I Will Repay · Chapter
The Fructidor Riots explained
Déroulède and Juliette are transported in a rough cart through a hostile mob during the Fructidor riots.
What happens
Déroulède and Juliette are transported in a rough cart through a hostile mob during the Fructidor riots. Commandant Santerre struggles to control the crowd, but a forged order from the Minister of Justice (orchestrated by the Scarlet Pimpernel) allows the prisoners to be secretly redirected to the Temple prison, escaping the mob's fury.
Themes in this chapter
Mob Mentality and Populism
The chapter vividly depicts the howling, drunken mob demanding immediate lynching, illustrating the dangerous volatility of populist rage.
Love and Sacrifice
Déroulède's protective actions—shielding Juliette from the cold and rain—highlight his selfless devotion.
Redemption and Forgiveness
Juliette's choice to stand with Déroulède despite her earlier oath suggests a path toward atonement.
Characters to notice
- Paul Déroulède
Condemned prisoner, protects Juliette from the cold and rain during the cart ride.
- Juliette de Marny
Condemned alongside Déroulède, cold and numb, clings to him for support.
- Citizen Santerre
Military commandant of Paris, struggles to control the mob and later obeys the forged order to redirect the prisoners.
- Citizen Merlin
Deputy Merlin; mentioned as having given instructions for the prisoners' transfer to the Temple.
- Sir Percy Blakeney
Implied orchestrator of the rescue; the chapter notes that the account was later related by him to the Prince of Wales.
- Citizen Lenoir
Prominent in the mob, egging on the crowd against Déroulède and Juliette.
Key passages
“À la lanterne! À la lanterne! le traître!”
Hang him from the lamppost! The traitor!
The mob's cry for immediate lynching, reflecting the revolutionary fervor and summary justice.
“You’ll take the prisoners quietly across to the Prison of the Temple—you understand that?”
You will secretly transport the prisoners to the Temple prison.
The forged order diverts the prisoners away from the mob to safety.