, 1863-08-29
Charlotte Corday,

requested the painter might be
called, whom during her trial, she
remarked as studying her fea-
lures. She sat to him on con-
dition that he promised to send a
copy of her portrait to her family.
In about an hour and a half the
executioner entered, with the
scissors and the red chemise
Charlotte could not repress a
slight shudder, and said, involun-
tarily: What ! already % She
soon, however became calm, and
taking the scissors, cut a beauti-
full tress of blonde hair, and pre-
senting it to the artist, said: "Sir,
/ have this to offer you keep it
in memory of me. D
She arrived at the place of ex-
ecution, her face illuminated, al
most transfgured, in the light of
the setting sun. 1t is said that at
the first view of the knife, she
turned slightly pale; but her col
or came again, and she mounted
the scaffold with a firm step. The
young maiden modestly prevent
ed the executioner from uncover
ing her neck, and advanced OF
her own accord the preparations
for death. At the moment the
head was severed, coarse car
penter seized it roughly, showing
it to the people, and with brutal
ferocity struck the lovely face.
A shudder of horror ran through
the crowd and it is stated that
the cheek of the poor victim
flushed at the insult. The man
was imprisoned. The intrepid
ity of this charming young girl
gave to death almost an attrac-
ton. More than one considered
it a happines to follow her into
IIlC SIcuJ ullhnONu-
In the only portrait which re-
mains of Charlotte, painted only
a few minutes before her death,
we remark the extreme softness
of the expression. The face is
that of a young Normande, a ma
donna countenance, colored with
the delicate tints of the apple
blossom. She appears much
younger than her age-twenty-
five. In this tragic picture she
appears infinitely sensible, seri-
Gus, reasonable, like her Norman
country-wOmen. She is almost
like a painted child her lips
seem to move one fancies they
utter the last words she wrote to
her father: '' Pardon me, papa" +"
The painter has left to mankind a
despair, an eternal regret. None
can behold this portrait without
exclaiming "Oh, why was |
born so late How | should have
loved herp'
Her counsel, Chaveau Lagarde
says: Her features may be de-
picted, her face reproduced, but
art is pOwerless to paint the soul
breathing from her face" Her
replies might have served as dia-
logues for Corneille:
F" Who inspired you with so
much hatred %
81 required none from others,
my own was sufficient"
"This act must have been sug-
gested to you ?"
:" We execute boldly that
which we conceive not our
selves"
What did you hate in him %
=" His crimes.
What mean you?"
" The ravages of France"
/" What did you hope for by
killing him %
To bring back peace to my
country"
{" Do you think you have killed
all the Marats %
Him dead, the others, per-
haps may be frightened"
"Since when did you form this
design %
Since the arrest of the repre-
sentative of the people,
Her accusation having been
read the President asked if she
would make reply.
Nothing, except that | have
succeeded"
The scene of the murder is thus
drawn
Marat was in bath, covered
with a sOiled sheet, and writing
on board ; his head, shoulders
and right arm being alone visi-
Bile. The greasy hair bound in