〃Are you Simon the cobbler？〃 asked Marie Antoinette。
〃It is true； I bethink me now； I have spoken with you once before。
It was when I carried the prince here； for the first time； to Notre
Dame； that God would bless him； and that the people might see him。
You stood then by my carriage； sir！〃
〃Yes； it is true；〃 answered Simon； visibly flattered。 〃You have； at
least； a good memory； queen。 But you ought to have paid attention to
what I said to you。 I am no 'sir；' I am a simple cobbler； and earn
my poor bit of bread in the sweat of my brow； while you strut about
in your glory and happiness； and cheat God out of daylight。 Then I
held the hand of your daughter in my fist； and she cried out for
fear； merely because a poor fellow like me touched her。〃
〃But； Mr。 Simon； you see very plainly that I do not cry out；〃 said
the dauphin； with a smile。 〃I know that you do not want to do me any
harm； and I ask you to be so good as to take away your arm； that my
mamma can go on in her walk。〃
〃But； suppose that I do not do as you want me to？〃 asked the
cobbler； defiantly。 〃I suppose it would come that your mamma would
dictate to me； and perhaps call some soldiers； and order them to
shoot the dreadful people？〃
〃You know； Master Simon； that I give no such command； and never gave
any such；〃 said the queen； quickly。
〃The king and I love our people； and never would give orders to our
soldiers to fire upon them。〃
〃Because you would not be sure； madame； that the soldiers would obey
your commands； if you should；〃 laughed Simon。 〃Since we got rid of
the Swiss guards； there are no soldiers left who would let
themselves be torn in pieces for their king and queen； and you know
well that if the soldiers should fire the first shot at us； the
people would tear the soldiers in pieces afterward。 Yes； yes； the
fine days at Versailles are past； here； in Paris； you must accustom
yourself to ask； instead of command； and the arm of a single man of
the people is enough to stop the Queen and the Dauphin of France。〃
〃You are mistaken； sir；〃 said the queen； whose proud heart could no
longer be restrained； and allow her to take this humble stand； 〃the
Queen of France and her son will no longer be detained by you in
their walk。〃
And with a quick movement she caught the dauphin； struck back at the
same moment the fist of the cobbler； snatched the boy away like
lightning； and passed by before Simon had time to put his arm back。
The people； delighted with this energetic and courageous action of
the queenthe people； who would have howled with rage； if the queen
had ordered her lackeys to push the cobbler back； now roared with
admiration and with pleasure； to see the proud…hearted woman have
the boldness to repel the assailant； and to free herself from him。
They applauded； they laughed； they shouted from thousands upon
thousands of throats； 〃Long live the queen！ Long live the dauphin！〃
and the cry passed along like wildfire through the whole mass of
spectators behind the fence； and all eyes followed the tall and
proud figure of the queen as she walked away。
Only the eyes of Simon pursued her with a malicious glare； and his
clinched fists threatened her behind her back。
〃She shall pay for this！〃 he muttered； with a withering curse。 〃She
has struck back my hand to…day； but the day will come when she will
feel it upon her neck； and when I will squeeze the hand of the
little rascal so that he shall cry out with pain！ I believe now；
what Marat has so often told me； that the time of vengeance is come；
and that we must bring the crown down and tread it under our feet；
that the people may rule！ I will have my share in it。 I will help
bring it down； and tread it under foot。 I hate the handsome Austrian
woman； who perks up her nose； and thinks herself better than my
wife； and if the golden time has come of which Marat speaks； when
the people are the master； and the king is the servant； Marie
Antoinette shall be my waiting…maid； and her son shall be my
choreboy； and his buckle shall make acquaintance with my shoe…
straps！〃
And while Master Simon was muttering this to himself； he was making
a way through the crowd with those great elbows of his； a slipping
along the fence； to be able to follow as long as possible the tall
figure of the queen； who was now leading the dauphin by the hand；
traversing the Arcadian Walk。 At the end of it was the fence which
led into the little garden reserved for the royal family。 Through
the iron gate； hard by； adorned with the arms of the kings of
France； Marie Antoinette entered an asylum； which had been saved to
the crown； free from the intrusion of the people； and she drew a
free breath when one of the lackeys closed the gate； and she heard
the key grate in the lock。
She stood still a moment to regain her composure； and then she felt
that her feet were trembling； and that she scarcely had the power to
go farther。 It would have been a relief to her to have fallen there
upon her knees； and poured all her sorrows and trials into the ear
of God。 But there were the lackeys behind her； there was her little
son； looking up to her with his great eyes； and there was that
dreadful cry coming up from the quay like the roaring of the sea。
The queen could not utter a word of grief or sorrow； she could not
sink to the ground in her weakness； she had to show a cheerful face
to her son； and a proud brow to her servants。 God only could look
into her heart and see the tears which glowed there like burning
coals。 Yet in all her sadness she had a feeling of triumph； of proud
satisfaction。 She had preserved her freedom； her independence； she
was not Lafayette's prisoner！ No； the Queen of France had not put
herself under the protection of the people's general； she had not
given him the power of watching her with his hated National Guard；
and of saying to them： 〃At this or that hour the queen takes her
walks； and； that she may recreate herself； we will protect her
against the rage of the people！〃
No； she had defended herself； she had remained the queen all the
while； the free queen； and she had gained a victory over the people
by showing them that she did not fear them。
〃Mamma；〃 cried the dauphin； interrupting her in her painful and
proud thought〃 mamma； there comes the king； there comes my papa！
Oh； he will be glad to hear that I was so courageous！〃
The queen quickly stooped down and kissed him。 〃Yes； truly； my
little Bayard； yon have done honor to your great exemplar； and you
have really been a little chevalier sans peur et sans reproche。 But；
my child； true bravery does not glory in its great deeds； and does
not desire others to admire them； but keeps silent and leaves it to
others to talk about them！〃
〃Mamma； I will be silent； too；〃 cried the boy； with glowing eyes。
〃Oh； you shall see that I can be silent； and not talk at all about
myself。〃
The king meanwhile； followed by some gentlemen and servants； was
coming forward with unaccustomed haste； and； in his eagerness to
reach his wife； he had not noticed the beds； but was treading under
foot the last fading flowers of autumn。
〃You are here at last； Marie；〃 said he； when he was near enough to
speak。 〃I wanted to go to meet you； to conduct you hither out of the
park。 You were gone very long； and I worried about you。〃
〃Why worried； sire？〃 asked the queen。 〃What danger could threaten me
in our garden？〃
〃Do not seek to hide any thing from me； Marie；〃 said Louis； with a
sigh。 〃I know every thing！ The hate of the people denies us any
longer the enjoyment of the open air！ Lafayette and Bailly were with
me after they were dismissed by you。 They told me that you had given
no favor to their united request； and that you would not grant to
General Lafayette the right to protect you while you are taking your
walks。〃
〃I hope your majesty is satisfied with me；〃 answered Marie
Antoinette。 〃You feel； like me； that it is a new humiliation for us
if we are to allow our very enjoyment of nature to be under the
control of the people's general； and if even the air is no longer to
be the free air for us！〃
〃I have only thought that in such unguarded walks you would be
threatened with danger；〃 answered the king； perplexed。 〃Lafayette
has painted to me in such dark and dreadful colors； and I have so
painfully had to confess that he speaks the truth； that I could only
think of your safety； and take no other point of view than to see
you sheltered from the attacks of your enemies； and from the rage of
these factions。 I have therefore approved Lafayette's proposal； and
allowed him to protect your majesty on your walks。〃
〃But you have not fixed definite hours for my walks？ You have not
done that； sire； have you？〃
〃I have indeed done that；〃 answered the king； gently。 〃I am familiar
with your habits； and know that in autumn and winter you usually
take your walks between twelve and two； and in summer afternoons
between five and seven。 I have therefore named these hours to
General Lafayette。〃
The queen heaved a deep sigh。 〃Sire；〃 she said； softly； 〃you
yourself are binding tighter and tighter the chains of our
imprisonment。 To…day you limit our freedom to two poor hours； and
that will be a precedent for others to continue what you have begun。
We shall after this walk for two hours daily under the protection of
M。 de Lafayette； but there will come a time when this protection
will not suffice； and no security will be great enough for us。 For
the royal authority which shows itself weak and dependent； and which
does not draw power from itselfthe royalty which suffers its crown
to be borne up for it by the hands of others； confesses thereby that
it is too weak to bear the burden itself。 Oh； sire； I would rather
you had let me break away from the rage of the people； while I might
be walking unguarded； than be permitted to take my daily walks under
the protection of M。 de Lafayette！〃
〃You see every thing in too dark and sad a light；〃 cried the king。
〃Every thing will come out right if we are only wise and carefully
conform to circumstances； and by well…timed concessions and
admissions propitiate this hate and bring this enmity to silence。〃
The queen did not reply；