# XXI: A Jacobin Orator explained — I Will Repay

> Chapter companion for I Will Repay by Baroness Orczy.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/i_will_repay_se/chapters/xxi-a-jacobin-orator
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/i_will_repay_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/i_will_repay_se/chapters