them　for　a　moment　alone。　Even　the　sleeping…room　of　the　queen　was　not
  closed　to　the　espionage　of　the　guards；　the　door　to　the　drawing…room
  close　by　had　always　to　be　open；　and　in　this　drawing…room　was　the
  officer　of　the　guard。　Even　in　the　night；　while　the　queen　lay　in　her
  bed；　this　door　remained　open；　and　the　officer；　sitting　in　an　arm…
  chair　directly　opposite　to　the　door；　kept　his　eyes　directed　to　the
  bed　in　which　the　queen　sought　to　sleep；　and　wrestled　with　the　pains
  and　fear　which　she　was　too　proud　to　show　to　her　persecutors。　The
  queen　had　stooped　to　make　but　one　request；　she　had　asked　that　at
  least　in　the　morning；　when　she　arose　and　dressed；　she　might　close
  the　doors　of　her　sleeping…room；　and　they　had　been　magnanimous　enough
  to　comply　with　her　wish。＇Footnote：　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃
  par　Edmondet　Jules　de　Goneourt；　p。　861。＇
  But　Queen　Marie　Antoinette　had　met　all　these　humiliations；　these
  disenchantments；　and　trials；　full　of　hope　of　a　change　in　her
  fortune。　Her　proud　soul　was　still　unbroken；　her　belief　in　the
  victory　of　monarchy　under　the　favor　of　God　animated　her　heart　with　a
  last　ray　of　hope；　and　sustained　her　amid　all　her　misfortune。　She
  still　would　contend　with　her　enemies　for　the　love　of　this　people；　of
  whom　she　hoped　that；　led　astray　by　Jacobins　and　agitators；　they
  would　at　last　confess　their　error；　respect　the　voice　of　their　king
  and　queen；　and　return　to　love　and　regretfulness。　And　Marie
  Antoinette　would　sustain　herself　in　view　of　the　great　day　when　the
  people's　love　should　be　given　back；　she　would　seek　to　bring　that　day
  back；　and　reconcile　the　people　to　the　throne。　On　this　account　she
  would　show　the　people　that　she　cherished　no　fear　of　them；　that　she
  would　intrust　herself　with　perfect　confidence　to　them；　and　greet
  them　with　her　smiles　and　all　the　favor　of　former　days。　She　would
  make　one　more　attempt　to　regain　her　old　popularity；　and　reawaken　in
  their　cold　hearts　the　love　which　the　people　had　once　displayed　to
  her　by　their　loud　acclamations。　She　found　power　in　herself　to　let
  her　tears　flow；　not　visibly；　but　within　her　heart；　to　disguise　with
  her　smile　the　pain　of　her　soul；　and　so　she　resolved　to　wear　a
  cheerful　and　pleasant　face；　and　appear　again　publicly　in　the
  theatre；　as　well　as　in　open　carriage…drives　through　the　city。
  They　were　then　giving　in　the　great　opera…house　Gluck's　〃Alceste；〃
  the　favorite　opera　of　the　queenthe　opera　in　which　a　few　years
  before　she　had　received　so　splendid　a　triumph；　in　which　the　public
  loudly　encored；　〃Chantons；　celebrons　notre　reine！〃　which　the　choir
  had　sung　upon　the　stage；　and；　standing　with　faces　turned　toward　the
  royal　box；　had　mingled　their　voices　with　those　of　the　singers；　and
  repeated　in　a　general　chorus；　〃Chantons；　celebrons　notre　reine！〃
  〃I　will　try　whether　the　public　remembers　that　evening；〃　said　Marie
  Antoinette；　with　a　faint　smile；　to　Mademoiselle　de　Bugois；　the　only
  lady　who　had　been　permitted　to　remain　with　her；　〃I　will　go　this
  evening　to　the　opera；　the　public　shall　at　least　see　that　I　intrust
  myself　with　confidence　to　it；　and　that　I　have　not　changed；　however
  much　may　have　been　changed　around。〃
  Mademoiselle　de　Bugois　looked　with　deep　sadness　at　the　pale　face　of
  the　queen；　that　would　show　the　public　that　she　had　not　altered；　and
  upon　which；　once　so　fair　and　bright；　grief　had　recorded　its
  ineradicable　characters；　and　almost　extinguished　its　old　beauty。
  Deeply　moved；　the　waiting…lady　turned　away　in　order　not　to　let　the
  tears　be　seen　which；　against　her　will；　streamed　from　her　eyes。
  But　Marie　Antoinette　had　seen　them　nevertheless。　With　a　sad　smile
  she　laid　her　hand　upon　the　shoulder　of　the　lady…in…waiting。　〃Ah！〃
  said　she；　mildly；　〃do　not　conceal　your　tears。　You　are　much　happier
  than　I；　for　you　can　shed　tears；　mine　have　been　flowing　almost　two
  years　in　silence；　and　I　have　had　to　swallow　them！　＇Footnote：　Marie
  Antoinette's　own　words。See　Goncourt；　p。　264。＇
  〃But　I　will　not　weep　this　evening；〃　she　continued；　〃I　will　meet
  these　Parisians　at　least　in　composure。　Yes；　I　will　do　more；　I　will
  try　to　smile　to　them。　They　hate　me　now；　but　perhaps　they　will
  remember　then　that　once　they　truly　loved　me。　There　is　a　trace　of
  magnanimity　in　the　people；　and　my　confidence　will　perhaps　touch　it。
  Be　quick；　and　make　my　toilet。　I　will　be　fair　to…day。　I　will　adorn
  myself　for　the　Parisians。　They　will　not　be　my　enemies　alone　who　will
  be　at　the　theatre；　some　of　my　friends　will　be　there；　and　they　at
  least　will　be　glad　to　see　me。　Quick；　mademoiselle；　let　us　begin　my
  toilet。〃
  And　with　a　liveliness　and　a　zeal　which；　in　her　threatened　situation；
  had　something　touching　in　it；　Marie　Antoinette　arrayed　herself　for
  the　public；　for　the　good　Parisians。
  The　news　that　the　queen　was　to　appear　that　evening　at　the　theatre
  had　quickly　run　through　all　Paris；　the　officer　on　duty　told　it　at
  his　relief　to　some　of　the　guards；　they　to　those　whom　they　met；　and
  it　spread　like　wildfire。　It　was　therefore　very　natural　that；　long
  before　the　curtain　was　raised；　the　great　opera…house　was　completely
  filled；　parquette；　boxes；　and　parterre；　with　a　passionately…excited
  throng。　The　friends　of　the　queen　went　in　order　to　give　her　a　long…
  looked…for　triumph；　her　enemiesand　these　the　poor　queen　had　in
  overwhelming　numbersto　fling　their　hate；　their　malice；　their
  scorn；　into　the　face　of　Marie　Antoinette。
  And　enemies　of　the　queen　had　taken　places　for　themselves　in　every
  part　of　the　great　house。　They　even　sat　in　the　boxes　of　the　first
  rank；　on　those　velvet…cushioned　chairs　which　had　formerly　been
  occupied　exclusively　by　the　enthusiastic　admirers　of　the　court；　the
  ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　aristocracy。　But　now　the　aristocracy　did
  not　dare　to　sit　there。　The　most　of　them；　friends　of　the　queen；　had
  fled；　giving　way　before　her　enemies　and　persecutors；　and　in　the
  boxes　where　they　once　sat；　now　were　the　chief　members　of　the
  National　Assembly；　together　with　the　leading　orators　of　the　clubs；
  and　the　societies　of　Jacobins。
  To　the　box　above；　where　the　people　had　once　been　accustomed　to　see
  Princess　Lamballe；　the　eyes　of　the　public　were　directed　again　and
  again。　Marie　Antoinette　had　been　compelled　to　send　away　this　last　of
  her　friends　to　London；　to　have　a　conference　with　Pitt。　Instead　of
  the　fair　locks　of　the　princess；　was　now　to　be　seen　the　head　of　a
  man；　who；　resting　both　arms　on　the　velvet　lining　of　the　box；　was
  gazing　down　with　malicious　looks　into　the　surging　masses　of　the
  parterre。　This　man　was　Marat；　once　the　veterinary　of　the　Count
  d'Artois；　now　the　greatest　and　most　formidable　orator　of　the　wild
  Jacobins。
  He　too　had　come　to　see　the　hated　she…wolf；　as　he　had　lately　called
  the　queen　in　his　〃Ami　du　Peuple；〃　and；　to　prepare　for　her　a　public
  insult；　sat　drunk　with　vanity　in　the　splendid　box　of　the　Princess
  Lamballe；　his　friends　and　confidants　were　in　the　theatre；　among　them
  Santerre　the　brewer；　and　Simon　the　cobbler；　often　looking　up　at
  Marat；　waiting　for　the　promised　motion　which　should　be　his　signal
  for　the　great　demonstration。
  At　length　the　time　arrived　for　the　opera　to　begin；　and；　although　the
  queen　had　not　come；　the　director　of　the　orchestra　did　not　venture　to
  detain　the　audience　even　for　a　few　minutes。　He　went　to　his　place；
  took　his　baton；　and　gave　the　sign。　The　overture　began；　and　all　was
  silent；　in　parquette　and　parterre；　as　well　as　in　the　boxes。　Every
  one　seemed　to　be　listening　only　to　the　music；　equally　full　of
  sweetness　and　majestyonly　to　have　ears　for　the　noble　rhythm　with
  which　Gluck　begins　his　〃Alceste。〃
  Suddenly　there　arose　a　dull；　suppressed　sound　in　parquette；
  parterre；　and　boxes；　and　all　heads　which　had　before　been　directed
  toward　the　stage；　were　now　turned　backward　toward　the　great　royal
  box。　No　one　paid　any　more　attention　to　the　music；　no　one　noticed
  that　the　overture　was　ended　and　that　the　curtain　was　raised。
  Amid　the　blast　of　trumpets；　the　noise　of　violins　and　clarionets；　the
  public　had　heard　the　light　noise　of　the　opening　doors；　had　noticed
  the　entrance　of　the　officers；　and　this　sound　had　made　the　Parisians
  forget　even　their　much…loved　music。
  There　now　appeared　in　the　open　box…door　a　woman's　form。　The　queen；
  followed　by　Mademoiselle　de　Bugois；　advanced　slowly　through　the
  great　box　to　the　very　front。　All　eyes　were　directed　to　her；　all
  looks　searched　her　pale；　noble　face。
  Marie　Antoinette　felt　this；　and　a　smile　flitted　over　her　face　like
  the　evening　glow　of　a　summer's　day。　With　this　smile　and　a　deep　blush
  Marie　Antoinette　bowed　and　saluted　the　public。
  A　loud；　unbounded　cry　of　applause　resounded　through　the　vast　room。
  In　the　parquette　and　in　the　boxes　hundreds　of　spectators　arose　and
  hailed　the　queen　with　a　loud；　pealing　〃Vive　la　reine！〃　and　clapped
  their　hands　like　pleased　children；　and　looked　up　to　the　queen　with
  joyful；　beaming　countenances。
  〃Oh；　my　faith　has　not　deceived！〃　whispered　Marie　Antoinette　into　the
  ear　of　her　companion。　〃The　good　Parisians　love　me　still；　they；　like
  me；　remember　past　times；　and　the　old　loyalty　is　awaking　in　them。〃
  And　again　she　bowed　her　thanks　right　and　left；　and　again　the　house
  broke　out　into　loud　applause。　A　single；　angry　glance　of　Marat's
  little　eyes；　peering　out　from　beneath　the　bushy　brows；　met　the
  queen。
  〃Only　wait；〃　said　Mara