Fox of France

After spending one night, Robespierre prepared the speech, and wrote the names of Fouche and more than a dozen congressmen who had secret contacts with Fouche on the speech. These people are the ones who will be deprived of their status as members of parliament and pushed to the guillotine tomorrow morning.

Having prepared all this, Robespierre went to bed and rested. Due to anxiety and quarrels with his own people these days, his health is not very good, and sometimes he coughs badly. Robespierre found several reliable doctors to see the doctor. They all said that Robespierre's problem was due to lack of rest. If he can take a good rest and cooperate with the prescription they prescribed, he will definitely get better . But how can Robespierre rest at this time? Fortunately, tomorrow is the most critical decisive battle. After tomorrow, maybe I can have a good rest.

It was also on this night that Fouché was visiting those congressmen one by one. There were definitely not more than a dozen congressmen who had secret contacts with him, but Robespierre and a few of his most loyal followers. Almost all MPs. During these days, he told them that the "Decree of the Shepherd's Moon" was prepared for them; told them that in the past month or so, Robespierre had beheaded more people than in the past year, and in this way, It won't take long to cut them down; tell them that the food supply in Paris can't support the current economic policy at all, and unless they are cut down and their property confiscated, Paris will go bankrupt soon.

Every senator listened to Fouche's words in horror, and was frightened out of his wits. They are all experienced old politicians, of course they know that Fouché's saying "you are on the next list" is mostly to scare people; but because of their rich experience, they also know that "the food in Paris The supply can no longer support” is true; they also know that under such circumstances, beheading a group of people and then confiscating their assets is almost the only possibility for Robespierre to survive the crisis means.

And they also know how big the gap is between Paris and the other provinces, and how serious the food shortage in Paris is-the former determines that the lack of food is not a short-term phenomenon, and the latter means that there will definitely be a lot of people who must be cut off.

Maybe he is not on the "next list" that Fouche said, but as long as he is rational, he must know how likely he is to be on a certain list.

"It will be the final battle soon!" Fouche would use this sentence as his farewell words when bidding farewell to every congressman.

Early the next morning, Robespierre, accompanied by Saint-Just, came to the National Assembly.

Robespierre first applied to the chairman to speak, and the application was naturally approved. Robespierre stepped onto the podium. He was still wearing a sky blue jacket, accompanied by white stockings, and was holding a large roll of paper in his hand—that was his speech.

Robespierre stood still on the podium, and he picked up the large roll of paper, just like a Roman judge picked up a gun (here is the original meaning, referring to one of the ceremonial guards of Roman judges. The form is a bunch of sticks with an ax stuck in the middle).

He glanced at the congressmen present, and everyone was timidly avoiding his eyes. Robespierre gradually unfolded the roll of paper in his hand, and all eyes were focused on the roll of paper. Everyone knows that as long as anyone's name appears on that piece of paper, it is equivalent to getting the guillotine. invite.

Robespierre noticed that Fouché was not there. Fouche's eloquence is not particularly good, at least, compared with those members of the National Assembly, it is not good. His talents are more manifested in various secret activities. Fouche has always avoided participating in such public activities as much as possible. Even if he must participate, he will definitely hide in an unobtrusive corner.

Robespierre began to give a speech, and his speech was quite lengthy. If it was someone who had nothing to do with it, he might have dozed off listening there. It was as if a large audience had fallen asleep when he gave a speech on the Feast of the Supreme Master (the so-called "rational festival" created during the Revolution).

But this time, everyone was listening intently to what he had to say. Robespierre talked about the serious situation at home and abroad, about the plots that some revolutionary traitors are currently working on, and finally, he said that he had a list of a group of traitors to the republic. These traitors to the fatherland, after a shameful viper, are working against the republic. Having said that, he deliberately paused for a moment, so that the congressmen below could feel the taste of fear.

All eyes were on Robespierre, but Robespierre saw something different from before in these eyes. In those eyes, apart from fear, there is also despair and madness.

"So, who is that poisonous snake?" Suddenly, a person asked in a trembling voice. The man was Bourdon de Novac. Fouché had called on him one evening a few days before.

"Yes, who is that poisonous snake? Say the name!" More people followed suit.

The performance of the MPs made Robespierre suddenly realize that he had made a mistake in one thing. It was not ten or twenty people who colluded with Fouché, but almost the entire National Assembly. At this time, if he said the name "Fouche", it would be tantamount to announcing that almost all members of Congress would be guillotined at the same time.

In theory, the National Assembly is the highest authority. All his powers are derived from the authorization of the National Assembly. Of course, if the Paris Commune is still as strong and firm as it was when Hébert and himself were allies, then the National Assembly is really nothing. But now, does he really have the power to guillotine the entire National Assembly?

Robespierre immediately judged that he must not say Fouche's name at this time, otherwise, the entire National Assembly, almost all members, would immediately stand against him.

"The investigation is not over yet, and I can't say his name yet." Robespierre replied.

"Say his name!" the people were still shouting.

"Why do you need to investigate? Isn't it enough to have suspicion and inference?" Talian shouted, "Don't evade, Robespierre, who is the person you are talking about?"

"Is it Fouche?" Ballas said suddenly and coldly.

The sound was like a gust of cold wind blowing from hell, freezing everyone's hearts.

"Is it Fouche?" Barras pressed, "Robespierre, tell us, is it Fouche!"

"I said, now I can't..." Robespierre tried his best to maintain his prestige, but at this moment, he suddenly couldn't catch his breath, and he coughed violently.

"Tyrant, it's Danton's blood that choked your throat!" Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.

By this time, everyone in the parliament understood that the break and decisive battle between them and Robespierre was inevitable.

Saint-Just shouted: "Please listen to me..."

But now that no one would give him a chance to speak, Barras shouted: "Down with the tyrant!"

Almost all the MPs followed suit and shouted: "Shoot the tyrant!"

Saint-Just tried to take Robespierre away, but everyone stopped them.

"I accuse! Robespierre and Saint-Just committed the crime of betraying the Republic and conspiring to restore the feudal system!" In the crowd, someone shouted.

"Let's vote!" Barras rushed to the podium, "Everyone vote with a show of hands, a show of hands! Robespierre and Saint-Just betrayed the revolution and tried to restore the feudal system!"

While shouting, Balas took the lead and raised his hand.

More hands followed, and finally, almost everyone raised their hands.

Facing the forest-like arms, Barras shouted: "Passed! Passed!"

"Lock them up and put them in jail!" more shouted.

People will be scared out of their wits by Robespierre at the previous moment, but in a blink of an eye, the person who terrified them has suddenly become a prisoner, which makes everyone feel as if they are like a dream.

Fouche did not know what had happened in Parliament until almost an hour later. And the nightmare that has been hanging over his head has also been imprisoned. Early tomorrow morning, the revolutionary court will try him and push him to the guillotine.

"In what prison?" asked Fouché.

"It is the Ondome Prison closest to the Parliament." The person who told Fouche the news replied.

"Not good! The defense of this prison is quite weak, and Robespierre's best friend will..." Fouche said hastily.

"That's just right, we can just catch them all!" Another voice rang out. Fouche turned his head and saw Ballas and Kano walking over in high spirits.

As they expected, Robespierre's best friends attacked the prison and rescued Robespierre and Saint-Just. They fled to the city hall where the Paris Commune was located, and issued a letter to the National Guard. order, asking them to come and defend the revolution.

However, in the whole of Paris, the National Guards of only two districts responded to the call and came near the city hall. On the contrary, more power was concentrated on the side of the National Assembly. Robespierre could only hope that the National Guards in the more distant districts would respond to his call and rush over.

But by about ten o'clock in the evening, no other army had arrived-apparently, they would not have any more reinforcements. As a result, even the National Guard who had been concentrated near the city hall began to disperse on their own.

At about eleven o'clock, the troops of the National Assembly began to lay siege to the town hall. At this time, the National Guard who remained near the city hall did not fire a single shot and dispersed in a crowd. Even the cannons loaded with shells were left in place. The army loyal to the National Assembly simply blasted open the gate of the city hall with these cannons.

Robespierre attempted suicide, but he was shot first in the arm by a soldier. The bullet he fired towards his head missed and hit him in the face. His face was battered, but he didn't die.

Early the next morning, without any trial at all, more than 20 people, including Robespierre, Saint-Just, and Couton, were escorted through Louis XVI, Brissot, Queen Mary, The road traveled by Hébert, Danton, and Desmoulins led to the guillotine.