih cunury, and extendfd, bj St. Louis, no longer bore t&e bcautilul nau»# of Maison de Diea (^rfouse of God) wtiph our fathers ha.l givln it it was called in the Beigri of Terrortfce ' ifou»eof Humanity.' TliuS was the system of the. iieyaluti.ua ,whiqa qypsieu^d m übstituting man lor God iv everythins. After hating robbed the clergy of all their^goods. robbed jrhe nobility and-^iUftivejT)^ tbe Republic seiaed wn, th^ (paf;ii,aaon^ of tbe poor, A ( lived the hospitals of alj the wea^b which had bgeu befiue^tpea.i^ ths|a for many ages. Jb^the „puipoßq of t-jeciing fr^ni lUp'fj^uge, of Humanity every yesti^e/of chaii,ty.anAl,,hubfle3S. tM wqua (iaugntere of St. Augustine.'vv.ab atteid^d the bpapitial, we're'drfye^awfiyl Jper' cause they commitjtpd fhe'^rime qf w,eiiinga, religious' hs^bit, ana nursed the Bick in, the *nAmy? of G.Qsao4 cot in Ihe.tiame^qf iiumanit^ " Ttey were tort frajn, the'beds o^ toe sick, who'in vaTn caLlo^ them back again; they' were publicly, whipped oa- tlhe, dv Parvis by the hand^gf the fur^s oi guiU^fle, who were called openly the ' It suiters^ a,ud weje, hired far J:be pujpos^.of apt^g as public tormentors. ' "Many of these innocent creature^dTd nq't eutyi.ve this cruelty ; one of them, bister at. Anastatia, who eadeavbureS t6 get away, was seized at the P^i^^xy pjubles and thrown inso the Seine. It was nut vexy likely that the excoao^e of t,he tricpjteus£S for the good Sisters *ofd' bi btue'firfal. As tor 1 ttae'dictors4i/itie hospital, we knew the. diffapehce, attid €Vtty «ay'«-y regrettedHle Daughters of St. AHatWftc nmorenSnd tnora. Ttie Abb«s>'was Madame de Montqy>jren<jy Vl i Tbe&e .excellent b>jth,, o^d aod young, grouped aroi^.t^r^bb^s, 'wej?'e .can jed to dea\b, c'ham,iflg the hjmn of their owp rn^rt^,tdsini, I,l Ou,the. same i^,,,^ A,bbe fa Fenelon was marche^ [jp^equtwo. f ifa ftn escoitpl.hi^gpod.'dee'dji. He was eighty-Line years of f^e. Tuey were obliged td^e^j^m to mount the steps of the guillotine. When standing upon the'scaifjftl he begged the execution'^'to'trhbind' 1 Ms barids, that ne'tniebt make one last eeature of the poot njins ab.d <'tn'A Ktfie children who followed *ifa 4n tbW wW to hMOaWK ''W,* e*l^ tioner obeyed. The A&bei ptaneiW.sjjetcbyrt ■ouV,toia, /hands, the crowd fell on their kuete and ix>wed iheir bared beaue voder the benediciion of the dying man. Tears flowed, Bobs broke>iurth ; thei punishment was indeed a holy sacrifice. I 1 " Among the miserable mfirmanans who succee'tfOT our pofc Sißters was one calkd ' Mother Margot, 1 who inspired me witßTeW repugnance than tts Q\h#B./ I r tfound (b^t.ypcjljiF^Ji^n^fng hef) revolutionary aberrations, she possessed a heart. She ,^ndejjtoQk T tbe, functions of laundress as well as those of nurse, and she washed my linen quite as badly as she nursed my patients,, wkiebjwae npt|Saying. auch tor her. ' 7 "" T^'lt^fy: "One morniny: Mother Margqt, cabled me .and with, lEe" familiarity usual at that time, said to me : Citizen 'doctor, you know, or you do not know, that my heart is Uo soft ; it is the heart»kich is, .v 3.J iAJ .H .BioJosiiG \o naoniadL) .WlMTaiiajjAH

always {Be ruin of me. Would you believe that I, a brave BepnbIlican, who shed tears of blood cryer the corpse of the divine Marat. h*4e the weakness to&ve an aif/um in rqsJiouse Ufa little aristc n£t She is the child of a great lady of the Faubourg & Cermain. hmX laundress in the family ; her father and mother have, as they say, the guillotine)', Tney' wereaen'ouncedby their porter, a brave man Marquis and llarcbioness7 But the Tittle one, who 1O0 Tonnij^ child was bathed in tears and I had not the h?art to refu63. A month has passed iWtfMiidttWvil&llflßl 'ttalWUfolßtotHa^Bi spite of myself. I was obliged to dress her black, which cost me a deal, but she begged it so implSrliglyyitta ah sldXH&ilea.i Such children are brought up to have all their wishes gratified, and are accustomed to every delicacy. I .have taken to r her. in secret, choice morsels and. tHe 1 Ms! W^se^on?^ throughout the neighbourhood. Then this law of the sugft«aHato&e}v are about to introduce— l will not-bave my devotion to the cause denied.' " " ' Well, citizen^' m\ J^jherotolW !WW &»!©*! good act, and I hope no harm may come to you. I will take the charge of finding another asylum for ypur little .aristocrat.' , „, •'Margot^foVnre^lferme^ft^'n ) At't«e li tto'tel Dieu, in the square of Notre Dame, which was then called the Temple of Reason.' " I climbed up the six flight of stairs, at tht top of which the washerwoman lived, and entered her .garret. There I found a beautiffil'etrt;'tftit*ifc U, I^*^W^W^Ya3«*fe»Taprf»lo^Mf'rti«»^aand which was much too large for her slight form ; but this curious fabricathmiofnifar^ob'd eonU notrondaat heocgihcEfi»iadnd dtiteßgiiiHifoii figure. "At the moment* e^grfdt^Bff^fl^MJWtfb^ |side of a pallet ; hsr beautiful golden hair covered her shoulders ; she was engaged in peeling one of tbe-4a*ge peaches which the laundress had purchased for her. and was about to eat it. Her blue eyes bore traces of I«eQM*!<ft»ri! TOWhtti<tfp§Pwß!& Ws Rosebuds, were opened with a amile as she ate the velvety fruit, which she held in her Hahd4<-a tl^mi^pdSifceV{u,¥a&i<UbW»(»o(ftl«ifime.'^Her manner was so simple and childlike at the Bame time so tranquil and sad, that 1 was deepfotqu^iispg^lafltfipaiotionleßS on the threshold. " At the sight of me she warnrach alarmed, let the peach fall at Are tney come to take me already ? ' " ' No, no,' replied Margot, 'fear nothing, my pretty one ; this is a citizen-doctor t -longing to the House of Humanity,' who will do you no harmg— nuitß^^p wiMffi Do^j^P -J9 U longer, my " The youflg-gltKbiiit^^f pUiVtnf/ Wfej'Olcb^jiii^ler charming iac > expressejßgttjbgiiffi^Bitton'Hffi^-fecft'~fea'r. "'lTTfEerrupted the woman's remarks, aDd iespectfully addressed ber. I explained to her thftt I mis abJe to offler herjan asylum at mypunt'a houfl/6— a resp*table old lady, wtjo d^ro^wl hejse,lf £o-fhe ffcflk^f ca'vcealing priela and other pruscnbed pe^Dle^ . \,\ , J( ' v ', ) '" ' Monsieur, 1 said she neshatingly — — ' ' '"Call him citizen-docfe/, <I cAel iifargot. 'Would the word burn your- rauut^?]{ /m« .<ti/.H v/a:::) :o:ii p.xiM [>aa e^JaK i ■ " ' Aitow Vberypuflgifed^to &p<j(rtsb!W*h« ifi;toMtil<lWabikiof doifigtij saidi jljfcarply to t)je ,*Qin«iW : uidii,' uo.l'i.v i.> n':iw f.ixit od niw " She grumbled and said that I also wa&ftti Sristacfafa-iaA Atari my tongue. %l ',' 'Monsieur/ repjied the young girl, 'my father andmother are both d&iaMAi tWibiefyHl™* ''^T .'-(TO TT mTW ,ohTX '" '"Wife' writ I Ti^r«r' )t rfegrß^riH 7 tpa l aion¥^^'^ > V^l rteolWctttoA. J Whetf B'^VfU&ehbVeW fc^m r fi«r%aißftH mkicMl she a^tfed'llfe'jisyfttf Whfcti Pfefefta i W^q&Sfl^ 'fljffiH 1 ® evening to give my aunt notice who was corning. „ She, was delighted to be able, to give trie pdAr child tfteiter fVttfostt dfcyV\>f terror, and also frum the enthusiastic jpieturs Unltf/drawn of the poor young «in?a,tuie grid heflnnHortAnes. /Pa(uhe^ext dayfj w«»t tcj.the P|b"3| dv Parvis Notre Damp^r^/fypfl* the doorstep. , Bbl showed me up the stairs^aml at tta moment of our entrance tne child was singing a touching WngV^H-xnWwn in the days of Louis XVI. ,?/,fI no'jlur./'I \y •« nit 'MiiiofT "'Ah, you little witch,' said Margot; so you dare sing the complaint of the tyrant CapeU You want to have us all mur- • a^Wd.' ,''("T! v. v «V , i,J-)j<r. /nIJtnM .vn.jmQ 'J'« M "liaWaapett-w^h IB* w^ibAW'that'l w*hia-lc^aafe'!fAr.tb«'^l(Wyg girl at nightfall, iv order that her depafta-re «a?feWinot) b^ttoliifei by '^»BlillhwMi,i!> t> h- ,' .. Mwl'-f* 'H'u l \ hi-: /a.M vi Jfyi^W aooitojr paused at ihiH point .ok bis *****% m .if ih« hftrtj»a r courage to proceed. He loofc^Vtapn, 'ejfe bk^J^rT/^oVlbiwfeVi, Btruck the pavement with hia walking-stick drew out his watch, ana wanted tojw, under pretence of paying a visit to a patient. " DoAol," I said, "you must noc escape now ; you never have yet bee* ftme to t ell me this hißtory ; but having once begun you must finish it. Thanks. Take your seat again. Did you know 9?p a » e A f F h - i^! )e^ lti W o^»g ir \.T > /- 'I A 'A / *iiis/ ?v/ir now ir^ " 18 ever on mv "P 8 ana - in mv heart ' bat I wrntievgr pronounce it." ryipL^H^^'^jif^W! 1 that> Doctor ; but continue y° ur Btor y. l T [) " S^^^^X J £*#L &S if^were treading on coals of Ire. This _Haw oT the suspected ' hSB redOTbled the terror in Paris. The barriers wtr a -closed, the shops shut up. At four o'c'ock an order warned the [ .a

■

inhabitants to be in their house 3at six o'clock in the evening, that they might be ready to receive domiciliary visi s. On receiving this intelligence I did not think it prudent to wait for night to go to the Parvis Nctrc Dame. But, notwithstanding my speed, I did not get therein time. A feverish shiver ran tr ough me as I perceived a great crowd about the house of Margot ; an armed patrol of men. with pkes in their hands, guarded the door, while they awaitel the arrival of the commissioner who would pay the domiciliary ' visit " ' It is sore and certain,' said the vintner at the corner, ' tbat Ihere is a young aristocrat above tnere ; they are about to dislodge her. Ihey will cut off her head as they have already done her father's and mother's.' '• I tried to enter, but was repulsed by the guards and by the crowd. "'lama doctor belonging to the House of Humanity ; there is a sick person above who expects rue.' " ' Paps on, Citizen doctor,' said the chief of the patrol ; ' but I mean to employ the prescription of your brave confrere Guillotine for the benefit of your tair patient.' "I ascended the stairß, and found Mother Margot pale and furious. "I have been denounced ; we are both lost 1 What is to b-> will be. You have the greater need to take care of yourself citiz^ndector. "The young girl ran to me. She was trembling all over, acd threw herself into my arms, crying, ' Save me 1 save me ! ' 11 The love of lite shone out from her supplicating eyes — she was so young 1 " ' I will save you,' I cried without well knowing how I should do it. A sudden inspiration dawned on me. I explained mv project to the young girl, who approved of it. Margot clapped her hands and cried ou< • "Bravo l Audacity, Audacity! That is the system of citizen Danton. "I took off my coat. I turned up ths sleeve of my shut, and made an incision in my left arm win my lancet. 1 collected the blood with my ngnt hand and daubed the f ice, hands and h^ir of the poor young girl. She could not help smiling in the midst of her fears and said t> me (she was but a child) : ' Will you believe it reminds me of one day during the vintage when my brother thus sprinkled me with grapes as red as your blood ? " " Margot placed her on the mattres3. 1 threw over her a shse\ which I took care to inundate with blood. I bound up my arm and took one end cf the mattress, whilst Margot held the other. We descended the stairs thus carryiug our precious burden. "At sight of us the crowd giew gieater. Fortunately the commissioner had not yet arnved. " ' Make room citizens,' cried 1 autn iniatively ; ' make way for a doctor, who is taking to the Homj of Hum inity a foolish creatme who tried to commit suicide. .Uit2 roo_n ; respect the unfortunate and the dying,' " 'Pas-, then,' sa'd the chief of the bin I: '■ but the woman who btars the Utter alon^ with you is suspecte 1, I arrest her 1' " Margot foug it, and swore she had no other go Is than Marat and Robespierre. I made \ain tffjrts to sive her: but as 1 did not succeed, I tried to pursue my rome I was no' able to carry the mattress by ru\s<2 if. It hid slid fr im my hinds on the ground. "' City 'us, will one of you Rid me to carry this dying peison to the hospiul .' 1 call upon you to do s) in the name "of Human.ty., (We wire obliged to be cartful to a k nothing in the name of G jd ) lAt tin se words oie of the men willingly 1 >nt h.s aid to carry my pretended pv.ient to tne Hotel D.eu. There 1 hid tne gool fortune to me -t Surge m Dessault, in whom I h^d cmrilencj. Ito ik him uside and told my secret. He orderel the child to be depjbited in the woman's ward, bed No. 7, '