"Be careful!" he whispered.
Robespierre sat down, realising his imprudence.
Lebas again whispered to him—
"Don't be uneasy, I will watch over him."
And telling the men not to handle the prisoner too roughly, he went out with them.
Robespierre watched his son disappear, and when he had gone he felt some one take his hand. This made him tremble. It was Cornélie.
How tired he seemed! Every one was around him now. That young madman had given him terrible trouble, hadn't he?
"Yes," he replied, wiping his temple, "it was very trying! Exceedingly trying!"
Duplay remarked that, judging from the length of the cross-examination, he must have learnt something very important. Robespierre made a gesture, as if protesting. Then rising abruptly he took leave of the company, on the pretext of urgent work.
"The lad can rest assured," said Duplay, "it is his death-warrant our friend has gone to sign."