But,thoughtheDoctortriedhard,andneverceasedtrying,togetCharlesDarnaysetatliberty,oratleasttogethimbroughttotrial,thepubliccurrentofthetimesettoostrongandfastforhim.Thenewerabegan;thekingwastried,doomed,andbeheaded;theRepublicofLiberty,Equality,Fraternity,orDeath,declaredforvictoryordeathagainsttheworldinarms;theblackflagwavednightanddayfromthegreattowersofNotreDame;threehundredthousandmen,summonedtoriseagainstthetyrantsoftheearth,rosefromallthevaryingsoilsofFrance,asifthedragon\'steethhadbeensownbroadcast,andhadyieldedfruitequallyonhillandplain,onrock,ingravel,andalluvialmud,underthebrightskyoftheSouthandunderthecloudsoftheNorth,infellandforest,inthevineyardsandtheolive-groundsandamongthecroppedgrassandthestubbleofthecorn,alongthefruitfulbanksofthebroadrivers,andinthesandofthesea-shore.WhatprivatesolicitudecouldrearitselfagainstthedelugeoftheYearOneofLiberty——thedelugerisingfrombelow,notfallingfromabove,andwiththewindowsofHeavenshut,notopened!
Therewasnopause,nopity,nopeace,nointervalofrelentingrest,nomeasurementoftime.Thoughdaysandnightscircledasregularlyaswhentimewasyoung,andtheeveningandmorningwerethefirstday,othercountoftimetherewasnone.Holdofitwaslostintheragingfeverofanation,asitisinthefeverofonepatient.Now,breakingtheunnaturalsilenceofawholecity,theexecutionershowedthepeopletheheadoftheking-andnow,itseemedalmostinthesamebreath,theheadofhisfairwifewhichhadhadeightwearymonthsofimprisonedwidowhoodandmisery,toturnitgrey.
Andyet,observingthestrangelawofcontradictionwhichobtainsinallsuchcases,thetimewaslong,whileitflamedbysofast.Arevolutionarytribunalinthecapital,andfortyorfiftythousandrevolutionarycommitteesallovertheland;alawoftheSuspected,whichstruckawayallsecurityforlibertyorlife,anddeliveredoveranygoodandinnocentpersontoanybadandguiltyone;prisonsgorgedwithpeoplewhohadcommittednooffence,andcouldobtainnohearing;thesethingsbecametheestablishedorderandnatureofappointedthings,andseemedtobeancientusagebeforetheyweremanyweeksold.Aboveall,onehideousfiguregrewasfamiliarasifithadbeenbeforethegeneralgazehornthefoundationsoftheworld——thefigureofthesharpfemalecalledLaGuillotine.
Itwasthepopularthemeforjests;itwasthebestcureforheadache,itinfalliblypreventedthehairfromturninggrey,itimpartedapeculiardelicacytothecomplexion,itwastheNationalRazorwhichshavedclose:whokissedLaGuillotine,lookedthroughthelittlewindowandsneezedintothesack.Itwasthesignoftheregenerationofthehumanrace.ItsupersededtheGross.ModelsofitwerewornonbreastsfromwhichtheGrosswasdiscarded,anditwasboweddowntoandbelievedinwheretheGrosswasdenied.
Itshearedoffheadssomany,thatit,andthegrounditmostpolluted,werearottenred.Itwastakentopieces,likeatoy-puzzleforayoungDevil,andwasputtogetheragainwhentheoccasionwantedit.Ithushedtheeloquent,struckdownthepowerful,abolishedthebeautifulandgood.Twenty-twofriendsofhighpublicmark,twenty-onelivingandonedead,ithadloppedtheheadsoff,inonemorning,inasmanyminutes.ThenameofthestrongmanofOldScripturehaddescendedtothechieffunctionarywhoworkedit;but,soarmed,hewasstrongerthanhisnamesake,andblinder,andtoreawaythegatesofGod\'sownTempleeveryday.