slight moment of hesitation Robespierre said quietly:

"You shall have the complete power of a military dictator in every
town or borough of France which you may visit. The Revolutionary
Government shall create you, before you start for England, Supreme
Head of all the Sub-Committees of Public Safety. This will mean that
in the name of the safety of the Republic every order given by you, of
whatsoever nature it might be, must be obeyed implicitly under pain
of an arraignment for treason."

Chauvelin sighed a quick, sharp sigh of intense satisfaction, which he
did not even attempt to disguise before Robespierre.

"I shall want agents," he said, "or shall we say spies? and, of course,
money."

"You shall have both. We keep a very efficient secret service in
England and they do a great deal of good over there. There is much
dissatisfaction in their Midland counties--you remember the
Birmingham riots? They were chiefly the work of our own spies.
Then you know Candeille, the actress? She had found her way among
some of those circles in London who have what they call liberal
tendencies. I believe they are called Whigs. Funny name, isn't it? It
means perruque, I think. Candeille has given charity performances in
aid of our Paris poor, in one or two of these Whig clubs, and
incidentally she has been very useful to us."

"A woman is always useful in such cases. I shall seek out the
Citizeness Candeille."