“Andyoutruly，youaremyfriendSanterre，thegreatmanandthegreatestofdoctors。Forthebeerwhichyougetfromhisbreweryisabettermedicineforthepeoplethanallmyelectuariescanbe。Andyou，myworthyfriendofthehop-pole，willyoucondescendtotaketheuglymonkeyMaratonyourshoulders，thathemaytellthepeoplethegreatnewsoftheday？“
Insteadofanswering，thebrewerSanterreseizedthelittlecrookedmanbybotharms，swunghimupwithgiantstrength，andsethimonhisshoulders。
Thepeople，delightedwiththedexterityandstrengthoftheherculeanman，brokeintoaloudcheer，andapplaudedthebrewer，whomallknew，andwhowasapopularpersonageinthecity。ButMarat，too，thehorse-doctoroftheCountd’Artois，ashecalledhimselfderisively，thedoctorofpovertyandmisfortune，ashisflattererstermedhim——Marat，too，wasknowntomanyinthethrong，andafterSanterrehadbeenapplauded，theysalutedMaratwithaloudvivat，andwithboisterousclappingofhands。
Heturnedhisdistorted，uglyvisagetowardtheTuileries，whosemassiveproportionstoweredupabovetheloftytreesofthegardens，andwithathreateninggestureshookhisfistattheroyalpalace。
“Haveyouheardit，youproudgodsoftheearth？Haveyouheardthesacredthundermutteringsofmajesty？Areyounotstartledfromthesleepofyourvice，andcompelledtofalluponyourkneesandpray，aspoorsinnersdobeforetheirjudgment？Butno。Youdonotseeandyoudonothear。Yourearsaredeafandyourheartsaresealed!
BehindtheloftywallsofVersailles，whichamostviciouskingerectedforhismenusplaisirs，thereyouindulgeinyourlusts，andshutoutthevoiceoftruth，whichwouldspeaktoyouhereinParisfromthehallowedlipsofthepeople。“
“LongliveMarat!“criedthecobblerSimon，who，drawnbytheshouting，hadlefttheFranciscan，andjoinedthethronginwhosemidststoodSanterre，withMaratonhisshoulders。“Longlivethegreatfriendofthepeople!LongliveMarat!“
“LongliveMarat!“criedandmutteredthepeople。“Marathealsthepeoplewhenthegentryhavemadethemsick，andtakentheverymarrowfromtheirbones。Maratisno’gentleman。’Maratdoesnotlookdownuponthepeople!“
“Myfriends，IrepeattoyouwhatIsaidbefore，“shriekedMarat。
“Didyoueverhearofawisemanlookingdownuponthecrownprince，andthinkingmoreoftheking，whoisold，unnervedbyhisvices，andblase!You，thepeople，youarethecrownprinceofFrance，andifyou，atlast，inyourrighteousandnobleindignation，treadthetyrantunderyourfeet，thentheyoungprince，thepeople，willruleoverFrance，andthebeautifulwordsoftheBiblewillbefulfilled：
’Thereshallbeonefoldandoneshepherd。’IhavetakenthisimprovisedthroneontheshouldersofanoblecitizenonlytotellyouofanimproprietywhichtheQueenofFrancehascommitted，andofthenewusurpationwithwhichshetreadsourlawsunderherfeet，nottiredoutwithopera-houseballsandpromenadesbynight。IwillreadyoutheaddresswhichthekingsenttoParliamentto-day，andwithwhichthehearingofCardinaldeRohan’scaseistobegin。Willthepeoplehearit？“
“Yes，wewillhearit，“wasthecryfromallsides。“Readustheaddress。“
Maratdrewadirtypieceofpaperfromhispocket，andbegantoreadwithaloud，barkingvoice：
“Louis，bythegraceofGod，KingofFranceandNavarre，toourdearandfaithfulcounsellors，membersofthecourtofourParliament，greeting：
“IthascometoourknowledgethatpartiesnamedBohmerandBassengehave，withouttheknowledgeofthequeen，ourmuch-lovedconsortandspouse，soldadiamondnecklace，valuedatonemillionsixhundredthousandfrancs，toCardinaldeRohan，whostatedtothemthathewasactinginthematterunderthequeen’sinstructions。Paperswerelaidbeforethemwhichtheyconsideredasapprovedandsubscribedbythequeen。AfterthesaidBohmerandBassengehaddeliveredthesaidnecklacetothesaidcardinal，andhadnotreceivedthefirstpayment，theyappliedtothequeenherself。Wehavebeheld，notwithoutrighteousindignation，theeminentname，whichinmanywaysissodeartous，lightlyspokenof，anddeniedtherespectwhichisduetotheroyalmajesty。Wehavethoughtthatitpertainstothejurisdictionofourcourttogiveahearingtothesaidcardinal，andinviewofthedeclarationwhichhehasmadebeforeus，thathewasdeceivedbyawomannamedLamotte-Valois，wehavehelditnecessarytosecurehisperson，aswellasthatofMadameValois，inordertobringallthepartiestolightwhohavebeentheinstigatorsorabettorsofsuchaplot。Itisourwill，therefore，thatthatmattercomebeforethehighcourtofParliament，andthatitbedulytriedandjudgmentgiven。“
“Thereyouhavethisfinemessage，“criedMarat；“thereyouhavethewebofhis，whichthisAustrianwomanhaswovenaroundus。ForitisshewhohassentthismessagetoParliament。YouknowwellthatwehavenolongeraKingofFrance，butthatallFranceisonlytheTrianonoftheAustrian。Itstandsonallourhouses，writtenoverallthedoorsofgovernmentbuildings，’Deparlareine!’TheAustrianwomanistheQueenofFrance，andthegood-naturedkingonlywriteswhatshedictatestohim。Shesaysinthispaperthattheseprecautionshavebeentakeninorderthatshemaylearnwhoarethepersonswhohavejoinedintheattackuponherdistinguishedandmuch-lovedperson。Who，then，istheabettorofMadameValois？
Whohasreceivedthediamondsfromthecardinal，throughtheinstrumentalityofMadameValois？Iassert，itisthequeenwhohasdoneit。Shereceivedthejewels，andnowshedeniesthewholestory。AndnowthiswomanLamotte-Valoismustdrawthehotchestnutsoutfromtheashes。Youknowthis；soitalwaysis!Kingsmaygounpunished，theyalwayshaveabetedesouffrance，whichhastobeartheirburdens。Butnowthatacardinal，thegrandalmonerofFrance，iscompelledtobecomethebetedesouffranceforthisAustrianwoman，mustshowyou，myfriends，thatherarrogancehasreacheditshighestpoint。Shehastroddenmodestyandmoralsunderfoot，andnowshewilltreadtheChurchunderfootalso。“
“Bestill!“wasthecryonallsides。“Thecarbineersandgendarmesarecoming。Bestill，Marat，bestill!Youmustnotbearrested。WedonotwantallourfriendstobetakentotheBastile。“
Andreallyjustatthatinstant，attheentranceofthestreetthatledtothesquareonthesideoftheTuileries，appearedadivisionofcarbineers，advancingatgreatspeed。
Maratjumpedwiththespeedofacatdownfromthehugeformofthebrewer。Thecrowdopenedandmadewayforhim，andbeforethecarbineershadapproached，Marathaddisappeared。
WiththisdaybegantheinvestigationsrespectingthenecklacewhichMessrs。BohmerandBassengehadwantedtosellthequeenthroughtheagencyofCardinalBohan。ThelatterwasstillaprisonerintheBastile。Hewastreatedwithalltherespectduetohisrank。Hehadawholesuiteofapartmentsassignedtohim；hewasallowedtoretaintheserviceofbothhischamberlains，andattimeswaspermittedtoseeandconversewithhisrelatives，although，itistrue，inthepresenceofthegovernoroftheBastile。ButFoulonwasaverypiousCatholic，andkeptarespectfuldistancefromthelordcardinal，whoneverfailedonsuchoccasionstogivehimhisblessing。Inthemanyhearingswhichthecardinalhadtoundergo，thepresidentofthecommitteeofinvestigationtreatedhimwithextremeconsideration，andifthecardinalfelthimselfwearied，thesittingwaspostponedtillanotherday。Moreover，atthesehearingsthedefenderofthecardinalcouldtakepart，inordertosummonthosewitnessesoraccusedpersonswhocouldcontributetothereleaseofthecardinal，andshowthathehadbeenthevictimofadeeply-laidplot，andhadcommittednootherwrongthanthatofbeingtoozealousintheserviceofthequeen。
NewsspreadabroadofnumerousarrestsoccurringinParis。IthadbeenknownfromtheroyaldecreethattheCountessLamotte-ValoishadlikewisebeenarrestedandimprisonedintheBastile；butpeoplewereanxioustolearndecisivelywhetherCountCagliostro，thewonder-doctor，hadbeenseized。ThestoryranthatayoungwomaninBrussels，whohadbeeninvolvedintheaffair，andwhohadanextraordinaryresemblancetotheQueenMarieAntoinette，hadbeenarrested，andbroughttoParisforconfinementintheBastile。
AllParis，allFrancewatchedthiscontestwitheagerinterest，which，aftermanymonths，wasstillfarfromaconclusion，andrespectingwhichsomuchcouldbesaid。
Thefriendsofthequeenassertedthathermajestywascompletelyinnocent；thatshehadneverspokentotheCountessLamotte-Valois，andonlyoncethroughherchamberlain。Weberhadneversentheranyassistance。Butthesefriendsofthequeenwerenotnumerous，andtheirnumberdiminishedeveryday。
Thekinghadseenthenecessityofmakinggreatreductionsinthecostofmaintaininghisestablishment，andinthegovernmentoftherealm。Francehadhadduringthelastyearspoorharvests。Thepeopleweresufferingfromawantofthebarenecessitiesoflife。
Thetaxescouldnotbecollected。Areformmustbeintroduced，andthosewhobeforehadrejoicedinasuperfluityofroyalgiftshadtobecontentedwithadiminutionofthem。
Ithadbeenthequeenwhoallowedthetokensofroyalfavortopouruponherfriends，hercompanionsinTrianon，likeagoldenrain。Shehadattheoutsetdonethisoutofaheartyloveforthem。Itwassosweettocausethosetorejoicewhomsheloved；sopleasanttoseethatcharmingsmileuponthecountenanceoftheDuchessdePolignac——
thatsmilewhichonlyappearedwhenshehadsucceededinmakingothershappy。Forherselftheduchessneveraskedafavor；herroyalfriendcouldonly，afteralongstruggleandthreateningherwithherdispleasure，inducehertotakethegiftswhichwereofferedoutofareallylovingheart。
ButbehindtheDuchessDianastoodherbrotherandsister-in-law，theDukeandDuchessdePolignac，whowereambitious，proud，andavaricious；behindtheDuchessDianastoodthethreefavoritesoftheroyalsocietyinTrianon——LordsVaudreuil，Besenval，D’Adhemar——
whodesiredembassies，ministerialposts，orders，andothertokensofhonor。
DianadePolignacwasthechannelthroughwhomalltheseaddressedthemselvestothequeen；shewasthelovedfriendwhoaskedwhetherthequeencouldnotgranttheirdemands。Louisgrantedalltherequeststothequeen，andMarieAntoinettethenwenttoherlovedfriendDiana，inordertogratifyherwishes，toreceiveakiss，andtoberewardedwithasmile。
ThegreatnoblefamiliessawwithenvyanddispleasurethissupremacyofthePolignacsandthefavoritesofTrianon。Theywithdrewfromthecourt；gavethe“QueenofTrianon“overtoherspecialfriendsandtheircitizenpleasuresandsports，which，astheyasserted，werenotbecomingtothegreatnobility。Theygavethekingovertohiswifewhoruledthroughhim，andwho，inturn，wasgovernedbythePolignacsandtheotherfavorites。Tothemandtotheirfriendsbelongedallplaces，allhonors；tothemallappliedwhowantedtogainanythingforthecourt，andeventheywhowantedtogetjusticedonethem。Aroundtheroyalpairtherewasnothingbutintrigues，cabals，envy，andhostility。Everyonewantedtobefirstinthefavorofthequeen，inordertogaininfluenceandconsideration；everyonewantedtocastsuspicionontheonewhowasnexttohim，inordertosupplanthiminthefavorofMarieAntoinette。