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little eyes； peering out from beneath the bushy brows； met the
queen。
〃Only wait；〃 said Marat； rising from his seat and directing his
glances at the parterre。 There stood the giant Santerre； and not far
from him Simon the cobbler； in the midst of a crowd of savage…
looking； defiant fellows； who all looked at their leaders； while
they； Santerre and Simon； directed their eyes up to the box of
Marat。
The glance of the chief met that of his two friends。 A scornful；
savage expression swept over Marat's ash…colored； dirty face； and he
nodded lightly to his allies。 Santerre and Simon returned the nod；
and they； turning to their companions； gave the signal by raising
the right hand。
Suddenly the applause was overborne by loud whistling and shouting；
derisive laughter； and wild curses。
〃The civil war has begun！〃 cried Marat； rubbing his hands together
with delight。
The royalists continued to applaud and to shout； 〃Vive la reine！〃
Their opponents tried to silence them by their hisses and whistling。
Marat's face glowed with demoniacal pleasure。 He turned to the boxes
of the second tier； and nodded smilingly to the men who sat there。
At once they began to cry； 〃The chorus； the chorus； let them sing；
'Chantons； celebrons notre reine！'〃
〃Very well；〃 said Marat。 〃I am a good royalist； for I have trained
the people to the cry。〃
〃Sing； sing！〃 shouted the men to the performers on the stage〃sing
the chorus； 'Chantons； celebrons notre reine！'〃
And in the boxes； parquette； everywhere was the cry； 〃Sing the
chorus； 'Chantons； celebrons notre reine！'〃
〃No；〃 roared Santerre； 〃no； they shall not sing that！〃
〃No；〃 cried Simon； 〃we will not hear the monkey…song！〃
And hundreds of men in the parterre and the upper rows of boxes
echoed the cry； 〃No； we will not hear the monkey…song！〃
〃The thing works well！〃 said Marat。 〃I hold my people by a thread；
and make them gesticulate and spring up and down； like the concealed
man in a Punch and Judy show。〃
The noise went on； the royalists would not cease their applause and
their calls for the chorus； 〃Chantons； celebrons notre reine！〃 The
enemies of the queen did not cease hissing and shouting； 〃We do not
want to hear any thing about the queen； we will not hear the monkey…
song！〃
〃Oh； would I had never come here！〃 whispered the queen； with tearful
eyes； as she sank back in her armchair； and hid her face in her
handkerchief。
Perhaps because the real royalists saw the agitation of the queen；
and out of compassion for her were willing to give up the
controversyperhaps Marat had given a sign to the false royalists
that they had had enough of shouting and confusionat all events
the cry 〃Vive la reine〃 and the call for the chorus died away
suddenly； the applause ceased； and as the enemies of the queen had
now no opposition to encounter； nothing was left to them but to be
silent too。
〃The first little skirmish is over！〃 said Marat； resting his bristly
head on the back of his velvet arm…chair。 〃Now we will listen to the
music a little； and look at the pretty theatre girls。〃
And in fact the opera had now begun； the director of the orchestra
had taken advantage of the return of quiet to give a sign to the
singers on the stage to begin at once； and with fortunate presence
of mind his command was obeyed。
The public； wearied it may be with the shouting and noise； remained
silent； and seemed to give its attention exclusively to the stage；
the development of the plot； and the noble music。
Marie Antoinette breathed freely again； her pale cheeks began to
have color once more； her eyes were again bright； and she seemed
transported beyond the sore battles and dreadful discords of her
life； she listened respectfully to the sweet melodies； and the grand
harmonies of the teacher of her youth； the great Gluck。 Leaning back
in her armchair； she allowed the music to flow into her soul； and
the recollection of past days awoke afresh in her mind。 She dreamed
of the days of her childhood： she saw herself again in Schonbrunn；
she saw her teacher Gluck enter the blue music…room； in which she
with her sisters used to wait for him； she saw the glowing
countenance of her mother； the great Maria Theresa； entering her
room； in order to give Gluck a proof of her high regard； and to
announce to him herself that Marie Antoinette had betrothed herself
to the Dauphin of France； and that she would soon bid her teacher
farewell； in order to enter upon her new and brilliant career。
A low hum in the theatre awakened the queen from her reveries； she
raised herself up and leaned forward； to see what was going on。 Her
glance； which was directed to the stage； fell upon the singer
Clairval； who was just then beginning to give； with his wonderfully
full and flexible voice； the great aria in which the friend comes to
console the grief…burdened； weeping Queen Alceste； and to dry her
tears by assuring her of the love of her faithful adherents。
Clairval had advanced in the aria to that celebrated passage which
had given to Marie Antoinette a half year before her last great
triumph。 It ran：
〃Reine infortunee； ah！ que ton coeur Ne soit plus navre de douleur！
Il vous reste encore des amis！〃
But scarcely had Clairval begun the first strophe when the
thundering voice of Santerre called； 〃None of that； we will not hear
the air！〃
〃No； we will not hear the air！〃 shouted hundreds and hundreds of
voices。
〃Poor Gluck；〃 whispered Marie Antoinette； with tears in her eyes；
〃because they hate me； they will not even hear your music！〃
〃Sing it； sing it！〃 shouted hundreds and hundreds of voices from all
parts of the house。
〃No； do not sing it！〃 roared the others； 〃we will not hear the air。〃
And suddenly； above the cries of the contestants； rose a loud；
yelling voice：
〃I forbid the singer Clairval ever again singing this air。 I forbid
it in the name of the people！〃
It was Marat who spoke these words。 Standing on the arm…chair of the
Princess de Lamballe； and raising his long arms； and directing them
threateningly toward the stage； he turned his face； aglow with hate
and evil； toward the queen。
Marie Antoinette； who had turned her head in alarm in the direction
whence the voice proceeded； met with her searching looks the eyes of
Marat； which were fixed upon her with an expression equally stern
and contemptuous。 She shrank back； and； as if in deadly pain； put
her hand to her heart。
〃0 God！〃 she whispered to herself； 〃that is no man； that is an
infernal demon； who has risen there to take the place of my dear；
sweet Lamballe。 Ah； the good spirit is gone； and the demon takes its
placethe demon which will destroy us all！〃
〃Long live Marat！〃 roared Santerre； and his comrades。 〃Long live
Marat； the great friend of the people； the true patriot！〃
Marat bowed on all sides； stepped down from the easy…chair； and
seated himself comfortably in it。
Clairval had stopped in the air； pale； confused； and terrified； he
had withdrawn； and the director whispered to the orchestra and the
singers to begin the next number。
The opera went on； and the public again appeared to give itself
during some scenes to the enjoyment of the music。 But soon this
short quiet was to be disturbed again。 One of the singers； Madame
Dugazont； a zealous royalist； wanted to give the queen a little
triumph； and show her that； although Clairval had been silenced； the
love and veneration of Dugazont were still alive and ready to
display themselves。
Singing as the attendant of Alceste； Dugazont had these words to
give in her part： 〃Ah！ comme faime la reine； comme faime ma
maitresse！〃
She advanced close to the footlights； and turning her looks toward
the royal box； and bowing low； sang the words： 〃Comme faime la
reine； comme j'aime ma maitresse！〃
And now； as if this had been the battle…cry of a new contest； a
fearful din； a raging torrent of sound began through the whole
house。 At first it was a mixed and confused mass of cries； roars；
hisses； and applause。 Now and then single voices could be heard
above the horrid chaos of sounds。 〃We want no queen！〃 shouted some。
〃We want no mistress！〃 roared others； and mingled with those was the
contrary cry； 〃Long live the queen！ Long live our mistress！〃
〃Hi！〃 said Marat； full of delight； twisting his bony form up into
all kinds of knots〃 hi！ this is the way they shout in hell。 Satan
himself would like this！〃
More and more horrible； more and more wild became the cries of the
rival partisans。 Already embittered and exasperated faces were
confronting each other； and here and there clinched fists were seen；
threatening to bring a shouting neighbor to silence by the use of
violence。
The queen； trembling in every limb； had let her head fall
powerlessly on her breast； in order that no one might see the tears
which ran from her eyes over her death…like cheeks。
〃0 God；〃 whispered she； 〃we are lost； hopelessly lost； for not
merely our enemies injure us； and bring us into danger； but our
friends still more。 Why must that woman turn to me and direct her
words to me？ She wanted to give me a triumph； and yet she has
brought me a new humiliation。〃 Suddenly she shrank back and raised
he