“You forget the Vendée; the Vendée is still afoot.”
“Afoot, yes! but her leaders? Cathelineau, Lescure, La Rochejaquelin, d’Elbée, Bonchamps, Stoffiet, Charette?”
“You are speaking of men only; the men have been mown down, it is true; but the principle is still afoot, and for it are fighting Autichamp, Suzannet, Grignon, Frotté, Châtillon, Cadoudal. The younger may not be worth the elder, but if they die as their elders died, what more can you ask?”
“Let them beware! If I determine upon a campaign against the Vendée I shall send neither Santerre nor Rossignol!”
“The Convention sent Kléber, and the Directory, Hoche!”
“I shall not send; I shall go myself.”
“Nothing worse can happen to them than to be killed like Lescure, or shot like Charette.”
“It may happen that I pardon them.”
“Cato taught us how to escape the pardon of Cæsar.”
“Take care; you are quoting a Republican!”