This is the history of this play. In December 1917, the management of the Korsh Theater suggested that I adapt Buchner's romantic tragedy The Death of Danton for staging. At first, I wanted to put together a play that could be staged from the available material, and only illuminate it with modernity. This task proved impossible. Already from the third picture, I had to leave Buchner and turn to historical materials and my observations of our revolution.

In January 1923 I revised the play for the second time, and in this final form I present it to the readers.

Characters

Danton, leader of the Montagnards, Minister of Justice, member of the Committee of Public Safety, inspirer of the defense of France, organizer of terror. The September massacre, which took place with his participation, was a constant bleeding wound of the republic, the beginning of a reign of terror. The action of the tragedy finds Danton retired. He had recently married sixteen-year-old Louise Gelly, marrying her to an unsworn priest who, according to a decree issued by him, was subject to the death penalty. He lives with his young wife in Sevres.

Robespierre, member of the Committee of Public Safety, leader of the Jacobins. A fiery-ice man with an unbending will and unsullied morality. Smart, prudent and ruthless.

Camille Desmoulins, member of the Convention, passionate patriot journalist, dreamer.

Saint-Just, a student of Robespierre, a philosophical youth. Beautiful, effeminate and cruel. Commissioner of the Army and member of the Committee of Public Safety.

Collot d "Herbois, member of the Committee of Public Safety. Former actor. Cruel, depraved.

Fouquier-Tinville, public prosecutor, appointed to this position at the urging of Camille Desmoulins. Old, smart, cynical, ugly.

Herman, President of the Revolutionary Tribunal founded by Danton during his fight against the Girondins.

Hero de Sechelle

Filippo) friends of Danton.

Lacroix

Legendre, Jacobin.

Simon, craftsman. Old man. In a knitted cap, in wide torn trousers. Face purplish from excessive use of red wine.

Louise, Danton's wife.

Lucy, wife of Camille Desmoulins.

Anna, Simon's wife.

Marie, former aristocrat, owner of a secret gambling salon.

Rosalia, lacemaker.

Jeanne, fashionista.

A woman in a black shawl.

Lame girl.

Fat painted woman.

Merchant.

Robespierre knitter.

Citizen in a red cap.

Citizen with a black cap.

Citizen with a book.

A citizen in a thread wig.

Watchman at the tribunal.

The guard in the prison.

A young man with a sharp nose.

Citizens, soldiers, executioners, etc. Danton Georges-Jacques (1759–1794) was a lawyer by profession. He advanced and began to play a major role in the revolution during the preparation of the overthrow of King Louis XVI on August 10, 1792. After the overthrow of the monarchy, the republican government was headed by the political grouping of the Girondins. Danton, having become Minister of Justice and a member of the Committee of Public Safety, was close to her in his views. The popular uprising of May 31 - June 2, 1793 deprived the Girondins of power. Since that time, Danton's political influence began to decrease, he did not join the new Committee of Public Safety, elected in July 1793, and from the end of 1793 became the leader of the opposition, which demanded a mitigation of terror and opposed the strengthening of Robespierre's influence. He was accused of treason and executed on April 5, 1794. Robespierre Maximilian(1758-1794) - the leader of the Jacobins, who became the head of the second Committee of Public Safety. In fact, from 1793 he headed the revolutionary government. A number of mistakes, in particular a break with the left revolutionary-democratic wing of the National Convention and the execution of its leaders, led Robespierre to isolation and the creation of a bloc of hostile parties against him. After the Thermidorian coup on July 27, 1794, he was removed from power, accused and executed. Desmoulins Camille (1760-1794) - journalist. At first, he joined Robespierre, but during the period of the Jacobin dictatorship he took a moderate position and condemned terror. In the National Convention he was a supporter of Danton. Saint Just Louis Antoine(1767-1794) - one of the leaders of the Jacobins, a friend of Robespierre. Considered Danton and his supporters as the real force of the counter-revolution. Executed after the Thermidorian coup. Collot d'Herbois Jean-Marie(1750-1796) - actor and playwright, Jacobin, supporter of consistent terror. During the Thermidorian coup, he opposed Robespierre. In 1795 he was sentenced to exile in Guiana, where he died. Fouquier-Tinville Antoine-Quentin(1746-1795) - a lawyer by profession. In 1793 he was elected public prosecutor of the Revolutionary Tribunal. He was the main organizer of the Danton process, later Robespierre was executed at his request. In 1795 he was sentenced to death. Herman - Chairman of the Revolutionary Tribunal ...- Hermann Armand-Maréchal-Joseph (1759-1795). Tolstoy is inaccurate. Ehrmann was a supporter of Robespierre; he became chairman of the Revolutionary Tribunal from April 1793; in 1794 he became Minister of the Interior, Commissioner of Court and Police. He was executed after the Thermidorian coup. Hero de Sechelle - Herault-Sechelles Marie-Jean (1759–1794). In 1792 he was elected chairman of the National Convention, became a member of the second Committee of Public Safety (Jacobin), in which he carried out the ideas of Danton. Accused of ties with emigrants, executed along with Danton. Philippa Pierre (1754–1794). - After the indecisive and unsuccessful suppression of the royalist uprising in the Vendée department in 1793, he was accused of treason, but was soon acquitted. Upon his arrest in 1794, he was charged with moderation in his political position in the National Convention. Jean Francois Lacroix(1754-1794) - "the most harmful person in the Danton party", as A. Thiers' "History of the French Revolution" calls him (St. Petersburg - M., 1875, vol. 3, p. 25). In 1792 the Girondins accused him of wasting revolutionary money; the Jacobins accused him of having connections with monarchist emigrants. Legendre Louis (1752-1797) is one of the very cautious figures of the French Revolution. He was a member of the Jacobin club "Society of Friends of the Constitution", headed by Robespierre, and a member of the club "Society of Defenders of the Rights of Man and Citizen", to which Danton and Desmoulins initially belonged. In his political position he was closer to Danton, but he tried not to openly reveal his views. Louise - Louise Jelly (born in 1777), since 1793 Danton's wife. Lucy - Lucile Desmoulins (1771-1794), daughter of a major banker Duplessis, whom Desmoulins married in 1793. Accused of having political connections with the Girondin General Arthur Dillon (1750–1794). Executed eight days after the execution of the Dantonists. Citizen in a red cap.– The red cap is a symbol of freedom. Citizen in black hat- apparently, a supporter of terror, a Jacobin. A citizen with a book is a supporter of Danton; in his hands is a book by the ancient Greek poet Anacreon, who sang of sensual love, wine, and idle life. The citizen in the thread wig appears to be a supporter of the royalists. Montagnards - a group of deputies in the National Convention, who occupied the upper benches during meetings, that is, they were, as it were, on the "mountain" (fr. - montagne), Jacobins. The Committee of Public Safety is the main government body of the Jacobin dictatorship, created on April 6, 1793. September massacre.– On September 2-6, 1792, by order of Danton, who was then Minister of Justice, persons accused of counter-revolutionary activities were executed in Parisian prisons. National Convention- the highest legislative and executive body of the First French Republic. Assembly of elected people's representatives, the deputies in which were three troupes: the Girondins, the Jacobins, the "swamp", that is, the vacillators. Existed from September 21, 1792 to October 26, 1795 Jacobins. - This is how the members of the “Society of Friends of the Constitution” called themselves, who gathered at the first stage of the development of the Great French Revolution in the library of the former monastery of the Order of St. Jacob (Jacob). Having united around their ideological leaders: Danton, Marat, Robespierre, Saint-Just, they became a powerful political force. After the overthrow of the monarchy on August 10, 1792, the Jacobins became the second political force in the country, opposed the Girondins, who held power in the republic until the popular uprising of May 31 - June 2, 1793, which led to the establishment of the Jacobin dictatorship. The Thermidorian coup of 27 July 1794 overthrew the Jacobin government. Girondins. - The group of bourgeois deputies of the National Convention acquired its name later (after the name of the Gironde department, from which many of them were elected). After the overthrow of the monarchy on August 10, 1792, they headed the government in the National Convention. Their policy was reduced to opposing the further development of the revolution; they expressed the interests of the commercial, industrial and agricultural bourgeoisie. The popular uprising of May 31 - June 2, 1793 removed them from power. Frightened by the repressions, they opposed the Jacobin government, as a result of which their faction in the National Convention was crushed, and twenty-two deputies were arrested and executed on October 31, 1793.

The action takes place in Paris, in the summer of 1794.

Picture one

The room of Marie, a former aristocrat. Huge torn brocade curtains. Piece of peeling wall. Golden furniture. Lit candles in candelabra. At the card table - Hero de Sechelle, Marie, Camille Desmoulins. Aside Louise and Lucy. In the window, invisible behind the curtain, stands Danton.

Louise. I'm afraid of Paris. It's so crowded in here, so noisy. My heart hurts when we come here. Lucy. Is it good in Sevres? Louise. Yes, we are good. We have a small garden and a small garden. My husband gave me four hens and a cockerel. I don't buy lettuce, or radishes, or beans, we have our own. We often walk in the park. (Looking around, whispering.) They say among us: many at night in the park heard the clatter of horses and the sound of horns - they saw the ghost of the king. …saw the ghost of the king.- Louis XVI was executed on January 21, 1793.

Lucy. Quiet.

Gero (clapping cards). My tongue is so frayed that it is unable to utter love words. I want to say "love", he says "death". Cursed language - yesterday I met a pretty girl and, even crack, stubbornly called her "widow".

Marie. So what's up girl?

Gero. But she didn’t care - a widow, so a widow ... (Slams cards.)

Camille. Who called the guillotine a widow?

Gero. Street boys.

Camille. Lucy, why are you quiet? Are you bored?

Lucy. No, my dear.

Gero. Here is one of the achievements of the revolution. We have learned to be bored. Yes, we do not get bored in Paris.

Marie. Beat your king.

Camille. Lucy, sing again.

Lucy. Will you listen?

Camille. I am ready to listen to you day, night, always, my little siren. (Gets up and brings her a harp.) When you sing, I begin to believe that soon the whole earth will sing, all the liberated, jubilant humanity. I believe.

Lucy. Good. (Tunes the harp.)

Gero. Camille still talks about music and humanity because he is a journalist. I despise people. Humanity is a herd. It can only howl and growl when you stroke it the wrong way. Marie, do you want to stake tonight?

Marie(laughs). I bet my night on the queen of spades.

Camille(Gero). What do you answer?

Gero. What she wants. A hundred thousand francs or my head, who cares. Marie, your lady is beaten.

Marie. I won't break.

Lucy starts to sing. Everyone is listening. Camille stands with her hand on the fireplace, her fingers running through her hair. Enter Filippo.

Filippo. Good evening.

Gero. Ah, Filippo! Sit down, do you have money?

Filippo (looks around the room). You are here to sing, have fun.

Camille. What happened? Bad news?

Filippo. No, no, everything is fine.

Gero. Obviously, again nose to nose ran into Robespierre and felt indigestion.

Filippo. Twenty goals fell again today.

Gero. Did the rain prevent you from watching them fall?

Filippo. No, enough! you understand - that's enough!

Lucy. Who was executed today?

Camille. Hebertists. Hebertists. - The Hebertists represented the radical left wing in the National Convention, they advocated increased terror against the aristocracy, the clergy, merchants; demanded the requisition of bread, the replacement of Catholic worship with the cult of reason; were in sharp hostility to the Dantonists, accusing them of moderation. March 4, 1794 Hébert opposed Robespierre. Jacques-René Hébert (1757–1794), prosecutor and member of the council of the Paris Commune, General Ronsin, commander of the revolutionary army, and eighteen other supporters were executed on March 24, 1794.

Filippo. They were sent to the guillotine only because they were atheists.

Gero. Wow!

Filippo. Robespierre, Saint-Just and Couton become too scrupulous.

Gero. They just clean the kitchen. Too much rubbish has accumulated during the revolution. Robespierre with a kitchen knife, Saint-Just with a brush, Couthon with a bucket of boiling water. France will soon shine like a copper pan.

Camille. Yes, yes, or like a guillotine axe.

Filippo. Today I realized that danger threatens us. It is much closer than we think.

Camille (slams his fist on the mantel). But how long will you wallow in blood? Robespierre plays skittles with severed heads. We need to implement a republic. As air is necessary the law on general pardon. Human rights are locked under the key at Robespierre.

Gero. Eh, old man, everyone should live the way he wants - this is first of all. If strength were on my side now, I would first of all make myself a bilbock from the head of Robespierre. ...bilbock from the head of Robespierre.- Playing with a ball tied to a stick, which is tossed and caught on the tip of a stick or in a cup (a hint that the heads of the guillotined fell into baskets).

Camille. I protest. I demand beauty above all. The state structure should be comfortable and beautiful clothes. Nothing should restrict freedom of movement. Every desire, every movement of the muscles, the thrill of life must be immediately and freely carried out. And they put on a crazy shirt, hardened with blood, on us. I protest! I want roses on our curls, foamy glasses Olympic Games, Bacchic joy. France is wonderful. I want to see her shining like an ancient deity. (Turns to the window.) Danton, you must stir up a storm in the Convention.

Filippo. He is here?

Gero. Danton, try to pile France on yourself again, take her somewhere far away from the garbage pit.

Camille. You must start the fight again. The people are on your side. If you delay, we are lost.

Danton (leaves the depth of the window). What should I? Danton, you must. Danton, go roar to the Convention. Danton, prop up the cart of France with your shoulder. What else should I do? Roar like ten thousand lions? Oh, if I write another thousand decrees, cut off another hundred thousand heads, the sun, when it needs it, will rise in the east and set in the west. (Sits down beside Louise.) Your lips are trembling. Yes, yes, my child. Although I gave you four chickens and a rooster, I am still Danton, the devourer of human flesh, the monster with which they frighten children. And now they call me again: Danton, you have dreamed too long on the chest of a little woman - go and shake France. (Stands up.) It's all just words - all we talk about here, goggle-eyed and waving our arms. The revolution has its own laws. When necessary, she throws us on the crest of a wave, and then again upside down into the pool. (He leans over and kisses her.) Here in these eyes the law is different.

Louise. Let's leave.

Danton(absently). Yes, yes, we'll go home.

Camille. Stop halfway - cowardice.

Danton. Fight? I'm tired. I gave my word to this child to become a good bourgeois. I'm tired, do you understand this word? This is my crime. Robespierre is still fighting, still floundering in mud and blood, because he believes in the power of ideas and words. And yet, he does not believe. Lying.

Filippo (coming close to Danton, says so not to be heard by others). I came to warn you: they are looking for you. I saw three detectives - one stands on the corner, the other in front of the windows, the third hangs on the bars. You need to run.

Danton(loudly). I have to run? Where? Abroad? What? Do you think I can carry my homeland on the soles of my shoes?

Louise. This is how he always answers when his friends warn him of danger. There was no need to come to Paris. (Covering her face with a handkerchief.)

Lucy. Is the danger so great?

Filippo. Yes, great.

Gero. My neck hurts from these conversations for the third day.

Camille. At Charenton, at Panis's, we arranged a meeting between him and Robespierre. They wanted to reconcile.

Danton(laughs). I let him sniff this palm: what, Robespierre, does it smell? What smells? By blood? And I just perfumed her with Louise's perfume. (Laughs.) His nose is even longer. He sniffed, ha ha, sniffed!

Camille. Robespierre said: “Those who are trying to disarm the republic in the midst of the struggle, and those who want to be indulgent and merciful, cannot be considered good citizens. Only an iron dictatorship can save France."

Lucy. Is that true, Danton?

Danton. They won't dare touch me. My hour has not yet come. Oh shit, my head hurts, I'm sick of politics. Is there really no place on earth where one could forget oneself for a moment.

Louise(jumps up). My God!

Everyone is listening. Filippo comes over and puts out the candelabra. There is only one candle left.

Danton. What's this? You hear?

Camille. Street fight.

Louise. Don't leave.

Danton. Camille, do you remember those screams? Those terrible cries, those animal cries, those blood, torches, piercing screams from the other side of the Seine? Have you forgotten them? forgot? (Goes quickly to the door, followed by Filippo.)

Louise. Are you going?

Danton. Stay here, wait, I'll be back.

Curtain

Picture two

Crossroads of two Parisian narrow streets. Gloomy houses protruding forward floors. Dirty barn door. On the corner, on an iron bracket, is a lantern. At the door of the tavern fuss, screams.

Simon. Witch, cursed witch, witch!

Simon's wife. Help, help!

Simon. No, I won't let you out alive. Here's to you, here's to you!

Simon's wife, in a torn dress, jumps out into the street. Citizens lean out from behind corners, from doors.

Simon's wife. Citizens, they killed me!

Simon. I have to crack her head open, she's a witch!

Simon's wife. You will pay for these words, you old drunkard!

Simon. Have you seen, heard? (Throws at his wife.)

Citizens, where is my daughter? Let her say, witch, where is my girl. No, she is no longer a girl. Do you hear, you cursed witch? Not a girl, not a lady, not a woman. Street slut my daughter!

Citizen in a red cap. Shut up, shut up, Simon.

Simon. I don't have a daughter anymore! (He falls on the pavement with a cry.)

Simon's wife. Simon, Simon, what's wrong with you? He, citizens, is a very good man until he gets drunk.

Citizen in a black cap. We have to take it to the house.

Citizen in a red cap. What happened to you, I ask?

Simon's wife. My daughter, you see, is a kind girl. She is sorry to see that her parents often do not have bread or wine. She, you see, went out into the street.

Simon. Yep, you confessed!

Simon's wife. Oh, beer barrel, Judas, lousy camel! Why, if my daughter, the angel of meekness and innocence - I swear it, citizens - did not bring guests from the street, what would you drink, what would you eat, you dirty old stinker? No, think, his daughter works for him, and he ...

Simon. Give me the knife, I'll slaughter this bawd!

Citizen in a red cap. A knife is needed not for your unfortunate wife, Simon, but for those who need a sharp knife who debauchery with your daughter, buys her body.

Citizen in a red cap. Woe to the idlers, woe to the lechers, woe to the rich! We are hungry, we have no bread, no meat, no wine. When we stretch out our hands, groaning with hunger and thirst, these idlers, these depraved people, these rich people who have profited from the revolution, these scoundrels say: "Sell us your daughters." That's who the knife is for.

Citizen in a black cap. We were told: "nobles drink people's blood" - we hanged the aristocrats. We were told: "The Girondins make the people starve" - ​​we cut off the heads of the Girondins. But we are starving no less, we have no firewood, no bread, no salt. Who uses our titanic labors, our inhuman torments? Down with those who profit from the revolution! Down with the rich! Death to all who are not dressed in rags!

Citizen in a black cap. Death to all who are richer than us!

Citizen in a red cap. Death to all who have clean linen!

A crowd rolls out from around the corner, dragging a young man to the lamppost.

Young man. Lord!

Citizen in a red cap. There are no gentlemen here. Here are the sans-culottes. To his lantern!

The crowd lowers the lantern, sings a pocket and dances.

The day will come, come, come

Let's all dance the pocket.

The day will come, come, come, -

Who is not with us -

Let him die.

Let's dance the carmagnola

We're all in line

We are all in line.

Let's dance the carmagnolu -

Let the guns roar.

All forward, forward, forward

To the lantern of all who are not with us.

All forward, forward, forward -

Those who are not with us, let them die.

Young man. Have mercy!

Citizen in a red cap. In vain do you beg us for mercy, citizen - we are merciful. You are killing us slowly - by starvation. We kill you in a few seconds on the lantern. I advise you to be courteous, and before you stick out your tongue, thank the citizens for their generosity ...

Young man. Damn you! Hang me from a lantern if it makes you feel better.

Citizen in a red cap. Citizens, we have no right...

Robespierre enters.

Robespierre. What is happening here, citizens?.. I ask.

Citizen in a black cap. This is what is happening here, Citizen Robespierre: September blood has not given us happiness, the guillotine works too slowly. We are hungry, give us bread.

Citizen in a red cap. We demand that you give us bread, whatever the cost...

The young man, abandoned by the crowd, runs away.

Robespierre. In the name of the law!

Citizen in a red cap. What law? The belly is my law.

Robespierre. The law is the sacred will of the people.

Robespierre knitter (a woman with disheveled hair, with a wild, red face, – on the shoulders a torn shawl, in the hands of knitting - a stocking). Listen, listen to what Robespierre has to say. Listen to the Incorruptible. Listen to the righteous.

Robespierre knitter. Listen, listen to the messiah, listen, listen to the one called to rule the nations. In his hand is the sword of justice, in his hand is the scale of justice.

Robespierre. Good citizens. You have plucked the tares of evil from the land of France with your own hands. You repulsed the enemies on the borders and gave an example of greatness, which was not equal even in antiquity. Yesterday you were slaves, today you are a great people. But remember: it takes a lot of effort and courage to keep your rights, the rights of a new person - freedom, equality and brotherhood. Enemies are not all broken. Enemies are among you. The main enemy is anarchy and licentiousness. You shout: bread. There will be bread, you need to get it. Look at your hands, don't they smell like bread when you clench them into fists? Citizens, do not become like the Roman rabble from the time of the emperors. She knew only how to demand bread and circuses, and the sword fell from her pampered hand when hordes of barbarians hung over eternal Rome. No, I know that France knows how, when necessary, to clench her teeth and tighten her stomach with a military scarf. There will be bread, justice and glory. People, your legislators are awake, their eyes in the darkness discern your enemies.

Robespierre, leaving, runs into Danton, who listened to his words with a grin all this time.

Robespierre. Is that you, Danton?

Danton. Yes, it's me, Robespierre.

Robespierre. How long have you been in Paris?

Danton. Today since morning.

Robespierre. From Sèvres?

Danton. Yes, from Sèvres. I came to hear how you talk to the people. You've made great strides. I hope today's speech was without preparation? Or maybe you wrote it today before going out?

Robespierre. They say that you live happily in Sevres with your wife; they say you have a rich house, many friends gather every evening, wine flows like water, they play cards?

Danton. What is an interrogation?

Robespierre. No, just a friendly warning. (Gone.)

Danton (laughing loudly). Roman! Incorruptible! The conscience of the people!

Simon (appearing at the door of the tavern). Who said: Roman? Is that you, Danton? Good evening, old man, haven't seen you for a long time.

Danton. How do you live, old grindstone?

Simon. Badly. I drink. Just beat up his wife. I swear by the knife of the guillotine, I didn't beat her, my despair pounded her. Boring, Danton. I began to drink a lot, it's boring. Even you, they say, become merciful. Watch out. Do you remember how we cleansed the republic in September? You were up to your neck in blood, you were great. Those were fun days. Danton, I am proud: I myself have devoured the heart of the whore Lamballe with these roots of teeth.

Danton. Dirty animal! (Pushes him and leaves.)

Simon. Watch out, Danton, watch out.

Curtain

Picture three

The interior of a Gothic church. In place of the altar is a podium. Under it is a table, around it are benches like an amphitheatre. Several candles are lit in the chandelier. On the podium Lezhandr.

Lyon (shouts from the spot). The brothers of Lyon sent me to find out why you are delaying executions?

Have you forgotten what Lyon is: a sewer, a nest of counter-revolution. We need mass executions. Not only that, we demand to blow up the city walls, to destroy palaces and silk factories to the ground. Know that if we do not find the due cruelty in you, we will cope with our own means.

Legendre(to the Lyons). I repeat once again: there is no need to look to Lyon: here, in Paris, in the center of the revolution, people live calmly who find it possible to wear silk dresses, ride in carriages, get drunk and debauchery, and they all do this - you hear - hiding behind a tricolor the banner of the Republic... In theater boxes they gorge themselves on chocolate and speak the language of aristocrats.

Legendre. Citizens, the counter-revolution is raising its head... I ask, what is the Committee of Public Safety thinking about?

Collot d'Herbois(from place). And I ask you, Legendre, do you know who sets an example for these dandies to openly debauch, who inspires these robbers of the revolution? Do you know this person's name?

A tense silence.

Robespierre. I ask for words.

Legendre. Word to citizen Robespierre.

Robespierre, clearly clattering his heels, runs up to the podium. He is small in stature, in a powdered wig, in a neat brown frock coat; in his hand is a manuscript rolled up into a tube.

Robespierre. We waited only for cries of indignation in order to begin to act, and now I hear not cries, but the alarm. Yes, our eyes were open while the enemy was arming, and we gave him the opportunity to get into position. Now he is in full view of us. Each blow will pierce his heart.

Lacroix(Legendre). Who is he talking about?

Legendre. About the enemies of the republic.

Robespierre. Yesterday I told you that internal enemies republics are twofold: one is atheists and anarchists. They have already been destroyed. Geber and the Hebertists dishonored the revolution with disgusting excesses. Geber and the Hebertists were executed yesterday.

Robespierre. I will not tire of repeating: the sacred task of the French people is to restore in the world the highest justice, freedom, equality and fraternity, to uproot, like tares, the disgusting vices in which mankind is immersed. This is the great goal of France. For this a revolution was made, for this a republican system was created. The weapon of the republic is fear. The strength of the Republic is a virtue. But virtue is impossible without severity. Ruthlessness to manifestations of vice is the highest virtue. Terror is the purity of the republic. We are called bloodthirsty. A disgusting drawing depicting me with a cup into which I squeeze the blood from a human heart is extremely popular abroad. In vile hypocrisy, we are hated because we do not want to be enslaved. Every time we respond with terror to the intrigues of the enemies of the republic, a cry of horror and indignation rises abroad. Terror is our strength, our purity, our justice, our mercy! To speak for the abolition of terror means to speak of the death of the Republic and of France.

Robespierre. And now these new enemies of ours, gluttons with sensitive hearts, are shouting: “Down with the regime of executions, down with terror! Amnesty to all prisoners in prisons, to all profiteers on the national disaster, to all aristocrats and royalists! When we stand face to face before Europe armed from head to toe, before the gangs of the Austrian emperor and the Prussian king, before the stranglers of freedom - emigrants of Koblenz, ... stranglers of freedom - emigrants of Koblenz ...– Aristocratic-monarchist emigration concentrated in the German city of Koblenz. In 1792, she formed a counter-revolutionary army, which, together with the Austro-Prussian troops, invaded France. In 1794, the republican troops occupied Koblenz and defeated the emigration. when England looms over us from the west, and the terrible ghost of the Russian Empress rises in the east—at this terrible time they want to knock our weapons out of our hands! Moreover, these gluttons, these lechers infect the entire nation with vices, poison the sources of strength. This is, perhaps, the most treacherous and terrible attempt on the freedom of the republic, an infernal plan: to decompose and weaken the nation. I still do not know enough - perhaps this plan originated unconsciously in the human brain ... But it's not about intent - the danger still remains formidable. Vice is not only a moral, but also a political crime. And the more dangerous the vicious person, the more significant were the services rendered by him once to the republic... (Pause, drinks water.)

Lacroix(Legendre). Do you understand now? It's monstrous!

Robespierre. You will understand me more easily if you imagine a man who until recently wore a knitted cap and torn boots, ate his breakfast hastily at the counter next to a soldier, an artisan and a sans-culotte - and now this man is driving around in a glass carriage, playing cards with former an aristocrat, buys country villas, dresses in a silk caftan, arranges magnificent dinners, where wine flows like water and the remains of bread and meat are thrown to the dogs.

Roaring in the amphitheatre.

Yes, this man lives like a prince of the blood. Enough, the portrait is ready. I ask: why are these hands still not cut off, robbing the people's treasury? Isn't this body thrown into the lime pit, infecting us all with the miasma of depravity? But - be calm, citizens - no mercy for those for whom the republic is only a means for speculation, and the revolution is a craft. And you, brother from Lyon, return to your people and say: the sword of the law has not rusted in the hands of those to whom you entrusted it. We will show the world a great and terrible example of justice.

Stormy applause on the benches. Robespierre descends from the podium and leaves with a businesslike petty gait.

Lacroix(Legendre). Now do you understand who Robespierre was talking about?

Legendre. Yes.

Lacroix. You are ruining the republic, you are ruining yourselves! You will see: soon the Committee of Public Safety itself will lay down its heads on Revolution Square! It is madness to make such a terrible sacrifice to the people.

Legendre. Where is Danton now?

Lacroix. In Paris.

Legendre. Let's go, we need to see him by all means.

Curtain

Picture Four

The inner garden of the Palais Royal. Under the lowered awning of the cafe, Hero de Sechelle sits at a table. Pass men and women.

Gero (to a passing girl). Listen, Ninon, I advise you to tear the hole in your skirt wider, then at least the whole thigh will be visible.

Ninon. Well, aren't you a fool?

Gero. Whoa, what's that on your neck?

Ninon. Guillotine.

Gero. Have you become a Jacobin?

Ninon. On the third day our entire section went over to the Jacobins. Listen, Hero, I tell you as an honest woman, leave the Mountain, go over to the Jacobins. It's a pity if you cut off your head.

Gero. Come closer, I'll kiss you.

Ninon (pulling away from him). Once I kiss you. (Runs away.)

Gero. Skirt, tear the skirt wider. (Laughs.)

Danton appears, holding Rosalia and Jeanne by the shoulders.

Danton. Hero, do you know who these girls are? These are the dryads from the Tuileries. I ran after them like a faun. Imagine what they were doing. Rosalia fed the sparrows and called them by their names: Marat, Philemon, Voltaire, Brissot. Brissot de Warville Jean-Pierre(1754-1793) - one of the leaders of the Girondins, a member of the Legislative Assembly and the National Convention, a writer. Executed 31 October 1793

Rosalia. You're lying, I didn't tell Brissot, in July I myself voted for the execution of the Girondins.

Danton. And Jeanne swayed on a branch and screamed at the top of her voice in a false voice to the pocket.

Gero. Girls, I greet you. My old friend Danton and I decided this morning to do away with politics. To hell with politics! We decided to get as close to nature as possible. We thought about it for a long time how to do it. Finally, we were struck by a brilliant idea - to find two girls in the Tuileries. They must be stupid, frivolous and funny.

Rosalia. Well, yes, we are the most.

Jeanne. Rosalia, what do they want to do with us?

Rosalia. I think they want to play animals with us.

Danton(laughs). We will play animals! Fabulous! We will play with animals.

Jeanne. Are we going out of town?

Danton. Oh yeah, we're going somewhere. Although you can play animals without leaving the city.

Gero(mysteriously). All four of us will walk completely naked.

Jeanne(lively). Ai, I swear to you, Rosalia will never agree to take off her dress for a hundred sous.

Gero. I will never believe this.

Rosalia(Jeanne). Why won't I agree to take off my dress, my dear? Do I have crooked legs, or a sagging stomach, or do my shoulder blades stick out like yours?

Jeanne. Please don't shout - all of Paris knows my shoulder blades.

Danton. Jeanne, you are a brave woman.

Jeanne(Rosalia). Instead of screaming about my shoulder blades, think about yourself. There was a pretty girl last year, and now her face looks like a fig leaf.

Danton and Hero are laughing.

Gero(Rosalia). Cover your innocence with them, child.

Rosalia. Just not a fig leaf.

Danton. Girls, not a word more, drink.

Gero. Now we will order wreaths of roses.

Danton. No, orange flower wreaths. Let them be made of wax. (Takes Jeanne's hand and strokes it.)

Jeanne. Wax wreaths are only for the dead.

Danton. That's it. Are we not dead? Look at this delicate satin, these blue veins. You never thought that these blue veins are roads for worms.

Jeanne (pulls out his hand). Leave me.

Danton. We, the four of us sitting here, have long been dead, Jeanne. Don't you know it? We only dream about life. Listen to the words, to the sound of the voice, look at sunlight. Can you hear the voice from afar? Everything is a dream.

Gero. Therefore, long live wine and love!

Enter L a r u a . He sits down at a table not far away, leans on his cane and looks anxiously at Danton.

Danton. Wine and your hot skin, Jeanne, this is a captivating deception.

Lacroix. Good afternoon Danton.

Danton. Ah, good afternoon, good afternoon, Lacroix!

Lacroix. After what they say about you in clubs, you shouldn't drink with girls in front of all Paris. Right now, over there, at the gate, two workers were pointing their fingers at you.

Jeanne. Maybe we should leave?

Rosalia. Say we're leaving now.

Danton. Sit and drink wine. Lacroix, you sat down and gloomily wrapped yourself in a toga. Well, throw me off the Tarpeian rock. ... leave me with Tarpeian rock.- In ancient Rome, criminals sentenced to death were thrown from the Tarpeian Rock (a sheer cliff on the Capitoline Hill in Rome). Zhanna, if you want, we will die together, because it will also be only a dream: wine, kisses and death.

Jeanne. I'm going to cry…

Lacroix. Please, for a minute.

Danton gets up and sits down beside him.

A message of extreme importance. I just got back from the Jacobin club. Legendre called for the beating of dandies and the rich. Collot d'Herbois demanded to name names. The Lyons read the monstrous proclamation, blood clots fell from it. All this gave Robespierre an excellent reason to let the dogs go.

Danton. On whom?

Lacroix. At you.

Danton. Wow, so he still dared?

Lacroix. They themselves are in a panic, trembling for their own skin. They need to throw such blood into the eyes of the people that all France will tremble, otherwise the Committee of Public Safety will fall into the lantern. They need to cut off a very heavy head.

Danton. They won't dare.

Lacroix (clasping his hands). Are you sleeping, are you sick? They will all laugh. They are carried by the current of the revolution, they destroy everything that gets in their way. Have you not realized until now that only he masters the revolution who is ahead of it, who anticipates its plans, its desires. Robespierre has mastered the revolution because he is ahead of it. It flies forward like the head of a monstrous stream. But you, Danton, stopped among the waves and hope that they will break on your trip. You will be crushed, and overturned, and trampled without regret. The people will betray you as an apostate. You are a dead relic.

Danton. The people are like a child. To find out what is hidden inside a thing, he breaks it. To crown a genius, he must first torture him. Old truth. Do you want some wine?

Lacroix. Robespierre built the accusation on the fact that you, having betrayed the republic and the people, rushed into speculation and debauchery. During the famine in Paris, you gave feasts.

Danton. There is some truth in every accusation. In general, Lacroix, today you speak like Socrates. You almost made me be serious. Jeanne, come here, leave Hero. (Puts Jeanne on her knees.) You don't have true philosophical thought, girl. You like a beautiful profile, a languid look, thin arms: it all hurts more, girl. The more beautiful the one you love, the more you will suffer. Listen, I'll teach you how to love. Love the setting sun - it is terrible, huge, fills half the sky with blood, and the wonders of sunset begin in the sky. Love the sun at the moment of death. Love the mortally wounded lion - before dying, he screams so that far, far away the ostriches hide their heads in the sand and the crocodiles start nervous hiccups from Gero. Bravo, that's very nicely said.

Danton. What? Yes, I believe that one could learn something from the four years of the revolution.

Enter Camille and Lucy. Camille comes up to Danton and puts his hand on his shoulder.

Camille. I just spoke to Robespierre. Danton gets up and goes with Camille to Lucy, kissing her hands.

Danton. Beautiful Lucy, the pride of Paris. Decoration of the Republic.

Lucy. I'm deathly worried, Danton.

Camille. Robespierre told me that for the sake of preserving the republic he would sacrifice everything. Yourself, brothers, friends.

Lucy. He spoke coldly, through his teeth, he was terribly pale.

Camille. Danton, you must go to him.

Danton. I should go to Robespierre. What for?

Lucy. You must clear yourself of the charge. You have no right to risk yourself, you have no right to risk my husband's head.

Camille. Lucy!

Lucy. I speak like a woman; maybe it's criminal. My husband is dearer to me than the world, dearer than the republic.

Camille. Lucy, what are you talking about!

Lucy. Danton, Danton, save him! (Kneels before him.)

Danton. My dear Lucy, I will do everything to keep your eyes from filling with tears.

Lucy. Thank you, thank you.

Camille. So you decided to see him?

Danton. I promised your wife. (Returns to tables.)

Camille and Lucy leave.

Lacroix. Have you decided to go to him?

Danton. Yes.

Lacroix. You've lost your mind: should you go to Robespierre, admit your impotence, ask for mercy? You are signing your own death warrant.

Danton. Yes, it seems. I will strangle this man if he becomes too disgusting to me. Where is my glass?

Rosalia. What's wrong with you, do you have cold hands?

Jeanne. Oh, I'm starting to understand something.

Danton. Exactly a quarter of a minute before death you will understand everything. Now do not work hard, drink. Damn, how much time have we wasted on stupid talk. Politics never leads to anything good. (Looks at the clock.) I'll be back in an hour. Girls, wait for me.

Lacroix (following Danton). May I accompany you?

Danton. You want to record in your memoirs the day and the hour, the position of the stars, the sun and the moon, when it happened historical event: the great Danton took his leg with both hands and raised it to the step of the house where Robespierre lived. (Laughs.)

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Picture Five

Robespierre's room. Simple, austere environment, very clean. Shelves with books and manuscripts. Everywhere are portraits and busts of Robespierre. Robespierre at the desk. Danton stands before him, arms folded across his chest.

Robespierre. The enemies of the republic have not yet been exterminated; new ones appear in place of the executed. The time for rest has not yet come.

Danton. Self-deception, bloody mirage - enemies! Destroy the entire population of France, and the last man will seem to you the most terrible enemy. The guillotine works - the enemies multiply. This is the devil's circle. Terror must end.

Robespierre. Not only to stop, but for one day we cannot ease the terror. The revolution is not over.

Danton. Lie! When the Girondins and the Federates fell, When the Girondins and the Federates fell...- The popular uprising of May 31 - June 2, 1793 deprived the Girondins and the Federalists (and not the federates) of power. The Girondins sought to turn France into a federation of departments. The opponents of the Jacobins were generally called federalists. there are no more enemies left in France. The revolution is over.

Robespierre. When we cut off the heads of the Girondins and the Federates, only then did the revolution begin.

Danton. Power struggle.

Robespierre (shrugs). You were the last romantic, the hero of the Parisian mob storming the palaces of kings. You were blinded by the red lights of the folk carnival. Yes, you love revolution, rebellion, drunkenness, blood, torches, sabers…

Danton lets out a growl. He unclenches his hands, but again squeezes them on his chest.

And now the bloody carnival is over, you are fed up and tired, and you do not see that in the country that survived the holiday of the revolution, sober and harsh everyday life has come. The beginning of a long and merciless struggle for real equality, freedom and fraternity.

Danton. The people need peace. France groans from your theoretical formulas. You are a scholastic. France wants to live.

Robespierre. The people need to get rid of the huge thickness of thousands of years of injustice. As long as even one head rises, the people will not stop fighting for sacred equality. Only social equality, the destruction of classes, estates, the equal distribution of labor, the abolition of wealth, we will achieve happiness - that is, brotherhood, and spiritual enlightenment - that is, freedom. France will become the second Sparta, France will become the second Sparta.- In revolutionary France, the fascination with ancient Greek and ancient Roman history was strongly affected. The ancient Greek state of Sparta was famous for the severity of morals and the justice of laws. but Sparta without slaves. A golden age of justice and the highest virtue will come.

Danton. Do you hope to live until then?

Robespierre. No, I will not see the golden age of justice.

Danton. But do you believe in him?

Robespierre. Yes, I believe.

Danton(laughs) You still believe that from this room you are pulling the strings of the puppets of the revolution, moving the layers of millennia, directing human waves, building a temple to the golden age. You comprehended historical laws, deduce formulas, calculate terms. Mathematics, logic, philosophy! How presumptuous a man is! When you walk down the street in a clean frock coat, a strict teacher of the revolution, the townsfolk point their fingers at you: “Here is the great Robespierre, deputy from Arras, here is the Incorruptible, he will cut off the heads of all the bakers and give us bread for nothing.” But - beware! The hour when you make a mistake in the formula, in just one figure, and it turns out that there is no need to hang the bakers, the crowd will tear you to pieces and spit in your guts. Make no mistake, Robespierre!

Robespierre. You give yourself away with your head: you are angry. That's right - people like you, greedy for pleasure, love the revolution like a mistress, and when they are fed up, they kick it away. People like you hate logic and moral purity in the revolution. Yes, maybe I will make a mistake and die, but I will fight for justice to the end, I will not stop believing in the higher reason of the revolution. You and I are people of different eras. You were needed in the beginning. Mirabeau set fire, Danton fanned the flames of the revolution. Mirabeau was set on fire, Danton fanned the flames of the resolution.– Count Mirabeau Honoré-Gabriel-Rocquette (1749-1791) was elected deputy of the States General and the National Assembly from the third estate of Provence, was the leader of the liberal big bourgeoisie, advocated the creation of a constitutional monarchy. At the beginning of the revolution, he was the most popular person, but after his death, his connection with the royal court was discovered and it was established that he received large sums of money from the royalists. After the death of Mirabeau, Danton became the main exposer of the monarchy. Then heroes, madmen and romantics were needed. But now the heroes are the people, the nation, humanity. A person who asserts himself is criminal. I repeat, in the name of great equality you must forget yourself, Danton. Distribute wealth, suppress vices and sensuality in yourself, stop being Danton. I speak frankly with you. Your merit is great. There was a time when you, like Atlas, shouldered France and carried her out of the abyss. I followed you, I feared a lot - my fears were justified. You lie now, gorging yourself on blood and meat, your genius, your strength has gone into the pleasure of digestion, your spirit has gone out. You have established yourself. Soon, soon your body will begin to emit a disgusting stench. Danton, there are times when self-affirmation is treason.

Danton. Or are you crazy or are you drunk? How do you talk to me? Well, you think I came to you to beg for mercy?

Robespierre. Yes, Danton, you have come to beg for mercy.

Danton. I will trample you and the entire Committee like a rotten radish! All of France is behind me.

Robespierre. You're wrong. Behind your back…

Danton. What?

Robespierre. Behind you is an executioner.

Danton(chuckled). Executioner! Are you sure? Yes, you are a brave man, Robespierre. Listen. Have you ever thought about the word: life? You see, I want to live. Don't bother me, don't make me get my hands dirty again. I don't want more blood, I'm sick of the killing. You want me to stay out of your theories, you're the only one who wants to be a dictator. Be the hell with you! But leave the revolution alone;

Robespierre. So our conversation is over. (Gets up and opens the door.) I beg.

Danton (approaches Robespierre, takes him by the lapels of his coat). Have you ever thought that it is much easier to turn the wheel of history?

Robespierre(cold). You won't do this.

Danton. I dare not?

Robespierre. Yes, don't you dare.

Enter Saint-Just.

Saint Just. You are not alone?

Danton releases Robespierre.

Robespierre. Saint-Just, don't go.

Danton. We'll meet at the Convention. (Exits.)

Robespierre(Saint-Just). You came on time, I was suffocating, this dirty animal breathed lust and rot on me. Saint-Just, and if they say that he cast too much shadow on me? Giant, great Danton! But do you believe me? You understand - I must be relentless.

Saint Just(cold). I believe you, Robespierre.

Robespierre. Listen, it seems to me: so much blood must gush out of his severed neck, so much blood! Is this why I came to power? I wake up at dawn and listen to the birds chirping, I start thinking about those insanely happy people who will have only a sheaf and a sickle in their hands. I see shady groves, cheerful children, beautiful women, husbands following the plow. And no one remembers that these luxurious meadows were once filled with blood. In the name of this world, Saint-Just, I sacrifice myself. I tear myself away from the visions, reach out my hand, grope for a sheet of paper, a list of those who should be executed today. I can't stop, I have to keep going. Every morning the soil of France is stained with the blood of my heart.

Saint Just. You might as well not justify yourself to me.

Robespierre. But even in the Saint-Antoine quarter, the workers grumble when they see carts with convicts. Anticipation and horror gripped the entire city. Many denounce themselves. We chop off the heads of the monster, hundreds of new ones grow in place of the severed heads. The counter-revolution swept through all of France like a plague. Look anyone in the eye - sparks of madness in everyone, in everyone. The day of celebration is separated from us by corpses, corpses, corpses.

Saint Just. You are sick, you need rest.

Robespierre. No, delay, stop - the death of everything.

But I can't decide.

Saint Just(sharp). Danton must be executed.

Robespierre. Saint-Just, this should be discussed calmly. After all, it contains five years of our revolution. I know it's monstrous, but it contains all the flames of the fire, all the sacred nonsense of the revolution. We execute our youth, we break with the past. This needs to be well thought out. Saint-Just, he won't give up without a fight.

Saint Just (gives him a sheet of paper). Read.

Robespierre. What's this?

Saint Just. Scripting list. Scripting list.- Proscriptions - lists of persons declared outlaws.

Robespierre(is reading). Danton.

Saint Just. head of the conspiracy.

Robespierre. Hero de Sechelle.

Saint Just. Pervert, cynic. The shame of the revolution.

Robespierre. Lacroix, Filippo.

Saint Just. Embezzlers and embezzlers.

Robespierre. Camille, but he's not dangerous at all.

Saint Just. He is chatty.

Robespierre. Camillus, Camillus, the most beautiful of the sons of the revolution.

Saint Just. I consider it the most dangerous of all. He is unintelligent, talented, sentimental, in love with the revolution, as with a woman. He rouges the revolution, puts pink wreaths on it. An amateur and a slacker, he discredits the authorities more than all together.

Robespierre. It will be so. Where is the indictment?

Saint Just (submits the manuscript). Draft.

Robespierre. Okay, I'll take a look. Go. Leave me alone.

Saint-Just exits.

Fourteen people. The laws of history are inexorable. I'm just an instrument of her harsh will. Terrible, terrible, fourteen people. Camille, Danton, Camille, Camille... (He turns to the door, looks, slowly gets up. Horror on his face.) Go away, go away, leave me. I have to, you understand, I have to. (Grabs proscription list, crumple, swings, co groaning down at the table.) I should…

Curtain

Picture six

Boulevard. Simon sits on a bench with a newspaper. To the side, a vendor sells beans on a cart.

Merchant(shouts). Ariko ver! Ariko, Ariko-ko! Green beans! Beans, beans... (fr. Haricots verts! Haricots, haricots-cots…)

Woman in a shawl. How much for a livre?

Merchant. Think for yourself. I sold it for eight hundred francs, but I need to buy my daughter cashmere for a skirt, and stockings, and wine. So I squandered all the money ... And I need more oil and salt. And we don’t see bread for the second week. It's getting harder to live every day, that's what I'll tell you.

Woman in a shawl. My girl hasn't eaten since yesterday - maybe you will give in a little?

Merchant. I tell you, I can't. Come on, citizen...

Painted woman. Everyone, everyone will soon die of hunger, damn me.

Lame woman. Here it is, your freedom - to die of hunger.

Painted woman. And they still forbid us to practice our craft. Let them cut off my head, and I will bring men to me. I want to eat. We will all die.

Lame woman. Soon, soon their turn will come, you will see.

Merchant (grabs the lame girl by the skirt). Wait a minute, citizen, something about your face is familiar to me.

Lame woman. Let go, don't you dare grab me!

Merchant. She is! - I know her, she is an aristocrat. Hold it, citizens!

Simon(fits). Crawl, crows! What happened?

Merchant. Call the police commissioner. I am a good Republican. I demand that she be arrested. This is the former Marquise de Chevreuse. At her stable, my relative was spotted to death.

limping. Lie, lie, lie!

Simon. Wow, that's a conspiracy!

Painted woman. You're all lying. I won't let you touch the lame. She is a ragwoman. Then take me along with her.

Simon. And who are you?

Painted woman. I am a prostitute.

Simon. Oh, damn you, there's a whole gang of you here! (Waving to the two policemen who had appeared.) Citizens, take them all to the commissar.

Noise, crush. The women are taken away. Several women ran out of the crowd and overturned the bean cart.

(To a citizen in a wig.) You see why a good Republican should spend the whole day on the street. Counter-revolutionary conspiracies break out every minute. Have you read today's decree?

Citizen in a wig. Which?

Simon (opens newspaper). Poverty is declared sacred. Holy poverty! What times, huh? Philosophical Times! Blessed times!

Citizen with a book (to a citizen in a wig). Pierre, let's go.

Citizen in a wig. Where?

Citizen with a book. To the convention. I was told: Danton will perform today. His head is hanging by a thread.

Citizen in a wig. What is your book?

Citizen with a book. Anacreon. With marginal notes. (Looks around, whispering.) King's handwritten notes.

The citizen in the wig takes the book from him. Filled with tears, he opens her and kisses her.

Citizen with a book. You are crazy!

They are going away.

Simon. Hey, there's something wrong here too. (Suspiciously follows them.)

A woman in a shawl appears at the overturned cart. She is collecting beans. Danton looks at her from behind the trees.

Woman in a shawl(scared). Here, I think, no more than two livres?

Danton. Yes, I think in no case more than two livres.

Woman in a shawl. I will put money for her cart, but I will put less than she asked for two livres. I don't have any more money. My girl is hungry. If you only knew how hard it is to live.

Danton. For life, our time is poorly adapted. You're right.

Woman in a shawl. I'm not complaining. Do I have the right to complain?

Danton. You are very beautiful. You know that?

Woman in a shawl. What are you, I've become so stupid, I don't recognize myself. Only my daughter finds me beautiful. Thank you. Goodbye.

Danton. Wait. (Removes from finger and gives her a ring.) Take.

Woman in a shawl. But this is a very valuable item. I can not take.

Danton. Please take this ring as a keepsake from me. Are you a widow?

Woman in a shawl. Yes, my husband is dead.

Danton. At war?

Woman in a shawl. No. They killed him for nothing. My husband was a poet. He was to become a great poet. I pulled out his body at night from a whole mountain of chopped corpses, and he could be the pride of France.

Danton. Was it in September?

Woman in a shawl. My husband was killed in the September massacre. Assassins will be damned, I know. The blood will suffocate them. I saw that at night they stuck torches in the ground, sat on the corpses and drank vodka, poured gunpowder into it. They had black, terrible faces, this cannot be forgotten.

Danton. Did they have black faces?

Woman in a shawl. They will all be cursed. Damn their leader, monster!

Danton. Who, who?

Woman in a shawl. Oh, you know his name. He, like Satan, spread his wings in those days over Paris.

Danton. Are you sure it was Danton who did the September massacre?

Woman in a shawl (stops, looks at him wildly, With recoils with a dull cry). Danton!

She hides behind the trees, he follows her. Camille and Lucy appear.

Lucy. He's with another woman again.

Camille. All these days he has a terrible attraction to women. He puts them on his knees, examines their hands, neck, face, eyes, he seems to be warmed by their warmth. Look how hard he steps. How his shoulders are bent. There is some terrible numbness in him.

Lucy. I love you like never before, Camille. I love you to tears, to despair. I'm scared, I'm scared.

Camille. Love, love me, my Lucy. We will never part, neither here nor there. (He kisses her.)

Lucy. My sun, my life!

Enter L a r u a .

Lacroix. Where is Danton? The meeting has begun. It's all over, damn it. I warned, he hesitated, drunkard, glutton! Its end. An order has been issued to arrest Danton, me, you, everyone... Fourteen people are to be arrested tonight. Go and tell him stories. I'm going home, I don't give a damn - death is death!

Lucy falls unconscious.

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Picture seven

There. Evening. The boulevard is illuminated by the light of a lantern. You can see the sunset through the trees. Danton sits on a bench. Louise appears between the trees.

Louise. It's me, don't be afraid. (Sits down beside him.) They will never dare raise a hand against you.

Danton. I'm not afraid, I sit quietly.

Louise. Now she was with Lucy. The poor thing is crying, begging Camille to go to Robespierre. After all, they are schoolmates. Robespierre baptized their little one. God, I think this is all a dream.

Danton. Yes, this is all a dream.

Louise. In my presence, some stranger came to them, said that they were looking for you everywhere, all over Paris. Let's leave.

Danton. I don't want to hide. I don't want to run abroad. Louise, now the sun was going down, and my shadow stretched to the end of the boulevard. I stared at that reddish shadow for a long time. Here is the true size of my body. Where can I hide? When a person grows to such a size, he must stand still. You say it's a dream. How strange, I was all numb - it happens in a dream, I seem to have sprouted roots all over. When I walk, it's hard for me to lift my soles off the ground. All I want is to lay down on the ground and sleep. Yes, Lulu, it is impossible to turn away the guillotine knife: if it is destined to fall, it will fall on my neck.

Louise. May the Most Pure Mother of God protect you! Pray, pray with me. Your mind has gone dark.

Danton. When I was little, my mother and I knelt before the bed and prayed for our family, for the harvest, for the lame beggar, for the king. What should I pray for now? I will go into the darkness, into the eternal rear. And there I do not want to remember anything, not to regret anything. That's the sweetness of death: to forget everything.

Louise. Do you love me even a little? Why are you pushing my hand away? I don't want to be separated.

Danton. Memories haunt me. There are more of them every day. At first they walked alone, now they wander in my brain in whole crowds. I hear their terrible footsteps, Louise. These are nomadic hordes of memories. Before your arrival, I sat and listened - the streets quieted down, the lights lit up. It became so quiet that I could hear my heartbeat. Little by little, the blood in my veins roared louder and more solemnly. Her noise was like the muffled murmur of the crowd. I discerned in its mysterious noise frantic cries, cries, clang of steel. I could make out how the voices were howling in my blood: September, September! Why is he holding out his bloodied hands towards me?

Louise. Have you forgotten that the republic was on the verge of destruction.

Danton. Yes, yes, I saved the Republic.

Louise. Enemies flooded the borders, moving towards Paris.

Danton. Yes, yes, the Duke of Brunswick and the King of Prussia were moving towards Paris. ... the Duke of Brunswick and the Prussian king were moving towards Paris.- The Duchy of Brunswick joined the Austro-Prussian coalition. The intervention began in 1792. In September, she posed a real threat to the republic. It was then that Danton ordered the extermination of supporters of the monarchy in prisons, fearing the strengthening of internal counter-revolution.

Louise. Paris was filled with conspirators and traitors. No one could keep the people from the massacre. In September you alone took upon your conscience the salvation of France.

Danton. Five thousand innocent old men, women, children were slaughtered in prisons. Who invented that in order to save humanity, it is necessary to fill it with its own blood. I no longer believe in myself, nor in you, nor in the day, nor in the night, nor in the truth, nor in a lie! Louise, save me.

Louise. Mother of God, have mercy on us!

Danton. It's behind me. Let's go home, Louise. I don't want to be caught as a street thief.

Danton and Louise exit. Simon appears, soldiers with torches, several citizens.

Simon. I swear by the guillotine, he's here somewhere! I saw his wife run here. Hey Danton! Dead or alive, we'll take it. If he slips away to England, the Republic is lost. Hey Danton!

Curtain

Picture eight

Revolutionary Tribunal. The benches fill up with the public. In the foreground, Fouquier Tenville is leafing through papers, next to him is Herman.

Fouquier. Are you afraid of Danton?

Hermann. He will defend himself. The rest are easy to deal with.

Fouquier. And Camille Desmoulins?

Hermann. This one isn't scary.

Fouquier. He has merit in the past. Yet he was the first to start the revolution.

Hermann. He will finish her. The snake will bite its own tail.

Fouquier (puts the papers in a folder). In the Convention, Robespierre has won so far. His speech made a very strong impression. Very.

Hermann. What was he talking about?

Fouquier. Robespierre spoke of the purity of principles, the greatness of the spirit and the sacrifices that the revolution requires. When he reached the victims, a breath of terror swept through the pews. The deputies listened in a daze, each expecting his name to be spoken. When it turned out that Robespierre demanded only the extradition of Danton and the Dantonists, the Convention breathed a sigh of relief, servile vile applause began. It was the moment of the greatest villainy in history. Then Saint-Just entered the podium and with icy calm proved, purely philosophically, that humanity in its movement towards happiness always steps over corpses. It is as natural as a natural phenomenon. Saint-Just appeased the conscience of the Convention, and Danton was betrayed to us in his head. That's how it was, but still it's just a doormat of victory. Danton can scare a jury to death and win over the streets of Paris. Well, what if the jury acquits him?

Hermann. This cannot be allowed.

Fouquier. Are you sure about the jury?

Hermann. I had to get around the law. I chose the jury not by lot, but chose the most reliable.

Fouquier. Can they be relied upon?

Hermann. One is deaf and fierce as the devil. Two alcoholics - they will doze off during the whole meeting and open their mouths only to say "guilty." Another failed artist, hungry, embittered, he has a principle: there is only one road from the revolutionary tribunal - to the guillotine. The rest are also reliable.

Fouquier. But people, people! Look what's going on under the windows.

They go to the window. Fouquier sniffs tobacco.

Listen, Herman, what if, let's say, there was a small conspiracy in prison?

Hermann. Conspiracy in prison?

Fouquier. Yes. Suppose the prisoners bribe the guards.

Hermann. So.

Fouquier. They distribute money to the people in order to cause indignation in the city by the trial.

Hermann. Well well.

Fouquier. This would greatly support our accusation.

Hermann. Yes, you are right.

The attendant enters.

Fouquier. Are the jurors in? Attendant. The jury is all in, people are pounding on the door.

Fouquier. Let's start.

Hermann(servant). Enter the judges, open the doors.

The benches fill up quickly with the public. The jurors appear. The members of the tribunal take their places.

Citizen in a red cap. Long live the republic, long live the revolutionary tribunal!

Citizen in a black cap. Citizen members of the revolutionary tribunal, we demand that the accused be sentenced to death.

“Death sentence for whoever shouted that!”

- Hush hush!

- Who said?

- Who is speaking?

- There's a conspiracy here!

“Death to the conspirators!”

Citizen in a red cap. Close all doors, search everyone!

Excitement, noise in the public.

Hermann (rings the bell). Enter the defendants.

Citizen in a black cap. Danton, come on, get it from an honest citizen! (Spits at him from above.)

Danton (turning to the audience). Look and enjoy. A rare sight in the dock.

Citizen in a red cap. You have plundered the people's money - take the trouble to give an account of them.

- Thief, bastard!

“Killer, butcher!”

- Drown yourself in your own blood!

We haven't forgotten September. We haven't forgotten September!

Hermann(calling). I ask for silence. The meeting is open. (Turns to Hero.) Defendant, what is your name?

Gero. Hero de Sechelle.

Hermann. Age?

Gero. Thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. History will find out exactly after my death.

Hermann. Occupation?

Gero. Deputy, member of the Convention. Collector of ladies' gloves. (Sits down, audience laughs.)

Hermann(Camilla). Defendant, what is your name?

Camille(with anger). You know him, rascal!

Fouquier. The defendant is personally known to me, his name is Camille Desmoulins.

Camille. You must be all too familiar with my name, Fouquier Tenville. I put you in this chair as a public prosecutor.

Hermann. Your age?

Camille. I am exactly the same age as the famous sans-culotte, Jesus Christ, was on the day of his death.

- Well answered!

– Hey, Herman, ask him about something else!

Hermann. Occupation?

Camille(screams in rage). Revolutionary, patriot, people's tribune!

Bravo, Camille Desmoulins!

- He is right, he is our tribune.

He is a good patriot.

Hermann (calls to Danton). Defendant, what is your name?

Danton. My name is well known to everyone here.

Danton, Danton!

Hermann. Age?

Danton. I am thirty five years old.

Hermann. Occupation?

Danton. Minister of Justice of the French Republic, member of the Convention, member of the Committee of Public Safety.

Hermann. What is your residence?

Danton. Nothing will soon be my home, my name will live on in the pantheon of history.

Bravo, Danton!

- Bravo, Danton, bolder!

“Danton, shake your lion's mane!”

“Danton, growl!”

The chairman is calling.

Camille. Herman, ask again how many teeth Danton has in his mouth.

Laughter in the audience.

Danton (hitting the balustrade with the manuscript). Here is the indictment. Some villain diligently worked to denigrate and slander my name. The insult was not done to me, but to the revolution. The whole of France is slapped in the face by this heap of wretched paper.

Hermann. I call you to order. Danton, you are accused of dealing with the court of Louis Capet: …with a yard Louis Capet...– After the execution of Louis XVI, his son Louis XVII was under the supervision of the Jacobins until 1795. It is not clear here whether we are talking about him or Louis XVIII, the organizer of the French counter-revolutionary emigration. Buchner's play refers to Louis XVII at this point. None of these kings belonged to the Capetian dynasty, nevertheless the republicans called this line of French kings - Capets. you received money from the personal funds of the executed king, you are accused of complicity with the late Mirabeau in order to restore the monarchy, you are accused of being friends with General Dumouriez, ... in friendship with General Dumouriez ...- Charles-Francois Dumouriez (1739-1823) - in the Girondin government he was Minister of Foreign Affairs; becoming commander of the revolutionary army, he defeated the interventionist troops in 1792, but in March 1793 he was defeated by them. Then he tried to oppose the power of the National Convention, but, not having received sufficient support in the army, he fled to the Austrians. you secretly communicated with the general, with the aim of inciting the army against the Convention and turning it against Paris. Your task was to restore the constitutional monarchy and enthrone the Duke of Orleans.

Danton. These are all disgusting lies!

Hermann. So, we'll start reading the indictment.

Danton. The indictment is a lie from start to finish! I demand words.

Hermann(calling). You will be given the floor in due time.

- Let him speak!

We demand that he speak!

To hell with the formalities!

Down with the chairman!

Danton. Let the scoundrel who slandered me speak openly. Let him come to court with his visor up. I am not afraid of slander. I'm not afraid of death. People like me are born in a century, the stamp of genius shines on their foreheads. So where are my detractors? Where are these secret accusers who strike on the sly. I do not see them. (To the audience.) Perhaps you accuse me of betraying the Republic?

Here is the indictment. I am accused of servility before the court of Louis Capet, I am accused of secret relations with the traitor Dumouriez. Oh, Saint-Just, you will answer me for this base slander.

Applause.

You are making an attempt on my life. My instinct tells me to defend myself. I will smash every count of the indictment like a clay chimera. I will bury you under any of my merits. You have forgotten them. I remind you. When Lafayette shot you with cannons on the Champ de Mars, When Lafayette shot you with cannons on the Champ de Mars...- Lafayette Marie-Joseph (1757-1834) - organizer and head of the National Guard, was a supporter of the moderate-liberal bourgeoisie, a constitutional monarchy; On July 17, 1791, he led the execution of a demonstration on the Champ de Mars, organized by Danton and demanding the deposition of the king. I declared war on the monarchy. On the tenth of August I broke it. On the twenty-first of January I killed her. On the tenth of August I broke it. On the twenty-first of January I killed her.- On August 10, 1792, a popular uprising began, as a result of which the monarchy was overthrown, on January 21, 1793, Louis XVI was executed. I, like a glove, threw the bloody head of the king at the feet of the monarchs of Europe.

Loud applause from the audience.

Hermann(calling). Can't you hear the call?

Danton. The voice of a man who defends life and honor must drown out the ringing of the bell. Yes, in September I raised the last waves of popular anger. The people roared so fiercely that the Duke of Brunswick drew back in horror the hand that had already been extended towards Paris. Europe trembled. I forged weapons for the people from the gold of the aristocrats. I sent two thousand revolutionary battalions to the eastern border. Who dares to throw a stone at me?!

Applause, shouts, flowers are thrown at Danton.

Long live Danton!

Long live the people's tribune!

We demand release!

“Free, free Danton!”

Down with the revolutionary tribunal!

To hell with the judges!

Hermann(calling). I announce a break for ten minutes.

Danton. People, you yourself will judge me. I give my life to your judgment and justice.

Applause, screams.

Curtain

Scene nine

The area in front of the building of the revolutionary tribunal. Third day of the process. Lunch break, through the windows you can see how the watchman cleans the courtroom.

Simon (appears on the site. In the window - the watchman). Hello! Pashen.

watchman (looking out the window). What do you want?

Simon. I had a pretty good lunch here, around the corner in a coffee shop.

Watchman. Well, cook to your health, if you had a hearty lunch.

Simon. That's not the point, Pashen. Let me through, old man, to the tribunal. I want to get a seat closer in advance.

watchman. But things are bad. The judges are completely scared, Danton does what he wants with them.

Simon. Danton growls so that he can be heard on the other side of the Seine. All the people are for Danton. The Commune is also for Danton. Here are the things.

watchman. It turns out that Danton is not being tried, but Danton is being judged by a revolutionary tribunal.

Simon. I'll tell you in all honesty, Pashen, I myself don't understand anything else: who should I stand for, Danton or Robespierre? Danton is a friend of the people, and Robespierre is a friend of the people. Both I like very much. But for some reason, one of them still needs to cut off his head. Understand me, Pashen - I drank three whole aperitifs before dinner and fell into a terrible melancholy, I can’t decide which of them should be beheaded. My patriotism is confused.

watchman. Well, go ahead, I'll let you through.

Simon goes to the entrance, and then you can see through the window how he goes to the seats for the public. Collot and Fouquier appear on the court.

Collo. The victory of Danton will be the defeat of the revolution. Danton is a stop. This is a revolution that has gone into digestion. He must be removed from the road at any cost, even with a dagger.

Fouquier(sniffs tobacco). The accused demand that deputies of the Convention and members of the Committee of Public Safety be summoned to court.

Collo. But then we died, this should not be allowed!

Fouquier. This is their right. The law is powerless to refuse.

Collo. Get more witnesses for the prosecution.

Fouquier. The witnesses have all been questioned.

Collo. Find new ones. Pay them money. We are risking our lives now. Pay them a thousand francs for every word.

Fouquier. Danton addresses the people all the time.

The excitement in the hall and the court is beyond description. The judges sit with their noses hung like wet crows. Danton, Camille and Lacroix swear so that the women squeal with pleasure.

(Holds out a snuffbox.) I beg. It was a big mistake to start this process.

Collo. I told Robespierre to wait. The yeast of anarchy still roams among the people. In Paris, the taste for coups and mutinies has not yet blunted. The idea of ​​an iron state power is not yet based on the masses of the people.

Fouquier. What did Robespierre say to you?

Collo. Robespierre, as always in such cases, buttoned his frock coat tightly, and his nose became white as a bone.

Fouquier. Maybe he's right.

Enter Saint-Just.

Saint Just. I've been looking for you, Fouquier: I've just received a denunciation from Luxembourg. A conspiracy has been uncovered in the prison. The wives of Danton and Desmoulins organized the distribution of money to the people. The watchmen are bribed. The destruction of prisons is being prepared, they say that the building of the Convention will be blown up.

Collo. We are saved!

Fouquier. There are witnesses?

Saint Just. Eighteen people were arrested. For now, keep quiet about everything. I'm going to the Convention and I'm going to make it hastily issue a decree so that the process can continue behind closed doors.

Fouquier(slamming the snuffbox). Yes, it's a death sentence.

Curtain

Scene ten

There in an hour. People are crowding around the gate. Through the windows you can see the judges, the accused, and part of the public in the tribunal hall.

Danton (visible in full growth in the window). You must know the truth. France is threatened with dictatorship. A gang of ambitious and scoundrels is striving to throw an iron bridle on the republic. Mortal danger threatens all liberties, human rights and the gains of the revolution. I accuse Robespierre, Saint-Just, Couton and Collot d'Herbois of striving for dictatorship. I accuse them of high treason. They want to drown the republic in blood, disperse the Convention and establish a Directory. ... disperse the Convention and establish a Directory.- Danton accuses Robespierre's supporters of the fact that in the future the counter-revolution will really make after the coup on July 27, 1794, which laid the foundation for the Thermidorian Convention, which passed to the Directory regime (November 4, 1795 - November 10, 1799), that is, to a five-member government (directors), expressing the interests of the big bourgeoisie. People, you demand bread, and the heads of your tribunes are thrown to you. You are thirsty and forced to lick blood on the steps of the guillotine.

Down with the dictators!

Down with, down with, down with dictators!

Long live Danton!

- Danton and bread!

- Danton and bread!

- Danton and bread!

The crowd presses on, several soldiers with rifles try to push it back.

Danton(shouts to the judges). Scoundrels! You hear the people screaming! Hold your heads tight.

Camille(shouts to the judges). We require a separate commission.

Hermann (ringing the bell, clutching at the disheveled wig). I call you to order. Have respect for the court.

Lacroix. This is not a court, but a gang of bribed swindlers. Shut up, you bastard.

Camille. Herman, straighten your wig, it will fall into the inkwell.

Gero. Citizen Chairman, in the name of Themis, stop calling, my ears will burst.

Danton. I order you to stop this vile comedy.

Camille. We demand that the meeting be adjourned until the commission is convened.

Lacroix. Abort the meeting! To hell!

Noise, the judges are confused, the accused get up. The crowd is rushing to the windows.

Danton. People, they are trying to deceive you ... We have uncovered a monstrous conspiracy.

- Release Danton!

- Down with the traitors. Hit the windows!

At this time, K o l l o squeezes through the crowd of the tribunal.

Kollo. Road, road, road. Decree of the Convention, decree of the Convention! (Entering the courtroom.)

- This is Collot d'Herbois!

- Bloodsucker!

- He said - the decree of the Convention.

- Again, some meanness.

- A new conspiracy against the people.

- One bowl. Hooligans! Bloodsuckers!

- And we are sitting without bread.

- Bread, bread, bread!

- Release Danton!

Fouquier (to whom Kollo gave the paper). Decree of the Convention.

Instant silence.

The convention decided. Due to the fact that a rebellion was discovered among the prisoners in the Luxembourg prison, due to the fact that citizens Lucie Desmoulins and Louise Danton distributed banknotes to the people in order to raise an uprising against the government, due to the fact that General Dillon, having bribed the watchmen, made an attempt to escape from prison and become the head of the rebels, because the defendants in the present trial took part in these criminal designs and repeatedly insulted the court, the revolutionary tribunal is ordered to continue adjudication without interruption and is imputed to the right to deprive the defendant of the word, if the accused does not show due respect in the face of the law.

Danton. I protest. They clamp my mouth to make it easier to cut my throat. This is not a trial, this is murder!

Camille(judges). Bastards, butchers.

Hermann. I deprive you of the word.

Camille. So choke on my word. (Throws the crumpled manuscript in Herman's face.)

Hermann. I announce the highest measure of restraint: I ask the public to clear the hall.

- Let's protest!

- We won't leave!

We demand the abolition of the decree!

“Shame, shame, shame!”

The soldiers clear the place for the public.

Citizens, what is this?

What a trial, what a murder!

“Kill us, shoot us!”

- Still breathe!

- Release Danton!

Danton (rushes to the window, stretches out his hands to the crowd). Citizens, brothers, protect us, they are killing us!

Hermann. Close the windows, draw down the curtains.

The attendant drags Danton away, closes the windows, lowers the curtains.

There is confusion in the crowd, a fight. Desperate screams. The people who were in the hall are pouring out of the door.

Citizen in a red cap (climbing up the lantern). Citizens, listen, citizens, be quiet! Do you want to know why there is no bread in Paris?

– What is he talking about?

- He says why there is no bread in Paris.

Hush, he's talking about bread.

Citizen in a red cap. I ask why you are starving? But only because this traitor Danton secretly sold bread to the British.

Citizen in black hat (climbing up another lantern). Citizens, I have reliable information that Danton is a traitor.

Citizen in a red cap. Citizens, lice are eating you. On you, as on the dead, clothes have decayed. Do you know how Danton lives?

Citizen in a black cap. Danton bought a palace in Sevres. Danton wears silk underwear.

Citizen in a red cap. Danton Eats pheasants and bathes in Burgundy. Danton feeds hunting dogs white bread.

Citizen in a black cap. Danton used to be as poor as the rest of us. Danton went to Belgium and received from the Duke of Orleans five million francs in gold.

Citizen in a red cap. The government gave Danton, as Minister of Justice, the diamonds of the accursed Austrian for safekeeping. I ask: where are these treasures?

Citizen in a black cap. Austrian diamonds were taken to Spain, gold was sold to the British. Danton is rich. Danton up to his neck in gold.

Citizen in a red cap. Do you know, citizens, how Robespierre, a true friend of the people, lives? In five years he had not made himself a new coat. He has two shirts, all patched up. I myself saw how one citizen gave him a handkerchief. Robespierre indignantly threw a handkerchief in the face of a stupid woman. He said: "I do not want to indulge in excesses as long as the French people have no bread to satisfy their hunger." And Danton wanted to denigrate such a person and throw a guillotine under the knife.

Citizen in a black cap. Long live Robespierre! Vote:

Long live Robespierre!

- Long live the Incorruptible!

Long live the friend of the people!

Citizen in a red cap. Death to Danton!

Down with Danton!

“Death, death to Danton!”

Curtain

Scene Eleven

Prison, vaulted room. In the depths of the window. Danton, Camille, Lacroix, Filippo and Hero are lying on the cots. In the middle is a table with leftover food. The watchman enters with a lantern.

watchman. Some people eat and drink a lot before they die, while others don’t eat or drink anything, while others eat and drink without any pleasure, they remember that in the morning their head will be lying in a basket, and they feel sick, and digestion stops in the stomach. (Looks at the bottles, at the plates.) They ate everything, drank all the wine. No, after all, damn children, leave the watchman. Is it all the same: on an empty stomach they cut off your head, or you stuffed your stomach with pork. (Lights the bunk with a lantern, counts with his finger.) One, two, three, four, five.

Gero (raises his head). Who is it?

watchman. Maybe they still hid a bottle somewhere?

Gero. It's you, Diogenes. Search, my dear, search.

watchman. And where did they hide it?

Gero. Hidden far and deep, and tomorrow they will hide forever.

watchman. What are you talking about?

Gero. About man, Diogenes, about man.

watchman. A dog's throat, and I'm talking about a bottle.

Gero. We have drunk all the wine to the last drop and leave the feast with such a light head, as if it were not on our shoulders.

watchman. Okay, go to sleep, you goddamn kids.

A clock chimes in the distance.

Three o'clock, they'll be coming for you soon. (Exit, closing the door behind him.)

Lacroix. I'm all eaten.

Gero. You did not sleep?

Lacroix. There is an unusual amount of insects here. Unbearable!

Gero. FROM tomorrow we will be eaten by insects of a different breed.

Lacroix. Worms? Yes.

The moon is shown in the window, the prison is illuminated by its light.

Gero. We stepped onto the deck of the mysterious ship. The sails have already been set. We'll fly these blue waves. Motherland will be covered with fog and gone forever. This is inevitable and very sad, but what can you do. We all visit our beautiful planet for only a short time.

Lacroix. I'm not afraid of death, but of pain. They say that this hundredth of a second, when the guillotine knife cuts the neck, is frantically painful and long, like eternity. What happiness it would be to get poison.

Filippo. Shut up, I want to sleep.

Gero. When I was little, I often had a dream: I was sailing in a fantasy ship on moonlight.

Filippo. If only we could get rid of insects!

Lacroix. This is terrible!

Filippo. The Republic is just a butcher's shop! We are eliminated - excellent! But who will be left? A people without leaders, a country without a head - one belly. For God's sake, at least a hint of common sense in our execution. Painful aimlessness. Is it only one thing that Robespierre will last another two or three more months, but he will also fall under the knife. The whole color of the country, the whole genius of the people is cut off. Celebrate, shopkeepers! .. Celebrate, tradesmen! ..

Lacroix. Shut up, don't you care now - it's too late, too late.

Gero. One is good. There we will be silent. It reconciles me with death. Quiet and decent. Lacroix, don't drag the blanket off me. There is a terrible wind from somewhere. I wouldn't want my nose to swell in the morning. Camille gets off the bed and goes to the window and writes a letter on the windowsill.

Filippo. For five years we have been flying on a glass plane into the abyss. Not a second to stop. What a nonentity, what a self-conceited nonentity man!

Lacroix. The executioners are approaching, rushing at you like an animal ... "Justice is done!" This is terrible.

Danton. They dare to cut off my head! Incredible! (Gets up from bed and walks from corner to corner.) Lacroix, can you understand this with all the power of your mind?

Lacroix. I'm sick. I have eaten too much, the food is lumpy in my stomach.

Gero. Jugglers, circus acrobats, jockeys never eat much before a performance. A tight stomach pulls to the ground and prevents you from doing clean somersaults.

Filippo. Salto-mortale! First you need to learn to walk on the ground, and France immediately began jumping death.

Danton. I will cease to be! Tomorrow there will be no Danton in France! But none of them understands how to govern the country. What rejoicing will rise in England: the French have gone mad! (Takes hold of the door grate and shakes it.) The French are crazy! Hey French! The revolution has gone mad!

Gero (jumps up from bed). Danton, wait. Who's talking behind the wall? What?

Filippo. It can't be! André Chénier thrown into jail?

Danton. Robespierre has long since put it on the proscription list. He was arrested last week, at night, outside the Boulainvilliers hotel. They would arrest Voltaire and Rousseau. Executing ordinary people is old and boring. Throw them into a lime pit, at least dozens, but to raise the head of a national genius above the scaffold - oh, not every nation can afford such a luxury. Tomorrow, tomorrow is a fun day for the Parisians. Think about the exchange of impressions over a glass of aperitif. Did you see how Danton ascended the scaffold? Magnificent figure! How he threw back his mane and looked around the square, grimaced in disgust and lay down, and - grunt! the ball bounced off his shoulders.

Gero. In particular, women will be pleased. Tomorrow night they will see you in their dreams. Tomorrow night, a hundred thousand young Parisians will cheat on their husbands with your shadow. A hundred thousand mistresses in one night—not bad, Danton! (Snaps fingers.)

Lacroix. Hush... Stop...

The clock strikes.

Filippo. Half past three.

Danton. I get out of the cart onto the scaffold. There are two pillars ahead, between them there is a board with a round hole, into this hole I have to stick my head. For thirty-five years I have lived, loved, enjoyed, shaken the world. I rose above all - only to stick my head into this hole, not wider than my neck, with the last effort. Gateway from life to oblivion! It was worth making a revolution. It was worth creating a man, it was worth creating this stupid earth!

Gero. I calculated. A handful of black soil will still come out of my body, an artichoke will grow on it.

Camille(near the window). Lucille, Lucille, my dear Lucille. (He leans his head on the letter and weeps.)

Gero. Well, it came down to tears. (Pulls out a book from under the pillow, opens it and deepens into reading.)

Danton(quiet). Bastards, bastards!

Lacroix. If you knew what was behind death?

Filippo. Bad dream, delirium, madness!

Danton. What is beyond death? Spit. Anyway, I've made good use of life. Made a lot of noise on the ground, drank a lot of wine. Yes, maybe it's wise that I leave on time. (Approaches Camille.) Dont cry. Are you writing to Lucy? And these days I never thought about my wife. Poor thing, she's pregnant. Don't cry, read to me.

Camille(is reading). “Beneficial sleep reduced my torment. The sky took pity on me. I saw you in my dream, Lucy. I kissed your hands, your lips, your tear-stained face. I woke up with a groan, and here I am again in prison. The cold moon shines through the window. God, how cold it is! What a cold! Lucille, Lucille, where are you? (Sobbed.)

Danton. Oh well.

Camille. “I beg you, if you see tomorrow how they will take me, be silent, do not break my heart, do not scream, grit your teeth. You have to live for our child. Tell him about me. Say that I wanted great happiness. I wanted a republic that the whole world would adore. I'm dying, Lucy. I believe that there is a god. For my love, for my suffering, the Lord will forgive me. I believe I will see you there, Lucy. Farewell, my life, my joy, my god. Farewell Lucille, my Lucille, my dear Lucille. I feel the shore of life running away, but my bound hands still embrace you, and my head, separated from the body, does not take its extinct eyes from you, Lucy.

Danton. Are we out of wine?

A strong knock on the door.

Lacroix. Who's there? Executioner?

Danton. Come for us, we'll say goodbye. Farewell, Camille, be courageous.

Gero (slamming the book). It's time to go.

The door opens, the jailer enters with a lantern, the soldiers and the executioner.

Curtain

Scene 12

Rainy morning. Part of the square. Bunch of curious people. Lucy is standing against the wall, her head covered with a black shawl. At her feet - Louise - hiding his head in her knees. In the depths is the scaffold of the guillotine. Simon appears.

Simon. They're taking it, they're taking it.

Citizens, justice is done. The enemies of the revolution will lay down their heads. Remember this minute. The eyes of the whole world at this moment are directed there. (Pointing to the scaffold.) Over there on those two pillars with a shiny blade. You know what those two pillars and the blade mean. This is the stern angel of history, this is the avenger of time, the genius of mankind. This machine came out of oblivion to lead the French people to immortal glory like a fiery angel. Its appearance is simple and terrible: two pillars and a blade. Look, take a good look at her. She is beautiful. It emits dazzling rays. You will go blind if you look at it for a long time. Milk and honey flow from her platform. Her foot is baked bread. She stands on gold, on piles of gold. She shines like the sun.

The rumble of wheels is approaching.

Zhanna. They're taking it, they're taking it!

Rosalia. I'm afraid we'll leave.

Zhanna. Be quiet. Look - here they are.

A cart with convicts appears. All have their hands tied behind their backs. The cart drives up to the scaffold through the silently parted people. Around him are soldiers with bayonets. Lucy silently holds out her hands to the cart.

Farewell, Danton!

Rosalia is crying loudly. Danton is the first to get out of the cart onto the scaffold, pushing the executioner away.

Danton. Frenchmen, I leave you my glory. And you, executioner, show my head to the people, it is worth it.

! Attention!

At the request of the copyright holder, the text has been removed.

Below is a small piece of text for review.

An excerpt from the text for review

Death of Danton

Tragedy in 12 scenes

(According to Buechner)

This is the history of this play. In December 1917, the management of the Korsh Theater suggested that I adapt Buchner's romantic tragedy The Death of Danton for staging. At first, I wanted to put together a play that could be staged from the available material, and only illuminate it with modernity. This task proved impossible. Already from the third picture, I had to leave Buchner and turn to historical materials and my observations of our revolution.

In January 1923 I revised the play for the second time, and in this final form I present it to the readers.

Characters

Danton, leader of the Montagnards, Minister of Justice, member of the Committee of Public Safety, inspirer of the defense of France, organizer of terror. The September massacre, which took place with his participation, was a constant bleeding wound of the republic, the beginning of a reign of terror. The action of the tragedy finds Danton retired. He had recently married sixteen-year-old Louise Gelly, marrying her to an unsworn priest who, according to a decree issued by him, was subject to the death penalty. He lives with his young wife in Sevres.

Robespierre, member of the Committee of Public Safety, leader of the Jacobins. A fiery-ice man with an unbending will and unsullied morality. Smart, prudent and ruthless.

Picture two

Crossroads of two Parisian narrow streets. Gloomy houses protruding forward floors. Dirty barn door. On the corner, on an iron bracket, is a lantern. At the door of the tavern fuss, screams.

Simon. Witch, cursed witch, witch!

Simon's wife. Help, help!

Simon. No, I won't let you out alive. Here's to you, here's to you!

Simon's wife, in a torn dress, jumps out into the street. Citizens lean out from behind corners, from doors.

Simon's wife. Citizens, they killed me!

Simon. I have to crack her head open, she's a witch!

Simon's wife. You will pay for these words, you old drunkard!

Simon. Have you seen, heard? (Throws at his wife.)

Citizens, where is my daughter? Let her say, witch, where is my girl. No, she is no longer a girl. Do you hear, you cursed witch? Not a girl, not a lady, not a woman. Street slut my daughter!

Citizen in a red cap. Shut up, shut up, Simon.

Simon. I don't have a daughter anymore!

Simon's wife. Simon, Simon, what's wrong with you? He, citizens, is a very good man until he gets drunk.

Citizen in a black cap. We have to take it to the house.

Citizen in a red cap. What happened to you, I ask?

Simon's wife. My daughter, you see, is a kind girl. She is sorry to see that her parents often do not have bread or wine. She, you see, went out into the street.

Simon. Yep, you confessed!

Simon's wife. Oh, beer barrel, Judas, lousy camel! Why, if my daughter, the angel of meekness and innocence - I swear it, citizens - did not bring guests from the street, what would you drink, what would you eat, you dirty old stinker? No, think, his daughter works for him, and he ...

Simon. Give me the knife, I'll slaughter this bawd!

Citizen in a red cap. A knife is needed not for your unfortunate wife, Simon, but for those who need a sharp knife who debauchery with your daughter, buys her body.

Citizen in a red cap. Woe to the idlers, woe to the lechers, woe to the rich! We are hungry, we have no bread, no meat, no wine. When we stretch out our hands, groaning with hunger and thirst, these idlers, these depraved people, these rich people who have profited from the revolution, these scoundrels say: "Sell us your daughters." That's who the knife is for.

Citizen in a black cap. We were told: "nobles drink people's blood" - we hanged the aristocrats. We were told: "The Girondins make the people starve" - ​​we cut off the heads of the Girondins. But we are starving no less, we have no firewood, no bread, no salt. Who uses our titanic labors, our inhuman torments? Down with those who profit from the revolution! Down with the rich! Death to all who are not dressed in rags!

Citizen in a black cap. Death to all who are richer than us!

Citizen in a red cap. Death to all who have clean linen!

A crowd rolls out from around the corner, dragging a young man to the lamppost.

Young man. Lord!

Citizen in a red cap. There are no gentlemen here. Here are the sans-culottes. To his lantern!

The crowd lowers the lantern, sings a pocket and dances.

The day will come, come, come

Let's all dance the pocket.

The day will come, come, come, -

Who is not with us -

Let him die.

Let's dance the carmagnola

We're all in line

We are all in line.

Let's dance the carmagnolu -

Let the guns roar.

All forward, forward, forward

To the lantern of all who are not with us.

All forward, forward, forward -

Those who are not with us, let them die.

Young man. Have mercy!

Citizen in a red cap. In vain do you beg us for mercy, citizen - we are merciful. You are killing us slowly - by starvation. We kill you in a few seconds on the lantern. I advise you to be courteous, and before you stick out your tongue, thank the citizens for their generosity ...

Young man. Damn you! Hang me from a lantern if it makes you feel better.

Citizen in a red cap. Citizens, we have no right...

Robespierre enters.

Robespierre. What is happening here, citizens?.. I ask.

Citizen in a black cap. This is what is happening here, Citizen Robespierre: September blood has not given us happiness, the guillotine works too slowly. We are hungry, give us bread.

Citizen in a red cap. We demand that you give us bread, whatever the cost...

The young man, abandoned by the crowd, runs away.

Robespierre. In the name of the law!

Citizen in a red cap. What law? The belly is my law.

Robespierre. The law is the sacred will of the people.

Robespierre's knitter (a woman with disheveled hair, with a wild, red face, a torn shawl on her shoulders, a knitting stocking in her hands). Listen, listen to what Robespierre has to say. Listen to the Incorruptible. Listen to the righteous.

Robespierre knitter. Listen, listen to the messiah, listen, listen to the one called to rule the nations. In his hand is the sword of justice, in his hand is the scale of justice.

Robespierre. Good citizens. You have plucked the tares of evil from the land of France with your own hands. You repulsed the enemies on the borders and gave an example of greatness, which was not equal even in antiquity. Yesterday you were slaves, today you are a great people. But remember: it takes a lot of effort and courage to keep your rights, the rights of a new person - freedom, equality and brotherhood. Enemies are not all broken. Enemies are among you. The main enemy is anarchy and licentiousness. You shout: bread. There will be bread, you need to get it. Look at your hands, don't they smell like bread when you clench them into fists? Citizens, do not become like the Roman rabble from the time of the emperors. She knew only how to demand bread and circuses, and the sword fell from her pampered hand when hordes of barbarians hung over eternal Rome. No, I know that France knows how, when necessary, to clench her teeth and tighten her stomach with a military scarf. There will be bread, justice and glory. People, your legislators are awake, their eyes in the darkness discern your enemies.

Robespierre, leaving, runs into Danton, who listened to his words with a grin all this time.

Robespierre. Is that you, Danton?

Danton. Yes, it's me, Robespierre.

Robespierre. How long have you been in Paris?

Danton. Today since morning.

Robespierre. From Sèvres?

Danton. Yes, from Sèvres. I came to hear how you talk to the people. You've made great strides. I hope today's speech was without preparation? Or maybe you wrote it today before going out?

Robespierre. They say that you live happily in Sevres with your wife; they say you have a rich house, many friends gather every evening, wine flows like water, they play cards?

Danton. What is an interrogation?

Robespierre. No, just a friendly warning. (Gone.)

Danton (laughing loudly). Roman! Incorruptible! The conscience of the people!

SIMON (appearing at the door of the tavern). Who said: Roman? Is that you, Danton? Good evening, old man, haven't seen you for a long time.

Danton. How do you live, old grindstone?

Simon. Badly. I drink. Just beat up his wife. I swear by the knife of the guillotine, I didn't beat her, my despair pounded her. Boring, Danton. I began to drink a lot, it's boring. Even you, they say, become merciful. Watch out. Do you remember how we cleansed the republic in September? You were up to your neck in blood, you were great. Those were fun days. Danton, I am proud: I myself have devoured the heart of the whore Lamballe with these roots of teeth.

Danton. Dirty animal! (Pushes him and leaves.)

Simon. Watch out, Danton, watch out.

Picture three

The interior of a Gothic church. In place of the altar is a podium. Under it is a table, around it are benches like an amphitheatre. Several candles are lit in the chandelier. On the podium Lezhandr.

Lyon (shouts from a place). The brothers of Lyon sent me to find out why you are delaying executions?

Have you forgotten what Lyon is: a sewer, a nest of counter-revolution. We need mass executions. Not only that, we demand to blow up the city walls, to destroy palaces and silk factories to the ground. Know that if we do not find the due cruelty in you, we will cope with our own means.

Legendre (to the Lyons). I repeat once again: there is no need to look to Lyon: here, in Paris, in the center of the revolution, people live calmly who find it possible to wear silk dresses, ride in carriages, get drunk and debauchery, and they all do this - you hear - hiding behind a tricolor the banner of the Republic... In theater boxes they gorge themselves on chocolate and speak the language of aristocrats.

Legendre. Citizens, the counter-revolution is raising its head... I ask, what is the Committee of Public Safety thinking about?

Collot d'Herbois (from the spot). And I ask you, Legendre, do you know who sets an example for these dandies to openly debauch, who inspires these robbers of the revolution? Do you know the name of this person?

A tense silence.

Robespierre. I ask for words.

Legendre. Word to citizen Robespierre.

Robespierre, clearly clattering his heels, runs up to the podium. He is small in stature, in a powdered wig, in a neat brown frock coat; in his hand is a manuscript rolled up into a tube.

Robespierre. We waited only for cries of indignation in order to begin to act, and now I hear not cries, but the alarm. Yes, our eyes were open while the enemy was arming, and we gave him the opportunity to get into position. Now he is in full view of us. Each blow will pierce his heart.

Lacroix (Legendru). Who is he talking about?

Legendre. About the enemies of the republic.

Robespierre. Yesterday I told you that the internal enemies of the republic are twofold: one is atheists and anarchists. They have already been destroyed. Geber and the Hebertists dishonored the revolution with disgusting excesses. Geber and the Hebertists were executed yesterday.

Robespierre. I will not tire of repeating: the sacred task of the French people is to restore in the world the highest justice, freedom, equality and fraternity, to uproot, like tares, the disgusting vices in which mankind is immersed. This is the great goal of France. For this a revolution was made, for this a republican system was created. The weapon of the republic is fear. The strength of the Republic is a virtue. But virtue is impossible without severity. Ruthlessness to manifestations of vice is the highest virtue. Terror is the purity of the republic. We are called bloodthirsty. A disgusting drawing depicting me with a cup into which I squeeze the blood from a human heart is extremely popular abroad. In vile hypocrisy, we are hated because we do not want to be enslaved. Every time we respond with terror to the intrigues of the enemies of the republic, a cry of horror and indignation rises abroad. Terror is our strength, our purity, our justice, our mercy! To speak for the abolition of terror means to speak of the death of the Republic and of France.

Robespierre. And now these new enemies of ours, gluttons with sensitive hearts, are shouting: “Down with the regime of executions, down with terror! Amnesty to all prisoners in prisons, to all profiteers on the national disaster, to all aristocrats and royalists! When we stand face to face before Europe armed from head to toe, before the gangs of the Austrian Emperor and the King of Prussia, before the stranglers of freedom - emigrants of Koblenz, when England hangs over us from the west, and in the east rises the terrible ghost of the Russian Empress - in this formidable time we want to knock out weapons from our hands! Moreover, these gluttons, these lechers infect the entire nation with vices, poison the sources of strength. This is, perhaps, the most treacherous and terrible attempt on the freedom of the republic, an infernal plan: to decompose and weaken the nation. I still do not know enough - perhaps this plan originated unconsciously in the human brain ... But it's not about intent - the danger still remains formidable. Vice is not only a moral, but also a political crime. And the more dangerous the vicious person, the more significant were the services he once rendered to the republic ... (Pause, drinks water.)

Lacroix (Legendru). Do you understand now? It's monstrous!

Robespierre. You will understand me more easily if you imagine a man who until recently wore a knitted cap and torn boots, ate his breakfast hastily at the counter next to a soldier, an artisan and a sans-culotte - and now this man is driving around in a glass carriage, playing cards with former an aristocrat, buys country villas, dresses in a silk caftan, arranges magnificent dinners, where wine flows like water and the remains of bread and meat are thrown to the dogs.

Roaring in the amphitheatre.

Yes, this man lives like a prince of the blood. Enough, the portrait is ready. I ask: why are these hands still not cut off, robbing the people's treasury? Isn't this body thrown into the lime pit, infecting us all with the miasma of depravity? But - be calm, citizens - no mercy for those for whom the republic is only a means for speculation, and the revolution is a craft. And you, brother from Lyon, return to your people and say: the sword of the law has not rusted in the hands of those to whom you entrusted it. We will show the world a great and terrible example of justice.

Stormy applause on the benches. Robespierre descends from the podium and leaves with a businesslike petty gait.

Lacroix (Legendru). Now do you understand who Robespierre was talking about?

Legendre. Yes.

Lacroix. You are ruining the republic, you are ruining yourselves! You will see: soon the Committee of Public Safety itself will lay down its heads on Revolution Square! It is madness to make such a terrible sacrifice to the people.

Legendre. Where is Danton now?

Lacroix. In Paris.

Legendre. Let's go, we need to see him by all means.

Picture Four

The inner garden of the Palais Royal. Under the lowered awning of the cafe, Hero de Sechelle sits at a table. Pass men and women.

Hero (to a passing girl). Listen, Ninon, I advise you to tear the hole in your skirt wider, then at least the whole thigh will be visible.

Ninon. Well, aren't you a fool?

Gero. Whoa, what's that on your neck?

Ninon. Guillotine.

Gero. Have you become a Jacobin?

Ninon. On the third day our entire section went over to the Jacobins. Listen, Hero, I tell you as an honest woman, leave the Mountain, go over to the Jacobins. It's a pity if you cut off your head.

Gero. Come closer, I'll kiss you.

Ninon (breaking away from him). Once I kiss you. (Runs away.)

Gero. Skirt, tear the skirt wider. (Laughs.)

Danton appears, holding Rosalia and Jeanne by the shoulders.

Danton. Hero, do you know who these girls are? These are the dryads from the Tuileries. I ran after them like a faun. Imagine what they were doing. Rosalia fed the sparrows and called them by their names: Marat, Philemon, Voltaire, Brissot.

Rosalia. You're lying, I didn't tell Brissot, in July I myself voted for the execution of the Girondins.

Danton. And Jeanne swayed on a branch and screamed at the top of her voice in a false voice to the pocket.

Gero. Girls, I greet you. My old friend Danton and I decided this morning to do away with politics. To hell with politics! We decided to get as close to nature as possible. We thought about it for a long time how to do it. Finally, we were struck by a brilliant idea - to find two girls in the Tuileries. They must be stupid, frivolous and funny.

Rosalia. Well, yes, we are the most.

Zhanna. Rosalia, what do they want to do with us?

Rosalia. I think they want to play animals with us.

Danton (laughs). We will play animals! Fabulous! We will play with animals.

Zhanna. Are we going out of town?

Danton. Oh yeah, we're going somewhere. Although you can play animals without leaving the city.

Hero (mysteriously). All four of us will walk completely naked.

Jeanne (lively). Ai, I swear to you, Rosalia will never agree to take off her dress for a hundred sous.

Gero. I will never believe this.

Rosalia (Jeanne). Why won't I agree to take off my dress, my dear? Do I have crooked legs, or a sagging stomach, or do my shoulder blades stick out like yours?

Zhanna. Please don't shout - all of Paris knows my shoulder blades.

Danton. Jeanne, you are a brave woman.

Jeanne (Rosalia). Instead of screaming about my shoulder blades, think about yourself. There was a pretty girl last year, and now her face looks like a fig leaf.

Danton and Hero are laughing.

Hero (Rosalia). Cover your innocence with them, child.

Rosalia. Just not a fig leaf.

Danton. Girls, not a word more, drink.

Gero. Now we will order wreaths of roses.

Danton. No, orange flower wreaths. Let them be made of wax. (Takes Jeanne's hand and strokes it.)

Zhanna. Wax wreaths are only for the dead.

Danton. That's it. Are we not dead? Look at this delicate satin, these blue veins. You never thought that these blue veins are roads for worms.

Jeanne (pulls out her hand). Leave me.

Danton. We, the four of us sitting here, have long been dead, Jeanne. Don't you know it? We only dream about life. Listen to the words, to the sound of the voice, look at the sunlight. Can you hear the voice from afar? Everything is a dream.

Gero. Therefore, long live wine and love!

Enter Lacroix. He sits down at a table not far away, leans on his cane and looks anxiously at Danton.

Danton. Wine and your hot skin, Jeanne, this is a captivating deception.

Lacroix. Good afternoon Danton.

Danton. Ah, good afternoon, good afternoon, Lacroix!

Lacroix. After what they say about you in clubs, you shouldn't drink with girls in front of all Paris. Right now, over there, at the gate, two workers were pointing their fingers at you.

Zhanna. Maybe we should leave?

Rosalia. Say we're leaving now.

Danton. Sit and drink wine. Lacroix, you sat down and gloomily wrapped yourself in a toga. Well, throw me off the Tarpeian rock. Zhanna, if you want, we will die together, because it will also be only a dream: wine, kisses and death.

Zhanna. I'm going to cry…

Lacroix. Please, for a minute.

Danton gets up and sits down beside him.

A message of extreme importance. I just got back from the Jacobin club. Legendre called for the beating of dandies and the rich. Collot d'Herbois demanded to name names. The Lyons read the monstrous proclamation, blood clots fell from it. All this gave Robespierre an excellent reason to let the dogs go.

Danton. On whom?

Lacroix. At you.

Danton. Wow, so he still dared?

Lacroix. They themselves are in a panic, trembling for their own skin. They need to throw such blood into the eyes of the people that all France will tremble, otherwise the Committee of Public Safety will fall into the lantern. They need to cut off a very heavy head.

Danton. They won't dare.

Lacroix (clasping his hands). Are you sleeping, are you sick? They will all laugh. They are carried by the current of the revolution, they destroy everything that gets in their way. Have you not realized until now that only he masters the revolution who is ahead of it, who anticipates its plans, its desires. Robespierre has mastered the revolution because he is ahead of it. It flies forward like the head of a monstrous stream. But you, Danton, stopped among the waves and hope that they will break on your trip. You will be crushed, and overturned, and trampled without regret. The people will betray you as an apostate. You are a dead relic.

Danton. The people are like a child. To find out what is hidden inside a thing, he breaks it. To crown a genius, he must first torture him. Old truth. Do you want some wine?

Lacroix. Robespierre built the accusation on the fact that you, having betrayed the republic and the people, rushed into speculation and debauchery. During the famine in Paris, you gave feasts.

Danton. There is some truth in every accusation. In general, Lacroix, today you speak like Socrates. You almost made me be serious. Jeanne, come here, leave Hero. (Puts Jeanne on her knees.) You have no true philosophical thought, girl. You like a beautiful profile, a languid look, thin arms: it all hurts more, girl. The more beautiful the one you love, the more you will suffer. Listen, I'll teach you how to love. Love the setting sun - it is terrible, huge, fills half the sky with blood, and the wonders of sunset begin in the sky. Love the sun at the moment of death. Love the mortally wounded lion - before dying, he screams so that far, far away the ostriches hide their heads in the sand and the crocodiles start nervous hiccups from Gero. Bravo, that's very nicely said.

Danton. What? Yes, I believe that one could learn something from the four years of the revolution.

Enter Camille and Lucy. Camille comes up to Danton and puts his hand on his shoulder.

Camille. I just spoke to Robespierre. Danton gets up and goes with Camille to Lucy, kissing her hands.

Danton. Beautiful Lucy, the pride of Paris. Decoration of the Republic.

Lucy. I'm deathly worried, Danton.

Camille. Robespierre told me that for the sake of preserving the republic he would sacrifice everything. Yourself, brothers, friends.

Lucy. He spoke coldly, through his teeth, he was terribly pale.

Camille. Danton, you must go to him.

Danton. I should go to Robespierre. What for?

Lucy. You must clear yourself of the charge. You have no right to risk yourself, you have no right to risk my husband's head.

Camille. Lucy!

Lucy. I speak like a woman; maybe it's criminal. My husband is dearer to me than the world, dearer than the republic.

Camille. Lucy, what are you talking about!

Lucy. Danton, Danton, save him! (Kneels before him.)

Danton. My dear Lucy, I will do everything to keep your eyes from filling with tears.

Lucy. Thank you, thank you.

Camille. So you decided to see him?

Danton. I promised your wife. (Returns to tables.)

Camille and Lucy leave.

Lacroix. Have you decided to go to him?

Danton. Yes.

Lacroix. You've lost your mind: should you go to Robespierre, admit your impotence, ask for mercy? You are signing your own death warrant.

Danton. Yes, it seems. I will strangle this man if he becomes too disgusting to me. Where is my glass?

Rosalia. What's wrong with you, do you have cold hands?

Zhanna. Oh, I'm starting to understand something.

Danton. Exactly a quarter of a minute before death you will understand everything. Now do not work hard, drink. Damn, how much time have we wasted on stupid talk. Politics never leads to anything good. (Looks at his watch.) I'll be back in an hour. Girls, wait for me.

Lacroix (following Danton). May I accompany you?

Danton. You want to record in your memoirs the day and the hour, the location of the stars, the sun and the moon, when a historic event happened: the great Danton took his leg with both hands and raised it to the step of the house where Robespierre lived. (Laughs.)

Picture Five

Robespierre's room. Simple, austere environment, very clean. Shelves with books and manuscripts. Everywhere are portraits and busts of Robespierre. Robespierre at the desk. Danton stands before him, arms folded across his chest.

Robespierre. The enemies of the republic have not yet been exterminated; new ones appear in place of the executed. The time for rest has not yet come.

Danton. Self-deception, bloody mirage - enemies! Destroy the entire population of France, and the last man will seem to you the most terrible enemy. The guillotine works - the enemies multiply. This is the devil's circle. Terror must end.

Robespierre. Not only to stop, but for one day we cannot ease the terror. The revolution is not over.

Danton. Lie! When the Girondins and the federates fell, there were no more enemies left in France. The revolution is over.

Robespierre. When we cut off the heads of the Girondins and the Federates, only then did the revolution begin.

Danton. Power struggle.

Robespierre (shrugs his shoulders). You were the last romantic, the hero of the Parisian mob storming the palaces of kings. You were blinded by the red lights of the folk carnival. Yes, you love revolution, rebellion, drunkenness, blood, torches, sabers…

Danton lets out a growl. He unclenches his hands, but again squeezes them on his chest.

And now the bloody carnival is over, you are fed up and tired, and you do not see that in the country that survived the holiday of the revolution, sober and harsh everyday life has come. The beginning of a long and merciless struggle for real equality, freedom and fraternity.

Danton. The people need peace. France groans from your theoretical formulas. You are a scholastic. France wants to live.

Robespierre. The people need to get rid of the huge thickness of thousands of years of injustice. As long as even one head rises, the people will not stop fighting for sacred equality. Only social equality, the destruction of classes, estates, the equal distribution of labor, the abolition of wealth, we will achieve happiness - that is, brotherhood, and spiritual enlightenment - that is, freedom. France will become a second Sparta, but a Sparta without slaves. A golden age of justice and the highest virtue will come.

Danton. Do you hope to live until then?

Robespierre. No, I will not see the golden age of justice.

Danton. But do you believe in him?

Robespierre. Yes, I believe.

Danton (laughing) You still believe that from this room you are pulling the strings of the puppets of the revolution, moving the layers of millennia, directing human waves, building a temple to the golden age. You comprehended historical laws, deduce formulas, calculate terms. Mathematics, logic, philosophy! How presumptuous a man is! When you walk down the street in a clean frock coat, a strict teacher of the revolution, the townsfolk point their fingers at you: “Here is the great Robespierre, deputy from Arras, here is the Incorruptible, he will cut off the heads of all the bakers and give us bread for nothing.” But - beware! The hour when you make a mistake in the formula, in just one figure, and it turns out that there is no need to hang the bakers, the crowd will tear you to pieces and spit in your guts. Make no mistake, Robespierre!

Robespierre. You give yourself away with your head: you are angry. That's right - people like you, greedy for pleasure, love the revolution like a mistress, and when they are fed up, they kick it away. People like you hate logic and moral purity in the revolution. Yes, maybe I will make a mistake and die, but I will fight for justice to the end, I will not stop believing in the higher reason of the revolution. You and I are people of different eras. You were needed in the beginning. Mirabeau set fire, Danton fanned the flames of the revolution. Then heroes, madmen and romantics were needed. But now the heroes are the people, the nation, humanity. A person who asserts himself is criminal. I repeat, in the name of great equality you must forget yourself, Danton. Distribute wealth, suppress vices and sensuality in yourself, stop being Danton. I speak frankly with you. Your merit is great. There was a time when you, like Atlas, shouldered France and carried her out of the abyss. I followed you, I feared a lot - my fears were justified. You lie now, gorging yourself on blood and meat, your genius, your strength has gone into the pleasure of digestion, your spirit has gone out. You have established yourself. Soon, soon your body will begin to emit a disgusting stench. Danton, there are times when self-affirmation is treason.

Danton. Or are you crazy or are you drunk? How do you talk to me? Well, you think I came to you to beg for mercy?

Robespierre. Yes, Danton, you have come to beg for mercy.

Danton. I will trample you and the entire Committee like a rotten radish! All of France is behind me.

Robespierre. You're wrong. Behind your back…

Danton. What?

Robespierre. Behind you is an executioner.

Danton (laughing). Executioner! Are you sure? Yes, you are a brave man, Robespierre. Listen. Have you ever thought about the word: life? You see, I want to live. Don't bother me, don't make me get my hands dirty again. I don't want more blood, I'm sick of the killing. You want me to stay out of your theories, you're the only one who wants to be a dictator. Be the hell with you! But leave the revolution alone;

Robespierre. So our conversation is over. (Gets up and opens the door.) Please.

Danton (goes up to Robespierre, takes him by the lapels of his coat). Have you ever thought that it is much easier to turn the wheel of history?

Robespierre (coldly). You won't do this.

Danton. I dare not?

Robespierre. Yes, don't you dare.

Enter Saint-Just.

Saint Just. You are not alone?

Danton releases Robespierre.

Robespierre. Saint-Just, don't go.

Danton. We'll meet at the Convention. (Exits.)

Robespierre (Saint-Just). You came on time, I was suffocating, this dirty animal breathed lust and rot on me. Saint-Just, and if they say that he cast too much shadow on me? Giant, great Danton! But do you believe me? You understand - I must be relentless.

Saint-Just (coldly). I believe you, Robespierre.

Robespierre. Listen, it seems to me: so much blood must gush out of his severed neck, so much blood! Is this why I came to power? I wake up at dawn and listen to the birds chirping, I start thinking about those insanely happy people who will have only a sheaf and a sickle in their hands. I see shady groves, cheerful children, beautiful women, husbands following the plow. And no one remembers that these luxurious meadows were once filled with blood. In the name of this world, Saint-Just, I sacrifice myself. I tear myself away from the visions, reach out my hand, grope for a sheet of paper, a list of those who should be executed today. I can't stop, I have to keep going. Every morning the soil of France is stained with the blood of my heart.

Saint Just. You might as well not justify yourself to me.

Robespierre. But even in the Saint-Antoine quarter, the workers grumble when they see carts with convicts. Anticipation and horror gripped the entire city. Many denounce themselves. We chop off the heads of the monster, hundreds of new ones grow in place of the severed heads. The counter-revolution swept through all of France like a plague. Look anyone in the eye - sparks of madness in everyone, in everyone. The day of celebration is separated from us by corpses, corpses, corpses.

Saint Just. You are sick, you need rest.

Robespierre. No, delay, stop - the death of everything.

But I can't decide.

Saint-Just (sharply). Danton must be executed.

Robespierre. Saint-Just, this should be discussed calmly. After all, it contains five years of our revolution. I know it's monstrous, but it contains all the flames of the fire, all the sacred nonsense of the revolution. We execute our youth, we break with the past. This needs to be well thought out. Saint-Just, he won't give up without a fight.

Saint-Just (holds out a sheet of paper to him). Read.

Robespierre. What's this?

Saint Just. Scripting list.

Robespierre (reading). Danton.

Saint Just. head of the conspiracy.

Robespierre. Hero de Sechelle.

Saint Just. Pervert, cynic. The shame of the revolution.

Robespierre. Lacroix, Filippo.

Saint Just. Embezzlers and embezzlers.

Robespierre. Camille, but he's not dangerous at all.

Saint Just. He is chatty.

Robespierre. Camillus, Camillus, the most beautiful of the sons of the revolution.

Saint Just. I consider it the most dangerous of all. He is unintelligent, talented, sentimental, in love with the revolution, as with a woman. He rouges the revolution, puts pink wreaths on it. An amateur and a slacker, he discredits the authorities more than all together.

Robespierre. It will be so. Where is the indictment?

Saint-Just (gives the manuscript). Draft.

Robespierre. Okay, I'll take a look. Go. Leave me alone.

Saint-Just exits.

Fourteen people. The laws of history are inexorable. I'm just an instrument of her harsh will. Terrible, terrible, fourteen people. Camille, Danton, Camille, Camille ... (Turns to the door, looks, slowly rises. Horror on his face.) Go away, go away, leave me. I have to, you understand, I have to. (Grabs the proscription list, crumples it up, swings it, groans down at the table.) I have to...

Picture six

Boulevard. Simon sits on a bench with a newspaper. To the side, a vendor sells beans on a cart.

Merchant (shouting). Ariko ver! Ariko, Ariko-ko!

Woman in a shawl. How much for a livre?

Merchant. Think for yourself. I sold it for eight hundred francs, but I need to buy my daughter cashmere for a skirt, and stockings, and wine. So I squandered all the money ... And I need more oil and salt. And we don’t see bread for the second week. It's getting harder to live every day, that's what I'll tell you.

Woman in a shawl. My girl hasn't eaten since yesterday - maybe you will give in a little?

Merchant. I tell you, I can't. Come on, citizen...

Painted woman. Everyone, everyone will soon die of hunger, damn me.

Lame woman. Here it is, your freedom - to die of hunger.

Painted woman. And they still forbid us to practice our craft. Let them cut off my head, and I will bring men to me. I want to eat. We will all die.

Lame woman. Soon, soon their turn will come, you will see.

Tradeswoman (grabs the lame woman by the skirt). Wait a minute, citizen, something about your face is familiar to me.

Lame woman. Let go, don't you dare grab me!

Merchant. She is! - I know her, she is an aristocrat. Hold it, citizens!

Simon (approaches). Crawl, crows! What happened?

Merchant. Call the police commissioner. I am a good Republican. I demand that she be arrested. This is the former Marquise de Chevreuse. At her stable, my relative was spotted to death.

Lame. Lie, lie, lie!

Simon. Wow, that's a conspiracy!

Painted woman. You're all lying. I won't let you touch the lame. She is a ragwoman. Then take me along with her.

Simon. And who are you?

Painted woman. I am a prostitute.

Simon. Oh, damn you, there's a whole gang of you here! (Waving to two militia soldiers who appeared.) Citizens, take them all to the commissar.

Noise, crush. The women are taken away. Several women ran out of the crowd and overturned the bean cart.

(To a citizen in a wig.) You see why a good Republican should spend the whole day on the street. Counter-revolutionary conspiracies break out every minute. Have you read today's decree?

Citizen in a wig. Which?

SIMON (opens the newspaper). Poverty is declared sacred. Holy poverty! What times, huh? Philosophical Times! Blessed times!

A citizen with a book (a citizen in a wig). Pierre, let's go.

Citizen in a wig. Where?

Citizen with a book. To the convention. I was told: Danton will perform today. His head is hanging by a thread.

Citizen in a wig. What is your book?

Citizen with a book. Anacreon. With marginal notes. (Looks around, in a whisper.) In the King's handwritten notes.

The citizen in the wig takes the book from him. Filled with tears, he opens her and kisses her.

Citizen with a book. You are crazy!

They are going away.

Simon. Hey, there's something wrong here too. (Suspiciously follows them.)

A woman in a shawl appears at the overturned cart. She is collecting beans. Danton looks at her from behind the trees.

Woman in a shawl (frightened). Here, I think, no more than two livres?

Danton. Yes, I think in no case more than two livres.

Woman in a shawl. I will put money for her cart, but I will put less than she asked for two livres. I don't have any more money. My girl is hungry. If you only knew how hard it is to live.

Danton. For life, our time is poorly adapted. You're right.

Woman in a shawl. I'm not complaining. Do I have the right to complain?

Danton. You are very beautiful. You know that?

Woman in a shawl. What are you, I've become so stupid, I don't recognize myself. Only my daughter finds me beautiful. Thank you. Goodbye.

Danton. Wait. (He takes it off his finger and gives her the ring.) Take it.

Woman in a shawl. But this is a very valuable item. I can not take.

Danton. Please take this ring as a keepsake from me. Are you a widow?

Woman in a shawl. Yes, my husband is dead.

Danton. At war?

Woman in a shawl. No. They killed him for nothing. My husband was a poet. He was to become a great poet. I pulled out his body at night from a whole mountain of chopped corpses, and he could be the pride of France.

Danton. Was it in September?

Woman in a shawl. My husband was killed in the September massacre. Assassins will be damned, I know. The blood will suffocate them. I saw that at night they stuck torches in the ground, sat on the corpses and drank vodka, poured gunpowder into it. They had black, terrible faces, this cannot be forgotten.

Danton. Did they have black faces?

Woman in a shawl. They will all be cursed. Damn their leader, monster!

Danton. Who, who?

Woman in a shawl. Oh, you know his name. He, like Satan, spread his wings in those days over Paris.

Danton. Are you sure it was Danton who did the September massacre?

WOMAN IN A SHAWL (stops, looks at him wildly, recoils with a dull cry). Danton!

She hides behind the trees, he follows her. Camille and Lucy appear.

Lucy. He's with another woman again.

Camille. All these days he has a terrible attraction to women. He puts them on his knees, examines their hands, neck, face, eyes, he seems to be warmed by their warmth. Look how hard he steps. How his shoulders are bent. There is some terrible numbness in him.

Lucy. I love you like never before, Camille. I love you to tears, to despair. I'm scared, I'm scared.

Camille. Love, love me, my Lucy. We will never part, neither here nor there. (He kisses her.)

Lucy. My sun, my life!

Enter Lacroix.

Lacroix. Where is Danton? The meeting has begun. It's all over, damn it. I warned, he hesitated, drunkard, glutton! Its end. An order has been issued to arrest Danton, me, you, everyone... Fourteen people are to be arrested tonight. Go and tell him stories. I'm going home, I don't give a damn - death is death!

Lucy falls unconscious.

Picture seven

There. Evening. The boulevard is illuminated by the light of a lantern. You can see the sunset through the trees. Danton sits on a bench. Louise appears between the trees.

Louise. It's me, don't be afraid. (Sits down beside him.) They will never dare raise a hand against you.

Danton. I'm not afraid, I sit quietly.

Louise. Now she was with Lucy. The poor thing is crying, begging Camille to go to Robespierre. After all, they are schoolmates. Robespierre baptized their little one. God, I think this is all a dream.

Danton. Yes, this is all a dream.

Louise. In my presence, some stranger came to them, said that they were looking for you everywhere, all over Paris. Let's leave.

Danton. I don't want to hide. I don't want to run abroad. Louise, now the sun was going down, and my shadow stretched to the end of the boulevard. I stared at that reddish shadow for a long time. Here is the true size of my body. Where can I hide? When a person grows to such a size, he must stand still. You say it's a dream. How strange, I was all numb - it happens in a dream, I seem to have sprouted roots all over. When I walk, it's hard for me to lift my soles off the ground. All I want is to lay down on the ground and sleep. Yes, Lulu, it is impossible to turn away the guillotine knife: if it is destined to fall, it will fall on my neck.

Louise. May the Most Pure Mother of God protect you! Pray, pray with me. Your mind has gone dark.

Danton. When I was little, my mother and I knelt before the bed and prayed for our family, for the harvest, for the lame beggar, for the king. What should I pray for now? I will go into the darkness, into the eternal rear. And there I do not want to remember anything, not to regret anything. That's the sweetness of death: to forget everything.

Louise. Do you love me even a little? Why are you pushing my hand away? I don't want to be separated.

Danton. Memories haunt me. There are more of them every day. At first they walked alone, now they wander in my brain in whole crowds. I hear their terrible footsteps, Louise. These are nomadic hordes of memories. Before your arrival, I sat and listened - the streets quieted down, the lights lit up. It became so quiet that I could hear my heartbeat. Little by little, the blood in my veins roared louder and more solemnly. Her noise was like the muffled murmur of the crowd. I discerned in its mysterious noise frantic cries, cries, clang of steel. I could make out how the voices were howling in my blood: September, September! Why is he holding out his bloodied hands towards me?

Louise. Have you forgotten that the republic was on the verge of destruction.

Danton. Yes, yes, I saved the Republic.

Louise. Enemies flooded the borders, moving towards Paris.

Danton. Yes, yes, the Duke of Brunswick and the King of Prussia were moving towards Paris.

Louise. Paris was filled with conspirators and traitors. No one could keep the people from the massacre. In September you alone took upon your conscience the salvation of France.

Danton. Five thousand innocent old men, women, children were slaughtered in prisons. Who invented that in order to save humanity, it is necessary to fill it with its own blood. I no longer believe in myself, nor in you, nor in the day, nor in the night, nor in the truth, nor in a lie! Louise, save me.

Louise. Mother of God, have mercy on us!

Danton. It's behind me. Let's go home, Louise. I don't want to be caught as a street thief.

Danton and Louise exit. Simon appears, soldiers with torches, several citizens.

Simon. I swear by the guillotine, he's here somewhere! I saw his wife run here. Hey Danton! Dead or alive, we'll take it. If he slips away to England, the Republic is lost. Hey Danton!

Picture eight

Revolutionary Tribunal. The benches fill up with the public. In the foreground, Fouquier Tenville is leafing through papers, next to him is Herman.

Fouquier. Are you afraid of Danton?

Hermann. He will defend himself. The rest are easy to deal with.

Fouquier. And Camille Desmoulins?

Hermann. This one isn't scary.

Fouquier. He has merit in the past. Yet he was the first to start the revolution.

Hermann. He will finish her. The snake will bite its own tail.

FOUQIER (puts the papers in a folder). In the Convention, Robespierre has won so far. His speech made a very strong impression. Very.

Hermann. What was he talking about?

Fouquier. Robespierre spoke of the purity of principles, the greatness of the spirit and the sacrifices that the revolution requires. When he reached the victims, a breath of terror swept through the pews. The deputies listened in a daze, each expecting his name to be spoken. When it turned out that Robespierre demanded only the extradition of Danton and the Dantonists, the Convention breathed a sigh of relief, servile vile applause began. It was the moment of the greatest villainy in history. Then Saint-Just entered the podium and with icy calm proved, purely philosophically, that humanity in its movement towards happiness always steps over corpses. It is as natural as a natural phenomenon. Saint-Just appeased the conscience of the Convention, and Danton was betrayed to us in his head. That's how it was, but still it's just a doormat of victory. Danton can scare a jury to death and win over the streets of Paris. Well, what if the jury acquits him?

Hermann. This cannot be allowed.

Fouquier. Are you sure about the jury?

Hermann. I had to get around the law. I chose the jury not by lot, but chose the most reliable.

Fouquier. Can they be relied upon?

Hermann. One is deaf and fierce as the devil. Two alcoholics - they will doze off during the whole meeting and open their mouths only to say "guilty." Another failed artist, hungry, embittered, he has a principle: there is only one road from the revolutionary tribunal - to the guillotine. The rest are also reliable.

Fouquier. But people, people! Look what's going on under the windows.

They go to the window. Fouquier sniffs tobacco.

Listen, Herman, what if, let's say, there was a small conspiracy in prison?

Hermann. Conspiracy in prison?

Fouquier. Yes. Suppose the prisoners bribe the guards.

Hermann. So.

Fouquier. They distribute money to the people in order to cause indignation in the city by the trial.

Hermann. Well well.

Fouquier. This would greatly support our accusation.

Hermann. Yes, you are right.

The attendant enters.

Fouquier. Are the jurors in? Attendant. The jury is all in, people are pounding on the door.

Fouquier. Let's start.

Herman (servant). Enter the judges, open the doors.

The benches fill up quickly with the public. The jurors appear. The members of the tribunal take their places.

Citizen in a red cap. Long live the republic, long live the revolutionary tribunal!

Citizen in a black cap. Citizen members of the revolutionary tribunal, we demand that the accused be sentenced to death.

“Death sentence for whoever shouted that!”

- Hush hush!

- Who said?

- Who is speaking?

- There's a conspiracy here!

“Death to the conspirators!”

Citizen in a red cap. Close all doors, search everyone!

Excitement, noise in the public.

HERMAN (rings the bell). Enter the defendants.

Citizen in a black cap. Danton, come on, get it from an honest citizen! (Spits at him from above.)

Danton (turning to the audience). Look and enjoy. A rare sight in the dock.

Citizen in a red cap. You have plundered the people's money - take the trouble to give an account of them.

- Thief, bastard!

“Killer, butcher!”

- Drown yourself in your own blood!

We haven't forgotten September. We haven't forgotten September!

Herman (calls). I ask for silence. The meeting is open. (Turns to Gero.) Defendant, what is your name?

Gero. Hero de Sechelle.

Hermann. Age?

Gero. Thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. History will find out exactly after my death.

Hermann. Occupation?

Gero. Deputy, member of the Convention. Collector of ladies' gloves. (Sits down, audience laughs.)

Herman (Camilla). Defendant, what is your name?

Camille (with anger). You know him, rascal!

Fouquier. The defendant is personally known to me, his name is Camille Desmoulins.

Camille. You must be all too familiar with my name, Fouquier Tenville. I put you in this chair as a public prosecutor.

Hermann. Your age?

Camille. I am exactly the same age as the famous sans-culotte, Jesus Christ, was on the day of his death.

- Well answered!

– Hey, Herman, ask him about something else!

Hermann. Occupation?

Camille (screams furiously). Revolutionary, patriot, people's tribune!

Bravo, Camille Desmoulins!

- He is right, he is our tribune.

He is a good patriot.

HERMANN (calling Danton). Defendant, what is your name?

Danton. My name is well known to everyone here.

Danton, Danton!

Hermann. Age?

Danton. I am thirty five years old.

Hermann. Occupation?

Danton. Minister of Justice of the French Republic, member of the Convention, member of the Committee of Public Safety.

Hermann. What is your residence?

Danton. Nothing will soon be my home, my name will live on in the pantheon of history.

Bravo, Danton!

- Bravo, Danton, bolder!

“Danton, shake your lion's mane!”

“Danton, growl!”

The chairman is calling.

Camille. Herman, ask again how many teeth Danton has in his mouth.

Laughter in the audience.

Danton (striking the balustrade with the manuscript). Here is the indictment. Some villain diligently worked to denigrate and slander my name. The insult was not done to me, but to the revolution. The whole of France is slapped in the face by this heap of wretched paper.

Hermann. I call you to order. Danton, you are accused of dealing with the court of Louis Capet: you received money from the personal funds of the executed king, you are accused of complicity with the late Mirabeau in order to restore the monarchy, you are accused of being friends with General Dumouriez, you secretly communicated with the general, with the aim of inciting the army against the Convention and turn it on Paris. Your task was to restore the constitutional monarchy and enthrone the Duke of Orleans.

Danton. These are all disgusting lies!

Hermann. So, we'll start reading the indictment.

Danton. The indictment is a lie from start to finish! I demand words.

Herman (calls). You will be given the floor in due time.

- Let him speak!

We demand that he speak!

To hell with the formalities!

Down with the chairman!

Danton. Let the scoundrel who slandered me speak openly. Let him come to court with his visor up. I am not afraid of slander. I'm not afraid of death. People like me are born in a century, the stamp of genius shines on their foreheads. So where are my detractors? Where are these secret accusers who strike on the sly. I do not see them. (To the audience.) Perhaps you accuse me of betraying the Republic?

Here is the indictment. I am accused of servility before the court of Louis Capet, I am accused of secret relations with the traitor Dumouriez. Oh, Saint-Just, you will answer me for this base slander.

Applause.

You are making an attempt on my life. My instinct tells me to defend myself. I will smash every count of the indictment like a clay chimera. I will bury you under any of my merits. You have forgotten them. I remind you. When Lafayette shot you with cannons on the Champ de Mars, I declared war on the monarchy. On the tenth of August I broke it. On the twenty-first of January I killed her. I, like a glove, threw the bloody head of the king at the feet of the monarchs of Europe.

Loud applause from the audience.

Herman (calls). Can't you hear the call?

Danton. The voice of a man who defends life and honor must drown out the ringing of the bell. Yes, in September I raised the last waves of popular anger. The people roared so fiercely that the Duke of Brunswick drew back in horror the hand that had already been extended towards Paris. Europe trembled. I forged weapons for the people from the gold of the aristocrats. I sent two thousand revolutionary battalions to the eastern border. Who dares to throw a stone at me?!

Applause, shouts, flowers are thrown at Danton.

Long live Danton!

Long live the people's tribune!

We demand release!

“Free, free Danton!”

Down with the revolutionary tribunal!

To hell with the judges!

Herman (calls). I announce a break for ten minutes.

Danton. People, you yourself will judge me. I give my life to your judgment and justice.

Applause, screams.

Scene nine

The area in front of the building of the revolutionary tribunal. Third day of the process. Lunch break, through the windows you can see how the watchman cleans the courtroom.

SIMON (appears on the landing. Watching through the window). Hello! Pashen.

Watchman (looking out the window). What do you want?

Simon. I had a pretty good lunch here, around the corner in a coffee shop.

Watchman. Well, cook to your health, if you had a hearty lunch.

Simon. That's not the point, Pashen. Let me through, old man, to the tribunal. I want to get a seat closer in advance.

Watchman. But things are bad. The judges are completely scared, Danton does what he wants with them.

Simon. Danton growls so that he can be heard on the other side of the Seine. All the people are for Danton. The Commune is also for Danton. Here are the things.

Watchman. It turns out that Danton is not being tried, but Danton is being judged by a revolutionary tribunal.

Simon. I'll tell you in all honesty, Pashen, I myself don't understand anything else: who should I stand for, Danton or Robespierre? Danton is a friend of the people, and Robespierre is a friend of the people. Both I like very much. But for some reason, one of them still needs to cut off his head. Understand me, Pashen - I drank three whole aperitifs before dinner and fell into a terrible melancholy, I can’t decide which of them should be beheaded. My patriotism is confused.

Watchman. Well, go ahead, I'll let you through.

Simon goes to the entrance, and then you can see through the window how he goes to the seats for the public. Collot and Fouquier appear on the court.

Kollo. The victory of Danton will be the defeat of the revolution. Danton is a stop. This is a revolution that has gone into digestion. He must be removed from the road at any cost, even with a dagger.

FOUQIER (sniffing tobacco). The accused demand that deputies of the Convention and members of the Committee of Public Safety be summoned to court.

Kollo. But then we died, this should not be allowed!

Fouquier. This is their right. The law is powerless to refuse.

Kollo. Get more witnesses for the prosecution.

Fouquier. The witnesses have all been questioned.

Kollo. Find new ones. Pay them money. We are risking our lives now. Pay them a thousand francs for every word.

Fouquier. Danton addresses the people all the time.

The excitement in the hall and the court is beyond description. The judges sit with their noses hung like wet crows. Danton, Camille and Lacroix swear so that the women squeal with pleasure.

(Holds out a snuffbox.) Please. It was a big mistake to start this process.

Kollo. I told Robespierre to wait. The yeast of anarchy still roams among the people. In Paris, the taste for coups and mutinies has not yet blunted. The idea of ​​an iron state power is not yet based on the masses of the people.

Fouquier. What did Robespierre say to you?

Kollo. Robespierre, as always in such cases, buttoned his frock coat tightly, and his nose became white as a bone.

Fouquier. Maybe he's right.

Enter Saint-Just.

Saint Just. I've been looking for you, Fouquier: I've just received a denunciation from Luxembourg. A conspiracy has been uncovered in the prison. The wives of Danton and Desmoulins organized the distribution of money to the people. The watchmen are bribed. The destruction of prisons is being prepared, they say that the building of the Convention will be blown up.

Kollo. We are saved!

Fouquier. There are witnesses?

Saint Just. Eighteen people were arrested. For now, keep quiet about everything. I'm going to the Convention and I'm going to make it hastily issue a decree so that the process can continue behind closed doors.

FOUQIER (slamming his snuff-box). Yes, it's a death sentence.

Scene ten

There in an hour. People are crowding around the gate. Through the windows you can see the judges, the accused, and part of the public in the tribunal hall.

Danton (pronounced full-length in the window). You must know the truth. France is threatened with dictatorship. A gang of ambitious and scoundrels is striving to throw an iron bridle on the republic. Mortal danger threatens all liberties, human rights and the gains of the revolution. I accuse Robespierre, Saint-Just, Couton and Collot d "Herbois of striving for dictatorship. I accuse them of treason. They want to drown the republic in blood, disperse the Convention and establish a Directory. People, you demand bread, and they throw your heads at you You are thirsty and forced to lick blood on the steps of the guillotine.

Down with the dictators!

Down with, down with, down with dictators!

Long live Danton!

- Danton and bread!

- Danton and bread!

- Danton and bread!

The crowd presses on, several soldiers with rifles try to push it back.

Danton (shouting to the judges). Scoundrels! You hear the people screaming! Hold your heads tight.

Camille (shouting to the judges). We require a separate commission.

HERMAN (ringing the bell, clutching at the disheveled wig). I call you to order. Have respect for the court.

Lacroix. This is not a court, but a gang of bribed swindlers. Shut up, you bastard.

Camille. Herman, straighten your wig, it will fall into the inkwell.

Gero. Citizen Chairman, in the name of Themis, stop calling, my ears will burst.

Danton. I order you to stop this vile comedy.

Camille. We demand that the meeting be adjourned until the commission is convened.

Lacroix. Abort the meeting! To hell!

Noise, the judges are confused, the accused get up. The crowd is rushing to the windows.

Danton. People, they are trying to deceive you ... We have uncovered a monstrous conspiracy.

- Release Danton!

- Down with the traitors. Hit the windows!

At this time, K o l l o squeezes through the crowd of the tribunal.

Kollo. Road, road, road. Decree of the Convention, decree of the Convention! (Entering the courtroom.)

- This is Collot d'Herbois!

- Bloodsucker!

- He said - the decree of the Convention.

- Again, some meanness.

- A new conspiracy against the people.

- One bowl. Hooligans! Bloodsuckers!

- And we are sitting without bread.

- Bread, bread, bread!

- Release Danton!

Fouquier (to whom Collot gave the paper). Decree of the Convention.

Instant silence.

The convention decided. Due to the fact that a rebellion was discovered among the prisoners in the Luxembourg prison, due to the fact that citizens Lucie Desmoulins and Louise Danton distributed banknotes to the people in order to raise an uprising against the government, due to the fact that General Dillon, having bribed the watchmen, made an attempt to escape from prison and become the head of the rebels, because the defendants in the present trial took part in these criminal designs and repeatedly insulted the court, the revolutionary tribunal is ordered to continue adjudication without interruption and is imputed to the right to deprive the defendant of the word, if the accused does not show due respect in the face of the law.

Danton. I protest. They clamp my mouth to make it easier to cut my throat. This is not a trial, this is murder!

Camille (to the judges). Bastards, butchers.

Hermann. I deprive you of the word.

Camille. So choke on my word. (Throws the crumpled manuscript in Herman's face.)

Hermann. I announce the highest measure of restraint: I ask the public to clear the hall.

- Let's protest!

- We won't leave!

We demand the abolition of the decree!

“Shame, shame, shame!”

The soldiers clear the place for the public.

Citizens, what is this?

What a trial, what a murder!

“Kill us, shoot us!”

- Still breathe!

- Release Danton!

Danton (rushing to the window, holding out his hands to the crowd). Citizens, brothers, protect us, they are killing us!

Hermann. Close the windows, draw down the curtains.

The attendant drags Danton away, closes the windows, lowers the curtains.

There is confusion in the crowd, a fight. Desperate screams. The people who were in the hall are pouring out of the door.

Citizen in a red cap (climbing the lantern). Citizens, listen, citizens, be quiet! Do you want to know why there is no bread in Paris?

– What is he talking about?

- He says why there is no bread in Paris.

Hush, he's talking about bread.

Citizen in a red cap. I ask why you are starving? But only because this traitor Danton secretly sold bread to the British.

Citizen in a black cap (climbing onto another lantern). Citizens, I have reliable information that Danton is a traitor.

Citizen in a red cap. Citizens, lice are eating you. On you, as on the dead, clothes have decayed. Do you know how Danton lives?

Citizen in a black cap. Danton bought a palace in Sevres. Danton wears silk underwear.

Citizen in a red cap. Danton Eats pheasants and bathes in Burgundy. Danton feeds hunting dogs white bread.

Citizen in a black cap. Danton used to be as poor as the rest of us. Danton went to Belgium and received from the Duke of Orleans five million francs in gold.

Citizen in a red cap. The government gave Danton, as Minister of Justice, the diamonds of the accursed Austrian for safekeeping. I ask: where are these treasures?

Citizen in a black cap. Austrian diamonds were taken to Spain, gold was sold to the British. Danton is rich. Danton up to his neck in gold.

Citizen in a red cap. Do you know, citizens, how Robespierre, a true friend of the people, lives? In five years he had not made himself a new coat. He has two shirts, all patched up. I myself saw how one citizen gave him a handkerchief. Robespierre indignantly threw a handkerchief in the face of a stupid woman. He said: "I do not want to indulge in excesses as long as the French people have no bread to satisfy their hunger." And Danton wanted to denigrate such a person and throw a guillotine under the knife.

Citizen in a black cap. Long live Robespierre! Vote:

Long live Robespierre!

- Long live the Incorruptible!

Long live the friend of the people!

Citizen in a red cap. Death to Danton!

Down with Danton!

“Death, death to Danton!”

Scene Eleven

Prison, vaulted room. In the depths of the window. Danton, Camille, Lacroix, Filippo and Hero are lying on the cots. In the middle is a table with leftover food. The watchman enters with a lantern.

Watchman. Some people eat and drink a lot before they die, while others don’t eat or drink anything, while others eat and drink without any pleasure, they remember that in the morning their head will be lying in a basket, and they feel sick, and digestion stops in the stomach. (Looks at the bottles, at the plates.) They ate everything, drank all the wine. No, after all, damn children, leave the watchman. Is it all the same: on an empty stomach they cut off your head, or you stuffed your stomach with pork. (Lights the bunk with a lantern, counts with his finger.) One, two, three, four, five.

Hero (raises his head). Who is it?

Watchman. Maybe they still hid a bottle somewhere?

Gero. It's you, Diogenes. Search, my dear, search.

Watchman. And where did they hide it?

Gero. Hidden far and deep, and tomorrow they will hide forever.

Watchman. What are you talking about?

Gero. About man, Diogenes, about man.

Watchman. A dog's throat, and I'm talking about a bottle.

Gero. We have drunk all the wine to the last drop and leave the feast with such a light head, as if it were not on our shoulders.

Watchman. Okay, go to sleep, you goddamn kids.

A clock chimes in the distance.

Three o'clock, they'll be coming for you soon. (Exit, closing the door behind him.)

Lacroix. I'm all eaten.

Gero. You did not sleep?

Lacroix. There is an unusual amount of insects here. Unbearable!

Gero. From tomorrow we will be eaten by insects of a different breed.

Lacroix. Worms? Yes.

The moon is shown in the window, the prison is illuminated by its light.

Gero. We stepped onto the deck of the mysterious ship. The sails have already been set. We'll fly these blue waves. The native land will be covered with fog and gone forever. This is inevitable and very sad, but what can you do. We all visit our beautiful planet for only a short time.

Lacroix. I'm not afraid of death, but of pain. They say that this hundredth of a second, when the guillotine knife cuts the neck, is frantically painful and long, like eternity. What happiness it would be to get poison.

Filippo. Shut up, I want to sleep.

Gero. When I was little, I often had a dream: I was sailing in a fantasy ship on moonlight.

Filippo. If only we could get rid of insects!

Lacroix. This is terrible!

Filippo. The Republic is just a butcher's shop! We are eliminated - excellent! But who will be left? A people without leaders, a country without a head - one belly. For God's sake, at least a hint of common sense in our execution. Painful aimlessness. Is it only one thing that Robespierre will last another two or three more months, but he will also fall under the knife. The whole color of the country, the whole genius of the people is cut off. Celebrate, shopkeepers! .. Celebrate, tradesmen! ..

Lacroix. Shut up, don't you care now - it's too late, too late.

Gero. One is good. There we will be silent. It reconciles me with death. Quiet and decent. Lacroix, don't drag the blanket off me. There is a terrible wind from somewhere. I wouldn't want my nose to swell in the morning. Camille gets off the bed and goes to the window and writes a letter on the windowsill.

Filippo. For five years we have been flying on a glass plane into the abyss. Not a second to stop. What a nonentity, what a self-conceited nonentity man!

Lacroix. The executioners are approaching, rushing at you like an animal ... "Justice is done!" This is terrible.

Danton. They dare to cut off my head! Incredible! (Gets up from the bunk and paces from corner to corner.) Lacroix, can you understand this with all the power of your mind?

Lacroix. I'm sick. I have eaten too much, the food is lumpy in my stomach.

Gero. Jugglers, circus acrobats, jockeys never eat much before a performance. A tight stomach pulls to the ground and prevents you from doing clean somersaults.

Filippo. Salto-mortale! First you need to learn to walk on the ground, and France immediately began jumping death.

Danton. I will cease to be! Tomorrow there will be no Danton in France! But none of them understands how to govern the country. What rejoicing will rise in England: the French have gone mad! (Takes hold of the door bars and shakes it.) The French are crazy! Hey French! The revolution has gone mad!

HERO (jumping up from the bed). Danton, wait. Who's talking behind the wall? What?

Filippo. It can't be! André Chénier thrown into jail?

Danton. Robespierre has long since put it on the proscription list. He was arrested last week, at night, outside the Boulainvilliers hotel. They would arrest Voltaire and Rousseau. Executing ordinary people is old and boring. Throw them into a lime pit, at least dozens, but to raise the head of a national genius above the scaffold - oh, not every nation can afford such a luxury. Tomorrow, tomorrow is a fun day for the Parisians. Think about the exchange of impressions over a glass of aperitif. Did you see how Danton ascended the scaffold? Magnificent figure! How he threw back his mane and looked around the square, grimaced in disgust and lay down, and - grunt! the ball bounced off his shoulders.

Gero. In particular, women will be pleased. Tomorrow night they will see you in their dreams. Tomorrow night, a hundred thousand young Parisians will cheat on their husbands with your shadow. A hundred thousand mistresses in one night—not bad, Danton! (Snaps fingers.)

Lacroix. Hush... Stop...

The clock strikes.

Filippo. Half past three.

Danton. I get out of the cart onto the scaffold. There are two pillars ahead, between them there is a board with a round hole, into this hole I have to stick my head. For thirty-five years I have lived, loved, enjoyed, shaken the world. I rose above all - only to stick my head into this hole, not wider than my neck, with the last effort. Gateway from life to oblivion! It was worth making a revolution. It was worth creating a man, it was worth creating this stupid earth!

Gero. I calculated. A handful of black soil will still come out of my body, an artichoke will grow on it.

Camille (at the window). Lucille, Lucille, my dear Lucille. (He leans his head on the letter and weeps.)

Gero. Well, it came down to tears. (Pulls out a book from under the pillow, opens it and deepens in reading.)

Danton (quietly). Bastards, bastards!

Lacroix. If you knew what was behind death?

Filippo. Bad dream, delirium, madness!

Danton. What is beyond death? Spit. Anyway, I've made good use of life. Made a lot of noise on the ground, drank a lot of wine. Yes, maybe it's wise that I leave on time. (Goes up to Camille.) No need to cry. Are you writing to Lucy? And these days I never thought about my wife. Poor thing, she's pregnant. Don't cry, read to me.

Camille (reading). “Beneficial sleep reduced my torment. The sky took pity on me. I saw you in my dream, Lucy. I kissed your hands, your lips, your tear-stained face. I woke up with a groan, and here I am again in prison. The cold moon shines through the window. God, how cold it is! What a cold! Lucille, Lucille, where are you? (Sobbed.)

Danton. Oh well.

Camille. “I beg you, if you see tomorrow how they will take me, be silent, do not break my heart, do not scream, grit your teeth. You have to live for our child. Tell him about me. Say that I wanted great happiness. I wanted a republic that the whole world would adore. I'm dying, Lucy. I believe that there is a god. For my love, for my suffering, the Lord will forgive me. I believe I will see you there, Lucy. Farewell, my life, my joy, my god. Farewell Lucille, my Lucille, my dear Lucille. I feel the shore of life running away, but my bound hands still embrace you, and my head, separated from the body, does not take its extinct eyes from you, Lucy.

Danton. Are we out of wine?

A strong knock on the door.

Lacroix. Who's there? Executioner?

Danton. Come for us, we'll say goodbye. Farewell, Camille, be courageous.

Hero (slamming the book). It's time to go.

The door opens, the jailer enters with a lantern, the soldiers and the executioner.

Scene 12

Rainy morning. Part of the square. Bunch of curious people. Lucy is standing against the wall, her head covered with a black shawl. At her feet - Louise - hiding his head in her knees. In the depths is the scaffold of the guillotine. Simon appears.

Simon. They're taking it, they're taking it.

Citizens, justice is done. The enemies of the revolution will lay down their heads. Remember this minute. The eyes of the whole world at this moment are directed there. (Points to the scaffold.) Look at those two pillars with a shiny blade. You know what those two pillars and the blade mean. This is the stern angel of history, this is the avenger of time, the genius of mankind. This machine came out of oblivion to lead the French people to immortal glory like a fiery angel. Its appearance is simple and terrible: two pillars and a blade. Look, take a good look at her. She is beautiful. It emits dazzling rays. You will go blind if you look at it for a long time. Milk and honey flow from her platform. Her foot is baked bread. She stands on gold, on piles of gold. She shines like the sun.

The rumble of wheels is approaching.

Zhanna. They're taking it, they're taking it!

Rosalia. I'm afraid we'll leave.

Zhanna. Be quiet. Look - here they are.

A cart with convicts appears. All have their hands tied behind their backs. The cart drives up to the scaffold through the silently parted people. Around him are soldiers with bayonets. Lucy silently holds out her hands to the cart.

Farewell, Danton!

Rosalia is crying loudly. Danton is the first to get out of the cart onto the scaffold, pushing the executioner away.

Danton. Frenchmen, I leave you my glory. And you, executioner, show my head to the people, it is worth it.

Georg Buchner (1813-1837) is one of the founders of German realism. The son of a doctor, he himself received a medical education, wrote works in the field of medicine, but the main content of his life was dramaturgy, short stories and journalism. He was convinced of the need for a revolutionary transformation of society and was a member of the secret "Society of Human Rights", the ideas of which were already in the 1830s. anticipated many provisions of the Communist Manifesto. Fascinated by the problems of modern politics, studying the history of the French Revolution of 1789, he spiritually developed not only in line with the revolutionary tendencies expressed by Marx and Engels. The ideas of Descartes and Spinoza had no less impact on him. Fatalism determined many of Buechner's conclusions both in the development of society and in relation to the path of the individual. At the same time, the theme of Jesus Christ appears more than once in Buchner's works: the mercy and humanity of the Son of God constantly attracted his attention.
Buchner's spiritual maturation proceeded rapidly, as if the author knew that he had only 24 years left. In June 1833, Buechner wrote to his relatives, expressing his attitude towards violence and those who call for it: “Of course, I will always act in accordance with my principles, but lately I have realized that social transformations can only be caused by urgent by the needs of the masses of the people, that all the fuss and all the loud appeals of individuals are a fruitless and stupid exercise. They write - they are not read; they shout - they are not listened to; they act - no one helps them ... From this it is clear to you that I will not interfere in the Hessian provincial intrigues and revolutionary pranks. The position expressed in this letter indicates a rather balanced attitude of its author to the revolutionary agitators and to those who provoke popular uprisings when the people themselves did not realize their inevitability. The theme of the people and its leaders will become one of the most important in the drama "The Death of Danton", and the moral preparation for solving the problems of this work has already been going on.
Buchner's letter to his bride on March 9-17, 1834 is especially important. In the first part, which we cite, he, on the basis of studying the history of the French Revolution of 1789, comes to the idea of ​​"the terrible fatalism of history" (graBlichen Fatalismus der Geschichte). Let's pay attention to the fact that grafilich can be translated as "terrible", "terrible", "disgusting", "disgusting". All these meanings are in Buechner's thought. Further, he says that
the individual is “foam on the wave”, genius is “pure chance”, and “the dominance of genius is a puppet theater” (die Herrschaft des Genius ein Puppenspiel). He does not see the possibility of managing history, the only thing that a person can do is to know it. The continuation of the letter is especially important for the interpretation of Buechner's fatalistic views: “I have accustomed myself to the sight of blood. But I'm not an executioner. It is necessary (author's italics - G.X. and Y.S.) - this is one of those words with which a person was cursed at baptism. A disgusting aphorism: temptation must come, but woe to that person through whom the temptation comes. What is it in us that lies, kills, steals?” - Ich gewohnte mein Auge ans Blut. Aber ich bin kein Guillotinenmesser. Das mufi ist eins von den Verdammungsworten, womit der Mensch getauft worden. Der Ausspruch: es muB ja Argemis kommen, aber wehe dem, durch den es kommt, - ist schlauderhaft. Was ist das, was inuns liigt, mordet, stiehlt? Yu. Arkhipov's translation is correct, but the amplifying connotation created by the untranslated last part of the phrase "ist schlauderhaft", which means "this is bad", is omitted, and the phrase "guillotine knife" - Guillotinenmesser given in the original was replaced with "executioner".
This already applies to the field of personality psychology, to the relationship between the individual and the people, to the theme of revolutionary terror. The word mufi (must) will become one of the most important in explaining the actions of the characters, especially in The Death of Danton.
Buechner's work stands at the origins of German realism both in the field of the relevance of modern problems and in the field of personality psychology. Of great importance are the statements of his hero Lenz from story of the same name because they reflect the author's position. Arguing with an idealistic approach to creativity, Lenz argued: “I am looking for life in everything, inexhaustible possibilities of being, there is this - and everything is fine, and then the question disappears by itself - is it beautiful or ugly. For the feeling that a thing created by man is full of life is above all ... estimates, it is the only sign of art.<...>The artist must penetrate into the life of the smallest and orphans, convey it in all outlines, glimpses, in all the subtleties of barely noticeable facial expressions.<...>Let them be the most ordinary people under the sun, but after all, the feelings of almost all people are the same, only the shell through which they have to break through is different. Just be able to hear and see!<...>It is necessary to love all of humanity as a whole in order to be imbued with respect for the originality of each person ”(translated by O. Mikheeva).
At the same time, the realistic and democratic position of Lenz opposes romanticism, on the one hand, and the Weimar classicism of Goethe and Schiller, on the other, because the author does not accept either the idealization of the world and man, or special attention to the perfection of the form, detached from the topic of the day.
The most significant work of G. Buchner is the drama "The Death of Danton" (Dantons Tod, 1835). The scene is revolutionary Paris. The time of action is the days of the Jacobin dictatorship, spring 1794, when Danton, K. Desmoulins and his wife Lucile were arrested and executed. There are 17 real historical characters in the drama, 14 characters endowed with psychologically depicted characters, in addition, ladies, gentlemen, delegates, deputies, Jacobins, guards, carters, executioners, women in the street, street singers, grisettes, etc. The drama is densely populated, but its action is structured in such a way that the scenes with genuine historical characters are practically separated from those scenes where the people, the crowd, act. And this is not accidental: the dispute is led by those who decide the fate of the people, taking into account the mood of the crowd, but not its conscious desires. Obviously, therefore, there are quite a few folk scenes in the work, where rudeness and vulgarity come to the fore.
The conflict is defined as a clash of humanity and revolutionary dictatorship. He sharply divides the main characters into two camps. In the first - Danton as his thinking leader, in the second - the Jacobins Robespierre and Saint-Just. Buechner does not follow true historical facts in everything: it is important for him to develop his thoughts on the connection between revolution and humanity.
The conflict is outlined in one of the first scenes of "In the Jacobin Club", where Robespierre appears. His speech is a call to destroy the opponents of the revolution, who "incline to weakness, their slogan" Compassion! ". - Sie treibt uns zu Schwache, ihr Feidgeschrei heiBt: Erbarmen! (our translation - G.Kh. and Yu.S. Other authors of the translation are named separately). The theme of compassion causes passionate indignation of Robespierre, he repeatedly returns to it in the same speech. But the opponents of the revolution in this case- former allies of Robespierre.
Danton is known to the people as a fighter against the monarchy, as the savior of France during the armed aggression against her by European monarchs. Danton himself in September 1792 called for mass terror against the aristocracy. His friend Camille Desmoulins was called the "prosecutor of lampposts" (from the famous slogan: "Aristocrats - to the lantern"). Now Robespierre believes that Danton and his friends have betrayed the ideas of the revolution. Former allies become adversaries.
Robespierre Buchner, together with Saint-Just, cut off any possibility of compromise and mercy: “The weapon of the republic is horror (fear), the strength of the republic is virtue - virtue, because without it horror is destructive - horror, because without it virtue is helpless. Horror is the source of virtue, it is nothing but quick, strict, uncompromising justice.<...>The revolutionary government is the despotism of liberty against tyranny.”—Die WafFe der Republik ist der Schrecken, die Kraft der Republick ist die Tugend - die Tugend, weil ohne sie der Schrecken verderblich - der Schrecken, weil ohne ihn die Tugend ohnmachtig ist. Der Schrecken ist ein AusfluB der Tugend, er ist nichts anders als die schnelle, strenge und unbeugsame Gerechtigkeit.<.. .="">Die Revolutionsregierung ist der Despotismus der Freiheit gegen die Tyrannei.
Pay special attention to the unnaturalness of the combination of the concepts of "horror" and "virtue", as well as the "despotism of freedom". For Robespierre, who imagines himself to be incorruptible (as he was called during the Jacobin terror), the ruler of the destinies of the people, there is nothing unnatural in the fact that virtue itself arises from horror, and freedom is combined with despotism. Buechner uses exactly these words. They are specific, emotionally colored, which allows the author to more fully express his attitude towards the position of Robespierre, who is already ready, together with Saint-Just, to pass the death sentence on all his opponents. The dehumanization of the revolutionaries who fought for humane ideas is emphasized by the author with a specific word usage.
Left alone, Robespierre seeks to convince himself that it is Danton and his friends who are hindering the movement forward, repeating the words of the enemy about virtue cothurnas on their feet. This image haunts him, “pokes a bloody finger at the same point! Here, even kilometers of rags are not enough - blood will still ooze ... I don’t know what lies in me ”(translated by A. Karelsky). Note that Buechner's own words from the above letter are repeated here. The author explores the secrets of the psychology of those who were perceived unequivocally as a tyrant or as a “friend of the people”. After the list of those who should be executed, Robespierre says, admitting that his nerves are giving out: “Yes, a bloody messiah who can sacrifice and refuse it. He saved people with his blood, and I - their own. He made people sin, and I take three of them on myself. He experienced the torment of suffering, and I endure the torment of the executioner. Who went to more self-denial? Me or him?" Robespierre's thoughts betray his idea of ​​himself as a supreme and infallible judge. He compares himself with Jesus Christ, although the differences between them are striking, and the comparison itself is blasphemous: virtue sheds its blood, it takes upon itself suffering.
Robespierre, speaking to the Jacobins who passionately and unconditionally support him, does not notice how he is replacing the concepts of “virtue” and “humanity”. He replaces the eternal (“humanity”) with the transitory (“virtue”), depending on the position, on the point of view, on social attitudes, because a cannibal savage can also be “virtuous” if he fulfills all the laws of his tribe. He connects freedom with despotism, but at the same time the very idea of ​​freedom is destroyed.
He substitutes concepts even when he directs his anger at opponents, arguing that they needed the revolution in order to get the wealth of aristocrats and drive around in their carriages. He classifies his former associates as interventionists and royalists: “In the republic, only republicans are citizens; royalists and interventionists are enemies” (translated by A. Karelsky).
Danton is presented as a restless soul. He lost his peace, because he is dreaming of September and mass executions. He accuses the Jacobins of wanting to strangle the republic in blood, that their path is the ruts of the guillotine carts. Now he vainly convinces himself that the executions were not murder, but only a war on the home front. He confesses to his friends that if he has to choose, he prefers to be guillotined rather than guillotined - ich will lieber guillotiniert werden als guillotinieren lassen. He repeats the word must almost without change, as Büchner himself in the above letter: “... we had to. - The man on the cross settled down comfortably: bitterness must come, but woe to the one because of which bitterness will come: It is necessary, yes it was it! Who wants to curse the hand on which this Nada fell? Who said Nada, who? What is it that debauches, lies, steals and kills in us? We are puppets that unknown forces pull on a spring, nothing, nothing we ourselves are swords with which spirits fight, but only hands are not visible, as in a fairy tale. Again, like Robespierre, he repeats the words from Buechner's letter about the unsolved riddle that leads a person to a decision or to self-deception. He tries to solve this riddle by turning to the sufferings of Jesus Christ on the cross, comparing his sufferings with his heaviest burden, but in his appeal to the name of Christ there is no categoricalness of Robespierre, only irony in relation to himself. Only Danton in Buchner understands that Robespierre is the "dogma of the revolution", and dogma means a dead principle.
Danton is a person who is able to see changes in life, make bold decisions on which the fate of the country depends. He is not an ascetic, unlike Robespierre: real love for real life and forces him to give up terror. For Robespierre and Saint-Just, a new round of executions is just a few new hundreds of corpses. For Danton, now every executed person is a broken human life. The work ends with the execution of Danton and Desmoulins, both of them, even next to the guillotine, can still joke and talk about love for each other.
Victory for the Jacobins. But here the mechanism of the paradox of the tragic ending is turned on, when the death of the main characters turns into the triumph of their idea. This paradox is created in the following way.
Danton's wife, having learned about his execution, takes poison, Demoulin's wife Lucille goes crazy. Crazy Lucille comes to the place of execution and is surprised that a small bird and a midge can live, but for some reason her beloved cannot. She sits down on the steps of the guillotine, calling them the knees of a quiet angel.
When the patrol appears, Lucille "thinks hard and suddenly, as if having made a decision, shouts: Long live the king!" The last remark: “The guard takes her away” (translated by A. Karelsky). Lucille's words - a toast in honor of the king - at that time led her only to the guillotine.
Both executions kill lovers, kill life itself. The double death of two women who did not survive their husbands is the answer to the question of virtue and the republic's right to terror.
The composition of Danton's Death is such that the last event (Lucille's arrest) creates an open ending, i.e. suggests further development actions and clarification of the author's thoughts are already outside the framework of the work itself. The creator of a new type of intellectual drama, Ibsen, will constantly resort to such a finale - Buechner acts here as his forerunner.
Buechner follows the path of Shakespeare: folk scenes, expanding the spatial framework, bring personal drama to a philosophical level. The tendentiousness inherent in the literature of this period has national roots in Schiller's dramaturgy: in William Tell, in the trilogy about Wallenstein. The socially disturbing 1830s sharply raised the question of the revolutionary transformation of society and demanded clarification of the essence of the confrontation between violence and humanity.
Among the best works of Buchner as a prose writer is the story "Lenz" (Lenz, 1835). Jakob Michael Reingold Lenz (1751 - 1792) is a real person, a writer, close in his attitude to the sturmers. He was the author of two dramas, The Governor (1774) and The Soldiers (1776), which critically reflected on the life of German society. As a playwright he followed Shakespeare, whom he wrote about in his Notes on the Theatre. Lenz believed that in the drama the first place is occupied not by the development of the plot, not by the role of fate, but by the moral idea conveyed through the characters' characters. Among the followers of Lenz belonged in the XIX century. G. Buechner, and in the XX century. - B. Brecht. Buchner's story was based on a documentary book by D.E. Stöber's "Life of Frederick Oberlin" (1831), which tells the story of pastor Oberlin about meetings with Lenz. At the same time, a kind of double reflection appears: Stöber conveys Oberlin's story, Büchner, rethinking Stöber's notes and Oberlin's story, creates his own version of the writer's tragedy.
A story that has not been completed (the further fate of the hero is not traced, but only one episode is given) can be perceived as a completely finished work, because this is a psychologically very finely reproduced period of a person’s life, gradually going crazy. If Buchner can be considered a follower of Lenz the playwright, then Kafka fits into the ranks of those who convey, no less conclusively than Buchner, the tragedy of a person's loss of solid guidelines in life. The fundamental difference between these two writers lies in the fact that Buechner reproduces the state of his hero with all the accuracy of a doctor familiar with the development of schizophrenia. Kafka has a different task: in a particular case, he sees the reflection of a crazy world.
The first scene introduces the reader to the hero on a mountain road. The unusualness of the character is found in one of the first phrases: “he was only annoyed that he could not walk upside down” - nur war es ihm manchmal unangenehm, daB er nicht auf dem Kopf gehn konnte (translated by O. Mikheeva). Fog, a gray forest, stones crumbling underfoot, dusk and sharp gusts of wind gave rise to a strange state in the hero’s soul: “he was definitely looking for something in elusive dreams and could not find it” - eg suchte nach etwas, wie nach verlomen Traumen, aber er fand nothings. This state between sleep and wakefulness will gradually intensify in Lenz as his illness progresses. He will lose his bearings more and more, get lost in the mountains, he will be squeezed by space: “the world frightened him and was so small that it seemed that he constantly bumped into everything” - die Landschaft beangstigte ihn, sie war so eng, daB er an Alles zu stoBen furchtete. This subjectively created “crowding” of the world presses him more and more and finally crowds out all feelings and thoughts: “the world in which he wanted to find a place for himself gaped with a monstrous failure; there was no hatred, no hope, no love left in him - one terrible emptiness and at the same time a painfully restless need to fill it. One void.”-die Welt, die er hatte nutzen wollen, hatten einen ungeheuem RiB, er hatte keinen HaB, keine Liebe, keine Hoffnung, eine schreckliche Leere und doch eine foltemde Unruhe, sie auszufullen. Er hatte Nichts (author's italics - G. X. and J. S.).
Finally, self-identification of himself with those who come to his mind begins: “If he thought about someone, recalled the features of a person, it suddenly began to seem to him that he was that very person.<...>He amused himself by putting houses upside down in his imagination” - dachte er an eine fremde Person, oder stellte er sie lebhaft vor, so war es ihm... er amiisierte sich, die Haser auf die Dacher zu stellen. One day, he apparently imagined himself to be either a terrible cat or some other monstrous beast, and terribly frightened the cat.
But Lenz, when meeting with his former acquaintance Kaufman, behaves like a writer, which he really was. His words are full of deep meaning and testify that he has found his place in art. Lenz is a theologian by education, one day he reads a deeply felt sermon in the parish of Oberlin who sheltered him. Consciousness returns to him at times, but these intervals become shorter and shorter. Boredom fills the whole world for him, he does not even want to move, although sometimes there are periods of special excitement, everything indicates a progressive disease.
He is especially sensitive to darkness, which always frightens him, and light, when terrible visions disappear. The last paragraph conveys Lenz's departure, he tries to commit suicide, the darkness crushes him. The final phrase of the story: “So he lived” (So lebte er hin) leaves the reader an opportunity to comprehend the tragedy of an extraordinary person who is losing his mind.
Both in the drama and in the story, the theme of Jesus Christ is extremely important. In The Death of Danton, the image of the Son of God arose in the minds of Robespierre and Danton, where the author needed it to show the distance between true mercy and social necessity (Danton) or to emphasize the dogmatism of Robespierre's thinking, who dares to compare the One who shed his blood in the name of salvation of mankind, with those who pour someone else's. Lenz, in a fit of madness, seeing the dead girl, set out to resurrect her: the death of such a young creature was so terrible. He pronounces the words of Jesus Christ, who resurrected the daughter of Jairus: “Get up and walk” (Stehe auf und waridle), but the child remains motionless.
What is the meaning of this episode, after which Lenz's faith disappears? The author, as in a dramatic work, does not give its interpretation. Most likely, Buchner was constantly faced with the question of the possibilities of a person, albeit an outstanding one. But each time he solved it unequivocally: a person cannot overcome fate. The possibilities of God and man are far from being equivalent. In the drama, Buchner depicts a crime when a person appropriates the rights of God, in a story about a mentally ill writer, he confirms the small possibilities and little knowledge of the world by a person.

Georges Danton and Herault-Sechelle, his colleague in the National Convention, play cards with the ladies, among them Julie, Danton's wife. Danton apathetically talks about women, their charm and deceit, about the impossibility of knowing and understanding each other. To the soothing words of Julie Danton melancholy remarks that he loves her, as they love the "grave", where you can find peace. Ero flirts with one of the ladies.

Friends come, other deputies of the Convention. Camille Desmoulins immediately engages everyone in a conversation about "guillotine romance." In its second year, the revolution demands daily new sacrifices. Herault believes that with the revolution it is necessary to “end” and “begin” the republic. Everyone has the right to enjoy life as best they can, but not at the expense of others. Camille is sure that state power should be open to the people, a “transparent tunic” on his body. Knowing Danton's magnificent oratorical gift, he urges him to launch the attack by speaking at the Convention in defense of true freedom and human rights. Danton does not seem to refuse, but does not show the slightest enthusiasm, because up to this moment one still needs to “live”. He leaves, showing everyone how tired of politics.

[missing page]

Hall storm of applause, the meeting is postponed. It is not in the interests of judges to hear that it was Danton who declared war on the monarchy in his time, that his voice "forged weapons for the people from the gold of aristocrats and the rich." Then Danton appeals to the people, demanding the creation of a commission to accuse those because of whom freedom is “walking over the corpses”. Prisoners are taken out of the hall by force.

A crowd hums in the square in front of the Palace of Justice. There is no unanimity in the cries and exclamations, some are for Danton, others are for Robespierre.

The last hours in the cell. Camille longs for his wife Lucille, who stands in front of the cell window and sings. He is afraid of death, suffers from the fact that his wife is going crazy. Danton, as usual, is ironic and mocking. It is bitter for everyone to realize that they are “pigs” beaten to death with sticks so that “at the royal feasts it would be tastier”.

At the moment when the convicts are taken out of the cell, Julie takes poison in her and Danton's house. Singing "La Marseillaise" convicts are taken in wagons to the Revolution Square to the guillotine. From the crowd, mocking cries of women with hungry children in their arms are heard. The convicts say goodbye to each other. The executioners take them away. Its end.

Lucille appears at the guillotine, singing a song about death. She seeks death in order to unite with her husband. A patrol approaches her, and in a sudden insight, Lucille exclaims: “Long live the king!” In the name of the Republic, the woman is arrested.

Option 2

Hérault-Sechelle and Georges Danton have a nice time in the company of ladies, playing cards. Among the ladies is Danton's wife Julie. Along the way, Danton allows himself apathetic discourse about women, about how insidious and at the same time charming they are. He likes the fact that men and women can understand and know each other. The reaction of his wife Danton stops with words about love, they say he loves her, Julie, as they can love the “grave”, in which everyone will someday rest. Herault-Sechelle began courting one of the women. Other deputies of the Convention also look into their circle.

One of the visitors, Camille Desmoulins, starts a conversation about the romantic perception of the guillotine. It's the 2nd year of the revolution. And she, as you know, requires death and sacrifice. Ero says that it is necessary to end the revolution and start building the Republic. Everyone has the right to enjoy life, but this should not be done at the expense of others. Camille's opinion is that power should be open to the people. He also knows that Danton is an excellent speaker, so he asks his friend and colleague to start speaking at the Convention in defense of human rights and freedoms. Danton promises to think it over and, weary of politics, leaves.

Danton declares war on the monarchy, and his voice, using the gold of the rich, forged weapons for the masses. Danton appeals to the people with a demand to create a commission that would blame the people who walk over the corpses. The prisoners were taken away, the meeting was postponed.

Square in front of the Palace of Justice. The crowd is yelling. Exclamations of a different nature. Who shouts for Robespierre, who for Danton.

While Camille misses his wife Lucille, sitting in the cell for the last moments, she sings side by side. Camille is afraid of dying, but he is even more afraid that his wife will go crazy. Danton ironically and mocks, first of all, at himself. It is difficult for him, like others, to realize that he is being set up so that the authorities can enjoy luxury.

The prisoners are taken to the guillotine, and they sing the Marseillaise. Julie drinks poison. The crowd is screaming. The prisoners say goodbye. Lucille at the guillotine, seeking death so as not to part with her husband, shouts to the patrol “Long live the king!”. She is arrested in the name of the Republic.

Essay on literature on the topic: Summary of the Death of Danton Buchner

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Summary of The Death of Danton Buechner

Georg Buechner

A discussion about is impossible without an analysis of those works of art in which artistic means reflects the conflict inherent in any revolutionary practice, the conflict between the ideal of freedom, equality and fraternity, which raised peoples to "storm the sky", and its practical embodiment during the era of social change, the "storm and onslaught" of the new world on the old, leaving, but tenaciously resisting change, stubbornly defending its privileges, its dominance, a world of oppression and lack of rights. The German revolutionary democrat Georg Buchner was one of the first to draw attention to many conflicts and contradictions that emerged during this conflict in the drama The Death of Danton.

Born in the vicinity of Darmstadt two centuries ago, on October 17, 1813, Buechner was one of the organizers of revolutionary societies that covered the suffocating in bonds with a secret net. feudal fragmentation German principalities, electors, duchies and "free imperial cities". Criticism of the ruling order, coming from under the light, quick pen of Buchner, was heard in every word, in every phrase of the Hessian rural messenger: “The government is a leech crawling over your body, the prince is the head of a poisonous creature, ministers are its teeth, officials - tail. All this hungry evil spirits, all the noble gentlemen to whom the duke distributes profitable places, suck the blood from our country. Calls for a revolutionary reorganization of society, for a social revolution and a united German republic, contained in the letters and speeches of a young doctor in the underground circle "Society of Human Rights", in the above-mentioned proclamation of 1834 - "... Arise, and the whole native country will rise with you! ”, aroused close interest of the police and forced the young doctor to emigrate - first to Strasbourg, then to Zurich. It was in the last three years of his life (the writer died of typhus very young, before reaching his 24th birthday) that the most famous works of Georg Buchner were created - three plays and the story "Lenz".

The drama "The Death of Danton" in four acts was written in just a month, and yet this work for the stage captures us, readers and viewers, with the intensity of intellectual passions, the semantic richness of disputes, the imagery and power of the language, the modernity of the content and, despite all the tragedy finale, a firm belief in the victory of the cause for which Buechner's heroes lived and died.

“When the graves of history are once opened, despotism will still suffocate from the smell of our corpses,” says Danton, and in these words, spoken on the threshold of the scaffold, we hear echoes of that inexorable optimism of the revolutionary perspective with which the spiritual fathers and direct figures of the Great French bourgeois revolution - from Diderot and Voltaire to Danton and Saint-Just. In the play of the German romanticist, we see echoes of those considerations that bring Buechner close to Marx's understanding of the historical process: “Of course, I will always act in accordance with my principles, but lately I have realized that social transformations can only be caused by the urgent needs of the people. masses, that all the fuss and all the loud appeals of individuals are a fruitless and stupid exercise. They write - they are not read, they shout - they are not listened to; they act - no one helps them ... ". These words contain not just the dilemma of Georg Buchner himself - the contradiction between the romantic impulse of the revolutionary transformation of the world and the unpreparedness of those for whose sake this transformation must be accomplished for immediate and meaningful revolutionary action, but also the tragic pathos that permeates the entire drama "The Death of Danton".

This drama is a sober analysis of the collapse of the illusions of the first, heroic stage of the revolution, the distortion of its original meanings, the goals of the revolutionary transformation and the life principles of the leaders of the revolution, a distortion that cannot but cause erosion of the morals and ethics of the participants in the revolutionary process.

Buchner's play is realistic, dynamic and very scenic. From rooms and offices, the action is transferred to the streets and squares of Paris, unfolding now in the Convention, now in the Jacobin Club, now in a revolutionary tribunal, now in a gambling salon, now in a prison cell. The combination of quotes from famous historical figures and the little things of everyday Parisian life provide a special atmosphere in which the lofty side by side with the banal, the tragic with the comic. The speeches of the deputies of the Convention, built according to all the rules of oratory, are combined with the frivolous wit of the salons and the vulgar rudeness of the language of the streets. “The very first scene of the drama immediately introduces us to the world of sharp dissonance, the world, as if split in half: the drama opens with two opposite, feverishly interrupting each other motifs,” noted Albert Viktorovich Karelsky, a domestic researcher of Buechner’s work. - Before us is obviously given, as if even an importunate reception and tone of contrast. But in fact, if you listen carefully, it turns out to be an expression of the deepest conflict within one consciousness." The main antagonists in the drama are Danton and Robespierre, carriers of the same consciousness, longtime comrades-in-arms. Their collision determines the development of dramatic action. These heroes embody different points of view on the revolution and its goals.

“Buchner's Danton is first and foremost a symbol. This is a man killed by the contemplation of the "iron law", from the very first scene, not a living face, but a "dead relic", as they say in the drama. The death of Danton, which Büchner speaks of here, is a death that occurred even before that, protocol, on a guillotine platform ”(Karelsky). From the very beginning of the action, Danton feels his doom.

The man whose name is associated with the heroic stage of the revolution, the overthrow of the monarchy and the first victories over foreign interventionists, appears devastated and longing only for peace, infinitely lonely: “Life is not worth the efforts that we make to preserve it. I will be able to die with dignity; it's easier than living." Danton, seemingly surrounded by like-minded people, is unable to answer a simple question: "Who can we rely on?". Danton lost support, confidence in the correctness of his own position, even in the possibility of a purposeful participation of the individual in the historical process. He recalls the September days of 1792, when, in the name of saving the republic, he, the Minister of Justice of the new revolutionary government, ordered the extermination of counter-revolutionaries imprisoned in Paris prisons. Now this September, as he says, pulls "its bloody paws" to him. And although Danton knows that this was not a murder, but only "self-defense", he feels what he did in those September days of 1792, when the enemy stood at the gates of the capital, as "the curse of duty." Doubts about the meaningful effectiveness of revolutionary action lead to passivity, the realization of one's own powerlessness, helplessness in the face of the "rock of the historical process."

The image of Robespierre, who strives to bring the revolution to the end on the basis of the principles of harsh virtue, is also tragic in Buchner's drama: "The triumph of virtue is impossible without terror." To bring this program to life, Robespierre does not stop at any means. The trial of the Dantonists is fabricated by his supporters, the evidence of guilt is fictitious and false. Robespierre knows this, but takes such a step for the sake of the "higher interests of the revolution", becoming in the end no less lonely and doomed to death than his defeated antipode. The third force and the third hero of the drama is the people of Paris. The people are by no means silent in Buechner's drama, but their position in relation to the dispute within the Jacobins is inconsistent and contradictory, caused by hunger and want, fatigue from the pathos of the first heroic years. bourgeois revolution, which did not bring prosperity to the majority of the sans-culottes, nor deliverance from the oppression of the new owners who replaced the old feudal nobility. Büchner speaks about this directly, without being blunt. The people suffer, have fun, worry, protest. He is full of anger towards those who “toil from gluttony”, who have “warm camisoles”. Ironic song of a street singer:

"And the working people,

Oh and have fun!

He is from morning until late at night

Back oppression, back oppression!

The working people are not up to high politics - it is here that the author correctly and in accordance with the truth of history feels the reasons for the collapse of both Danton and Robespierre, and the coming triumph of Thermidorian reaction, and the future restoration of the monarchical order. And as long as the people are far from direct and immediate, constant influence on those who lead them, who lead the struggle for their interests, there is no guarantee against the degeneration of the morality of the revolutionary avant-garde, and, therefore, from the distortion of the original goals of the revolution and its subsequent death.

Georg Büchner does not give ready-made recipes in his drama. It only makes us think, including on the problems of revolutionary morality. But this is already - very, very much. “The significance of Buechner’s socio-historical insight,” noted Albert Viktorovich Karelsky, “is that, having turned to the history of the French Revolution and believing in the fate of its leaders to demonstrate the “diabolical fatalism of history”, in fact one of the first in European literature and social thought demonstrated all the fundamental bourgeoisness of this revolution ... he managed already here, in this drama, to feel what was then cast into clear forms of materialistic analysis "those who came to replace him, who in the new conditions continued the cause of the liberation of mankind, which without a trace the whole bright, but short life of an outstanding German writer and political fighter was given up.

May 11, 2013 Vladimir Soloveichik