human
Poor little cherub!
gpt
Well, citizeness Teutch, asked Charles, laughing,
human
I must tell you what has happened, even at the risk of alarming you.
gpt
When?
human
While you were at the play.
gpt
Did anything happen then?
human
I should think so! We had a visit.
gpt
From whom?
human
The men who came here before about Ballu and Dumont.
gpt
Well, I suppose they did not find them this time either.
human
They did not come for them, my pet.
gpt
For whom did they come, then?
human
They came for you.
gpt
For me? And to what do I owe the honor of their visit?
human
It seems that they are looking for the author of that little note.
gpt
In which I told them to get away as soon as possible?
human
Yes.
gpt
Well?
human
Well, they visited your room, and searched through all your papers.
gpt
That does not alarm me. They found nothing against the Republic.
human
No, but they found one act of a tragedy.
gpt
Ah! my tragedy of 'Théramène.'
human
They took it with them.
gpt
The wretches! Fortunately I know it by heart.
human
But do you know why they took it with them?
gpt
Because they found the verses to their taste, I presume.
human
No, because they saw that the writing in the note was the same as that of the manuscript.
gpt
Ah! this is getting serious.
human
You know the law, my poor child; any one who gives shelter to a suspect, or helps him to escape--
gpt
Yes; it means death.
human
Just hear the poor little fellow; he says that as he would, 'Yes, bread and jam.'
gpt
I say it thus, dear Madame Teutch, because it cannot possibly affect me.
human
What can't affect you?
gpt
The death penalty.
human
Why can't it affect you?
gpt
Because one must be sixteen years old to aspire to the honor of the guillotine.
human
Are you sure, my poor child?
gpt
I have taken care to inform myself on the point. Besides, yesterday I read on the walls a new decree of citizen Saint-Just, forbidding the execution of any judgment until the account of the trial has been communicated to him, and he has questioned the convicted person. However--
human
What?
gpt
Wait. Here, give me some paper, and a pen and ink.