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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 an Austrian province； where a foreigner can
establish her harem and make her laws； and yet a virtuous and noble
people does not rise in opposition to it。〃
〃It does not know anything about it； brother Marat；〃 said Simon；
eagerly。 〃It knows very little about the vices and follies of the
queen。〃
〃Well； tell the people； then； report to them what I have told yon；
and make it your duty that it be talked over among other friends；
and made generally known。〃
〃Oh！ that shall be； that shall certainly be；〃 said Simon； cheerily；〃
but you have not given me the name of that third lover yet。〃
〃Oh！ the third…that is Lord Besenval； the inspector general of the
Swiss guard； the chief general of the army； and the commander of the
Order of Louis。 You see it is a great advantage for a man to be a
lover of the queen； for in that way he comes to a high position。
While King Louis the Fifteenth； that monster of vice； was living；
Besenval was only colonel of the Swiss guard； and all he could do
was once in a while to take part in the orgies at the Eoil de Boeuf。
But now the queen has raised him to a very high place。 All St。 Cloud
and Trianon form the Eoil de Boeuf； where Marie Antoinette
celebrates her orgies； and General Besenval is made one of the first
directors of the sports。 Now you know every thing； do you not？〃
〃Yes； Doctor Marat； now I have a general run of every thing； and I
thank you； but I hope that you will tell me more this evening； for
your stories are vastly entertaining。〃
〃Yes； indeed； I shall tell you plenty more of the same sort； for the
queen takes good care that we shall always have material for such
stories。 Yet； unfortunately； I have no time now； for〃
〃I know； I know； you have got to visit your sick people；〃 said
Simon； nodding confidentially to him。 〃I will not detain you any
longer。 Good…by； my dear Doctor Marat。 We shall meet this evening。〃
He sprang quickly away； and soon disappeared round the next corner。
Marat looked after him with a wicked； triumphant expression in his
features。
〃So far good； so far good；〃 muttered he； shaking his head with
choler。 〃 In this way I have got to win over the soldiers and the
people to freedom。 The cobbler will make an able and practicable
soldier； and with his nice little stories； he will win over a whole
company。 Triumph on； you proud Bourbons； go on dreaming in your
gilded palaces； surrounded by your Swiss guards。 Keep on believing
that you have the power in your hands； and that no one can take it
from you。 The time will come when the people will disturb your fine
dream； and when the little； despised； ugly Marat； whom no one now
knows； and who creeps around in your stables like a poisonous rat；
shall confront you as a power before which you shall shrink away and
throw yourselves trembling into the dust。 There shall go by no day
in which I and my friends shall not win soldiers for our side； and
the silly； simple fool； Marie Antoinette； makes it an easy thing for
us。 Go on committing your childish pranks； which； when the time
shall threaten a little； will justify the most villanous deeds and
the most shameless acts； and I will keep the run of all the turns of
the times； and this fine young queen cannot desire that we should
look at the world with such simple eyes as she does。 Yes； fair Queen
Marie Antoinette； thou hast thy Swiss guards； who fight for thee；
and thou must pay them； but I have only one soldier who takes ground
for me against thee； and whom I do not have to pay at all。 My
soldier's name is Calumny。 I tell thee； fair queen； with this ally I
can overcome all thy Swiss guards； and the whole horde of thy
armies。 For； on the earth there is no army corps that is so strong
as Calumny。 Hurrah！ long life to thee； my sworn ally； Calumny！〃
CHAPTER II。
MADAME ADELAIDE。
Queen Marie Antoinette had returned； after her Paris ride； to her
own Versailles。 She was silent the whole of the way； and the Duchess
de Polignac had sought in vain to cheer her friend with light and
pleasant talk； and drive away the clouds from her