steps advancing up the staircase。 The two officials； who were
sitting in the open anteroom； stood and listened at the door。 This
was suddenly opened； and a third official entered； pale； trembling
with rage； and raising his clinched fists tremblingly against the
king。
〃The enemy is in Verdun；〃 cried he。 〃We shall all be undone； but you
shall be the first to suffer！〃
The king looked quietly at him； but the dauphin； terrified at the
looks of the angry man and his loud voice； burst into a violent fit
of weeping and sobbing； and Marie Antoinette and the little Theresa
strove in vain to quiet the little fellow by gentle words。
A fourth official now entered； and whispered secretly to his
colleagues。
〃Is my family no longer in safety here？〃 asked the king。
The official shrugged his shoulders。 〃The report has gone abroad
that the royal family is no longer in the Temple。 This has excited
the people； and they desire that you all show yourselves at the
windows； but we will not permit it； you shall not show yourselves。
The public must have more confidence in its servants。〃
〃Yes；〃 cried the other official； still raising his fists〃yes； that
it must； but if the enemy come； the royal family shall die！〃
And when at these words the dauphin began to cry aloud again； he
continued： 〃I pity the poor little fellow； but die he must！〃
Meanwhile the cries outside were still louder； and abusive epithets
were distinctly heard directed at the queen。 A fifth official then
came in； followed by some soldiers； in order to assure themselves；
in the name of the people； that the Capet family was still in the
tower。 This official demanded； in an angry voice； that they should
go to the window and show themselves to the people。
〃No； no； they shall not do it；〃 cried the other functionaries。
〃Why not？〃 asked the king。 〃Come； Marie。〃
He extended his hand to her； and advanced with her to the window。
〃No； don't do it！〃 cried the official； rushing to the window。
〃Why not？〃 asked the king； in astonishment。
〃Well；〃 cried the man； with threatening fist； 〃the people want to
show you the head of Lamballe； that you may see how the nation takes
vengeance on its tyrants。〃
At that same instant there arose behind the window…pane a pale head
encircled with long； fair hair； the livid forehead sprinkled with
blood； the eyes lustreless and fixedthe head of Princess Lamballe；
which the people had dressed by a friseur； to hoist it upon a pike
and show it to the queen。
The queen had seen it； staggering she fell back upon a chair； she
gazed fixedly at the window； even after the fearful phantom had
disappeared。 Her lips were open； as if for a cry which had been
silenced by horror。 She did not weep； she did not complain； and even
the caresses of the children； the gentle address of Princess
Elizabeth； and the comforting words of the king could not rouse her
out of this stupefying of her whole nature。
Princess Lamballe had been murdered； and deep in her soul the queen
saw that this was only the prelude to the fearful tragedy； in which
her family would soon be implicated。
Poor Princess Lamballe！ She had been killed because she had refused
to repeat the imprecations against the queen； which they tried to
extort from her lips： 〃Swear that you love liberty and equality；
swear that you hate the king； the queen； and every thing pertaining
to royalty。〃
〃I will swear to the first；〃 was the princess's answer； 〃but to the
last I cannot swear； for it does not lie in my heart。〃
This was the offence of the princess； that hate did not lie in her
heartthe offence of so many others who were killed on that 3d of
September； that dreadful day on which the hordes of Marseilles
opened the prisons； in order to drag the prisoners before the
tribunals； or to execute them without further sentence。
The days passed by； and they had to be borne。 Marie Antoinette had
regained her composure and her proud calmness。 She had to overcome
even this great grief； and the heart of the queen had not yet been
broken。 She still loved； she still hoped。 She owed it to her husband
and children not to despair； and better days might come even yet。
〃We must keep up courage；〃 she said； 〃to live till the dawn of this
better day。〃
And it required spirit to bear the daily torture of this life！
Always exposed to scorn and abuse！ Always watched by the eyes of
mocking； reviling men！ Always scrutinized by Madame Tison； her
servant； who followed every one of her motions as a cat watches its
prey； and among all these sentinels the most obnoxious of all was
the cobbler Simon。
Commissioned by the authorities to supervise the workmen and masons
who were engaged in restoring the partially ruined ancient portion
of the Temple； Simon had made himself at home within the building；
to discharge his duties more comfortably。 It was his pleasure to
watch this humiliated royal family； to see them fall day by day； and
hear the curses that accompanied them at every step。 He never
appeared in their presence without insulting them； and encouraging
with loud laughter those who imitated him in this。
Some of the officials in charge never spoke excepting with dreadful
abuse of the king； the queen； and the children。
One of them cried to his comrade in presence of Marie Antoinette：
〃If the hangman does not guillotine this accursed family； I will do
it！〃
When the royal family went down to take their walk in the garden；
Santerre used to come up with a troop of soldiers。 The sentries whom
they passed shouldered arms before Santerre； but as soon as he had
passed and the king came； they grounded their arms； and pretended
not to see him。 In the door that led into the garden； Rocher； the
turnkey； used to stand； and take his pleasure in letting the royal
family wait before unlocking； while he blew great clouds of smoke
into their faces from his long tobacco…pipe。 The National Guards who
stood in the neighborhood used to laugh at this； and hurl all sorts
of low； vile words at the princesses。 Then； while the royal
prisoners were taking their walk； the cannoneers used to collect in
the allees through which they wandered； and dance to the music of
revolutionary songs which some of them sang。 Sometimes the gardeners
who worked there hurried up to join them in this dance； and to
encircle the prisoners in their wild evolutions。 One of these people
displayed his sickle to the king one day； and swore that he would
cut off the head of the queen with it。 And when； after their sad
walk； they had returned to the Temple； they were received by the
sentinels and the turnkey with renewed insults； and； as if it were
not enough to fill the ear with this abuse； the eye too must have
its share。 The vilest of expressions were written upon the walls of
the corridors which the royal party had to traverse。 You might read
there： 〃Madame Veto will soon be dancing again。 Down with the
Austrian she…wolf！ The wolf's brood must be strangled。 The king must
be hanged with his own ribbon！〃 Another time they had drawn a
gallows； on which a figure was hanging； with the expression written
beneath； 〃Louis taking an air…bath！〃
And so； even the short walks of the prisoners were transformed into
suffering。 At first the queen thought she could not bear it； and the
promenades were given up。 But the pale cheeks of her daughter； the
longing looks which the dauphin cast from the closed window to the
garden； warned the mother to do what the queen found too severe a
task。 She underwent the pain involved in this； she submitted
herself； and every day the royal pair took the dear children into
the garden again； and bore this unworthy treatment without
complaint； that the children might enjoy a little air and sunshine。
One day； the 21st of September； the royal family had returned from
their walk to their sitting…room。 The king had taken a book and was
reading； the queen was sitting near him； engaged in some light work；
while the dauphin； with his sister Theresa； and his aunt Elizabeth；
were in the next room； and were busying each other with riddles。 In
the open anteroom the two officials were sitting； their eyes fixed
upon the prisoners with a kind of cruel pleasure。
Suddenly beneath their windows were heard the loud blast of trumpets
and the rattle of drums； then followed deep silence； and amid this
stillness the following proclamation was read with a loud voice：
〃The monarchy is abolished in France。 All official documents will be
dated from the first year of the republic。 The national seal will be
encircled by the words； 'Republic of France。' The national coat…of…
arms will be a woman sitting upon a bundle of weapons； and holding
in her hand a lance tipped with a liberty…cap。〃
The two officials had fixed their eyes upon the king and queen； from
whose heads the crown had just fallen。 They wanted to read； with
their crafty and malicious eyes； the impression which the
proclamation had made upon them。 But those proud； calm features
disclosed nothing。 Not for a moment did the king raise his eyes from
the book which he was reading； while the voice without uttered each
word with fearful distinctness。 The queen quietly went on with her
embroidery； and not for a moment did she intermit the regular motion
of her needle。
Again the blast of trumpets and the rattle of drums。 The funeral of
the royalty was ended； and the king was； after this time； to be
known simply as Louis Capet； and the queen as Marie Antoinette。
Within the Temple there was no longer a dauphin； no longer a Madame
Royale； no longer a princess； but only the Capet family！
The republic had hurled the crowns from the heads of Louis and Marie
Antoinette； and when； some days later； the linen which had been long
begged for； had been brought from the Tuileries； the republic
commanded the queen to obliterate the crown which marked each piece；
in addition to the name。
But their sufferings are by no means ended yet。 Still there are some
sources of comfort left； and now and then a peaceful hour。 The
crowns have fallen； but hearts still beat side by side。 They have no
longer a kingdom； but they are together； they can speak with looks
one to another； they can seek to comfort