I Will Repay · Chapter
XXI: A Jacobin Orator explained
In the Cheval Borgne, a Jacobin club meeting is dominated by the coal-heaver Lenoir, who proposes a cunning scheme to trap Citizen-Deputy Déroulède.
What happens
In the Cheval Borgne, a Jacobin club meeting is dominated by the coal-heaver Lenoir, who proposes a cunning scheme to trap Citizen-Deputy Déroulède. By having Juliette Marny tried for a penal offence rather than treason, Lenoir argues, Déroulède would be compelled to defend her in court, thereby incriminating himself. The assembled extremists, including Foucquier-Tinville and Merlin, embrace the plan, though Tinville views Lenoir as a dangerous rival.
Themes in this chapter
Betrayal and Trust
The Jacobins conspire to betray Déroulède by exploiting his trust in Juliette, while Tinville and Merlin secretly plan to betray Lenoir after using his scheme.
Mob Mentality and Populism
The club members, described as 'human jackals,' unite in their hatred of Déroulède and enthusiastically endorse Lenoir's cunning plan, driven by collective bloodlust.
Love and Sacrifice
Lenoir's scheme hinges on Déroulède's love for Juliette, predicting he will sacrifice himself by defending her in court, a theme central to the plot's tension.
Characters to notice
- Citizen Lenoir
A provincial coal-heaver who emerges as the leader of the Jacobin extremists, proposing a Machiavellian scheme to trap Déroulède through Juliette's trial.
- Foucquier-Tinville
The Public Prosecutor, initially surly and jealous of Lenoir's influence, but ultimately agrees to the scheme while plotting Lenoir's future downfall.
- Citizen Merlin
The Minister of Justice, relieved that attention is diverted from his own failures, and eager to assist in the plot against Déroulède.
- Juliette de Marny
Discussed as the central pawn in Lenoir's scheme; her trial is to be manipulated to force Déroulède into self-incrimination.
- Paul Déroulède
The target of the Jacobins' plot; Lenoir plans to use his love for Juliette to entrap him into confessing treason in court.
- Brogard
Mentioned as the patriot who originally brought Lenoir to the Jacobin club.
Key passages
“Give him the rope with which to hang himself.”
Provide Déroulède with enough freedom to incriminate himself.
Lenoir uses this proverb to summarize his plan to trap Déroulède through his own actions.
“The Machiavelian scheme, almost devilish in its cunning, in its subtle knowledge of human nature and of the heartstrings of a noble organisation like Déroulède’s, commended itself to these patriots.”
The Jacobins were impressed by Lenoir's devilishly clever plan, which exploited Déroulède's noble character.
The narrator highlights the moral depravity of the conspirators who admire the scheme's psychological manipulation.