He was thanking the French nation, who had laid aside their work to lift their thoughts and aspirations towards the Great, the Supreme Being.
"Never," exclaimed the Incorruptible, "never has this world which He created offered Him a sight more worthy of His regard. He has seen the reign of tyranny, crime, and imposture on the earth——"
But a stir was noticeable in the crowd, not far from Robespierre. A man had just made an observation in an audible whisper, attracting the attention of the bystanders. They looked at him in surprise, trying to divine his meaning, but Robespierre, who was too far off to have heard, continued—
"Frenchmen! if you would triumph over your enemies, be just, give to the Divine Being the only offerings worthy of Him—virtue, compassion, forbearance——"
"With the guillotine!" called the voice in the crowd, with a bitter laugh.
A murmur rose round the man, every one whispering out of respect for Robespierre, who continued his harangue. They questioned the man, threatened him. Voices grew louder. "Silence!" called the officials, but the disturbance went on. "He ought to be arrested!" and the words drunkard, aristocrat, chouan, were thrown at him. "What did he want? What did he say?"
"Yes, what did you say?" asked a patriot coming close to him.
"I say only what you ought all to cry out to that charlatan—'Instead of burning incense to your idol, Tyrant, burn the guillotine!'"
This daring critic, as the reader will guess at once, was Olivier.
His voice was drowned in a burst of applause which greeted the words of Robespierre encouraging him to go on with his speech.