straps！〃
  And　while　Master　Simon　was　muttering　this　to　himself；　he　was　making
  a　way　through　the　crowd　with　those　great　elbows　of　his；　a　slipping
  along　the　fence；　to　be　able　to　follow　as　long　as　possible　the　tall
  figure　of　the　queen；　who　was　now　leading　the　dauphin　by　the　hand；
  traversing　the　Arcadian　Walk。　At　the　end　of　it　was　the　fence　which
  led　into　the　little　garden　reserved　for　the　royal　family。　Through
  the　iron　gate；　hard　by；　adorned　with　the　arms　of　the　kings　of
  France；　Marie　Antoinette　entered　an　asylum；　which　had　been　saved　to
  the　crown；　free　from　the　intrusion　of　the　people；　and　she　drew　a
  free　breath　when　one　of　the　lackeys　closed　the　gate；　and　she　heard
  the　key　grate　in　the　lock。
  She　stood　still　a　moment　to　regain　her　composure；　and　then　she　felt
  that　her　feet　were　trembling；　and　that　she　scarcely　had　the　power　to
  go　farther。　It　would　have　been　a　relief　to　her　to　have　fallen　there
  upon　her　knees；　and　poured　all　her　sorrows　and　trials　into　the　ear
  of　God。　But　there　were　the　lackeys　behind　her；　there　was　her　little
  son；　looking　up　to　her　with　his　great　eyes；　and　there　was　that
  dreadful　cry　coming　up　from　the　quay　like　the　roaring　of　the　sea。
  The　queen　could　not　utter　a　word　of　grief　or　sorrow；　she　could　not
  sink　to　the　ground　in　her　weakness；　she　had　to　show　a　cheerful　face
  to　her　son；　and　a　proud　brow　to　her　servants。　God　only　could　look
  into　her　heart　and　see　the　tears　which　glowed　there　like　burning
  coals。　Yet　in　all　her　sadness　she　had　a　feeling　of　triumph；　of　proud
  satisfaction。　She　had　preserved　her　freedom；　her　independence；　she
  was　not　Lafayette's　prisoner！　No；　the　Queen　of　France　had　not　put
  herself　under　the　protection　of　the　people's　general；　she　had　not
  given　him　the　power　of　watching　her　with　his　hated　National　Guard；
  and　of　saying　to　them：　〃At　this　or　that　hour　the　queen　takes　her
  walks；　and；　that　she　may　recreate　herself；　we　will　protect　her
  against　the　rage　of　the　people！〃
  No；　she　had　defended　herself；　she　had　remained　the　queen　all　the
  while；　the　free　queen；　and　she　had　gained　a　victory　over　the　people
  by　showing　them　that　she　did　not　fear　them。
  〃Mamma；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　interrupting　her　in　her　painful　and
  proud　thought〃　mamma；　there　comes　the　king；　there　comes　my　papa！
  Oh；　he　will　be　glad　to　hear　that　I　was　so　courageous！〃
  The　queen　quickly　stooped　down　and　kissed　him。　〃Yes；　truly；　my
  little　Bayard；　yon　have　done　honor　to　your　great　exemplar；　and　you
  have　really　been　a　little　chevalier　sans　peur　et　sans　reproche。　But；
  my　child；　true　bravery　does　not　glory　in　its　great　deeds；　and　does
  not　desire　others　to　admire　them；　but　keeps　silent　and　leaves　it　to
  others　to　talk　about　them！〃
  〃Mamma；　I　will　be　silent；　too；〃　cried　the　boy；　with　glowing　eyes。
  〃Oh；　you　shall　see　that　I　can　be　silent；　and　not　talk　at　all　about
  myself。〃
  The　king　meanwhile；　followed　by　some　gentlemen　and　servants；　was
  coming　forward　with　unaccustomed　haste；　and；　in　his　eagerness　to
  reach　his　wife；　he　had　not　noticed　the　beds；　but　was　treading　under
  foot　the　last　fading　flowers　of　autumn。
  〃You　are　here　at　last；　Marie；〃　said　he；　when　he　was　near　enough　to
  speak。　〃I　wanted　to　go　to　meet　you；　to　conduct　you　hither　out　of　the
  park。　You　were　gone　very　long；　and　I　worried　about　you。〃
  〃Why　worried；　sire？〃　asked　the　queen。　〃What　danger　could　threaten　me
  in　our　garden？〃
  〃Do　not　seek　to　hide　any　thing　from　me；　Marie；〃　said　Louis；　with　a
  sigh。　〃I　know　every　thing！　The　hate　of　the　people　denies　us　any
  longer　the　enjoyment　of　the　open　air！　Lafayette　and　Bailly　were　with
  me　after　they　were　dismissed　by　you。　They　told　me　that　you　had　given
  no　favor　to　their　united　request；　and　that　you　would　not　grant　to
  General　Lafayette　the　right　to　protect　you　while　you　are　taking　your
  walks。〃
  〃I　hope　your　majesty　is　satisfied　with　me；〃　answered　Marie
  Antoinette。　〃You　feel；　like　me；　that　it　is　a　new　humiliation　for　us
  if　we　are　to　allow　our　very　enjoyment　of　nature　to　be　under　the
  control　of　the　people's　general；　and　if　even　the　air　is　no　longer　to
  be　the　free　air　for　us！〃
  〃I　have　only　thought　that　in　such　unguarded　walks　you　would　be
  threatened　with　danger；〃　answered　the　king；　perplexed。　〃Lafayette
  has　painted　to　me　in　such　dark　and　dreadful　colors；　and　I　have　so
  painfully　had　to　confess　that　he　speaks　the　truth；　that　I　could　only
  think　of　your　safety；　and　take　no　other　point　of　view　than　to　see
  you　sheltered　from　the　attacks　of　your　enemies；　and　from　the　rage　of
  these　factions。　I　have　therefore　approved　Lafayette's　proposal；　and
  allowed　him　to　protect　your　majesty　on　your　walks。〃
  〃But　you　have　not　fixed　definite　hours　for　my　walks？　You　have　not
  done　that；　sire；　have　you？〃
  〃I　have　indeed　done　that；〃　answered　the　king；　gently。　〃I　am　familiar
  with　your　habits；　and　know　that　in　autumn　and　winter　you　usually
  take　your　walks　between　twelve　and　two；　and　in　summer　afternoons
  between　five　and　seven。　I　have　therefore　named　these　hours　to
  General　Lafayette。〃
  The　queen　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　〃Sire；〃　she　said；　softly；　〃you
  yourself　are　binding　tighter　and　tighter　the　chains　of　our
  imprisonment。　To…day　you　limit　our　freedom　to　two　poor　hours；　and
  that　will　be　a　precedent　for　others　to　continue　what　you　have　begun。
  We　shall　after　this　walk　for　two　hours　daily　under　the　protection　of
  M。　de　Lafayette；　but　there　will　come　a　time　when　this　protection
  will　not　suffice；　and　no　security　will　be　great　enough　for　us。　For
  the　royal　authority　which　shows　itself　weak　and　dependent；　and　which
  does　not　draw　power　from　itselfthe　royalty　which　suffers　its　crown
  to　be　borne　up　for　it　by　the　hands　of　others；　confesses　thereby　that
  it　is　too　weak　to　bear　the　burden　itself。　Oh；　sire；　I　would　rather
  you　had　let　me　break　away　from　the　rage　of　the　people；　while　I　might
  be　walking　unguarded；　than　be　permitted　to　take　my　daily　walks　under
  the　protection　of　M。　de　Lafayette！〃
  〃You　see　every　thing　in　too　dark　and　sad　a　light；〃　cried　the　king。
  〃Every　thing　will　come　out　right　if　we　are　only　wise　and　carefully
  conform　to　circumstances；　and　by　well…timed　concessions　and
  admissions　propitiate　this　hate　and　bring　this　enmity　to　silence。〃
  The　queen　did　not　reply；　she　stooped　down　to　the　dauphin；　and；
  pressing　a　kiss　upon　his　locks；　whispered：　〃Now　yon　may　tell　every
  thing；　Louis。　It　is　not　longer　necessary　to　keep　silent　about　any
  thing；　for　silence　were　useless！　So　tell　of　your　heroism；　my　son！〃
  〃Is　it　of　heroism　that　you　talk？〃　said　the　king；　whose　nice　ear　had
  caught　the　words　of　the　queen。
  〃Yes；　of　heroism；　sire；〃　answered　Marie　Antoinette。　〃But　it　is　with
  us　as　with　Don　Quixote；　we　believed　that　we　were　fighting　for　our
  honor　and　our　throne；　now　we　must　confess　that　we　only　fought
  against　windmills。　I　beg　you　now；　sire；　to　inform　General　Lafayette
  that　it　is　not　necessary　to　call　out　his　National　Guards　on　my
  account；　I　shall　not　walk　again！〃
  And　the　queen　kept　her　word。　Never　again　during　the　winter　did　she
  go　down　into　the　gardens　and　park　of　the　Tuileries。　She　never　gave
  Lafayette　occasion　to　protect　her；　but　she　at　least　gained　thereby
  what　Lafayette　wanted　to　reach　by　his　National　Guardshe　held　the
  populace　away　from　the　Tuileries。　At　first　they　stood　in　dense
  masses　day　after　day　along　the　fence　of　the　park　and　the　royal
  garden；　but　when　they　saw　that　Marie　Antoinette　would　no　more　expose
  herself　to　their　curious　and　evil　glances；　they　grew　tired　of
  waiting　for　her；　and　withdrew　from　the　neighborhood　of　the
  Tuileries；but　only　to　repair　to　their　clubs　and　listen　to　the
  raving　speeches　which　Marat；　Santerre；　and　other　officers；　hurled
  like　poisoned　arrows　at　the　queen…only　to　go　into　the　National
  Assembly　and　hear　Mirabeau　and　Robespierre；　Danton；　Chenier；　Petion；
  and　all　the　rest；　the　assembled　representatives　of　the　nation；
  launch　their　thundering　philippics　against　a　royalty　appointed　by
  the　grace　of　God；　and　causing　the　people　to　believe　that　it　was　a
  royalty　appointed　by　the　wrath　of　God。
  CHAPTER　XVI。
  IN　ST。　CLOUD。
  The　winter　was　passeda　sad　dismal　winter　for　the　royal　family；　and
  for　Marie　Antoinette　in　particular！　None　of　those　festivities；　those
  diversions；　those　simple　and　innocent　joys；　which　are　wont　to　adorn
  the　life　of　a　woman　and　of　a　queen！
  Marie　Antoinette　is　no　more　a　queen　who　commands；　who　sees　around
  her　a　throng　of　respectful　courtiers；　zealously　listening　to　every
  word　that　falls　from　her　lips；　Marie　Antoinette　is　a　grave　solitary
  woman；　who　works　much；　thinks　much；　makes　many　plans　for　saving　the
  kingdom　and　the　throne；　and　sees　all　these　plans　shipwrecks　on　the
  indecision　and　weakness　of　her　husband。
  Far　away　from　the　queen　lay　those　happy　times　when　every　day　brought
  new　joys　and　new　diversions；　when　the　dawn　of　a　summer　morning　made
  the　queen　happy；　because　it　promised　her　a　delightful　evening；　and
  one　of　those　charming　idyls　at　Trianon。　The　brothers　of　the　king；
  the　schoolmaster　and　mayor　of　Trianon；　had　left　France　and　had
  located　themselves　at　Coblentz　on　the　Rhine；　the　Polignacs　had　fled
  to　England；　the　Princess　Lamballe；　too；　had；　at　the　wish　of　the
  queen；　gone　to　negotiate　with　Pitt；　in　order　to　implore　the　all…
  powerful　minister　of　George　III。　to　give　to　the　oppressed　French
  crow