_Enter_ DE VARDES _and_ FAUQUEMONT DE BUC _pursued by seven or eight red-capped men armed with pikes_. DE VARDES _and_ DE BUC _use their swords_. THE RED CAPS Aristocrats! Aristocrats! DE VARDES (_thrusting_) Take that, Republican! DE BUC (_thrusting_) Out, canaille! THE ABBÉ Here’s wine! Have at you, brow-bound galley slaves! DE VARDES (_over his shoulder_) Ha! De Barbasan! [_Wounds his adversary._ We’re at our last château! THE ABBÉ I’ve shut Voltaire! Here goes the candle out! [_He throws his long cloak over the head of one of the red caps and makes at another with his dagger._ DE VARDES The window splinters! [_He sends the pike flying from a red cap’s hand._ Take warning, sans-culottes! THE ABBÉ One, two, three! DE BUC My sword arm! DE VARDES Fight with your left. I saw you do it at Nanci! VOICES (_within_) _Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira! Les Aristocrats à la Lanterne!_ DE VARDES _O Richard, O mon Roi, L’univers t’abandonne!_ [_A howl from the mob._ THE MOB Aristocrats! GRÉGOIRE (_from the statue_) Desperate! [_The red caps_, DE VARDES, THE ABBÉ, _and_ DE BUC _fight across the stage and exeunt_. GRÉGOIRE _follows them_. VOICES (_within_) _Ça ira!_ _Enter women and children of the Revolution._ A WOMAN Upon the church steps I will take my stand! ANOTHER I have brought my knitting. A THIRD And I. A FOURTH And I. ALL (_singing_) _We are the tricoteuses! Dyed wool we knit while rumbles by the cart. Knit! knit! all knitting in the sun._ _We are the tricoteuses! Red wool we knit while soul and body part. Knit! knit! the knitting now is done!_ [_They seat themselves upon the church steps._