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027 - Book 5 Chapter 2 Mercury de Breze · The French Revolution Volume 1 - The Bastille

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  Speaker 1: The French Revolution, A history by Thomas Carlyle, Volume one,
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  Speaker 1: Book five, The Third Estate, Chapter two, Mercury de Braseae.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by
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  Speaker 1: Peter Dan, Book five, Chapter two, Mercury de Braze. The
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  Speaker 1: only question is which God shall it be? Mars de Brallis,
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  Speaker 1: with his hundred piece of cannon not yet answers prudence,
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  Speaker 1: so soft irresolute is King Louis. Let it be Messenger Mercury,
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  Speaker 1: our supreme usher de Braze. On the morrow, which is
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  Speaker 1: the twentieth of June. These hundred and forty nine false curates,
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  Speaker 1: no longer restrainable by his grace of Paris, will desert
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  Speaker 1: in a body. Let de Brazie intervene and produce closed doors.
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  Speaker 1: Not only shall there be royal session in that sald menu,
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  Speaker 1: but no meeting nor working exits by carpenters, till then
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  Speaker 1: your Third Estate, self styled National Assembly, shall suddenly see
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  Speaker 1: itself extruded from its hall by carpenters in this dexterous way,
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  Speaker 1: and reduced to do nothing, not even to meet or
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  Speaker 1: articulately lament till Majesty with seance royal and new miracles
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  Speaker 1: be ready. In this manner, shall Debrazae as mercury ex
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  Speaker 1: machina intervene, And if the euder bef mistake not work,
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  Speaker 1: deliverance from the notice of poor Debrasee. We can remark
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  Speaker 1: that he has yet prospered in none of his dealings
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  Speaker 1: with these commons. Five weeks ago, when they kissed the
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  Speaker 1: hand of Majesty, the mode he took got nothing but censure,
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  Speaker 1: and then his sincere attachment, how was it scornfully whiffed aside?
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  Speaker 1: Before supper this night he writes to President bay Ye
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  Speaker 1: a new letter to be delivered shortly after dawn tomorrow
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  Speaker 1: in the King's name, which letter, however, by Ye in
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  Speaker 1: the pride of office, will merely crush together into his
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  Speaker 1: pocket like a bill he does not mean to pay accordingly.
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  Speaker 1: On Saturday morning, the twentieth of June, shrill sounding heralds
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  Speaker 1: proclaim through the streets of Versailles that there is to
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  Speaker 1: be a seance royal next Monday, and no meeting of
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  Speaker 1: the States General till then. And yet we observe President
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  Speaker 1: bay in sound of this, and with Debrasei's letter in
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  Speaker 1: his pocket, is proceeding with National Assembly at his heels
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  Speaker 1: to the accustomed Salle des Meneux, as if Debrase and
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  Speaker 1: heralds were mere wind. It is shut, this sal occupied
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  Speaker 1: by guard francaise. Where is your captain? The captain shows
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  Speaker 1: his royal order workmen, he is grieved to say, are
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  Speaker 1: all busy setting up the platform for his Majesty's seance.
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  Speaker 1: Most unfortunately, no admission admission at furthest for President and
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  Speaker 1: secretaris to bring away papers which the joiners might destroy.
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  Speaker 1: President Bayi enters with secretary and returns bearing papers alas
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  Speaker 1: within doors. Instead of patriotic eloquence, there is now no
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  Speaker 1: noise but hammering, sawing, and operative screeching and rumbling, a
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  Speaker 1: prophanation without parallel. The deputies stand grouped on the Paris road,
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  Speaker 1: on this umbrageous Avenue de Versailles, complaining aloud of the
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  Speaker 1: indignity done them. Courtiers, it is supposed look from their
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  Speaker 1: windows and giggle. The morning is none of the comfortablest raw.
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  Speaker 1: It is even drizzling a little, but all travelers pause.
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  Speaker 1: Patriot gallery men, miscellaneous spectators increase. The groups. Wild councils alternate.
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  Speaker 1: Some desperate deputies propose to go and hold session under
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  Speaker 1: the great outer staircase at Marli, under the King's windows.
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  Speaker 1: For his majesty, it seems, has driven over theither. Others
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  Speaker 1: talk of making the Chateau Forecourt what they call placetarmes,
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  Speaker 1: a runnymead, a new champ de main of free frenchmen, nay,
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  Speaker 1: of awakening to sounds of indignant patriotism the echoes of
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  Speaker 1: the Eu de Boeuf itself. Notice is given that President Baye,
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  Speaker 1: aided by judicious guillotine and others, has found place in
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  Speaker 1: the tennis court in the Rue Saint Francois. Thither in
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  Speaker 1: long drawn files, horse jingling like cranes on wing the
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  Speaker 1: commons deputies angrily wend. Strange sight was this in the
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  Speaker 1: Rue Saint Francois view of Versailles, a naked tennis court,
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  Speaker 1: as the pictures of that time still give it, four
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  Speaker 1: walls naked except aloft some poor wooden penthouse or roofed
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  Speaker 1: spectators gallery hanging round them on the floor, not now
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  Speaker 1: an idle tea heeing a snapping of balls and rackets,
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  Speaker 1: but the bellowing din of an indignant national representation scandalously exiled. Hither, however,
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  Speaker 1: a cloud of witnesses looked down on them from wooden penthouse,
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  Speaker 1: from wall top, from adjoining roof and chimney, roll towards
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  Speaker 1: them from all quarters, with passionate spoken blessings. Some table
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  Speaker 1: can be procured to write on, some chair, if not
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  Speaker 1: to sit on, then to stand on. The secretaries undo
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  Speaker 1: their tapes. Bay has constituted the Assembly experienced moon year,
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  Speaker 1: not wholly new to such things in parliamentary revolts which
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  Speaker 1: he has seen or heard of, thinks that it were
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  Speaker 1: well in these lamentable, threatening circumstances, to unite themselves by
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  Speaker 1: an oath universal acclamation, as from smoldering bosoms getting vent.
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  Speaker 1: The oath is redacted, pronounced aloud by President bay and
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  Speaker 1: indeed in such a sonorous stone that the cloud of
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  Speaker 1: witnesses even outdoors hear it, and bellow response to it.
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  Speaker 1: Six hundred right hands rise with President Bayes to take
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  Speaker 1: God above to witness that they will not separate for
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  Speaker 1: man below, but will meet in all places, under all circumstances,
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  Speaker 1: wheresoever two or three can get together, till they have
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  Speaker 1: made the constitution. Made the constitution, friends, that is a
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  Speaker 1: long task. Six hundred hands meanwhile, will sign as they
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  Speaker 1: have sworn. Six hundred save one one loyalist abdeal still
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  Speaker 1: visible by this sole light point, and nameable poor Monsieur
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  Speaker 1: Martin Dock from Castelnaudari in Languedoc. Him they permit to
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  Speaker 1: sign or signify refusal. They even save him from the
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  Speaker 1: cloud of witnesses by declaring his head arranged at four o'clock.
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  Speaker 1: The signatures are all appended. New meeting is fixed for
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  Speaker 1: Monday morning, earlier than the hour of the royal session.
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  Speaker 1: That our hundred and forty nine clerical deserters be not balked.
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  Speaker 1: We shall meet at the Recalls Church or elsewhere, in
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  Speaker 1: hope that our hundred and forty nine will join us.
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  Speaker 1: And now it is time to go to dinner. This then,
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  Speaker 1: is the session of the tennis court famed Seance du
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  Speaker 1: Jeur du Palms, the which has gone forth to all lands.
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  Speaker 1: This is the mercurius Debrese's appearance as diosex machine. This
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  Speaker 1: is the fruit it brings. The giggle of courtiers in
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  Speaker 1: the Versailles Avenue has already died into gaunt silence. Did
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  Speaker 1: the distracted court with the gard Desse, Barrington, Triumvirate and
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  Speaker 1: company imagine that they could scatter six hundred National Deputies,
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  Speaker 1: big with a national constitution, like as much barn door poultry,
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  Speaker 1: big with next to nothing by the white or black
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  Speaker 1: rod of a supreme usher. Barn door poultry fly cackling.
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  Speaker 1: But National Deputies turn round, lion faced, and with uplifted
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  Speaker 1: right hand, swear an oath that makes the fore corners
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  Speaker 1: of France tremble. President bay Year has covered himself with
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  Speaker 1: honor which shall become rewards. The National Assembly is now
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  Speaker 1: doubly and trebly, the Nation's Assembly not militant martyred only,
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  Speaker 1: but triumphant insult and which could not be insulted. Paris
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  Speaker 1: disembogues itself once more to witness with grim looks the
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  Speaker 1: seals Royal, which by a new for the city is
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  Speaker 1: postponed till Tuesday. The hundred and forty nine, and even
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  Speaker 1: with bishops among them, all in processional mass have had
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  Speaker 1: free leisure to march off and solemnly join the commons
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  Speaker 1: sitting waiting in their church. The commons welcome them with shouts,
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  Speaker 1: with embracings, nay with tears, for it is growing a
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  Speaker 1: life and death matter. Now, as for the sales itself,
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  Speaker 1: the carpenters seem to have accomplished their platform, but all
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  Speaker 1: else remains unaccomplished, futile, we may say, fatal as the
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  Speaker 1: whole matter. King Louis enters through seas of people, all
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  Speaker 1: grim silent, angry with many things, for it is a
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  Speaker 1: bitter rain too, enters to a third estate. Likewise, grim silent,
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  Speaker 1: which has been wetted, waiting under mean porches at back doors,
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  Speaker 1: while call and privileged were entering by the front. King
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  Speaker 1: and gard de sir, there is no neck a visible
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  Speaker 1: make known, not without long windedness, the determinations of the
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  Speaker 1: royal breast. The three orders shall vote separately. On the
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  Speaker 1: other hand, fronts may look for considerable constitutional blessings as
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  Speaker 1: specified in these five and thirty articles, which guard Desseaux
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  Speaker 1: is waxing horse, with reading which five and thirty articles
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  Speaker 1: adds his majesty again rising. If the three orders most
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  Speaker 1: unfortunately cannot agree together to effect them, I myself will
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  Speaker 1: effect Sir jaffarail le bien de mass burbler, which being
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  Speaker 1: interpreted may signify you contentious deputies of the States General
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  Speaker 1: have probably not long to be here, but in fine
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  Speaker 1: or shall now withdraw for this day and meet again.
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  Speaker 1: Each order in its separate place to morrow morning for
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  Speaker 1: despatch of business. This is the determined nation of the
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  Speaker 1: royal breast, pithee and clear, and herewith King retinue, nobless
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  Speaker 1: majority of clergy file out, as if the whole matter
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  Speaker 1: were satisfactorily completed. These file out through grim, silent seas
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  Speaker 1: of people. Only the commons deputies file not out, but
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  Speaker 1: stand there in gloomy silence, uncertain what they shall do.
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  Speaker 1: One man of them is certain, one man of them
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  Speaker 1: discerns and dares. It is now that King Mirabeau starts
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  Speaker 1: to the tribune and lifts up his lion voice, verily
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  Speaker 1: a word in season, for in such scenes the moment
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  Speaker 1: as the mother of ages, had not gabriel Anure been there,
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  Speaker 1: one can well fancy how the Common's deputies, affrighted at
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  Speaker 1: the perils which now yawned dim all round them, and
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  Speaker 1: waxing ever paler in each other's paleness, might very naturally
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  Speaker 1: one after one have glided off, and the whole course
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  Speaker 1: of European history have been different. But he is there,
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  Speaker 1: this to the brule of that royal forest voice, sorrowful, low,
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  Speaker 1: fast swelling to a roar, eyes kindle at the glance
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  Speaker 1: of his eye. National Deputies were missioned by a nation.
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  Speaker 1: They have sworn an oath. They but lo while the
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  Speaker 1: lion's voice roars loudest. What apparition is this apparition of
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  Speaker 1: Mercurius Debrazae, muttering somewhat speak out, cried several monsieurs, shrils
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  Speaker 1: de Braze, repeating himself. You have heard the king's orders.
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  Speaker 1: Mirabeau glares on him with fire flashing, face shakes the
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  Speaker 1: black lion's mane yes. Monsieur, we have heard what the
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  Speaker 1: King was advised to say, and you, who cannot be
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  Speaker 1: the interpreter, have his orders to the States general. You,
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  Speaker 1: who have neither placed nor right of speech here, you
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  Speaker 1: are not the man to remind us of it. Go, monsieur,
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  Speaker 1: tell these who sent you that we are here by
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  Speaker 1: the will of the people, and that nothing shall send
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  Speaker 1: us hence but the force of bayonets, and poor Debraze
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  Speaker 1: shivers forth from the National Assembly. And also, if it
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  Speaker 1: be not in one faintest glimmer months later, finally from
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  Speaker 1: the page of history, hapless de Braze, doomed to survive
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  Speaker 1: long ages in men's memories, in this faint way with
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  Speaker 1: trembulent white rod, he was true to etiquette, which was
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  Speaker 1: his faith here below a martyr to respect of persons.
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  Speaker 1: Short woolen cloaks could not kiss Majesty's hand as long
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  Speaker 1: velvet ones did. Nay. Lately, when the poor little Dauphin
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  Speaker 1: lay dead and some ceremonial visitation came, was he not
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  Speaker 1: punctual to announce it? Even to the Dauphin's dead body?
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  Speaker 1: Miss Signeur a deputy of the States General Saint Lacramairaum.
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  Speaker 1: But what does the Eu de Boeuf now when Debrasee
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  Speaker 1: shivers back thither, despatch that same force of Baynetes. Not
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  Speaker 1: so the seas of people still hang multitudinous intent on
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  Speaker 1: what is passing. Nay, rush and roll loud bellowing into
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  Speaker 1: the courts of the chateau itself, for a report has
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  Speaker 1: risen that Necker is to be dismissed. Worst of all,
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  Speaker 1: the guard froanseaies seem indisposed to act. Two companies of
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  Speaker 1: them do not fire when ordered. Necker, for not being
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  Speaker 1: at the seal, shall be shouted for carried home in triumph,
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  Speaker 1: and must not be dismissed. His grace of Paris, on
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  Speaker 1: the other hand, has to fly with broken coach panels
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  Speaker 1: and owe his life to furious driving. The guard de
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  Speaker 1: corps bodyguards which you were drawing out, had better be
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  Speaker 1: drawn in again. There is no sending of bayonets to
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  Speaker 1: be thought of instead of soldiers. The Euderberg sends carpenters
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  Speaker 1: to take down the platform in effectual shift. In few instants,
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  Speaker 1: the very carpenters cease wrenching and knocking at their platform,
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  Speaker 1: stand on it, hammer in hand, and listen, open mouthed.
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  Speaker 1: The third Estate is decreeing that it is, was, and
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  Speaker 1: will be nothing but a national Assembly, and now moreover
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  Speaker 1: an inviolable one, All members of it inviolable, infamous, traitorous
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  Speaker 1: towards the nation, and guilty of capital crime. Is any person, body, corporate, tribunal, court,
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  Speaker 1: or commission that now or henceforth, during the present session
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  Speaker 1: or after it shall dare to pursue, interrogate, arrest or
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  Speaker 1: cause to be arrested, detain or cause to be detained,
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  Speaker 1: any etcetera, etcetera, on whose parts, however, the same be commanded,
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  Speaker 1: which done, One can wind up with this comfortable reflection
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  Speaker 1: from abbe asiers, monsieur, you are today what you were yesterday.
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  Speaker 1: Courtiers may shriek but it is and remains even so,
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  Speaker 1: their well charged explosion has exploded through the touch hole,
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  Speaker 1: covering themselves with scorchous confusion and unseen soot. Poor Triumvirate,
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  Speaker 1: poor Queen, and above all poor Queen's husband, who means well,
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  Speaker 1: had he any fixed meaning? Folly is that wisdom which
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  Speaker 1: is wise only behindhand. Few months ago these thirty five
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  Speaker 1: concessions had filled France with a rejoicing which might have
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  Speaker 1: lasted for several years. Now it is unavailing the very
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  Speaker 1: mention of its slighted Majesty's express orders set at gnawd Or.
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  Speaker 1: France is in a roar. A sea of persons, estimated
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  Speaker 1: at ten thousand whirls all this day in the Palais Royal.
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  Speaker 1: The remaining clergy, and likewise some forty eight no bless
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  Speaker 1: daun leon among them, have now forthwith gone over to
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  Speaker 1: the victorious Commons, by whom, as is natural, they are
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  Speaker 1: received with that clamation. The third Estate triumphs Versailles town,
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  Speaker 1: shouting round it, ten thousand whirling all day in the
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  Speaker 1: Palais Royal, and all France standing a tiptoe, not unlike whirling,
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  Speaker 1: let the Oie de Boeuf look at it. As for
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  Speaker 1: King Louis, he will swallow his injuries, will temporize, keep silence,
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  Speaker 1: while at all costs have present peace. It was Tuesday,
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  Speaker 1: the twenty third of June, when he spoke that peremptory
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  Speaker 1: royal mandate. And the week is not done till he
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  Speaker 1: has written to the remaining obstinate noblesse that they also
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  Speaker 1: must oblige him and give Indsprebanel rages his last barrel.
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  Speaker 1: Mirabeau breaks his sword, making a vow which he might
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  Speaker 1: as well have kept. The Triple Family is now therefore complete,
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  Speaker 1: the third erring brother, the noblesse having joined it, erring,
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  Speaker 1: but pardonable, soothed so far as possible by sweet eloquence
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  Speaker 1: from President. By ye, so triumphs, the Third Estate and
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  Speaker 1: States General are become National Assembly, and all France may
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  Speaker 1: sing t dem By wise inertia and wise cessation of inertia,
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  Speaker 1: victory has been gained. It is the last night of June.
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  Speaker 1: All night you meet nothing on the streets of Versailles,
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  Speaker 1: but men running with torches with shouts of jubilation. From
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  Speaker 1: the second of May when they kissed the hand of
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  Speaker 1: Majesty to this thirtieth of June. When men run with torches,
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  Speaker 1: we count seven weeks complete. For seven weeks the national
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  Speaker 1: carraccio has stood, far seen, ringing many a signal, and
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  Speaker 1: so much having now gathered round it may hope to stand.
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  Speaker 1: End of Book five, Chapter two,