“Your notions and mine on that score can hardly coincide,” said he.

“Can there be two opinions?” quoth Andre-Louis.

“There are usually two opinions whenever you and I are together, Moreau — more than ever now that you are the appointed delegate of a nobleman.  You see what your friends have done.  No doubt you approve their methods.”  He was coldly hostile.

Andre-Louis looked at him without surprise.  So invariably opposed to each other in academic debates, how should Le Chapelier suspect his present intentions?

“If you won’t tell them what is to be done, I will,” said he.

“Nom de Dieu!  If you want to invite a bullet from the other side, I shall not hinder you.  It may help to square the account.”

Scarcely were the words out than he repented them; for as if in answer to that challenge Andre-Louis sprang up on to the plinth.  Alarmed now, for he could only suppose it to be Andre-Louis’ intention to speak on behalf of Privilege, of which he was a publicly appointed representative, Le Chapelier clutched him by the leg to pull him down again.

“Ah, that, no!” he was shouting.  “Come down, you fool.  Do you think we will let you ruin everything by your clowning?  Come down!”

Andre-Louis, maintaining his position by clutching one of the legs of the bronze horse, flung his voice like a bugle-note over the heads of that seething mob.

“Citizens of Rennes, the motherland is in danger!”

The effect was electric.  A stir ran, like a ripple over water, across that froth of upturned human faces, and completest silence followed.  In that great silence they looked at this slim young man, hatless, long wisps of his black hair fluttering in the breeze, his neckcloth in disorder, his face white, his eyes on fire.

Andre-Louis felt a sudden surge of exaltation as he realized by instinct that at one grip he had seized that crowd, and that he held it fast in the spell of his cry and his audacity.

Even Le Chapelier, though still clinging to his ankle, had ceased to tug.  The reformer, though unshaken in his assumption of Andre-Louis’ intentions, was for a moment bewildered by the first note of his appeal.

And then, slowly, impressively, in a voice that travelled clear to the ends of the square, the young lawyer of Gavrillac began to speak.

“Shuddering in horror of the vile deed here perpetrated, my voice demands to be heard by you.  You have seen murder done under your eyes — the murder of one who nobly, without any thought of self, gave voice to the wrongs by which we are all oppressed.  Fearing that voice, shunning the truth as foul things shun the light, our oppressors sent their agents to silence him in death.”

Le Chapelier released at last his hold of Andre-Louis’ ankle, staring up at him the while in sheer amazement.  It seemed that the fellow was in earnest; serious for once; and for once on the right side.  What had come to him?