into　it；　and　he　must　have　a　reason　for　it；　he　must　have　a　reason；
  and　if　it　is　only　from　his　having　pity　upon　her；　that　is　enough　and
  more　than　enough　to　bring　him　under　suspicion　and　to　build　an
  accusation　upon。　He　must　be　removed；　say　I。　There　shall　no　such
  compassionate　worms　as　he　creep　into　the　Temple。　I　will　clear　them
  outI　will　clear　them　out　with　human　blood！〃
  She　looked　so　devilish；　her　eyes　glared　so　with　such　a　cruel
  coldness；　and　such　a　fiendish　smile　played　upon　her　pale；　thin　lips；
  that　even　Madame　Tison　was　afraid　of　her；　and　felt　as　if　a　cold；
  poisonous　spider　was　creeping　slowly　over　her　heart。
  〃They　are　sitting　still　outside；　you　say？〃　asked　Madame　Simon；　after
  a　pause。
  〃Yes；　they　are　still　sitting　outside　upon　the　landing；　and　the
  Austrian　woman　is　at　this　time　alone　unwatched　with　her　brood；　and
  she　will　be　alone　for　two　hours　yet；　for　there　is　no　change　of　guard
  till　then。〃
  〃That　is　true；　yes；　that　is　true；〃　cried　the　knitter；　and　her
  nostrils　expanded　like　those　of　the　hyena　when　on　the　scent　of
  blood。　〃They　will　sit　up　there　two　hours　longer；　playing　cards　and
  singing　stupid　songs；　and　wheedling　my　monkey　of　a　husband　with
  their　flatteries；　making　him　believe　that　they　love　him；　love　him
  boundlessly；　and　they　let　themselves　be　locked　into　the　Temple　for
  his　sake；　andoh！　if　I　had　them　here；　I　would　strangle　them　with　my
  own　hands！　I　would　make　a　dagger　of　every　one　of　my　knitting…needles
  and　thrust　it　into　their　hearts！　But　quiet；　quiet；〃　she　continued　in
  a　grumbling　tone；　〃every　thing　must　go　on　in　a　regular　way。　Will　you
  take　my　place　here　for　half　an　hour　and　guard　the　door？　I　have
  something　important　to　do；　something　very　important。〃
  〃It　will　be　a　very　great　honor；〃　replied　Madame　Tison；　〃a　very　great
  honor　to　be　the　substitute　of　one　so　well　known　and　respected　as　you
  are；　of　whom　every　one　knows　that　she　is　the　best　patriot　and　the
  most　courageous　knitter；　whose　eyelashes　never　quiver；　and　who　can
  calmly　go　on　with　her　stitches　when　the　heads　fall　from　the
  guillotine　into　the　basket。〃
  〃If　I　did　tremble；　and　my　eyelashes　did　quiver；　I　would　dash　my　own
  fists　into　my　eyes！〃　said　Madame　Simon；　with　her　hard　coarse　voice；
  rising　and　throwing　her　thin；　threadbare　cloak　over　her　shoulders。
  〃If　I　found　a　spark　of　sympathy　in　my　heart；　I　would　inundate　it
  with　the　blood　of　aristocrats　till　it　should　be　extinguished；　and
  till　that　should　be；　I　would　despise　and　hate　myself；　for　I　should
  be　not　only　a　bad　patriot；　but　a　bad　daughter　of　my　unfortunate
  father。　The　cursed　aristocrats　have　not　only　brought　misery　on　our
  country　and　people；　but　they　murdered　my　dear　good　father。　Yes；
  murdered　I　say。　They　said　he　was　a　high　traitor。　And　do　you　know
  why？　Because　he　told　aloud　the　nice　stories　about　the　Austrian
  woman；　who　was　then　our　queen；　which；　had　been　whispered　into　his
  ear；　and　because　he　said　that　the　king　was　a　mere　tool　in　the　hands
  of　his　wife。　They　shot　my　good；　brave　father　for　what　he　had　said；
  and　which　they　called　treason；　although　it　was　only　the　naked　truth。
  Yet　I　will　not　work　myself　into　a　passion　about　it；　and　I　will　only
  thank　God　that　that　time　is　past；　and　I　will　do　my　part　that　it
  shall　not　come　back。　And　that　is　why　we　must　be　awake　and　on　our
  guard；　that　no　aristocrat　and　no　loyalist　tie　left；　but　that　they
  all　be　guillotined；　all！　There；　take　your　place　on　my　chair；　and
  take　my　knitting…work。　Ah！　if　it　could　speak　to　you　as　it　does　to
  meif　it　could　tell　you　what　heads　we　two　have　seen　fall；　young　and
  old；　handsome；　distinguishedit　would　be　fine　sport　for　you　and
  make　you　laugh。　But　good…by　just　now！　Keep　a　strict　lookout！　I　shall
  come　back　soon。〃
  And　she　did　come　back　soon；　this　worthy　woman；　with　triumphant
  bearing　and　flashing　eyes；　looking　as　the　cat　looks　when　it　has　a
  mouse　in　its　soft　velvety　paws；　and　is　going　to　push　its　poisonous
  claws　into　the　quivering　flesh。　She　took　her　knitting…work　up　and
  bade　Tison　to　go　up　again　to　her　post。
  〃And　when　you　can；〃　she　said；　〃just　touch　the　Austrian　woman　a
  little；　and　pay　her　off　for　being　so　many　hours　unwatched。　In　that
  way　you　will　merit　a　reward　from　the　people；　and　that　is　as　well　as
  deserving　one　of　God。　Provoke　herprovoke　the　proud　Austrian！〃
  〃It　is　very　hard　to　do　it；〃　said　Tison；　sighing〃very　hard；　I
  assure　you；　for　the　Austrian　is　very　cold　and　moderate　of　late。
  Since　Louis　Capet　died；　the　widow　is　very　much　changed；　and　now　she
  is　so　uniform　in　her　temper　that　it　seems　as　if　nothing　would
  provoke　or　excite　her。〃
  〃What　weak　and　tender　creatures　you　all　are！〃　said　Simon's　wife；
  with　a　shrug。　〃It　is　very　plain　that　they　fed　you　on　milk　when　you
  were　young。　But　my　mother　nursed　me　with　hate。　I　was　scarcely　ten
  years　when　they　shot　my　father；　and　not　a　day　passed　after　that
  without　my　mother's　telling　me　that　we　must　avenge　his　murder　on　the
  whole　lineage　of　the　king。　I　had　to　swear　that　I　would　do　it。　She
  gave　me；　for　my　daily　food；　hatred　against　the　aristocrats；　it　was
  the　meat　to　my　sauce；　the　sugar　to　my　coffee；　the　butter　to　my
  bread！　I　lived　and　throve　upon　it。　Look　at　me；　and　see　what　such
  fare　has　made　of　me！　Look　at　me！　I　am　not　yet　twenty…four　years　old；
  and　yet　I　have　the　appearance　of　an　old　woman；　and　I　have　the
  feeling　and　the　experience　of　an　old　woman！　Nothing　moves　me　now；
  and　the　only　thing　that　lives　and　burns　in　my　heart　is　revenge。
  Believe　me；　were　I　in　your　place　I　should　know　how　to　exasperate　the
  Austrian；　I　should　succeed　in　drawing　out　her　tears。〃
  〃Well；　and　how　would　you　begin？　Really；　I　should　like　to　know　how　to
  bring　this　incarnation　of　pride　to　weeping。〃
  〃Has　not　she　children？〃　asked　Madame　Simon；　with　a　horrible
  calmness。　〃I　would　torture　and　provoke　the　children；　and　that　would
  soon　make　the　heart　of　the　woman　humble　and　pliable。　Oh；　she　may
  count　herself　happy　that　I　am　not　in　your　place；　and　that　her
  children　are　not　under　my　tender　hands。　But　if　it　ever　happens　that
  I　can　lay　my　fingers　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　little　wolves；　I　will
  give　them　something　that　will　make　them　cry　out；　and　make　the　old
  wolf　howl　with　rage。　I　will　show　her　as　little　favor　then　as　she
  showed　when　my　poor　mother　and　I　were　begging　for　my　dear　father！　Go
  up；　go　up　and　try　at　once。　Plague　the　children；　and　you　will　see
  that　that　will　make　the　Austrian　pliable。〃
  〃That　is　fine　talk；〃　muttered　Tison；　as　she　went　up　the　staircase；
  〃but　she　has　no　children；　while　I　have　a　daughter；　a　dear；　good
  daughter。　She　is　not　with　me；　but　with　my　mother　in　Normandy；
  because　she　can　be　taken　better　care　of　there　than　here。　It　is
  better　for　the　good　child　that　she　has　not　gone　through　these　evil
  days　full　of　blood　and　grief　with　us。　But　I　am　always　thinking　of
  her；　and　when　one　of　these　two　children　here　looks　up　to　me　so
  gravely　with　great；　open　eyes；　it　always　makes　me　think　of　my
  Solonge。　She　has　exactly　such　large；　innocent　eyes；　and　that　touches
  my　heart　so　that　I　cannot　be　harsh　with　the　children。　They；　of
  course；　are　not　at　all　to　blame　for　having　such　bad；　miserable
  parents；　who　have　treated　the　people　shamefully；　and　made　them　poor
  and　wretched。　No；　they　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　and　I　cannot
  be　severe　with　the　children；　for　I　am　always　thinking　of　my　little
  Solonge！　I　will　provoke　the　Austrian　woman　as　much　as　I　can；　but　not
  the　childrenno；　not　the　children！〃
  Meanwhile；　Mistress　Simon　had　taken　her　place　upon　the　chair　near
  the　open　door　in　the　porter's　lodge；　and　sat　there　with　her　cold；
  immovable　face　staring　into　empty　space　with　her　great　coal…black；
  glistening　eyes；　while　her　hands　were　busily　flying；　making　the
  polished　knitting…needles　click　against　each　other。
  She　was　still　sitting　there；　when　at　last　her　husband　came　down　the
  stairs　to　open　the　outer　door　of　the　Temple；　conduct　his　friends
  past　the　inner　court；　and　to　bring　back　the　two　officials　who　were
  to　keep　guard　during　the　night。
  They　passed　the　knitter　with　a　friendly　salutation　and　a　bit　of
  pleasantryToulan　stopping　a　moment　to　ask　the　woman　after　her
  welfare；　and　to　say　a　few　smooth　words　to　her　about　her　courage　and
  her　great　force　of　character。
  She　listened　quietly；　let　him　go　on　with　his　talk；　and　when　he　had
  ended；　slowly　raised　her　great　eyes　from　her　knitting　to　him。
  〃You　are　a　traitor；〃　she　said；　with　coldness；　and　without　any
  agitation。　〃Yes；　you　are　a　traitor；　and　you；　too；　will　have　your
  turn　at　the　guillotine！〃
  Toulan　paled　a　little；　but　collected　himself　immediately；　took　leave
  of　the　knitter　with　a　smile；　and　hastened　after　the　officials；　who
  were　waiting　for　him　at　the　open　doorthe　two　who　were　to　hold　the
  watch　during　the　night　having　already　entered。
  Simon　closed　the　door　after　them；　exchanged　a　few　words　with　them；
  and　then　went　into　his　lodge　to　join　his　rigid　better　half。
  〃This　has　been　a　pleasant　afternoon；　and　it　is　a　great　pity　that　it
  is　gone；　for　I　have　had　a　very　good　time。　We　have　played　cards；
  sung；　smoked；　and　Toulan　has　made　jokes　and　told　stories；　and　made
  much　fun。　I　always　wonder　where　he　gets　so　many　fine　stories；　and　he
  tells　them　so　well　that　I　could　hear　him　day　and　night。　Now　that　he
  is　gone；　it　seems　tedious　and　dull　enough　here。　Well；　we　must
  com