"You have already admitted having gone over the frontier," was the suave rejoinder.
"I did go, yes."
"Will you deny having been closeted alone with General von Waldenmeer?"
"No, but"—
"Do you suppose any tribunal in the land would hold you guiltless upon such testimony and such admissions?"
"Permit me to ask you two questions," said Tournay.
Robespierre acquiesced.
"Admitting that this—citizen's accusation is true, why did I return to Wissembourg and do my best to defeat the enemy with whom I am accused by him of being on friendly terms?"
"There are hundreds of similar precedents—Dumouriez's, for example."
"Admitting, then, that I have already been false to one trust, how is it that you are prepared to trust me now to play the spy for your committee?" continued Tournay, with contempt ringing in his voice.