human
Under the knife! Under the knife!
gpt
My God! murmured Charles, quivering with terror as he leaned against the wall, and yet rooted to the spot by an unconquerable curiosity,
human
No, don't worry, replied a voice,
gpt
Ah! he exclaimed joyfully, as if he himself had escaped a great danger;
human
Safe and sound like yourself. We went back to the hotel yesterday, and there we learned of your arrest. I hurried to the prison and found that you were there; when I returned at one o'clock you were still there. At three, I heard that Saint-Just had sent for you, so I made up my mind to wait here in the square till you came out, for I was very sure that he would not eat you. All at once I saw you near him at the window, and, as you seemed to be on the best terms possible with each other, I was reassured. And now you are free?
gpt
Free as the air.
human
There is nothing to keep you here any longer?
gpt
I only wish I had not come.
human
I don't agree with you. It seems to me a good thing to be friends with Saint-Just, even better than with Schneider, especially now that he is the stronger. As for Schneider, you didn't have time to become very much attached to him; so you will probably not be inconsolable over his loss. What has happened this evening will be a warning to Tétrell, who, by the way, has not budged, but who must not be allowed the time to take his revenge.
gpt
Oh! what is that?
human
Nothing, replied Augereau, raising himself upon the tips of his toes.
gpt
Nothing, except that they are fastening him under the knife--doing to him just what he did yesterday to the mayor and the deputy at Eschau; each one in his turn. Fortunate are those, my good friend, who come from that place with their heads on their shoulders.
human
Terrible! terrible!
gpt
Terrible, yes; but we see that or worse every day. Say good-by to your worthy professor; you will probably never see him again, as they are going to send him to Paris as soon as they take him down from that platform, and I don't envy him his promotion. And now let us go and get some supper. You must be starved, my poor boy!
human
I never thought of that, said Charles;
gpt
All the more reason to return to the Hôtel de la Lanterne as soon as possible.
human
Come on, then.
gpt
Farewell! poor friend of my father, he said.
human
When he sent me to you he believed that you were still the good and learned monk whom he had known. He did not know that you had become the bloody tyrant that I have found you, and that the spirit of the Lord had departed from you. _Quos vult perdere Jupiter dementat._ Come.