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〃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 gendarmes
are coming。 Be still； Marat； be still！ You must not be arrested。 We
do not want all our friends to be taken to the Bastile。〃
And really just at that instant； at the entrance of the street that
led to the square on the side of the Tuileries； appeared a division
of carbineers； advancing at great speed。
Marat jumped with the speed of a cat down from the huge form of the
brewer。 The crowd opened and made way for him； and before the
carbineers had approached； Marat had disappeared。
With this day began the investigations respecting the necklace which
Messrs。 Bohmer and Bassenge had wanted to sell the queen through the
agency of Cardinal Bohan。 The latter was still a prisoner in the
Bastile。 He was treated with all the respect due to his rank。 He had
a whole suite of apartments assigned to him； he was allowed to
retain the service of both his chamberlains； and at times was
permitted to see and converse with his relatives； although； it is
true； in the presence of the governor of the Bastile。 But Foulon was
a very pious Catholic； and kept a respectful distance from the lord
cardinal； who never failed on such occasions to give him his
blessing。 In the many hearings which the cardinal had to undergo；
the president of the committee of investigation treated him with
extreme consideration； and if the cardinal felt himself wearied； the
sitting was postponed till another day。 Moreover； at these hearings
the defender of the cardinal could take part； in order to summon
those witnesses or accused persons who could contribute to the
release of the cardinal； and show that he had been the victim of a
deeply…laid plot； and had committed no other wrong than that of
being too zealous in the service of the queen。
News spread abroad of numerous arrests occurring in Paris。 It had
been known from the royal decree that the Countess Lamotte…Valois
had likewise been arrested and imprisoned in the Bastile； but people
were anxious to learn decisively whether Count Cagliostro； the
wonder…doctor； had been seized。 The story ran that a young woman in
Brussels； who had been involved in the affair； and who had an
extraordinary resemblance to the Queen Marie Antoinette； had been
arrested； and brought to Paris for confinement in the Bastile。
All Paris； all France watched this contest with eager interest；
which； after many months； was still far from a conclusion； and
respecting which so much could be said。
The friends of the queen asserted that her majesty was completely
innocent； that she had never spoken to the Countess Lamotte…Valois；
and only once through her chamberlain。 Weber had never sent her any
assistance。 But these friends of the queen were not numerous； and
their number diminished every day。
The king had seen the necessity of making great reductions in the
cost of maintaining his establishment； and in the government of the
realm。 France had had during the last years poor harvests。 The
people were suffering from a want of the bare necessities of life。
The taxes could not be collected。 A reform must be introduced； and
those who before had rejoiced in a superfluity of royal gifts had to
be contented with a diminution of them。
It had been the queen who allowed the tokens of royal favor to pour
upon her friends； her companions in Trianon； like a golden rain。 She
had at the outset done this out of a hearty love for them。 It was so
sweet to cause those to rejoice whom she loved； so pleasant to see
that charming smile upon the countenance of the Duchess de Polignac…
…that smile which only appeared when she had succeeded in making
others happy。 For herself the duchess never asked a favor； her royal
friend could only； after a long struggle and threatening her with
her displeasure； induce her to take the gifts which were offered out
of a really loving heart。
But behind the Duchess Diana stood her brother and sister…in…law；
the Duke and Duchess de Polignac； who were ambitious； proud； and
avaricious； behind the Duchess Diana stood the three favorites of
the royal so