But then Bibot was different!

He feared neither the devil, nor any Englishman.  Had the latter the strength of giants and the protection of every power of evil, Bibot was ready for him.  Nay! he was aching for a tussle, and haunted the purlieus of the Committees to obtain some post which would enable him to come to grips with the Scarlet Pimpernel and his League.

Bibot’s zeal and perseverance were duly rewarded, and anon he was appointed to the command of the guard at the Porte Montmartre.

A post of vast importance as aforesaid; so much so, in fact, that no less a person than citizen Jean Paul Marat himself came to speak with Bibot on that third day of Nivose in the year I of the Republic, with a view to impressing upon him the necessity of keeping his eyes open, and of suspecting every man, woman, and child indiscriminately until they had proved themselves to be true patriots.

“Let no one slip through your fingers, citizen Bibot,” Marat admonished with grim earnestness.  “That accursed Englishman is cunning and resourceful, and his impudence surpasses that of the devil himself.”

“He’d better try some of his impudence on me!” commented Bibot with a sneer, “he’ll soon find out that he no longer has a Ferney to deal with.  Take it from me, citizen Marat, that if a batch of aristocrats escape out of Paris within the next few days, under the guidance of the d—­d Englishman, they will have to find some other way than the Porte Montmartre.”

“Well said, citizen!” commented Marat.  “But be watchful to-night...to-night especially.  The Scarlet Pimpernel is rampant in Paris just now.”

“How so?”

“The ci-devant Due and Duchesse de Montreux and the whole of their brood—­sisters, brothers, two or three children, a priest, and several servants—­a round dozen in all, have been condemned to death.  The guillotine for them to-morrow at daybreak!  Would it could have been to-night,” added Marat, whilst a demoniacal leer contorted his face which already exuded lust for blood from every pore.  “Would it could have been to-night.  But the guillotine has been busy; over four hundred executions to-day...and the tumbrils are full—­the seats bespoken in advance—­and still they come....  But to-morrow morning at daybreak Madame la Guillotine will have a word to say to the whole of the Montreux crowd!”

“But they are in the Conciergerie prison surely, citizen! out of the reach of that accursed Englishman?”

“They are on their way, an I mistake not, to the prison at this moment.  I came straight on here after the condemnation, to which I listened with true joy.  Ah, citizen Bibot! the blood of these hated aristocrats is good to behold when it drips from the blade of the guillotine.  Have a care, citizen Bibot, do not let the Montreux crowd escape!”

“Have no fear, citizen Marat!  But surely there is no danger!  They have been tried and condemned!  They are, as you say, even now on their way—­ well guarded, I presume—­to the Conciergerie prison!—­to-morrow at daybreak, the guillotine!  What is there to fear?”