The Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat was a virtual representation of one of Arno Dorian's genetic memories, relived by a Helix initiate in 2014 through the Helix Navigator.
Clues[]
Marat's House[]
- Jean-Paul Marat's body – The body of Jean-Paul Marat. He's slumped in a bath with a small, single puncture wound above the clavicle. His skin is mottled with pus-filled sores.
- Bloody knife – A large kitchen knife. The maker's mark is that of a nearby shop: 5 Rue Haute Feuille.
- Empty bottle of tonic – An empty bottle of tonic from an apothecary named Gregoire Brousseau: 20 Rue de la Harpe.
Letter from Charlotte Corday
- Providence gives me truth.
Providence gives you justice.
Providence gives me sanctuary.
In Providence, there is peace.
For this life, or the next.
– Charlotte Corday
- List of Girondin traitors – A neatly written list of Girondin traitors.
List of Girondin traitors
- Philippe A.
Raphael M.
Olivier C.
Vincent M.
Isaak M.
Denis S.
Edouard K.
Nicholas L.
Christophe M.
Emile H.
- The Friend of the People – A copy of Marat's self-published newspaper, "Friend of the People" (L'Ami du peuple). In it he accuses the Perrot family of supporting the monarchy, the scientist Antoine Lavoisier of selling gunpowder outside of France, and accuses the Girondists of being too lenient in their views of reform.
- Statement of Jacques-Louis David – Jacques Louis-David: The famous painter seems more concerned with perfectly capturing Marat's death than how he died.
Apothecary Stall[]
- Statement of the apothecary – Gregoire Brousseau (apothecary): He treated Marat, who himself was a capable physician. Marat had developed a skin condition after hiding in the sewers below 23 Rue de Touraine.
Hotel[]
- Letter from Charlotte Corday – A letter written by Charlotte Corday and addressed to the citizens of France:
Address to the French, the friends of law and of peace:
- How long, oh! miserable Frenchmen, will you be pleased with disorder and divisions? Long enough and too long have some factious men, some wicked men placed the interest of their ambition in the place of general interest. Why, victims of their fury, do you destroy yourselves to establish their desire of tyranny over the ruins of France?
The factions explode on all sides, the Mountain triumphs by crime and oppression; some monsters drenched with blood, conduct their detestable conspiracies. . . . . . We labor for our own ruin with more zeal and energy than we have shown in conquering liberty! Oh, Frenchmen, yet a little time and there will not remain of you but the souvenir of your existence!
Already the indignant departments march on Paris; already the fire of discord and civil war inflame the half of this vast empire, there is still a means of extinguishing it, but the means must be prompt. Already the vilest of the wicked, Marat, whose name alone presents the image of all crime, in falling under the avenging steel, shakes the Mountain and makes Danton grow pale. Robespierre, those other brigands seated upon the bloody throne, are enveloped in the lightning which the avenging gods of humanity only suspend, without doubt, to render their fall more glittering and to affright all those who would be tempted to establish their fortunes on the ruins of an abused people!
Frenchmen! you know your enemies, arise! march! Let the Mountain annihilated leave only brothers and friends! I do not know if Heaven reserve to us a republican government, but it can not give us a leader of the Mountain for master unless in the excess of vengeance.... O, France! thy repose depends on the execution of the laws; I do not give a blow to them in killing Marat. Condemned by the universe, he is without the law. What tribunal will judge me! If I am guilty, Alcides was, when he destroyed the monsters! . . . . . . .
O, my country! thy misfortunes tear my heart; I can not offer thee but my life! and I return thanks to Heaven for the liberty which I enjoy of disposing of it; no person will lose by my death; I will not imitate Paris, (the murderer of Lepelletier de Saint-Fargeau,) in killing myself. I desire that my last sigh may be useful to my fellow citizens, that my head borne in Paris, may be a sign of rallying for all friends of the law! that the tottering Mountain may see its ruin written with my blood! that I may be their last victim, and the universe avenged may declare that I have deserved well of humanity! As to the rest, if my conduct should be looked at with another eye, I am little disturbed by it.
My relations and friends ought not to be disquieted; no person knew of my intentions. I annex my extract of baptism to show what the feeblest hand can do, led by a thorough devotion. If I do not succeed in my enterprise, Frenchmen, I have shown you the road, you know your enemies, arise! march, strike!
Charlotte Corday
- Plutarch's Parallel Lives – A book titled, "Parallel Lives" by Plutarch.
Merchant Stall[]
Providence Hotel Handbill
- Travelers!
Come stay at the convenient Hôtel Providence.
Clean linens!
- Statement of the merchant – Mathieu Pinson: The merchant claims a woman entered his shop and bought the knife that killed Marat. She was looking for a hotel, possibly a place to hide. He does not remember the hotel's name.
Prison[]
- Statement of Albertine Marat – Albertine Marat (sister of victim): Albertine does not seem to be grieving much. Looks like Marat disapproved of her lover and his revolutionary ideas put the family in danger. But is that enough of a motive?
- Statement of Charlotte Corday – Charlotte Corday: She seems oddly calm and more than willing to take responsibility for Marat's murder.
- Statement of Jasper Lasalle – Jasper Lasalle: This prisoner seems eager to lay claim to Marat's death. Looks like Marat shamed his father in a newspaper article. Very emotional.
- Statement of Simonne Evrard – Simonne Evrard (Marat's wife): She seems unaffected by his death. Looks like he paid more attention to being a revolutionary than to his family.
- Statement of Theron Brignac – Theron Brignac: Claims he was sent to kill Marat by the Girondists but the job was already done. Does not recognize any names on the "List of Girondin traitors," but told me to go to 39 Rue des Cordeliers and show the list to some Girondin leaders there.
Sewer[]
- Corpse – The body of a young man, beaten with a blunt object to the back of the head. He is clutching a wedding ring.
- Letter from Simonne Evrard – A letter from Simonne Evrard. The writing is almost illegible:
Letter from Simonne Evrard
- Jean-Paul, I cannot bear another day without you my love. How long must you be hidden from me?
Your love, Simonne
Shop[]
- Statement of Dominique Bûches – Dominique Bûches (senior Girondist): He does not recognize the names on the "List of Girondist Traitors." Still, he pointed out the first letter of each name spells the word "providence".
Street[]
- Statement of Chantelle Naves – Chantelle Naves: The witness says they rounded up suspects and transported them to St. Germain Prison near the church. A solid lead.
- Statement of Jacqueline Perel – Jacqueline Perel (neighbor to the victim): Marat's neighbor says she saw plenty of women come in and out of his home.
- Statement of Madeline Leclair – Madeline Leclair: A supporter of Marat, devastated by his death.
Dialogue[]
Marat's House[]
- Jacques-Louis David (A painter attempting to capture Marat's death on canvas): Show some courtesy! I must perfectly capture the death of such a hero to the people! I need to focus!
Apothecary Stall[]
- Gregoire Brousseau (Jean-Paul Marat's apothecary): Marat was one of my patients. I was treating a horrible skin condition he developed while hiding in the sewers. I'll write you the address if you think you might find something there that'll lead to the swine who did this. Marat spoke often of how he might be made a sacrifice for his people. His prophecy is fulfilled.
Merchant Stall[]
- Mathieu Pinson (specializes in selling knives, daggers, and swords): A woman came in here just last week and bought that knife. That ebony handle makes it one of my most expensive, but she didn't care about price. She asked about the address of some hotel, I'd never heard of it though.
Prison[]
- Albertine Marat (Jean-Paul Marat's sister): I'd be lying if I said I was heartbroken. Jean-Paul drove my lover away! So overprotective, and with all the enemies he's made in Paris I was living in constant terror!
- Charlotte Corday (A Girondist supporter): You'll find the proof it's me soon enough. I just wanted his death to send fear into the hearts of Marat's believers for as long as I could.
- Jasper Lasalle (A prisoner of St. Germain Prison): I did it! The bastard deserved it! He got my father killed! My father was no traitor, that filthy scum Marat was!
- Simonne Evrard (Jean-Paul Marat's Mistress): He was so obsessed with the revolution he spent all our money on it. I hardly got the attention I deserved. I suppose he died how he wanted. A martyr.
- Theron Brignac (A Girondist prisoner): I was sent to his house to kill him but the job was finished by the time I got there. With what Marat was publishing it was either him or us. I don't recognize that list of names as Girondin, but you could ask some of our leaders. I'll write you an address, go there and show the list.
Shop[]
- Dominique Bûches (A Girondist Deputy): I don't recognize that list of names either. But it's quite the coincidence that the first letters of those names spell the word "providence."
Street[]
- Chantelle Naves (A curious onlooker of the crime scene): They rounded up suspects and took them to the St. Germain Prison by the Gendarme. They're lucky if they survive the trip.
- Jacqueline Perel (A neighbor of Jean-Paul Marat): I've seen so many women coming in and out of that house, you'd think he was running a brothel.
- Madeline Leclair (A Jacobin supporter and devoted follower of Marat): Why have we been forsaken? He was a true revolutionary!
Conclusion[]
Spoiler
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The murderer was Charlotte Corday, a minor noblewoman and Girondist sympathizer.
Jean-Paul Marat's revolutionary newspaper, "The Friend of the People," outraged many in France. Being an outspoken Jacobin supporter, he had no shortage of enemies. This included Charlotte Corday, a minor aristocrat from Caen. She had aligned with the Girondists and had grown to believe Marat was radicalizing the revolution with his inflammatory newspaper. Believing France could descend into civil war, she decided to assassinate Marat in an attempt to prevent more bloodshed. She visited his house claiming to have a list of Girondist leaders for Marat to examine. Marat invited her upstairs, where he was soaking in a tub to soothe a persistent skin condition. Corday listed off fake Girondist names and Marat began to scrawl them down quickly. Corday seized the opportunity and pierced his heart with a blade, killing him almost instantly. Corday wanted to inflict confusion and fear among the Jacobin ranks and it worked. Despite inevitable noise of clues and suspects that surrounds any high-profile murder, the truth was deceptively simple for those who cared to look close enough. The list of Girondist names provided by Corday contained a basic code that pointed to the Hotel Providence. Inside one of the rooms was a hand-written confession by Corday that claimed, "I kill one man to save 100,000." |
Gallery[]
The Death of Marat draw by Jacques-Louis David.
The bloody knife used to kill Marat.
The letter wrote by Charlotte Corday.
The empty bottle of tonic.
The list with Girondists names.
The Friend of the People
The Handbill of Providence Hotel
Plutarch's Parallel Lives
The letter written by Charlotte Corday.
The letter written by Simonne Evrard.
The corpse with a wedding ring.
Arno investigating Marat's House
The National Guards guarding the house door.
The suspects who killed Marat were in Prison.
Arno investigating the Parallel Lives in Hôtel Providence