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although an opponent of hers； and appoint him again minister of
finance。 The letter of the queen； which the Duchess Julia was
commissioned to give to Necker； contained his recall； announced to
him in flattering words。
The second letter was a parting word from the queen to her friend； a
last cry from her heart。 〃Farewell；〃 it ran〃 farewell； tenderly…
loved friend！ How dreadful this parting word is！ But it is needful。
Farewell！ I embrace thee in spirit！ Farewell！〃
CHAPTER XII。
THE FIFTH OF OCTOBER； 1789。
The morning dawneda windy October morning； surrounding the sun
with thick clouds； so the daylight came late to Paris； as if fearing
to see what had taken place on the streets and squares。 The national
guard； summoned together by the alarm…signal of drum…beats and the
clangor of trumpets and horns； collected in the gray morning light；
for a fearful rumor had been spread through Paris the evening
before； and one has whispered to another that tomorrow had been
appointed by the clubs and by the agitators for a second act in the
revolution； and the people are too quiet； they must be roused to new
deeds。
〃The people are too quiet；〃 that was the watchword of the 4th of
October； in all the clubs； and it was Marat who had carried it。
On the platform of the Club de Cordeliers； the cry was raised loudly
and hoarsely： 〃Paris is in danger of folding its hands in its lap；
praying and going to sleep。 They must wake out of this state of
lethargy； else the hateful； tyrannical monarchy will revive； and
draw the nightcap so far over the ears of the sleeping capital； that
it will stick as if covered with pitch； and suffer itself to relapse
into bondage。 We must awaken Paris； my friends； Paris must not
sleep。〃
And on the night of the 4th of October； Paris had not slept； for the
agitators had kept it awake。 The watch…cry had been： 〃The bakers
must not bake to…night！ Paris must to…morrow morning be without
bread； that the people may open their eyes again and awake。 The
bakers must not bake to…night！〃
All the clubs had caught up their watch…cry； and their emissaries
had spread it through the whole city； that all the bakers should be
informed that whoever should 〃open his store in the morning； or give
any other answer than this： 'There is no more meal in Paris； we have
not been able to bake！' will be regarded as a traitor to the
national cause； and as such； will be punished。 Be on your guard！〃
The bakers had been intimidated by this threat； and had not baked。
When Paris awoke on the morning of the 5th of October； it was
without bread。 People lacked their most indispensable article of
food。
At the outset； the women； who received these dreadful tidings at the
bake…shops； returned dumb with horror to their families； to announce
to their households and their hungry children： 〃There is no bread
to…day！ The supply of flour is exhausted！ We must starve！ There is
no more bread to be had！〃
And from the dark abode of the poor； the sad cry sounded out into
the narrow and dirty streets and all the squares； 〃Paris contains no
bread！ Paris must starve！〃
The women； the children uttered these cries in wild tones of
despair。 The men repeated the words with clinched fists and with
threatening looks： 〃Paris contains no more bread！ Paris must
starve！〃
〃And do you know why Paris must starve？〃 croaked out a voice into
the ears of the people who were crowding each other in wild
confusion on the Place de Carrousel。
〃Do you know who is the cause of all this misery and want？〃
〃Tell us； if you know！〃 cried a rough man's voice。
〃Yes； yes； tell us！〃 shouted other voices。 〃We want to know！〃
〃I will tell you；〃 answered the first； in rasping tones； and now
upon the stones； which indicated where the carriage…road crossed the
square； a little； shrunken； broad…shouldered figure； with an
unnaturally large head； and ugly； crafty face； could be seen。
〃Marat！〃 cried some man in the crowd。 〃Marat！〃 yelled the cobbler
Simon； who had been since August the friend and admirer of Marat；
and was to be seen everywhere at his side。 〃Listen； friends； listen！
Marat is going to speak to us； he will tell us how it happens that
Paris has bread no more； and that we shall all have to starve
together！ Marat is going to speak！〃
〃Silence； silence！〃 scattered men commanded here and there。
〃Silence！〃 ejaculated a gigantic woman； with broad； defiant face；
around which her black hair hung in dishevelled masses； and which
was gathered up in partly…secured knots under her white cap。 With
her broad shoulders and her robust arms she forced her way through
the crowd； directing her course toward the place where Marat
was standing； and near him Simon the cobbler； on whose broad
shoulders； as upon a desk； Marat was resting one hand。
〃Silence！〃 cried the giantess。 〃Marat； the people's friend； is going
to speak！ Let us listen； for it will certainly do us good。 Marat is
clever and wise； and loves the people！〃
Marat's green； blazing eyes fixed themselves upon the gigantic form
of the woman； he shrank back as if an electrical spark had touched
him； and with a wonderful expression of mingled triumph and joy。
〃Come nearer； goodwife！〃 he exclaimed； 〃let me press your hand； and
bring all the excellent； industrious； well…minded women of Paris to
take Marat； the patriot； by the hand！〃
The woman strode to the place where Marat was standing and reached
him her hand。 No one in the crowd noticed that this hand of unwonted
delicacy and whiteness did not seem to comport well with the dress
of a vender of vegetables from the market； no one noticed that on
one of the tapering fingers a jewel of no ordinary size glistened。
Marat was the only one to notice it； and while pressing the offered
hand of the woman in his bony fist； he stooped down and whispered in
her ear：
〃Monseigneur； take this jewelled ring off； and do not press forward
too much； you might be identified！〃
〃I be identified！〃 answered the woman； turning pale。 〃I do not
understand you； Doctor Marat！〃
〃But I do；〃 whispered Marat； still more softly； for he saw that
Simon's little sparkling eyes were turned toward the woman with a
look of curiosity。 〃I understand the Duke Philip d'Orleans very
well。 He wants to rouse up the people； but he is unwilling to
compromise his name or his title。 And that may be a very good thing。
But you are not to disown yourself before Marat； for Marat is your
very good friend； and will keep your secret honorably。〃
〃What are you whispering about？〃 shouted Simon。 〃Why do you not
speak to the people？ You were going to tell us why Paris has no
bread； and who is to blame that we must all starve。〃
〃Yes； yes； that is what you were going to tell us！〃 was shouted on
all sides。 〃We want to know it。〃
〃Tell us； tell us！〃 cried the giantess。 〃Give me your hand once
more； that I may press it in the name of all the women of Paris！〃
Marat with an assuring smile reached his great； bony hand to the
woman； who held it in both of her own for a moment； and then
retreated and was lost in the crowd。
But in Marat's hand now blazed the jewelled ring which had a moment
before adorned the large； soft hand of the woman。 He； perhaps； did
not know it himself； he paid no attention to it； but turned all his
thoughts to the people who now filled the immense square； and hemmed
him in with thousands upon thousands of blazing eyes。
〃You want to know why you have no bread？〃 snarled he。 〃You ask why
you starve？ Well； my friends and brothers； the answer is an easy one
to give。 The baker of France has shut up his storehouse because the
baker's wife has told him to do so； because she hates the people and
wants them to starve！ But she does not intend to starve； and so she
has called the baker and the little apprentices to Versailles； where
are her storehouses； guarded by her paid soldiers。 What does it
concern her if the people of Paris are miserably perishing？ She has
an abundance of bread； for the baker must always keep his store open
for her； and her son eats cake； while your children are starving！
You must always keep demanding that the baker； the baker's wife； and
the whole brood come to Paris and live in your midst； and then you
will see how they keep their flour； and you will then compel them to
give you of their superfluous supplies。〃
〃Yes； we will make her come！〃 cried Simon the cobbler； with a coarse
laugh。 〃Up； brothers； up！ We must compel the baker and his wife to
open the flour…store to us！〃
〃Let us go to Versailles！〃 roared the great woman； who had posted
herself among a group of fishwives。 〃Come； my friends； let us go to
Versailles； and we will tell the baker's wife that our children have
no bread； while she is giving her apprentices cakes。 We will demand
of her that she give our children bread； and if she refuses it； we
will compel her to come with her baker and her whole brood to Paris
and starve with us！ Come； let us go to Versailles！〃
〃Yes； yes； let us go to Versailles！〃 was the hideous cry which
echoed across the square； 〃the baker's wife shall give us bread！〃
〃She keeps the keys to the stores！〃 howled Marat； 〃she prevents the
baker opening them。〃
〃She shall g