Over the course of the night, Robespierre prepared his speech, writing on it the names of Fouché and the more than a dozen members with whom he had secret dealings. These are the people who will be stripped of their status as parliamentarians early tomorrow morning and will be guillotined.

With all this ready, Robespierre went to bed. Because of anxiety and quarrels with his own people these days, he is not in good health, and sometimes he coughs badly. Robespierre consulted several reliable doctors, and they all said that Robespierre's problem was due to a lack of rest, and that if he could rest well, and with the prescription they prescribed, he would definitely get better. But how could Robespierre rest at this time? Fortunately, tomorrow is the most critical decisive battle. After tomorrow, maybe you will be able to get some rest.

It was also on this night that Fouché was visiting the councillors one by one, and the number of councillors with whom he had secret dealings was by no means a dozen, but almost all of them, except Robespierre and a few of his most loyal followers. During these days, he told them that the "Decree of the Pastoral Month" was for them; Tell them that Robespierre had cut off more heads in a month or so than in a year, and that it would not take long for them to be cut down in this way; Tell them that the food supply in Paris simply cannot support the current economic policy, and that unless they are cut and their property is confiscated, Paris will soon go bankrupt.

Every member of the council listened to Foucher's words in horror and was so frightened that he could not possess his body. They are all seasoned politicians, and of course they know that Fouché's "you're on the next list" is mostly a scare. But precisely because they are so experienced, they also know that it is true that "the food supply in Paris is no longer sustainable"; They also knew that in such a situation, cutting off the heads of a group of people and confiscating their assets was almost the only possible means for Robespierre to survive the crisis.

And they also know how big the gap between Paris and the provinces is today, and how serious the food shortage in Paris is, the former determines that food scarcity is not a short-term phenomenon, and the latter means that there will definitely be a lot of people who have to be cut off.

It may be true that he is not on the "next list" as Fouché said, but as long as he is rational, he must know how high his odds will be on a certain list.

"It's going to be the final showdown!" When saying goodbye to each councilor, Fouché would use this phrase as a farewell message.

Early the next morning, Robespierre, accompanied by Saint-Just, arrived at the National Assembly.

Robespierre first asked the President to speak, and the request was naturally granted. Robespierre stepped up to the podium. He was still wearing a sky-blue shirt with white stockings, and he was holding a large roll of paper—the manuscript of his speech.

Robespierre stood still on the podium, and he picked up the large roll of paper, just as a Roman judge picked it up (in this case, it refers to one of the honor guards of the Roman judges. It takes the form of a beam rod with an axe stuck in the middle).

He glanced at the councillors present, all of whom were timidly dodging his gaze. Robespierre gradually unfolded the roll of paper in his hand, and all eyes were focused on it, and everyone knew that the appearance of anyone's name on that paper was equivalent to an invitation to the guillotine.

Robespierre noted that Fouché was not present. Foucher's eloquence was not particularly good, at least, compared to those of the members of the National Assembly. His talents are more manifested in various secret activities, which Fuche has always avoided as much as possible. Even if he had to participate, he would have to hide in an unobtrusive corner.

Robespierre began to give a speech, which was so lengthy that anyone who had nothing to do with it would have dozed off there. It was as if a large number of listeners fell asleep when he gave a speech on the Feast of the Supreme Lord, the so-called "festival of reason" during the Revolution.

But this time, everyone was listening intently to what he had to say. Robespierre spoke of the dire situation at home and abroad, about the ongoing conspiracy of some revolutionary traitors, and, finally, he said, he had mastered a list of traitors to the republic. These traitors to the Motherland, following a shameful viper, are doing things against the Republic. At this point, he paused so that the councillors below could feel the smell of fear.

All eyes were on Robespierre, but Robespierre saw something in these eyes that was not quite the same as before. In those eyes, in addition to fear, there is also despair and madness.

"So, who is that viper?" Suddenly, a man asked in a trembling voice. This man was Bourdon de Nowac. One evening a few days ago, Fouché had visited him.

"yes, who is that viper? Name it! More people shouted.

The performance of the parliamentarians made Robespierre suddenly realize that he had made a mistake in his estimation, and that the people who had colluded with Fouché were not ten or twenty, but almost the entire National Assembly. At this time, if he uttered the name "Fouché", it would be tantamount to announcing that almost all members of Congress would be guillotined at the same time.

In theory, the National Assembly is the supreme authority. All his powers derive from the mandate of the National Assembly. Of course, if the Paris Commune were as strong and firm as Ebel and himself were allies, the National Assembly would really be nothing. But now, does he really have the strength to guillotine the entire National Assembly?

Robespierre judged at once that he must not name Fouché at this time, otherwise the whole National Assembly, almost all of its members, would at once stand against him.

"The reconnaissance isn't over yet, and I can't name him just yet." Robespierre replied.

"Say his name!" People are still shouting.

"Why scouting? Isn't it just a matter of suspicion and inference? "Don't shy away, Robespierre, who is that man you are talking about?" ”

"Is it Fuche?" Barras said suddenly, coldly.

The sound was like a cold wind blowing from hell, and it froze everyone's hearts.

"Is it Fuche?" Barras asked, "Robespierre, tell us, is it Fouché!" ”

"I said, I can't ...... it yet," Robespierre tried to maintain his presence, but at this moment, suddenly he could not catch his breath, and he coughed violently.

"Tyrant, it's Danton's blood that chokes on your throat!" Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.

By this time, all the people in the council understood that their break and decisive battle with Robespierre was inevitable.

St. Just shouted: "Please listen to me......"

But now no one would give him a chance to speak again, and Barras shouted: "Down with the tyrant!" ”

Almost all of the parliamentarians shouted, "Hit the tyrant!" ”

Saint-Just tried to leave with Robespierre, but they were stopped.

"I accuse! Robespierre and Saint-Just committed the crime of betraying the Republic and plotting to restore the feudal system! In the crowd, I don't know who shouted.

"Let's vote!" Barras rushed to the podium, "Everyone vote by show of hands, vote by show of hands!" Robespierre and Saint-Just betrayed the revolution and tried to restore feudalism! ”

As he shouted, Barras took the lead and raised his hand.

More hands were raised, and finally, almost all of them were raised.

Facing the forest-like arm, Barras shouted, "It's passed!" Passed! ”

"Lock them up and put them in jail!" More people shouted.

The people would have been frightened by Robespierre a moment earlier, but in the blink of an eye, the person who had terrified them was suddenly turned into a prisoner, which made everyone feel as if they were in a dream.

Fouché only learned about an hour later that something like this had happened in the council. And the nightmare that had been hanging over his head was also imprisoned, and tomorrow morning he was put on trial by the Revolutionary Tribunal, and then he was guillotined.

"In which prison?" Foucher asked.

"It's the prison of Ondom, the closest to the council." The man who told Foucher the news replied.

"Not good! The prison is rather weakly guarded, and Robespierre's sworn friends will ......," Fouché said hurriedly.

"That's just right, we can catch them all!" Another voice rang out. Fouché turned around and saw Barras and Kano approaching in high spirits.

As they had expected, Robespierre's nemesis attacked the prison and rescued Robespierre and Saint-Just, who fled to the town hall where the Paris Commune was located, and issued an order to the National Guard to come and defend the revolution.

However, in the whole of Paris, only two arrondissements of the National Guard answered the call and came to the vicinity of the town hall. Instead, more forces were concentrated on the side of the National Assembly. Robespierre could only hope that the National Guard in a few farther districts would respond to his call.

But by about ten o'clock in the evening, no other troops had arrived—apparently, they would not have any more reinforcements. As a result, even the National Guard, which had been concentrated near the town hall, began to disperse on its own.

Around eleven o'clock, the troops of the National Assembly began to launch a siege on the town hall. At this time, the National Guard, which remained near the town hall, did not fire a single shot, and dispersed in a hurry. Even the cannonballs loaded with shells were thrown directly in place. And the troops loyal to the National Assembly simply bombarded the door of the town hall with these cannons.

Robespierre tried to commit suicide, but he was first shot in the arm by a soldier. As a result, the bullet he himself shot at his own head missed, hitting himself in the face. His face was beaten to shreds, but he was not dead.

The next morning, without any trial at all, Robespierre, Saint-Just, and Cudon, more than twenty people, were escorted through the same path as Louis XVI, Brissot, Ebel, Danton, and Desmoulins to the guillotine.