of　the　king　is　inviolable。〃
  〃That　means；〃　said　the　queen　to　the　police　minister　Brienne；　who
  brought　the　queen　every　morning　tidings　of　what　had　occurred　at
  Paris　and　Versailles；　〃that　means　that　my　death…warrant　was　signed
  yesterday。〃
  〃Your　majesty　goes　too　far！〃　cried　the　minister　in　horror；　〃I　think
  that　this　has　an　entirely　different　meaning。　The　National　Assembly
  has　not　pronounced　the　person　of　the　queen　inviolable；　because　they
  want　to　say　that　the　queen　has　nothing　to　do　with　politics；　and
  therefore　it　is　unnecessary　to　pass　judgment　upon　the　inviolability
  of　the　queen。〃
  〃Ah！〃　sighed　the　queen；　〃I　should　have　been　happy　if　I　had　not　been
  compelled　to　trouble　myself　with　these　dreadful　politics。　It
  certainly　was　not　in　my　wish　nor　in　my　character。　My　enemies　have
  compelled　me　to　it；　it　is　they　who　have　turned　the　simple；　artless
  queen　into　an　intriguer。〃
  〃Ah！　madam！〃　said　the　minister；　astonished；　〃you　use　there　too　harsh
  a　word；　you　speak　as　if　they　belonged　to　your　enemies。〃
  〃No；　I　use　the　right　word；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　sadly。　〃My
  enemies　have　made　an　intriguer　of　me。　Every　woman　who　goes　beyond
  her　knowledge　and　the　bounds　of　her　duty　in　meddling　with　politics
  is　nothing　better　than　an　intriguer。　You　see　at　least　that　I　do　not
  flatter　myself；　although　it　troubles　me　to　have　to　give　myself　so
  bad　a　name。　The　Queens　of　France　are　happy　only　when　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　saying　so　loud　that　I　had　to
  listen　to　every　word；　'A　queen　who　does　her　duty　stays　in　her　own
  room　and　busies　herself　with　her　sewing　and　knitting。'　I　said　within
  myself；　'Poor　fellow；　you　are　right；　but　you　don't　know　my　unhappy
  condition；　I　yield　only　to　necessity；　and　my　bad　luck　urges　me
  forward。〃　＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own　words。See　〃Memoires　de　Madame
  de　Campan；〃　vol　ii。；　p。　32。＇
  〃Ah！　madame；〃　said　the　minister　with　a　sigh；　〃would　that　they　who
  accuse　you　of　mingling　in　politics　out　of　ambition　and　love　of
  powerwould　that　they　could　hear　your　majesty　complain　of　yourself
  in　these　moving　words！〃
  〃My　friend；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with　a　sad　smile；　〃if　they　heard
  it　they　would　say　that　it　was　only　something　learned　by　heart；　with
  which　I　was　trying　to　disarm　the　righteous　anger　of　my　enemies。　It
  is　in　vain　to　want　to　excuse　or　justify　myself；　for　no　one　will　hear
  a　word。　I　must　be　guilty；　I　must　be　criminal；　that　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　shall　be　at　least　with　honor；
  true　to　myself　and　true　to　the　views　and　opinions　in　which　I　have
  been　trained。　Now；　go　on；　let　me　know　the　new　libels　and　accusations
  which　have　been　disseminated　about　me。〃　The　minister　drew　from　his
  portfolio　a　whole　package　of　pamphlets；　and　spread　them　upon　a
  little　table　before　the　queen。
  〃So　much　at　once！〃　said　the　queen；　sadly；　turning　over　the　papers。
  〃How　much　trouble　I　make　to　my　enemies；　and　how　much　they　must　hate
  me　that　I　have　such　tenacity　of　life！　Here　is　a　pamphlet　entitled
  'Good　advice　to　Madame　Deficit　to　leave　France　as　soon　as　possible。'
  'Madame　Deficit！'　that　means　me；　doesn't　it？〃
  〃It　is　a　name；　your　majesty；　which　the　wickedness　of　the　Duke
  d'Orleans　has　imposed　upon　your　majesty；　answered　the　minister；　with
  a　shrug　of　his　shoulders。
  The　eyes　of　the　queen　flashed　in　anger。　She　opened　her　lips　to　utter
  a　choleric　word；　but　she　governed　herself；　and　went　on　turning　over
  the　pamphlets　and　caricatures。　While　doing　that；　while　reading　the
  words　charged　with　poison　of　wickedness　and　hate；　the　tears　coursed
  slowly　over　her　cheeks；　and　once　in　a　while　a　convulsive　gasp　forced
  itself　from　her　breast。
  Brienne　pitied　the　deep　sorrow　of　the　queen。　He　begged　her　to
  discontinue　this　sad　perusal。　He　wanted　to　gather　up　again　the
  contumelious　writings；　but　Marie　Antoinette　held　his　hand　back。
  〃I　must　know　every　thing；　every　thing；〃　said　she。　〃Go　on　bringing　me
  every　thing；　and　do　not　be　hindered　by　my　tears。　It　is　of　course
  natural　that　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　win　whose　love　I　am　prepared　to　make　every
  sacrifice。〃　＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own　words。See　Malleville；
  〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　197＇
  At　this　moment　the　door　of　the　cabinet　was　dashed　open　without
  ceremony；　and　the　Duchess　de　Polignac　entered。
  〃Forgiveness！　your　majesty；　forgiveness　that　I　have　ventured　to
  disturb　you；　but〃
  〃What　is　it？〃　cried　the　queen；　springing　up。　〃You　come　to　announce
  misfortune　to　me；　duchess。　It　concerns　the　dauphin；　does　it　not？　His
  illness　has　increased？〃
  〃Yes；　your　majesty；　cramps　have　set　in；　and　the　physicians　fear　the
  worst。〃
  〃O　God！　O　God！〃　cried　the　queen；　raising　both　her　hands　to　heaven；
  〃is　every　misfortune　to　beat　down　upon　me？　I　shall　lose　my　son；　my
  dear　child！　Here　I　sit　weeping　pitiful　tears　about　the　malice　of　my
  enemies；　and　all　this　while　my　child　is　wrestling　in　the　pains　of
  death！　Farewell；　sir；　I　must　go　to　my　child。〃
  And　the　queen；　forgetting　every　thing　else；　thinking　only　of　her
  childthe　sick；　dying　dauphinhurried　forward；　dashing　through　the
  room　with　such　quick　step　that　the　duchess　could　scarcely　follow
  her。
  〃Is　he　dead？〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette　to　the　servant　standing　in　the
  antechamber　of　the　dauphin。　She　did　not　await　the　reply；　but　burst
  forward；　hastily　opened　the　door　of　the　sick…room；　and　entered。
  There　upon　the　bed；　beneath　the　gold…fringed　canopy；　lay　the　pale；
  motionless　boy；　with　open；　staring　eyes；　with　parched　lips；　and
  wandering　mindand　it　was　her　child；　it　was　the　Dauphin　of　France。
  Around　his　bed　stood　the　physicians；　the　quickly…summoned　priests；
  and　the　servants；　looking　with　sorrowful　eyes　at　the　poor；　deathly…
  pale　creature　that　was　now　no　more　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　nothing
  more　than　a　sorrow…stricken　mother；　who　must　bow　before　the　hand　of
  Fate；　and　feel　that　she　had　no　more　power　over　life　and　death　than
  the　meanest　of　her　subjects。
  She　bent　over　the　bed；　she　put　her　arms　tenderly　around　the　little
  shrunken　form　of　the　poor　child　that　had　long　been　sick；　and　that
  was　now　confronting　death。　She　covered　the　pale　face　of　her　son　with
  kisses；　and　watered　it　with　her　tears。
  And　these　kisses；　these　tears　of　his　mother；　awakened　the　child　out
  of　his　stupor；　and　called　him　back　to　life。　The　Dauphin　Louis　roused
  up　once　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　head　and　move　his　hand　to　greet　her。　But　Death
  had　already　laid　his　iron　bands　upon　him；　and　held　him　back　upon　the
  couch　of　his　last　sufferings。
  〃Are　you　in　pain；　my　child？〃　whispered　Marie　Antoinette；　kissing　him
  affectionately。　〃Are　you　suffering？〃
  The　boy　looked　at　her　tenderly。　〃I　do　not　suffer；〃　he　whispered　so
  softly　that　it　sounded　like　the　last　breath　of　a　departing　spirit。
  〃I　only　suffer　if　I　see　you　weep；　mamma。〃　＇Footnote：　The　very　words
  of　the　dying　dauphin。See　Weber；　〃Memoires；〃　vol。　L；　p。　209。＇
  Marie　Antoinette　quickly　dried　her　tears；　and；　kneeling　near　the
  bed；　found　power　in　her　motherly　love　to　summon　a　smile　to　her　lips；
  in　order　that　the　dauphin；　whose　eyes　remained　fixed　upon　her；　might
  not　see　that　she　was　suffering。
  A　deep　silence　prevailed　now　in　the　apartment；　nothing　was　heard　but
  the　gently…whispered　prayers　of　the　spectators；　and　the　slow；
  labored　breathing　of　the　dying　child。
  Once　the　door　was　lightly　opened；　and　a　man's　figure　stole　lightly
  in；　advanced　on　tiptoe　to　the　bed；　and　sank　on　his　knees　close　by
  Marie　Antoinette。　It　was　the　king；　who　had　just　been　summoned　from
  the　council…room　to　see　his　son　die。
  And　now　with　a　loud　voice　the　priest　began　the　prayers　for　the
  dying；　and　all　present　softly　repeated　them。　Only　the　queen　could
  not；　her　eyes　were　fastened　upon　her　son；　who　now　saw　her　no　more；
  for　his　eyes　were　fixed　in　the　last　death…struggle。
  Still　one　last　gasp；　one　last　breath；　then　came　a　cry　from　Marie
  Antoinette's　lips；　and　her　head　sank　upon　the　hand　of　her　son；　which
  rested　in　her　own；　and　which　was　now　stiff。　A　few　tears　coursed
  slowly　over　the　cheeks　of　the　king；　and　his　hands；　folded　in　prayer；
  trembled。
  The　priest　raised　his　arms；　and　with　a　loud；　solemn　voice　cried：
  〃The　Lord　gave；　the　Lord　hath　taken　away；　blessed　be　the　name　of　the
  Lord。　Amen。〃
  〃Amen；　amen；〃　whispered　all　present。
  〃Amen；〃　said　the　king；　closing　with　gentle　pressure　the　open　eyes　of
  hi