The tender loving secret of Olympe and Louis (XVI), Act III : the intimate secret of "Thibermesnil 2-6-12" !

by Jean-Jacques COURTEY, Doctor in Economic Geography, Ph.D
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On July 11th 1789, Necker is dismissed and simultaneously Breteuil is back to power as main Minister to stop agitation in Paris.This provokes immediately the anger of Parisians.
Three days after, La Bastille is stormed to take powder and ammunitions. And the recall of Necker on july 16th can't change anything anymore : the Revolution has started.
On july 17th, Breteuil judges safer to take the French leave and emigrates like a lot of nobles.

A few days before october 1789, Olympe de Gouges and Louis XVI are celebrating the fourth anniversary of their tender friendship in the "black cabinet of Versailles". It is the last moment of joy before political tempest.

Scene I : The last encounter of Olympe and Louis in the "black cabinet" of Versailles : "Thibermesnil 2-6-12"

The King had longly talked about Thibermesnil castle built by Rollo the Viking to Olympe.
He stayed there a few days in 1784 to search about some dynastic intrications with Rollo's descendants.
And he found what he was looking for. In memory of this stay he decided to name his second son born in 1785, Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy.

Louis and Olympe didn't know it was their last meeting in the "black cabinet of Versailles".
But strangely on that very day they fell asleep together after love. When they woke up they had the funny impression to come back from an air travel to the same place: Thibermesnil castle, which was on ruin. One inhabitant of the near village even called her "Toxicodindronn".

Olympe :
I made a very strange dream, your Majesty.

Louis :
Me too.

Olympe :
Were you in Normandy like me ?

Louis :
Yes, in Thibermesnil. And we were together in the castle, hand in hand. But it was on ruin.
One inhabitant of the near village which seemed to look after the castle, as he saw you descending from the Sky and talking a lot to me, even called you with a funny name : Toxicodindronn !

Olympe :
Yes, I was surprised by this curious name. Did he mean I am talking too much for a woman ?

Louis :
I don't know. Everything was strange there, with this screen moving and speaking at the same time in his small house. It was really a peculiar, but interesting machine.

Olympe :
Did you notice about the date on the calendar ? It was written 2-6-12. I didn't understand first, but the man said we were on june 2nd 2012 !

Louis :
Yes, and on the funny moving colour screen a man was saying about Tax difficult reform and the debt crisis affecting France
And another one said, everything will be done to save the Republic.

Olympe :
So, it means our Monarchy was abolished ?

Louis :
Certainly ! But the strange thing is with the new system there were exactly at the same point I am presently with tax for the "Privilégiés", and also France's heavy debts nightmare. It's like if this abolition didn't lead anywhere either. And them also were talking about the selfish privileged people, leaving the country and emigrating abroad for tax reasons.

Olympe :
It means, what we tried to solve will never be then.

Louis :
It looks so.

Olympe :
It's not fair in that case, because more and more people accuse you to be weak, when it could be the problem which is far too strong to get any solution in more than two centuries.

Louis :
Life is not always fair, Olympe.

Olympe :
Them they were not accusing their leader, but the financial system itself. You should have done it, your Majesty, not to be annoyed by anybody.

Louis :
You are right, but I think it may be too late for that now.
To deepen a bit the subject, do you know the secret message of Thibermesnil ?

Olympe :
No !

Louis :
It's summarized in one sentence: "The axe of Rollo and his descendance swirls in the sky which shivers, but the wing is opening and one goes unto God."

Olympe :
What does it mean ?

Louis :
If you connect this sentence and our dream, it suggests a strange dynastic intrication and change between Bourbon and Rollo's one, with a fateful starting day : june 2nd 2012.

Olympe :
You should write it then not to forget, Louis : "Thibermesnil 2-6-12".  Because it seems to be a day when you finally appear right, after so long !



A few days after there was what Olympe called "the plot of october 5th and 6th" : angry "women" lacking bread came to Versailles to harm the Royal family physically, but finally compromised to oblige it to move immediately to Paris, in the castle of Tuileries.

Scene II : Olympe proposes in vain to La Fayette to form a group of "Amazons" to protect the King and the Queen, in Tuileries.

We are just after the events of october 5th and 6th 1789.

Olympe :
"Bonjour Monsieur de la Fayette", I came to see you to have your permission to stay in The Tuileries with a group of women I started to form.

La Fayette :
What for ?

Olympe :
My "Amazons" and me will protect the King and the Royal Family day and night.

La Fayette :
Pfff ! You and your funny ideas ! My soldiers of the National Guard are here for that. Above that you can't ignore the King, the Queen and their family cannot forget the fright caused to them by women in Versailles. And I had to recommend the Royal Family, for its safety, to follow them to Paris last october 6th. You should be able to realize !

Olympe :
Their bad souvenirs are connected to a few selected bad women,  a certain number of transvestite men who were disguised in women, and a few men getting along with them to Versailles, after halting bread and flour supply in Paris, you know it.

La Fayette :
I see you have got some very good informers, my dear.

Olympe :
Yes, Gilbert, and they even told me you arrived surprisingly late on october 6th, letting the King and his family without any real protection. And anything awful and dramatic could have happened to them by the meantime, without the King's self control. And isn't because of that fear you contributed to create by your absence, they accepted so easily your compromise "saving them" ? Where were you by the way ?

La Fayette :
I can see your tongue is alert as usually, but I don't owe you any explanation. We arrived just in time with my men anyway to stop any manslaughter. The King and the Royal Family were alive.

Olympe :
Your answer explain more clearly than me why I want to protect them.

La Fayette :
If I allow you to do that, I cannot carry on my plans. And I will have you and your "Amazons" always in between me and the King.

Olympe :
So you admit you are planning something against them all !

La Fayette :
It's your fault, you push yourself too much and my tongue was wrong. I don't plan anything of course.
I am at the service of the King.

Olympe :
I thought you were at the orders of the municipality of Paris.

La Fayette :
I don't understand what you mean. You offend me.

Olympe :
It's not my purpose ! So to support your effort to protect the Royal Family, may my "Amazons" and me bring you support then ?

La Fayette :
You can support me from far, from "rue Servandoni" where you live if you want. I don't mind. But not inside the Tuileries and certainly not every day and night ! Is there a particular connection between you and the King to be so insistant and scared for him ?

Olympe :
The King is the father of French people, so he is mine also. Wouldn't you look after your father ?

La Fayette :
He is a bit young to be your father when you are six years older than him. So I am thinking about something else, dear.

Olympe :
Don't imagine funny things to refuse me what I am asking.

La Fayette :
Anyway, my answer is no.

Olympe, going away suddenly and whispering angrily :
Humpf ! Traitor ! Arrant traitor !

La Fayette, whispering too while smiling ironically :
Go away, bitch ! Her "Amazons", pffff ! Who does she think she is : Thalestris on the way to meet Alexander the Great ?!


Scene III : Olympe tries to prevent an assault on Tuileries from Faubourg Saint Antoine (june 1792) 

Olympe was totally taken by surprise on june 20th 1791, with the attempt of escape of Varennes and the arrest of the King and his family...in spite of the presence overthere of 60 hussars of the regiment of Lauzun !
She felt at the same time a bit disappointed and abandoned.
Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were taken back to the Tuileries in Paris by june 25 th. The opinion of the majority of conventionnals at that time was to decide they were "kidnapped" or "under influence", and brought overthere with their family against their own clear will. They had taken the very ordinary names of Mr Durand and Mme Rochet, of the house of the baronesse of Korff, getting along with her children (theirs in fact).
This scenario wasn't wholly imaginary : in fact, the  emissary of the King of Sweden in France, Axel de Fersen was involved with Breteuil who drew the great lines of the plan his own way. Then Fersen persuaded the Queen, he was really fond of, to attempt this badly prepared adventure : to leave France for Montmédy...in France. But on june 20th he had to separate from the sedan in Bondy, just after Paris.
So the Conventionnals coupled in their mind this funny "aimless" race with the strange game of "hide and seek" played deliberately by La Fayette, to discredit the King. They thought about the words of the King : "Beware at the suggestions and lies of your false friends !"

The proposition Olympe made before to La Fayette to constitute a National Feminine Guard of Tuileries was presented officially this time to the Convention on june 23rd 1791, so in the meantime. But La Fayette successfully opposed to it.

One year after, Olympe is writing to Jérôme Petion de Villeneuve, the influent president of the Constituting Assembly in june 1792 : she wants to avoid a march of people from Faubourg Saint Antoine on Tuileries, which would mean the end of the reign of Louis XVI.

A dialog is then created between them two.

Olympe :
I want to avoid a new plot against the King. So the forecasted march of people of Faubourg Saint Antoine on Tuileries has to be prevented from the right beginning.

Petion :
What are you imagining again, citizen de Gouges ?

Olympe :
I am a woman, and I can sense things. Above that don't forget I know the people of Faubourg Saint Antoine. Wasn't I living "rue Servandoni" before.

Petion :
That's true you recently moved. Why that, by the way ?

Olympe:
Auteuil is quite a nice place. And you know very well I am participating societies of women. You can't ignore Mrs Helvetius' salon is in Auteuil, on the West of Paris.

Petion :
Yes and there you meet Monsieur de Condorcet, his wife Sophie de Grouchy and the Marquis de Villette. You know Olympe, I appreciate you and like you I hate any kind of slavery, but I would like to give you an advice - even I know you wouldn't follow it.

Olympe :
Which advice ?

Petion :
Don't interfere too much with us. Me, as a revolutioneer I like you, but some others and not the less intend to think you should come down as a woman. For instance, your impetuous "Declaration of the rights of woman and the female citizen" in 1791 wasn't so much appreciated in our ranks. In truth you pleased more the King and the Queen than Jacobins !

Olympe :
What was the point of the Revolution then, if it wasn 't to establish freedom for all, women included, and especially freedom of speech ?

Petion :
You can speak freely since 1785, so before the Revolution Olympe, because of the protection of the King !

Olympe :
Then, you mean I have got less rights now ? And that all those noble ideas put at the forefront are intertwinned with very different goals from what the common people believe, because of Illuminism ?

Petion :
Hmmm, let's come back to the subject. It will be better.

Olympe :
As I said, and you are a clever and well informed man to know it, I can smell something is in preparation to eliminate definitively the King and Monarchy. And according to what you were just saying, this plot is far to be favourable to our ideals and women cause. We will lose a lot for the next centuries to come, if I didn't make this intervention.

Petion :
Do not worry too much for people of your gender, Olympe, because most women don't care at all about you in Paris. Some of them even think you can be hysterical or foolish.

Olympe :
I am a playwright and actress. So my imagination has to be free. The King understood and accepted that quite easily, even when I proposed political changes which should have shivered any other man - either conservative or jacobin. And sometimes, I realize I am often a bit in contradiction with myself, I admit easily. But who can assure he will never be ? 

Petion :
I'll try to do what I can to stop agitation in the Faubourg Saint Antoine, dear Olympe. But I can't promise you I can hold the situation more than three months. The forces in game are too strong for you and me, and the despotism of Clubs hardly controllable !


Petion did what he said, but as he forecasted those forces were freed. And on August 10th 1792, with the assault and occupation of Tuileries, the King and the Royal family became already prisoners in their own castle.


Scene IV : The Home Office Minister Roland and Gamain, the locksmith, are in Tuileries (november 20th 1792) : "Thibermesnil 2-6-12" again !

The King has been officially denounced to Roland, the new Home Office Minister of the National Convention, some time after the assault of Tuileries of August 10th 1792. The denonciator is a locksmith, a certain François Gamain.
The Minister Roland is staying personally in the Tuileries castle since that date : he decided to establish his office there.
He hates the King who fired him on june 13th 1792, for his uncleverness at stopping anarchy and maintaining peaceful order in Paris and over France.

We are on november 20th 1792. Roland is with Gamain in one corridor of the Tuileries, in between his office and the King's appartments. But the King is not present and neither aware about what's going on. And neither the Convention. This assembly is even discussing at that time on how to avoid his trial !
A few guards are with them, maintained at a certain distance.

Roland, whispering :
We are in the corridor where you have hidden a secret iron chest, you finished on september 16th 1792. Push the painted pivoting panelling, citizen Gamain !

Gamain, whispering :
It will be quick, citizen Minister. Here it is !

Roland, whispering :
It's not very solid.

Gamain, whispering :
Well, I made it this way under command. You remember ?

Roland, whispering nervously :
"Chhhut !" Someone could hear you, stupid !

Gamain, whispering :
Now the panneling of this big iron chest is opened I am forcing the lock. Hmmm ! You should have given me your key....Ah, that's it (there is a metallic broken noise).

Roland, whispering :
It was quick. I always thought strange you made the lock outside. I'm not a locksmith like you, but usually the lock mecanism is inside, isn't it ?

Gamain, whispering :
Well, it was swifter to build it this way for what had to come.

Roland, ironically whispering :
I wouldn't recommend your work to my friends, you know citizen Gamain !

Gamain, whispering angrily :
I did the way you wanted. So stop at criticizing my masterpiece.

Roland, whispering :
I wouldn't call that a masterpiece. Even the citizen Capet can beat you, when making a solid lock !
Pffff! How come you are said to have been his teacher for locksmithery ?

Gamain, whispering :
I am too young for having been his teacher in Versailles. I never pretended that. It's just you who decided so as a tale to convince people there is a connection between us. That's the point of today's discovery !

Roland, whispering :
That's right. I am confused with my invention. Well, let's watch what is there from last time !

Gamain, whispering :
There are a lot of documents and papers you collected in Tuileries and elsewhere from August 10th.
Oh, what's this little one ? It looks like a secret hand-written code : "Thibermesnil 2-6-12". It wasn't there before !

Roland, whispering :
Well, it's coming out of the secretary of the King. I obliged him to empty it in front of me on August 10th, and I kept this piece of paper because it puzzled me. He said it's nothing important, just something coming from a nice play, as children do.

Gamain, whispering :
A children play ?! It's a bit too much with those papers, don't you think citizen Minister ?

Roland, whispering in a bossy way :
I am the one to decide what is too much or not, citizen "locksmith". And you should remember it for your life sake. You intend to talk too much for instance, that's sure. So keep your mouth shut, or else...

And Roland is making a gesture to show him he may be cut the neck, if saying anything about their arrangement.

Gamain, whispering :
Don't worry, with the life pension you are going to give me, I know where my interests lie also.

.....

Roland, speaking suddenly loud this time, at the guards :
Guards, come here, we found something unusual in the wall of the corridor. Watch and be witnesses !
The locksmith has opened this iron chest in front of you, and it's full of secret correspondence of the citizen Louis Capet, ex-King, with abroad and enemies of the interior.

The guards are approaching and taking some papers in the hands.

Roland, pointing out the small piece of paper :
Look ! There is even a coded message of the citizen Capet, not to be understood : "Thibermesnil 2-6-12" !
This time, we have got a full evidence he is a traitor to the Nation !
But keep your mouth shut till the trial to come !


Scene V : The trial of the king : convocation of December 11th 1792 in the National Convention

Following Roland's discovery and investigations about papers, on December 3rd 1792 the National Convention decided to judge the King, who had become just "Louis Capet".
On December 11th, the King is convoked at the National Convention, self erected in a Court to judge him.
He is listening calmly and with dignity the act of accusation of the prosecutor Fouquier-Tinville, and discovers for the first time the story about the "iron chest of Tuileries".

Fouquier-Tinville :
Stand up citizen Capet, in the name of the French people the Convention has decided to judge you.

Louis, standing up :
Amongst you I am searching in vain judges, but I see only accusators. And yet for none of them, there is bitterness in my heart.

Fouquier-Tinville :
Chose yourself your defenders when it's still time, when it's still hour. Justice is on march and nothing can stop it anymore.

Louis: :
I will be defended by Monsieur de Malesherbes, who was once my Minister, and anyone he will chose to attend him.

Fouquier-Tinville :
Answer at the act of accusation and answer of your crimes against the Nation.

Louis :
Which accusation ?

Fouquier-Tinville :
You made innocent French citizens' blood pouring out. You pactised with abroad in secret. You search to plot with Talleyrand and Dumouriez, as are proving those papers which have been discovered in the iron chest.

Louis :
I don't know the iron chest  you are talking about. I didn't do this ignominy. I never betrayed my country. My only crime was to love it. Life reserved for me a lot of infortunes and I am not afraid of death. I am forming wishes for you to lead France out of the ways of unhappiness.
Take care of my family. Take care of my children.
They are the only favours I am expecting from your goodness.

Someone of the Assembly :
We will make you pay for your crimes. We will make your head cut below guillotine. You well deserved it. "Vive la Révolution !" 

Louis :
In the name of France, judge in your soul and consciousness. Do according to your good pleasure. Me, I have nothing more to say !


Scene VI : Sorrow in Olympe's new appartment, rue de Buis in Auteuil, after the King's execution (January 21st 1793)

On december 16th 1792, Olympe de Gouges attempted a dangerous initiative near the National Convention, in order to save the life of her beloved King, Louis XVI.
She proposed to assist the top barrister Malesherbes in the forecasted trial of the King.
But it was rejected by the Convention with despise.
She wrote a memoire to defend the King even though, as an "officious defendress" proposing exile, like Danton at first.
But when the sentence of death was known on January 18th 1793, she got shocked and frightened : she tried then to bluff about her attitude towards the King, prisoner in the Temple's dunjeon, not convincing anybody.
Three days after she attended the awful execution of Louis, "place de Grève" (presently Place de la Concorde), and she saw the guillotine cutting the jaw of her beloved friend, instead of his neck. It was a horrible sight. After that, she came back home hiding she was in tears.

Caretaker :
You don't seem to be happy "Madame Olympe". What's happening to you ?



Olympe :
I don't want to talk. I am not feeling well. I think I have got a big headache and I want to vomit.

Caretaker :
You look pale. I've never seen you in that state.

Olympe :
It will pass away. I just need to have a rest at home.

Caretaker :
Are you sure you haven't got a flu ? We are on january and it's cold. Your eyes are wet and red. Have you got fever ?

Olympe, touching her forehead :
No, I don't think so.

Caretaker :
I can call Doctor Marat, if you wish. He is not very agreable, and he has got a funny way to watch people, but he is considered as a good pratician. People never call him twice, you know.

Olympe :
His efficiency to "cut the neck" to any disease or affection is more questionable than certain.
I'll just have a rest. I feel already a bit better after having a chat with you. Good evening !

Caretaker (mistiveous) :
I see you know him already. Good evening then !

Around six months after, Olympe was arrested after a woman's denonciation for her new placard, "The three urns or the patry's salute by an air traveler - named Toxicodindronn" (july 19th 1793). It was her last wink to Louis (XVI) and their intimate secret of "Thibermesnil 2-6-12".
She was finally judged without any barrister for this placard and her support to Gironde on november 2nd 1793, and guillotined the following day.