Roland, Brissot, Pétion, and Buzot flee. Mme Roland is arrested.

Danton meets with a priest to discuss plans for his wedding. He does not openly profess his faith, but he gives a perfunctory confession and the priest agrees to perform the ceremony. He tells Camille of his plans to marry Louise. Camille is annoyed at this news and storms off. Danton warns Louise that Camille is his best friend and if she ever has an affair with him, he will kill her.

Robespierre congratulates Danton on his upcoming marriage, but he criticizes Danton for how much time he spends on his relationships with women. Later, Robespierre and Camille discuss Danton’s plans. Camille worries that Danton is “softening” because Danton does not want to put Marie Antoinette on trial in the hope he can use her as a bargaining chip with Austria. 

Robespierre asks Camille if Danton has been skimming from the military contracts. Camille gives a non-answer, saying it is better for Robespierre not to know because Danton is valuable to their cause. After Camille leaves, Robespierre reflects that Camille lacks vertu, or “strength, honesty, purity of intent” (668), even though he is Robespierre’s closest friend. He thinks Danton is getting married so quickly because he feels guilty about something. He attempts to reassure himself that Danton is a patriot.

The Committee of General Security, also known as the Police Committee, arrests General Dillon, a friend of Camille’s. Camille is furious when he learns of the arrest. He asks Marat about the arrest. Marat says it is justified because Dillon is an aristocrat with “powerful enemies.” Camille argues loudly on Dillon’s behalf in the Convention. Saint-Just persists in prosecuting Dillon. Camille begins writing a pamphlet excoriating Saint-Just.

On July 13, 1793, Marat is killed by Charlotte Corday, a Girondist. There is a large public funeral for “the people’s friend,” organized by Jacques-Louis David.

On July 26, 1793, Robespierre, who has now developed a facial tic, is elected to the Committee of Public Safety. Danton is removed from it. The Committee is given the power to issue warrants. The president of the Revolutionary Tribunal is arrested for his handling of Corday’s trial and replaced with Hermann, a lawyer from Arras. Hébert accuses Danton of conspiring with Dumouriez. At the Jacobin Club, Danton gives a speech about his patriotic merit and Robespierre supports him.

In late August, the government institutes military conscription. Bread lines grow. Chabot criticizes Robespierre and the Committee for not doing more about the lack of food. Robespierre grows angry. He notes that Chabot is planning on marrying a foreign Jewish woman, the sister of bankers called the brothers Frei. He mulls imprisoning all the foreigners as part of the ongoing “National Emergency.” Camille objects to this plan.

On September 2, Toulon surrenders to the British. On September 5, the sans-culottes demonstrate at the Convention. Fabre begs Danton to rejoin the Committee of Public Safety, but Danton refuses. Robespierre decries the lack of vertu amongst the people. Danton laughs. The head of the sans-culottes, Jacques Roux, is arrested. He dies by suicide while in prison. After September, the Tribunal will begin to execute an ever-increasing number of people. Approximately 200,000 people are detained and “terror is the order of the day” (697).

Danton collapses with exhaustion. Fabre grows increasingly anxious. Lucile tells Camille that Danton and Fabre were involved in a dodgy financial scheme involving the liquidation of the French East India Company. Fabre is worried that if Danton is investigated, his involvement in this financial fraud will be uncovered. Fabre forged documents in furtherance of the plot. Danton worries he will not have enough support to weather the scandal as the Cordeliers club is now run by Hébert. Camille tells Danton a man called Comte has arrived in Paris alleging that Danton had conspired with the Brissotins to give the throne of France to the Duke of York. Danton and Louise travel to Arcis so he can recover from his exhaustion.

Meanwhile, Fabre meets with Robespierre. He tells Robespierre he has something important to share with him. He spins Robespierre a story about how the brothers Frei and various other foreigners, along with members of the aristocracy like Hérault and Hébert, conspired to frame Danton for the French East India Company fraud to discredit the revolution. Robespierre tasks Fabre with investigating the fraud.

Camille’s cousin, Fouquier-Tinville, is appointed Public Prosecutor of the Tribune. He is exhausted from overseeing the trial of Marie Antoinette. He knows much of the evidence against her is spurious. She is executed the next day.

Lucile does not feel relieved or overjoyed at the death of the former queen, but Camille urges her to hold a dinner party nevertheless. Hérault says he cannot attend because he is going to Alsace to avoid persecution by the Committee. Lucile meets with Eléonore to attempt to learn more about Robespierre’s plans. She learns very little. A few days later, Anne Théroigne calls on Lucile. She has emotionally and physically disintegrated. She is being persecuted for her alliance with Brissot. She attempts to have Camille denounce her so she can be executed. Camille refuses.

On 9 Brumaire, 22 Brissotins are given a death sentence based on Camille’s evidence. One of the defendants is stabbed to death in the courtroom and Camille faints. A few days later, the Duke of Orléans is guillotined. On 18 Brumaire, Mme Roland is tried and executed. When her husband learns the news of her death, he dies by suicide. On 20 Brumaire a “Festival of Reason” is held at Notre-Dame Cathedral. Robespierre disapproves of the atheism: He believes in the Supreme Being. He is depressed about his failures.

The Marquis de Sade meets with Camille. He tells Camille he disapproves of the “machinery of Terror” which “operates with no passion at all” (733). Camille tells de Sade he is working on a story about ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Tiberius, a time of conspiracy and backstabbing, which is not unlike the period of the French Revolution.

Danton returns to Paris on November 20. He goes to see Camille. He once again attempts to get Lucile to have sex with him, but she refuses. Camille is despairing over the prospect of the French East India Company fraud being revealed. He says the head of the Committee of General Security, Vadier, known as The Inquisitor, has been asking about Danton, Fabre, and Lacroix. He tells Danton that Vadier even interrogated Camille himself. Camille tells Danton that he has decided to take out Hébert to end the Terror.

Danton meets with Robespierre, who is still bent on getting rid of Chabot, but he agrees on the need to get rid of Hébert as well. Robespierre thinks the reign of Terror is necessary to preserve the revolution. Danton asks Robespierre to protect him from the East India scandal. Robespierre says he will because his friendship with Camille means so much to him.

Danton tells Fabre he wants to broker a peace with the right. In a first-person narrative, Fabre describes how the pressures of keeping all the different factions appeased while saving his own neck is making him unravel and giving him chest pains.

Fouquier-Tinville meets with Lucile. He tells her that Camille’s associate Barnave has been executed by the Tribune for “secret dealings” with the Queen. He warns her that Camille may seem guilty by association and for appearing grief-stricken by his friend’s death.

Lucile begins burning her diaries and journals. Camille has taken to drinking to excess and not sleeping enough. He is writing a series of pamphlets. The first pamphlet alleges that Danton’s critics are paid by the British. Lucile does not socialize much except with Louise. Robespierre calls at Camille’s apartment. He learns of Camille’s new pamphlets, the “Old Cordelier.” Robespierre approves.

On December 5, Camille releases his second Old Cordelier pamphlet to immense popular acclaim. At a party celebrating his success, he learns that de Sade has been arrested.

Robespierre directs the Committee of Public Safety to take control over all aspects of the government.

The third issue of the Old Cordelier pamphlet comparing the era to the reign of Emperor Tiberius in ancient Rome is released. Camille did not consult Robespierre before publishing, and Robespierre is furious. He refuses to stop the Terror. Camille calls the present system “tyranny.” Camille is criticized publicly by Hébert writing as Le Père Duchesne.

In December, Hérault and Saint-Just return from the front. Danton attempts to meet with Robespierre and is turned away. Toulon and the Vendée are taken by the Republican armies.

Camille prints his fourth issue of the Old Cordelier decrying the tyrannical methods of the Committee. Camille calls for a Committee of Mercy. Robespierre is furious that Danton and Camille have seemingly united against him. Eléonore urges him not to be “soft” on his old school friends. There is a public demonstration outside the Convention calling for a Committee of Mercy. Robespierre, seeking to find a middle ground, proposes a Committee of Justice. It is rejected by more hardline revolutionaries. 

Camille calls on Robespierre, but Robespierre refuses to see him. Saint-Just tells Robespierre he believes someone is paying Camille to write his pamphlets. Robespierre says Camille is not acting in bad faith. Saint-Just insists Camille is part of a conspiracy to bring down the republic.

In January 1794, the documentary evidence showing Fabre and Danton’s role in the East India Company affair is sent to Robespierre. He is outraged, both at Fabre’s deceit and at Camille for not informing him of the plot. On January 5, Camille releases his fifth Old Cordelier pamphlet accusing Hébert of corruption and collusion. 

Robespierre continues to defend Camille at the Jacobin Club, but he proposes they burn the pamphlets. Camille rejects this as tyranny by quoting Rousseau. This humiliates Robespierre, who fetishizes Rousseau.

Publishers refuse to publish Camille’s pamphlets. Danton meets with Robespierre. Robespierre warns that Danton will not be safe unless he cuts off ties with Fabre. Danton refuses. He makes a joke alluding to Camille’s penchant for having sex with men, which scandalizes Robespierre.

Men from the local militia arrest Claude Duplessis on a warrant from Hébert, Lucile’s father. Annette tells Camille that before his arrest, Claude burnt all of their correspondence. Camille and Danton call for the end of arrests at the Convention. Claude is released and Hébert finds he has “no friends.”

Fabre is arrested.

Robespierre suffers from shortness of breath and exhaustion. He goes on bedrest. Saint-Just arrives to tell him that no one supports Danton’s plan to broker a peace with the right wing. Camille visits Robespierre as he convalesces. Robespierre dreams of an idyllic Republic of Virtue. An advisor visits and tells Robespierre that the people are starving because of the price controls on the markets preventing trade. Hébert is whipping up an insurrection.

On 24 Ventôse, Hébert and his allies are arrested for promoting insurrection. They are quickly executed. Danton tells Robespierre he disapproves of his tactics. He visits Gabrielle’s parents in Sèvres. He tells them he does not want to be party to more violence. Legendre and Camille arrive to tell him that “Robespierre is out for your blood” (817).

Saint-Just insists to Robespierre that Danton be arrested and tried along with Fabre and Hérault. Robespierre resists until Vadier has Babette testify to him that Danton raped and impregnated her. Although Robespierre doubts her testimony, he relents. 

Vadier fears that an open trial will be too controversial, so he proposes a simplified tribunal which will return the verdict they seek: guilty. When Robespierre balks at signing the arrest warrant, the others question his revolutionary zeal. He signs a warrant for the arrest of Camille, Danton, Lacroix, and their associates. They are arrested the next day.

Saint-Just presents his “evidence” to the prosecutors, Fouquier and Hermann. They criticize the evidence as flimsy and unreliable, but they nevertheless agree to prosecute the case after Saint-Just threatens to have them arrested if they refuse. Robespierre gives a speech in the Convention supporting their prosecution. While her husband is in prison, Lucile writes countless letters advocating for Camille’s release. Robespierre meets with Camille in prison. He offers Camille a deal in exchange for his release, but Camille refuses.

The trial begins. Danton speaks passionately in his defense until his voice gives out. Fearing they are losing control of proceedings, the next day the lawyers refuse to let the defendants speak in their own defense, present evidence, or call witnesses. Having learned of Lucile’s efforts to have Camille released, Saint-Just orders her arrest as well. Camille is devastated when he learns she is also going to be “murdered.” After several days of trial, the defendants are all found guilty and sentenced to death by guillotine. Danton and Camille are killed.

A final Note describes how Lucile, General Dillon, Robespierre, and Saint-Juste were all executed as well later that year.