L'Argument!, (OPEN)

[Maximilien de Robespierre]

Maximilien's fatigue flowed off his body like water shedding from wax paper as he strode out to the dais before the assembled members of the National Convention. His wig was powdered to a shimmering white, his shoes were polished, and his humble clothes were brushed to cleanliness. More than that, his bearing was regal, stoic--worthy of Cicero, he privately believed.

"My brothers!" he called out, sweeping an arm wide to encompass everyone: his fellow Jacobins, the Sans-Culottes, and even the Enragés, sitting stoically in their isolatory corner. He kept his face impassive. Nonjudgmentality was key to the project of ruling; he could express no favor to friends, even if it was occasionally unavoidable.

"For the greater good of the Revolution, which is to say, the greater good of the French people, we must let the concept of the new State Religion hold full sway over the people. Belief in a Supreme Being is a good and necessary thing, and the people demand a deity to worship; and it's right that they do so, for it is the Supreme Being we ought to place our faith in, and not falsely elevate men to his stature!

"However, there are those among the clergy who yet spread false doctrines of faith among the credulous populace. Catholic priests hand out flyers in street corners and meet in broad daylight in their homes with the gullible members of their former congregations. The aim of the revolution is not to foster ignorance and dependence upon the corrupt, monarchical institution of Catholicism. The Pope may rule in Rome, but this is France, and this is the Revolution, and we are free of him.

"We must be free of unreasoning faith, that belief that comes from torpor of the spirit no less than flaccidity of the mind. We must show these priests the light of reason and open up to them the new path--the worship of the Supreme Being. The talented citizen Jacques-Louis David is at work on another painting as we speak, to illuminate the imagination of the people with the true image of the deity.

"But we must do more. The punishments to which the clergy have been subject does little to affect them. They see themselves as martyrs for their cause, and overheat the brains of the common people--let us show them for the pretenders that they are. Let us humiliate them.* Let us show them the execretory nature of their so-called religion which is really another pale substitute for tyranny.

"Let us purge them of the darkness of their unreason so that France may live in the light!"

He let the last echoes of his voice face from the room, his arms spread majestically, before he stopped and stood in a more humble posture to listen for a rebuttal or suggestions from the rest of the Convention.



((OOC: *In fact, at this time the clergy were sometimes forcibly administered enemas to attempt to bring them around to the revolutionary way of thinking!))

[Arnaud de Corneille]

The council room was buzzing with anticipation as the leader, the greatest man in all of France, was scheduled to speak on the issue of the clergy. Arnaud de Corneille was hardly a friend to the clergy, his younger years consisted of his mother's stories of what she called dieu and a seingeur. Her stories seemed so fantastic; animals on boats, men on crosses and such evil people who would put them up there. Ignorant, she called them. Either way, her stories seemed fantastic to Arnaud and he didn't like that. He liked solid, hard proof of things. Putting his faith into something often led him awry. But, for all of Arnaud's dislike for the clergy, he still understood its place in society.

"Let us purge them of the darkness of their unreason so that France may live in the light!" Said the man at the podium. The words lay heavy in Arnaud's ears like a sort of hot led. Just the word purge made Arnaud know that there would be a problem if this sort of event were to occur. If they should wish to endite the clergy on unproven information than this council would be on the same level of ignorance as the clergy it so desperatly wished to "purge."

With those last words, Monsieur de Corneille scribbled some words on a scrap of paper so as to have a memory aide when he stood to speak. Speaking was not Arnaud's strong point. He found himself bumbling and mumbling during speeches. He decided, then and there, that it would be adventageous to work on that.

"Excuse me, Monsieur Robespierre, but I fear that the people- in all of their religious stupour- shall certainly disaprove of this purge. Can you not imagine their faces when your battlements storm the churches, the sanctuary places for these people?" Arnaud found himself standing before the entire council, looking from his right to his left, mumbling words that were hardly audible. His palms began to sweat profusly and he clenched his paper tightly in his balmy hands. It was at this moment that he felt every single eye in the building burning holes in him, the blood rushed to Arnaud's face which turned a raddish-hue. "Perhaps, Sieur, we could educate them." Arnaud was a true fan of education. It had become his saviour in years past. He was a nothing turned into a something- a great hero for the French people. Although he could never be what Robespierre was- he recognized that- he would attempt, at least, to reach a position where he would be able to affect true change.

"My friends, colleagues, we are in a time of great strife, of great change. The people of this nation are confused. They are ignorant to the true way of France. But we can enlighten them. With words and writting and action, we can bring about exactly as is needed like our brothers, the philosophers of the Revolution brought down the monarchy." If the delivery were better, Arnaud would have been a hit success. His speech was jarring and great but his reading was slurred and mumbled. "We can not afford to lose more life or shed more blood. These clergymen are sons of the patrie. It is our time, it is their time too and we must recognize that we must have their support. They can sway the people of France in our direction with another tale of God."

Arnaud hoped they would listen to his reason, he hoped they would cheer but he could not be sure. As he finished his speech, he awaited aclaim or criticism. Rebuking or heralding.

[Jean-Lambert Tallien]

Lame paused, not entirely sure what young Arnaud had been talking about. The gist was educating the populace. But with no resources to do so, how could they?

"An excellent, if ill-thought-out suggestion," he said, his smoothly cultured voice a great contrast to Arnaud's rough mumble. He gestured toward Robespierre. "It's true that we must not do anything rash, like level the now-unused churches, which might lead the public to unenlightened dislike for the government. Instead, perhaps we may turn the churches into places of worship for the Supreme Being. Or, as Arnaud says, perhaps schools."

"But I cannot agree that we can implement any real education as yet. I say, we must show the people by the strongest means possible that we disapprove of their monarchistic religious practices. Show them the spectacle and their minds, hearts, and souls will follow. Monsieur Robespierre's Festival was an excellent example of this, but I say we need more."

He was (maybe too obviously) trying to agree with Robespierre and not the Sans-Culottes member of the Committee of General Security. He was on thin enough ice with Thérésa, and knew that Robespierre kept a sharp eye on him. Had he begun to realize that Tallien's increasing dissent from the regime's suggestions stemmed form his new lover?

Whatever Robespierre did or did not know, the seemingly bland little man was an enemy who could have his head easily for no reason at all. And Tallien didn't want to risk that.

But still... he thought that it would be ridiculous, and a waste, to risk any more lives over this--waste the lives of clergymen, of all people!

"However," he added, his tone cautious, "perhaps we ought to educate--not the people--but the priests, a far more manageable task. We could soon have them on our side, preaching of the Supreme Being and not the Pope-invoked Catholic God." He sat down serenely, hiding his trembling hands in his lap.