“Ah!“sighedthequeen，“IshouldhavebeenhappyifIhadnotbeencompelledtotroublemyselfwiththesedreadfulpolitics。Itcertainlywasnotinmywishnorinmycharacter。Myenemieshavecompelledmetoit；itistheywhohaveturnedthesimple，artlessqueenintoanintriguer。“
“Ah!madam!“saidtheminister，astonished，“youusetheretooharshaword；youspeakasiftheybelongedtoyourenemies。“
“No，Iusetherightword，“criedMarieAntoinette，sadly。“Myenemieshavemadeanintriguerofme。Everywomanwhogoesbeyondherknowledgeandtheboundsofherdutyinmeddlingwithpoliticsisnothingbetterthananintriguer。YouseeatleastthatIdonotflattermyself，althoughittroublesmetohavetogivemyselfsobadaname。TheQueensofFrancearehappyonlywhentheyhavenothingtotroublethemselvesabout，andreserveonlyinfluenceenoughtogivepleasuretotheirfriends，andrewardtheirfaithfulservants。Doyouknowwhatrecentlyhappenedtome？“continuedthequeen，withasadsmile。“AsIwasgoingintotheprivycouncilchambertohaveaconsultationwiththeking，Iheard，whilepassingOEildeBoeuf，oneofthemusicianssayingsoloudthatIhadtolistentoeveryword，’Aqueenwhodoesherdutystaysinherownroomandbusiesherselfwithhersewingandknitting。’Isaidwithinmyself，’Poorfellow，youareright，butyoudon’tknowmyunhappycondition；Iyieldonlytonecessity，andmybadluckurgesmeforward。“[Footnote：Thequeen’sownwords——See“MemoiresdeMadamedeCampan，“volii。，p。32。]
“Ah!madame，“saidtheministerwithasigh，“wouldthattheywhoaccuseyouofminglinginpoliticsoutofambitionandloveofpower——wouldthattheycouldhearyourmajestycomplainofyourselfinthesemovingwords!“
“Myfriend，“saidMarieAntoinette，withasadsmile，“iftheyheardittheywouldsaythatitwasonlysomethinglearnedbyheart，withwhichIwastryingtodisarmtherighteousangerofmyenemies。Itisinvaintowanttoexcuseorjustifymyself，fornoonewillhearaword。Imustbeguilty，Imustbecriminal，thattheywhoaccusememayappeartohavedoneright；thattheymayascendwhiletheypullmedown。Butletusnotspeakmoreofthis!Iknowmyfuture，I
feelitclearandplaininmymindandinmysoulthatIamlost，butIwillatleastfightcourageouslyandzealouslytillthelastmoment；and，ifImustgodown，itshallbeatleastwithhonor，truetomyselfandtruetotheviewsandopinionsinwhichIhavebeentrained。Now，goon；letmeknowthenewlibelsandaccusationswhichhavebeendisseminatedaboutme。“Theministerdrewfromhisportfolioawholepackageofpamphlets，andspreadthemuponalittletablebeforethequeen。
“Somuchatonce!“saidthequeen，sadly，turningoverthepapers。
“HowmuchtroubleImaketomyenemies，andhowmuchtheymusthatemethatIhavesuchtenacityoflife!Hereisapamphletentitled’GoodadvicetoMadameDeficittoleaveFranceassoonaspossible。’
’MadameDeficit!’thatmeansme，doesn’tit？“
“Itisaname，yourmajesty，whichthewickednessoftheDuked’Orleanshasimposeduponyourmajesty，answeredtheminister，withashrugofhisshoulders。
Theeyesofthequeenflashedinanger。Sheopenedherlipstoutteracholericword，butshegovernedherself，andwentonturningoverthepamphletsandcaricatures。Whiledoingthat，whilereadingthewordschargedwithpoisonofwickednessandhate，thetearscoursedslowlyoverhercheeks，andonceinawhileaconvulsivegaspforceditselffromherbreast。
Briennepitiedthedeepsorrowofthequeen。Hebeggedhertodiscontinuethissadperusal。Hewantedtogatherupagainthecontumeliouswritings，butMarieAntoinetteheldhishandback。
“Imustknoweverything，everything，“saidshe。“Goonbringingmeeverything，anddonotbehinderedbymytears。ItisofcoursenaturalthatIamsensitivetotheevilwordsthatarespokenaboutme，andtothebadopinionthatischerishedtowardmebyapeoplethatIlove，andtowinwhoseloveIampreparedtomakeeverysacrifice。“[Footnote：Thequeen’sownwords——SeeMalleville，“HistoiredeMarieAntoinette，“p。197]
Atthismomentthedoorofthecabinetwasdashedopenwithoutceremony，andtheDuchessdePolignacentered。
“Forgiveness!yourmajesty，forgivenessthatIhaveventuredtodisturbyou，but——“
“Whatisit？“criedthequeen，springingup。“Youcometoannouncemisfortunetome，duchess。Itconcernsthedauphin，doesitnot？Hisillnesshasincreased？“
“Yes，yourmajesty，crampshavesetin，andthephysiciansfeartheworst。“
“OGod!OGod!“criedthequeen，raisingbothherhandstoheaven，“iseverymisfortunetobeatdownuponme？Ishalllosemyson，mydearchild!HereIsitweepingpitifultearsaboutthemaliceofmyenemies，andallthiswhilemychildiswrestlinginthepainsofdeath!Farewell，sir，Imustgotomychild。“
Andthequeen，forgettingeverythingelse，thinkingonlyofherchild——thesick，dyingdauphin——hurriedforward，dashingthroughtheroomwithsuchquickstepthattheduchesscouldscarcelyfollowher。
“Ishedead？“criedMarieAntoinettetotheservantstandingintheantechamberofthedauphin。Shedidnotawaitthereply，butburstforward，hastilyopenedthedoorofthesick-room，andentered。
Thereuponthebed，beneaththegold-fringedcanopy，laythepale，motionlessboy，withopen，staringeyes，withparchedlips，andwanderingmind——anditwasherchild，itwastheDauphinofFrance。
Aroundhisbedstoodthephysicians，thequickly-summonedpriests，andtheservants，lookingwithsorrowfuleyesatthepoor，deathly-
palecreaturethatwasnownomorethanawitheredflower，asonofdustthatmustreturntodust；thentheylookedsadlyatthepale，tremblingwifewhocrouchedbeforethebed，andwhonowwasnothingmorethanasorrow-strickenmother，whomustbowbeforethehandofFate，andfeelthatshehadnomorepoweroverlifeanddeaththanthemeanestofhersubjects。
Shebentoverthebed；sheputherarmstenderlyaroundthelittleshrunkenformofthepoorchildthathadlongbeensick，andthatwasnowconfrontingdeath。Shecoveredthepalefaceofhersonwithkisses，andwatereditwithhertears。
Andthesekisses，thesetearsofhismother，awakenedthechildoutofhisstupor，andcalledhimbacktolife。TheDauphinLouisrouseduponcemore，raisedhisgreateyes，and，whenhesawthecountenanceofhismotherabovehimbathedintears，hesmiledandsoughttoraisehisheadandmovehishandtogreether。ButDeathhadalreadylaidhisironbandsuponhim，andheldhimbackuponthecouchofhislastsufferings。
“Areyouinpain，mychild？“whisperedMarieAntoinette，kissinghimaffectionately。“Areyousuffering？“
Theboylookedathertenderly。“Idonotsuffer，“hewhisperedsosoftlythatitsoundedlikethelastbreathofadepartingspirit。
“IonlysufferifIseeyouweep，mamma。“[Footnote：Theverywordsofthedyingdauphin——SeeWeber，“Memoires，“vol。L，p。209。]
MarieAntoinettequicklydriedhertears，and，kneelingnearthebed，foundpowerinhermotherlylovetosummonasmiletoherlips，inorderthatthedauphin，whoseeyesremainedfixeduponher，mightnotseethatshewassuffering。
Adeepsilenceprevailednowintheapartment；nothingwasheardbutthegently-whisperedprayersofthespectators，andtheslow，laboredbreathingofthedyingchild。
Oncethedoorwaslightlyopened，andaman’sfigurestolelightlyin，advancedontiptoetothebed，andsankonhiskneesclosebyMarieAntoinette。Itwastheking，whohadjustbeensummonedfromthecouncil-roomtoseehissondie。
Andnowwithaloudvoicethepriestbegantheprayersforthedying，andallpresentsoftlyrepeatedthem。Onlythequeencouldnot；hereyeswerefasteneduponherson，whonowsawhernomore，forhiseyeswerefixedinthelastdeath-struggle。
Stillonelastgasp，onelastbreath；thencameacryfromMarieAntoinette’slips，andherheadsankuponthehandofherson，whichrestedinherown，andwhichwasnowstiff。Afewtearscoursedslowlyoverthecheeksoftheking，andhishands，foldedinprayer，trembled。
Thepriestraisedhisarms，andwithaloud，solemnvoicecried：
“TheLordgave，theLordhathtakenaway，blessedbethenameoftheLord。Amen。“
“Amen，amen，“whisperedallpresent。
“Amen，“saidtheking，closingwithgentlepressuretheopeneyesofhisson。“GodhastakenyoutoHimself，myson，perhapsbecauseHewantedtopreserveyoufrommuchtroubleandsorrow。BlessedbeHisname!“
Butthequeenstillbowedoverthecoldfaceofthechild，andkissedhislips。“Farewell，myson，“shewhispered，“farewell!Ah!，whycouldInotdiewithyou——withyouflyfromthispitiful，sorrow-strickenworld？“
Then，asifthequeenregrettedthewordswhichthemotherhadspokenwithsighs，MarieAntoinetterosefromherkneesandturnedtothepriest，whowassprinklingthecorpseofthedauphinwithholywater。
“Father，“saidshe，“thechildrenofpoorparents，whomaybebornto-dayinVersailles，areeachtoreceivefrommethesumofathousandfrancs。Iwishthatthedeath-bedofmysonmaybeadayofjoyforthepoorwhohavenot，likeme，lostachild，butgainedone，andthatthelipsofhappymothersmayblessthedayonwhichmyboydied。Havethegoodnesstobringmeto-morrowmorningalistofthechildrenbornto-day。“
“Come，Marie，“saidtheking，“thebodyofoursonbelongsnomoretotheliving，buttothegraveofoutancestorsinSt。Denis；hissoultoGod。Thedauphinisdead!Longlivethedauphin!MadamedePolignac，conductthedauphintousinthecabinetofhismother。“
Andwiththeproudanddignifiedbearingwhichwaspeculiartothekingingreatandmomentousepochs，heextendedhisarmtothequeenandconductedheroutofthedeath-chamber，andthroughtheadjacentapartments，tohercabinet。
“Ah!“criedthequeen，“herewearealone；hereIcanweepformypoorlostchild。“