Purifying Our Political Culture
“Robespierre, who did more than anyone else to bring about the king’s execution, sat in that house with the windows closed, unwilling to look upon the result of his work (he was squeamish). Later, when he had arranged for Danton, once his dear friend and fellow Jacobin, to go to the guillotine, he sat inside his rooms on the rue St-Honore a second time. Danton, who had a booming voice, wailed as he made his way past Robespierre’s place; Robespierre had to have heard him, but he averted his gaze.”