Marie Antoinette and Her Son

, with feverish impatience. No one had been able to attend to his business. The stores were closed, the workshops of the artisans were empty; even in the restauran

longed for food which would satisfy its curiosity. And the news which would appease its craving was to come from the court-

and to announce to all France, yes, all Europe, whether the Queen of France was innocent in the eyes of God

order to pronounce sentence. At the same early hour, an immense, closely-thronged crowd gathered in the broad square in front of the prison, and gazed

news came from the council-room to enlighten the curiosity

nd then dropping stinging words, which provoked to still greater impatience. All the orators of the clubs and of the secret societies were there among the crowd, all the secret and open enemies of the queen had sent their instruments thither to work upon the people with poi

hich had worked its way out of the court-room. Some favored journalist, or some friend of the queen, had heard this; it sprea

ce, and still more audaciously in supposing that the queen would make an appointment with him by night; and that for this he would ask the pardon of the king and the queen in presence of the whole court. Further, the cardinal is enjoined to lay down

th the servility of the man who would suffer the law to bow before the throne; they made dishonorable remarks and calumnious innuendoes about the queen, who, with her coquetry an

right; the people cannot be bribed-they are like God in this; and the people will not disown their verdict before the beautiful eyes and the seductive sm

will not believe it. The queen wrote the letters;

f her light and disreputable behavior, and the bad manners which, as the dauphiness, she would introduce into this court. Since then she has with her glances, her smiles, and her apparent anger, so worked upon the cardinal as to make him fall over ears in love with the beautiful, pouting queen. And that was just what she wanted, for now she could avenge herself. She ap

e laugh. "The cardinal took a girl from the streets for the Queen of France; but wait a little and we shall see t

ough merriment of the mass. It came from the lips of a man in simple citizen's costume, who had plunged into the mob and worked his way forward with s

th shrugged shoulders, was listening to the malicious speeches which were uttered all around him, and who replied to them all w

oor of the prison, and stood directing his

echoed around him; he saw nothing of what took place about him. He saw only th

e, had broken into a loud cry of delight, were silent when it was seen that it was not the officer who would announce the verdict wit

him by the crowd, whether the cardinal were declared innocent, he answered quietly, "I do not know. But I think the o

, pressing up to him. "Only see how exhausted he is. Come

forced a way through the crowd. The people let them pass, a

nounced?" asked the

gave me just now, as I was handing him a glass

therwise they will suspect what the paper contains,

ough the crowd. Soon, thanks to his youth and his skill, he had worked through the dense mass; then with a flying step he sped through the street next to the square, then more swiftly still through the side streets an

, come here!" cr

ing up with the horse. "You have come at last, Mr. To

oulan, swinging himself into the saddle. "Now go hom

into his flanks, and the powerful creature sped li

e king, after ending his daily duties with his ministers, had gone to his workshop in order to work

d even her friend, the Duchess Julia de Polignac, had n

dissipate the sadness of the queen, the duchess had made the proposition to

ok her head, and gazed at the

d my friends is so rent and broken, that scarcely any torn fragments of it remain, and I fea

r friends any more?" asked the duchess, repr

lingering, tender look. "I only doubt the possibility of a queen's having faithful friends.

ch as love, and subjection as much as friendship. They ought never to make themselves your majesty's equals; and if your majesty, in the grace of your fair and gentle heart, d

rie Antoinette, pressing her hand to her heart, as if she w

f the great confidence which you most graciously bestow upon me; how seldom and how tremblingly my lips venture to utter the dear name of

so tenderly loved, feel yourselves more terrified than benefited; I know, that with this confession, happiness has withdrawn from me. I look into the future and see the dark cloud

duchess. "It is such beautiful weather, the sun shines

was a queen, seen the sun rise, and all the world cried 'Murder,' and counted it a crime, and all France laughed at the epigrams and jests with which my friends punished me for the crime that the queen of France, with her court, had seen the sun rise. And now you want to allow me to see it set, but I will not; I w

step over the carpet to the door. The queen's face had been turned away, but as the ligh

ets that I am the queen? My God! my heart cries for love, yearns for friendship, and has never found them. And they make this yearning of mine a crime; they accuse me that I have a heart. 0 my God! have pity upon m

upon a chair, and sat long there, motionless, an

d around with a pained, confused look. The sun had gone down, it

sulted with impunity. Oh! if I only could be sure. Did not Campan say-I will go to Campan." And the queen rose quickly, went with a decisive step ou

intense expectation out into the twilight, that she did not notice

back terrified from the window.

w that indeed, but these are days, my good Campan, when etiquette has no power over us, and when, behind the royal purple, the poor human heart, in all its need, comes into the foregr

that is the reason why I am standing a

yet I have no one who hastens to give me news of this important affair, while my

ey do only because I am the waiting- maid of the queen. I was yesterday at Councillor Bugeaud's, i

ot to visit your cousin, the councillor's wife, but to visit the councillo

gone over to the enemy. Your majesty knows that Madame de Marsan has visited all the councillors, an

ndemned," said the queen, angrily. "For to free him is

I found supporters in his own family. Oh, I assure your majesty that in th

queen. "Name them to me, that in

eat festival to see your majesty; and then particularly there is the lover of this little person, a young man named Toulan, a gifted, fine young fellow, who almost worships your majesty-he is the one who promised me to br

d into the antechamber was hastil

ou expected has just

gs the sentence. Tell the gentleman," she then said aloud to the lack

lackey withdrew, "I beg your majesty to graci

see this young man of whom you say that he is such a faithful friend, and then I should like to know the news as soon as possible that he brings. See here, the chimney-screen i

he high screen, and Madame Campan

were heated with the quick ride, his eyes glowed, and his breathing was rapid and hard. Madame Campan extended her hand to him and gr

m only sorry that you have had to wait so long, but it is not my fault. It

s now scarcely nine. You do not mean to say that you have ri

road, and they were good ones. I fancied myself sometimes a bird flying through the air, and it seems to

ied Campan, and she hastened herself to

and excitement. I shall perhaps have the pleasure to have done the queen a little service, for you told me that it would b

first through your means, and I shall say to h

od, or whether it would not trouble the noble heart of the queen, and then my name, if she should learn it, would only be di

d Campan, astonished. "Have you come to bring me th

een that it contained any thing that would trouble the queen, I should not have had courage to come here and deliver the paper to you. So I did not read it, and thought only of this, that I might perhaps save the queen a

e to retire, that I may return to Paris, for my sweetheart is expecting me, and, besides, t

g his hand. "Receive my heartiest thanks for your devotion,

laugh, "no, do not go, sir! Remain to receive your queen's thanks f

red Toulan, turning

ueen with such an expression of rapture and

u besides for convincing me that the Queen of France has faithful and devoted friends, and to know this is so cheering

xed on the queen, and then, after opening the door, he sank, as it were, overcome by the storm of his

e myself to the service of my queen. She shall henceforth be the divinity whom I serve, and to whom I will, if

without saluting her, Toulan rose and softly le

udder passed through my soul, and something seemed to say to me that I shoul

so every thing seems to have a sad me

!" cried the queen. "Give me th

ty not prefer to receive it in the presence o

sure in carrying the good news to the king. If it is u

now that it will be impo

must be lighted there already. Come, Campan, since I am indebted to you for th

apartments, and diffused a light like that of day throughout her large sitting-room. In the little porcelain cabinet, however, there was a milder light, as Marie Antoinette liked to have it when she was alone and sans ceremonial. Th

fore the table, near the divan, "now give me the paper. But no, you wou

anded, and I must obey

arie Antoinette. "Let

der to see better. Marie Antoinette leaned forward, folded both hands i

with trembling lips. Madam

, the note and signatures, are declared to

sentenced in contumacion

ed, marked on both shoulders with the

lette to be banished

oiselle Oliva

he lord c

do you tremble? He has been discharged; I know it already, for

e de Camp

from every charge, and is allo

nishment for him; he is free. Pity me, Campan! But no, on the contrary, I pity you, I pity France! If I can have no impartial judges in a matter which darkens my character, what can you, what can all others hope for, when you are tried in a matter which touches your happiness and honor? [Foot

I am standing entirely

the queen, "one of t

ight, over which a bluish cloud was yet hovering. "Th

aring assumed the appearan

in the other arm of the candlest

lips and wide-opened eyes at both the lights,

llow me to light the

extending her hand

et them be," she whispered, "I want

lowly from her arm-chair, pointed with si

o other light

t. The one light faintly illumined only the centre, and shon

t which remained burning, "if this fourth light goes out like the other t

distinctly, then its flame began to die away. One flare more and

loud, piercing cry,