the gasping； sobbing boy。 The queen now saw that no more hope
remained。 She sank upon a chair； and summoning all her strength； she
called the dauphin to herself； laid her hands upon his shoulders；
and pale； immovable； with widely…opened eyes； whose burning lids
were cooled by no tear； she gazed upon the quivering face of the
boy； who had fixed his great blue eyes； swimming with tears； upon
the countenance of his mother。
〃My child；〃 said the queen； solemnly； 〃we must part。 Remember your
duties when I am no more with you to remind you of them。 Never
forget the good God who is proving you； and your mother who is
praying for you。 Be good and patient； and your Father in heaven will
bless you。〃
She bent over； and with her cold lips pressed a kiss upon the
forehead of her son； then gently pushed him toward the turnkey。 But
the boy sprang back to her again； clung to her with his arms； and
would not go。
〃My son； we must obey。 God wills it so。〃 A loud； savage laugh was
heard。 Shuddering； the queen turned around。 There at the open door
stood Simon； and with him his wife； their hard features turned
maliciously toward the pale queen。 The woman stretched out her
brown； bare arms to the child； grasped him； and pushed him before
her to the door。
〃Is she to have him？〃 shrieked Marie Antoinette。 〃Is my son to
remain with this woman？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Simon； with a grinning smile； as he put himself； with
his arms akimbo； before the queen〃 yes； with this woman and with
me； her husband； little Capet is to remain； and I tell you he shall
receive a royal education。 We shall teach him to forget the past；
and only to remember that he is a child of the one and indivisible
republic。 If he does not come to it； he must be brought to it； and
my old cobbler's straps will be good helpers in this matter。〃
He nodded at Marie Antoinette with a fiendish smile； and then
followed the officials； who had already gone out。 The doors were
closed again； the bolts drawn； and within the chamber reigned the
stillness of death。 The two women put their arms around one another；
kneeled upon the floor and prayed。
From this day on； Marie Antoinette had no hope more； her heart was
broken。 Whole days long she sat fixed and immovable； without paying
any regard to the tender words of her sister…in…law and the caresses
of her daughter； without working； reading； or busying herself in any
way。 Formerly she had helped to put the rooms in order； and mend the
clothes and linen； now she let the two princesses do this alone and
serve her。
Only for a few hours each day did her countenance lighten at all；
and the power of motion return to this pale； marble figure。 Those
were the hours when she waited for her son； as he went with Simon
every day to the upper story and the platform of the tower。 She
would then put her head to the door and listen to every step and all
the words that he directed to the turnkey as he passed by。
Soon she discovered a means of seeing him。 There was a little crack
on the floor of the platform on which the boy walked。 The world
revolved for the queen only around this little crack； and the
instant in which she could see her boy。
At times； too； a compassionate guard who had to inspect the prison
brought her tidings of her son； told her that he was well； that he
had learned to play ball； and that by his friendly nature he won
every one's love。 Then Marie Antoinette's countenance would lighten；
a smile would play over her features and linger on her pale lips as
long as they were speaking of her boy。 But oh！ soon there came other
tidings about the unhappy child。 His wailing tones； Simon's threats；
and his wife's abusive words penetrated even the queen's apartments；
and filled her with the anguish of despair。 And yet it was not the
worst to hear him cry； and to know that the son of the queen was
treated ill； it was still more dreadful to hear him sing with a loud
voice； accompanied by the laugh and the bravoes of Simon and his
wife； revolutionary and obscene songsto know that not only his
body but his soul was doomed to destruction。
At first the queen； on hearing these dreadful songs； broke out into
lamentations； cries； and loud threats against those who were
destroying the soul of her child。 Then a gradual paralysis crept
over her heart； and when； on the 3d of August； she was taken from
the Temple to the prison； the pale lips of the queen merely
whispered；
〃Thank God； I shall not have to hear him sing any more！〃
BOOK V。
CHAPTER XXIV。
THE DEATH OF THE QUEEN。
The Bartholomew's night of the murderous Catharine de Medicis； and
her mad son； Charles IX。； now found in France its horrible and
bloody repetition； but the night of horror which we are now to
contemplate was continued on into the day； and did not shrink even
before the light。
The sun shone down upon the streams of blood which flowed through
the streets of Paris； and upon the pack of wild dogs that swarmed in
uncounted numbers on the thoroughfares of the city； and lived on
this blood； which gave back even to the tame their natural wildness。
The sun shone down upon the scaffold； that rose like a threatening
monster upon the Place de la Revolution； and upon the dreadful axe
which daily severed so many noble forms； and then rose from the
block glittering and menacing。
The sun shone on that day； too； when Marie Antoinette ascended the
scaffold； as her husband had done before； and so passed to her rest；
from all the pains and humiliations of her last years。
That day was the 16th of October； 1793。 For four months Marie
Antoinette looked forward to it as to a joyful deliverance。 It was
four months from the time when she was transferred from the Temple
to the prison； and she knew that those who were confined in the
latter place only left it to gain the freedom； not that man gives；
but which God grants to the sufferingthe freedom of death！
Marie Antoinette longed for the deliverance。 How far behind her now
lay the days of her happy； joyous youth！ how long ago the time when
the tall； grave woman； her face full of pride and yet of
resignation； had been charming Marie Antoinette； the very
impersonation of beauty； youth； and love； carrying out in Trianon
the idyl of romantic country lifein the excess of her gayety going
disguised to the public opera…house ball； believing herself so safe
amid the French people that she could dispense with the protection
of etiquettehailed with an enthusiastic admiration then； as she
was now saluted with the savage shouts of the enraged people！
No； the former queen； Marie Antoinette； who； in the gilded saloons
of Versailles and in the Tuileries； had received the homage of all
France； and with a smiling face and perfect grace of manner
acknowledged all the tribute that was brought to her； had no longer
any resemblance to the widow of Louis Capet； sitting before the
revolutionary tribunal； and giving earnest answers to the questions
which were put to her。 She arranged her toilet that daybut how
different was the toilet of the Widow Capet from that which Queen
Marie Antoinette had once displayed！ At that earlier time； she； the
easy； light…hearted daughter of fortune； had shut herself up for
hours with her intimate companion； Madame Berthier； the royal
milliner； planning a new ball…dress； or a new fichu； or her Leonard
would lavish all the resources of his fancy and his art inventing
new styles of head…dress； now decorating the beautiful head of the
queen with towering masses of auburn hair； now braiding it so as to
make it enfold little war…ships； the sails of which were finely
woven from her own locks； now laying out a garden filled with fruits
and flowers； butterflies and birds of paradise。
The 〃Widow Capet〃 needed no milliner and no hairdresser in making
her toilet。 Her tall； slender figure was enveloped with the black
woollen dress which the republic had given her at her request； that
she might commemorate her deceased husband。 Her neck and shoulders；
which had once been the admiration of France； was now concealed by a
white muslin kerchief； which her keeper Bault had given her out of
sympathy。 Her hair was uncovered； and fell in long； natural locks on
both sides of her pale； transparent face。 Her hair needed no powder
now； the long； sleepless nights and the sorrowful days have whitened
it more than any powder could do； and the widow of Louis Capet；
though but thirty…eight years old； had the gray locks of a woman of
seventy。
In this toilet Marie Antoinette appeared before the revolutionary
tribunal； from the 6th to the 13th of October。 Nothing royal was
left about her but her look and her proud bearing。
The people； pressing in dense masses into the spectators' seats； did
not weary of seeing the queen in her humiliation and in her
mourning…robe； and constantly demanded that Marie Antoinette should
rise from the woven rush chair on which she was sitting； that she
should allow herself to be stared at by this throng； brought there
not out of compassion； but curiosity。
Once； as she rose in reply to the demand of the public； she was
heard to whisper； as to herself： 〃Ah； will this people not soon be
satisfied with my sufferings？〃 ＇Footnote： Marie Antoinette's own
words。See Goncourt； 〃Histoire de Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 404。＇ At
another time； her pale； dry lips murmured； 〃I am thirsty！〃 but no
one around her dared to have compassion on this cry of distress；
every one looked perplexed at the others； and no one dared give her
a glass of water。 At last one of the gens d'armes ventured to do it；
and Marie Antoinette thanked him with a look that brought tears into
his eyes； and that perhaps caused him to fall on the morrow under
the guillotine as a traitor。
The gens d'armes who guarded the queen； they alone had the courage
to show her compassion。 One night； when she was conducted from the
session…room to her prison； Marie Antoinette felt herself so
exhausted； so overcome； that she murmured to herself； as she
staggered on； 〃I cannot see； I cannot walk any farther。〃 ＇Footnote：
Goncourt； p。416＇ The guard who was walking by her side gave her his
arm； and； supported by him； Marie Antoinette reeled up the stone
ste