Ask Armand

[Deleted]

Greetings everyone!
I am Armand St. Just.
You may ask me anything at all, and I shall do everything within my capabilities to answer you. I would also be glad to be of service to anyone.
(Armand sits on a chair and prepares some tea for his guests.)

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[Rules:
The nature of the question does not matter provided it follows forum rules. Have fun and be creative. Ask what you like to ask, be it bizarre.
You may ask either IC or OOC.
You may disturb Armand while he's answering questions. You may poke him or pinch him. You may annoy him as much as you like. ]

[PAUL CHAUVELIN]

Paul settles comfortably into a chair. Selecting a cigar from his case, he nestles it neatly into its holder, going about the whole ritual of lighting it. He takes a couple of draws on it, the coal flaring brightly, before flicking the spent lucifer into the fire.

"Citizen St-Just," he says, in his most deceptively benign voice. "The aristos either belong to, or collaborate with, the Chouannerie. How do you reconcile your alleged patriotism and republican principles with assisting the Englishman, the Pimpernel, to enable them to escape French justice?"

The aroma of perique tobacco curls lazily through the air.

[SIR PERCIVAL BLAKENEY]

Percy paced the room, a pained expression darting across his forehead as he paused dramatically, his left hand clenching around the monocle in his hand. He knew today would be a bad day, from the moment he stood before his mirror and attempted to tie his cravat.

'Lud man!' Percy exclaimed, breaking the silence, 'tell me Armand! How do you Frenchies manage when your demmed cravat doesn't tie properly. Look at it!' he said with frustration, pointing at the neck wear. 'The demmned thing refused to tie this morning and now its sticking out like an affronted porcupine looking for its super!' Percy returned to his chair to sulk...'what on earth am i to do?' he asked.

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"With all due respect, Citoyen Chauvelin... Don't we call for liberty, equality, and fraternity? Now where is the liberty when we restrain individuals from walking out the streets freely? When they are living their lives with endless fear? When we constrain them with death? Where is the equality in that- most certainly the Aristocrats have lived extravagantly, but don't we become like them when we subject them to the cruelest things? Do not we become like the Aristocrats, looking down on them as if they were cattle for the kill? Are we gods, such that we can dictate whether they live or die? And fraternity... That worse for us, when we believe that all must be brothers. Don't they teach in the Christian scripture, to forgive one's brother for his wrongdoings? And what do we do? We behead them. Would YOU do that to your brother? Or would your brother do that to YOU?" Armand spoke angrily. "And also... Please do not smoke here, the vile fumes irritate me and would do similarly to my other guests."

[Deleted]

Noting his brother-in-law's great annoyance at having a stubborn cravat, Armand points to the Citoyen Chauvelin. "Sir Percy, someone like you, who, in my honest opinion, is the true paragon of fashion, should not be so bothered by such a thing. We "Frenchies", I do believe, have worse taste and style. Please look at the Citizen's cravat. Isn't it a most horrible thing?... Kidding aside, would you like to allow me to re-tie it for you? Or if you would like, maybe we should dip it in starch, that way it would be more aesthetically agreeable- less soft and comfortable though. Also... well, if you would allow it, I have my own cravats. You may try them if you wish, and see if they suit you." He offered.

[LUCIEN DE LA TOUR D'AZYR]

Lucien enters with a nonchalant face, sitting down without being asked to. "So this is one of the men that might soon hold my life in his hands? Pathetic. Do tell me, Monsieur St.Just, what makes you think us nobles couldn't handle ourselves? What makes you think this rabble on the street would be in the slightest way succesful? And... just for personal curiosity: Do you really think that money can buy you respect? Do you really think that you'd EVER be able to tell a Marquis-to-be like me what to do?"

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"My dear uh... eh... Marquis... Heir." Armand started. "What makes you think that your life is not run by the people? Imagine, here you have your people, here you have your throne... Or one of those fancier chairs you sit on. These people are the ones who built you your throne- both literally and figuratively. What would the nobility rule, if not the people? You are much dependent on them... perhaps more than they depend on you. The proof that they are winning? See your comrades! Beheaded by Madame Guillotine! Another? Your power- it no longer has an effect on them! They can no longer be coerced. In a way, the hunter becomes the hunted. The tables are turned."
"Understand also that we mean nothing but to help you. It is people seeking to bring you down, and we are the people seeking to bring you back- not up, but back into society. Prove that you could do it without our help. See, even the de Tournay's owe their lives to the Pimpernel! This is not a question of money or material worth. What we need is not noble blood, but a noble spirit, a noble feeling, and noble virtues! We have saved more than a handful men, women, children- innocents. If you could manage to save yourself, prove it to me. But readily admit your humanity, and we, the men of the League, would gladly help you." Armand answered, ready to proffer his hand.