the　helmet　of　the　warrior；　and　to　battle　for　your　rights　and　your
  throne？　How　pleased　my　husband　was　when　on　his　birthday　I　brought
  him　this　seal！　how　tenderly　his　looks　rested　upon　the　portrait　of
  his　son；　his　successor！　and　nowoh；　now！　King　Louis　XVI。　cruelly；
  shamefully　murdered；　and　he　who　ought　to　be　the　King　of　France；
  Louis　XVII。；　is　nothing　but　a　poor；　imprisoned　childa　king　without
  a　crown；　without　hope；　without　a　future！〃
  〃No；　no；　Antoinette；〃　whispered　Elizabeth；　who　had　kneeled　before
  the　queen　and　had　tenderly　put　her　arms　around　her〃　no；
  Antoinette；　do　not　say　that　your　son　has　no　hope　and　no　future。
  Build　upon　God；　hope　that　the　undertaking　which　we　are　to…morrow　to
  execute　will　lead　to　a　fortunate　result；　that　we　shall　flee　from
  here；　that　we　shall　be　free；　that　we　shall　be　able　to　reach　England。
  Oh；　yes；　let　us　hope　that　Toulan's　fine　and　bold　plan　will　succeed；
  and　then　it　may　one　day　be　that　the　son　of　my　dear　brother；　grown　to
  be　a　young　man；　may　put　the　helmet　on　his　head；　gird　himself　with
  the　sword；　reconquer　the　throne　of　his　fathers；　and　take　possession
  of　it　as　King　Louis　XVII。　Therefore　let　us　hope；　sister。〃
  〃Yes；　therefore　let　us　hope〃　whispered　the　queen；　drying　her　tears。
  〃And　here　at　last；〃　she　continued；　opening　the　remaining　paper；
  〃here　is　the　third　relic；　the　hair　of　the　king！　the　only　thing
  which　is　left　us　of　the　martyr　king；　the　unfortunate　husband　of　an
  unfortunate　wife；　the　pitiable　king　of　a　most　pitiable　people！　Oh；
  my　king！　they　have　laid　your　poor　head　that　bore　this　white　hair
  they　have　laid　it　upon　the　scaffold；　and　the　axe；　the　dreadful　axe
  〃
  The　queen　uttered　a　loud　shriek　of　horror；　sprang　up；　and　raised
  both　her　hands　in　conjuration　to　Heaven；　while　a　curse　just　trembled
  on　her　lips。　But　Princess　Elizabeth　threw　herself　into　her　arms；　and
  pressed　on　the　cold；　quivering　lips　of　the　queen　a　long；　fervent
  kiss。
  〃For　God's　sake；　sister；〃　she　whispered；　〃speak　softly。　If　Tison
  heard　your　cry；　we　are　lost。　Hush！　it　seems　to　me　I　hear　steps；　hide
  the　things。　Let　us　hurry　into　bed。　Oh；　for　God's　sake；　quick！〃
  She　huddled　the　papers　together；　and　put　them　hastily　into　her
  bosom；　while　Marie　Antoinette；　gathering　up　the　relics；　dashed　into
  her　bed。
  〃She　is　coming；〃　whispered　Elizabeth；　as　she　slipped　into　her　bed。
  〃We　must　pretend　to　be　asleep。〃
  And　in　fact　Princess　Elizabeth　was　right。　The　glass…door；　which　led
  from　the　sleeping…room　of　the　children　to　the　little　corridor；　and
  from　there　to　the　chamber　of　Mistress　Tison；　was　slowly　and
  cautiously　opened；　and　she　came　with　a　lamp　in　her　hand　into　the
  children's　room。　She　stood　near　the　door；　listening　and　spying
  around。　In　the　beds　of　the　children　she　could　hear　the　long…drawn；
  calm　breathing；　which　indicated　peaceful　slumbers；　and　in　the　open；
  adjoining　apartment；　in　which　the　two　ladies　slept；　nothing　was
  stirring。
  〃But　I　did　hear　a　sound　plainly；〃　muttered　Tison。　〃I　was　awaked　by　a
  loud　cry；　and　when　I　sat　up　in　bed　I　heard　people　talking。〃
  She　stole　to　the　beds　of　the　children；　and　let　the　light　fall　upon
  their　faces。　〃They　are　sleeping　soundly　enough；〃　she　muttered；　〃they
  have　not　cried　or　spoken；　but　we　will　see　how　it　is　in　the　other
  room。〃　Slowly；　with　the　lamp　in　her　hand；　she　crept　into　the
  neighboring　apartment。　The　two　ladies　lay　motionless　upon　their
  beds；　closing　their　eyes　quickly　when　Mistress　Tison　crossed　the
  threshold；　and　praying　to　God　for　courage　and　steadfastness。
  Tison　went　first　to　the　bed　of　Princess　Elizabeth　and　let　the　lamp
  fall　full　upon　her　face。　The　glare　seemed　to　awaken　her。　〃What　is
  it？〃　she　cried；　〃what　has　happened？　sister；　what　has　happened？　where
  are　you；　Marie　Antoinette？〃
  〃Here；　here　I　am；　Elizabeth；〃　cried　the　queen；　rising　suddenly　up　in
  bed；　as　if　awakened。　〃Why　do　you　call　me；　and　who　is　here？〃
  〃It　is　I；〃　muttered　Tison；　angrily。　〃That　is　the　way　if　one　has　a
  bad　conscience！　One　is　startled　then　with　the　slightest　sound。〃
  〃We　have　no　bad　conscience；〃　said　Elizabeth；　gently；　〃but　you　know
  that　if　we　are　awakened　from　sleep　we　cry　out　easily；　and　we　might
  be　thinking　that　some　one　was　waking　us　to　bring　us　happy　tidings。〃
  〃I　hope　so；〃　cried　Tison；　with　a　scornful　laugh；　〃Happy　news　for
  you！　that　means　unhappy　and　sad　news　for　France　and　for　the　French
  people。　No；　thank　God！　I　did　not　waken　you　to　bring　you　any　good
  news。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　gently；　〃tell　us　why　you　have　wakened　us　and
  what　you　have　to　communicate　to　us。〃
  〃I　have　nothing　at　all　to　communicate　to　you；〃　growled　Tison；　〃and
  you　know　best　whether　I　wake　you　or　you　were　already　awake；　talking
  and　crying　aloud。　Hist！　it　is　not　at　all　necessary　that　you　answer；
  I　know　well　enough　that　you　are　capable　of　lying。　I　tell　you　my　ears
  are　open　and　my　eyes　too。　I　let　nothing　escape　me；　you　have　talked
  and　you　have　cried　aloud；　and　if　it　occurs　again　I　shall　report　it
  to　the　supervisor　and　have　a　watch　put　here　in　the　night　again；　that
  the　rest　of　us　may　have　a　little　quiet　in　the　night…time；　and　not
  have　to　sleep　like　the　hares；　with　our　eyes　open。〃
  〃But；〃　said　the　princess　gently；　〃but　dear　woman〃
  〃Hush！〃　interrupted　Tison；　commandingly；　〃I　am　not　your　'dear
  woman；'　I　am　the　wife　of　Citizen　Tison；　and　I　want　none　of　your
  confidence；　for　confidence　from　such　persons　as　you　are；　might
  easily　bring　me　to　the　scaffold。〃
  She　now　passed　through　the　whole　room　with　her　slow；　stealthy　tread；
  let　the　light　fall　upon　every　article　of　furniture　and　the　floor；
  examined　all　the　objects　that　lay　upon　the　table；　and　then；　after
  one　last　threatening　look　at　the　beds　of　the　two　ladies；　went　slowly
  out。　She　stopped　again　at　the　cribs　of　the　children；　and　looked　at
  them　with　a　touch　of　gentleness。　〃How　quietly　they　sleep！〃　the
  whispered。　〃They　lie　there　exactly　as　they　lay　before。　One　would
  think　they　were　smiling　in　their　sleepI　suppose　they　are　playing
  with　angels。　I　should　like　to　know　how　angels　come　into　this　old；
  horrid　Temple；　and　what　Simon's　wife　would　say　if　she　knew　they　came
  in　here　at　night　without　her　permission。　See；　see；〃　she　continued；
  〃the　boy　is　laughing　again；　and　spreading　out　his　hands；　as　if　he
  wanted　to　catch　the　angels。　Ah！　I　should　like　to　know　if　my　dear
  little　Solange　is　sleeping　as　soundly　as　these　children；　and　whether
  she　smiles　in　her　sleep　and　plays　with　angels；　I　should　like　to　know
  if　she　dreams　of　her　parents；　my　dear　little　Solange；　and　whether
  she　sometimes　sees　her　poor　mother；　who　loves　her　so　and　yearns
  toward　her　so　tenderly　that〃　＇Footnote：　This　Mistress　Tison；　the
  cruel　keeper　of　the　queen；　soon　after　this　fell　into　lunacy；　owing
  both　to　her　longings　after　her　daughter　and　her　compunctions　of
  conscience　for　her　treatment　of　the　queen。　The　first　token　of　her
  insanity　was　her　falling　upon　her　knees　before　Marie　Antoinette；　and
  begging　pardon　for　all　the　pain　she　had　occasioned；　and　amid　floods
  of　tears　accusing　herself　as　the　one　who　would　be　answerable　for　the
  death　of　the　queen。　She　then　fell　into　such　dreadful　spasms；　that
  four　men　were　scarcely　able　to　hold　her。　They　carried　her　into　the
  Hotel　Dieu；　where　she　died　after　two　days　of　the　most　dreadful
  sufferings　and　bitter　reproaches　of　herself。See　Goncourt；　p。　280。
  ＇
  She　could　not　go　on；　tears　extinguished　her　utterance；　and　she
  hastened　out；　to　silence　her　longings　on　the　pillow　of　her　bed。
  The　ladies　listened　a　long　time　in　perfect　silence；　then；　when　every
  thing　was　still　again；　they　raised　themselves　up　softly；　and　began
  to　talk　to　each　other　in　the　faintest　of　whispers；　and　to　make　their
  final　preparations　for　the　flight　of　the　morrow。　They　then　rose　and
  drew　from　the　various　hiding…places　the　garments　which　they　were　to
  use；　placed　the　various　suits　together；　and　then　tried　to　put　them
  on。　A　fearful；　awful　picture；　such　as　a　painter　of　hell；　such　as
  Breugel　could　not　surpass　in　horror！a　queen　and　a　princess；　two
  tender；　pale；　harmless　women；　busied；　deep　in　the　night；　as　if
  dressing　for　a　masquerade；　in　transforming　themselves　into　those
  very　officials　who　had　led　the　king　to　the　scaffold；　and　who；　with
  their　pitiless　iron　hands；　were　detaining　the　royal　family　in
  prison！
  There　they　stood；　a　queen；　a　princess；　clad　in　the　coarse；
  threadbare　garments　of　republican　officials；　the　tri…colored　sashes
  of　the　〃one　indivisible　republic〃　around　their　bodies；　their　heads
  covered　with　the　three…cornered　hats；　on　which　the　tri…colored
  cockade　glittered。　They　stood　and　viewed　each　other　with　sad　looks
  and　heavy　sighs。　Ah；　what　bright；　joyous　laughter　would　have　sprung
  from　the　lips　of　the　queen　in　the　days　of　her　happiness；　if　she　had
  wanted　to　hide　her　beauty　in　such　attire　for　some　pleasant
  masquerade　at　Trianon！　What　charming　sport　it　would　have　been　then
  and　there！　How　would　her　friends　and　courtiers　have　laughed！　How
  they　would　have　admired　the　queen　in　her　original　costume；　which
  might　well　have　been　thought　to　belong　to　the　realm　of　dreams　and
  fantasies！　A　tri…colored　cockadea　figment　of　the　braina　tri…
  colored　sasha　merry　dream！　The　lilies　rule　over　France；　and　will
  rule　forever！
  No　laughter　resounded　in　the　desolate　room；　scantily　lighted　with
  the　dim　taperno　laughter　as　the　queen