"The Bastile
must be destroyed before the representation of this piece would not
appear as a dangerous inconsequence. This man ridicules every thing
which in a state ought to be esteemed and respected."
"This piece will not then be represented?" asked Marie Antoinette,
at the close of the reading.
"No, certainly not!" exclaimed Louis, "you can be convinced of it;
this piece will not be represented."
But the clamor, the longings for this representation were more and
more loudly expressed, and more and more pressing. It was in vain
that the king by his decree forbade its already-announced
representation in the theatre of the menus plaisirs. Beaumarchais
cried aloud to the murmuring audience, who complained very loudly
against this tyranny, against this oppression of the king, the
consoling words: "Well, sirs, the king desires that my drama be not
represented here, but I swear that it will be represented, perhaps
even in the chancel of Notre Dame."
It was soon apparent that Beaumarchais' words and the wishes of the
public opinion were stronger than the words and the wishes of the
king and of his highest officers.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173