marie antoinette and her son-第41节

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although　an　opponent　of　hers；　and　appoint　him　again　minister　of
finance。　The　letter　of　the　queen；　which　the　Duchess　Julia　was
commissioned　to　give　to　Necker；　contained　his　recall；　announced　to
him　in　flattering　words。

The　second　letter　was　a　parting　word　from　the　queen　to　her　friend；　a
last　cry　from　her　heart。　〃Farewell；〃　it　ran〃　farewell；　tenderly…
loved　friend！　How　dreadful　this　parting　word　is！　But　it　is　needful。
Farewell！　I　embrace　thee　in　spirit！　Farewell！〃




CHAPTER　XII。

THE　FIFTH　OF　OCTOBER；　1789。


The　morning　dawneda　windy　October　morning；　surrounding　the　sun
with　thick　clouds；　so　the　daylight　came　late　to　Paris；　as　if　fearing
to　see　what　had　taken　place　on　the　streets　and　squares。　The　national
guard；　summoned　together　by　the　alarm…signal　of　drum…beats　and　the
clangor　of　trumpets　and　horns；　collected　in　the　gray　morning　light；
for　a　fearful　rumor　had　been　spread　through　Paris　the　evening
before；　and　one　has　whispered　to　another　that　tomorrow　had　been
appointed　by　the　clubs　and　by　the　agitators　for　a　second　act　in　the
revolution；　and　the　people　are　too　quiet；　they　must　be　roused　to　new
deeds。

〃The　people　are　too　quiet；〃　that　was　the　watchword　of　the　4th　of
October；　in　all　the　clubs；　and　it　was　Marat　who　had　carried　it。

On　the　platform　of　the　Club　de　Cordeliers；　the　cry　was　raised　loudly
and　hoarsely：　〃Paris　is　in　danger　of　folding　its　hands　in　its　lap；
praying　and　going　to　sleep。　They　must　wake　out　of　this　state　of
lethargy；　else　the　hateful；　tyrannical　monarchy　will　revive；　and
draw　the　nightcap　so　far　over　the　ears　of　the　sleeping　capital；　that
it　will　stick　as　if　covered　with　pitch；　and　suffer　itself　to　relapse
into　bondage。　We　must　awaken　Paris；　my　friends；　Paris　must　not
sleep。〃

And　on　the　night　of　the　4th　of　October；　Paris　had　not　slept；　for　the
agitators　had　kept　it　awake。　The　watch…cry　had　been：　〃The　bakers
must　not　bake　to…night！　Paris　must　to…morrow　morning　be　without
bread；　that　the　people　may　open　their　eyes　again　and　awake。　The
bakers　must　not　bake　to…night！〃

All　the　clubs　had　caught　up　their　watch…cry；　and　their　emissaries
had　spread　it　through　the　whole　city；　that　all　the　bakers　should　be
informed　that　whoever　should　〃open　his　store　in　the　morning；　or　give
any　other　answer　than　this：　'There　is　no　more　meal　in　Paris；　we　have
not　been　able　to　bake！'　will　be　regarded　as　a　traitor　to　the
national　cause；　and　as　such；　will　be　punished。　Be　on　your　guard！〃

The　bakers　had　been　intimidated　by　this　threat；　and　had　not　baked。
When　Paris　awoke　on　the　morning　of　the　5th　of　October；　it　was
without　bread。　People　lacked　their　most　indispensable　article　of
food。

At　the　outset；　the　women；　who　received　these　dreadful　tidings　at　the
bake…shops；　returned　dumb　with　horror　to　their　families；　to　announce
to　their　households　and　their　hungry　children：　〃There　is　no　bread
to…day！　The　supply　of　flour　is　exhausted！　We　must　starve！　There　is
no　more　bread　to　be　had！〃

And　from　the　dark　abode　of　the　poor；　the　sad　cry　sounded　out　into
the　narrow　and　dirty　streets　and　all　the　squares；　〃Paris　contains　no
bread！　Paris　must　starve！〃

The　women；　the　children　uttered　these　cries　in　wild　tones　of
despair。　The　men　repeated　the　words　with　clinched　fists　and　with
threatening　looks：　〃Paris　contains　no　more　bread！　Paris　must
starve！〃

〃And　do　you　know　why　Paris　must　starve？〃　croaked　out　a　voice　into
the　ears　of　the　people　who　were　crowding　each　other　in　wild
confusion　on　the　Place　de　Carrousel。

〃Do　you　know　who　is　the　cause　of　all　this　misery　and　want？〃

〃Tell　us；　if　you　know！〃　cried　a　rough　man's　voice。

〃Yes；　yes；　tell　us！〃　shouted　other　voices。　〃We　want　to　know！〃

〃I　will　tell　you；〃　answered　the　first；　in　rasping　tones；　and　now
upon　the　stones；　which　indicated　where　the　carriage…road　crossed　the
square；　a　little；　shrunken；　broad…shouldered　figure；　with　an
unnaturally　large　head；　and　ugly；　crafty　face；　could　be　seen。

〃Marat！〃　cried　some　man　in　the　crowd。　〃Marat！〃　yelled　the　cobbler
Simon；　who　had　been　since　August　the　friend　and　admirer　of　Marat；
and　was　to　be　seen　everywhere　at　his　side。　〃Listen；　friends；　listen！
Marat　is　going　to　speak　to　us；　he　will　tell　us　how　it　happens　that
Paris　has　bread　no　more；　and　that　we　shall　all　have　to　starve
together！　Marat　is　going　to　speak！〃

〃Silence；　silence！〃　scattered　men　commanded　here　and　there。
〃Silence！〃　ejaculated　a　gigantic　woman；　with　broad；　defiant　face；
around　which　her　black　hair　hung　in　dishevelled　masses；　and　which
was　gathered　up　in　partly…secured　knots　under　her　white　cap。　With
her　broad　shoulders　and　her　robust　arms　she　forced　her　way　through
the　crowd；　directing　her　course　toward　the　place　where　Marat
was　standing；　and　near　him　Simon　the　cobbler；　on　whose　broad
shoulders；　as　upon　a　desk；　Marat　was　resting　one　hand。

〃Silence！〃　cried　the　giantess。　〃Marat；　the　people's　friend；　is　going
to　speak！　Let　us　listen；　for　it　will　certainly　do　us　good。　Marat　is
clever　and　wise；　and　loves　the　people！〃

Marat's　green；　blazing　eyes　fixed　themselves　upon　the　gigantic　form
of　the　woman；　he　shrank　back　as　if　an　electrical　spark　had　touched
him；　and　with　a　wonderful　expression　of　mingled　triumph　and　joy。
〃Come　nearer；　goodwife！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃let　me　press　your　hand；　and
bring　all　the　excellent；　industrious；　well…minded　women　of　Paris　to
take　Marat；　the　patriot；　by　the　hand！〃

The　woman　strode　to　the　place　where　Marat　was　standing　and　reached
him　her　hand。　No　one　in　the　crowd　noticed　that　this　hand　of　unwonted
delicacy　and　whiteness　did　not　seem　to　comport　well　with　the　dress
of　a　vender　of　vegetables　from　the　market；　no　one　noticed　that　on
one　of　the　tapering　fingers　a　jewel　of　no　ordinary　size　glistened。

Marat　was　the　only　one　to　notice　it；　and　while　pressing　the　offered
hand　of　the　woman　in　his　bony　fist；　he　stooped　down　and　whispered　in
her　ear：

〃Monseigneur；　take　this　jewelled　ring　off；　and　do　not　press　forward
too　much；　you　might　be　identified！〃

〃I　be　identified！〃　answered　the　woman；　turning　pale。　〃I　do　not
understand　you；　Doctor　Marat！〃

〃But　I　do；〃　whispered　Marat；　still　more　softly；　for　he　saw　that
Simon's　little　sparkling　eyes　were　turned　toward　the　woman　with　a
look　of　curiosity。　〃I　understand　the　Duke　Philip　d'Orleans　very
well。　He　wants　to　rouse　up　the　people；　but　he　is　unwilling　to
compromise　his　name　or　his　title。　And　that　may　be　a　very　good　thing。
But　you　are　not　to　disown　yourself　before　Marat；　for　Marat　is　your
very　good　friend；　and　will　keep　your　secret　honorably。〃

〃What　are　you　whispering　about？〃　shouted　Simon。　〃Why　do　you　not
speak　to　the　people？　You　were　going　to　tell　us　why　Paris　has　no
bread；　and　who　is　to　blame　that　we　must　all　starve。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　what　you　were　going　to　tell　us！〃　was　shouted　on
all　sides。　〃We　want　to　know　it。〃

〃Tell　us；　tell　us！〃　cried　the　giantess。　〃Give　me　your　hand　once
more；　that　I　may　press　it　in　the　name　of　all　the　women　of　Paris！〃

Marat　with　an　assuring　smile　reached　his　great；　bony　hand　to　the
woman；　who　held　it　in　both　of　her　own　for　a　moment；　and　then
retreated　and　was　lost　in　the　crowd。

But　in　Marat's　hand　now　blazed　the　jewelled　ring　which　had　a　moment
before　adorned　the　large；　soft　hand　of　the　woman。　He；　perhaps；　did
not　know　it　himself；　he　paid　no　attention　to　it；　but　turned　all　his
thoughts　to　the　people　who　now　filled　the　immense　square；　and　hemmed
him　in　with　thousands　upon　thousands　of　blazing　eyes。

〃You　want　to　know　why　you　have　no　bread？〃　snarled　he。　〃You　ask　why
you　starve？　Well；　my　friends　and　brothers；　the　answer　is　an　easy　one
to　give。　The　baker　of　France　has　shut　up　his　storehouse　because　the
baker's　wife　has　told　him　to　do　so；　because　she　hates　the　people　and
wants　them　to　starve！　But　she　does　not　intend　to　starve；　and　so　she
has　called　the　baker　and　the　little　apprentices　to　Versailles；　where
are　her　storehouses；　guarded　by　her　paid　soldiers。　What　does　it
concern　her　if　the　people　of　Paris　are　miserably　perishing？　She　has
an　abundance　of　bread；　for　the　baker　must　always　keep　his　store　open
for　her；　and　her　son　eats　cake；　while　your　children　are　starving！
You　must　always　keep　demanding　that　the　baker；　the　baker's　wife；　and
the　whole　brood　come　to　Paris　and　live　in　your　midst；　and　then　you
will　see　how　they　keep　their　flour；　and　you　will　then　compel　them　to
give　you　of　their　superfluous　supplies。〃

〃Yes；　we　will　make　her　come！〃　cried　Simon　the　cobbler；　with　a　coarse
laugh。　〃Up；　brothers；　up！　We　must　compel　the　baker　and　his　wife　to
open　the　flour…store　to　us！〃

〃Let　us　go　to　Versailles！〃　roared　the　great　woman；　who　had　posted
herself　among　a　group　of　fishwives。　〃Come；　my　friends；　let　us　go　to
Versailles；　and　we　will　tell　the　baker's　wife　that　our　children　have
no　bread；　while　she　is　giving　her　apprentices　cakes。　We　will　demand
of　her　that　she　give　our　children　bread；　and　if　she　refuses　it；　we
will　compel　her　to　come　with　her　baker　and　her　whole　brood　to　Paris
and　starve　with　us！　Come；　let　us　go　to　Versailles！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　let　us　go　to　Versailles！〃　was　the　hideous　cry　which
echoed　across　the　square；　〃the　baker's　wife　shall　give　us　bread！〃

〃She　keeps　the　keys　to　the　stores！〃　howled　Marat；　〃she　prevents　the
baker　opening　them。〃

〃She　shall　g