human
Citizens, cried Schneider, gritting his teeth,
gpt
You?
human
Yes! What an astounding bit of news for Strasbourg when it gets about. 'Haven't you heard?--No.--The Monk of Cologne is to be married.--Yes?-- Yes, that is a fact!' Young, you shall write the epithalamium; Edelmann shall set it to music, and Monnet, who is as cheerful as the grave, shall sing it. You must send the news to your father, Charles, by the next courier.
gpt
And who are you going to marry?
human
I don't know anything about that as yet; and I don't care. I have almost a mind to marry my old cook. It would serve as a good example of the fusion of the classes.
gpt
But what has happened? Tell us.
human
Nothing much, but I have been interrogated, attacked, accused--yes, accused.
gpt
Where?
human
At the Propagande.
gpt
Oh! cried Monnet,
human
Have you never heard of children who kill their own fathers?
gpt
But who attacked you?
human
Tétrell. You know he is the democrat who invented the luxurious party of sans-culottism; who has pistols from Versailles, pistols with fleur-de-lis on them, and horses fit for a prince to ride, and who is, I don't know why, the idol of the people of Strasbourg. Perhaps because he is gilded like a drum-major--he is tall enough for one! It seems to me that I have given enough pledges of good faith. But, no; the coat of a reporting commissioner cannot cover the frock of the Capuchin, or the cassock of the canon. He taunted me with this infamous stain of priesthood, which he says makes me constantly suspected by the true friends of liberty. Who has immolated more victims than I to the sainted cause of liberty? Haven't I cut off twenty-six heads in one month? Isn't that enough? How many do they want?
gpt
Calm yourself, Schneider, calm yourself!
human
It is enough to drive one crazy, continued Schneider, growing more and more excited,
gpt
he cried, lifting his arm threateningly;
human
Bah! said he,
gpt
But, said Young, seating himself with the others at the table,
human
Ah! true, I forgot the best part of the story. When they called me the Monk of Cologne--where I never was a monk--and the canon of Augsburg--where I never was a cannon--they reproached me for my orgies and debaucheries! My orgies! Let me tell you what they were; for thirty-four years I drank nothing but water and ate nothing but carrots; it is no more than fair that I should eat white bread and meat now. My debaucheries! If they think I threw my frock to the devil to live like Saint Anthony, they are mistaken. Well, there is one way to end all that, and that is to marry. I shall be as faithful a husband and as good a father of a family as another, if citizen Saint-Just will give me time.
gpt
Have you at least selected the fortunate lady who is to have the honor of sharing your couch?
human
Oh! said Schneider,
gpt
To the health of Schneider's future wife! cried Young;
human
Hurrah for Schneider's wife!
gpt
There is a citizeness here, she said,
human
Well, said Schneider,
gpt
I know nothing more urgent than my dinner. Tell her to return to-morrow.
human
She says that to-morrow will be too late.
gpt
Then why didn't she come sooner?
human
Because that was impossible, said a soft supplicating voice in the ante-chamber.
gpt
Let me see you, I beg, I implore you!
human
Is she young?
gpt
Maybe eighteen,
human
Pretty?
gpt
With the devil's own beauty.
human
Now, said Young,
gpt
Why not from God?
human
Because our friend Schneider has quarrelled with God, and he stands very high with the devil. I don't know any other reason.
gpt
And because, said Young,
human
Well, said Schneider,
gpt
Citizens, which one of you is the citizen Commissioner of the Republic?
human
I am, citizeness,
gpt
Citizen, she said,
human
I have a favor to ask of you on which my life depends.
gpt
You need not be alarmed by the presence of my friends, said Schneider;
human
I know his music.
gpt
This is my friend Young, who is a poet,
human
I know his verses.
gpt
And, lastly, here is my friend Monnet, who is neither a musician nor a poet, but who has eyes and a heart, and who is disposed, as I can see at a glance, to plead your cause for you. As for this young friend, as you see, he is only a student; but he knows enough to conjugate the verb, to love, in three languages. You may therefore explain yourself before them, unless what you have to say is sufficiently confidential to require a private interview.
human
No, no, monsieur--
gpt
Your pardon, citizen. No, citizen, what I have to say fears neither light nor publicity.
human
It is more fitting that suppliants should stand,
gpt
Then, said Schneider,
human
My name is Clotilde Brumpt.
gpt
It would be unjust to reproach me with a crime that antedated my birth by some three or four hundred years, and with which I had nothing to do.
human
You need tell me nothing more; I know your story, and I also know what you have come for.