"Robe?" cried out Josephine interrogatively.
The woman nodded in the affirmative, then took up a stone, which she
held up to the prisoner's view.
"Pierre?" ask Josephine.
The woman again nodded in the affirmative, and then placed the stone
(pierre) in her robe, made several times the motion of falling, then
of cutting off the neck, and then danced and clapped her hands.
"My friends," cried Josephine, struck with a sudden thought, "this
woman brings us good news, she tells us Robespierre est tombe."
(Robespierre has fallen.)
"Yes, it is so," exclaimed Therese, triumphantly; "Tallien has kept
his word; he conquers, and Robespierre is thrust down!"
And, overpowered with joy and emotion, the three women, weeping,
sank into each other's arms.
They now heard from without loud cries and shouts. It was the
jailer, quarrelling with his refractory dog. The dog howled, and
wanted to go out with his master, but the jailer kicked him back,
saying: "Away, go to the accursed Robespierre!"
Soon joyous voices resounded through the corridor; the door of their
cell was violently opened, and a few municipal officers entered to
announce to the Citizeness Madame Fontenay that she was free, and
bade her accompany them into the carriage waiting below to drive her
to the house of Citizen Tallien.
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