marie antoinette and her son-第34章

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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　give　us　the　keys！〃　yelled　the　great　woman。

〃All　the　mothers　and　all　the　women　of　Paris　must　go　to　Versailles　to
the　baker's　wife！〃

〃All　mothers；　all　women　to　Versailles！〃　resounded　in　a　thousand…
voiced　chorus　over　the　square；　and　then　through　the　streets；　and
then　into　the　houses。

And　all　the　mothers　and　wives　caught　up　these　thundering　cries；
which　came　to　them　like　unseen　voices　from　the　air；　commissioning
them　to　engage　in　a　noble；　an　exalted　mission；　calling　to　them　to
save　Paris　and　procure　bread　for　their　children。

〃To　Versailles；　to　Versailles！　All　mothers　and　women　to　Versailles！〃

Who　was　able　to　resist　obeying　this　command；　which　no　one　had　given；
which　was　heard　by　no　single　ear；　yet　was　intelligible　to　every
heartwho　could　resist　it？

The　men　had　stormed　the　Bastile；　the　women　must　storm　the　heart　of
the　baker's　wife　in　Versailles；　till　it　yield　and　give　to　the
children　of　the　poor　the　bread　for　which　they　hunger。

〃Up；　to　Versailles！　All　wives　and　mothers！〃

The　cry　sweeps　like　a　hurricane　through　the　streets；　and　everywhere
finds　an　echo　in　the　maddened；　panic…stricken；　despairing；　raging
hearts　of　the　women　who　see　their　children　hunger；　and　suffer　hunger
themselves。

〃The　baker's　wife　feeds　her　apprentices　with　cakes；　and　we　have　not
a　crumb　of　bread　to　give　to　our　poor　little　ones！〃

In　whole　crowds　the　women　dashed　into　the　largest　squares；　where
were　the　men　who　fomented　the　revolution；　Marat；　Danton；　Santerre；
Chaumette；　and　all　the　rest；　the　speakers　at　the　clubs；　there　they
are；　giving　their　counsels　to　the　maddened　women；　and　spurring　them
on！

〃Do　not　be　afraid；　do　not　be　turned　aside！　Go　to　Versailles；　brave
women！　Save　your　children；　your　husbands；　from　death　by　starvation！
Compel　the　baker's　wife　to　give　bread　to　you　and　for　us　all！　And　if
she　conceals　it　from　you；　storm　her　palace　with　violence；　there　will
be　men　there　to　help　you。　Only　be　brave　and　undismayed；　God　will　go
with　mothers　who　are　bringing　bread　to　their　children；　and　your
husbands　will　protect　you！〃

They　were　brave　and　undismayed；　the　wives　and　mothers　of　Paris。　In
broad　streams　they　rushed　on；　they　broke　over　every　thing　which　was
in　their　way；　they　drew　all　the　women　into　their　seething　ranks。　〃To
Versailles！　To　Versailles！〃

It　was　to　no　avail　that　De　Bailly；　the　mayor　of　Paris；　encountered
the　women　on　the　street；　and　urged　them　with　pressing　words　to
return　to　their　families　and　their　work；　and　assured　them　that　the
bakers　had　already　opened　their　shops；　and　had　been　ordered　to　bake
bread。　It　was　in　vain　that　the　general　of　the　National　Guard；
Lafayette；　had　a　discussion　with　the　women；　and　tried　to　show　them
how　vain　and　useless　was　their　action。

Louder　and　louder　grew　the　commanding　cry；　〃To　Versailles！　We　will
bring　the　baker　and　his　wife　to　Paris！　To　Versailles！〃

The　crowds　of　women　grew　more　and　more　dense；　and　still　mightier　was
the　shout；　〃To　Versailles！〃

Bailly　went　with　pain　to　General　Lafayette。　〃We　must　pacify　them；　or
you；　general；　must　prevent　them　by　force！〃　〃It　is　impossible；〃
replied　Lafayette。　〃How　could　we　use　force　against　defenceless
women？　Not　one　of　my　soldiers　would　obey　my　commands；　for　these
women　are　the　wives；　the　mothers；　the　sisters　of　my　soldiers！　They
have　no　other　weapons　than　their　tongues　with　which　to　storm　the
heart　of　the　queen！　How　could　we　conquer　them　with　weapons　of　steel？
We　must　let　them　go！　But　we　must　take　precautions　that　the　king　and
the　queen　do　not　fall　into　danger。〃

〃That　will　be　all　the　more　necessary；　general；　as　the　women　will
certainly　be　accompanied　by　armed　crowds　of　men；　and　excitement　and
confusion　will　accompany　them　all　the　way　to　Versailles。　Make　haste；
general；　to　defend　Versailles。　The　columns　of　women　are　already　in
motion；　and；　as　I　have　said　to　you；　they　will　be　accompanied　by
armed　men！〃

〃It　would　not　be　well　for　me　to　take　my　soldiers　to　Versailles；〃
said　Lafayette；　shaking　his　head。　〃You　know；　M。　De　Bailly；　to　what
follies　the　reactionaries　of　Versailles　have　already　led　the　royal
family。　All　Paris　speaks　of　nothing　else　than　of　the　holiday　which
the　king　and　queen　have　given　to　the　royal　troops；　the　regiment　of
Flanders；　which　they　have　summoned　to　Versailles。　The　king　and　the
queen；　with　the　dauphin；　were　present。　The　tri…colored　cockade　was
trodden　under　foot；　and　the　people　were　arrayed　in　white　ribbons。
Royalist　songs　were　sang；　the　National　Guard　was　bitterly　talked　of；
and　an　oath　was　given　to　the　king　and　queen　that　commands　would　only
be　received　of　them。　My　soldiers　are　exasperated；　and　many　of　my
officers　have　desired　of　me　to…day　that　we　should　repair　to
Versailles　and　attack　the　regiment　of　Flanders　and　decimate　them。　It
is；　therefore；　perilous　to　take　these　exasperated　National　Guards　to
Versailles。〃

〃And　yet　something　must　be　done　for　the　protection　of　the　king；〃
said　Bailly；　〃believe　me；　these　raging　troops　of　women　are　more
dangerous　than　the　exasperated　National　Guards。　Come；　General
Lafayette；　we　will　go　to　the　c