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Marat’s lack of a fixed address, along with the high anxiety caused by the concerted efforts of the police, National Guard, and National Asseiletheir tiony of itchy, red sores Marcus prescribed a vinegar wash to quiet the infla like the devil, but it brought Marat relief—so ar-soaked cloth around his head The sharp tang announced his presence long before he appeared, and Veronique dubbed hirier and aired out her back room whenever Marat slept there so as not to tip off the authorities
While Marat hid, Marcus spent late May and June digging out the Cha wheelbarrows of dirt to the side of a vast oval arena so that Paris could properly celebrate the first anniversary of the stor of the Bastille come July Marat was the only creature of their acquaintance who did not participate in the excavation, pleading a bad back and sore hands due to thescreeds against his political rivals
With Marat increasingly convinced that there were vast conspiracies at work to undo the Revolution, and Veronique busy recruiting new members of the Cordeliers Club for Danton, Marcus found hi more time with Lafayette As head of the National Guard and author of France’s new draft constitution, the marquis was up to his neck in plans for the July celebrations He had ordered troops from all over the country into Paris—one of Marat’s conspiracies argued that Lafayette did so to proclai, food, and amusements for thereet the visitors ere arriving to join in the festivities Even the royal family was slated to attend the fete
Given the presence of the king, queen, and heir to the throne, as well as hundreds of thousands of intoxicated Parisians, foreign dignitaries, and armed soldiers, Lafayette was understandably concerned about safety His anxiety mounted when Marat announced his opposition to the planned spectacle, bringing the si animosity between Marcus’s two friends to a vitriolic boil
“‘Blind citizens whoe of the abyss,’” Lafayette read aloud fro to cause a riot?”
“Jean-Paul doesn’t think people are listening to his calls for equality,” Marcus said, trying to explain Marat’s position
“He publishes one shrill call to tear society apart after another We have no choice but to listen” Lafayette tossed L’ami du peuple on his desk
They were seated in Lafayette’s private cabinet, the doors to the small balcony open to the heavy July air Lafayette’s house was luxurious, but not as large as the Hôtel de Clermont The marquis had deliberately chosen a residence that was less ostentatious than those of most aristocrats, and decorated it with si with their children Anastasie and Georges, had gladly left Versailles to enjoy life as a family on the rue de Bourbon
Lafayette’s page entered, a letter in his hand
“Monsieur Tho for you in the salon”
“There is no need for such cerereet him here”
Marcus leaped to his feet “The Thomas Paine?”
“There is only one, alas” Lafayette straightened his waistcoat and his hile his servant fetched his American visitor
After what seemed like an eternity to Marcus, the servant returned With hilish country parson, dressed in severe black fro to provide a dash of contrast apart fro and bulbous, the end of it angled slightly to the right The left side of his ave him the odd appearance of so clay
“Ah, Mr Paine You found us Adrienne will be sorry to miss you She is with her family at the moment”
“Monsieur” Paine bowed
“But I have some consolation, as well as some refreshment,” Lafayette said More servants appeared with tea anda word “This is reat ad, and can recite Common Sense chapter and verse Marcus de Clermont, my friend Thomas Paine”
“Sir” Marcus returned Paine’s polite bow, but was then overcome with emotion He rushed to him with an extended hand “Allowliberty to A the war”
“I have done nothing, except cast a light on self-evident truths,” Paine replied, taking Marcus’s hand in his own Somewhat to Marcus’s surprise, it was a perfectly ordinary handshake He had long suspected Paine was a Freemason like the rest of them “Marcus de Clermont, you say? I believe you knew Dr Franklin”
“Marcus and Dr Franklin spent ether,” Lafayette said, ushering Paine to a chair “His death was a blow to all who believe in freedom, not least to his friends who could sorely use his advice in these troubled times”
News of Franklin’s death reached Marcus a few days after he and Marat returned to France His friend had died of pleurisy, the infection causing an abscess that had ined Franklin would live forever, so powerful was his personality
“A great loss indeed And ould you ask Dr Franklin, if he were here?” Paine inquired gently of Lafayette, taking a cup of tea with thanks
Lafayette pondered the question, struggling over his anshile he fiddled with the teapot and strainer He preferred coffee, and was not as familiar with the equipment as he should be Marcus, who had been trained in the proper handling of it by his mother, rescued the marquis from certain disaster and poured his own cup of tea
“The marquis is troubled by Monsieur Marat,” Marcus explained as he poured “Jean-Paul does not like insincerity, and feels that the Bastille celebration is frivolous”
“Insincere! How dare he?” Lafayette cried, putting his cup down on its saucer with a clatter “I can be accused of s, Doc, but not my devotion to liberty”
“Then you have nothing to fear,” Paine said, blowing on his tea to cool it so that he could take a sip “I have heard that Marat opposes all attempts at reconciliation between those who support his views, and those who are more moderate”
“Marat is a menace,” Lafayette said “I do not trust him”
“Perhaps that is why he does not trust you,” Paine replied
Another servant interrupted the in his master’s ear
“Madame de Clermont has come,” Lafayette announced, face wreathed in smiles “Hoonderful She will not want tea Fetch wine for her, at once Mada come all the way from Auteuil”
Marcus had not seen his grandmother since he returned froiven how many of her invitations he had refused in order to please Veronique He stood, nervous, as Ysabeau de Cler Her pris of blue forget-reen eyes and the touch of color in her cheeks more evident And the tilt of her broad-bri
“Mada her faardens inside with you What a happy surprise that you ca with Monsieur Paine about the fete Will you join us?”
“Marquis” Ysabeau bea on you, when Adrienne said you were home alone I have just corown Anastasie is es—what a rascal he is” ’s lack of a fixed address, along with the high anxiety caused by the concerted efforts of the police, National Guard, and National Asseiletheir tiony of itchy, red sores Marcus prescribed a vinegar wash to quiet the infla like the devil, but it brought Marat relief—so ar-soaked cloth around his head The sharp tang announced his presence long before he appeared, and Veronique dubbed hirier and aired out her back room whenever Marat slept there so as not to tip off the authorities