The Whites and the Blues by 1802-1870 Alexandre Dumas Page A
Authors: 1802-1870 Alexandre Dumas
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thirteen."
"Come nearer."
The boy obeyed.
"Upon my word, it's true," said Saint-Just; "he looks like a little girl. But you must have done something to be arrested."
"Two of my compatriots, citizens Ballu and Dumont, came to Strasbourg to secure the release of Adjutant-Gen eral Perrin. I knew that they were to be arrested during the night, and I sent them a little note of warning. My handwriting was recognized. I thought I was doing right. I appeal to your heart, citizen Saint-Just 1"
Saint-Just placed his hand, which was as white and well cared for as that of a woman, upon the boy's shoulder.
"You are still a child," he replied, "and I will only say this: There is a sentiment even more holy than love of one's countrymen; it is love of one's country. Before being citi zens of the same town we are children of the same country. A day will come when reason will have advanced sufficiently to value humanity more than patriotism, when all men will be brothers, all nations as sisters, when tyrants will be the only enemies. You yielded to an honorable sentiment, the love of your neighbor, which is enjoined by the Evangelist; but in yielding to it you have forgotten a sentiment which is yet higher, more sacred, more sublime. Devotion to your
country should come before everything else. If these men were enemies of their country, if they had transgressed its laws, you should not have interfered between them and the knife. I have no right to set myself up as an example, being one of the humblest servants of liberty; but I serve her according to my ability, I cause her to triumph when ever it lies within my power to do so; that is my sole am bition. Why am I to-day so calm and so proud of myself ? It is because I have this very day, at the price of my own heart's blood, given a proof of respect for the law which I myself made."
He paused a moment to make sure that the child was listening attentively. The boy did not lose a syllable. On the contrary, as if already preparing to transmit them to posterity, he was storing in his memory the words which fell from that strong mouth. Saint-Just continued.
"Since the shameful panic of Eisemberg, I issued a de cree which forbade any soldier or officer to go to bed with out being fully clothed. Well, on my tour of inspection this morning I looked forward to meeting a friend from my own part of the country, coming, like me, from the de partment of the Aisne; like me, from Ble'rancourt; and, like me again, a pupil in the college of Soissons. His regiment arrived yesterday in the village of Schiltigheim. I directed my course therefore toward the village, and asked in what house Prosper Lenormand was lodged. It was pointed out to me, and I hastened thither. His room was on the first floor, and, although I have great control over myself, my heart beat high, as I mounted the stairs, at the thought of seeing my friend again after five years of separation. I entered the first room, calling out: 'Prosper! Prosper! Where are you ? It is your old chum, Saint-Just. '
"I had no sooner spoken than the door opened, and a young man, clad only in his night-shirt, threw himself into my arms, crying: 'Saint-Just; my dear Saint-Just!'
"I wept as I pressed him to my heart, for that heart was about to receive a terrible blow.
"The friend of my childhood, whom I now saw for the first time after five years—he whom I had sought out my self, so eager was I to meet him again—he had violated the law which I had promulgated only three days before. He had incurred the death penalty.
"Then my heart yielded before the power of my will, and, turning to those present, I said calmly: 'Heaven be doubly praised, since I have seen you again, and since I can give, in the person of one so dear to me, a memorable lesson of discipline and a grand example of justice by sacri ficing you to the public safety.'
"Then, speaking to those who accompanied me, I said: 'Do your duty.'
'' I then embraced Prosper for the last time,
"Come nearer."
The boy obeyed.
"Upon my word, it's true," said Saint-Just; "he looks like a little girl. But you must have done something to be arrested."
"Two of my compatriots, citizens Ballu and Dumont, came to Strasbourg to secure the release of Adjutant-Gen eral Perrin. I knew that they were to be arrested during the night, and I sent them a little note of warning. My handwriting was recognized. I thought I was doing right. I appeal to your heart, citizen Saint-Just 1"
Saint-Just placed his hand, which was as white and well cared for as that of a woman, upon the boy's shoulder.
"You are still a child," he replied, "and I will only say this: There is a sentiment even more holy than love of one's countrymen; it is love of one's country. Before being citi zens of the same town we are children of the same country. A day will come when reason will have advanced sufficiently to value humanity more than patriotism, when all men will be brothers, all nations as sisters, when tyrants will be the only enemies. You yielded to an honorable sentiment, the love of your neighbor, which is enjoined by the Evangelist; but in yielding to it you have forgotten a sentiment which is yet higher, more sacred, more sublime. Devotion to your
country should come before everything else. If these men were enemies of their country, if they had transgressed its laws, you should not have interfered between them and the knife. I have no right to set myself up as an example, being one of the humblest servants of liberty; but I serve her according to my ability, I cause her to triumph when ever it lies within my power to do so; that is my sole am bition. Why am I to-day so calm and so proud of myself ? It is because I have this very day, at the price of my own heart's blood, given a proof of respect for the law which I myself made."
He paused a moment to make sure that the child was listening attentively. The boy did not lose a syllable. On the contrary, as if already preparing to transmit them to posterity, he was storing in his memory the words which fell from that strong mouth. Saint-Just continued.
"Since the shameful panic of Eisemberg, I issued a de cree which forbade any soldier or officer to go to bed with out being fully clothed. Well, on my tour of inspection this morning I looked forward to meeting a friend from my own part of the country, coming, like me, from the de partment of the Aisne; like me, from Ble'rancourt; and, like me again, a pupil in the college of Soissons. His regiment arrived yesterday in the village of Schiltigheim. I directed my course therefore toward the village, and asked in what house Prosper Lenormand was lodged. It was pointed out to me, and I hastened thither. His room was on the first floor, and, although I have great control over myself, my heart beat high, as I mounted the stairs, at the thought of seeing my friend again after five years of separation. I entered the first room, calling out: 'Prosper! Prosper! Where are you ? It is your old chum, Saint-Just. '
"I had no sooner spoken than the door opened, and a young man, clad only in his night-shirt, threw himself into my arms, crying: 'Saint-Just; my dear Saint-Just!'
"I wept as I pressed him to my heart, for that heart was about to receive a terrible blow.
"The friend of my childhood, whom I now saw for the first time after five years—he whom I had sought out my self, so eager was I to meet him again—he had violated the law which I had promulgated only three days before. He had incurred the death penalty.
"Then my heart yielded before the power of my will, and, turning to those present, I said calmly: 'Heaven be doubly praised, since I have seen you again, and since I can give, in the person of one so dear to me, a memorable lesson of discipline and a grand example of justice by sacri ficing you to the public safety.'
"Then, speaking to those who accompanied me, I said: 'Do your duty.'
'' I then embraced Prosper for the last time,
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