After taking his leave of Déroulède , the young citizen-representative decided to take a walk down the side of the river. He had much to think over, and did not want to go to Robespierre until he had gotten his thoughts in order. Antoine knew instinctively that it was Robespierre he wanted to follow, because he knew (just as instinctively) that it was Robespierre who truly knew how to fashion France into a true Republic, where all people were equal and superstition, greed and ambition were banished.
But to reach that ideal, the leaders of the Revolution needed to be pure. Antoine knew he was, just as Robespierre was. But Paul Déroulède ? No, he was not pure. The question was, could he be made pure, or was he too weak? Antoine would hate to waste the talents of a man who'd shown some true concern for the people. The man had done good things. But underlying it all was a personality that Antoine questioned.
He knew from his own research that Paul had been a part of aristocratic society, and that it had not truly accepted him. But he'd stayed, looking to belong, even after that was clear. He'd wanted to belong to that class, Antoine decided, a mark decidedly not in Paul's favor. Men can change, of course. But what had he seen at lunch? A man who was surly, who didn't accept some of the tenets of the true Revolution, who seemed in some ways mired in the past.
Could he break free of such influences? The young representative was not certain. But even though he could come to no final answer, he felt he had to report to Robespierre.
Some time later Antoine Saint-Just appeared at Citizen Robespierre's door, knocking on it smartly.
Jean came to me announcing the arrival of Saint-Just and I nodded to
urgently let him in. The streets were filled of the myserious
disappearance and I had not heard word from Chauvelin since I sent
him to England.
Him and that pretty, little girl of his. Irony.
Jean escorted Antoine in and I grunted a nod, as is my nature. Why
waste breath in formalities? I had a Republic to form.
"Well, haven't you been out away for a while?" Before he could
answer to my accusationing stance, I let him off. "Take a seat and
do tell me the news."
I sat in my own chair, oddly feeling no need to stand intimidatingly
over Saint-Just.
He accepted the barbed words without comment. He'd rather take the time to do a good job than muck things up by rushing for results. But onto the subject.
"Déroulède does not take all of the ideals of the Revolution to heart," he said, summing up succinctly the conclusion of his thoughts. "He has potential, and perhaps with effort on someone's part could be fashioned into a good leader. But I would always wonder if he was truly a believer, or if he was just playing it safe by hiding behind rhetoric."
I listened and glanced down at my book. What to do with this
Déroulède ? Kill him? Trust him?
I spoke while still forming the idea in my head. "Kill him."
I smiled at Antoine. "Or give him someone to kill to test his
loyalty. I leave it up to you."
A test? Yes. I just issued, not one, but two.
Antoine blinked. Young and dedicated though he was, he
had not expected such a command. Kill the man? He was
not even convinced that Paul was a true danger to the
Revolution.
*Or test his loyalty.* Much easier to do, and it would
give him a black and white answer instead of the grey
mess he was in now.
"Very well. Is there anyone in particular you want to
get rid of? Having Déroulède make the accusation would
give it that much more credibile in the eyes of the
people."
And if he refuses, Antoine thought, it would perhaps
make him lose credibility... making it easier to
dispose of him.
"I say find an innocent woman. Middle class and questionable. Have
him kill her, for she is rumored to betray the Republic. Selling
secrets to help out the escaped prisoners."
I thought it was simple enough.
The true test was to see how well Antoine did.
An innocent? He looked at the man, slightly troubled.
Did he truly mean that? Perhaps it was just a test.
Antoine had never been responsible for anyone's death,
but he knew quite well that blood would necessarily be
spilt to safeguard the Revolution. And he was ready to
spill it where necessary. But innocent blood? It was
an action neither necessary nor wise.
*It must be a test,* he decided, *to see if I would do
such a thing.*
"I will do my best," he said neutrally. He had other
ideas about how to trap Déroulède , ones that fit better
with his idealism.
His presence was no longer needed.
"Go and report to me in two days time."
It was simple to me. Time to see if it was simple to Antoine.
"I will," he said. He nodded shortly and left,
wondering which of Paul's acquaintances he would set
up for a fall.