Nooneofherfriendswasnowatherside，shehadlostthemall。Noonewastheretosharethemiseryofthequeenofallwhohadsharedherhappiness。TheDuchessdePolignac，theprincessesoftheroyalhouse，thecheerybrotheroftheking，Countd’Artois，theCountdeCoigny，LordsBesenvalandLauzun，wherearetheyallnow，thefriends，thesuppliantsofformerdays？Far，farawayindistantlands，flownfromthemisfortunethat，withitsdarkwingssinking，washoveringlowerandloweroverVersailles，anddarkeningwithitsuncannyshadowsthisTrianonwhichhadoncebeensocheerfulandbright。Allnowisdesolateandstill!Themillrattlesnomore，theopenwindowisswungtoandfrobythewind，andthemillernomorelooksoutwithhisgood-natured，laughingface；themillerofTrianonisnolongertheking，andtheburdensandcaresofhisrealmhavebowedhishead。Theschool-house，too，isdesolate，andthelearnedmasternolongerwriteshissatiresandjokesuponthegreatblack-boardintheschool-room。Henowwriteslibelsandpamphlets，buttheyarenowdirectedagainstthequeen，againsttheformermistressofTrianon。Andthereisthefish-pond，alongwhoseshoresthesheepusedtopasture，wherethecourtlycompany，transformedintoshepherdsandshepherdesses，usedtolieonthegrass，singingsongs，arrangingtableaux，andlisteningtothesongswhichthebandplayedbehindthethicket。Allnowissilent。NojoyoustonenowbreaksthemelancholystillnesswhichfillstheshadypathwaysofthegrovewhereMarieAntoinette，themistressofTrianon，nowwalkswithbendedheadandheart-brokenspirit；onlytherecollectionofthepastresoundsasanechoinherinnerear，andrevivesthecheerfulstrainswhichlonghavebeensilent。
Atthefish-pondallisstill，noflocksgrazingontheshore，nopicturesquegroups，nosongs。Thespinning-wheelnolongerwhirls，thehandofthequeennolongerturnsthespindle；shehaslearnedtoholdthesceptreandthepen，andtoweavepublicpolicy，andnotanetoflinen。Thetreeswiththeirvariegatedautumnfoliagearereflectedinthedarkwaterofthepond；someweeping-willowsdroopwiththeirtaperingbranchesdowntothewater，andafewswanscomeslowlysailingacrosswiththeirnecksraisedintheirmajesticfashion。Astheysawthefigureontheshore，theyexpandedtheirwingsandsailedquickeron，topickupthecrumbswhichthewhitehandsofthequeenusedtothrowtothem。
Butthesehandshaveto-daynogiftsforthesolitary，forgottenswans。Allthedear，pleasantcustomsofthepastareforgotten，theyhaveallceased。
Yettheswanshavenotforgottenher；theysailunquietlyhitherandthitheralongtheshoreofthepond，theytossuptheirslendernecks，andthenplungetheirredbeaksdownintothedarkwaterseekingforthegratefulbitswhichwerenotthere。Butwhentheysawthattheyweredisappointed，theypouredforththeirpeculiarlymournfulsongandslowlysailedawaydownthelakeletintotheobscurityofthedistance，lettingtheircomplainingnotesbeheardfromtimetotime。
“Theyaresingingtheswan’ssongofmyhappiness，“whisperedthequeen，lookingwithtearfuleyesatthebeautifulcreatures。“Theytooturnawayfromme，andnowIamalone，allalone。“
Shehadspokenthisloudly，andherquiveringvoicewakenedtheechowhichhadbeenartisticallycontrivedthere，torepeatcheerywordsandmerrylaughter。
“Alone!“soundedbackfromthewallsoftheMarlboroughTowerattheendofthefish-pond。“Alone!“whisperedthewaterstirredwiththeswans。“Alone!“wastherustlingcryofthebushes。“Alone!“washeardintheheartofthequeen，andshesankdownuponthegrass，coveredherfacewithherhands，andweptaloud。Allatoncetherewasacryinthedistance，“Thequeen，whereisthequeen？“
MarieAntoinettesprangupanddriedhereyes。Nooneshouldseethatshehadwept。Tearsbelongonlytosolitude，butshehasnolongerevensolitude。Thevoicecomesnearerandnearer，andMarieAntoinettefollowsthesound。Sheknowsthatsheisgoingtomeetanewmisfortune。PeoplehavenotcometoTrianontobringhertidingsofjoy；theyhavecometotellherthatdestructionawaitsherinVersailles，andthequeenistogiveaudiencetoit。
Amancamewithhurriedstepfromthethicketdownthewindingfootpath。MarieAntoinettelookedathimwitheager，sharpeye。Whoishe，thisheraldofmisfortune？Nooneofthecourtservants，nooneofthegentry。
Hewearsthesimplegarmentsofacitizen，amanofthepeople，ofthatThirdEstatewhichhaspreparedforthepoorqueensomuchtroubleandsorrow。
Hehadperhapsreadherquestioninherface，for，ashenowsankbreathlessatherfeet，hislipsmurmured：“Forgiveme，yourmajesty，forgivemethatIdisturbyou。IamToulan，yourmostdevotedservant，anditisMadamedeCampanwhosendsme。“
“Toulan，yes，Irecognizeyounow，“saidthequeen，hastily。“Itwasyou，wasitnot，whobroughtmethesadnewsoftheacquittalofRohan？“
“Itappears，yourmajesty，thatacruelmisfortunehasalwayschosenmetobethebearerofeviltidingstomyexaltedqueen。Andto-dayIcomeonlywithsuch。“
“Whatisit？“criedthequeen，eagerly。“Hasanythinghappenedtomyhusband？Aremychildrenthreatened？Speakquickly，saynooryes。Letmeknowthewholetruthatonce。Isthekingdead？Aremychildrenindanger？“
“No，yourmajesty。“
“No，“criedthequeen，breathingabreathofrelief。“Ithankyou，air。YouseethatyouaccusedFatefalsely，foryouhavebroughtmegoodtidings。AndyetagainIthankyou，for，Iremember，Ihavemuchtothankyoufor。ItwasyouwhoraisedyourvoiceintheNationalAssembly，andvotedfortheinviolabilityofthequeen。Itwasnotyourfault，andbelievemenotmineeither，thatyourvoicewasalone，thatnoonejoinedyou。Thekinghasbeendeclaredinviolable，butnotthequeen，andnowIamtobeattacked，amI
not？Tellmewhatisit？WhydoesmyfaithfulCampansendyoutome？“
“Yourmajesty，toconjureyoutocometoVersailles。“
“Whathashappenedthere？“
“Nothingasyet，yourmajesty，but——IwasearlythismorninginParis，andwhatIsawtheredeterminedmetocomehitheratonce，tobringthenewsandwarnyourmajesty。“
“Whatisit？Whydoyouhesitate？Speakoutfreely。“
“Yourmajesty，allParisisinmotion，allParisismarchinguponVersailles!“
“Whatdoyoumeanbythat？“askedMarieAntoinette，passionately。
“WhatdoesPariswant？DoesitmeantothreatentheNationalAssembly？Explainyourself，foryouseeIdonotunderstandyou。“
“Yourmajesty，thepeopleofParishunger。Thebakershavemadenobread，fortheyassertthatthereisnomoremeal。Theenemiesoftherealmhavetakenadvantageoftheexcitementtostirupthemassesandeventhewomen。Thepeoplearehungry；thepeoplearecomingtoVersaillestoaskthekingforbread。TenthousandwomenareontheroadtoVersailles，accompaniedbyarmedbodiesofmen。“
“Letushasten，sir，Imustgotomychildren，“saidthequeen，andwithquickstepsshewentforward。Notaglanceback，notawordoffarewelltothelovedplantationofTrianon，andyetitisthelasttimethatMarieAntoinetteistolookuponit。Shewillneverreturnhither，sheturnsherbackforeveruponTrianon。
Withflyingstepsshehurrieson；Toulandoesnotventuretoaddressher，andshehasperhapsentirelyforgottenhispresence。Shedoesnotknowthatafaithfuloneisnearher；sheonlyknowsthatherchildrenareinVersailles，andthatshemustgotothemtoprotectthem，andtothekingtoo，todiewithhim，ifitmustbe。
WhentheywerenotfarfromthegreatmalloftheparkatVersailles，theCountdeSt。Priestcamerunning，andhisfrightenedlooksandpalefaceconfirmedthenewsthatMr。Toulanhadbrought。
“Yourmajesty，“criedthecount，breathless，“ItookthelibertyoflookingforyourmajestyatTrianon。Badnewshasarrived。“
“Iknowit，“answeredthequeen，calmly。“TenthousandwomenaremarchinguponVersailles，Mr。Toulanhasinformedme，andyouseeI
amcomingtoreceivethewomen。“
AllatonceshestoodstillandturnedtoToulan，whowaswalkingbehindherlikethefaithfulservantofhismistress。
“Sir，“saidshe，“Ithankyou，andIknowthatImayreckonuponyou。Iamsurethatto-dayasalwaysyouhavethoughtuponourwelfare，andthatyouwillremainmindfuloftheoathoffidelitywhichyouoncegaveme。Farewell!DoyougototheNationalAssembly。Iwillgotothepalace，andmayweeachdoourduty。“ShesalutedToulanwithagentleinclinationofherheadandwithbeaminglooksofgratitudeinherbeautifuleyes，andthenhurriedonupthegrandmalltothepalace。
InVersaillesallwasconfusionandconsternation。Everyonehadlosthissenses。Everyoneasked，andnooneanswered，fortheonlyonewhocouldanswer，theking，wasnotthere。HehadnotyetreturnedfromthehuntinMeudon。
Butthequeenwasthere，andwithagrandcalmnessandmatchlessgraspofmindsheundertookthedutiesoftheking。First，shesentthechiefequerry，theMarquisdeCubieres，tomeetthekingandcausehimtohastenhomeatonce。SheintrustedCountSt。Priest，ministeroftheinterior，withadivisionoftheguardsintheinnercourtofthepalace。Sheinspiredthetimidwomenwithhope。Shesmiledatherchildren，who，timidandanxiousattheconfusionwhichsurroundedthem，fledtothequeenforrefuge，andclungtoher。
Darkeranddarkergrewthereportsthatcamemeanwhiletothepalace。Theywerethestorm-birds，sotospeak，thatprecedethetempest。TheyannouncedthenearapproachofthepeopleofParis，ofthewomen，whowerenolongerunarmed，andwhohadbeenjoinedbythousandsoftheNationalGuard，who，inordertogivethetrainofwomenamoreimposingappearance，hadbroughttwocannonwiththem，andwho，armedwithknivesandguns，pikesandaxes，andsingingwildwar-songs，weremarchingonastheescortofthewomen。
Thequeenheardallwithoutalarm，withoutfear。Shecommandedthewomen，whostoodaroundherweepingandwringingtheirhands，towithdrawtotheirownapartments，andprotectthedauphinandtheprincess，tolockthedoorsbehindthemandtoadmitnoone——noone，exceptingherself。Shetookleaveofthechildrenwithakiss，andbadethembefearlessanduntroubled。Shedidnotlookatthemasthewomentookthemaway。Shebreathedfirmlyasthedoorsclosedbehindthem。