〃When my father died； I left Rouen and removed to Paris； there to
pursue my business as a bookseller。 My suspicions told me that the
time would soon come when the friends of the queen must rally around
her； and must perhaps put a mask over their faces； in order to
sustain themselves until the days of real danger。 That time has now
come； Margaret； the queen is in danger！ The tigers have surrounded
the lamb； and it cannot escape。 Enemies everywhere； wherever you
look！enemies even in the palace itself。 The Count de Provence； her
own brother…in…law； has for years persecuted her with his epigrams；
because he cannot forgive it in her that the king pays more
attention to her counsels than he does to those of his brother； who
hates the Austrian。 The Count d'Artois； formerly the only friend of
Marie Antoinette in the royal family； deserted her when the queen
took ground against the view of the king's brothers in favor of the
double representation of the Third Estate； and persuaded her husband
to comply with the wishes of the nation and call together the
States…General。 He has gone over to the camp of her enemies； and
rages against the queen； because she is inclined to favor the wishes
of the people。 And yet this very people is turned against her； does
not believe in the love； but only in the hate of the queen； and all
parties are agreed in keeping the people in this faith。 The Duke
d'Orleans revenges himself upon the innocent and pure queen for the
scorn which she displays to this infamous prince。 The aunts of the
queen revenge themselves for the obscure position to which fate has
consigned them； they having to play the second part at the brilliant
court of Versailles； and be thrown into the shade by Marie
Antoinette。 The whole courtall these jealous； envious ladies
revenge themselves for the favor which the queen has shown to the
Polignacs。 They have undermined her good name； they have fought
against her with the poisoned arrows of denunciation； calumny；
pamphlets； and libels。 Every thing bad that has happened has been
ascribed to her。 She has been held responsible for every evil that
has happened to the nation。
The queen is accountable for the financial troubles that have broken
over us； and since the ministry have declared the state bankrupt；
Parisians call the queen Madame Deficit。 Curses follow her when she
drives out； and even when she enters the theatre。 Even in her own
gardens of St。 Cloud and Trianon men dare to insult the queen as she
passes by。 In all the clubs of Paris they thunder at the queen； and
call her the destruction of Prance。 The downfall of Marie Antoinette
is resolved upon by her enemies； and the time has come when her
friends must be active for her。 The time has come for me to pay the
vow which I made to my dying father and to myself。 God has blessed
my efforts and crowned my industry and activity with success。 I have
reached an independent position。 The confidence of my fellow…
citizens has made me a councillor。 I have accepted the position； not
out of vanity or ambition； but because it will give me opportunity
to serve the queen。 I wear a mask before my face。 I belong to the
democrats and agitators。 I appear to the world as an enemy of the
queen； in order to be able to do her some secret service as a
friend； for I say to you； and repeat it before God； to the queen
belong my whole life； my whole being； and thought。 I love you；
Margaret！ Every thing which can make my life happy will come from
you； and yet I shall be ready every hour to leave youto see my
happiness go to ruin without a complaint； without a sigh； if I can
be of service to the queen。 You my heart loves； her my soul adores。
Wherever I shall be； Margaret； if the call of the queen comes to me；
I shall follow it； even if I know that death lurks at the door
behind which the queen awaits me。 We stand before a dark and
tempestuous time； and our country is to be torn with fearful strife。
All passions are unfettered； all want to fight for freedom； and
against the chains with which the royal government has held them
bound。 An abyss has opened between the crown and the nation； and the
States…General and the Third Estate will not close it； but only
widen it。 I tell you； Margaret； dark days are approaching； I see
them coming； and I cannot； for your sake； withdraw from them； for I
am the soldier of the queen。 I must keep guard before her door； and；
if I cannot save her； I must die in her service。 Know this；
Margaret； but know； too； that I love you。 Let me repeat； that from
you alone all fortune and happiness can come to me； and then do you
decide。 Will you； after all that I have told you； still accept my
hand； which I offer you in tenderest affection？ Will you be my wife；
knowing that my life belongs not to you alone； but still more to
another？ Will you share with me the dangers of a stormy time； of an
inevitable future with me； and devote yourself with； me to the
service of the queen？ Examine yourself； Margaret； before you answer。
Do not forget your great and noble heart； consider that it is a vast
sacrifice to devote your life to a man who is prepared every hour to
give his life for another womanto leave the one he loves； and to
go to his death in defence of his queen。 Prove your heart； and； if
you find that the sacrifice is too great； turn your face away from
me； and I will quickly go my waywill not complain； will think that
it happens rightly； will love you my whole life long； and thank you
for the pleasant hours which your love has granted to me。〃
He had dropped from the divan upon his knee； and looked up to her
with supplicating and anxious eyes。 But Margaret did not turn her
face away from him。 A heavenly smile played over her features； her
eye beamed with love and emotion。 And as her glance sank deep into
the heart of her lover； he caught the look as if it had been a ray
of sunlight。 She laid her arms upon his shoulders； and pressing his
head to her bosom； she bowed over him and kissed his black； curly
hair。
〃Ah！ I love you； Louis；〃 she whispered。 〃I am ready to devote my
life to you； to share your dangers with you； and in all contests to
stand by your side。 Soldier of the queen； in me you shall always
have a comrade。 With you I will fight for her； with you die for her；
if it must be。 We will have a common love for her； we will serve her
in common； and with fidelity and love thank her for the good which
she has done to you and your father。〃
〃Blessings upon you； Margaret！〃 cried Toulan； as breaking into tears
he rested his head upon the knee of his affianced。 〃Blessings on
you； angel of my love and happiness！〃 Then he sprang up； and；
drawing the young girl within his arms； he impressed a glowing kiss
upon her lips。
〃That is my betrothal kiss； Margaret； now you are mine； in this hour
our souls are united in never…ending love and faithfulness。 Nothing
can separate us after this； for we journey hand in hand upon the
same road； we have the same great and hallowed goal！ Now come； my
love； let us take our place before the altar of God； and testify
with an oath to the love which we cherish toward our queen！〃
He offered her his arm； and； both smiling； both with beaming faces；
left the room； and joined the wedding guests who had long been
waiting for them with growing impatience。 They entered the carriages
and drove to the church。 With joyful faces the bridal pair pledged
their mutual fidelity before the altar； and their hands pressed one
another； and their eyes met with a secret understanding of all that
was meant at that wedding。 They both knew that at that moment they
were pledging their fidelity to the queen； and that； while seeming
to give themselves away to each other； they were really giving
themselves to their sovereign。
At the conclusion of the ceremony； they left the church of St。 Louis
to repair to the wedding dinner； which Councillor Bugeaud had
ordered to be prepared in one of the most brilliant restaurants of
Versailles。
〃Will you not tell me now； my dear son；〃 he said to Toulan〃will
you not tell me now why you wish so strongly to celebrate the
wedding in Versailles； and not in Paris； and why in the church of
St。 Louis？〃
〃I will tell you； father；〃 answered Toulan； pressing the arm of his
bride closer to his heart。 〃I wanted here； where the country erects
its altar； where in a few days the nation will meet face to face
these poor earthly majesties； here； where in a few days the States…
General will convene； to defend the right of the people against the
prerogative of the sovereign； here alone to give to my life its new
consecration。 Versailles will from this time be doubly dear to me。 I
shall owe to it my life's happiness as a man； my freedom as a
citizen。 They have done me the honor in Rouen to elect me to a place
in the Third Estate； and as； in a few days； the Assembly of the
Nation will meet here in Versailles； I wanted my whole future
happiness to be connected with the place。 And I wanted to be married
in St。 Louis's church； because I love the good King Louis。 He is the
true and sincere friend of the nation； and he would like to make his
people happy； if the queen； the Austrian； would allow it。〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 sighed the councillor； who； in spite of his relation
to Madame de Campan； belonged to the opponents of the queen〃 yes；
indeed； if the Austrian woman allowed it。 But she is not willing
that France should be happy。 Woe to the queen； all our misery comes
from her！
CHAPTER IX。
THE OPENING OF THE STATES…GENERAL。
On the morning of the 5th of May； 1789； the solemn opening of the
States…General of France was to occur at Versailles。 This early date
was appointed for the convocation of the estates； in order to be
able to protract as much as possible the ceremonial proceedings。 But
at the same time this occasion was to be improved in preparing a
sensible humiliation for the members of the Third Estate。
In the avenue of the Versailles palace a large and fine hall was
fixed upon as the most appropriate place for receiving the twelve
hundred representatives of France； and a numerous company of
spectators besides； and； being chosen； was appropriately fitted up。
Louis XVI。 himself