But some in the crowd were silent, others whispered eagerly.
“Thinkest thou it would be safer for us to get out of the country whilst we can?” said one of the men in a muffled tone, and clutching nervously at a woman's wrist.
“Aye! aye! it might leak out about that boat we procured for...”
“Sh!... I was thinking of that...”
“We can go to my aunt Lebrun in Belgium...”
Others talked in whispers of England or the New Land across the seas: they were those who had something to hide, money received from refugee aristocrats, boats sold to would-be emigres, information withheld, denunciations shirked: the amnesty would not last long, 'twas best to be safely out of the way.
“In the meanwhile, my cabbages,” quoth Auguste sententiously, “are you not grateful to Citizen Robespierre, who has sent this order specially down from Paris?”
“Aye! aye!” assented the crowd cheerfully.
“Hurrah for Citizen Robespierre!”
“Viva la Republique!”