A Bourgeois.As if they could stop them! Poor people like ourselves, without arms! What do they know of war! Can they keep out the best troops of the kingdom?
Another.They're in already! And there's the Bastille; it's like a cancer—incurable!
A Workingman.The vile monster! Who will free us?
A Student.They've already made a company of Swiss Guards retreat today.
Another.Their cannon are in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine.
A Workingman.Can't do a thing while we have this bit in our mouths. We've got to take it out first.
A Bourgeois.How?
A Workingman.I don't know how, but it's got to be done.
All [seriously and incredulously].Take the Bastille?[They turn to one another.]
News-criers [in the distance].Latest news! Desperate struggle!
A Man [shabby and pale, with the air of a maniac]. We haven't anything to fear from the soldiers. They wont attack.
A Student.What!
The Maniac.They won't attack. They've got a simpler plan: they'll just blockade us. They'll starve us out.
A Workingman.Well, if they do it for very long, we'll take the road. We've lost a whole day waiting for bread at the bakeries.
