"Robespierre, in the session of the 7th of December you defended Roland's wife against Viard." "Just as my brother defended you, Marat, when you were attacked at the Jacobins'. What does that prove? Nothing at all." "Robespierre! we all know the cabinet at the Tuileries where you said to Garas: 'I am tired of the Revolution.'" "Marat, in this very ale-house, on the 20th of October, you embraced Barbaroux." "And you said to Buzot, Robespierre, 'What does the Republic signify?'" "Marat, you invited three men from Marseilles to breakfast with you here in this ale-house." "Robespierre, you go about escorted by a strong fellow from the market armed with a club." "And you, Marat, on the eve of the 10th of August,--you asked Buzot to assist you in escaping to Marseilles disguised as a jockey." "During the prosecutions of September you took good care to hide yourself, Robespierre." "And you, Marat, were not backward in making a display of yourself." "Robespierre, you flung the red cap on the ground." "Yes, when a traitor hoisted it. Dumouriez defiles Robespierre." "Robespierre, you refused to throw a veil over the head of Louis XVI. when Chateauvieux' soldiers were passing." "I did better than veil his head; I cut it off." Danton interposed, but it was like pouring oil upon the flames. "Robespierre, Marat, calm yourselves," he said. Marat did not like to be mentioned in the second place. He turned round. "What affair is this of Danton?" "What affair of mine? I will tell you. There must be no fratricides; we must have no strife between two men, both of whom serve the people. It is enough to have to deal with foreign and civil wars, and it would be too much if we were to have a family conflict. It is I who made the Revolution, and I do not choose to have it destroyed. This is why I feel called upon to interfere." Marat replied, without raising his voice,-- "You had better be attending to the settlement of your own accounts." "My accounts!" cried Danton. "Go ask for them in the passes of Argonne, in Champagne delivered, in Belgium conquered, in the armies where I have exposed my breast four times already to the grape-shot! Inquire in the Place de la Révolution, on the scaffold of the 21st of January, of the throne lying on the ground, of the guillotine, that widow--" Here Marat broke forth, interrupting Danton,-- "The guillotine is a virgin who gives death unto men, but not life." "What do you know about it? I will make her fruitful." "We shall see." And he smiled. Danton saw the smile. "Marat," he cried, "you are the man who prefers to hide; I am a man who rejoices in broad daylight, in the open air. I despise the life of a reptile. It would not suit me to be a woodlouse. You live in a cave; I live in the street. You hold no communication with mankind; the chance passer-by may see and speak with me." "Handsome youth! Will you ascend to my abode?" growled Marat. And no longer smiling, he continued in a peremptory tone:--