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.