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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
husband