In　St。　Cloud　there　was　at　least　a　little　freedom；　a　little　solitude
  and　stillness。　The　birds　sang　in　the　foliage；　the　sun　lighted　up　the
  broad　halls　of　the　palace；　in　which　a　few　faithful　ones　gathered
  around　the　queen　and　recalled　at　least　a　touch　of　the　past　happiness
  to　her　brow。　In　St。　Cloud　she　was　again　the　queen；　she　held　her
  court　there。　But　how　different　was　this　from　the　court　of　former
  days。
  No　merry　laughter；　no　cheerful　singing　resounded　through　these
  spacious　halls；　no　pleasant　ladies；　in　light；　airy；　summer　costume
  swept　through　the　fragrant　apartments；　M。　d'Adhemar　no　longer　sits
  at　the　spinet；　and　sings　with　his　rich　voice　the　beautiful　arias
  from　the　opera　〃Richard　of　the　Lion　Heart；〃　in　which　royalty　had　its
  apotheosis；　and　in　which　the　singer　Garat　had　excited　all　Paris　to
  the　wildest　demonstrations　of　delight！　And　not　all　Paris；　but
  Versailles　as　well；　and　in　Versailles　the　royal　court！
  Louis　XVI。　himself　had　been　in　rapture　at　the　aria　which　Garat　sang
  with　his　flexible　tenor　voice　in　so　enchanting　a　manner〃Oh；
  Richard！　oh；　mon　roi！〃an　aria　which　had　once　procured　him　a
  triumph　in　the　very　theatre。　For　when　Garat　began　this　air　with　his
  full　voice；　and　every　countenance　was　directed　to　the　box　where　the
  royal　family　were　sitting；　the　whole　theatre　rose；　and　the　hundreds
  upon　hundreds　present　had　joined　in　the　loud；　jubilant　strains〃Oh；
  Richard！　oh；　mon　roi！〃　Louis　XVI。　was　grateful　to　the　spirited
  singer；　who；　in　that　stormy　time；　had　the　courage　to　publicly　offer
  him　homage；　and　he　had　therefore　acceded　to　the　request　of　the
  queen；　that　Garat　should　be　invited　to　the　private　concerts　of　the
  queen　at　Versailles；　and　give　her　instruction　on　those　occasions　in
  the　art　of　singing。
  Marie　Antoinette　thought　of　those　pleasant　days　of　the　past；　as　she
  sat　in　the　still；　deserted　music…room；　where　the　instruments　stood
  silent　by　the　wallwhere　there　were　no　hands　to　entice　the　cheerful
  melodies　from　the　strings；　as　there　had　once　been。
  〃I　wish　that　I　had　never　sung　duets　with　Garat；〃　whispered　the　queen
  to　herself。　〃The　king　allowed　me；　but　yet　I　ought　not　to　have　done
  it。　A　queen　has　no　right　to　be　free；　merry；　and　happy。　A　queen　can
  practise　the　fine　arts　only　alone；　and　in　the　silence　of　her　own
  apartments。　I　would　I　had　never　sung　with　Garat。〃　＇Footnote：　The
  queen's　own　words。See　〃Memoires　de　Madame　de　Campan；〃　vol。　ii。＇
  She　sat　down　before　the　spinet　and　opened　it。　Her　fingers　glided
  softly　over　the　keys；　and　for　the　first　time；　in　long　months　of
  silence；　the　room　resounded　with　the　tones　of　music。
  But；　alas！　it　was　no　cheerful　music　which　the　fingers　of　the　queen
  drew　from　the　keys；　it　was　only　the　notes　of　pain；　only　cries　of
  grief；　and　yet　they　recalled　the　happy　by…gone　timesthose　golden；
  blessed　days；　when　the　Queen　of　France　was　the　friend　of　the　arts；
  and　when　she　received　her　early　teacher；　the　great　maestro　and
  chevalier；　Gluck；　in　Versailles；　when　she　took　sides　for　him　against
  the　Italian　maestro　Lully；　and　when　all　Paris　divided　into　two
  parties；　the　Gluckists　and　Lullyists；　waging　a　bloodless　war　against
  each　other。　Happy　Paris！　At　that　time　the　interests　of　art　alone
  busied　all　spirits；　and　the　battle　of　opinions　was　conducted　only
  with　the　pen。　Gluck　owed　it　to　the　mighty　influence　of　the　queen
  that　his　opera　〃Alcestes〃　was　brought　upon　the　stage；　but　at　its
  first　representation　the　Lullyists　gained　the　victory；　and　condemned
  it。　In　despair；　Gluck　left　the　opera…house；　driven　by　hisses　into
  the　dark　street。　A　friend　followed　him　and　detained　him；　as　he　was
  hurrying　away；　and　spoke　in　the　gentlest　tones。　But　Gluck
  interrupted　him　with　wild　violence：　〃Oh；　my　friend！〃　cried　he；
  falling　on　the　neck　of　him　who　was　expressing　his　kindly　sympathy；
  〃'Alcestes'　has　fallen！〃　But　his　friend　pressed　his　hand；　and　said；
  〃Fallen？　Yes；　'Alcestes'　has　fallen！　It　has　fallen　from　heaven！〃
  The　queen　thought　of　this　as　she　sat　before　the　spinetthought　how
  moved　Gluck　was　when　he　related　this　answer　of　his　friend；　and　that
  he；　who　had　been　so　kind；　was　the　Duke　d'Adhemar。
  She　had　thanked　him　for　this　gracious　word　by　giving　him　her　hand　to
  kiss；　and　Adhemar；　kneeling；　had　pressed　his　lips　to　her　hand。　And
  that　was　the　same　Baron　Adhemar　who　was　now　at　Coblentz　assisting
  the　prince　to　forge　libels　against　herself；　and　who　was　himself　the
  author　of　that　shameless　lampoon　which　ridiculed　the　musical　studies
  of　the　queen；　and　even　the　duet　which　she　had　sung　with　Garat！
  Softly　glided　her　fingers　over　the　keys；　softly　flowed　over　her
  pale；　sunken　cheeks　two　great　tearstears　which　she　shed　as　she
  thought　of　the　pasttears　full　of　bitterness　and　pain！　But　no；　no；
  she　would　not　weep；　she　shook　the　tears　from　her　eyes；　and　struck
  the　keys　with　a　more　vigorous　touch。　Away；　away；　those　recollections
  of　ingratitude　and　faithlessness！　Art　shall　engage　her　thoughts　in
  the　music…room；　and　to　Gluck　and　〃Alcestes〃　the　hour　belongs！
  The　queen　struck　the　keys　more　firmly；　and　began　to　play　the　noble
  〃Love's　Complaint；〃　of　Gluck's　opera。　Unconsciously　her　lips　opened；
  and　with　loud　voice　and　intense　passionate　expression；　she　sang　the
  words；　〃Oh；　crudel；　non　posso　in　vere；　tu　lo　sui；　senza　dite！〃
  At　the　first　notes　of　this　fine　voice　the　door　in　the　rear　of　the
  room　had　lightly　openedthe　one　leading　to　the　gardenand　the
  curly　head　of　the　dauphin　was　thrust　in。　Behind　him　were　Madame　de
  Tourzel　and　Madame　Elizabeth；　who；　like　the　prince；　were　listening
  in　breathless　silence　to　the　singing　of　the　queen。
  As　she　ended；　and　when　the　voice　of　Marie　Antoinette　was　choked　in　a
  sigh；　the　dauphin　flew　with；　extended　arms　across　the　hall　to　his
  mother；　〃Mamma　queen；〃　cried　he；　beaming　with　joy；　〃are　you　singing
  again？　I　thought　my　dear　mamma　had　forgotten　how　to　sing。　But　she
  has　begun　to　sing　again；　and　we　are　all　happy　once　more。〃
  Marie　Antoinette　folded　the　little　fellow　in　her　arms；　and　did　not
  contradict　him；　and　nodded　smilingly　to　the　two　ladies；　who　now
  approached　and　begged　the　queen's　pardon　for　yielding　to　the
  pressing　desires　of　the　dauphin；　and　entering　without　permission。
  〃Oh；　mamma；　my　dear　mamma　queen；〃　said　the　prince；　in　the　most
  caressing　way；　〃I　have　been　very　industrious　to…day；　the　abbe　was
  satisfied　with　me；　and　praised　me；　because　I　wrote　well　and　learned
  my　arithmetic　well。　Won't　you　give　me　a　reward　for　that；　mamma
  queen？〃
  〃What　sort　of　a　reward　do　you　want；　my　child？〃　asked　the　queen；
  smiling。
  〃Say；　first；　that　you　will　give　it。〃
  〃Well；　yes；　I　will　give　it；　my　little　Louis；　now　tell　me　what　it
  is。〃
  〃Mamma　queen；　I　want　you　to　sing　your　little　Louis　a　song；　and；〃　he
  added；　nodding　at　the　two　ladies；　〃that　you　allow　these　friends　of
  mine　to　hear　it。〃
  〃Well；　my　child；　I　will　sing　for　you；〃　answered　Marie　Antoinette；
  〃and　our　good　friends　shall　hear　it。〃
  The　countenance　of　the　boy　beamed　with　pleasure；　with　alacrity　he
  rolled　an　easy…chair　up　to　the　piano；　and　took　his　seat　in　it　in　the
  most　dignified　manner。
  Madame　Elizabeth　seated　herself　near　him　on　a　tabouret；　and　Madame
  de　Tourzel　leaned　on　the　back　of　the　dauphin's　chair。
  〃Now　sing；　mamma；　now　sing；〃　asked　the　dauphin。
  Marie　Antoinette　played　a　prelude；　and　as　her　eyes　fell　upon　the
  group　they　lighted　up　with　joy；　and　then　turned　upward　to　God　with　a
  look　of　thankfulness。
  A　few　minutes　before　she　had　felt　alone　and　sad：　she　had　thought　of
  absent　friends　in　bitter　pain；　and　now；　as　if　fate　would　remind　her
  of　the　happiness　which　still　remained　to　her；　it　sent　her　the　son
  and　the　sister…in…law；　both　of　whom　loved　her　so　tenderly；　and　the
  gentle　and　affectionate　Madame　de　Tourzel；　whom　Marie　Antoinette
  knew　to　be　faithful　and　constant　unto　death。
  The　flatterers　and　courtiers；　the　court　ladies　and　cavaliers；　are　no
  longer　in　the　music…room；　the　enraptured　praises　no　longer　accompany
  the　songs　of　the　queen；　but；　out　of　the　easy…chair；　in　which　the
  Duchess　de　Polignac　had　sat　so　often；　now　looks　the　beautiful　blond
  face　of　her　son；　and　his　beaming　countenance　speaks　more　eloquently
  to　her　than　the　flatteries　of　friends。　On　the　tabouret；　now　occupied
  by　her　sister…in…law；　Madame　Elizabeth；　De　Dillon　has　often　satthe
  handsome　Dillon；　and　his　glowing；　admiring　looks　have　often；
  perhaps；　in　spite　of　his　own　will；　said　more　to　the　queen　than　she
  allowed　herself　to　understand；　as　her　heart　thrilled　in　sweet　pain
  and　secret　raptures　under　those　glances！　How　pure　and　innocent　is
  the　face　which　now　looks　out　from　this　chairthe　face　of　an　angel
  who　bears　God　in　his　heart　and　on　his　countenance。
  〃Pray　for　me；　pray　that　God　may　let　me　drink　of　Lethe；　that　I　may
  forget　all　that　has　ever　been！　Pray　that　I　may　be　satisfied　with
  what　remains；　and　that　my　heart　may　how　in　humility　and　patience！〃
  Thus　thought　the　queen　as　she　began　to　sing；　not　one　of　her　great
  arias　which　she　had　studied　with　Garat；　and　which　the　court　used　to
  applaud；　but　one　of　those　lovely　little　songs；　full　of　feeling　and
  melody；　which　did　not　carry　one　away　in　admiration；　but　which　filled
  the　heart　with　joy　and　deep　emotion。
  With　suspended　breath；　and　great　eyes　directed　fixedly　to　Marie
  Antoinette；　the　dauphin　listened；　but　gradu