"A French-Polish Coproduction" "What are you doing?" "It's just wood" " lt's only firewood for Paris" " We'll check it anyway" "I want those books checked too!" "Take nothing for granted" "Spare no-one!" "Go away!" "Leave me alone!" "Spring 1 794 Year 11 of the Republic" "A good revolutionary must be hardy" " Article One -"All men are born free and equal" ""Social distinctions..." ""...can only be founded..." ""...on common interest" " The principle ..." " The goal..." ""The goal of all political associations is the good of the nation" ""Liberty is the right to do anything..." "...not harmful to..." " Your fellow men" "Why is there still no bread?" "They're blaming the war" "The bread shortage has nothing to do with the war. lt's a ploy..." "By whom?" "Those who want to discredit the government and make the people revolt" " Or it's the government" " To what end?" "Power corrupts, it's an old story" "You speak for Robespierre?" "They're starting early this morning" " Who's that?" " An emigre, caught on his way out" "He's so handsome" "You make them walk there now?" " The walk back won't be so easy" " Not with your head under your arm" "Give me your card" " Why?" "What have I done?" " Your card" "But I've done nothing wrong - will you cut off my head?" "Look!" "It's him!" "It's Danton" ""The despot says:" "let many innocents die rather than have one culprit escape" ""The Public Safety Committee sees despotism as a necessary measure" ""They agree with Machiavelli that the greater good excuses minor evils..." ""...that liberty, like a child, needs tears and pain to reach maturity" ""ln fact, the mere desire for liberty is enough to make one free" ""The people won their right to freedom the day they claimed it: 1 4th July" ""The final safeguard against despotism is a free press" ""lf Moscow had a free press it would be a republic tomorrow" " "lf it's destroyed in France..."" " Be quiet" " Has it been distributed?" " No, it's still at the printer's" "What are you waiting for?" "Citizen barbers, come in" "Greetings and fraternity!" "What a fine day!" "Spring is here at last" "You don't look too well" "Well, you've been ill for five weeks" "We'll soon fix that" "Hairpins..." "Tomorrow I'll trim your hair" "What are you doing?" "Hiron, you have no right" "You should arrest Camille Desmoulins" "He's right, he's just a printer" "Sorry, we have no orders to arrest you, Citizen Desmoulins" "No, I'd rather not look" "Come back tomorrow, as usual" "You're better" "How fortunate" "Danton is back" "He's plotting a coup" " Have you read it?" " Not yet" "Desmoulins urges the people to rise against the Committees" "All of Paris is talking about a coup d'etat and a dictatorship" "Who's the man?" "No name's been mentioned yet, but I think it's..." "Danton!" "Has he gone mad?" "The Republic will be spared much grief if we send Danton to the guillotine now" "Danton is an idol" "He's not really dangerous" "If it isn't him... it's Desmoulins" "Real bread, citizen?" " Yes, but there's no sugar" " Never mind" " There's no sugar" " Thank you, I haven't slept I'm exhausted" "Danton is behind those attacks, Camille Desmoulins is in thrall to him" " What is our true goal, Antoine?" " The triumph of the Revolution" "But not at any price; why all this carnage?" "There are easier ways" "Such as?" "Desmoulins and Danton will be beheaded whatever you say" "is it really so cold?" "Can I have my coat, please?" "is your fever up?" "It'll pass" "Don't you dare stare at him" ""Committees Equal Dictatorship"" "The attacks against the government are growing too frequent" "Desmoulins' newspaper calls for war on the Committees" " l accuse Danton and his friends..." " Forgive me, I'm a little late" "Just like school I accuse Danton and his friends of counter-revolutionary activity" "Would you deprive the Revolution of its best servants?" "You can't be serious" "You surprise me, Robespierre" " Danton, a servant of the Revolution?" " You're raving" "No, Billaud, I remember even if you don't" "You forget all that Danton has done in your eagerness to cut him down" "Citizens... lt was he who got the ball rolling by setting up our revolutionary cell in 1 790 and 1 791 - remember that!" "Remember the Champ de Mars massacre?" "Danton instigated it" "Then fled to the country" "Let's stop all this" "The letter found in Mirabeau's safe openly denounced Danton's plotting" "Can we trust a traitor's word?" "Lawyers' tricks ln any case, we cannot base such a serious charge on rumours alone I insist we call citizen Amar" "Amar of the Security Committee ln no case can I allow Danton to go on trial" "Robespierre, you're afraid I know it's easier to execute him, but I say that his good faith is beyond question" "Killing this defenceless man is barbaric and senseless" " Defenceless" " Quite!" "His only weapon was that newspaper" "Was?" "I had the paper closed down" "Desmoulins will replace it with another" " Then we shall..." " Eliminate Camille!" "No, we'll win him over" "Camille's our most fervent propagandist" "Citizen Amar..." "You have evidence against Danton" "Go on!" "Read it!" "Are you praying?" "What I'm about to say must remain confidential" "Citzens, like all of you, I doubt Danton's good faith" "At last!" "And yet..." "Yet I object categorically to his execution" "Justice is a divine virtue, hence unattainable" "The Revolutionary Tribunal cannot embody justice lt can only be a tool to punish the nation's enemies" "But it cannot clamp down on criminals" "Fabre, Danton and the rest are guilty of numerous crimes" "The axe will fall on Fabre who undermines the Revolution" "But we won't touch Danton who bears the most blame" "Executing Danton would only plunge the bourgeoisie into counter-revolution" "The Convention would rise against us" "We'd shake the people's faith in the Revolution" "And in that case we'd have to rule by terror alone" "You know what that means?" "Terror is despair, nothing else" "Yes, I'm afraid" "So afraid of terror that to avoid it I'll make any compromise, stoop to the basest humiliation any lie" "The traitor, Danton, must be granted an exorbitant favour: amnesty" "For the good of the country, we must submit" "We can't afford to be just" "You're here, at last!" " So you're back" " Yes, I was bored" " l've come for my orders" " What orders?" "Here's what I say: first, free all the prisoners I'll summon our fighting men, raid the Convention and kill the leaders" "Splendid!" "I wish you luck" "But you don't understand, Robespierre's on the move" "The Committee is about to pounce on us, and you, after what you've done" "Why me?" "What have I done?" "Not much, but if the Supreme Judge is mentioned and your name comes up " "Easily done" ""Danton is after a dictatorship!" One single whisper, and you've had it" "Who'd dare condemn me?" "The Committee, of course" " Robespierre's on his feet again" " Oh, that puny Committee" "You're so sure of yourself" "Use your head, Westermann, I have all of Paris behind me lt's now or never, believe me" "It's a wonder you're still free lt's not a miracle, it's because you're my friend" "They cannot arrest my friends I have one thing Robespierre lacks:" "my newspaper lt makes me far more powerful than that powdered charlatan" "Does that reassure you?" "The paper's been seized, the printer arrested" "Very reassuring!" "We've had it" "Can't you say hello, Camille?" "And you, Lucille, how are you?" "Maybe we've gone too far lf you're scared, run to Robespierre, tell him I forced you to write" "Stop it, I did what I had to do!" "I urged the people to end the terror" "Now it's your turn to make a move, otherwise my action was pointless" " We must act at once" " Why?" " The printer - l know" " Don't you care for your life?" " Of course" "What about yours?" " We must strike" " You talk like a butcher" "This is politics." "Come, use your heads" "So Camille's humiliated Robespierre" "To salvage his prestige he arrests the printer and seizes the paper lt's a provocation" "He just wants us to show our hand." "So we do nothing, we stay calm" "Understand?" "Calm" " Philippeaux wants you" " Who's he?" "Liberal?" "Moderate?" "A spotless record, he's perfect for us" " You're for attacking the Committee?" " Not yet I'm also thinking it over" " l'd like to know what you're after" " So would I" " Would you end the terror?" " Would you topple the government?" "I'd join you if I trusted your motives" "Don't you believe me?" "Why?" "You formed the Revolutionary Tribunal and voted to execute the king" "So did you" "This leads nowhere" "Did I ask for your help?" "Georges, Phillippeaux and his kind want to support you" "Reassure them you won't abuse your power" " l don't want power" " You say that now" "No, I don't want power. I'm 35 and I look 60, I'm tired I'd like to retire" "But first I must end the terror, because I'm partly to blame for it" "Fine words, but we know you too well" "You're rich enough to give up politics" "Take care, Philippeaux!" "It's you who asked to talk to me" "Calm down, Georges" "All right, I'm listening, but make it short, what do you want?" "Disarm the Public Safety Committee, it has outlived its usefulness" "Do it without causing an upheaval." "Only you can do it" "Frankly, you disgust me, but I've decided to back you" "Thank you, I'm flattered." "How will you do it?" "With armed men, if need be" " Are you worried?" " Yes, everyone is" " You really want to move?" " Strike now..." "I told you lnsurrection is a terrible, uncontrollable force... no!" "Robespierre has one weakness: his secret police, loathed by everyone" "Bourdon, in the Convention today, attack a top secret agent" " Hiron?" " Yes, for example" "Accuse him, mention informers, searches - the nation will support you lt'll say this is its last hope for freedom, and we are that last hope" " ls that enough?" " Yes, they'll calm down" "So will Robespierre." "Go on" "Georges is right" "Always heed your wife, it'll be the start of a new era" "Then back to our modest, quiet lives" "Yours will be quiet and ours modest lf you see poverty as a revolutionary virtue, join Robespierre" "And you change printers" "What can be more destructive, more anti-Republican than this invisible police, with its numerous informers that infiltrates everywhere, spreading lies and threats?" "This police which endangers individual liberty which foments mistrust between fathers and sons and sees itself as above the law?" "This police is headed by an ex-criminal named Hiron who, under the guise of..." "Who, under the guise of public service, settles private scores and openly favours the rogues he recruits" "He seems in a rush, where's he going?" "The Committee, of course, got up as soon as Hiron was mentioned" "The Convention voted to arrest Hiron" "Our best man?" "Lose him and we lose control of Paris" "So much for your defenceless Danton I want to see him today" "See that traitor?" "Set up the meeting" "This session is over" "You'd lower yourself to ask Danton to receive you?" "When it comes to the good of the nation, I'd stoop to anything" "I've just spoken to the Committee Secretary" "Some members are accusing you of high treason" " Just me?" " The others too, all of them" "Robespierre agrees?" " l don't know yet. I'm going" " Afraid?" "I'd rather not be seen with you" "No, change all that, please" "Only blue flowers, he only likes blue" "New style turbot, formerly "maitre d'hotel"" "We'll start with stuffed cucumber" "Then vol-au-vents" "Vol-au-vents in "Convention sauce"" "Formerly known as caper sauce" "Quails "emigre" style with onions" "And to finish, fruit in Varennes sauce" " ls it to your satisfaction?" " Perfectly, thank you I'd have made him wait, dressed carelessly, anything... but not this" " lt's a gesture, it's now or never" " Just leave me alone!" "Go home" "Let me see him humiliated, please" "Go home!" "You too, Bourdon" "No!" "Certainly not!" " l must know how to vote - l said go home!" "Everybody out" "Now that's blue, exactly" "Get rid of all these people, quick - l must be alone" "Right away" "Clear out, all of you" "Sorry, security" "Good evening. I kept you waiting, I'm sorry" "No matter, for once we're alone together" "Just you and me" " ls everything all right, citizens?" " Fine, thank you" " Would you like some?" " No, thank you" "And this?" " Magnificent, isn't it?" " No, thank you" " A quail, perhaps?" " No, thank you lt's not poisoned." "Look" "Delicious!" "No?" "Sit down" " You're really not hungry?" " No, thank you" "What do you want?" "To talk frankly with you" "Haven't you always?" "Why did you attack Hiron?" "Why did you arrest Dessenne and ban the paper?" "I must protect the government, but I don't understand you" "They say that you are plotting lt's not true, you know I'm as pure as snow" "Your many enemies want you dead" "You too?" "Stop attacking me and I give you my word you'll have nothing to fear" "Because I do now?" "I thought you didn't drink?" "To our understanding" "What do you want?" "I like your directness" "State publicly that you're joining us" " l can't" " Why?" "Because I don't approve of the government, I have that right" "But not to proclaim it." "Especially not you" "You expect me to bow down to them?" "You think you're above the government?" "The individual is above the masses" "We both despise the Committees, but I say so" "They mustn't come between us" "Not the Committee, not the government - nobody" "Divided, we both fall lf you continue your reign of terror I cannot support you, no one will" "The people, our strength, will destroy the Revolution" "Who's to blame?" "Not I, and certainly not you." "So it must be the nature of things I've never believed in the nature of things" "Nor I ln fact, our convictions are the same" "Not any more" "We fought a revolution in the name of righteousness and equality" "Now you chop off any head that stands out - was that our goal?" "I defend the people where no one did" "Against whom?" "Men who grow rich from the Revolution" "Yes or no?" "You want men to act like the heroes in novels" "You forget we're made of flesh and blood" "You want to raise us to heights where we can't breathe" "And so you isolate the Revolution, you freeze it" "Even the most fervent recoil" "Your advice?" "Come back to our level, right away" "Stop the revolutionary impetus and you kill the Revolution" "People want to eat and sleep in peace" "Without bread there's no law, freedom, justice - no Republic" "To hell with the Committees l admire you" "I'd love to follow you, but not just anywhere" "I just want to provide normal living conditions for 80% of the people" "Come now, I know you" "We're not at the Tribunal" "That's not all you want" "Men shouldn't stay in power too long" "You dream of power?" "I don't have to, I've got it" "The only real power:" "from the man in the street I understand him and he understands me, never forget that I shan't, but don't forget that I'll stop at nothing to ensure his happiness" "You want his happiness" "You know nothing of the people" "How could you?" "Look at yourself!" "You don't drink, you're powdered" "Swords make you faint, and they say you've never had a woman" "For whom do you speak?" "You want to make men happy but you're no man" "I'll show you the people" "Let's take a walk through the streets" "Forgive me I've always been brutal and clumsy" "I woke up last night thinking: how could we two have been driven apart?" "How could we two be taken for enemies?" "It makes no sense" "We must stop it at once" "Then do as I ask" "What's that?" "I'm asking you to join us l went to the country to think things over, and I'll tell you something" "Frankly, quite frankly... I'd rather be executed than executioner" "You're drunk lf you insist..." "You see this head?" "Do you see it?" "Feel it?" "It's you who'll have to cut it off" "I'm sorry, we both made a mistake" "Good night" "I have witnesses who heard everything" "That's why I said nothing" " Where did he go?" " What happened?" "Now I've got him" "I've got him!" "So, I got it wrong?" "Now you see, we must put an end to the Committees" "You were wrong about Robespierre" "Come now!" "Quickly!" " They're waiting" " There's no point" "Your plan is childish lt 's now or never!" " Come with me" " No!" "No more bloodshed - that's what I'm fighting for" "That's what I'm fighting for" "You say that to me?" "Yes, to you" "You'd see your friends' blood flow?" " lt's good to see you" " How's your mother?" "Worse than ever" "This is Sophie... from Nantes" "Go to your meeting I can't come tonight" "Are you coming?" "What happened?" "Why are you silent?" " Tell me!" " lt's war" " Danton forced the issue" " What?" "Robespierre is due for a lesson" "Tell me what happened, everything they said I don't know, I couldn't hear very well" "That's what I've been dreading" "For three months I've had these forebodings" "is your husband in?" " l'm glad you came" " Why?" "You've changed a lot I don't know... you're like a stranger now I've aged, if that's what you mean" "That's not it, but..." "Maxime, is he really in danger?" "Yes, he is" "You're my only hope" "Tell me, why did you reject him, why did you abandon him?" "It was the other way round" "Really?" "Then I misunderstood" "How could you?" "Camille was your friend" "That's why I came I said I was out" "We must talk, it's serious" "Why bother?" "Listen!" "You're in grave danger." "I came to warn you" "You don't realise, your life's at stake" "Your friend Danton is using you" "He's exploiting your talent, unscrupulously" "He's only interested in personal ambition" "That's not real friendship, it's a dubious alliance" "Enough!" "You don't frighten me" "He who fights for freedom does not fear the ultimate price: death" "By advocating charity and tolerance you believed you were saving our country, did you not?" "But in fact you're aiding subversion, which is precisely Danton's goal" "You must understand" "So what should I do now?" "Address the Convention tomorrow" "Take back all your attacks" "Then, in the next issue of your paper retract what you said in previous issues" "You're demeaning yourself like a slut" "Danton threw you out, so you come and crawl to me" "You're terrified" "Remember, Maxime..." "Burning a newspaper is no answer" "This is your last chance, listen to me or you're finished" "You must believe me I swear it's true, Camille" "Get out" "What happened?" "You must tell me" "What was the point of this meeting?" "Danton and Robespierre have been at odds all this time" "They won't change now" "He's not here yet?" "Good" "No, but you're ten minutes late" "What joy, you remind me of my youth" "Forgive me for being so late" "Spoken like a king to his ministers" "Then how should I speak?" "In one hour, at 3.30 a.m. you'll send the police to arrest Danton" "Tonight?" "So soon?" "It's madness!" "Out of the question, citizen" "Danton and his accomplices too" "Without preparing the people?" "It's political suicide" "We'd expose ourselves to certain defeat I say the Committee must first prepare public opinion" "Let me have my say" "Danton has the bankers' support, you yourself told us that lt will be the Committee's death and Danton's triumph" "You're right, Danton has support everywhere lt won't work" "I wish to speak" "Not about that" "We must strike swiftly" "Give him three days and he'll get gold from the bankers" "He'll raise an army and scatter leaflets all over Paris" "He won't hesitate to address the Convention" "You all know he's a great orator" "We must do it tonight, or never" "You're right lf it upsets the Convention, I shall intervene personally" "We need an indictment" "Who'll write it?" "It's done" "Read it I'd like to read it over again first" "Citizens, we need the approval of the Public Safety Committee" "No argument!" "Call them in" " Are they still here?" " Yes, the session's just ending" "Ask them to come in" "What changed your mind?" "Who else besides Danton?" "Here's my list:" "Lacroix, Philippeaux..." "Totally innocent" "Their intentions may be, we're judging the facts" "Legendre, Bourdon... innocent puppets, let's avoid a bloodbath, please" "The first humane words of the night" "All right, let's spare them" "Desmoulins?" "Desmoulins is my friend but I shall abide by your decision" "Perhaps we should give him an extra day to think it over" "lmpossible" "Very well, those three will be jailed with Danton" "We've just signed Westermann's arrest" " He was recruiting fighting men" " Perfect timing" "The Committee's just decided to arrest Danton and three accomplices" " Who?" " Georges Danton" " You want him arrested?" "When?" " Tonight!" "You're all mad" "We need your approval" " lf we refuse?" " You're the secret police" "You can make preventative arrests" "That's our privilege, not yours" "You can delegate to us" " That's illegal" " Not if you agree to it" " Who the devil..." " Calm, Vadier" " Do you know what you're doing?" " lt's a heavy responsibility" "We are prepared to accept that responsibility, entirely" "Write!" ""We, of the Public Safety Committee..." ""...and of the Security Committee..." ""...have unanimously agreed..." ""...that Danton..."" "Who else?" "Lacroix" "Philippeaux" "Desmoulins" ""These four members of the National Convention..." ""...are under arrest..." ""...and are to be imprisoned in..." ""..." "Luxembourg Prison"" "Sign it" "Your signatures, please" "Lindet, you didn't sign I was elected to bring revolutionaries to life not to kill them" "The session is over" "I always said you were a great man." "I was ready to die for you I take it all back, all of it!" "I was as blind as a bat." "Now my eyes have been opened" "What are you talking about?" "What are you trying to tell me?" "Robespierre came to see you" "How do you know?" "Don't talk about him, you have no right" " l hope you heeded his advice" " No, I rejected it" "Poor Camille, you realise we're doomed yet you reject your salvation" "Why doomed?" "It means the decree's been signed" " What decree?" " Our arrest" "You're the only man alive that monster still holds dear" "He tried to save you. lt's over" "What are they afraid of?" "They could stomach your insults" "But to condemn them in writing - that was unforgivable" "And you?" "I rejected a handshake and signed my own death warrant" " You don't mean that - l do" "Why refuse?" "His hand's too bloody" "Fight back!" "The people are with you" "Can we complete the jury list?" "Renaudin" "Royer Collard" " Sigur" " Cross him off" "Sourboul" "Can we depend on him?" "Cross him off" "Vinot" "No, Vinot's out, is that all?" "No one else you're sure of?" "That's enough" "No, we only have seven jurors" " What of it?" " We need twelve, by law" " Haven't you got twelve?" " Only seven lf you haven't got twelve, seven will do" "Add a few criminals to the accused list and include Chabot, Fabre and Basire" " The charge?" " Anti-patriotic activity" "Do you know them?" "Round them up" "That's all" "The Public Safety Committee has just come out of session" "Lindet sent me to warn you" "Run!" "What do you want?" "There's money in the safe" "Take it" "Just make sure our wretched Republic doesn't confiscate it" "I'm coming" "Citizen Danton, you are under arrest." "I have the warrant" ""By order of the Security Council you are arrested and taken..." "I know, I know!" " ls it still raining?" " No" "Then I won't need a coat" "Let's go then" "Citizens..." "Danton has been arrested" "Danton was arrested last night" "The terror strikes again" "We must act" "We could be arrested any minute" " Bourdon, you take the stand - l can't, I won't know what to say lt's our last chance" "You're scared?" "Look, he's shaking" "You go I'm a poor speaker" " Legendre, you go" " Go on I'll put down my name" "I wish to speak" "The session is open" "Speak" "We've just learned..." "We've heard, to our amazement that four deputies of the Convention were arrested last night" "Danton is among them" "Long live Danton!" "I demand... I demand that they be heard in this house" "You may then judge for yourselves whether personal enmity or jealousy are the root causes behind this outrageous decision" "Put down Citizen Robespierre's name" " Whose turn is it?" " Yours" "You have no right to speak" "It has been quite a while since our debates were fired with such passion" "The issue is of great importance, and the argument is this" "Do we place certain individuals above the Republic?" "Legendre demands that the accused be allowed to take the stand" " We all do" " Let's hear Danton's side" "So you are willing to grant this man what you have refused all others" "On what grounds?" "Does Legendre maintain that Danton is a privileged citizen who may be placed above the law?" "He deserves some consideration" "So say we all." "Let's hear Danton!" "The Republic was built by the people as a whole" "Who among us would dare say:" ""l and I alone had the right"?" "No one merits the right to claim privilege" "For us, the privileged do not exist" "A defendant's right to be heard is not privilege, it is simply justice" "Justice?" "Have you lost faith in the Revolutionary Tribunal?" "The Tribunal is beyond reproach, we all trust in it" "We shall see whether the Convention stands firm and brings Danton to justice or whether it contests St Just's report" " We challenge the indictment" " No, you've done well" "Do those who shout "Long live Danton!" believe that he deserves a special justice?" "If so abolish the Public Safety Committee and try us instead" " We find no fault with the Committee" " Long live the Committee!" "Every day the world is watching us" "We must show no weakness, nor moral cowardice" "What would become of France if we lost the trust of the French?" "I wish to have beside me upright and just men" "For innocence, that primordial virtue should not and cannot fear public scrutiny" "I propose that Legendre's motion be rejected" "Then St Just will read the indictment" "Who is for Robespierre's motion?" "Who is opposed?" "You're mad. lf Danton fails we all do" "Fools!" "You'll all be massacred" "Such statements make you guilty in my eyes" "After deliberation, the Convention has reaffirmed its faith in the Committee" "Only the guilty tremble" "This crime will bring you crashing down, Robespierre" "Of course, there we have the most common of arguments" "Well, what of it?" "Assuming there is some such obscure law of providence lf a criminal's fall must bring me down with him, then what of it?" "There is no instance when personal danger outweighs duty for the revolutionary" "I never said Danton was above the law" "I never doubted you" "I wish to speak." "Silence I wish to speak" "For a long time I was misled by Danton's duplicity" "But today I at last see my mistake" "We should show our trust in the Committee" "Let us approve the indictment without hearing St Just's report" "Stop snivelling or I'll ask for another cell" "Don't leave me alone, I'll go mad" "Shame on you" " l don't know what's happening" " You're going to die in five days" "Better to know it and give up hope" "When death is certain, suffering suddenly comes to an end" "We may win" "No, it's a political trial" "Politics has nothing to do with justice" "I don't want to die, I have a right to live" "Man has rights as long as he can hold on to them" "It's Georges" "I was afraid you wouldn't be here" "You there!" "Let's have wine for the representatives of the people" "You're crying?" "Then you understood nothing" " Understood what?" " That we had to let them do it" " Why?" " To open the people's eyes" "To show what the Committees are capable of" "There was no other way" "That's why I let it happen" "Are we to drink from the bottle?" "They haven't even got glasses" "Not bad" "The Convention approved the charges" "The cowards" "We're to go to the Conciergerie" " We're doomed" " Why doomed?" "We still have our heads, fists, teeth and claws to fight with" "A political trial is a duel" "They'll accuse us, we'll accuse them, and let the people be the judge" "We'll sow doubt in the minds of the people" " They'll execute us without trial" " No, I have a voice" " The people follow me when I talk" " The people can be fickle" "We demand witnesses." "If they refuse we don't talk lf they agree, we can win" "You have a visitor" "Who?" "My wife?" "What is it?" "Follow me" "Robespierre's waiting for you" "Go, he'll save you" " Go on" " No one's stopping you, Camille" "Go" "We'll all die, but you needn't die with us" "What shall I do?" "Go to him, he's come only for you" "Go on" "Tell the gentleman I don't want to see him" "I can't tell him that" "Then say..." "Camille is not at home" "People of France" "What have I in common with this scum?" "Who dared put these thieves next to me?" "Are we, spearhead of the Revolution, to be tried as petty criminals?" "You don't hold the floor yet, Danton" "Keep the journalists out, taking notes has been banned" "I can't take notes?" "Has the Committee gone mad?" "I write for the Rheims Standard" "Down with the Committees!" "Chabot, Delaunay, Basire, Fabre" "You are accused of conspiring to bribe elected delegates and foster a revolt of the nobility with gold stolen from the East India Company by your crooked financial schemes" "Desmoulins, Philippeaux, Danton are also guilty of the crimes I have just described" "An indictment?" "You call this tissue of lies an indictment?" "Shall I sully my mouth replying?" "The accused won't reply?" "No matter" " Let him talk" " Answer, Danton!" "Have you anything to add?" "Add what?" "We haven't spoken yet" "Has the jury heard enough?" "You're in a hurry, Fouquier I'm not finished" "If you hope to address the people just remember, the law forbids it I founded the Tribunal, so I ought to know the rules" "Very well" "You may speak" "For the last time" "Yes, for the last time - the last time" "France..." "You may not address the people" "Five years I've led you, my name is stamped on each page of your history" " True or false?" " True!" "You're accused of corruption, you sold yourself I sold myself?" "There is no price for a man like me I'll have to adjourn" "Don't expect a revolutionary to argue coolly, I'll take all day if need be I will shout and I will be heard" "The law forbids you from addressing the public." "Back to your seat" "They pretend the trial is at an end when it's barely started" "The braver the man, the harder they try to destroy him. lt's infallible" "When you seek to ruin a man you throw the book at him, an old trick I see it's been improved to fit the times" "Now it ignores the law it claims to serve deluding those in power that fear, which comes with power, is banished" "The just have always hampered politics" "Today more than ever" "Why must I be killed?" "Only I can tell you" "Because I'm sincere" "Because I tell the truth" "And because I scare them" "Three reasons to condemn an honest man" "Guards!" "There's a reporter in court" "I am one of the creators of the people's justice" "Do you think you can pervert it without my noticing?" "This is another of your tricks" "Trying us with infamous criminals so people take us for thieves like them" "Congratulations!" "An excellent idea, too bad I saw through it" "What is this parody of justice?" "Where are our witnesses?" "We are entitled to witnesses" "People of France, you are the Tribunal" "Bring in our accusers, the two Committees" "No, you haven't the right" "Let it all be public and you decide" "Panis, run to the Convention" "Say we want the Committee" "Say we're being muzzled." "Run!" "Count on me" "Down with the Committees" "Justice?" "It's a massacre" " What are you doing here?" " You let him go on and on" "Shut him up" "You think it's easy, so easy" "We expect you to be more forceful" " More what?" "Forceful?" " That's right, more forceful" "Come on into the court and see for yourself" "We know what's been going on there" " We know what you said" " Or rather didn't say" "So you're spying on me?" "Well done" "Your diffidence worries us" "What are you talking about?" "What are you talking about?" "You understand nothing - nothing!" "We'll let them have their witnesses" " We can't refuse them" " Out of the question" "Then I can't answer for the consequences." "Do as you wish" "Are you sure we can't bar their witnesses?" "No, not right away" "But the trial is in your hands" "The trial is in my hands?" "Fine, get out then" "Go on, get out" "Since it's entirely in my hands" "is the trial going so badly?" " Why do you ask?" " l've never seen you like this" "Please leave me alone" "Not until you've told me" "The Danton trial is a dilemma lf we lose the trial, the Revolution is lost lf we win, it is also lost" "But I ought not say so" "Are they out to destroy you?" "No... at least, not openly" "Please, eat before you go" " No, that's pointless" " Just sheaves, then" "There'll be lots of fruit and carts of olives from Avignon" "We'll depict peace, happiness and serenity" "The Supreme Being" "Try this" "Simple and rustic" "No, it's like a martyr's palm" "We're in trouble, the trial is going badly, Robespierre" "Danton's so sure of his public he's attacking the government" "We want Danton's death, it's up to you to justify the verdict" "He must not be allowed to speak out" "The people will rip our guts out, and another thing..." "The accused demand witnesses" " Yesterday we sent a letter..." " l know" "Where is it?" "Did you send it or not?" "The Convention will answer it after I tell them what I think of it" "We can't wait ln any case, the answer will be no" "Barhre, do you approve of this too?" "You can't do that" "Fouquier, if we retreat we're all lost I am a judge, I'm not your..." "Your private executioner" "You're an executioner!" "Not mine, no." "The people's executioner, you serve justice" "We send you the Republic's enemies" "Your duty is not to judge them but to eliminate them" "The law is no longer with you" "When the wellbeing of the Republic is at stake, the law is totally behind us" "One more thing" " lt'll be you next" " We'll see about that" "We'll see" "Still working on the Pledge scene?" "What's Fabre doing there?" " Come now, Maxime - l swear he wasn't on the list I say he wasn't there" "Besides, he's a traitor, remove him" "Are you a close friend of Danton?" "I insist on being identified, obey the law" "A pointless formality" "Like this entire trial" "Danton, you've already testified, be quiet I've hardly begun, this trial will not be over until I've had my say" "People of France!" "I, Danton, appeal to you!" "You alone have the right to judge me" "Why are the witnesses being delayed?" "I want them here I demand that the two Committees be tried by public opinion" "After we have both spoken, you, the people, will decide whether the guilty party is me or the all-powerful Committee" "Stop addressing the public I am accused of conspiracy" "I admit to it I am guilty of having conspired" "Deep in my heart I have conspired, but only with myself I conspired for peace, for amnesty respect for law and public order I conspired for happiness and justice" "These errors, since they are deemed to be such, I admit to them... ln fact I proclaim them I admit to them, but only them" "Another of my faults is being popular and strong when only anonymity and pettiness can guarantee a long life lf you wish to survive, do not be loved" "That's one of our newly invented laws" "One of those laws that is all the more powerful for being unwritten" "Woe to the strong who are loved by the people" "Long live the mediocre, the taciturn the bitter, who skulk in offices" "The Revolution is like Saturn, it devours its own children" "What forces us..." "What fate compels us to condemn rather than forgive?" "To kill instead of save life?" "What brought forth this bloodbath and where will it end, if it ever will end?" "I thought I could calm the storm of the Revolution" "I believed it was desirable, I still do" "But in your cold eyes I can already read of my inevitable death to which you condemned me before entering this room I wonder: was I wrong?" "Some men disagree with me" "Their thirst for ideals knows no bounds" "They no longer see people around them" "They see only speculators, villains, traitors" "Dazzled by the Revolutionary ideals they have forgotten the Revolution itself" "Their dictatorship is more ferocious than its precursor" "Fearing the return of tyrants, they have become tyrants" "Fouquier, you said the people wanted blood" "Liar!" "It's a lie!" "It's not the people who want blood, it's you" "The people want only to live in peace" "Don't saddle them with your thirst for blood" "You've betrayed yourself, Danton - betrayed!" "Only a conspirator, an enemy of the government, could thus insult the People's Tribunal" "The people have only one dangerous enemy" "The government" "Don't stop the trial!" "Set Danton free!" "Call the guards" "Soldiers, look!" "Seven scars on my chest" "Shoot me in the back" "People of France!" "Do not abandon your defenders" "They kill your freedom before your eyes and you let it happen" "Danton, come here" "So you've been arrested too" "So there is justice" "The Tribunal's creator condemned to death!" "I'll die, but so will you" "How can you bury the living in a hole like this?" "Where is he?" "Here" "You have his confession?" "I never said this I did it only to avoid disaster" "What disaster?" "Sign the statement" "Sign it" " But it wasn't a plot" " Then what was it?" "Just this" "Desmoulins' wife thought it would help if Danton's friends got together" "Such a list amounts to a plot, doesn't it?" "It wasn't a plot" "You will sign this statement unless you wish to die" "We have unveiled a plot, all Paris is involved, thousands of people" "What plot?" "Organised by Desmoulins' wife and Danton's friends" "Many took part, a great many" "They were planning to blockade the courtroom tomorrow" "We're done for" "Well, Robespierre, this trial was your mad idea" "What now, Maximilien Robespierre?" "What do you want?" "What do you want?" " What do you want?" " You ask us?" "We've won against Danton" "Open your eyes, citizens" "Your necks are safe, you've been spared the blade" "Listen, any plot poses a threat to the safety of the Convention ln that case it must submit to the Committee's decision" "We must move fast to get this decree passed" "What decree?" "The Convention must bar Danton from speaking at the trial" "You must warn the Convention about the plot I can't, I have no strength left I'll go and get it then" "Danton insists on calling witnesses but that is out of the question" "You know we're innocent but it doesn't matter to you lt doesn't matter because you're just following orders" "But you, Fouquier, you know well what those orders are, admit it" "So I too am to have the honour of tasting the kiss of steel" "But mark my words, Fouquier you may cut off my head but the man who issued these orders will soon be rotting beside me" "He knows that if he kills me he will die too" "You want to murder me without leaving any trace" "You won't let reporters take notes" "The clerks are sitting idle with their arms folded" "They too have been given orders to write nothing" "Am I to vanish into thin air?" "No!" "I will not!" "I shall talk and continue talking to the end, because I am immortal I am immortal because I am the people, the people are with me" "And you murderers, you will be judged by the people I'm talking now and I'll go on talking" "Perhaps the air in this room will carry the echo of my voice, which you muffle" "Delegates of the Nation" "Here is the Convention's latest decree" "The Convention has voted the following decree" "The Tribunal will conduct the trial without interruption" "Any accused disrupting the course of justice will be barred from the proceedings" "We have unearthed a conspiracy to set free the accused and bring down the Republic" "The Desmoulins woman is in the streets inciting the people" "Beware!" "This room harbours agents of subversion lt's a lie!" "They want Lucille's death lf you oppose justice you'll be barred I ask you: have we ever opposed the Tribunal?" " Have we ever abused it?" " Never!" "Yes, you did" " Well said, Georges" " Thank God it's over" "Glorious Tribunal nest of thieves, blackmailers and pimps" "I have one thing to say to you:" "you're not fit to spit at ln obedience to the decree I bar from this court the accused, Danton" "Take him away" "Murderers!" "You won't silence us, Fouquier" "The accused, Lacroix barred" "Allow me to bar myself" "Me too, it might as well have started this way" "Now go to the devil" "Are you convinced that the accused took an active part in the conspiracy?" "Do you find Fabre, Chabot, Delauney, Basire and their accomplices guilty of participation in a plot to corrupt the nation's representatives in order to discredit and destroy the government?" "We do" "We will proceed to announce the sentence" "Lacroix, Danton, Herault, Philippeaux, Westermann Desmoulins, Fabre, Chabot, Delauney, Basire and their accomplices are condemned to death" "Their goods are confiscated for the benefit of the Republic" "Execution is to take place in Paris within 24 hours and notice posted throughout the Republic" "Without me it will all collapse, there'll be nothing but terror" "What shame on the Revolution" " Hiding your fear?" " No, I'm hiding nothing I'm scared too. I thought I could look death in the eye, but I can't lt will all collapse in three months at the most" "Three months, no more" "No, wait I don't feel well" "You're about to enter history and you feel unwell?" "Let him be" "Steady, I don't want to cut you" "I remembered what old Guillotin said:" ""You feel nothing when the blade drops" ""Just a pleasant, cool sensation"" "What a fraud I am" "For years I yelled "Long live virtue!" with the rest of them, and they got me" "To each his own defence" "I was had by the civilians" "Get on with it, my life has been short but beautiful I have no regrets" "You'll follow me soon" "No one will remember you, your house will be razed to the ground" "Show the people my head, it's worth it" "It's over, Maxime, our victory is total, and the people let it happen" "You must accept the dictatorship now" "It seems to me that all I've believed in, all I've lived for, has collapsed for ever" "I don't understand" "The Revolution..." " lt's taken a wrong turning" " How can you say that?" "I don't know what I'm saying" "You see now that a dictatorship has become a necessity" "The nation can't govern itself" "Democracy is only an illusion" " l'm crazy" " No, just desperate" " So blow your brains out" " Good idea" "It would end my troubles I just want to sleep" "Sleep..." "Don't wake me when you leave" "My little brother has learned something for you" ""Article One: all men..." ""...are born and shall remain free and equal..." ""...before the law" ""Social distinctions can only be based on the common ground" ""Article Two:" ""The goal of all political associations is to safeguard..." ""...man's inviolable rights" ""Article Three:" ""The concept of all sovereignty must emerge from the people" ""No group or individual may rule without the express consent of the people" ""Article Four:" ""Liberty is the right to do anything not harmful to your fellow men" ""Thus man's freedom to exercise his natural rights has no limits..." ""...beyond those that ensure the same rights to all other members of society" ""Only the law can set such limits""