saidmyfathertomeonthefifteenthday。’Ifitshouldbeinvainonthemorrow，thenIshallsellmycross，thatyou，Louis，maynotneedtobehungryanymore，andthenmayGodhavemercyuponus!’Sowewentthenextdaytothegalleryagain。Myfatherwasto-daypalerthanbefore，butheheldhisheaderect；hefixedhiseye，fullofanexpressionofdefianceandscorn，uponthetalkative，laughinggentlemenaroundhim，whostruttedintheirrichclothes，andoverlookedthepoorchevalierwhostoodnearthem，despisedandalone。Inmypoorboy’shearttherewasafearfulrageagainsttheseproud，superciliousmen，whothoughtthemselvessograndbecausetheyworebetterclothes，andbecausetheyhaddistinguishedacquaintancesandrelations，andyetwerenomorethanmyfather——nomorethansuppliantsandpetitioners；tearsofangerandofgrieffilledmyeyes，andthedepthofourpovertyexasperatedmysoulagainsttheinjusticeoffate。Allatoncethewhisperingandtalkingceased，——thekingandthequeenhadenteredthegallery。Thekingadvancedtothemiddleofthehall，thegrandalmonercalledthenames，andthefavoredonesapproachedtheking，toreceivefromhimthefulfilmentoftheirwishes，oratleastkeeptheirhopealive。Nearhimstoodtheyoungqueen，andwhileshewasconvergingwithsomegentlemenofthecourt，herbeautifuleyesglancedovertous，andlingereduponthenoblebutsadformofmyfather。Ihadnoticedthatonpreviousdays，andeverytimeitseemedtomeasifarayfromthesunhadwarmedmypoortremblingheart——asifnewblossomsofhopewereputtingforthinmysoul。To-daythissensation，whenthequeenlookedatus，wasmoreintensethanbefore。Myfatherlookedatthekingandwhisperedsoftly，’Iseehimto-dayforthelasttime!’ButIsawonlythequeen，andwhileI
pressedthecold，moisthandofmyfathertomylips，Iwhispered，’Courage，dearfather，courage!Thequeenhasseenus。’Shestoppedshortinherconversationwiththegentlemanandadvancedthroughthehallwithaquick，lightstepdirectlytous；herlargegray-
blueeyesbeamedwithkindness，aheavenlysmileplayedaroundherrosylips，hercheekswereflushedwithfeeling；shewassimplydressed，andyettherefloatedaroundheranatmosphereofgraceandnobleness。’Mydearchevalier，’saidshe，andhervoiceranglikethesweetestmusic，’mydearchevalier，haveyougivenapetitiontotheking？’’Yes，madame，’answeredmyfathertrembling，’fourteendaysagoIpresentedapetitiontotheking。’’Andhaveyoureceivednoansweryet？’sheaskedquickly。’Iseeyoueverydayherewiththeladthere，andconcludeyouarestillhopingforananswer。’’Soitis，madame，’answeredmyfather，’Iexpectananswer，thatisI
expectadecisioninvolvingmylifeordeath。’’Poorman!’saidthequeen，withatoneofdeepsympathy。’Fourteendaysofsuchwaitingmustbedreadful!Ipityyousincerely。Haveyounoonetopresentyourclaims？’’Madame，’answeredmyfather，’Ihavenooneelsetopresentmyclaimsthanthisemptysleevewhichlacksarightarm——nootherprotectionthanthejusticeofmycause。’’Poorman!’sighedthequeen，’youmustknowtheworldverylittleifyoubelievethatthisisenough。But，ifyouallowme，Iwillundertakeyourprotection，andbeyourintercessorwiththeking。Tellmeyournameandaddress。’Myfathergavethem，thequeenlistenedattentivelyandsmiledinfriendlyfashion。’Behereto-morrowatthishour——I
myselfwillbringyoutheking’sanswer。’Weleftthepalacewithnewcourage，withnewhope。Wefeltnolongerthatweweretiredandhungry，andheedednotthecomplaintsofourhost，whodeclaredthathehadnomorepatience，andthathewouldnolongergiveuscreditforthemiserablechamberwhichwehad。Hisscoldingandthreateningtroubledusthatdaynomore。Webeggedhimtohavepatiencewithustillto-morrow。Wetoldhimourhopesforthefuture，andwerejoicedinourowncheerfulexpectations。Atlengththenextdayarrived，thehouroftheaudiencecame，andwerepairedtothegreatgallery。MyheartbeatsoviolentlythatIcouldfeelituponmylips，andmyfather’sfacewaslightedupwithaglowofhope；hiseyehaditsoldfire，hiswholebeingwasfilledwithnewlife，hiscarriageerectasinourhappydays。Atlastthedoorsopenedandtheroyalcoupleentered。’Prayforme，myson，’myfatherwhispered——’prayformethatmyhopesbenotdisappointed，elseI
shallfalldeadtotheearth。’ButIcouldnotpray，Icouldnotthink。Icouldonlygazeatthebeautifulyoungqueen，whoseemedtomyeyesasifbeaminginagoldencloudsurroundedbyallthestarsofheaven。Theeyesofthequeendartedinquiringlythroughthehall；atlastshecaughtmineandsmiled。Ohthatsmile!itshotlikearayofsunlightthroughmysoul，itfilledmywholebeingwithrapture。Isankuponmyknee，foldedmyhands，andnowIcouldthink，couldpray：’Ablessinguponthequeen!shecomestosavemydearfather’slife，forshefreesusfromoursufferings。’Thequeenapproached，sobeautiful，solovely，withsuchabeamingeye。Sheheldasealedpaperinherhandandgaveittomyfatherwithagentleinclinationofherhead。’Here，sir，’shesaid，’thekingishappytobeabletoreward，inthenameofFrance，oneofhisbestofficers。Thekinggrantsyouayearlypensionofthreehundredlouis-d’or，andIwishforyouandyoursonthatyoumayliveyetmanyyearstoenjoyhappinessandhealth。Goatoncewiththispapertothetreasury，andyouwillreceivethefirstquarterlypayment。’
Then，whenshesawthatmyfatherwasalmostswooning，shesummonedwithaloudvoicesomegentlemenofthecourt，andcommandedthemtotakecareofmyfather；totakehimoutintothefreshair，andtoarrangethathebesenthomeinacarriage。Nowallthesefinegentlemenwerebusyinhelpingus。Everyoneviedwiththeothersinbeingfriendlytous；andthepoorneglectedinvalidwhohadbeencrowdedtothewall，theoverlookedofficerToulan，wasnowanobjectofuniversalcareandattention。Werodehometoourinninaroyalcarriage，andthehostdidnotgrumbleanylonger；hewasanxioustoprocureusfood，andveryactiveincaringforallourneeds。Thequeenhadsavedusfrommisfortune，thequeenhadmadeushappyandwelltodo。“
“Ablessinguponthedearheadofourqueen!“criedMargaret，raisingherfoldedhandstoheaven。“NowIshalldoublyloveher，forsheisthebenefactorofhimIlove。Oh，whyhaveyouwaiteduntilnowbeforetellingmethisbeautiful，touchingstory？WhyhaveInotenjoyeditbefore？ButIthankyoufrommyheartforthegoodwhichithasdoneme。“
“Mydearone，“answeredToulan，gravely，“thereareexperiencesinthehumansoulthatonemayrevealonlyinthemostmomentousepochsoflife——justasintheJewishtempletheHolyofHolieswasrevealedonlyonthechieffeast-days。Suchatime，mydearone，isto-day，andIwithdrawallveilsfrommyheart，andletyouseeandknowwhat，besidesyou，onlyGodseesandknows。SincethatdaywhenIreturnedwithmyfatherfromthepalace，andwhenthequeenhadmadeushappyagain——sincethatdaymywholesoulhasbelongedtothequeen。Ithankedherforall，forthecontentmentofmyfather，foreverycheerfulhourwhichwespenttogether；andalltheknowledgeIhavegained，allthestudiesIhaveattempted，Iowetothebeautiful，nobleMarieAntoinette。Wewenttoourhome，andI
enteredthehigh-schoolinordertofitmyselftobeamerchant，abookseller。Myfatherhadenjoineduponmeriottochooseasoldier’slot。Thesadexperienceofhisinvalidlifehungoverhimlikeadarkcloud，andhedidnotwishthatIshouldeverenterintothesame。’Beanindependent，freeman，’saidhetome。’Learntodependonyourownstrengthandyourownwillalone。Usethepowersofyourmind，becomeasoldieroflabor，andsoserveyourcountry。
Iknow，indeed，thatifthehourofdangerevercomes，youwillbeatrue，boldsoldierforyourqueen，andfightforhertillyourlastbreath。’Ihadtopromisehimonhisdeath-bedthatIwouldsodo。
Eventhenhesawthedarkanddangerousdaysapproach，whichhavenowbrokenupontherealm——eventhenheheardthemutteringofthetempestwhichnowsoinevitablyisapproaching；andoftenwhenI
wenthometohissilentchamberIfoundhimreading，withtearsinhiseyes，thepamphletsandjournalswhichhadcomefromParistousatRouen，andwhichseemedtouslikethestorm-birdsannouncingthetempest。’Thequeenissogood，soinnocent，’hewouldsigh，’andtheymakehergoodnessacrimeandherinnocencetheymakeguilt!
Sheislikealamb，surroundedbytigers，thatplaysthoughtlesslywiththeflowers，anddoesnotknowthepoisonthatlurksbeneaththem。Sweartome，Louis，thatyouwillseek，ifGodgivesyouthepower，tofreethelambfromthebloodthirstytigers。Sweartomethatyourwholelifeshallbedevotedtoherservice。’AndIdidswearit，Margaret，notmerelytomydearfather，buttomyselfaswell。EverydayIhaverepeated，’ToQueenMarieAntoinettebelongsmylife，foreverythingthatmakeslifevaluableIowetoher。’
“Whenmyfatherdied，IleftRouenandremovedtoParis，theretopursuemybusinessasabookseller。Mysuspicionstoldmethatthetimewouldsooncomewhenthefriendsofthequeenmustrallyaroundher，andmustperhapsputamaskovertheirfaces，inordertosustainthemselvesuntilthedaysofrealdanger。Thattimehasnowcome，Margaret；thequeenisindanger!Thetigershavesurroundedthelamb，anditcannotescape。Enemieseverywhere，whereveryoulook!——enemieseveninthepalaceitself。TheCountdeProvence，herownbrother-in-law，hasforyearspersecutedherwithhisepigrams，becausehecannotforgiveitinherthatthekingpaysmoreattentiontohercounselsthanhedoestothoseofhisbrother，whohatestheAustrian。TheCountd’Artois，formerlytheonlyfriendofMarieAntoinetteintheroyalfamily，desertedherwhenthequeentookgroundagainsttheviewoftheking’sbrothersinfavorofthedoublerepresentationoftheThirdEstate，andpersuadedherhusbandtocomplywiththewishesofthenationandcalltogethertheStates-General。Hehasgoneovertothecampofherenemies，andragesagainstthequeen，becausesheisinclinedtofavorthewishesofthepeople。Andyetthisverypeopleisturnedagainsther，doesnotbelieveinthelove，butonlyinthehateofthequeen，andallpartiesareagreedinkeepingthepeopleinthisfaith。TheDuked’Orleansrevengeshimselfupontheinnocentandpurequeenforthescornwhichshedisplaystothisinfamousprince。Theauntsofthequeenrevengethemselvesfortheobscurepositiontowhichfatehasconsignedthem，theyhavingtoplaythesecondpartatthebrilliantcourtofVersailles，andbethrownintotheshadebyMarieAntoinette。Thewholecourt——allthesejealous，enviousladies——
revengethemselvesforthefavorwhichthequeenhasshowntothePolignacs。Theyhaveunderminedhergoodname；theyhavefoughtagainstherwiththepoisonedarrowsofdenunciation，calumny，pamphlets，andlibels。Everythingbadthathashappenedhasbeenascribedtoher。Shehasbeenheldresponsibleforeveryevilthathashappenedtothenation。
Thequeenisaccountableforthefinancialtroublesthathavebrokenoverus，andsincetheministryhavedeclaredthestatebankrupt，ParisianscallthequeenMadameDeficit。Cursesfollowherwhenshedrivesout，andevenwhensheentersthetheatre。EveninherowngardensofSt。CloudandTrianonmendaretoinsultthequeenasshepassesby。InalltheclubsofParistheythunderatthequeen，andcallherthedestructionofPrance。ThedownfallofMarieAntoinetteisresolveduponbyherenemies，andthetimehascomewhenherfriendsmustbeactiveforher。ThetimehascomeformetopaythevowwhichImadetomydyingfatherandtomyself。Godhasblessedmyeffortsandcrownedmyindustryandactivitywithsuccess。Ihavereachedanindependentposition。Theconfidenceofmyfellow-
citizenshasmademeacouncillor。Ihaveacceptedtheposition，notoutofvanityorambition，butbecauseitwillgivemeopportunitytoservethequeen。Iwearamaskbeforemyface。Ibelongtothedemocratsandagitators。Iappeartotheworldasanenemyofthequeen，inordertobeabletodohersomesecretserviceasafriend；forIsaytoyou，andrepeatitbeforeGod，tothequeenbelongmywholelife，mywholebeing，andthought。Iloveyou，Margaret!Everythingwhichcanmakemylifehappywillcomefromyou，andyetIshallbereadyeveryhourtoleaveyou——toseemyhappinessgotoruinwithoutacomplaint，withoutasigh，ifIcanbeofservicetothequeen。Youmyheartloves；hermysouladores。
WhereverIshallbe，Margaret，ifthecallofthequeencomestome，Ishallfollowit，evenifIknowthatdeathlurksatthedoorbehindwhichthequeenawaitsme。Westandbeforeadarkandtempestuoustime，andourcountryistobetornwithfearfulstrife。