Theroyalistscontinuedtoapplaudandtoshout，“Vivelareine!“
Theiropponentstriedtosilencethembytheirhissesandwhistling。
Marat’sfaceglowedwithdemoniacalpleasure。Heturnedtotheboxesofthesecondtier，andnoddedsmilinglytothemenwhosatthere。
Atoncetheybegantocry，“Thechorus，thechorus，letthemsing，’Chantons，celebronsnotrereine!’“
“Verywell，“saidMarat。“Iamagoodroyalist，forIhavetrainedthepeopletothecry。“
“Sing，sing!“shoutedthementotheperformersonthestage——“singthechorus，’Chantons，celebronsnotrereine!’“
Andintheboxes，parquette，everywherewasthecry，“Singthechorus，’Chantons，celebronsnotrereine!’“
“No，“roaredSanterre，“no，theyshallnotsingthat!“
“No，“criedSimon，“wewillnothearthemonkey-song!“
Andhundredsofmenintheparterreandtheupperrowsofboxesechoedthecry，“No，wewillnothearthemonkey-song!“
“Thethingworkswell!“saidMarat。“Iholdmypeoplebyathread，andmakethemgesticulateandspringupanddown，liketheconcealedmaninaPunchandJudyshow。“
Thenoisewenton；theroyalistswouldnotceasetheirapplauseandtheircallsforthechorus，“Chantons，celebronsnotrereine!“Theenemiesofthequeendidnotceasehissingandshouting，“Wedonotwanttohearanythingaboutthequeen；wewillnothearthemonkey-
song!“
“Oh，wouldIhadnevercomehere!“whisperedthequeen，withtearfuleyes，asshesankbackinherarmchair，andhidherfaceinherhandkerchief。
Perhapsbecausetherealroyalistssawtheagitationofthequeen，andoutofcompassionforherwerewillingtogiveupthecontroversy——perhapsMarathadgivenasigntothefalseroyaliststhattheyhadhadenoughofshoutingandconfusion——atalleventsthecry“Vivelareine“andthecallforthechorusdiedawaysuddenly，theapplauseceased，andastheenemiesofthequeenhadnownooppositiontoencounter，nothingwaslefttothembuttobesilenttoo。
“Thefirstlittleskirmishisover!“saidMarat，restinghisbristlyheadonthebackofhisvelvetarm-chair。“Nowwewilllistentothemusicalittle，andlookattheprettytheatregirls。“
Andinfacttheoperahadnowbegun；thedirectoroftheorchestrahadtakenadvantageofthereturnofquiettogiveasigntothesingersonthestagetobeginatonce，andwithfortunatepresenceofmindhiscommandwasobeyed。
Thepublic，wearieditmaybewiththeshoutingandnoise，remainedsilent，andseemedtogiveitsattentionexclusivelytothestage，thedevelopmentoftheplot，andthenoblemusic。
MarieAntoinettebreathedfreelyagain；herpalecheeksbegantohavecoloroncemore，hereyeswereagainbright，andsheseemedtransportedbeyondthesorebattlesanddreadfuldiscordsofherlife；shelistenedrespectfullytothesweetmelodies，andthegrandharmoniesoftheteacherofheryouth，thegreatGluck。Leaningbackinherarmchair，sheallowedthemusictoflowintohersoul，andtherecollectionofpastdaysawokeafreshinhermind。Shedreamedofthedaysofherchildhood：shesawherselfagaininSchonbrunn；
shesawherteacherGluckenterthebluemusic-room，inwhichshewithhersistersusedtowaitforhim；shesawtheglowingcountenanceofhermother，thegreatMariaTheresa，enteringherroom，inordertogiveGluckaproofofherhighregard，andtoannouncetohimherselfthatMarieAntoinettehadbetrothedherselftotheDauphinofFrance，andthatshewouldsoonbidherteacherfarewell，inordertoenteruponhernewandbrilliantcareer。
Alowhuminthetheatreawakenedthequeenfromherreveries；sheraisedherselfupandleanedforward，toseewhatwasgoingon。Herglance，whichwasdirectedtothestage，felluponthesingerClairval，whowasjustthenbeginningtogive，withhiswonderfullyfullandflexiblevoice，thegreatariainwhichthefriendcomestoconsolethegrief-burdened，weepingQueenAlceste，andtodryhertearsbyassuringheroftheloveofherfaithfuladherents。
ClairvalhadadvancedintheariatothatcelebratedpassagewhichhadgiventoMarieAntoinetteahalfyearbeforeherlastgreattriumph。Itran：
“Reineinfortunee，ah!quetoncoeurNesoitplusnavrededouleur!
Ilvousresteencoredesamis!“
ButscarcelyhadClairvalbegunthefirststrophewhenthethunderingvoiceofSanterrecalled，“Noneofthat，wewillnotheartheair!“
“No，wewillnotheartheair!“shoutedhundredsandhundredsofvoices。
“PoorGluck，“whisperedMarieAntoinette，withtearsinhereyes，“becausetheyhateme，theywillnotevenhearyourmusic!“
“Singit，singit!“shoutedhundredsandhundredsofvoicesfromallpartsofthehouse。
“No，donotsingit!“roaredtheothers；“wewillnotheartheair。“
Andsuddenly，abovethecriesofthecontestants，rosealoud，yellingvoice：
“IforbidthesingerClairvaleveragainsingingthisair。Iforbiditinthenameofthepeople!“
ItwasMaratwhospokethesewords。Standingonthearm-chairofthePrincessdeLamballe，andraisinghislongarms，anddirectingthemthreateninglytowardthestage，heturnedhisface，aglowwithhateandevil，towardthequeen。
MarieAntoinette，whohadturnedherheadinalarminthedirectionwhencethevoiceproceeded，metwithhersearchinglookstheeyesofMarat，whichwerefixeduponherwithanexpressionequallysternandcontemptuous。Sheshrankback，and，asifindeadlypain，putherhandtoherheart。
“0God!“shewhisperedtoherself，“thatisnoman，thatisaninfernaldemon，whohasrisentheretotaketheplaceofmydear，sweetLamballe。Ah，thegoodspiritisgone，andthedemontakesitsplace——thedemonwhichwilldestroyusall!“
“LongliveMarat!“roaredSanterre，andhiscomrades。“LongliveMarat，thegreatfriendofthepeople，thetruepatriot!“
Maratbowedonallsides，steppeddownfromtheeasy-chair，andseatedhimselfcomfortablyinit。
Clairvalhadstoppedintheair；pale，confused，andterrified，hehadwithdrawn，andthedirectorwhisperedtotheorchestraandthesingerstobeginthenextnumber。
Theoperawenton，andthepublicagainappearedtogiveitselfduringsomescenestotheenjoymentofthemusic。Butsoonthisshortquietwastobedisturbedagain。Oneofthesingers，MadameDugazont，azealousroyalist，wantedtogivethequeenalittletriumph，andshowherthat，althoughClairvalhadbeensilenced，theloveandvenerationofDugazontwerestillaliveandreadytodisplaythemselves。
SingingastheattendantofAlceste，Dugazonthadthesewordstogiveinherpart：“Ah!commefaimelareine，commefaimemamaitresse!“
Sheadvancedclosetothefootlights，andturningherlookstowardtheroyalbox，andbowinglow，sangthewords：“Commefaimelareine，commej’aimemamaitresse!“
Andnow，asifthishadbeenthebattle-cryofanewcontest，afearfuldin，aragingtorrentofsoundbeganthroughthewholehouse。Atfirstitwasamixedandconfusedmassofcries，roars，hisses，andapplause。Nowandthensinglevoicescouldbeheardabovethehorridchaosofsounds。“Wewantnoqueen!“shoutedsome。
“Wewantnomistress!“roaredothers；andmingledwiththosewasthecontrarycry，“Longlivethequeen!Longliveourmistress!“
“Hi!“saidMarat，fullofdelight，twistinghisbonyformupintoallkindsofknots——“hi!thisisthewaytheyshoutinhell。Satanhimselfwouldlikethis!“
Moreandmorehorrible，moreandmorewildbecamethecriesoftherivalpartisans。Alreadyembitteredandexasperatedfaceswereconfrontingeachother，andhereandthereclinchedfistswereseen，threateningtobringashoutingneighbortosilencebytheuseofviolence。
Thequeen，tremblingineverylimb，hadletherheadfallpowerlesslyonherbreast，inorderthatnoonemightseethetearswhichranfromhereyesoverherdeath-likecheeks。
“0God，“whisperedshe，“wearelost，hopelesslylost，fornotmerelyourenemiesinjureus，andbringusintodanger，butourfriendsstillmore。Whymustthatwomanturntomeanddirectherwordstome？Shewantedtogivemeatriumph，andyetshehasbroughtmeanewhumiliation。“Suddenlysheshrankbackandraisedherhead。Shehadcaughtthefirsttonesofthatsharp，mockingvoice，whichhadalreadypiercedherheart，thevoiceofthatevildemonwhonowoccupiedtheplaceofthegoodPrincessLamballe。
Thevoicecried：“ThepeopleofParisareright。Wewantnoqueen!
Andmorethanallotherthings，nomistress!Onlyslavesacknowledgemastersoverthem。IftheDugazontventurestosingagain，’Ilovemyqueen，Ilovemymistress，’shewillbepunishedasslavesarepunished——thatis，shewillbeflogged!“
“Bravo，Marat，bravo!“roaredSanterre，withhissavagerabble。
“Bravo，Marat，bravo!“criedhisfriendsintheboxes；“sheshallbeflogged!“
Maratbowedonallsides，andturnedhiseyes，gleamingwithscornandhatred，towardtheroyalbox，andmenaceditwithhisclinchedfists。