As André's final words echoed through the chamber, a sudden and heavy silence fell over the Cordeliers Club. Then, from the far side of the hall, came a few crisp claps—Camille Desmoulins had begun to applaud. Others quickly joined in, their cheers swelling until the room erupted in applause and praise.
The circle of journalists, writers, and lawyers spontaneously rallied behind André.
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it! I must write this down and publish it in Le Révolté de Paris," said Bouffard.
"And 'Only fools flaunt their brutish violence'—that line is gold," added Fréron.
"And this: 'In the din of violence, the voice of law becomes too faint to hear.' Brilliant," Séchelles chimed in.
Infuriated, Hébert and his two companions stepped forward menacingly, but Legendre, Desmoulins, and their friends quickly moved to intercept them, creating a human barrier between the factions. From the corner of the hall, Hoche also rushed over, his fists clenched like a loyal bodyguard, placing himself squarely in front of André.
Even Laclos moved into the fray, while Captain Brune hesitated—only for a moment. Seeing where the rest of the club stood, he made the wise choice and aligned himself with the winning side.
Nine against three, with seasoned military men in the majority—Hébert's side didn't stand a chance. Assessing the odds, Hébert and his cronies slunk out of the Cordeliers Club, defeated.
Like every failed demagogue, Hébert paused at the door and turned back with a sneer. "This isn't over," he growled.
His threat was met with a chorus of mockery and laughter.
André's supporters surged forward to congratulate him. They clapped his back, shook his hand, and offered their praises, as if hailing a triumphant orator in the Forum of Rome.
But while the others celebrated, Laclos stood apart, reflecting on André's entrance and performance.
"Excellent," thought the agent of the Duke of Orléans.
Laclos knew, as everyone else in the room likely did, who André was and why he had come. But beyond Legendre and that young soldier Hoche, no one had truly backed him—until now. André had astutely chosen Hébert's faction as his rhetorical target. By attacking the vulgar and universally disliked faction, he immediately won over the journalists and men of letters. And once he provoked a reaction, the soldiers had no choice but to side with order.
Laclos was already planning his next report to the Duke. This man, André, had potential.
Desmoulins stepped forward and addressed André. "Tell us your plan, now. Danton made it clear—we are to support you with everything we have."
Fabre, Fréron, Séchelles, Legendre, Hoche, Brune, and Laclos all nodded in agreement. In time, they would become known as the Moderates—the followers of Danton.
Time was of the essence. André didn't hesitate. He stepped up to the crude central podium and began.
"First," he said, "I want as many newspapers as possible to cover the April 17 trial. That includes yours, Fabre, and Brissot's, Fréron's, Tallien's, and of course, yours, Camille. We must also extend invitations to Fouché and Louvet's papers, even if they're against us. The more coverage, the better."
Desmoulins frowned. "Fouché and Louvet? They're monarchists."
André nodded. "Exactly. I don't need their approval—I need their attention. Even if they publish slander, the court case becomes a matter of public interest."
He turned to Fréron and Legendre. "Second, I need at least fifty small purses, each containing fifty livres. Any journalist willing to attend and write in support of justice gets a purse. Same for any cooperating bailiffs and clerks."
No one objected. Everyone in the Parisian press knew such 'support' was standard practice. They were just impressed by André's meticulous planning.
André pulled another document from his case. "Third, I need a letter to Mayor Bailly from the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, inquiring about an astronomical question. The text is ready."
Laclos stepped forward. "I'll handle it. The letter will be in his hands in three days."
"Fourth," André continued, "I need a thousand copies of this peaceful petition printed and distributed. We'll start tomorrow—two shifts per day. They'll plaster it across all forty-eight districts: squares, markets, parks, cafés, clubs, and militia camps. Let the people know: the trial will be broadcast live."
Brune took the petition. As a militia officer, he had connections across the city. Desmoulins would assist with printing. Hoche would recruit swift-footed, loud-voiced messengers for the day of the trial.
"Fifth," André said, "thanks to Marat, I've secured the support of Commune Member Pillon-Valens. He'll speak at the Assembly to denounce the tax farmers and invite just-minded deputies like Robespierre and Prieur to attend the trial. But Fabre—we need new dirt. The old pamphlets are stale."
Fabre hesitated. "People still need to believe it."
"Then get Jacques-Louis David to co-sign it," suggested Séchelles.
"The ugly one with the tumor?" Fabre winced.
"The same. He once courted Lavoisier's wife at a salon—got humiliated. He's burning with rage. Just bring it up. He'll spill everything."
Fréron frowned. "David alone won't be enough."
Laclos handed André a note: Faujas de Saint-Fond, member of the Academy.
A bitter rival of Lavoisier's, known for his envy despite public praise. André passed the note to Fabre with a quiet nod.
"Oh," said Séchelles suddenly, "add the Du Pont family to the list. Someone would be… grateful."
André nodded without hesitation. "Factional politics, after all." The Du Ponts were bound for America anyway.
"Legendre," André continued, "assemble a group of former Châtelet detainees—mostly peasants arrested for tax resistance. Have them demonstrate peacefully outside the courthouse, with banners. Tell them: if police intervene, don't resist. If thugs attack, claim they're tax farmer lackeys. Fred—give your toughest-looking men these new names."
"And the patrolmen?" Legendre asked.
"I've arranged everything," André said. "As long as we keep it nonviolent, the patrols will look the other way. If troublemakers harass our messengers or crowds, the police will intervene—on our behalf."
André turned to Séchelles. "Lastly, I would be honored if you joined me at the trial as co-counsel."
"It would be my pleasure," Séchelles replied, forgetting entirely that he had once rebuffed Marat's plea for help. The sheer scope of André's plan had overwhelmed him. Whether they won or lost in court hardly mattered now—his name would echo alongside André's.
"Won't Hébert and his lot try to sabotage this?" Desmoulins asked.
"They won't dare," André said, waving his hand dismissively. "No one will stop justice."
"They're Marat's men," Fréron warned softly. "The Ami du peuple might take offense."
"Let him," André replied. "We're all equals in this revolution. No one should be another's slave."
André was already thinking ahead. With Danton's support, he could supplant Marat as the true leader of the Cordeliers Club.
Legendre raised the last, most pressing issue: "André, to execute your plan, we'll need funds. A lot—at least eight thousand livres."
"Make it ten," André replied casually, nodding toward Laclos, who smiled and gave a subtle shake of his purse.
The meeting adjourned. Everyone went to prepare their tasks.
André pulled aside the gloomy Hoche and clapped him on the back. "You see now, the filth of politics? We all claim to revere Rousseau. We can quote The Social Contract and On Inequality by heart. But in practice? Power is the only truth."
"Then I should stop reading politics?" Hoche asked.
"Exactly. Read strategy. Vauban's Siege Works, Luxembourg's Memoirs. Be a soldier—your mission is the battlefield."
"Will there really be a foreign invasion?"
"Not now," André said. "But one day."
"By whom? Prussia? Austria? Spain? Russia? Britain?"
"Who knows? Only God."
—
As Hébert stormed out of the Cordeliers Club, his mind already raced with plans to recruit Chaumette from the Lombard district. He sent Simon and Ronçon to contact the mad butcher Maillard and the lunatic Jacques-Lou from Gravilliers. Together, they would derail André's peaceful campaign.
But they never got far. Just past the Théâtre-Français district, they were intercepted by a squad of Parisian police. Batons, daggers, and tri-fold sabers in hand, the officers dragged them into a prison cart bound for the outskirts.
"Come out," barked a harsh voice once the cart was gone.
Meldar stepped hesitantly from behind a tree.
"Detective Javert," he said.
Javert extended a hand. Meldar passed him a folded note.
"Hmph." Javert grunted and nodded. Meldar fled like a deer escaping a lion.
Javert read the note: "Your instincts were correct. The maid Marissa is involved. Come to 156 Rue Saint-Jacques after the trial—I'll show you the proof."
"Always the drama," Javert muttered. He balled the note and swallowed it whole.
Months ago, André had helped Javert—then just a sergeant—solve several high-profile cases. Thanks to those efforts, the 31-year-old had recently been promoted.
Now, he was repaying the favor: chasing Marat from the country, detaining Hébert's crew, and safeguarding the 17th.
In truth, André had no personal militia or base of power. He was operating under borrowed influence—Danton's charisma, Marat's reputation, the judiciary's authority.
But power, once tasted, is hard to resist.
André had found his voice. One day, perhaps, he too would stand in the National Assembly—one of 745 tyrants. The storms to come? He chose not to remember them.
Power is a sweet poison.
Once tasted, it is never refused.
Note:
- Fréron: Louis Fréron, a radical journalist during the French Revolution. Son of a famous Enlightenment writer, he later shifted toward conservatism and played a key role in political propaganda.
- Fabre: Fabre d'Églantine, a playwright and revolutionary writer. Known for his satirical works and close alliance with Danton and Desmoulins. He also helped draft the revolutionary calendar.
- Séchelles: Hérault de Séchelles, a noble-born lawyer and Jacobin. Charismatic and eloquent, he advocated constitutional reform and was known for his dashing appearance and romantic escapades.
- Legendre: Claude Legendre, a butcher-turned-revolutionary. Vice president of the Cordeliers Club, known for his blunt honesty and steadfast loyalty to the Dantonist faction.
- Brune: Guillaume Brune, a self-made officer in the National Guard who later became one of Napoleon's marshals. Early on, he aligned with Danton and supported controlled reform.
- Laclos: Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, author of *Dangerous Liaisons*, also served as a secret agent for the Duke of Orléans. Known for his cunning intelligence and political manipulation.
- Hébert: Jacques Hébert, editor of the radical *Le Père Duchesne* newspaper. A leader of the ultra-revolutionary Hébertists, he pushed for de-Christianization and was later executed by the Jacobins.
- Desmoulins: Camille Desmoulins, journalist and lawyer who famously sparked the storming of the Bastille. A close friend of Danton, he later fell victim to the Reign of Terror himself.
- Brissot: Jean-Pierre Brissot, leader of the Girondins. Advocated for revolutionary wars and moderate reforms. A proponent of press freedom and constitutional government, he was executed in 1793.