"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: