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farther away 〃 hear that； he calls us majesties！ He seems to be an
excellent gentleman； and he does not look down upon us。〃
〃Did you ever hear of a wise man looking down upon the prince royal；
who is young； fair； and strong？〃 asked the barking voice。
〃He is right； we cannot understand him；〃 cried those who stood
farthest away； pressing forward。 〃What did he say？ He must repeat
his words。 Lift him up so that we all may hear him。〃
A broad shouldered； gigantic citizen； in good clothing； and with an
open； spirited countenance； and a bold； defiant bearing； pressed
through the crowd to the neighborhood of the speaker。
〃Come； little man；〃 cried he； 〃I will raise you up on my shoulder；
and； but see； it is our friend Marat； the little man； but the great
doctor！〃
〃And you truly； you are my friend Santerre； the great man and the
greatest of doctors。 For the beer which you get from his brewery is
a better medicine for the people than all my electuaries can be。 And
you； my worthy friend of the hop…pole； will you condescend to take
the ugly monkey Marat on your shoulders； that he may tell the people
the great news of the day？〃
Instead of answering； the brewer Santerre seized the little crooked
man by both arms； swung him up with giant strength； and set him on
his shoulders。
The people； delighted with the dexterity and strength of the
herculean man； broke into a loud cheer； and applauded the brewer；
whom all knew； and who was a popular personage in the city。 But
Marat； too； the horse…doctor of the Count d'Artois； as he called
himself derisively； the doctor of poverty and misfortune； as his
flatterers termed himMarat； too； was known to many in the throng；
and after Santerre had been applauded； they saluted Marat with a
loud vivat； and with boisterous clapping of hands。
He turned his distorted； ugly visage toward the Tuileries； whose
massive proportions towered up above the lofty trees of the gardens；
and with a threatening gesture shook his fist at the royal palace。
〃Have you heard it； you proud gods of the earth？ Have you heard the
sacred thunder mutterings of majesty？ Are you not startled from the
sleep of your vice； and compelled to fall upon your knees and pray；
as poor sinners do before their judgment？ But no。 You do not see and
you do not hear。 Your ears are deaf and your hearts are sealed！
Behind the lofty walls of Versailles； which a most vicious king
erected for his menus plaisirs； there you indulge in your lusts； and
shut out the voice of truth； which would speak to you here in Paris
from the hallowed lips of the people。〃
〃Long live Marat！〃 cried the cobbler Simon； who； drawn by the
shouting； had left the Franciscan； and joined the throng in whose
midst stood Santerre； with Marat on his shoulders。 〃Long live the
great friend of the people！ Long live Marat！〃
〃Long live Marat！〃 cried and muttered the people。 〃Marat heals the
people when the gentry have made them sick； and taken the very
marrow from their bones。 Marat is no 'gentleman。' Marat does not
look down upon the people！〃
〃My friends； I repeat to you what I said before；〃 shrieked Marat。
〃Did you ever hear of a wise man looking down upon the crown prince；
and thinking more of the king； who is old； unnerved by his vices；
and blase！ You； the people； you are the crown prince of France； and
if you； at last； in your righteous and noble indignation； tread the
tyrant under your feet； then the young prince； the people； will rule
over France； and the beautiful words of the Bible will be fulfilled：
'There shall be one fold and one shepherd。' I have taken this
improvised throne on the shoulders of a noble citizen only to tell
you of an impropriety which the Queen of France has committed； and
of the new usurpation with which she treads our laws under her feet；
not tired out with opera…house balls and promenades by night。 I will
read you the address which the king sent to Parliament to…day； and
with which the hearing of Cardinal de Rohan's case is to begin。 Will
the people hear it？〃
〃Yes； we will hear it；〃 was the cry from all sides。 〃Read us the
address。〃
Marat drew a dirty piece of paper from his pocket； and began to read
with a loud； barking voice：
〃Louis； by the grace of God； King of France and Navarre； to our dear
and faithful counsellors； members of the court of our Parliament；
greeting：
〃It has come to our knowledge that parties named Bohmer and Bassenge
have； without the knowledge of the queen； our much…loved consort and
spouse； sold a diamond necklace； valued at one million six hundred
thousand francs； to Cardinal de Rohan； who stated to them that he
was acting in the matter under the queen's instructions。 Papers were
laid before them which they considered as approved and subscribed by
the queen。 After the said Bohmer and Bassenge had delivered the said
necklace to the said cardinal； and had not received the first
payment； they applied to the queen herself。 We have beheld； not
without righteous indignation； the eminent name； which in many ways
is so dear to us； lightly spoken of； and denied the respect which is
due to the royal majesty。 We have thought that it pertains to the
jurisdiction of our court to give a hearing to the said cardinal；
and in view of the declaration which he has made before us； that he
was deceived by a woman named Lamotte…Valois； we have held it
necessary to secure his person； as well as that of Madame Valois； in
order to bring all the parties to light who have been the
instigators or abettors of such a plot。 It is our will； therefore；
that that matter come before the high court of Parliament； and that
it be duly tried and judgment given。〃
〃There you have this fine message；〃 cried Marat； 〃there you have the
web of his； which this Austrian woman has woven around us。 For it is
she who has sent this message to Parliament。 You know well that we
have no longer a King of France； but that all France is only the
Trianon of the Austrian。 It stands on all our houses； written over
all the doors of government buildings； 'De par la reine！' The
Austrian woman is the Queen of France； and the good…natured king
only writes what she dictates to him。 She says in this paper that
these precautions have been taken in order that she may learn who
are the persons who have joined in the attack upon her distinguished
and much…loved person。 Who； then； is the abettor of Madame Valois？
Who has received the diamonds from the cardinal； through the
instrumentality of Madame Valois？ I assert； it is the queen who has
done it。 She received the jewels； and now she denies the whole
story。 And now this woman Lamotte…Valois must draw the hot chestnuts
out from the ashes。 You know this； so it always is！ Kings may go
unpunished； they always have a bete de souffrance； which has to bear
their burdens。 But now that a cardinal； the grand almoner of France；
is compelled to become the bete de souffrance for this Austrian
woman； must show you； my friends； that her arrogance has reached its
highest point。 She has trodden modesty and morals under foot； and
now she will tread the Church under foot also。〃
〃Be still！〃 was the cry on all sides。 〃The carbineers and gendar