On the 20th of Brumaire, day of the Feast of Reason, maddest day the world has ever known, the Revolution, having overturned the social order, abolished the clergy, introduced the monetary system, instituted fraternal banquets, established popular education, and renamed the calendar, now, as though unwilling that aught should exist save in its image, decreed the abolition of religion and set up the cult of Reason. The neighborhood of the Prêtre Pendu, accustomed as it was to the vagaries of its tyrants, was yet astounded at the pitch of frenzy to which exultation stirred the Marseillais and his companions. The ecstasy of Javogues terrified all with its frantic joy; for him the consummation of the human race had arrived. He spent the morning before the cabaret, astride a vat, dispensing wine and hand-shakes, his arms in the air haranguing the crowd that trembled to be present and dared not stay away. "Religion is dead!" he bellowed to all comers. "The farce is ended! The impudent bubble is pricked!" Boudgoust and Jambony, on either side, imitated his fury and his gestures, while Cramoisin, twisting in the crowd, made all he met shout to the cry of: "Vive la Raison!" The listeners for the most part simulated enthusiasm, with an eye to escape. A few echoed: "Down with superstition!" La Mère Corniche, hobbling into the midst of them, extended her hand to Javogues in rough familiarity, crying: "Well, my big fellow, are you happy? What a day, hanh? No more superstitions for us! Touch hands." "Touch there, mother!" Their hands met with a clap. "Didn't I tell you, from the first, there is no God?" "Aye, you did. He never feared, that man!" "I say it now," Javogues cried, and thrice he shouted: "There is no God!" Suddenly, flinging from the vat, he cleared a space about him with his arm, and, seizing Geneviève by the shoulder to steady himself, cried: "If there is a God, let him strike me down. Let the moment decide between us. I defy him!" He raised his fist to the sky and remained waiting, while more than one closed their eyes in terror. Then as the skies disgorged no thunderbolt, his arm relaxed, descending to his side, and the scornful lips with a sneer pronounced: "Bah!" "Vive Javogues!" It was the voice of Cramoisin that acclaimed the victor. Abandoning Geneviève, Javogues caught from the crowd a bakeress and a fille de joie and forced them into each other's arms, crying: "Embrace; the Revolution declares you sisters!" Leaving the frightened women cowering, he again seized Geneviève as a prop, and clearing the throng, rolled up the street, invoking each window with the exulting shout: "Vive la Raison!" While Cramoisin and Boudgoust combated for the relinquished vat, Jambony, serving the spigot, impudent and mocking, bellowed: