“Andnowyousuppose，Mr。Mayor，thatitwouldchangetheblessingintoacurseagain，ifweshouldwanttoclosethegatesthatHenryIV。opened？“
“Idofearit，madame，andthereforeventuretoaskthattherighttoentertheTuileriesgardensmaynotbetakenfromthepeople，northeirenjoymentinterferedwith。“
“Notthepeople’senjoyment，onlyours，istobeinterferedwith，“
criedMarieAntoinette，bitterly。“TheyaredoubtlessrightwhocallthepeoplenowtherealkingofFrance，buttheyforgetthatthisnewkinghasusurpedthethroneonlybytreachery，rebellion，andmurder，andthatthewrathofGodandthejusticeofman’willonedayhurlhimdownintothedustatourfeet。InthisdayIhope，anduntilthenIwillbearinpatienceandwithunshakencouragewhatfatemaylayuponme。Thewickednessandbrutalityofmenshallatleastnotintimidateme，andfearshallnothumiliatemetothestateofaprisonerwhotakesherwalksundertheprotectionofM。
deLafayette，thegeneralofthepeople，atappointedhours。“
“Yourmajesty，“criedLafayette，turningpale。
“Whatisyourpleasure？“interruptedthequeen，withaproudmovementofherhead。“Youwereagentleman，andknewthecustomsand。modeofourcourtbeforeyouwenttoAmerica。Hasthewantofmannerstheresodisturbedyourmemorythatyoudonotknowthatitisnotpermittedtospeakinthepresenceofthequeenwithoutbeingaskedorpermittedbyhertodoso？“
“General，“criedthedauphin，atthisinstant，withloud，eagervoice，runningforwardtoLafayette，andextendingtohimhislittlehand——“general，Ishouldliketosaluteyou。MammatoldmethatI
mustbekindtoallthosewhoaregoodtousandloveus，andjustasyouwerecominginwiththisgentleman，mammatoldmethatGeneralLafayettedoesnotbelongtoourenemies，butmeanswelltous。Letme，therefore，greetyoukindlyandgiveyoumyhand。“Andwhilesayingsoandsmilingkindlyatthegeneral，heraisedhisgreatblueeyestothefaceofhismotheraninstantwithasupplicatoryexpression。
Lafayettetooktheextendedhandoftheprince，andaflushofdeepemotionpassedoverhisfacethatwasjustbeforekindlingwithanger。Asiftouchedwithreverenceandastonishment，hebenthiskneebeforethischild，whosecountenancebeamedwithinnocence，love，andgoodness，andpressedtohislipsthelittlehandthatrestedinhisown。
“Myprince，“saidbe，deeplymoved，“youhavejustspokentomewiththetongueofanangel，andIsweartoyou，andtoyourexaltedroyalmother，thatIwillneverforgetthismoment；thatIwillrememberitsolongasIlive。ThekisswhichIhaveimpresseduponthehandofmyfuturekingisatoncethesealofthesolemnvow，andtheoathofunchangeablefidelityanddevotionwhichI
consecratetomykingandtothewholeroyalfamily，andinwhichnothingshallmakemewaver；nothing，noteventheangerandthewantoffavorofmyexaltedqueen。DauphinofFrance，youhaveto-
daygainedasoldierforyourthronewhoispreparedtoshedhislastdropofbloodforyouandyourhouse，andonwhosefidelityanddevotionyoumaycontinuallycount。“
Withtearsinhiseyes，hisbrave，noblefacequiveringwithemotion，Lafayettelookedatthechildthatwithcheeksallaglowandwithapleasantsmilewasgazingwithgreat，thoughtfulchild’seyesuptothestrongman，whoplacedhimselfsohumblyanddevotedlyathisfeet。BehindhimstoodM。deBailly，withbendedheadandfoldedhands，listeningwithsolemnthoughtfulnesstothewordsofthegeneral，uponwhosestrongshouldersthefateofthemonarchyrested，andwho，atthistime，wasthemightiestandmostconspicuousmaninFrance，becausetheNationalGuardofPariswasstillobedienttohim，andfollowedhiscommands。
Closebythedauphinstoodthequeen，inherold，proudattitude，butuponherfaceastrikingchangehadtakenplace。Theexpressionofangerandsuspicionwhichithadbeforedisplayedhadnotcompletelydisappeared。Thecloudwhichhadgathereduponherloftyforeheadwasdissipated，andherfaceshoneoutbrightandclear。
Thelarge，grayish-blueeyes，whichbeforehadshotangrydarts，nowglowedwithmildfire，andaroundherlipsplayedaninstantthatfair，pleasantsmilewhich，inherhappierdays，hadoftenmovedthefavoritesofthequeentoversesofpraise，andwhichherenemieshadsooftenmadeareproachtoher。
Whenthegeneralceasedtherewassilence——thateloquent，solemnsilencewhichaccompaniesthosemomentsinwhichtheGeniusofHistoryhoversovertheheadsofmen，and，touchingthemwithitspinions，tiestheirtonguesandopenstheeyesofthespirit，sothattheycanlookintothefuture，and，withpresaginghorror，readallthesecretsofcomingtimeasbyaflashoflightning。
SuchacriticalmomentinhistorywasthatinwhichLafayette，atthefeetofthedauphin，sworeeternalfidelitytothemonarchyofFranceinthepresenceoftheunfortunatemayorofParis，whowassoontosealhisloyaltywithhisownblood，andinpresenceofthequeen，whoseloftycharacterwassoontomakeheramartyr。
Themomentspassedby，thenMarieAntoinettebowedtoLafayettewithhergracioussmile。
“Rise，general，“shesaid，ingentletones，“Godhasheardyouroath，andIacceptitinthenameoftheFrenchmonarchy，myhusband，myson，andmyself。Ishallalwayscontinuemindfulofit，andIhopethatyouwillalso。AndIbegyou，too，“shecontinued，inalowvoice，andwithadeepflushuponherface，“IbegyoutoforgivemeifIhavehithertocastunworthyreproachesuponyou。I
havelivedthroughsomanysadanddreadfuldays，thatitwillbesetdowntomyfavorifmynervesareagitatedandeasilyexcited。I
shallprobablylearntoacceptevildayswithcalmness，andtobowmyheadpatientlybeneaththeyokewhichmyenemiesarelayinguponme!ButstillIfeeltheinjury，andtheproudhabitsofmybirthandlifewaragainstit。Butonlywait，andIshallbecomeaccustomedtoit。“
Whilesayingthisshestoopeddowntothedauphinandkissedhisgoldenhair。Atearfellfromhereyesupontheforeheadofherson，andglitteredtherelikeastarfallenfromheaven。MarieAntoinettedidnotseeit，didnotknowthatthetearwhichshewastryingtoconcealwasnowglisteningonthebrowofherson——onthatbrowwhichwasnevertowearanyotherdiademthantheonethatthetearsofloveplacedonhisinnocenthead。
“Heavendefendyourmajestyeverbeingcompelledtobecomeaccustomedtoinsult!“criedLafayette，deeplymoved。“Ihopewehaveseenourworstdays，andthatafterthetempesttherewillbesunshineandbrightweatheragain。Thepeoplewilllookbackwithshameandregretuponthewildandstormyscenestowhichtheyhaveallowedthemselvestobedrawnbyunprincipledagitators；theywillbowinloveandobediencebeforetheroyalcouplewho，withsomuchconfidenceanddevotion，leavetheirbeautiful，retiredhomeatVersailles，inordertocomplywiththewishofthepeopleandcometoParis。WillyourmajestyhavethegoodnesstoaskthemayorofParis，andhewilltellyou，madame，howdeeplymovedallthegoodcitizensofParisareatthetrulynoblespiritwhichpromptedyoutorefusetoinitiateaninvestigationrespectingthenightofhorrorsatVersailles，andtobringtheringleaderstojustice。“
“Isittrue，M。deBailly？“askedthequeen，eagerly。“Wasmydecisionapproved？HaveIfriendsstillamongthepeopleofParis？“
“Yourmajesty，“answeredM。deBailly，bowinglow，“allgoodcitizensofParishaveseenwithdeepemotionthenobleresolveofyourmajesty，andinallnobleandtrueheartstheroyalwordsarerecordedimperishably，whichyourmajestyspoketothejudgesoftheChatelet，’Ihaveheardall，seenall，andforgottenall!’Withtearsofdeepfeeling，withahallowedjoy，theyarerepeatedthroughallParis；theyhavebecomethewatchwordofallthewell-
inclinedandfaithful，theevangelofloveandforgivenessforallwomen，offidelityanddevotionforallmen!IthasbeenseenandconfessedthatthethroneofFranceisthepossessornotonlyofgoodnessandbeauty，butofforgivenessandgentleness，andthatyourmajestybearsrightlythetitleoftheMostChristianQueen。
Theseninewordswhichyourmajestyhasuttered，havebecomethesacredbannerofalltruesouls，andtheywillcausethegoldendaystocomeback，astheyoncedawneduponPariswhentheDauphinofFrancemadehisentryintothecapital，anditcouldbesaidwithtruthtothefuturequeen，MarieAntoinette，’Hereareahundredthousandloversofyourperson。’“
Thequeenwasnolongerabletomasterherdeepemotion。Shewhohadhadthecouragetodisplayaproudanddefiantmientoherenemiesandassailants，couldnotconcealtheintensityofherfeelingwhenhearingwordsofsuchdevotion，andutteredacry，thenchokedwithemotion，andatlengthburstintoatorrentoftears。Equallyastonishedandashamed，shecoveredherfacewithherhands，butthetearsgushedoutbetweenherwhitetaperingfingers，andwouldnotbewithheld。Theyhadbeensolongrepressedbehindthoseproudeyelids，thatnow，despitethequeen’swill，theyforcedtheirwaywithdoublepowerandintensity。
Butonlyforamomentdidtheproud-spiritedqueenallowherselftobeovercomebythegentleanddeeply-movedwoman；shequicklycollectedherselfandraisedherhead。
“Ithankyou，sir，Ithankyou，“shesaid，breathingmorefreely，“youhavedonemegood，andthesetears，thoughnotthefirstwhichgriefandangerhaveextorted，arethefirstforalongtimewhichhavesprungfromwhatisalmostjoy。WhoknowswhetherIshalleverbeabletoshedsuchtearsagain!Andwhoknows，“shecontinued，withadeepsigh，“whetherIdonotowethesetearsmoretoyourwishtodomegood，thantotrueandrealgains？Ibethinkmenow——
yousayallgoodcitizensofParisrepeatmywords，allthewell-
disposedaresatisfiedwithmydecision。But，ah!Ifearthatthenumberoftheseisverysmall，andthatthegoldendaysofthepastwillneverreturn!Andisnotyourappearancehereto-dayaproofofthis？Didyounotcomeherebecausethepeopleinsultandcalumniateme，andbecauseyouconsidereditneedfultothrowaroundmeyourprotection，whichisnowmightierthantheroyalpurpleandtheliliesofthethroneofFrance？“
“Madame，timemustbegrantedtothemisguidedpeopletoreturntotherightway，“saidLafayette，almostwithasupplicatingair。
“Theymustbedealtwithaswedealwithdefiant，naughtychildren，whichcanbebroughtbacktoobedienceandsubmissionbetterbygentlespeechandapparentconcessionthanbyrigidityandseverity。
OnthisaccountIventuredtoaskyourmajestytointrustmeforalittlewhilewiththecareofyoursacredperson，and，inorderthatImaysatisfymyduty，thatyouwouldgraciouslyappointthetimewhenyourmajestywilltakeyourwalkshereintheparkandgarden，sothatIcanmakemyarrangementsaccordingly。“
“InordertomakeafenceoutofyourNationalGuards，protectedbywhichtheQueenofFrancemaynotbecomevisibletothehateofthepeople，andbehindwhichshemaybesecureagainsttheattacksofherenemies!“criedMarieAntoinette。“No，sir，Icannotacceptthis!ItshallatleastbeseenthatIamnocoward，andthatIwillnothidemyselffromthosewhocometoattackme!“
“Yourmajesty，“saidBailly，“Iconjureyou，dothisoutofcompassionforus，forallyourfaithfulservantswhotrembleforthepeaceandsecurityofyourmajesty，andallowM。deLafayettetokeepthebrutalityofthepeopleawayfromyou，andprotectyouinyourwalks。“
“Sufficient，gentlemen，“criedMarieAntoinette，impatiently。“Younowknowmyfixedresolve，anditisnotnecessarytodiscussitfurther。Iwillnothidemyselffromthepeople，andIwillconfrontthemunderthesimpleprotectionofGod。DefendedbyHim，andsustainedbytheconvictionthatIhavenotmeritedthehatewithwhichIampursued，Iwillcontinuetomeetthesubjectsofthekingfearlessly，withanunveiledhead，andonlyGodandmyfateshalljudgebetweenmeandthem!Ithankyou，gentlemen，foryourzealandyourcare，andyoumaybesurethatIshallneverforgetit。Butnowfarewell，gentlemen!Itisgrowingcold，andIshouldliketoreturntothepalace。“
“Willyourmajestynothavethekindnesstoallowusbothtominglewithyourtrain，andaccompanyyoutothepalace？“askedLafayette。
“Icamehither，attendedbyonlytwolackeys，whoarewaitingoutsidethepavilion，“answeredthequeen。“YouknowthatIhavelaidasidethecourtetiquettewhichusedtoattendthequeenuponherwalks，andwhichdonotallowthefreeenjoymentofnature。Myenemieschargemewiththisasanoffence，andconsideritimproperthattheQueenofFranceshouldtakeawalkwithoutabrillianttrainofcourtiers，andlikeanyotherhumanbeing。ButIthinkthatthepeopleoughtnottobeangryatthis，andtheymaytakeitasasignthatIamnotsoproudandunapproachableasIamgenerallybelievedtobe。Andsofarewell，gentlemen!“