Hereandtherethepeoplebegantocomplain，andloudvoiceswereheardgrumblingattheprotracteddelay，thelongdeliberationsofthejudges。Hereandtherefaceswereseenfullofscornfuldefiance，fulloflaughingmalice，workingtheirwaythroughthecrowd，andnowandthendroppingstingingwords，whichprovokedtostillgreaterimpatience。Alltheoratorsoftheclubsandofthesecretsocietieswerethereamongthecrowd，allthesecretandopenenemiesofthequeenhadsenttheirinstrumentsthithertoworkuponthepeoplewithpoisonouswordsandmockingobservations，andtoturnpublicopinioninadvanceagainstthequeen，evenincasethejudgesdidnotcondemnher；thatis，iftheydidnotdeclarethecardinalinnocentofconspiracyagainstthesovereign，andcontemptofthemajestyofthequeen。
Itwasknownthatinhisresume，theattorney-generalhadalludedtothepunishmentofthecardinal。Thatwastheonlynewswhichhadworkeditswayoutofthecourt-room。Somefavoredjournalist，orsomefriendofthequeen，hadheardthis；itspreadlikethewindalloverParis，andinthousandsuponthousandsofcopiesthewordsoftheattorney-generalweredistributed。
Hisaddresspurportedtorunasfollows：that“CardinaldeRohanisindictedontheaccusation，andmustanswertheParliamentandtheattorney-generalrespectingthefollowingcharges：ofaudaciouslymixinghimselfupwiththeaffairsofthenecklace，andstillmoreaudaciouslyinsupposingthatthequeenwouldmakeanappointmentwithhimbynight；andthatforthishewouldaskthepardonofthekingandthequeeninpresenceofthewholecourt。Further，thecardinalisenjoinedtolaydownhisofficeasgrandalmonerwithinacertaintime，toremovetoacertaindistancefromtheroyalresidenceandnottovisittheplaceswheretheroyalfamilymaybeliving，andlastly，toremaininprisontillthecompleteterminationofthetrial。“
Thefriendsanddependantsofthecardinal，theenemiesandpersecutorsofthequeen，receivedthisdecisionoftheattorney-
generalwithvexationandanger；theyfoundfaultwiththeservilityofthemanwhowouldsufferthelawtobowbeforethethrone；theymadedishonorableremarksandcalumniousinnuendoesaboutthequeen，who，withhercoquetryandtheamountreceivedfromthejewels，hadgainedoverthejudges，andwhowould，perhapshaveappointedarendezvouswitheveryoneoftheminordertogainhimovertoherside。
“Evenifthejudgesclearher，“criedthesharpvoiceofMaratfromtheheartofthecrowd，“thepeoplewillpasssentenceuponher。Thepeoplearealwaysright；thepeoplecannotbebribed——theyarelikeGodinthis；andthepeoplewillnotdisowntheirverdictbeforethebeautifuleyesandtheseductivesmilesoftheAustrianwoman。Thepeoplewillnotbemadefoolsof；theywillnotbelieveinthestoryofthecounterfeitedlettersandtheforgedsignature。“
“No，“shoutedthecrowd，laughinginderision，“wewillnotbelieveit。Thequeenwrotetheletters；hermajestyunderstandshowtowritelove-letters!“
“Thequeenlovestohaveahandinallkindsofnonsense，“thunderedthebrewerSanterre，inanothergroup。“ShewantedtoseewhetheraprettygirlfromthestreetcouldplaythepartoftheQueenofFrance，andatthesametimeshewantedtoavengeherselfuponthecardinalbecausesheknewthatheoncefoundfaultwithherbeforehermothertheempress，onaccountofherlightanddisreputablebehavior，andthebadmannerswhich，asthedauphiness，shewouldintroduceintothiscourt。Sincethenshehaswithherglances，hersmiles，andherapparentanger，soworkeduponthecardinalastomakehimfalloverearsinlovewiththebeautiful，poutingqueen。
Andthatwasjustwhatshewanted，fornowshecouldavengeherself。
Sheappointedarendezvouswiththecardinal，andwhileshesecretlylookedonthesceneinthethicket，sheallowedtheprettyMademoiselleOlivatoplayherpart。Andyouseethatitisnotsuchadifficultthingtorepresentaqueen，forMademoiselleOlivaperformedherpartsowellthatthecardinalwasdeceived，andtookagirlfromthestreetstobetheQueenofFrance。“
“Oh，bettertimesarecoming，bettertimesarecoming!“criedSimonthecobbler，whowascloseby，withhiscoarselaugh。“ThecardinaltookagirlfromthestreetsfortheQueenofFrance；butwaitalittleandweshallseethetimewhenshewillhavetosweepthestreetswithabroom，thatthenoblepeoplemaywalkacrosswithdryfeet!“
Intheloudlaughwithwhichthecrowdgreetedthisremarkofthecobbler，wasmingledonesinglecryofanger，which，however，wasoverbornebytheroughmerrimentofthemass。Itcamefromthelipsofamaninsimplecitizen’scostume，whohadplungedintothemobandworkedhiswayforwardwithstrongarms，inordertoreachaplaceasnearaspossibletotheentrance-dooroftheprison，andtobeamongthefirsttolearntheimpendingsentence。
Noone，asjustsaid，hadheardthiscry；noonehadtroubledhimselfaboutthisyoungman，withthebolddefiantface，who，withshruggedshoulders，waslisteningtothemaliciousspeecheswhichwereutteredallaroundhim，andwhorepliedtothemallwithflaminglooksofanger，pressinghislipscloselytogether，inordertoholdbackthewordswhichcouldhardlybesuppressed。
Hesucceededatlastinreachingtheverydooroftheprison，andstooddirectinghiseyesthitherwithgloomylooksofcuriosity。
Hiswholesoullayinthislook；heheardnothingofthemockingspeecheswhichechoedaroundhim；hesawnothingofwhattookplaceabouthim。Hesawonlythisfataldoor；heonlyheardthenoiseswhichproceededfromwithintheprison。
Atlast，afterlongwaiting，andwhenthesunhadset，thedooropenedalittle，andamancameout。Thepeoplewho，athisappearance，hadbrokenintoaloudcryofdelight，weresilentwhenitwasseenthatitwasnottheofficerwhowouldannouncetheverdictwithhisstentorianvoice，butthatitwasonlyoneoftheordinaryservantsofthecourt，whohadbeenkeepingwatchattheoutergate。
Thismanascendedwithanindifferentairthestepsofthestaircase，andtotheloudquestionswhichwerehurledathimbythecrowd，whetherthecardinalweredeclaredinnocent，heansweredquietly，“Idonotknow。ButIthinktheofficerwillsoonmakehisappearance。Mytimeisup，andIamgoinghome，forIamhalfdeadwithhungerandthirst。“
“Letthepoorhungrymangothrough，“criedtheyoungman，pressinguptohim。“Onlyseehowexhaustedheis。Come，oldfellow，givemeyourhand；supportyourselfonme。“
Andhetookthemanbythearm，andwithhispowerfulelbowsforcedawaythroughthecrowd。Thepeopleletthempass，anddirectedtheirattentionagaintothedooroftheprison。
“Theverdictispronounced？“askedtheyoungman，softly。
“Yes，Mr。Toulan，“hewhispered，“thecouncillorgavemejustnow，asIwashandinghimaglassofwater，thepaperonwhichhehadwrittenit。“
“Giveittome，John，butsothatnobodycansee；otherwisetheywillsuspectwhatthepapercontains，andtheywillallgrabatitandtearitinbits。“
Theservantslid，withaquickmotion，alittlefoldedpaperintothehandoftheyoungman，whothankedhimforitwithanodandasmile，andthenquicklydroppedhisarm，andforcedhiswayinanotherdirectionthroughthecrowd。Soon，thankstohisyouthandhisskill，hehadworkedthroughthedensemass；thenwithaflyingstephespedthroughthestreetnexttothesquare，thenmoreswiftlystillthroughthesidestreetsandalleys，tillhereachedthegatethatledouttothestreetofVersailles。Outsideofthistherewasayoungmaninablueblouse，who，inanidleandlistlessmanner，wasleadingabridledhorseupanddowntheroad。
“Halloo，Richard，comehere!“criedtheyoungman。
“Ah!Mr。Toulan，“shoutedtheladintheblouse，runningupwiththehorse。“Youhavecomeatlast，Mr。Toulan。Ihavebeenalreadywaitingeighthoursforyou。“
“Iwillgiveyouafrancforeveryhour，“saidMr。Toulan，swinginghimselfintothesaddle。“Nowgohome，Richard，andgreetmysweetheart，ifyouseeher。“
Hegavehishorseasmartstroke，pressedthespursintohisflanks，andthepowerfulcreaturespedlikeanarrowfromabowalongtheroadtoVersailles。
InVersailles，too，andintheroyalpalace，thisdayhadbeenawaitedwithanxiousexpectations。Theking，afterendinghisdailydutieswithhisministers，hadgonetohisworkshopinordertoworkwithhislocksmith，Girard，uponanewlock，whoseskilfulconstructionwasaninventionoftheking。
Thequeen，too，hadnotleftherroomthewholeday，andevenherfriend，theDuchessJuliadePolignac，hadnotbeenabletocheerupthequeenbyherpleasanttalk。
Atlast，whenshesawthatallhereffortswerevain，andthatnothingcoulddissipatethesadnessofthequeen，theduchesshadmadethepropositiontogotoTrianon，andtheretocalltogetherthecircleofherintimatefriends。
Butthequeensorrowfullyshookherhead，andgazedattheduchesswithatroubledlook。
“Youspeakofthecircleofmyfriends，“shesaid。“Ah!thecircleofthosewhomIconsideredmyfriendsissorentandbroken，thatscarcelyanytornfragmentsofitremain，andIfeartobringthemtogetheragain，forIknowthatwhatonceisbrokencannotbemendedagain。“
“Andsodoesyourmajestynotbelieveinyourfriendsanymore？“
askedtheduchess，reproachfully。“Doyoudoubtus？Doyoudoubtme？“
“Idonotdoubtyouall，and，beforeallthingselse，notyou，“saidMarieAntoinette，withalingering，tenderlook。“Ionlydoubtthepossibilityofaqueen’shavingfaithfulfriends。Ialwaysforgot，whenIwaswithmyfriends，thatIwasthequeen，buttheyneverforgotit。“
“Madame，theyoughtnevertoforgetit，“repliedtheduchess，softly。“Withalltheirloveforyourmajesty，yourfriendsoughtnevertoforgetthatreverenceisdueyouasmuchaslove，andsubjectionasmuchasfriendship。Theyoughtnevertomakethemselvesyourmajesty’sequals；andifyourmajesty，inthegraceofyourfairandgentleheart，designstocondescendtousandmakeyourselflikeus，yetweoughtnevertobesothoughtlessastoraiseourselvestoyou，andwanttomakeourselvestheequalsofourqueen。“
“Oh，Julia!youpainme——youpainmeunspeakably，“sighedMarieAntoinette，pressingherhandtoherheart，asifshewantedtokeepbackthetearswhichwouldmountintohereyes。
“Yourmajestyknows，“continuedtheduchess，withhergentle，andyetterriblyquietmanner，“yourmajestyknowshowmodestlyImakeuseofthegreatconfidencewhichyoumostgraciouslybestowuponme；howseldomandhowtremblinglymylipsventuretoutterthedearnameofmyqueen，ofwhomImayrightlytalkonlyinintimateconversewithyourexaltedmotherandyourroyalhusband。Yourmajestyknowsfurther——“
“Oh!Iknowall，all，“interruptedthequeen，sadly。“Iknowthatitisnotthepartofaqueentobehappy，tolove，tobeloved，tohavefriends。Iknowthatyouall，whomIhavesotenderlyloved，feelyourselvesmoreterrifiedthanbenefited；Iknow，thatwiththisconfession，happinesshaswithdrawnfromme。Ilookintothefutureandseethedarkcloudswhicharedescending，andthreateninguswithatempest。Iseeall；Ihavenoillusionsmore。Thefairdaysareallpast——thesunshineofTrianon，andthefragranceofitsflowers。“