第3章 Chapter 2 Next day: At The Town Hall

Today there has been a lot of trouble. After lunch, Mama said to me: “You must wear your grey dress. It has a high neck.” I didnt want to wear it. But Julie shouted: “Youre going to see our member of parliament. You cant wear a dress with a low neck. You would look like ---- like a sailors girl!”

So I went in. “Desiree ! Dont touch my things on your lips. And take those handkerchiefs out of the front of your dress. You cant go out like that.” I didnt answer. I was ready to leave, and Mama was waiting for me below. Mama didnt seem to notice the handkerchiefs. She filled two glasses with wine. Then she gave one to Suzanne and one to me.

“Drink it slowly,” she said. “It will give you courage.” Mama has never given me wine before. She ahs always said: “wait till youre grown up.” Now even Julie cant say that Im a child. Mama has given me wine. Suzanne and I walked very fast through the streets. Inside the Town Hall, a man stopped us. “You want to see Albitte?” Write your name and your reasons on this piece of paper. If you cant write, Ill do it for you. That will cost --- He looked at our clothes. How much did he dare to ask?

“I can write.” Suzanne said quickly. He took our piece of paper into an office. When he came back, he said: “You may wait in that room. Everyone there wants to see Albitte. Your name will be called.” We waited for hours. Sometimes I shut my eyes. When I opened them, there were always fewer people in the room. At last I really went to sleep.

Then a vice broke through my dreams. “Wake up, mademoiselle! You cant stay here all night.” I opened my eyes. I was in a dark room. A young man with a lamp was standing beside me. “Dont be afraid,” this strange man said. His voice was soft, but it had a foreign sound. It wasnt a Frenchmans voice. Was I still in a dream?

“Im sorry,” he continued politely. “But Im going home, and Im shutting this office.” Office? What was I doing in an office? Suddenly I remembered. I was in the Town Hall. But why was I alone with this man? “Who are you? ” I asked. “And where is Suzanne?” “My name is Joesph Bonaparte. Im helping Monsieur Albitte with his work. I dont know Suzanne, but she isnt here. Albittes last visitor went two hours ago. And now Im going too. Come along, young lady.”

“But I must wait fir Suzanne,” I said. “If I go home without her, therell be terrible trouble. Shes my brother Etiennes wife, Etienne Clare. The police arrested him yesterday. We wanted Albitte to free him. People say that Albitte is a kind man. He wont allow Etienne to be guillotined. Etienne isnt a nobleman, you know.”

He looked at me strangely. “Perhaps Albitte is too kind. Monsieur Robespierre sent me with him for that reason. Come into the office. Ill look at the documents on his desk.” Oh, dear! One of Robespierres men! And Robespierre is the curellest man in France. He even arrests his own friends. Perhaps he has never read the Rights of Man.

“Here it is. Etienne Clare, a silk merchant.” He smiled. “Yes. Albitte has freed your brother. Perhaps Suzanne was so happy that she forgot you. But whats the matter, mademoiselle?” I was crying. I couldnt stop. The tears ran down my face. Then I remembered the handkerchiefs, and I put my hand inside my dress. Two, three, four little handkerchiefs came out and dried my tears. The young man couldnt hide his surprise.

“I wanted to look grown up,” I explained. I was feeling rather ashamed. “My family think that Im still a child.” “You arent a child. Youre a young lady now,” said Monsieur Bonaparte. “And Im going to take you home. A young lady mustnt walk alone in the dark. It isnt safe.” It was true. And I liked him. But what would you my family say? “Youre very kind,” I began, “but I cant -----”

He laughed. “You cant refuse an offer from a friend of Robespierre, can you?” So of course I had to agree.