The Naval Knaves by Craig Stephen Copland
Author:Craig Stephen Copland [Copland, Craig Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-05-07T07:00:00+00:00
Chapter Six
Dazzling Violence
SHE SMILED A PERFECT SMILE and nodded humbly in response to the applause. The adulation eventually subsided, and we resumed our seats.
“Comrades, you are very kind to me” she began in a strong, clear voice and distinctive American accent. “Please, let me assure you that there is only one thing I accomplished that has permitted my ability to help pay for your courageous activities. I married a very rich but rather stupid Italian prince. All I had to do was to be smarter than he was and, I assure you, it was not difficult.”
This admission was met with a round of hearty laughter, followed by more applause. Then she continued, her tone both congenial and authoritative.
“Comrades,” she continued, “my colleague and eloquent Captain François has explained to you the economic lessons of the Commune. It is not my place to argue with his learned research. But my desire today is to bring what I believe to be the greatest lesson of the Commune. I have given to my talk the title of Lessons from Communarde Louise Michel: Education and Violence Can Never Be Separated.”
Here she was interrupted by applause.
“Comrade Louise was a dear member of this Club until she recently returned to her beloved, native France. I have heard from her just last week, and she informs me that she is safe and is already teaching again, while at the same time stirring up the impoverished masses against the cruelties and injustice of government. Over the past several years, it was my honor to sit at her feet and learn from her. I was not worthy to do so, but I had told her my story, and she took me under her wing. Now, allow me to impart my humble story to you, as it will help you to understand the convictions I have embraced in my heart and the conclusions I have reached with respect to the revolutionary actions we must take if we are to have any hope of seeing the dictatorship of the proletariat in our lifetime.”
The earnest young woman was as accomplished a public speaker as any man I had ever listened to. She began by telling us how she and her family had lived a peaceful life in the city of Strasbourg. Her father was French and her mother German, a situation that was common in the towns and villages of Alsace. Her father was a tailor and was reasonably prosperous, but when the war took over the province, he was declared an enemy by the advancing German forces and, though unarmed, was killed by the German troops. His execution took place in front of his wife and young daughter.
Mrs. Lucy went on to tell us how she and her mother had fled to Paris with nothing but the clothes on their back. Her mother was able to earn a few francs as a seamstress, but soon the Prussian army laid siege to the city, and her mother fled again, this time to America.
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