work hard to pave the way for the British, using clemency as an excuse to deceive the people!" The young man of single-minded courage flung his sleeve. "You listened to Danton''s nonsense? Did you think he''s a good man? He gormandizes on bribes from foreigners and conspirators, fooling around with prostitutes, yet shamelessly talks big about virtues and justice on the podium! Desmoulins'' quill has long forgotten to sing praises of liberty and the Republic, only to flatter the British and aristocrats!"
The old woman murmured ruefully, "I don''t know what Marat, what Danton, and I don''t understand this and that ism you all talk about all day long! I am old, I just want to live peacefully! Is that so wrong?"
Edith wavered for a moment but did not enter the door.
She unexpectedly bumped into Andre at the corner. He looked particularly fatigued, but it didn''t seem like it was due to his usual work.
"Andre! What are you doing here?" She was slightly uneasy, avoiding eye contact, unsure how much of the conversation from the room he had heard.
"I came back to fetch some materials," he looked crestfallen, "Where have you been?"
Edith hesitated and then answered in a low voice, "I went to visit Citizeness Desmoulins."
"Are you still so close to the Desmoulins and them?" His face grew serious.
"What''s the problem?" she asked, defensive.
Andre let out a sigh, "You should probably not go there too often for the time being."
"Don''t you think you should be franker, Andre?" Edith turned her head with vigilance.
"What do you mean?"
She remained silent, staring at him with hostility in her eyes.
Andre stepped forward, trying to embrace her shoulders, but she dodged with a shudder. "Don''t touch me, Andre Quenet!"
He withdrew his arms, looking surprised and hurt. Edith coldly pushed him to the side, and he slumped against the wall, watching her walking straight into her own room.
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Andre strode into the committee''s office, snatching the documents from the hands of the soldier of the National Guard who scurried closely behind him. With one eye scanning the pages, he half-heartedly listened to the young man''s report.