8 3 6 defence of the commonwealth against their arbitrary treason. ... My lords, do we not live by laws, and must we be punished by laws before they be made? My lords, if this crime, which they call arbitrary treason, had been marked by any discerner 2 of the law, the ignorance thereof should be no excuse for me; but if it be no law at all, how can it in rigour or strictness itself 4 condemn me? Beware you do not wake 5 these sleeping lions by searching out some neglected moth-eaten 7 records; they may one day tear you and your posterity to pieces. It was your ancestors' care to chain them up within the barricadoes 10 of statutes; be not you ambitious to be more skilful and curious than your forefathers in the art of killing. For my poor self,11 were it not for your lordships' interest, and the interest of a saint in heaven, who hath left me those sacred pledges on earth..." At this 13 his breath stopped,14 and he burst into tears; 15 but looking up again 16 immediately, he continued "I should never take the pains to keep up this ruinous cottage of mine ;17 it is laden with 18 such infirmities, that, in truth, I have no great pleasure to carry it about with me 19 any longer." Again he paused, as if seeking 20 an idea: "My lords-my lords-my lords, something more 21 I had to say, but my voice and spirits 12 1 Marked, spécitié-2 discerner, commentateur-3 the......thereof, mon......à cet égard-4 in rigour or strictness itself, en toute sévérité -5beware you do not make, gardez-vous d'éveiller-6 by searching out, en fouillant-7 moth-eaten, rongés des vers8 they may...... tear you......to pieces, ils pourraient......vous mettre en pièces, vous 9 it was your ancestors' care to, vos ancêtres ont eu soin de 10 within the barricadoes, dans les liens-11 for my poor self, quant à moi, pauvre créature que je suis-12 were it not for, n'était 13 at this, à ces mots-14 his breath stopped, "he stopped"-15 he burst into tears, il fondit en larmes-16 looking up again, relevant la tête -17 the pains, etc......of mine, la peine de défendre ce corps qui tombe en ruine-18 with, "of"-19 to carry it about with me, en porter le poids- 20 as if seeking, comme à la recherche d'-21 something more .............encore quelque chose. FEDERATION OF THE CHAMP DE MARS. 285 3 fail me;1 only I do in all humility and submission cast myself down before your lordships' feet; and whether your judgment in my case be either for life or for death,1 it shall be righteous in 5 my eyes, and received with ́ a Te deum laudamus." The auditory were seized with pity and admiration. Pym was about to reply; Strafford looked at him; menace gleamed in the immobility of his countenance ; his pale and protruded lip bore the expression of passionate scorn. Pym was agitated, and paused;10 his hands trembled, and he sought, without finding it, a paper which was just before his eyes. It was the answer he had prepared, and which he read without being listened to by any one, himself hastening to finish an harangue foreign to the feelings of the assembly, and which he had great difficulty in delivering.11 GUIZOT, “Histoire de la Révolution d'Angleterre." FEDERATION OF THE CHAMP DE MARS. The vast space 12 of the Champ de Mars was enclosed by raised seats 13 of turf, occupied by four hundred thousand spectators. An antique 14 altar was erected 15 in 16 the middle; and around it, 17 on a vast amphitheatre, were 18 the king, his family, the assembly, and the corpo 1 My, etc......me, ma force et ma voix défaillent-2 only I do in all......cast myself down, je ne puis que me prosterner en toute................ -3 before, "to"- whether etc......death, que votre arrêt m'apporte la vie ou la mort-5 in, à—6 were......with, fut......de-7 was about to, voulut 8 gleamed, éclatait protruded, avancée-10 P. was agitated and paused, P. troublé s'arrêta-11 and which, etc......delivering, et qu'il avait peine à prononcer. 12 Space, emplacement-13 enclosed by raised seats, entouré de gradins 14 antique, à la manière antique-15 was erected, s'élevait— in, "at"-17 and around it," around the altar"-18. were, on voyait. 16 ration. The federates of the departments were ranged in order under their banners: the deputies of the army and the national guards were in their ranks, and under their ensigns. The Bishop of Autun ascended the altar in pontifical robes; 3 four hundred priests in white copes, and decorated with flowing 5 tricoloured sashes, were posted at the four corners of the altar. Mass was celebrated amid the sounds of military instruments; and then the Bishop of Autun blessed the oriflamme and the eighty-three banners. 6 A profound silence now reigned in the vast enclosure, and La Fayette, appointed that day to the command-inchief of all the national guards of the kingdom, advanced first to take the civic oath.9 Borne on the arms of grenadiers to the altar of the country, amidst the acclamations of the people, he exclaimed with 10 a loud 11 voice, in his own name and in the 12 name of the federates and the troops-"We swear eternal fidelity 13 to the nation, the law, and the king; to maintain to the utmost of our power 14 the constitution decreed by the national assembly, and accepted by the King; and to remain united with every 15 Frenchman by the indissoluble ties of fraternity." Forthwith the firing of cannon,16 prolonged cries of "Vive la Nation !" Vive le Roi !"' and sounds of music mingled in the air. The president of the national assembly took the same oath, and all the deputies repeated it with one voice.17 Then Louis XVI. rose and said: 1 Ranged in order, placés par ordre-2 in, à—33 robes, habits4 in white copes, revêtus d'aubes blanches-5 flowing, flottantes6 were posted, se postèrent―7 amid the sounds, au bruit-8 a profound, etc...... reigned, il se fit alors un profond silence-9 to take the civic oath, pour prêter le serment civique-10 with, de-11 loud, élevée-12 in the, au-13 eternal fidelity, d'être à jamais fidèles14 to the utmost of our power, de tout notre pouvoir-15 with every, à tous les-16 the firing of cannon, les salves d'artillerie-17 with one voice, à la fois. FEDERATION OF THE CHAMP DE MARS. 4 287 "I, King of the French, swear1 to employ all the power delegated to me by the constitutional act of the State, in3 maintaining the constitution decreed by the National Assembly and accepted by me." The Queen, carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment, lifted up the Dauphin in her arms, and showing him to the people exclaimed, "Behold my son; he unites with me in 5 the same sentiments." At that moment the banners were lowered, the acclamations of the people were heard,7 and the subjects believed in the sincerity of the monarch, the monarch in the affection of the subjects, and this happy day closed with a hymn of thanksgiving. 9 The federation fêtes did not end there.10 Sports, 11 illuminations, and balls were given by the city of Paris to the deputies of the departments. A ball took place on the very spot where stood,12 a year before, the Bastille gratings, fetters, ruins were scattered here and there, and on the door was the inscription, "Ici l'on danse," which contrasted with the ancient destination of the spot. "They danced indeed 13 with joy and security," a contemporary observes, "on the ground where so many tears had been shed; where courage, genius, and innocence had so often groaned; where so often the cries of despair had been smothered." At the conclusion of the fêtes,14 a medal was struck to perpetuate their 15 memory, and each federate returned to 16 his department. MIGNET," Histoire de la Révolution Française.” 1 "I swear"—2" which is delegated”—3 in, à—1 carried away, etc. ..moment, entraînée-5 he unites with me in, il se réunit ainsi que moi dans-6 were lowered, s'abaissèrent-7 were heard, se firent entendre- in, à—9 with, par-10 did not end there, se prolongèrent quelque temps encore- 11 sports, des joûtes-12 stood, s'élevait13 indeed, en effet-14 at the conclusion of......après que......furent terminées-15 see note, p. 80-16 to, “in.” A NOBLE-HEARTED GAOLER. “As to your gilliflower——.” "Ma foi," said Ludovic. "I don't know, Signor Conte; all flowers are more or less gilliflowers to me.1 I know nothing about them. But since you speak of this one, you are rather late in 3 recommending it to my mercy. I should have trodden on it long ago without any ill-will either to you or to it, had I not remarked the tender interest you take in the little beauty."5 “Oh, my interest," said Charney, a little confused, “is nothing out of the common.”6 "Ah, it's all very well; I know all about it,"7 replied Ludovic, trying to wink with a knowing look: 8 men must have occupation; they must 10 take to 11 something; and poor prisoners have little choice. You see, 12 Signor Conte, we have amongst our inmates men who 13 doubtless were formerly important personages— men who had brains 14 (for it is not small fry 15 that they bring here); well, 16 now they occupy and amuse themselves at very little cost, I can assure you. One catches flies-there's no harm in that;-another," added he, 1 To me, à mes yeux-2 I know nothing about them, je ne m'y connais pas-3 you are rather late in, vous vous y êtes pris un peu tard pour-4 had I not remarked the, si je ne m'étais aperçu du— 5 you, etc.......beauty, que vous portez à la belle-6 is nothing out of the common, n'a rien que de très-simple-7 ah, it's all, etc......about it, ta, ta, ta ; je sais ce qui retourne-8 with a knowing look, d'un air entendu 9 men must have......, il faut une......aux hommes10 must, ont besoin de-11 take to, s'attacher à-12 you see, tenez13 amongst our inmates men who, de nos pensionnaires qui-14 men who had brains, de fines cervelles-15 small fry, le fretin-16 well, eh |