Ninety-Three

"Pardon, – one moment more. Long live the Republic!" he cried.

He was laid upon the plank. The infamous collar clasped that charming and noble head. The executioner gently lifted his hair, then pressed the spring; the triangle detached itself, gliding first slowly, then rapidly: a frightful blow was heard.

At the same instant another report sounded; the stroke of the axe was answered by a pistol-shot. Cimourdain had just seized one of the pistols that he wore in his belt; and as Gauvain's head rolled into the basket, Cimourdain sent a bullet through his own heart. A stream of blood gushed from his mouth, and he fell dead.

Thus these twin souls, united in the tragic death, rose together, – the shadow of the one blending with the radiance of the other.

THE END

1

The sergeant makes a pun on the name Fléchard which is untranslatable. Flèche means arrow, and he asks whether the Fléchards made arrows. – TR.

2

An opprobrious epithet for an ecclesiastic. – TR.

3

A name given by the Chouans to the republicans, a corruption of patriot. – TR.

4

A head. – TR.

5

Watchword of the Commune.

6

Watchword of the Princes.

7

A pan meaning a Turkish republic, and the republic expelled. – TR.

8

Moniteur, vol. xix. p. 81.

9

Vol. ii. p. 35.

10

The uncapped become unbreeched. – TR.

11

Puysaye, vol. ii. pp. 187, 434.

12

Ibid., p. 35.

13

A corruption of the word "patriot." – Tr.

14

Rustics.

15

Equal to the occasion.

16

Stave, cask.