(
37
)
“ rested, together with ten members of the two “ Councils, who had repaired to it to learn the " cause of the movements that were taking place. " I alio went thither myself, and having forced my " way through three bodies of soldiers, I demanded " to participate in the honourable fate of my col" leagues: to which they contented the more rea“ dily, as I was one of the first on the profcription " lift.
In the mean while we held out to the sol-
“ dicrs the Constitution as the only weapon we “ would oppofe to them, declaring that they were " thus rendered guilty of violating both the confti" tution and their oaths to fupport it; but their " commanding officers replied, that they could obey “ no other law than the orders of the Directory. "
Then ftrike,' laid I, at the fame time opening my bofom,' strike ; for it is our duty not to aban-
" don this (pot but with our lives :—yes, be the " assassins' (continued I, pointing to Pichegru) “ of him, under whom it has been your boast to " march to victory, and bathe in his blood the " laurels he has placed upon your brows.'—With “ this sally, in which I was followed by all my col“ leagues, the foldiers were struck, and hesitated “ for a moment: which their General perceiving, " re-animated them by feizing one of our number 5
“ by