#charlotte tackling couthon in his wheelchair omg i can’t

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

I arrived in Paris and ventured to call at the Convention. But the deputies with whom I was in relations were without influence, and only looked after their personal safety... A lady, who had had relations with Mme. Couthon, proposed to introduce me to her, and advised me, if we succeeded in approaching the husband, to plead the cause of my unfortunate compatriots. She succeeded in overcoming my repugnance, and soon in even making me regard the signal favour of being admitted to the presence of this influential member of the Committee of Public Safety as a Heaven-sent blessing. We arrived... Couthon had a kind face and rather distinguished manners, especially for a time at which the most coarse language and most grotesque ways were common. He occupied, near the Tuileries, a fine apartment, the furniture of which showed great elegance.

He wore a white dressing-gown, and on his arm was a young rabbit which he was feeding with clover. His son, an angelically beautiful boy of three or four, alternately stroked his father's hand and the pretty white animal. These innocent sourroundings and Couthon's great affability charmed me.

”In what way can I be of service to you, Monsieur?” he asked. ”A gentleman who is recommended to me by Madame is entitled to my warmest regard.” So I related the misadventure which had befallen my poor judges, and asked what advice I could give them.

”Acknowledge that the Convention,” said Couthon, ”is to be pitied for being forced to send into the Departments men who are incapable of distinguishing the real enemies of Liberty! These madmen will end by making all Frenchmen hostile to us. As regards your judges, it is probable that they have been warned and are no longer at home. Let them remain hidden. Judging by the good character which you give these honest men, no great search will be made for them. They will escape imprisonment…”

After a momentary silence, he continued:

”Your magistrates are interesting. On reflection, I have given you dangerous advice. They will come to Paris to hide; the police will discover and arrest them; and, remember, Paris prisons are unsafe. Tell them to return home. The authorities will not refuse to allow a gendarme to be at each of their houses, and I will willingly endeavour to make this inconvenience as short as possible.” Persuaded that Couthon was sincere I said to him:

”Monsieur Couthon, you who are all-powerful on the Committee of Public Safety, are you aware that the Revolutionary Tribunal daily condemns unfortunate men who are accused of the same crime as these magistrates? This very day, Monsieur Couthon, sixty-three prisoners are to be executed under this pretext.” This reflection produced an indescribable effect on Couthon: his face became distorted and assumed a tiger-like expression… He made a movement. The rabbit was overturned and the child, weeping, rushed into his mother's arms... Couthon had seized the bell-rope, but the person who had introduced me threw herself upon him and held him in his armchair.

”Escape!” she exclaimed, with an emotion which chilled me with fright. Then, lowering her voice:

”Go and wait for me in the orangery!” I descended with lightning-like rapidity, and reached the end of the Terrasse des Feuillants at the top of my speed. As soon as I saw my guardian angel approaching in the distance, I rushed towards her and asked for an explanation of what had just happened.

”The wretched man,” she replied, ”merely wanted to discover your inmost thoughts. Your cutting reproach was like a dagger-thrust in his heart. I, like yourself, thought that he was sincere! Couthon, like all the members of the Committee of Public Safety, has five or six guardsmen stationed at his house, and he was about to summon them when I held him in his chair. You would have been placed this very day in the fatal tumbril with the sixty-three victims of whom you spoke! Fortunately, I have succeeded in making him ashamed of the crime which he was about to commit against one whom I had introduced to him in confidence. I attentively followed everything you said. He is ignorant of the fact that you do not live in Paris… Return home quickly, but, for fear you are recognised, do not travel by the ordinary route. And, finally, profit by this lesson.”

I set off there and then without seeing anybody in Paris. The judges remained immured until the death of this man Couthon, of whom I cannot think without shuddering.

Romances of the French Revolution (1909) by G. Lenotre, volume 1, page 171-173

And the ”lady” here is Charlotte Robespierre 😂🤣😂