It was late in the night on June 4th and the bells of Notre Dame tolled solemnly for several days now. Louis Joseph was told to be in critical condition, but when the sound of the bells fell silent finally, everyone knew that the Crown Prince was dead.
“He
was only 7 years and 8 months old...”, she said to herself,
feeling sorry that she hadn’t been able to spend more time with
him. His joyful and loud laughter was still resounding in her mind.
Despite all the tragedies that happened nearby, the French Guards Company B were still pressed with duties. Assigned to watch over the assembly of the Estates-General, they had an enormously important job now. During these events, Oscar was aware of the tuberculosis she had. However her body was full of the energy from the love she had and she was feeling immortal, as if she would never die. On June 17th, 1789, the members of the Third Estate, being encouraged by the joining of a few liberal nobles and many clergy, proclaimed themselves “The National Assembly” and invited the other two orders to join in this new body of the nation.
Royal Family and the nobles were afraid of the power of the National Assembly, which is empowered with every new member from the First and Second Estate. Thus they ordered the French Guards to close the assembly hall. It was the 20th of June when
Oscar was perplexed. It was the first time she was acting against her most will and she saw clearly now, that the Estates-General was nonsense. She was ashamed and deeply disappointed by the king’s decision, but she couldn’t refuse.
After being locked out of their meeting room, deputies of the Third Estate assembled on a tennis court, the Jeu de Paume, and swore not to separate until a constitutional regime was established. This event was later called the Tennis Court Oath.
Three days after the Tennis Court Oath, the king conceded and ordered the nobles and the clergy to join the National Assembly, which was held again in the assembly hall. He wanted to resolve the chaotic situation. The clergy and nobles could enter first while the delegates of the Third Estate had to wait in the pouring rain. Soon people understood what was going on; the king and nobles wanted to make sure that only certain people could enter the assembly hall, those, who were supporting the old regime.
Seeing the representatives of the Third Estate standing in the rain, Oscar couldn’t remain still. When Colonel La Baume, who was leading the entrance of the delegates, said that he would let the representatives of the Third Estate come in only through the back door, Oscar became furious. She knocked him down and her men opened all the sealed front doors so that all the people could enter the hall. Oscar was fully aware of what she did at that moment and she was ready to take the responsibility, even if it meant being arrested and court-martialed for having disobeyed an order.
Instead of the court, General Bouille had a new order. She was ordered to equip her soldiers fully and head to the assembly hall to remove all the members of the National Assembly.
BOUILLE Use force on those who resist, no matter what they say. If you must, you may open fire at them and kill them.
Oscar couldn’t believe her ears.
OSCAR Your Excellency! They are the representatives of the French people! You're ordering me to point guns at them?! Charging into the assembly hall with armed force will leave an unforgivable blemish on French History!
BOUILLE They're no longer the civil representatives! They're mere rebels who defy His Majesty!
Oscar knew if she did, she couldn’t ever arrange it with her conscience. The representatives were as well people of
But what shocked her more was her soldiers taken to prison. They had disobeyed the order to go back and remove the people from the assembly hall also. In a way she was proud of them because they knew what was worth fighting for, and she felt a growing refusal against the regime inside her all the more. She could do nothing but watch outside the window while they were knocked down and arrested.
BOUILLE Your men are just as stubborn as you are. You've trained them far too well! I’ve taken them to the prison of Abbey. I will demand all 12 to be shot to death in a military court.
BOUILLE They will serve as a warning to the others. As for you, your military commission will be forfeited and you will be detained in the army cell until His Majesty hands down a punishment. Any further breach of military discipline brews a crisis for the entire French military. The Royal Guards will remove the rebels.
After General Bouille left the room, a fight began. Oscar had sworn to protect the Assembly. But fighting against three trained men was difficult even for her. Andre burst into the room as soon as he heard her scream.
Together they managed to overpower the men and leave the building. Together, they had the power for every obstacle. But there was no time to think; they had to keep the Royal Guards from firing at the people.
They arrived just at the right moment. The Royal Guards were facing the representatives of the Third Estate, ready to shoot at them, but
OSCAR Gerodere, do you have the courage to take my sword? Everyone in the Royal Guards, do you have the courage to put a bullet through my heart?! Fire! If you point your guns at unarmed delegates of the 3rd Estate, you'll have to step over my corpse first!
GERODERE Mademoiselle, please sheathe your sword. How can we fire at you, our former commander? How can we become such cowards who'd point guns at unarmed people in front of you? We'll wait until the day they take up arms.
And the Royal Guards left, not knowing that
Gerodere’s last words would become truth too soon. The people’s hatred grew
more and more with every defeat against the nobles at Versailles Robespierre
and his devotees, who called themselves the Jacobins, would engage the people
to bloody massacres…
It was late in the night when they returned home again. It would be a short rest; they both knew it too well.
Then, her father ordered Oscar to his office. She had to answer for her misbehaviour before him. She hadn’t seen the general for quite a while, for he was very busy at the court, but she was sure that he wouldn’t be pleased of her defiance at all.
She sat down on a chair and heard her father unsheathe his sword behind her, but she didn’t move at all. He had called her a traitor, someone he wouldn’t accept in his family. That she had betrayed her family… Oscar was ready to give her life to destiny. If her own father decided to take her life and after commit suicide, she was helpless about it. If he killed her, she would forgive him for she knew what a great disappointment she must have been for him. At that moment Andre stormed the room and restrained him.
ANDRE No, please don’t! I won't let you go if you're going to slay Lady Oscar! No, I'll never let you go!
Suddenly he held a gun in his hand.
ANDRE If you persist, I'm going to shoot you, take Oscar and run away!
JARJEYES What?! Run away with Oscar?! Is that your feeling?
ANDRE Yes.
JARJEYES Stupid! Do you think you can overcome the difference of class?!
A smile appeared on Andre’s face. He had no idea about their feelings or marriage.
ANDRE What's "class"? What's a "commoner"? All men are equal! Even if it's the King, do you need a permit from a stranger to love someone?
JARJEYES ANDRE!
He slapped his face so that Andre fell down backwards. There was a severe thunderstorm. Even the weather seemed to predict the end of the world.
Andre felt Oscar’s presence behind him. He wished to turn around to Oscar, take her hand and just flee somewhere where no one would ever be able to find them. Yes, he didn’t mind the god-given monarchy, dividing the people in classes.
JARJEYES I won't forgive either of you!
ANDRE Then slay me first - even it's for a moment I'll have to see my love's death if I'm the second; it would be too painful for me.
Oscar, who was the reason of this fight, was watching the scene with silence. This was neither the most appropriate the way nor the time of asking the hand of a daughter. Time was frozen, Oscar was paralyzed. She was hearing but was unable to answer. Her father had just heard about Andre’s love and he wanted to kill him. However, he was missing something very important, which might become the biggest disappointment of his life. His daughter loved Andre back! She married him secretly; she became his wife and swore to be with him till death separated them. And it was not that moment… They had more to live…
OSCAR Andre…
JARJAYES All right, I’ll make your wish come true then!
A great thunder seemed to raise the roof. Oscar had any kind of emotions: fear, anger, happiness, hate, love… It was then that the messenger came with the words that Marie Antoinette desisted to punish Oscar, but was expecting further loyalty from the Jarjayes family.
JARJEYES Did you hear that, Oscar? Her Majesty's mercy has saved your life! You idiot!
Oscar and Andre were standing next to each other, but there was a bigger connection between them now. The danger had disappeared, but it wasn’t the end of it at all. They knew which side they were going to take - even if it meant “both against the world”.
Oscar’s soldiers had been saved from execution in the jail of Abbey with the help of Bernard. People of
But it was a small victory in a time that was signed with injustice. After ten thousand soldiers from all over the country had gathered between
Oscar remembered the day when she came to thank Marie Antoinette for not being punished for her defiance. It hadn’t been a mistake as she had thought; Marie Antoinette herself was the one who had given the orders to dissolve the National Assembly. Another thing was mentioned then: also the French Guards had to prepare for riots and attacks of the commoners. This meant, in a case of a riot, they’d have to fight… But who was their enemy and what would they fight for?
Patrolling
The sun set behind Marie Antoinette, who had lost most of her charms and childish light heartedness and innocence. She was as beautiful as ever, yet many wrinkles now signed her face and showed her inner brokenness. They had been friends for many years, but now times were changing and so did the people.
OSCAR Please order the army to withdraw from
ANTOINETTE Oscar, if that happens, you'll protect me, won't you?
She wasn’t able to understand and she would persist on her viewpoint: the Third Estate was an enemy. Even if Marie Antoinette was the queen of the country, she didn’t accept and seemed not to understand the people’s problems, which she should have.
OSCAR I am...no longer in the Royal Guards.
It was a last farewell of two friends. When Oscar left Marie Antoinette this time, they would be on the opposite sides, fighting for the opposite matters. It was the last time Oscar met the queen in friendship. Tears escaped from her eyes.
Oscar had carried out her duty towards Marie Antoinette. She bowed and turned her back on her to leave. A new day was coming and the wind was turning. Everything would change from here on.
ANTOINETTE Oscar! Why do you cry? As if... we'll never meet again.
ANTOINETTE Au revoir...
OSCAR Au revoir...
But both Antoinette and Oscar knew too well that they would never meet again. A long lasting friendship could not overcome the obstacle of being the Queen.
Andre, who spent most of his yet so little free time in the barracks, had begun to write a diary. He didn’t know exactly what forced him to do it. Was it because it was easier to handle with the things happening inside and around him - or to suppress them? Or did he fear a great catastrophe coming soon?
“The morning of July 12th, 1789: The finance minister, M. Jacques Necker was dismissed yesterday. A false rumour of a massacre of patriots spread and people began to arm themselves. There's no distinction between day and night in
People carry sticks, swing knives, and run around the back alleys. 100,000 soldiers gathered in
He laid away the shabby notebook and sat up on his bed. There was one more thing that worried him; Oscar. She was getting paler each day.
Also Oscar knew about Andre’s condition. Doctor Lassalle had told her about his right eye. He was almost blind. She didn’t accuse him for not having told her, he had his reasons. But now there was the same destiny that awaited them, in any way. Oscar hurried up to meet him in the atrium.
OSCAR Andre! There's no more work today, just awaiting orders. Let's go home together.
ANDRE But if we await orders, I should stay with the others.
Oscar took his hand; caring and tender. After their days in Normandie, they had spent all their time in barracks. In all those chaos, they had missed each other. Sometimes they were looking each others eyes, then Andre was making his head down. If not, he could not held himself back from walking to her, taking her hand.
OSCAR You should accompany your wife! It's no longer safe on the way home, you know.
Her voice sounded soft and gentle when she laughed and Andre couldn’t answer back then.
Coming home, Armand, the painter, was awaiting Oscar. That day he finished her portrait and everyone had gathered to look at it. Everyone praised the wonderful painting. Oscar didn’t say a word. She was satisfied when they liked it.It wasn’t for her. It was a farewell present to her family…
After a while she recognized Andre standing in the door frame.
NANNY Andre, what's wrong? You should come here and see it, too!
ANDRE Yeah, I will...
But it wasn’t until late, when they were left alone, when Andre could express himself.
ANDRE Beautiful...beyond comparison. As if your shining smile draws all the light in the world. The laurels on your blond hair are especially brilliant!
‘Andre, don't force yourself. I know you're blind.’ Oscar felt tears running down her cheeks. She tried to imagine what pain he must be bearing, but she couldn’t. Losing his eyesight must be like disbanding with the world. But there was still strength in him that impressed her. His hope kept him alive.
ANDRE A white rose...no, it's an entire field full of roses! It's the forest near the spring of Arras! Isn't it, Oscar?
OSCAR That's right, Andre. Armand said he went all the way to
ANDRE A wonderful painting! Your grace, dignity, and joy...everything is shown expressed! It will remain always in my heart.
Andre had made up an own picture of Oscar and she recognized that he was telling how he looked at her, how he would always remember her in his mind... There was a second conversation, between lines, which only they both understood. Andre knew he described a totally different painting, but it was a picture he had in his heart, deep within his soul. He didn’t say it, but Oscar understood that he wanted to tell her that no matter what happened to him or between them, his feelings would stay the same. Again, she was overwhelmed by his unchangeable love towards her.
OSCAR Thank you, Andre. Thank you for everything...
Soon after that Alain gave account that French Guards Company B had received the order to equip them at 8 o'clock the next morning and advance to
Every one of them had feared the day when they would find themselves in this situation, but now the day had finally come when time would show if they’d lose or win, what a
After Andre having saddled the horses, they rode back to barracks. On their way, when riding by the side of a tributary stream of the
When they were safe, they decided to go through a near forest to avoid further attacks. It has become too dangerous. People had begun to use weapons; they were ready to fight now…
It was then that Oscar recognized how weak Andre was in his condition. He wasn’t able to defend himself. Even if she didn’t want to do it, she had to send him back to not endanger his life…
OSCAR How's your head injury, Andre?
ANDRE Yeah, I'm all right. Nothing serious.
OSCAR How dare you keep on deceiving me. Your right eye. I heard from Dr. Lassone. You're nearly blind, aren't you?
Andre stood still.
OSCAR You should go back to the mansion. Let me go back to the barracks alone. Please do, Andre, don’t be that careless. Nothing should happen to you.
ANDRE I'll go with you, Oscar. Like I always did, and I always will. I'm always with you.
OSCAR Andre... Please… I promise; I am going to come back when things get better. We are going to be together after that.
She couldn’t avoid the tears coming from her eyes. The probability of danger on Andre was hurting her. She laid her head on his chest. Everything around her was on the move, but Andre kept her grounded. Such a long time they had been forced to hide their feelings and now she wasn’t able to hold them back anymore.
OSCAR Andre, my Andre! I love you with all my heart...!
When they kissed, it was like finding something they had believed was lost long ago and irrecoverable. The peaceful nature surrounding and protecting them, they could forget about the dangers awaiting them for a while.
Oscar said farewell to her father, but it was also the greeting of a new life, a life on her own and only led by her heart.
‘Thank you very much for your love and mercy on a daughter like me. Please relieve me now from the obligation of being a daughter into the life of a woman… Oscar GRANDIER’
When they arrived at the barracks, Oscar announced her intentions to fight with the people and the soldiers accepted her as their leader. She quit as the French Guards Company B Commander and said good-bye to her former life, her title and rank to live on Andre’s side. The same day they departed for
Anyway, Oscar reached the German cavalry regiment to retreat from
It was more difficult to convince the distrustful crowd of people, who had survived the first battle with the army. Again it was Bernard, who helped them. The people trusted him as he was a disciple of Robespierre and so they accepted Company B, which was a great triumph for both.
Oscar and Rosalie hadn’t seen each other till the wedding in Normandie. With Oscar’s help, Rosalie believed everything would become better. At least they had a chance to resist the great amount of soldiers. If they stormed the Bastille, they would need the support of the skilled men of former Company B.
But there was no time to triumph. 500 soldiers were on the way to the square and their only chance to take them on was; surprising and attacking them before they did. They broke straight through the middle of the rows of soldiers and it took those long to organize again. Confusing them and drawing their attention towards them, Oscar’s soldiers kept them away from the square successfully, where people had begun to built barricades.
The soldiers followed them as they had planned it, but when they crossed the
Not a half of the former Company B had survived when they had finally managed to flee under the bridge. They couldn’t fight on their own anymore; it was clear that they had to go back to the others at
Oscar was the first to stand up. The others followed her when she reached the steps, but none of them was prepared to see the soldier, that was waiting at the top. He shot as soon as he saw Oscar.
No choice:
Under the fire...