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range of rooms under a gallery, and the door "of it opened outward and flat against the wall;

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so that when it was open the inside of the door appeared outward, and the contrary when it was shut: I had three comrades fellow-prisoners "with me, Joseph Vanhuile of Bruges, since

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president of the municipality of that town, "Michael Robins, and Bastini of Louvain. "When persons by scores and by hundreds were "to be taken out of prison for the guillotine it

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was always done in the night, and those who performed that office had a private mark or "signal by which they knew what rooms to go and what number to take.

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We, as I said, were four, and the door of our room was marked, unobserved by us, with "that number in chalk; but it happened, if hap

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pening is a proper word, that the mark was put on the door when it was open and flat against the wall, and thereby came on the "inside when we shut it at night, and the de"stroying angel passed it by. A few days after "this Robespierre fell, and the American ambassa"dor arrived and reclaimed me, and invited me to his house.

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"During the whole of my imprisonment, prior

to the fall of Robespierre, there was no time "when I could think my life worth twenty-four "hours; and my mind was made up to meet "its fate. The Americans in Paris went in a

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body to the convention to reclaim me, but "without success. There was no party among "them with respect to me. My only hope then "rested on the government of America that it "would remember me.

"But the icy heart of ingratitude, in whatever man it is placed, has neither feelings nor 66 sense of honour. The letter of Mr. Jefferson "has served to wipe away the reproach, and "done justice to the mass of people of

"America."

While Mr. Paine was in prison he wrote much of his 'Age of Reason,' and amused himself with carrying on an epistolary correspondence with Lady S*** under the assumed name of 'The Castle in the Air,' and her ladyship answered under the signature of The Little Corner of the World.' This correspondence is reported to be extremely beautiful and interesting.

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whole of my imprisonment, prior Robespierre, there was no time think my life worth twenty-four

y mind was made up to meet Americans in Paris went in a convention to reclaim me, but SS. There was no party among ect to me. My only hope then >vernment of America that it r me.

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was in prison he wrote much on,' and amused himself with stolary correspondence with the assumed name of 'The and her ladyship answered of The Little Corner of the ondence is reported to be d interesting.

the constituent assembly than the unfortunate prisoner Louis Capet.

But, abstracted from every other consideration, there is one circumstance in his life which ought to cover or at least to palliate a great number of his transgressions, and this very circumstance affords the French nation a blessed occasion of extricating itself from the yoke of its kings without defiling itself in the impurities of their blood.

"It is to France alone, I know that the United States of America owe that support which enabled them to shake off an unjust and tyrannical yoke. The ardour and zeal which she displayed to provide both men and money were the natural consequences of a thirst for liberty. But as the nation at that time, restrained by the shackles of her own government, could only act by means of a monarchical organ, this organ, whatever in other respects the object might be, certainly performed a good, a great action.

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