"What is to be done next, General?" said one of his officers, who did
not quite admire the evident clemency of the brewer.
"The accursed, pestilent old fanatic!" he repeated between his teeth;
and then he said, after drawing a long breath: "they must go to Paris,
and let Fouquier Tinville deal with them. There may be secrets that I
know not of. I think it better that they should go to Paris." And he
felt relieved of a heavy load in having devised a scheme by which he
could avoid having himself to give the order for the execution. "Let him
be locked up, and well treated, mind you. He shall go to Saumur in his
own carriage, and Barrere may send him to Paris how he pleases, or to
the devil if he chooses."
"And the servants, General?"
"Oh! ah, yes, the servants!" said Santerre, walking out into the hall
to inspect them; "women, an't they? What, five, six, seven, nine women,
one old man, and a boy; well, I suppose we must have them out in a row,
and shoot them."
Down on their knees went the nine women and the boy, imploring that
their innocent lives might be spared to them.
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