The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-06-05
ASSASSINATION OF MARAT BY
CHARLOTTE CORDAY.

CHARLOTTE CORDAY.
i had scarcely pronounced the name
of Marat, when the porter said, II, il
here, SIR" Ii was no doubt. ut the door
of this dark lodge that Charlotte Cor
day said, 'ls the citizen Marat at
home :" And the porter, seeing this
beautiful and digni6ed girl, with smile
upon her conntenance, suspected moth
ing. How indeed could he associate
the idea of murder with that of a
lovely woman. whose large black eye,
displayed humid and intellectual bril-
liancy ;whose ee'gaut and fully devel-
oped figure. exqusitely fair compilations
and pearly teeth, seen under the
voluptuous fullness OF her half-closed
lips, would have melted savage =! How
could he associate xaconcealed poisnard
with drapery which, followed, without
concealing the most perfect harmony
OF contour How trace a sanguinary
design in that face sos lovely, SO noble,
and so calm, whose aonly expression
seemed the timidity of-chaste and yir-
tuous afiection.---On that day, no doubt,
her toilet displayed a.sort Of simple
and sublime coquetry. 1t was ncces-
sary that she should captivate tho good
lopinion of those who were to admit her.
l She knew likewise, ,tthat such murder
IS not perpe,rated'a second lime; that
her life would fall sacrifice 10 the
deed. She knewthat she was commit
ting aigenerous suicide in favor of rea-
son and justice; that she should be ar
rested the instant the deed was per-
tormedafor she determined to make no
attemptto escape. She could not for
get that'a woman's dress, even in the
most important actions of her life, rep
rescnts, IN some degree, her habitual
ideas andsopinions. Oh how beautiful
she looked Her glossy hair was tied
with n wldo ribbon. Aud then her
forchead'of animated white, that modest
air, andithose lips who could have
anticipated that her delicate hand was
| abontto be stained with blood l**
"OIHthe 18th Of July she went 10 the
Palais National, and bought a sharp
pointedtable-knife, with black sheath.
On her return home she put into her
pocket her baptismal register, aud ala
address to the French people. She
knew that she should leave the place
to which she was going, only to be
thrown into a dungeon, condemned q
few hours after, and then placed in that
fatal cart which was daily dragged To
the Grave, the Place do ia Revolution,
elsewhere and every wherel She had
provided against all contingencies. Ma
rat was i'll, and she was refused admit
tance. But she wrote him note, stat
Ing that she had just arrived from Caen,
and was able 10 render an important
service 10 the country. In the even
ing, at five o'clock. she returned, The
house keeper still refused her admit
tance, but Marat being in the bath, aud
hearing the voice ofa young girl, or
dered that she should come io.-"This
is the closet" said the servant; "tho
bath was there, just opposite the WIN
dow" 81 understood the whole ac-
ton as well as If il had occurred i'm INV
presence, Tho three rooms are So
small, that an instant sufiiced to cross
them. could fancy ! saw the whole
scene pass before my eyes. "Marat,"
exclaimed 1, "had a handkerchief
round his head his right hand was out
of tho water, and he used as n writing
table, board placed across the bath.
Charlotte. from the closencss Of tho
bath. nearly touched him. "Tha pa
per hangings are not now the same."
said the servant; "thosc which then
covered the wall were taken down a
few months sipce. They were large
twisted pillars, drawn upon n white
ground." ''She was there" continued
l: "hlarat questioned her. and euquircd
the names Of the refugees at Calysdss;
she dictated TO him. and hewrote. ~'ut
is well !" said he, ssshey shallssllGo 40
the guillotine." This was the lsssshrest
he uttered. She drew from itsssheath
the knife, concealed inner sbosom ~pd
plunged It INTO his hsart!" s'Helps"
erred he 9help, my dear fliendi sIsAm