Then he fled to the house where Henriette and also Robespierre lodged, rushed in and up the stairs. The following company were almost upon him. Their shouts and cries could be heard below.
Danton plumped into the first door at the left of the stair-head. He was there when Henriette, who had been momentarily away, returned to her room.
“The spies––spadassins––they would take my life––” He was wounded. It was with a difficult hoarseness that he spoke.
The little homekeeper put a warning finger to mouth. Running past him to the door, she slipped out and closed it. She withdrew to the back of the hall, and came forward nonchalantly as the assassins reached the hallway.
Rapier at her throat, the leader put the silent but terrible question. Henriette’s heart jumped. She managed not to show her terror.
“I saw a man going up those stairs three steps at a time!” she lied superbly, pointing to the floor above.
The company ran up the third-floor stairs on the double jump. As they vanished, she was inside her rooms again and with the quarry.
Minutes passed. The spadassins searched the top garrets. They sought the roof, saw escape was impossible that way. Then they 63 clattered down the stairs. The leader hesitated at Henriette’s door.
“Faugh!” he said. “The girl is just a simpleton, she couldn’t have tricked us!”