The Countess De Charny - Volume II by Alexandre Dumas Page B

without bringing the great leader with him. In spite of Danton’s indolence, Pitou touched his heart, and brought him to the city-hall.
    Danton saw the artillery on the Pont Neuf, and the Xational Guards on the Arcade Saint-Jean, and realised how important it was that such large military forces should not be allowed to remain where they could close in behind the populace. On the strength of Petion’s order, Manuel and Danton dismissed the Xational Guards, and sent the artillery from the Pont Neuf. This left the road clear for the insurgents.
    Meanwhile, Billot and Pitou returned to the Rue Saint-Honoré, where Billot still kept his old quarters. On entering his lodgings, Billot sat down, and motioned Pitou to do the same.
    “I sent word for you to join me, Pitou,” began the farmer.
    ” And I have n’t kept you waiting, as you see,” responded Pitou, with a smile that disclosed to view every tooth in his head.
    “Xo. You can see for yourself, I suppose, that something serious is about to happen.”
    “I judged as much; but tell me. Monsieur Billot, how is it that I don’t see or hear anything of either Monsieur Bailly or Lafayette?”
    “Bailly is a traitor who had us slaughtered on the Champ de Mars.”
    “Yes, I know; for didn’t I find you there weltering in your blood ? “
     
    billot’s will. 93
    “And Lafayette is a traitor who wants to carry off the king.”
    “I didn’t know that! Lafayette a traitor! Why, who would have thought it! And the king?”
    “He ‘s the biggest traitor of all.”
    “That doesn’t surprise me.”
    “The king is in league with foreigners, and wants to deliver France into the hands of her enemies. The Tuileries is a regular hot-bed of conspiracy; so the people have decided to take the Tuileries. Do you understand? “
    “As we took the Bastille, Monsieur Billot?”
    “Yes.”
    “But it won’t be such a diiïicult job, I judge.”
    “You’re very much mistaken about that.”
    “Why, the walls are not nearly so high.”
    “No, but they’re much better guarded. You see, my dear boy, the Bastille was defended by a garrison of only fifty pensioners; whereas there are three or four thousand able-bodied men in the palace.”
    “Three or four thousand men! The deuce! “
    “Without taking into consideration the fact that the Bastille was taken by surprise, whereas the people at the Tuileries have been anticipating an attack for a long time, and doing everything in their power to strengthen the palace.”
    “So they mean to defend it! “
    “Yes; and they ‘11 do it all the better from the fact that Monsieur de Charny is intrusted with the defence.”
    “True, he left Boursonnes yesterday with his wife. But is Monsieur de Charny also a traitor?”
    “No, he ‘s an aristocrat, — that is all. He has always sided with the Court, and consequently he has not betrayed the people, nor has he ever tried to cajole the people into trusting him.”
    “So we are to fight Monsieur de Charny! Strange, is n’t it, neighbours as we are?”
    “That is what we call civil war, Pitou; but you’re not obliged to fight if you don’t want to.”
     
    94 LA COMTESSE DE CHARNY.
    “Excuse me, monsieur, but what suits you, suits me too, you know.”
    “But I ‘d much rather you would n’t fight, Pitou.”
    “Then why on earth did you send for me?”
    “I sent for you to give you this paper,” responded the farmer, his face growing graver.
    “What is it?”
    “A copy of my will.”
    “A copy of your will. Monsieur Billot,” continued Pitou, laughing. ” You don’t look much like a man who ‘s about to die.”
    “No,” said Billot, pointing to his musket and powder-flasks, which were hanging on the wall; “but I look like a man who may be killed.”
    ” Yes, we ‘re all mortal ! “
    “Well, as I said before, I sent for you to give you this copy of my will, as I have made you my sole legatee.”
    ” Me, Monsieur Billot? No, thank you, Monsieur Billot. You say that