human
Now what does our friend the Duke of Orleans want? Our _friend_ the Duke of Orleans, _gentlemen_,
gpt
To wear these badges and shout for him,
human
No objection, the Admiral answered;
gpt
Well, Monsieur Admiral----
human
Shut up with your 'Monsieurs', spy, called Hache.
gpt
Do you want us hunted for aristocrats?
human
Well, Citizen Admiral then, you know how things have been going since last spring. In May there was the holding of States-General; in June the National Assembly confront the nobles and swear never to disperse; in July the Court menaces to suppress the Parisians by the army; on the eleventh the people slaughtered by the Dragoons; on the fourteenth----
gpt
The Bastille taken--I was there.
human
Ragmen, we have had good times since the 14th of July, said the Admiral.
gpt
It is now becoming our turn. I always told you it was coming, but I am going to give you better still. You are going to learn to love the sight of red blood better than red wine.
human
The aristocrats, Jude continued,
gpt
And put grass in his mouth, the old animal!
human
The King----
gpt
The Big Hog,
human
The Big Hog, then, has had his bristles singed with all this: the people despise him. Orleans is the people's favourite. What if the Galley-on-Land should put Orleans on the throne?
gpt
Good!
human
Citizen Jude is admirable. Their leader went on,
gpt
Nothing could be more acceptable than the money of a friend to the people. I tell you, ragmen, our time has come. There is nothing we cannot try.
human
Let us garrott every gendarme.
gpt
They keep well out of our way now, at least when single,
human
We don't loot enough houses, a third grumbled.
gpt
What is the good of belonging to the nation?
human
It is the sacred right of the citizen to oppress the oppressor,
gpt
Ragmen, you don't know what I mean, vociferated the Admiral sharply.
human
We are to be the great men--the Government. I have seen this ever since our sack of Reveillon's paper-factory. Everything belongs to the boldest. You will yet see our Big Bench legislators of Paris and me a Minister of France.
gpt
Bravo; bravo the Admiral!
human
Listen, friends. You know that what I learn at Versailles is worth something to the Galley-on-Land.
gpt
Invariably,
human
The Big Sow, you know, she they call Madame Veto, has been cursedly working to keep the Big Hog with the cursed hogs. The people are afraid of more Dragoons, and are crying, 'The King to Paris!' Well, now, this is the third of October. Yesterday afternoon the Bodyguard, as they call them--all fat hogs, mark you--gave a dinner in the theatre to the Flemish Dragoons. They were so glad to have Flemings to sabre Paris that the Big Sow came in, and they all spat on the people's cockade, and put on the White Hog colour, and also a black one, and vowed they were cocksure of shutting us up. They brought in the Big Hog from his hunting, and he is in the mess, too. At the end they all followed Madame Veto home, shouting everything to vex us patriots. _I_ am a _patriot_, he added winking.
gpt
It is an outrage on the nation. We must go to Versailles. We must bring the Big Hog into our bosoms, away from the Bad Hogs. Do you see?
human
I am in it,
gpt
An incomparable scheme, said the Admiral.
human
Brave Greencaps, don't you see before you all the swag in the great château of Versailles? My God! it is a pretty scheme--a scheme worthy of a Galley-on-Land.
gpt
Citizens, the Admiral continued, addressing Wife Gougeon.
human
This is better begun by the women. This morning you will go the Fish-market and stir the fishwomen up. You must learn the lingo of patriotess. Scream hard that 'The nation is in danger!' 'Down with the enemies of the republic!' Talk of 'the excellent citizen,' 'the true patriots,' 'the good _sans-culottes_.' Be 'filled with sacred vigour' against 'the vile aristocrats.' We 'work for liberty,' we 'bear the nation in our hearts,' and 'fulfil a civic duty.' 'Against traitors, perpetual distrust is the weapon of good citizens,' and 'away with the prejudices of feudalism!' You can pick up carts-full of the lingo at the Palais Royal.
gpt
I don't understand that bosh,
human
You learn it in two instants, Hache.
gpt
Wait till I tell you another thing, Admiral, Motte interposed.
human
There are now twenty thousand ragmen from the provinces encamped on the hills of Montmartre, fit for everything good. I have been through them, and when a St. Marcellese holds his nose, you may fancy. Man never saw such a choice crowd of breechesless. Get _them_ started and go to the women to-morrow.
gpt
To-morrow, then, let it be. The cries are to be 'Bread' and 'The King to Paris,' the fishwomen to lead; the Big Bench sign to be the red wool of '_our Friend Orleans_'; then sack the bakers; then the Hôtel de Ville; then the château of Versailles; and death to every black or white cockade.