The first time that he had felt sufficient courage to speak, fortune seemed to declare against him, for this untoward event had quite upset his plans.
Arming himself, however, with his professional eloquence, he talked the old lady into calmness.

He was not so foolish as to contradict her.

On the contrary, he caressed her hobby.

He was humorous and pathetic by turns.

He attacked the authors of the revolution, cursed its errors, deplored its crimes, and almost wept over its disastrous results.
Commencing with the infamous Marat he eventually reached the rascal of a judge who had offended her.