Excerpt: ...box. Standing erect, with flaming looks of anger, with cheeks like purple, she confronted them there-the true heir of the Caesars, the courageous daughter of Maria Theresa- and had already opened her lips to speak and overwhelm the traitor with her wrath, when another voice was heard giving answer to Marat. It cried: "Be silent, Marat, be silent. Whoever dares to insult a woman, be she queen or beggar, dishonors himself, his mother, his wife, and his daughter. I call on you all, I call on the whole public, to ...
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Excerpt: ...box. Standing erect, with flaming looks of anger, with cheeks like purple, she confronted them there-the true heir of the Caesars, the courageous daughter of Maria Theresa- and had already opened her lips to speak and overwhelm the traitor with her wrath, when another voice was heard giving answer to Marat. It cried: "Be silent, Marat, be silent. Whoever dares to insult a woman, be she queen or beggar, dishonors himself, his mother, his wife, and his daughter. I call on you all, I call on the whole public, to take the part of a defenceless woman, whom Marat ventures to mortally insult. You all have mothers and wives; you may, perhaps, some day have daughters. Defend the honor of woman! Do not permit it to be degraded in your presence. Marat has insulted a woman; we owe her satisfaction for it. Join with me in the cry, 'Long live the queen! Long live Marie Antoinette!'" And the public, carried away with the enthusiasm of this young, handsome man, who had risen in his box, and whose slender, proud figure towered above all-the public broke into one united stirring cry: "Long live the queen! Long live Marie Antoinette!" Marat, trembling with rage, his countenance suffused with a livid paleness, sank back in his chair. "I knew very well that Barnave was a traitor," he whispered. "I shall remember this moment, and Barnave shall one day atone for it with his head." "Barnave, it is Barnave," whispered the queen to herself. "He has rescued me from great danger, for I was on the point of being carried away by my wrath, and answering the monster there as he deserves." "Long live the queen! Long live Marie Antoinette!" shouted the public. Marie Antoinette bowed and greeted the audience on all sides with a sad smile, but not one look did she cast to the box where Barnave sat, with not one smile did she thank him for the service he had done her. For the queen knew well that her favor brought misfortune to those who shared it; that he on whom she bestowed a...
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