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