Scornandtheloveofdestructionwerewrittenonmostofthefacesoftheseobservers，butmanywerepale，andmanyquiveredwithangerandgrief。Inthefrontranksofthespectatorsstoodtwoyoungmen，oneoftheminsimplecivilian’scostume，theotherintheuniformofasub-lieutenant。Thefaceoftheyoungofficerwaspale，butitlightenedupwithrareenergy；andwithhisnoble，antiqueprofile，andflamingeyes，itenchantedeverylook，andfixedtheattentionofeveryonewhoobservedhim。
Asthehowling，roaringmobpassedhim，theyoungofficerturnedtohiscompanionwithanexpressionoffieryindignation。“0God，“hecried，“howisthispossible？Hasthekingnocannontodestroythiscanaille？“[Footnote：Hisownwords——SeeBeauchesne，vol。i。，p。
“Myfriend，“answeredtheyoungman，smiling，“rememberthewordsofourgreatpoetCorneille：’Thepeoplegivethekinghispurpleandtakeitbackwhentheyplease。Thebeggar，kingonlybythepeople’sgrace，simplygivesbackhispurpletothepeople。’“
“Ah!“criedtheyounglieutenant，smiling，“whatoncehasbeenreceivedshouldbefirmlyheld。I，atleast，ifIhadoncereceivedthepurplebythepeople’sgrace，wouldnotgiveitback。Butcome，letusgoon，itangersmetoseethiscanaille，uponwhichyoubestowthefinenameof’thepeople。’“Hehastilygraspedthearmofhisfriend，andturnedtoamoresolitarypartofthegardenoftheTuileries。
Thisyoungsub-lieutenant，whosawwithsuchindignationthisrevolutionaryprocessionpasshim，andwhomdestinyhadappointedonedaytobringthisrevolutiontoanend——thisyounglieutenant’snamewasNapoleonBonaparte。
Theyoungmanwhowalkedathisside，andwhom，too，destinyhadappointedtoworkarevolution，althoughonlyinthetheatricalworld，torecreatethedrama——thisyoungman’snamewasTalma。
“Everythingpassesover，everythinghasanend；onemustonlyhavecourageandthinkofthat，“saidMarieAntoinette，withagentlesmile，asonthemorningafterherarrivalinParis，shehadrisenfromherbedanddrunkherchocolateintheimprovisedsitting-room。
“HereweareinstalledintheTuileries，andhaveslept，whileweyesterdaywerethinkingwewerelost，andthatonlydeathcouldgiveusrestandpeaceagain。“
“Itwasafearfulday，“saidMadamedeCampan，withasigh，“butyourmajestywentthroughitlikeaheroine。“
“Ah，Campan，“saidthequeen，sadly，“Ihavenottheambitiontowanttobeaheroine，andIshouldbeverythankfulifitwereallowedmefromthistimeontobeawifeandmother，ifitisnolongerallowedmetobeaqueen。“
Atthisinstantthedooropened；thelittledauphin，followedbyhisteacher，theAbbeDavout，raninandflewwithextendedarmstoMarieAntoinette。
“Oh，mammaqueen!“criedhe，withwinningvoice，“letusgobackagaintoourbeautifulpalace；itisdreadfulhereinthisgreat，darkhouse。“
“Hush，mychild，hush!“saidthequeen，pressingtheboyclosetoher。“Youmustnotsayso；youmustaccustomyourselftobecontentedeverywhere。“
“Mammaqueen，“whisperedthechild，tenderlynestlingclosetohismother，“itistrueitisdreadfulhere，butIwillalwayssayitsolowthatnobodyexceptyoucanhear。Buttellme，whoownsthishatefulhouse？Andwhydowewanttostayhere，whenwehavesuchafinepalaceandabeautifulgardeninVersailles？“
“Myson，“answeredthequeenwithasigh，“thishousebelongstous，anditisabeautifulandfamouspalace。Yououghtnottosaythatitdoesnotpleaseyou，foryourrenownedgreat-grandfather，thegreatLouisXIV。，livedhere，andmadethispalacecelebratedalloverEurope。“
“YetIwishthatwewereawayfromhere，“whisperedthedauphin，castinghislargeblueeyeswithaprolongedandtimidglancethroughthewide，desolateroom，whichwasdecoratedsparinglywithold-fashioned，fadedfurniture。
“Iwishso，too，“sighedMarieAntoinette，toherself；butsoftlyasshehadspokenthewords，thesensitiveearofthechildhadcaughtthem。
“You，too，wanttogo？“askedLouisCharles，inamazement。“Areyounotqueennow，andcanyounotdowhatyouwantto？“
Thequeen，piercedtotheveryheartbytheinnocentquestionofthechild，burstintotears。
“Myprince，“saidtheAbbeDavout，turningtothedauphin，“youseethatyoutroublethequeen，andhermajestyneedsrest。Come，wewilltakeawalk。“
ButMarieAntoinetteputbothherarmsaroundthechildandpresseditsheadwithitslightlockstoherbreast。
“No，“shesaid，“no，hedoesnottroubleme。Letmeweep。Tearsdomegood。Oneisonlyunfortunatewhenshecannolongerweep；when——
butwhatisthat？“sheeagerlyasked，risingfromhereasy-chair。
“Whatdoesthatnoisemean？“
Andinveryfactinthestreettherewereloudshoutingandcrying，andintermingledcursesandthreats。
“Mamma，“criedthedauphin，nestlingcloseuptothequeen，“isto-
daygoingtobejustlikeyesterday？“[Footnote：Theverywordsofthedauphin——SeeBeauchesne，vol。i。]
Thedoorwashastilyopened，andthekingentered。
“Sire，“askedMarie，eagerlyadvancingtowardhim，“aretheygoingtorenewthedreadfulscenesofyesterday？“
“Onthecontrary，Marie，theyaregoingtobringtotheirreckoningthosewhooccasionedthescenesofyesterday，“answeredtheking。“A
deputationfromtheCourtofChatelethavecometotheTuileries，anddesireofmeanauthorizationtobringtotrialthosewhoareguilty，andofyouanyinformationwhichyoucangiveaboutwhathastakenplace。Themobhaveaccompaniedthedeputationhither，andhencearisethesecries。Iamcometoaskyou，Marie，toreceivethedeputationofChatelet。“
“Asiftherewereanychoiceleftustorefusetoseethem，“
answeredMarieAntoinette，sighing。“Thepopulacewhoarehowlingandcryingwithoutarenowthemasterofthemenwhocometouswithasneer，andaskuswhetherwewillgrantthemanaudience。Wemustsubmit!“
Thekingdidnotanswer，butshruggedhisshoulders，andopenedthedooroftheantechamber。“Letthementer，“hesaidtothechamberlainsthere。
Thetwofoldingdoorswerenowthrownopen，andtheloudvoiceofanofficerannounced，“ThehonorablejudgesofChatelet!“
Slowly，withrespectfulmienandbowedhead，thegentlemen，arrayedintheirlongblackrobes，enteredtheroom，andremainedhumblystandingnearthedoor。
MarieAntoinettehadadvancedafewsteps。Notatraceofgriefanddisquietwaslongertobeseeninherface。Herfigurewaserect，herglancewasproudandfulloffire，andtheexpressionofhercountenancenobleandmajestic。Shewasstillthequeen，thoughnotsurroundedbythesolemnpompwhichattendedthepublicaudiencesatVersailles。Shedidnotstandonthepurple-carpetedstepofthethrone，nogold-embroideredcanopyarchedoverher，nocrowdofbrilliantcourtierssurroundedher，onlyherhusbandstoodnearher；
hersonclungtoherside，andhisteacher，theAbbeDavout，timidlywithdrewintothebackground。Theseformedallhersuite。ButMarieAntoinettedidnotneedexternalpomptobeaqueen；shewassoinherbearing，ineverylook，ineverygesture。Withcommandingdignitysheallowedthedeputationtoapproachher，andtospeakwithher。Shelistenedwithcalmattentiontothewordsofthespeaker，who，inthenameofthecourt，gaveutterancetothedeephorrorwithwhichthetreasonableactionsofthedaybeforehadfilledhim。Hethenhumblybeggedthequeentogivesuchnamesoftheriotersasmightbeknowntoher，thattheymightbearrested，butMarieAntoinetteinterruptedhiminhisaddress。
“No，sir，“shecried，“no，neverwillIbeaninformeragainstthesubjectsoftheking。“[Footnote：MarieAntoinette’sownwords——SeeGoncourt，“MarieAntoinette，“pp。196，197。]
Thespeakerbowedrespectfully。“Thenletmeatleastbegofyou，inthenameoftheHigh-CourtoftheChatelet，togiveusyourordertobringtheguiltypartiestotrial，forwithoutsuchachargewecannotprosecutethecriminalswhohavebeenengagedintheseacts。“
“NordoIwishyoutobringanyonetotrial，“criedthequeen，withdignity。“Ihaveseenall，knownall，andforgottenall!Go，gentlemen，go!Myheartknowsnovengeance；ithasforgivenallthosewhohavewoundedme。Go!“[Footnote：Ibid]
Withacommandinggestureofherhand，andagentlenodofherhead，shedismissedthedeputation，whosilentlywithdrew。
“Marie，“saidtheking，graspingthehandofhiswifewithunwontedeagerness，andpressingittenderlytohislips，“Marie，Ithankyouinthenameofallmysubjects。Youhaveactedthishournotonlyasaqueen，butasthemotherofmypeople。“
“Ah，sir，“repliedthequeen，withasadsmile，“onlythatthechildrenwillnotbelieveintheloveoftheirmother——onlythatyoursubjectsdonotconsidermetheirmother，buttheirenemy。“
“Theyhavebeenmisguided，“saidtheking。“Evil-mindedmenhavedeceivedthem，butIhopeweshallsucceedinbringingthepeoplebackfromtheirerror。“
“Sire，“sighedMarieAntoinette，“Ihopefornothingmore；but，“
addedshe，withstillfirmervoice，“Ialsofearnothingmore。Theworstmaybreakoverme——itshallfindmearmed!“
Theside-doornowopened，andMadamedeCampanentered。
“Yourmajesty，“saidshe，bowinglow，“agreatnumberofladiesfromtheFaubourgSt。Germainareinthesmallreception-room。Theywishtotestilytheirdevotiontoyourmajesty。“
“Iwillreceivethematonce，“criedMarieAntoinette，withanalmostjoyfultone。“Ah，onlysee，husband，theconsolationswhichmisfortunebrings。TheseladiesoftheFaubourgSt。Germainformerlycutme；theycouldnotforgetthatIwasanAustrian。To-daytheyfeelthatIamtheQueenofFrance，andthatIbelongtothem。
Pardonme，sire，forleavingyou。“
Shehastenedawaywitharapidstep。Thekinglookedafterherwithanexpressionofpain。“Poorqueen，“hewhisperedtohimself，“howmuchsheismisjudged，howwronglysheiscalumniated!AndIcannotchangeit，andmustletitbe。“
Hesankwithadeepsigh，whichseemedmuchlikeagroan，intoanarm-chair，andwaslostinpainfulrecollections。Agentletouchonhishand，whichrestedontheside-armofthechair，restoredhimtoconsciousness。Beforehimstoodthedauphin，andlookedgravelyandthoughtfullyoutofhislargeblueeyesupintohisfather’sface。
“Ah，isityou，mylittleLouisCharles？“saidtheking，noddingtohim。“Whatdoyouwantofme，mychild？“
“Papaking，“answeredtheboy，timidly，“Ishouldliketoaskyousomething——somethingreallyserious!“
“Somethingreallyserious!“repliedtheking。“Well，whatisit？Letmehear!“