But who is this pale-faced citoyenne of aristocratic mien, in high ‘constitutional’ hat, with black cockade, fan in hand, asking leave to speak with citizen Marat?... Charlotte’s fan is mentioned in the deposition of Laurent Bas, who was working in the house at the time; certain it is that the fan was not relinquished when the blow was struck. The ‘trade,’ fearful lest the event should cast discredit on their goods, immediately brought out fans ‘à la Marat.’ The most popular of these reproduce the tribune with Lepelletier, Charlier, and Barras. This, with its burden of pikes and caps of Liberty, was bought by the Jacobin customers at forty-eight livres a gross. An example occurs in the Bibliothèque Nationale, where, singularly enough, it is pasted in an album bearing the arms of Marie-Antoinette, and is believed to have been arranged by the queen herself.[142] On another fan, ‘Liberty’ is seated between medallion portraits of Marat and Lepelletier; the inscription, ‘Marat,’ ‘Liberté Unité,’ ‘Peletier.’ Ultimately the event itself figured as the principal subject of a fan, Charlotte being represented as carrying a dagger in one hand and a fan in the other. The debate on the 4th February 1794 on the abolition of the slave-trade forms the subject of a fan (illustrated). Three years previously, Grégoire and Robespierre had passed an act whereby coloured persons born of free parents were placed on an equality with whites. The fan-makers, ever ready to seize upon a popular incident, promptly issued a fan with five figures, representing ‘France,’ ‘Mercury,’ ‘The Colonies,’ ‘England,’ and the ‘United States,’ holding scrolls with inscriptions in English, heraldic devices on either side. La France, with shield bearing staff of Unity and cap of Liberty, is saying, ‘We find true happiness but by making others happy.’ Mercury, holding fetters, says, ‘Don’t go to deceive me nor believe you will escape. I extend my power over Sea and Land, and my vengeance will find you even at the end of the World.’ ‘The Colonies,’ dressed after the fashion of Marmontel’s Incas, exclaims, ‘Charming hope of Liberty, come and comfort my agitated heart.’ England, crowned, with a leopard crouching at her feet, and holding ‘The Colonies’ by the hand, says, ‘She offers me Guineas.’ The United States is represented by a black woman, plumed, with a sheath of arrows over her shoulder; the inscription, ‘Independence and trade all over the globe.’ The etching is signed ‘Martin.’ [Illustration: The projected invasion of England by Napoleon, 1803. Bibliothèque Nationale.]