1 The reign of Louis XVI, King of France, marked the passing of the French Monarchy. Bankrupt, abandoned to the rule of an all-powerful Nobility and an indifferent Clergy, the nation faced starvation - or revolt. 2 Our story starts in the provinces, in the wooded valley of Gavrillac, with its nestling village and gloomy ch�teau. 3 Gavrillac's inn and posting-house. 4 "Take warning - this is what is in store for all who poach upon the preserves of the Marquis de La Tour!" 5 Andr�-Louis Moreau - returning now after two years of law school in Paris - had been born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad. 6 Philippe de Vilmorin, student for the priest- hood - from childhood Andr�'s closest friend. 7 "God comfort your poor heart." 8 The great Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr whose vast domains adjoined the township of Gavrillac. 9 "God and King and Humanity defied - by order of the Marquis de La Tour!" 10 "You speak of me, Monsieur!" 11 "I speak, Monsieur le Marquis, of one who uses his great rank and power to inflict unspeakable horror on those beneath him." 12 "If Monsieur is unarmed, the sword of the Chevalier de Chabrillane is at his disposal!" 13 "He is a student of divinity, Monsieur - - he knows nothing of the sword." 14 The Field of Honor. 15 "But you have killed him!" 16 "Of course, he had a too dangerous gift of eloquence." 17 "Come back, assassin, and make yourself quite safe by killing me too!" 18 "Oh, let him come, Monsieur! Let him complete his coward's work!" 19 "It was your eloquence he feared, Philippe; but he has not silenced it." 20 "Your voice shall be mine; your gospel of freedom mine - to hound him relentlessly until justice is done!" 21 For generations the old ch�teau upon the hill had sheltered the lords of Gavrillac. 22 Here, to his godfather, Quintin de Kercadiou, Andr�-Louis now turned for advice and aid. 23 The return of Aline de Kercadiou had brought to the drowsy gardens of Gavrillac a touch of romance, of the studied coquetry of far-off Versailles. 24 "Justice against the Marquis? You are mad!" 25 "Two men, human beings, have been slain in cold blood, by his order and by his hand!" 26 "Mademoiselle, I have Monsieur your uncle's permission to wait upon you tomorrow evening." 27 "You see - for Aline's sake, the Marquis must not be antagonized. I have great hopes." 28 "Monsieur, two years ago when Aline left for the Versailles Court, I too, had great hopes - -" 29 "I shall love you always, Andr� - always." 30 "- - for I go to seek justice in a world where none exists!" 31 "It is nothing. Paris has filled him with revolutionary ideas. Put him from your mind." 32 "After a long night's ride - that brought Andr�-Louis to the town of Rennes." 33 Inflamed by the oratory of a small but eloquent group of students, Rennes had become a center of the movement for freedom. 34 "Liberty and equality must be established!" 35 The King's Lieutenant, presiding power in the Palace of Justice at Rennes. 36 "Your business concerns those howling dogs out there?" 37 It seemed that Philippe's eloquence had indeed become the heritage of Andr�-Louis. 38 "Who - who - is this criminal?" 39 "What insolence! To accuse the Marquis de La Tour!" 40 "Monsieur, I had pictured Justice as blind, but beautiful. Today I find that Justice is not blind - - not to rank and wealth -" 41 "- and as for beauty - if Monsieur will but glance to his left -" 42 "Arrest that man!" 43 "Citizens, I bring you hope! This decree, accepted by the King, abolishes the right of Nobility to rule by force, to perpetuate such outrages as this!" 44 "Turn out the dragoons and bring me that Gavrillac lawyer, dead or alive!" 45 "There is a traitor in the Palace of Justice who defies the King's decree!" 46 "Beware! The dragoons!" 47 "My name is Chapelier. I like your courage." 48 Evening brought to Gavrillac a mood of witchery and magic. 49 "Have you the music of that new minuet 'Papillons'?" 50 "I must have left 'Papillons' in my room." 51 "By Heaven, Aline, you shall never marry him!" 52 "The dragoons!" 53 "I am desolated, but I can do nothing, Mademoiselle. He holds the King's warrant." 54 Morning - and a fugitive. 55 "Oh, Monsieur, you have ruined everything!" 56 Strolling players, - nomads of the theatre, managing to wring a precarious living from the smaller provincial towns. 57 "Death of my life! I will teach you it is no laughing matter to interrupt a rehearsal of Challefau Binet!" 58 "Teach me quickly then, Monsieur Binet, for in one minute you will be arrested for trespassing on the lands of the Marquis de La Tour!" 59 "We are looking for a seditious scoundrel, Andr�- Louis Moreau - wanted for the gallows." 60 "If you must thank me, Monsieur, let me remain with you." 61 "Ah - umm - your stage presence is bad and your manners are worse. How- ever, you seem to have wit - that might be useful in the writing of my plays -" 62 "My name? Call me - Monsieur X." 63 "- - and my daughter, Mademoiselle Clim�ne, who inherits not only her father's looks, but his ability." 64 The passing months had brought no word of Andr�-Louis to Gavrillac. 65 In Paris - the Blue Boar Inn. 66 Success had come to the Binet troupe, In little more than a year this vagrant pack of mountebanks had become a self-respecting company of first-rate players. 67 "Monsieur X! Monsieur X! A year - and all we know of you is a sharp tongue - and Monsieur X!" 68 "To Monsieur X, whose wit has brought us wine - and whose wine has brought us wit!" 69 To date their most pretentious effort - the presentation of "Figaro-Scaramouche". 70 The season box of the Countess Th�r�se de Plougastel. 71 "Of course, Monsieur, you have met the Countess de Plougastel?" 72 At the final curtain. 73 "Now that we are again so happily met, Mademoiselle, may I not call - - with Madame's permission?" 74 La Tour d'Azyr again - again Aline. And Scaramouche - the mountebank, the clown, must love and laugh and play his part. 75 Nothing is more wounding to a woman's vanity than the conquest which remains unmade. 76 "What have I done to make you dislike me so?" 77 "You are beautiful, are you not Clim�ne - and talented and clever?" 78 "And more to be desired than the fairest lady who would sell herself for wealth and title!" 79 "Papa Binet, I congratulate you! As the father of Madame Scaramouche you will yet be famous!" 80 The following afternoon - an unexpected visitor - 81 "You keep strange company these days, Andr�." 82 "And you, Aline - is yours above reproach?" 83 "This man, La Tour d'Azyr - how can you endure him?" 84 "He would make me a great lady." 85 "God made you that, Aline." 86 "You preach to me? After consorting with that theatre girl?" 87 "That theatre girl, Aline, is going to be my wife." 88 "- and she does not seek to sell herself for a high- sounding title!" 89 Rumor had it that while the Countess de Plougastel maintained her brilliant salon in the Rue du Paradis, her husband, in Austria, sought aid for the tottering throne of Louis XVI. 90 When beauty grieves, consolation is not long forthcoming. 91 "Her betrothal to La Tour d'Azyr may be announced at any time." 92 After that evening's performance. 93 "- the great Marquis, who sits in the stage box, called for Clim�ne after the theatre." 94 "Where is Clim�ne?" 95 "She - she has gone - driving." 96 "Promise me, my love, that you will come to the theatre for me tonight." 97 "As your intended husband, Mademoiselle, is it impertinent to inquire the price you paid for that?" 98 "You mealy-mouthed prude! Do you think I would give up a great gentleman for a nameless clown?" 99 "I had begun to think you grotesque - - but you are just vile - both of you!" 100 Beneath the brilliance and beauty of Paris - only heartache and disillusionment - and the haunting face of Scaramouche - 101 "Monsieur le Marquis, it is my wish never to see you again." 102 "Your old habits persist, my friend! Aline saw you last night with that theatre girl." 103 "Madame, I may not deserve it, but I need your help -- for I love Mademoiselle Aline." 104 "There is a little secret of Madame's past --" 105 At the wine-shop "Aux Trois Colonnes." 106 "The people of Rennes want you to become their deputy in the National Assembly." 107 "Chapelier, my friend, in the Assembly one fights with words. Stronger weapons are needed to settle my score with Nobility." 108 "Moreau, your speech at Rennes has borne fruit. The people need but the word, and they will rise against Nobility to a man." 109 "That word may be spoken sooner than you expect." 110 Once more Andr�-Louis donned the hose and doublet of Scaramouche - in his heart the fateful words of Marat, and on his lips a prayer - that the slayer of Philippe de Vilmorin might be in his accustomed place. 111 "Citizens! Friends of the People - of Liberty!" 112 "I shall tell you a story -- a story that calls for the settlement of a score with Nobility - tonight!" 113 "It was not a duel - it was the slaughter of a boy who had in his heart only love for his fellow-men." 114 "Where does he hide - - this tyrant who would butcher all who speak for Liberty?" 115 "He is there - skulking like a coward in that box!" 116 During the ensuing months, the National Assembly became the scene of Nobility's bitter opposition to the decree that the People should have equal voice with them in the government of France. 117 Chapelier, the law student of Rennes, had become president of the National Assembly. 118 Georges Jacques Danton - pock- marked idol of the people - mightiest orator of his time. 119 Finding words of no avail against this Niagara of eloquence, Nobility had turned to its ancient weapon - the sword. 120 "Monsieur le Pr�sident!" 121 "With my own excuses for being late, I bring those of Deputy Lagron. Our debate of yesterday has been settled - -" 122 "- - permanently!" 123 Thus, under the legal cloak of duelling, did these master swords- men dispose of those deputies of the People who spoke too well for Liberty. 124 "Now if that lout, Danton, would accept a challenge, the worst of our troubles would be over!" 125 "-- he is just the man we need, one who shares our deep regard for La Tour d'Azyr. We will call on him this afternoon." 126 In the Rue du Hazard - 127 "There is a swordsman equal to that s-- La Tour d'Azyr!" 128 "Leave this to me. It will be his last speech in the Assembly - - or elsewhere." 129 At the close of the session. 130 "You will be challenged. Remember - the gizzard is a vital spot!" 131 "Comedian! I shall kill you for this!" 132 "Tragedian! The opportunity will be yours in the morning - behind the cathedral - at nine." 133 Morning found the Assembly gripped in an intolerable suspense of waiting. 134 "The new deputy, Moreau, has shirked it!" 135 "Monsieur le Pr�sident!" With my own, I bring the excuses of the Deputy Chabrillane. Our debate of yesterday has been settled - -" 136 "- - permanently!" 137 "Moreau! Moreau! Our saviour!" 138 As the week passed, each day another assassin of the people's deputies had gone down before the sword of the fencing-master from the Rue du Hazard. 139 "Let me help you, Andr�. In the King's service you might go far." 140 "As far as Austria, Madame? Your husband's activities there are not unknown." 141 "Forgive me, Andr�, if I seem too closely interested. I - - I knew your mother." 142 "To win back your regard, Mademoiselle, there is nothing I would not do." 143 "I am deeply grateful, Monsieur, but I consented to see you only to tell you that there can never be more than friendship between us." 144 "The faithless dog! The scoundrel! I pray that he may meet an avenging sword!" 145 "Your prayer will soon be answered." 146 "We meet on Monday, Mademoiselle - - behind the cathedral." 147 "Why do you not stop him - beg him? What chance has Andr� against such a swordsman?" 148 "Monsieur, give up this duel, and what I said - that there could never be more than friendship between us - - I will retract." 149 "Honor, Mademoiselle, comes before all else, even the heart; I cannot do it." 150 Monday. 151 "He is most solicitous for his friend, the Marquis!" 152 "Andr�! I have come from Gavrillac to beg you - - this duel must not take place!" 153 "You too, Aline?" 154 "You cannot save your Marquis by trying to frighten me!" 155 "Andr� - - do you not understand? Come back, Andr�! It is you I love!" 156 "Oh, I feared something dreadful - - but never this!" 157 "Pray God we may be in time!" 158 "You realize now, Monsieur, how Philippe de Vilmorin felt that day!" 159 "You have killed him!" 160 "You mentioned a mission in the provinces, for the Commune. I will accept it." 161 Through the months - the sullen thunder of revolt, that grew and grew - 162 "Austria and Prussia invade France to aid the King!" 163 "France has been betrayed! To arms, patriots!" 164 The morning of August 10th, 1792. 165 "Aux armes, citoyens! Formez vos bataillons!" 166 "Madame! Danton leads the mob against the Tuileries Palace!" 167 "We shall go immediately, Jacques; prepare the carriage!" 168 Eight o'clock - the mob at the palace gates - and from the National Assembly an offer of protection to Louis and the Royal family. 169 "Sire, a whole people are advancing! If the palace must fall, let it fall; but let the crown be saved!" 170 At the City Gates, the avenue of escape from Paris. 171 "Without permit, no one may leave the city." 172 "Madame, I know a place where the city wall is not watched. I will get word to Monsieur de Kercadiou." 173 The Walls of Paris. 174 An interested spectator - a young artillery officer, out of service - 175 Napol�on Bonaparte. 176 All that day - the mad songs of a mob triumphant - that seemed to come ever nearer - 177 At Gavrillac - the first refugees from Paris. 178 Returning to Paris - an emissary of the dread Commune. 179 "We were the last to leave Paris without passports. The barriers are closed." 180 In the now silent Tuileries, each hall, passage and stairway bore witness to the fury of the day that had sealed the doom of the Monarchy. 181 "They are searching every house for aristocrats - - killing - coming this way!" 182 "Then you can serve Aline - and Madame de Plougastel?" 183 "Aline, yes; but Madame is the wife of a conspirator against France - - I cannot help her." 184 "Andr�! Madame de Plougastel - you must save her!" 185 "She is your mother." 186 "And you, Monsieur, - - you are of course - -" 187 "Who your father was I never knew." 188 "I am sorry, Monsieur - sorry that I am not your son." 189 And through the endless hours of night - the screaming of the grindstone, the roll of drums, the shouts, the bestial laughter of the marching hosts of Terror. 190 "We must have courage. Jacques will bring us aid." 191 "In less than an hour I will return. Have a fresh horse ready - - and let this carriage follow me now." 192 "Irony, Th�r�se - - that I return to you for refuge; but out there I should be torn to bits." 193 "You must go and rest until Jacques comes." 194 "Madame - my mother." 195 "I do not know how this man came here, but I give him three minutes to leave the house!" 196 "Monsieur, I was prepared to call a truce, but now - - give me those passports!" 197 "Andr�! He is your father!" 198 "Why did you not tell me?" 199 "When you had turned from me? Should I have disgraced myself - - my family?" 200 "In God's name, let there be peace between us." 201 "May it serve you as faithfully, Monsieur, as it has served me." 202 "Th�r�se, if there is a wrong I regret more than any other, it is the wrong that I have done to you." 203 "Do you not know Moreau?" 204 "Moreau! It is Moreau!" 205 "But the women - give us the women! They are aristocrats!" 206 "They are my mother and my betrothed! I ask you for their safety!" 207 "Citizens! It is for you to decide! Do you owe this to Moreau?" 208 "Open the gates! Make way for Moreau!" THE ENDHome