Now, it comes a
little late."
"But they mean to make up for lost time - sacred name!" cried
Danton. "Challenges are flying right and left between these
bully-swordsmen, these spadassinicides, and poor devils of the robe
who have never learnt to fence with anything but a quill. It's
just -- murder. Yet if I were to go amongst messieurs les nobles
and crunch an addled head or two with this stick of mine, snap a
few aristocratic necks between these fingers which the good God has
given me for the purpose, the law would send me to atone upon the
gallows. This in a land that is striving after liberty. Why, Dieu
me damne! I am not even allowed to keep my hat on in the theatre.
But they - these --s!"
"He is right," said Le Chapelier. "The thing has become unendurable,
insufferable. Two days ago M. d'Ambly threatened Mirabeau with his
cane before the whole Assembly. Yesterday M. de Faussigny leapt up
and harangued his order by inviting murder. 'Why don't we fall on
these scoundrels, sword in hand?' he asked.
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