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into palaces； and I shall come out again； but I promise you that my
exit shall make more stir than my entrance。 Now； I will tell you who
the Duke de Coigny is。 He is one of the three chief paramours of the
queen； one of the great favorites of the Austrian sultana。〃
〃Well； now； that is jolly；〃 cried the cobbler； 〃you are a comical
rogue； sir。 So the queen has her paramours？〃
〃Yes。 You know that the Duke de Besenval； at the time that the
Austrian came as dauphiness to France； said to her： 'These hundred
thousand Parisians； madame； who have come out to meet you； are all
your lovers。' Now she takes this expression of Besenval in earnest；
and wants to make every Parisian a lover of hers。 Only wait； only
wait； it will be your turn by and by。 You will be able to press the
hand of this beautiful Austrian tenderly to your lips。〃
〃Well； I will let you know in advance； then；〃 said Simon； savagely；
〃that I will press it in such right good earnest； that it shall
always bear the marks of it。 You were speaking just now of the three
chief paramourswhat are the names of the other two？〃
〃The second is your fine Lord de Adhemar； a fool； a rattle…head； a
booby； but he is handsome； and a jolly lover。 Our queen likes
handsome men； and everybody knows that she is one of the laughing
kind； a merry fly； particularly since the carousals on the palace
terrace。〃
〃Carousals！ What was that？〃
〃Why； you poor innocent child； that is the name they give to those
nightly promenades that our handsome queen took a year ago in the
moonlight on the terrace at Versailles。 Oh； that was a merry time！
The iron fences of the park were not closed； and the dear people had
a right to enter； and could walk near the queen in the moonlight；
and hear the fine music which was concealed behind the hedges。 You
just ask the good…looking officer of the lancers； who sat one
evening on a bench between two handsome women； dressed in white； and
joked and laughed with them。 He can tell you how Marie Antoinette
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