DANTON
A monologue from the
play by Romain Rolland
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NOTE: This monologue is reprinted
from The Fourteenth of July and Danton. Trans. Barrett
H. Clark. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1918. |
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- DANTON: What is my idea? To save the country. Save
it at all cost from our sacrilegious quarrels. Do you know the
disease that is killing the Republic? Mediocrity. Too many brains
are thinking about the State. No nation can stand a Mirabeau,
a Brissot, a Vergniaud, a Marat--a Danton, a Desmoulins, a Robespierre.
One of these geniuses could have gained the victory for Freedom.
But all together, they fight with each other, and France bleeds.
I took too prominent a part myself, though I must do myself the
justice of saying that I never fought a Frenchman unless my life
depended upon it, and even in the fury of combat I did everything
in my power to save the defeated enemy. I do not intend, for
personal interest, to enter into a struggle with the greatest
man of the Republic--next to myself. I do not want to depopulate
France. I know Robespierre; I saw his beginning, I watched him
grow from day to day, through his tenacity, his work, his faith
in his ideas. His ambition grew, too, and conquered the Assembly,
and all of France. One man alone is a menace to him: my popularity
counter-balances his, and his morbid vanity suffers. Often--I
must give him credit for it--did he attempt to stifle his instinctive
envy. But the fatality of events; jealousy, stronger than reason;
my enemies who excited him--everything draws us into the struggle.
No matter what the result, the Republic will be shaken to its
foundations. Well, it is my place to give an example of sacrifice.
Let my ambition sink before his! I have drunk deep of that bitter
draught, and it has left a bad taste in my mouth. Let Robespierre
drain the cup if he likes. I retire to my tent. I am less resentful
than Achilles, and I shall wait patiently until he offers me
his hand.
MORE
MONOLOGUES BY ROMAIN ROLLAND |
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