year　of　the　Republicor；　as　we　of　the　old　style　still　persist　in
  calling　it；　the　16th　of　January；　1794the　auditorium　of　the
  Theatre　National　was　filled　with　a　very　brilliant　company。
  The　appearance　of　a　favourite　actress　in　the　part　of　one　of
  Moliere's　volatile　heroines　had　brought　pleasure…loving　Paris　to
  witness　this　revival　of　〃Le　Misanthrope；〃　with　new　scenery；
  dresses；　and　the　aforesaid　charming　actress　to　add　piquancy　to　the
  master's　mordant　wit。
  The　Moniteur；　which　so　impartially　chronicles　the　events　of
  those　times；　tells　us　under　that　date　that　the　Assembly　of　the
  Convention　voted　on　that　same　day　a　new　law　giving　fuller　power　to
  its　spies；　enabling　them　to　effect　domiciliary　searches　at　their
  discretion　without　previous　reference　to　the　Committee　of　General
  Security；　authorising　them　to　proceed　against　all　enemies　of
  public　happiness；　to　send　them　to　prison　at　their　own　discretion；
  and　assuring　them　the　sum　of　thirty…five　livres　〃for　every　piece
  of　game　thus　beaten　up　for　the　guillotine。〃　　Under　that　same　date
  the　Moniteur　also　puts　it　on　record　that　the　Theatre　National
  was　filled　to　its　utmost　capacity　for　the　revival　of　the　late
  citoyen　Moliere's　comedy。
  The　Assembly　of　the　Convention　having　voted　the　new　law　which
  placed　the　lives　of　thousands　at　the　mercy　of　a　few　human
  bloodhounds；　adjourned　its　sitting　and　proceeded　to　the　Rue　de
  Richelieu。
  Already　the　house　was　full　when　the　fathers　of　the　people　made
  their　way　to　the　seats　which　had　been　reserved　for　them。　　An　awed
  hush　descended　on　the　throng　as　one　by　one　the　men　whose　very
  names　inspired　horror　and　dread　filed　in　through　the　narrow
  gangways　of　the　stalls　or　took　their　places　in　the　tiny　boxes
  around。
  Citizen　Robespierre's　neatly　bewigged　head　soon　appeared　in　one　of
  these；　his　bosom　friend　St。　Just　was　with　him；　and　also　his　sister
  Charlotte。　　Danton；　like　a　big；　shaggy…coated　lion；　elbowed　his
  way　into　the　stalls；　whilst　Sauterre；　the　handsome　butcher　and
  idol　of　the　people　of　Paris；　was　loudly　acclaimed　as　his　huge
  frame；　gorgeously　clad　in　the　uniform　of　the　National　Guard；　was
  sighted　on　one　of　the　tiers　above。
  The　public　in　the　parterre　and　in　the　galleries　whispered
  excitedly；　the　awe…inspiring　names　flew　about　hither　and　thither
  on　the　wings　of　the　overheated　air。　　Women　craned　their　necks　to
  catch　sight　of　heads　which　mayhap　on　the　morrow　would　roll　into
  the　gruesome　basket　at　the　foot　of　the　guillotine。
  In　one　of　the　tiny　avant…scene　boxes　two　men　had　taken　their　seats
  long　before　the　bulk　of　the　audience　had　begun　to　assemble　in　the
  house。　　The　inside　of　the　box　was　in　complete　darkness；　and　the
  narrow　opening　which　allowed　but　a　sorry　view　of　one　side　of　the
  stage　helped　to　conceal　rather　than　display　the　occupants。
  The　younger　one　of　these　two　men　appeared　to　be　something　of　a
  stranger　in　Paris；　for　as　the　public　men　and　the　well…known
  members　of　the　Government　began　to　arrive　he　often　turned　to　his
  companion　for　information　regarding　these　notorious　personalities。
  〃Tell　me；　de　Batz；〃　he　said；　calling　the　other's　attention　to　a
  group　of　men　who　had　just　entered　the　house；　〃that　creature　there
  in　the　green　coatwith　his　hand　up　to　his　face　nowwho　is　he？〃
  〃Where？　　Which　do　you　mean？〃
  〃There！　　He　looks　this　way　now；　and　he　has　a　playbill　in　his　hand。
  The　man　with　the　protruding　chin　and　the　convex　forehead；　a　face
  like　a　marmoset；　and　eyes　like　a　jackal。　　What？〃
  The　other　leaned　over　the　edge　of　the　box；　and　his　small；　restless
  eyes　wandered　over　the　now　closely…packed　auditorium。
  〃Oh！〃　he　said　as　soon　as　he　recognised　the　face　which　his　friend
  had　pointed　out　to　him；　〃that　is　citizen　Foucquier…Tinville。〃
  〃The　Public　Prosecutor？〃
  〃Himself。　　And　Heron　is　the　man　next　to　him。〃
  〃Heron？〃　said　the　younger　man　interrogatively。
  〃Yes。　　He　is　chief　agent　to　the　Committee　of　General　Security
  now。〃
  〃What　does　that　mean？〃
  Both　leaned　back　in　their　chairs；　and　their　sombrely…clad　figures
  were　once　more　merged　in　the　gloom　of　the　narrow　box。　　Instinctively；
  since　the　name　of　the　Public　Prosecutor　had　been　mentioned　between
  them；　they　had　allowed　their　voices　to　sink　to　a　whisper。
  The　older　mana　stoutish；　florid…looking　individual；　with　small；
  keen　eyes；　and　skin　pitted　with　small…poxshrugged　his　shoulders
  at　his　friend's　question；　and　then　said　with　an　air　of
  contemptuous　indifference：
  〃It　means；　my　good　St。　Just；　that　these　two　men　whom　you　see　down
  there；　calmly　conning　the　programme　of　this　evening's　entertainment；
  and　preparing　to　enjoy　themselves　to…night　in　the　company　of　the　late
  M。　de　Moliere；　are　two　hell…hounds　as　powerful　as　they　are　cunning。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　St。　Just；　and　much　against　his　will　a　slight
  shudder　ran　through　his　slim　figure　as　he　spoke。　〃Foucquier…Tinville
  I　know；　I　know　his　cunning；　and　I　know　his　powerbut　the　other？〃
  〃The　other？〃　retorted　de　Batz　lightly。　　〃Heron？　　Let　me　tell　you；
  my　friend；　that　even　the　might　and　lust　of　that　damned　Public
  Prosecutor　pale　before　the　power　of　Heron！〃
  〃But　how？　　I　do　not　understand。〃
  〃Ah！　you　have　been　in　England　so　long；　you　lucky　dog；　and　though
  no　doubt　the　main　plot　of　our　hideous　tragedy　has　reached　your
  ken；　you　have　no　cognisance　of　the　actors　who　play　the　principal
  parts　on　this　arena　flooded　with　blood　and　carpeted　with　hate。
  They　come　and　go；　these　actors；　my　good　St。　Justthey　come　and
  go。　　Marat　is　already　the　man　of　yesterday；　Robespierre　is　the　man
  of　to…morrow。　　To…day　we　still　have　Danton　and　Foucquier…Tinville；
  we　still　have　Pere　Duchesne；　and　your　own　good　cousin　Antoine　St。
  Just；　but　Heron　and　his　like　are　with　us　always。〃
  〃Spies；　of　course？〃
  〃Spies；〃　assented　the　other。　　〃And　what　spies！　　Were　you　present
  at　the　sitting　of　the　Assembly　to…day？〃
  〃I　was。　　I　heard　the　new　decree　which　already　has　passed　into　law。
  Ah！　I　tell　you；　friend；　that　we　do　not　let　the　grass　grow　under
  our　feet　these　days。　　Robespierre　wakes　up　one　morning　with　a
  whim；　by　the　afternoon　that　whim　has　become　law；　passed　by　a
  servile　body　of　men　too　terrified　to　run　counter　to　his　will；
  fearful　lest　they　be　accused　of　moderation　or　of　humanitythe
  greatest　crimes　that　can　be　committed　nowadays。〃
  〃But　Danton？〃
  〃Ah！　Danton？　　He　would　wish　to　stem　the　tide　that　his　own　passions
  have　let　loose；　to　muzzle　the　raging　beasts　whose　fangs　he　himself
  has　sharpened。　　I　told　you　that　Danton　is　still　the　man　of　to…day；
  to…morrow　he　will　be　accused　of　moderation。　　Danton　and　moderation！
  ye　gods！　　Eh？　　Danton；　who　thought　the　guillotine　too　slow　in　its
  work；　and　armed　thirty　soldiers　with　swords；　so　that　thirty　heads
  might　fall　at　one　and　the　same　time。　　Danton；　friend；　will　perish
  to…morrow　accused　of　treachery　against　the　Revolution；　of　moderation
  towards　her　enemies；　and　curs　like　Heron　will　feast　on　the　blood　of
  lions　like　Danton　and　his　crowd。〃
  He　paused　a　moment；　for　he　dared　not　raise　his　voice；　and　his
  whispers　were　being　drowned　by　the　noise　in　the　auditorium。　　The
  curtain；　timed　to　be　raised　at　eight　o'clock；　was　still　down；
  though　it　was　close　on　half…past；　and　the　public　was　growing
  impatient。　　There　was　loud　stamping　of　feet；　and　a　few　shrill
  whistles　of　disapproval　proceeded　from　the　gallery。
  〃If　Heron　gets　impatient；〃　said　de　Batz　lightly；　when　the　noise
  had　momentarily　subsided；　the　manager　of　this　theatre　and　mayhap
  his　leading　actor　and　actress　will　spend　an　unpleasant　day
  to…morrow。〃
  〃Always　Heron！〃　said　St。　Just；　with　a　contemptuous　smile。
  〃Yes；　my　friend；〃　rejoined　the　other　imperturbably；　〃always　Heron。
  And　he　has　even　obtained　a　longer　lease　of　existence　this
  afternoon。〃
  〃By　the　new　decree？〃
  〃Yes。　　The　new　decree。　　The　agents　of　the　Committee　of　General
  Security；　of　whom　Heron　is　the　chief；　have　from　to…day　powers　of
  domiciliary　search；　they　have　full　powers　to　proceed　against　all
  enemies　of　public　welfare。　　Isn't　that　beautifully　vague？　　And
  they　have　absolute　discretion；　every　one　may　become　an　enemy　of
  public　welfare；　either　by　spending　too　much　money　or　by　spending
  too　little；　by　laughing　to…day　or　crying　to…morrow；　by　mourning
  for　one　dead　relative　or　rejoicing　over　the　execution　of　another。
  He　may　be　a　bad　example　to　the　public　by　the　cleanliness　of　his
  person　or　by　the　filth　upon　his　clothes；　he　may　offend　by　walking
  to…day　and　by　riding　in　a　carriage　next　week；　the　agents　of　the
  Committee　of　General　Security　shall　alone　decide　what　constitutes
  enmity　against　public　welfare。　All　prisons　are　to　be　opened　at
  their　bidding　to　receive　those　whom　they　choose　to　denounce；　they
  have　henceforth　the　right　to　examine　prisoners　privately　and
  without　witnesses；　and　to　send　them　to　trial　without　further
  warrants；　their　duty　is　clearthey　must　'beat　up　game　for　the
  guillotine。'　Thus　is　the　decree　worded；　they　must　furnish　the
  Public　Prosecutor　with　work　to　do；　the　tribunals　with　victims　to
  condemn；　the　Place　de　la　Revolution　with　death…scenes　to　amuse　the
  people；　and　for　their　work　they　will　be　rewarded　thirty…five
  livres　for　every　head　that　falls　under　the　guillotine　　Ah！　if
  Heron　and　his　like　and　his　myrmidons　work　hard　and　well　they　can
  make　a　comfortable　income　of　four　or　five　thousand　livres　a　week