“That big murderer is going to kill her!” hissed Pierre.
Louise’s blind features became contorted with agony. Large tear drops fell from her eyes. Both arms were extended toward her sister above, then clawed convulsively at Pierre.
“They-have-put-her-head-in-the crossboard-and––oh, oh!––fastened-it-down!
“The-executioner-is-all-ready.” Pierre was gesticulating like a madman. He seemed to be raising despairing hands to high Heaven, in token of helplessness.
Above––around––everywhere, he looked for succor; found none. A glance from Henriette’s doomed form to Louise’s bitter anguish converts him into a maniac.
“HE’S ASKING THE MASTER FOR THE SIGNAL TO PULL THE ROPE!”
Pierre shouts the words in a fury that is rapidly growing uncontrollable. Spectators for the first time notice his strange actions. But neither the expectant executioner nor the self-important master of ceremonial looks down, or distinguishes the cry in the babel of savage sounds.
The wild youth now disengages himself 181 from Louise’s clutch. With his right hand he pulls a dagger from his hip pocket. Look! As the master’s signalling hand is upraised high and begins to lower, the boy leaps up the steps of the guillotine, and attacks the executioner whose fingers are already on the death rope....
Ride on yet more fiercely, O Danton and ye fierce Cavalrymen––ride on, e’en past the barrier, if Jacques-Forget-Not and his men do not stay thee. Yes, thank God! there may yet be time, should this maniac with the dagger provide sufficient respite!
... The brawny butcher is too astonished to defend himself. His nerveless fingers are no longer on the rope; he stands like a stalled ox in front of his homicidal assailant. With the rapidity of lightning Pierre plunges his long Provencal dirk in the executioner’s side. The butchered butcher falls with a single bawling outcry and a groan. The crowd is thunderstruck, and the pinioned de Vaudrey is wild with joy. Though bound and helpless, he tries to leap up to his prostrate Henriette.