Marie Antoinette and Her Son

al excitement grew greater day by day, the struggle of the parties more pronounced and fierce, only with

called down upon them-dared face the calumnies which were set in circulation by the other parties: that of the people, the democrats; that of Orleans; that of the princes and princ

lable, there arose from all these four hundred representatives of the French nation only one man who dared to de

h loud murmurs, and scornful laughter; not a voice was raised in support of this last cry in

ght the queen every morning tidings of what had occurred at Paris and

National Assembly has not pronounced the person of the queen inviolable, because they want to say that the queen ha

with these dreadful politics. It certainly was not in my wish nor in my character. My enemies

d, "you use there too harsh a word; you s

they have nothing to trouble themselves about, and reserve only influence enough to give pleasure to their friends, and reward their faithful servants. Do you know what recently happened to me?" continued the queen, with a sad smile. "As I was going into the privy council chamber to have a consultation with the king, I heard, while passing OEil de Boeuf, one of the musicians sayin

you of mingling in politics out of ambition and love of power-would that

t they who accuse me may appear to have done right; that they may ascend while they pull me down. But let us not speak more of this! I know my future, I feel it clear and plain in my mind and in my soul that I am lost, but I will at least fight courageously and zealously till the last moment; and, if I must go down, it s

d the queen, sadly, tu

ke to my enemies, and

enacity of life! Here

Deficit to leave Fran

!' that means m

the Duke d'Orleans has imposed upon your majesty, a

on turning over the pamphlets and caricatures. While doing that, while reading the words charged with poison of wickednes

discontinue this sad perusal. He wanted to gather up again the

at I am sensitive to the evil words that are spoken about me, and to the bad opinion that is cherished toward me by a people that I love, and to

et was dashed open without ceremony,

forgiveness that I have ve

e to announce misfortune to me, duchess. It concerns

s have set in, and the ph

n me? I shall lose my son, my dear child! Here I sit weeping pitiful tears about the malice of my enemie

ild-the sick, dying dauphin-hurried forward, dashing through the ro

e antechamber of the dauphin. She did not await the reply, but bur

, motionless boy, with open, staring eyes, with parched lips, and

re than a withered flower, a son of dust that must return to dust; then they looked sadly at the pale, trembling wife who crouched before the bed, and who now was noth

of the poor child that had long been sick, and that was now confronting death.

ce more, raised his great eyes, and, when he saw the countenance of his mother above him bathed in tears, he smiled and sought to raise his he

red Marie Antoinette, kissing him a

ed like the last breath of a departing spirit. "I only suffer if I see you weep, mamma.

wer in her motherly love to summon a smile to her lips, in order that the daup

as heard but the gently-whispered prayers of the spectat

d on tiptoe to the bed, and sank on his knees close by Marie Antoinette. It wa

ent softly repeated them. Only the queen could not; her eyes were fastened upon he

head sank upon the hand of her son, which rested in her own, and which was now stiff. A few

arms, and with a lou

rd hath taken away, bl

. Am

" whispered

is son. "God has taken you to Himself, my son, perhaps because He want

is lips. "Farewell, my son," she whispered, "farewell! Ah!, why could I

n with sighs, Marie Antoinette rose from her knees and turned to the

ncs. I wish that the death-bed of my son may be a day of joy for the poor who have not, like me, lost a child, but gained one, and that the li

the grave of out ancestors in St. Denis; his soul to God. The dauphin is dead! Long live

eat and momentous epochs, he extended his arm to the queen and conducted her

e we are alone; here I can

eck of her husband, and, leaning he

nd the tears which flowed from his own eyes

because the thought cannot be suppressed, that life, with its rough, wintry storms, will have no pity on this tender blossom of innocence, and that the beaming, angel-face of the child must one day be changed into the clouded, weather-beaten, furrowed face of the man. A cheering sight to look upon was the little, delicate figure of the four-year-old boy, pleasing in his whole appearance. Morocco boots, with red tips, covered his little feet; broad trousers, of dark-blue velvet, came to his knees, and were held together at the waist by a blue silk sash, whose lace- tipped ends fell at his left side. He wore a blue velvet jacket, with a tastefully embroidered lace ruff

parents; then he turned quickly forward, and, holding up his noseg

r tears as she looked at her son. The king loosened his

to his wife, "Marie, this is our

her eyes, and yet smiling all the while, into the lovely, rosy face of her boy. T

May the storms which now darken our horizon, have long been past when you shall

o you call me dauphin to-day? I am your litt

another name and another calling. Your poor brother, Louis, has lef

be for your good," said

ks. "It certainly is not for my good,"

een-" she is weeping, because your brot

come back?" asked

he never wil

. "Ah!" he cried, "how can any one ever leave his dear m

the queen, pressing him tenderly to herse

before me!" ejaculate

one, my life were a de

e the poorest man

will perhaps be the most unfortunate one

rmly. "Weep no more; we must overcome our grief, and comfort ourselves with wha

e dauphin is dead, and has left us. Has he take

now the dauphin, and some time will be King of

mean, his heir?"

"that to you belong now the tit

e prince, timidly. "I do not

hrone; you have now the ti

and of his mother, and lifted his gr

itle of Duke de Normandy sounds just as well, or wil

the queen, "I shall n

py if you were now t

to receive this new title. But I should like to know whethe

king in amazement; "what w

left us and is not coming back again, and yet has not taken away every thing which belongs to him, there is s

o the queen. "Do you understand, Marie

f the adjoining apartment, and whispered a few words to the page who was there. Then she returned to the king, but

rowful expression. But he quickly brightened, and, looking up at the queen, he said, smiling

a little black dog stepped in, and ran fo

child, falling upon

put its fore- paws upon the shoulders of the boy and

"have I guessed right?-wasn't it t

arms around the neck of the dog. "Does Moufflet belong to my inher

longs to your inheritance," ans

og close to his breast. "Moufflet is mine!" he cri

do they not go with us through life? why must we tread them under feet like the violets arid roses of my son? A kingdom falls to him as his porti