marie antoinette and her son-第3章

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can　laugh；　and　what　fine　nonsense　her　majesty　could　afford　to
indulge　in。〃　＇Footnote：　See　Madame　de　Campane。　〃Memoires；〃　vol。　i。＇

〃I　wish　I　knew　him；　and　he　would　tell　me　about　it；〃　cried　cobbler
Simon；　striking　his　fists　together。　〃I　always　like　to　hear　something
bad　about　this　Austrian　woman；　for　I　hate　her　and　the　whole　court
crowd　besides。　What　right　have　they　to　strut　and　swell；　and　put　on
airs；　while　we　have　to　work　and　suffer　from　morning　till　night？　Why
is　their　life　nothing　but　jollity；　and　ours　nothing　but　misery？　I
think　I　am　of　just　as　much　consequence　as　the　king；　and　my　woman
would　look　just　as　nice　as　the　queen；　if　she　would　put　on　fine
clothes　and　ride　round　in　a　gilded　carriage。　What　puts　them　up　and
puts　us　down？〃

〃I　tell　you　why。　It　is　because　we　are　ninnies　and　fools；　and　allow
them　to　laugh　in　their　sleeves　at　us；　and　make　divinities　out　of
themselves；　before　whom　the　people；　or；　as　they　call　them；　the
rabble；　are　to　fall　upon　their　knees。　But　patience；　patience！　There
will　come　a　time　when　they　will　not　laugh；　nor　compel　the　people　to
fall　upon　their　knees　and　beg　for　favor。　But　no　favor　shall　be
granted　to　them。　They　shall　meet　their　doom。〃

〃Ha！　I　wish　the　time　were　here；〃　shouted　the　cobbler；　laughing；　〃and
I　hope　I　may　be　there　when　they　meet　their　punishment。〃

〃Well；　my　friend；　that　only　depends　upon　yourself；〃　said　the
stranger。　〃The　time　will　come；　and　if　you　wish　you　can　contribute
your　share；　that　it　may　approach　with　more　rapid　steps。〃

〃What　can　I　do？　Tell　me；　for　I　am　ready　for　every　thing？〃

〃You　can　help　whet　the　knife；　that　it　may　cut　the　better；〃　said　the
stranger；　with　a　horrible　grimace。　〃Come；　come；　do　not　look　at　me　so
astonished；　brother。　There　are　already　a　good　number　of　knife…
sharpeners　in　the　good　city　of　Paris；　and　if　you　want　to　join　their
company；　come　this　evening　to　me；　and　I　will　make　you　acquainted
with　some；　and　introduce　you　to　our　guild。〃

〃Where　do　you　live；　sir；　and　what　is　your　name？〃　asked　the　cobbler；
with　glowing　curiosity。

〃I　live　in　the　stable　of　the　Count　d'Artois；　and　my　name　is　Jean
Paul　Marat。〃

〃In　the　stable！〃　cried　the　cobbler。　〃My　faith；　I　had　not　supposed
you　were　a　hostler　or　a　coachman。　It　must　be　a　funny　sight；　M。
Marat；　to　see　you　mounted　upon　a　horse。〃

〃You　think　that　such　a　big　toad　as　I　does　not　belong　there　exactly。
Well；　there　you　are　right；　brother　Simon。　My　real　business　is　not　at
all　with　the　horses；　but　with　the　men　in　the　stable。　I　am　the　horse…
doctor；　brother　Simon；　horse…doctor　of　the　Count　d'Artois；　and　I　can
assure　you　that　I　am　a　tolerably　skilful　doctor；　for　I　have　yoked
together　many　a　hostler　and　jockey　whom　the　stable…keepers　of　the
dear　Artois　have　favored　with　a　liberal　dispensation　of　their　lash。
So；　come　this　evening　to　me；　not　only　that　I　may　introduce　you　to
good　society；　but　come　if　you　are　sick。　I　will　restore　you；　and　it
shall　cost　you　nothing。　I　cure　my　brothers　of　the　people　without　any
pay；　for　it　is　not　the　right　thing　for　brothers　to　take　money　one　of
another。　So；　brother　Simon；　I　shall　look　for　you　this　evening　at　the
stable；　but　now　I　must　leave　you；　for　my　sick　folks　are　expecting
me。　Just　one　more　word。　If　you　come　about　seven　o'clock　to　visit　me；
the　old　witch　that　keeps　the　door　will　certainly　tell　you　that　I　am
not　at　home。　I　will；　therefore；　give　you　the　pass…word；　which　will
allow　you　to　go　in。　It　is　'Liberty；　Equality；　Fraternity。'　Good…by。〃

He　nodded　to　the　cobbler　with　a　fearful　grimace；　and　strode　away
quickly；　in　spite　of　not　being　able　to　lift　his　left　foot　over　the
broad　square　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville。

Master　Simon　looked　after　him　at　first　with　a　derisive　smile；　and
this　diminutive　figure；　with　his　great　head；　on　which　a　high；　black
felt　hat　just　kept　its　position；　seemed　to　amuse　him　excessively。
All　at　once　a　thought　struck　him；　and；　like　an　arrow　impelled　from
the　bow；　he　dashed　forward　and　ran　after　Jean　Paul　Marat。

〃Doctor　Marat；　Doctor　Marat！〃　he　shouted；　breathless；　from　a
distance。

Marat　stood　still　and　looked　around　with　a　malicious　glance。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　snarled　he；　〃and　who　is　calling　my　name　so
loud？〃

〃It　is　I；　brother　Marat；〃　answered　the　cobbler；　panting。　〃I　have
been　running　after　you　because　you　have　forgotten　something。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Marat；　feeling　in　his　pockets　with　his　long
fingers。〃　I　have　my　handkerchief　and　the　piece　of　black　bread　that
makes　my　breakfast。　I　have　not　forgotten　anything。〃

〃Yes；　Jean　Paul　Marat；　you　have　forgotten　something；〃　answered
Master　Simon。　〃You　were　going　to　tell　me　the　names　of　the　three
chief　paramours　of　the　queen；　and　you　have　given　only　twothe　Duke
de　Coigny　and　Lord　Adhemar。　You　see　I　have　a　good　memory；　and　retain
all　that　you　told　me。　So　give　me　the　name　of　the　third　one；　for　I
will　confess　to　you　that　I　should　like　to　have　something　to　say
about　this　matter　in　my　club　this　afternoon；　and　it　will　make　quite
a　sensation　to　come　primed　with　this　story　about　the　Austrian
woman。〃

〃Well；　I　like　that；　I　like　that；〃　said　Marat；　laughing　so　as　to　show
his　mouth　from　one　ear　to　the　other。　〃Now；　that　is　a　fine　thing　to
have　a　club；　where　you　can　tell　all　these　little　stories　about　the
queen　and　the　court；　and　it　will　be　a　real　pleasure　to　me　to　tell
you　any　such　matters　as　these　to　communicate　to　your　club；　for　it　is
always　a　good　thing　to　have　any　thing　that　takes　place　at　Versailles
and　St。　Cloud　get　talked　over　here　at　Paris　among　the　dear　good
people。〃

〃In　St。　Cloud？〃　asked　the　cobbler。　〃What　is　it　that　can　happen
there？　That　is　nothing　at　all　but　a　tiresome；　old…forgotten　pleasure
palace　of　the　king。〃

〃It　is　lively　enough　there　now；　depend　upon　it；〃　replied　Marat；　with
his　sardonic　laugh。　〃King　Louis　the　well　beloved　has　given　this
palace　to　his　wife；　in　order　that　she　may　establish　there　a　larger
harem　than　Trianon；　that　miserable；　worthless　little　mouse…nest；
where　virtue；　honor；　and　worth　get　hectored　to　death；　is　not　large
enough　for　her。　Yes；　yes；　that　fine；　great　palace　of　the　French
kings；　the　noble　St。　Cloud；　is　now　the　heritage　and　possession　of
this　fine　Austrian。　And　do　you　know　what　she　has　done？　Close　by　the
railing　which　separates　the　park　from　St。　Cloud；　and　near　the
entrance；　she　has　had　a　tablet　put　up；　on　which　are　written　the
conditions　on　which　the　public　are　allowed　to　enter　the　park。〃

〃Well；　that　is　nothing　new；〃　said　the　cobbler；　impatiently。〃　They
have　such　a　board　put　up　at　all　the　royal　gardens；　and　everywhere
the　public　is　ordered；　in　the　name　of　the　king；　not　to　do　any
injury；　and　not　to　wander　from　the　regular　paths。〃

〃Well；　that　is　just；　it　is　ordered　in　the　name　of　the　king；　but　in
St。　Cloud；　it　runs　in　the　name　of　the　queen。　Yes；　yes；　there　you　may
see　in　great　letters　upon　the　board；　'In　the　name　of　the　queen。'
＇Footnote：　〃De　par　la　reine〃　was　the　expression　which　was　then　in
the　mouth　of　all　France　and　stirred　everybody's　rage。＇　It　is　not
enough　for　us　that　a　king　sits　upon　our　neck；　and　imposes　his
commands　upon　us　and　binds　us。　We　have　now　another　ruler　in　France；
prescribing　laws　and　writing　herself　sovereign。　We　have　a　new　police
regulation　in　the　name　of　the　queen；　a　state　within　the　state。　Oh；
the　spider　is　making　a　jolly　mesh　of　it！　In　the　Trianon　she　made　the
beginning。　There　the　police　regulations　have　always　been　in　the　name
of　the　queen；　and　because　the　policy　was　successful　there；　it
extends　its　long　finger　still　further；　issues　a　new　proclamation
against　the　people；　appropriates　to　itself　new　domain；　and　proposes
to　gradually　encompass　all　France　with　its　cords。〃

〃That　is　rascally；　that　is　wrong；〃　cried　the　cobbler；　raising　his
clinched　fists　in　the　air。

〃But　that　is　not　all；　brother。　The　queen　goes　still　further。　Down　to
the　present　time　we　have　been　accustomed　to　see　the　men　who　stoop　to
be　the　mean　servants　of　tyrants　array　themselves　in　the　monkey…
jackets　of　the　king's　livery；　but　in　St。　Cloud；　the　Swiss　guards　at
the　gates；　the　palace　servants；　in　one　word；　the　entire　menial
corps；　array　themselves　in　the　queen's　livery；　and　if　you　are
walking　in　the　park　of　St。　Cloud；　you　are　no　longer　in　France　and　on
French　soil；　but　in