按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
standing by his side； a little； remarkably crooked and dwarfed young
man； whose unnaturally large head was set upon narrow； depressed
shoulders； and whose whole appearance made such an impression upon
the cobbler that the latter laughed outright。
〃Not beautiful； am I？〃 asked the stranger； and he tried to join in
the laugh of the cobbler； but the result was a mere grimace； which
made his unnaturally large mouth； with its thick； colorless lips；
extend from one ear to the other； displaying two fearful rows of
long； greenish teeth。
〃Not beautiful at all； am I？ Dreadfully ugly！〃 exclaimed the
stranger； as Simon's laughter mounted higher and higher。
〃You are somewhat remarkable； at least；〃 replied the cobbler。 〃If I
did not hear you talk French； and see you standing up straight like
one of us； I should think you were the monstrous toad in the fable
that I read about a short time ago。〃
〃I am the monstrous toad of the fable；〃 replied the stranger；
laughing。 〃I have merely disguised myself today as a man in order to
look at this Austrian woman with her young brood； and I take the
liberty of asking you once more； Have you fallen in love with her？〃
〃No； indeed； I have not fallen in love with her；〃 ejaculated the
cobbler。 〃God is my witness〃
〃And why should you call God to witness？〃 asked the other； quickly。
〃Do you suppose it is so great a misfortune not to love this
Austrian？〃
〃No； I certainly do not believe that；〃 answered the other；
thoughtfully。 〃I suppose that it is； perhaps； no sin before God not
to love the queen； although it may he before man； and that it is not
the first time that； it has been atoned for by long and dreary
imprisonment。 But I do love freedom； and therefore I shall take care
not to tell a stranger what I think。〃
〃You love freedom！〃 exclaimed the stranger。 〃Then give me your hand；
and accept my thanks for the word； my brother。〃
〃Your brother！〃 replied the cobbler； astounded。 〃I do not know you；
and yet you call yourself； without more formal introduction； my
brother。〃
〃You have said that you love freedom； and therefore I greet you as
my brother；〃 replied the stranger。 〃All those who love freedom are
brothers； for they confess themselves children of the same gracious
and good mother who makes no difference between her children； but
loves them all with equal intensity and equal devotion； and it is
all the same to her whether this one of her sons is prince or count；
and that one workman or citizen。 For our mother； Freedom； we are all
alike； we are all brethren。〃
〃That sounds very finely；〃 said the cobbler； shaking his head。
〃There is only one fault that I can find with it； it is not true。
For if we were all alike； and were all brothers； why should the king
ride round in his gilded chariot； while I； an old cobbler； sit on my
bench and have my face covered with sweat？〃
〃The king is no son of Freedom！〃 exclaimed the stranger； with an
angry gesture。 〃The king is a son of Tyranny； and therefore he wants
to make his enemies； the sons of Freedom； to be his servants； his
slaves； and to bind our arms with fetters。 But shall we always bear
this？ Shall we not rise at last out of the dust into which we have
been trodden？〃
〃Yes； certainly； if we can； then we will；〃 said Simon； with his
gruff laugh。 〃But here is the hitch； sir； we cannot do it。 The king
has the power to hold us in his fetters； and this fine lady； Madame
Freedom； of whom you say that she is our mother； lets it come to
pass； notwithstanding that her sons are bound down in servitude and
abasement。〃
〃It must be for a season yet；〃 answered the other； with loud；
rasping voice； 〃but the day of a rising is at hand； and shows with a
laughing face how those whom she will destroy are rushing swiftly
upon their own doom。〃
〃What nonsense is that you are talking？〃 asked the cobbler。 〃Those
who are going to be destroyed by Madame Liberty are working out
their own ruin？〃
〃And yet they are doing it； Master Simon； they are digging their own
graves； only they do not see it； and do not know it； for the
divinity which means to destroy them has smitten them with
blindness。 There is this queen； this Austrian woman。 Do you not see
with your wise eyes how like a busy spider she is weaving her own
shroud？〃
〃Now； that is certainly an error；〃 said Simon； 〃the queen does not
work at all。 She lets the people work for her。〃
〃I tell you； man； she does work； she is working at her own shroud；
and I think she has got a good bit of it ready。 She has nice
friends； too； to help her in it； and to draw up the threads for this
royal spider； and so get ready what is needed for this shroud。
There； for example； is that fine Duke de Coigny。 Do you know who
that Duke de Coigny is？〃
〃No； indeed； I know nothing about it； I have nothing to do with the
court； and know nothing about the court rabble。〃
〃There you are right； they are a rabble；〃 cried the other； laughing
in return。 〃I know it； for I am so unfortunate as not to be able to
say with you that I have nothing to do with the court。 I have gone
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