LeMaitre Separates Susan and Barbara
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Jailer delivers Barbara and Susan to LeMaitre, boasting of their recapture. Susan anxiously questions Barbara about the private discussion, but Barbara can only speculate about their fate.
The Jailer announces LeMaitre's orders: Susan is to be taken to the cells, while Barbara is wanted for questioning. Susan cries out as she is separated from Barbara.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Resigned to the separation but deeply anxious about Susan’s safety and her own impending isolation. She channels her fear into quiet determination, knowing that resistance would only make things worse for both of them.
Barbara is dragged toward the cells by the Jailer’s soldiers, her expression a mix of resignation and quiet determination. She exchanges a brief, tense glance with Susan before being pulled away, her body language suggesting she is bracing herself for what comes next. Though she does not resist physically, her silence speaks to her internal struggle—she knows this separation could be dangerous, but she remains composed for Susan’s sake.
- • Stay composed to avoid escalating the situation and putting Susan at further risk.
- • Prepare mentally for her isolation in the cells, where she will likely face interrogation or worse.
- • The regime’s cruelty is arbitrary, and resistance is futile in this moment.
- • Her role as the more experienced companion means she must set an example of strength for Susan, even in the face of separation.
Overwhelmed by fear and desperation, her illness amplifying her sense of helplessness. The separation from Barbara—her anchor in this hostile environment—leaves her feeling exposed and alone, her cry a plea for the one person she trusts.
Susan, weakened by illness and already emotionally fragile, is left behind as Barbara is dragged away. Her face pales as she realizes she is being singled out for interrogation, and her voice cracks with desperation as she cries out for Barbara. Physically, she sways slightly, her illness making her even more vulnerable to the Jailer’s cold directives. Her outburst is raw and unfiltered, a stark contrast to Barbara’s composed silence.
- • Cling to Barbara as her only source of comfort and protection in this terrifying situation.
- • Resist the Jailer’s orders, even if only verbally, to assert some semblance of agency in the face of the regime’s control.
- • She and Barbara are stronger together, and this separation is a direct threat to their survival.
- • The regime’s cruelty is personal, and she is being targeted because of her weakness (illness).
Coldly professional, masking any personal investment in the task at hand. His demeanor reflects the regime’s dehumanizing machinery, where prisoners are reduced to orders on a list.
The Jailer stands as the enforcer of LeMaitre’s orders, his posture rigid and authoritative as he directs soldiers to separate Susan and Barbara. He speaks with cold efficiency, his words carrying the weight of the regime’s bureaucracy. His focus is on executing the orders without hesitation, though his demeanor suggests a detached professionalism rather than personal malice.
- • Execute LeMaitre’s orders to the letter, ensuring the separation of Susan and Barbara without delay.
- • Maintain the illusion of control and efficiency to uphold the regime’s authority within the prison.
- • The prisoners are a threat to the revolutionary cause and must be contained at all costs.
- • His role is to enforce the will of his superiors without question, as any hesitation could be seen as disloyalty.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
LeMaitre’s Separation Orders are the tangible manifestation of the regime’s bureaucratic terror in this moment. Though not physically shown, their presence is implied in the Jailer’s directive to separate Susan and Barbara. These orders serve as the legal justification for the Jailer’s actions, reinforcing the regime’s dehumanizing system where prisoners are reduced to names on a list. The orders’ authority is absolute, leaving no room for negotiation or mercy. Their execution here symbolizes the regime’s ability to fracture alliances and isolate individuals, making them easier to break.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Conciergerie Prison serves as the physical and psychological epicenter of the Reign of Terror in this moment. Its stone walls and iron gates are not just a setting but an active participant in the regime’s oppression, echoing with the sounds of clanging doors and desperate cries. The prison’s atmosphere is one of suffocating dread, where every shadow and whisper amplifies the prisoners’ sense of isolation. The separation of Susan and Barbara occurs in this space, where the regime’s power is most concentrated and where hope is systematically crushed.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Reign of Terror is the invisible but all-powerful force behind the Jailer’s actions in this scene. Though Robespierre himself is absent, his influence is felt in every order carried out, every prisoner separated, and every life disrupted. The organization’s ideology—rooted in paranoia and the belief that the revolution must be protected at all costs—manifests in the Jailer’s cold efficiency and the prisoners’ despair. This moment is a microcosm of the Reign of Terror’s broader campaign: the systematic dismantling of alliances, the isolation of individuals, and the erosion of humanity in the name of political purity.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Barbara and Susan are betrayed by the physician and are escorted to LeMaitre."
Physician betrays Barbara and Susan"LeMaitre separating Barbara and Susan from each other ensures that Barbara alone enters LeMaitre's office."
Barbara discovers the Doctor imprisoned"LeMaitre's orders regarding Barbara and Susan leads to Barbara discovering the doctor."
Barbara discovers the Doctor imprisonedKey Dialogue
"JAILER: "So, you thought you'd escaped. Well, we're not as big a fools as you take us for. Ah, LeMaitre. Two recaptured prisoners.""
"SUSAN: "Barbara, what do you think they're talking about?""
"BARBARA: "I don't know, but we'll find out soon enough.""
"JAILER: "Not you. You're wanted for questioning.""
"SUSAN: "No! Barbara!""