"Citoyens, I put to the vote, by standing and sitting, the arrest of Maximilien Robespierre, of Augustin Robespierre, of Couthon, of Saint-Just, and of Lebas. Let those who vote for these arrests stand up."
A hundred deputies rise. They are those of the Mountain.
Seeing the men of the Plain remain motionless, a ray of hope cheers Robespierre's despair.
Since the centre refuses to vote for his arrest, they must be, surely, on his side.
"Oh, ye at least, righteous men of the Plain!" he pleads.
Those of the Plain start, draw themselves up, then silently and spontaneously rise to a man! It is the death-blow! The whole assembly are now standing. The arrests are unanimously voted.
Robespierre is lost. He totters, and nearly falls on a bench at the foot of the tribune.
The president now officially announces the result of the voting amidst deafening shouts of triumph. The ushers advance to arrest Robespierre, but he rises, livid with rage, and thrusts them aside.
The President sees this.
"Robespierre refuses to obey! Ushers, call in the gendarmes!"