Butgraduallyshegainedhercomposureandspirit，andeventhedailyhumiliationandtrialswhichsheencounteredawakenedinherthefireanddefianceofherearlierdays。
Thekingandthequeenwere，aftertheirreturnfromVarennes，theprisonersoftheirownpeople，andtheTuileriesformedtheprisoninwhichwithnever-sleepingcrueltythepeoplewatchedtheirroyalcaptives。
ThechiefsofthebattalionsconstitutingtheNationalGuardtookturnsinsentrydutyovertheroyalcouple。Theyhadreceivedtherigidordertoconstantlywatchtheroyalfamily，andnottoleavethemforamomentalone。Eventhesleeping-roomofthequeenwasnotclosedtotheespionageoftheguards；thedoortothedrawing-roomclosebyhadalwaystobeopen，andinthisdrawing-roomwastheofficeroftheguard。Eveninthenight，whilethequeenlayinherbed，thisdoorremainedopen，andtheofficer，sittinginanarm-
chairdirectlyoppositetothedoor，kepthiseyesdirectedtothebedinwhichthequeensoughttosleep，andwrestledwiththepainsandfearwhichshewastooproudtoshowtoherpersecutors。Thequeenhadstoopedtomakebutonerequest；shehadaskedthatatleastinthemorning，whenshearoseanddressed，shemightclosethedoorsofhersleeping-room，andtheyhadbeenmagnanimousenoughtocomplywithherwish。[Footnote：“HistoiredeMarieAntoinette，“
parEdmondetJulesdeGoneourt，p。861。]
ButQueenMarieAntoinettehadmetallthesehumiliations，thesedisenchantments，andtrials，fullofhopeofachangeinherfortune。Herproudsoulwasstillunbroken，herbeliefinthevictoryofmonarchyunderthefavorofGodanimatedherheartwithalastrayofhope，andsustainedheramidallhermisfortune。Shestillwouldcontendwithherenemiesfortheloveofthispeople，ofwhomshehopedthat，ledastraybyJacobinsandagitators，theywouldatlastconfesstheirerror，respectthevoiceoftheirkingandqueen，andreturntoloveandregretfulness。AndMarieAntoinettewouldsustainherselfinviewofthegreatdaywhenthepeople’sloveshouldbegivenback；shewouldseektobringthatdayback，andreconcilethepeopletothethrone。Onthisaccountshewouldshowthepeoplethatshecherishednofearofthem；thatshewouldintrustherselfwithperfectconfidencetothem，andgreetthemwithhersmilesandallthefavorofformerdays。Shewouldmakeonemoreattempttoregainheroldpopularity，andreawakenintheircoldheartsthelovewhichthepeoplehadoncedisplayedtoherbytheirloudacclamations。Shefoundpowerinherselftolethertearsflow，notvisibly，butwithinherheart；todisguisewithhersmilethepainofhersoul，andsosheresolvedtowearacheerfulandpleasantface，andappearagainpubliclyinthetheatre，aswellasinopencarriage-drivesthroughthecity。
Theywerethengivinginthegreatopera-houseGluck’s“Alceste，“
thefavoriteoperaofthequeen——theoperainwhichafewyearsbeforeshehadreceivedsosplendidatriumph；inwhichthepublicloudlyencored，“Chantons，celebronsnotrereine!“whichthechoirhadsunguponthestage，and，standingwithfacesturnedtowardtheroyalbox，hadmingledtheirvoiceswiththoseofthesingers，andrepeatedinageneralchorus，“Chantons，celebronsnotrereine!“
“Iwilltrywhetherthepublicremembersthatevening，“saidMarieAntoinette，withafaintsmile，toMademoiselledeBugois，theonlyladywhohadbeenpermittedtoremainwithher；“Iwillgothiseveningtotheopera；thepublicshallatleastseethatIintrustmyselfwithconfidencetoit，andthatIhavenotchanged，howevermuchmayhavebeenchangedaround。“
MademoiselledeBugoislookedwithdeepsadnessatthepalefaceofthequeen，thatwouldshowthepublicthatshehadnotaltered，anduponwhich，oncesofairandbright，griefhadrecordeditsineradicablecharacters，andalmostextinguisheditsoldbeauty。
Deeplymoved，thewaiting-ladyturnedawayinordernottoletthetearsbeseenwhich，againstherwill，streamedfromhereyes。
ButMarieAntoinettehadseenthemnevertheless。Withasadsmileshelaidherhandupontheshoulderofthelady-in-waiting。“Ah!“
saidshe，mildly，“donotconcealyourtears。YouaremuchhappierthanI，foryoucanshedtears；minehavebeenflowingalmosttwoyearsinsilence，andIhavehadtoswallowthem![Footnote：MarieAntoinette’sownwords——SeeGoncourt，p。264。]
“ButIwillnotweepthisevening，“shecontinued，“IwillmeettheseParisiansatleastincomposure。Yes，Iwilldomore，Iwilltrytosmiletothem。Theyhatemenow，butperhapstheywillrememberthenthatoncetheytrulylovedme。Thereisatraceofmagnanimityinthepeople，andmyconfidencewillperhapstouchit。
Bequick，andmakemytoilet。Iwillbefairto-day。IwilladornmyselffortheParisians。Theywillnotbemyenemiesalonewhowillbeatthetheatre；someofmyfriendswillbethere，andtheyatleastwillbegladtoseeme。Quick，mademoiselle，letusbeginmytoilet。“
Andwithalivelinessandazealwhich，inherthreatenedsituation，hadsomethingtouchinginit，MarieAntoinettearrayedherselfforthepublic，forthegoodParisians。
ThenewsthatthequeenwastoappearthateveningatthetheatrehadquicklyrunthroughallParis；theofficerondutytolditathisrelieftosomeoftheguards，theytothosewhomtheymet，anditspreadlikewildfire。Itwasthereforeverynaturalthat，longbeforethecurtainwasraised，thegreatopera-housewascompletelyfilled，parquette，boxes，andparterre，withapassionately-excitedthrong。Thefriendsofthequeenwentinordertogiveheralong-
looked-fortriumph；herenemies——andthesethepoorqueenhadinoverwhelmingnumbers——toflingtheirhate，theirmalice，theirscorn，intothefaceofMarieAntoinette。
Andenemiesofthequeenhadtakenplacesforthemselvesineverypartofthegreathouse。Theyevensatintheboxesofthefirstrank，onthosevelvet-cushionedchairswhichhadformerlybeenoccupiedexclusivelybytheenthusiasticadmirersofthecourt，theladiesandgentlemenofthearistocracy。Butnowthearistocracydidnotdaretositthere。Themostofthem，friendsofthequeen，hadfled，givingwaybeforeherenemiesandpersecutors；andintheboxeswheretheyoncesat，nowwerethechiefmembersoftheNationalAssembly，togetherwiththeleadingoratorsoftheclubs，andthesocietiesofJacobins。
Totheboxabove，wherethepeoplehadoncebeenaccustomedtoseePrincessLamballe，theeyesofthepublicweredirectedagainandagain。MarieAntoinettehadbeencompelledtosendawaythislastofherfriendstoLondon，tohaveaconferencewithPitt。Insteadofthefairlocksoftheprincess，wasnowtobeseentheheadofaman，who，restingbotharmsonthevelvetliningofthebox，wasgazingdownwithmaliciouslooksintothesurgingmassesoftheparterre。ThismanwasMarat，oncetheveterinaryoftheCountd’Artois，nowthegreatestandmostformidableoratorofthewildJacobins。
Hetoohadcometoseethehatedshe-wolf，ashehadlatelycalledthequeeninhis“AmiduPeuple，“and，toprepareforherapublicinsult，satdrunkwithvanityinthesplendidboxofthePrincessLamballe；hisfriendsandconfidantswereinthetheatre，amongthemSanterrethebrewer，andSimonthecobbler，oftenlookingupatMarat，waitingforthepromisedmotionwhichshouldbehissignalforthegreatdemonstration。
Atlengththetimearrivedfortheoperatobegin，and，althoughthequeenhadnotcome，thedirectoroftheorchestradidnotventuretodetaintheaudienceevenforafewminutes。Hewenttohisplace，tookhisbaton，andgavethesign。Theoverturebegan，andallwassilent，inparquetteandparterre，aswellasintheboxes。Everyoneseemedtobelisteningonlytothemusic，equallyfullofsweetnessandmajesty——onlytohaveearsforthenoblerhythmwithwhichGluckbeginshis“Alceste。“
Suddenlytherearoseadull，suppressedsoundinparquette，parterre，andboxes，andallheadswhichhadbeforebeendirectedtowardthestage，werenowturnedbackwardtowardthegreatroyalbox。Noonepaidanymoreattentiontothemusic，noonenoticedthattheoverturewasendedandthatthecurtainwasraised。
Amidtheblastoftrumpets，thenoiseofviolinsandclarionets，thepublichadheardthelightnoiseoftheopeningdoors，hadnoticedtheentranceoftheofficers，andthissoundhadmadetheParisiansforgeteventheirmuch-lovedmusic。
Therenowappearedintheopenbox-doorawoman’sform。Thequeen，followedbyMademoiselledeBugois，advancedslowlythroughthegreatboxtotheveryfront。Alleyesweredirectedtoher，alllookssearchedherpale，nobleface。
MarieAntoinettefeltthis，andasmileflittedoverherfaceliketheeveningglowofasummer’sday。WiththissmileandadeepblushMarieAntoinettebowedandsalutedthepublic。
Aloud，unboundedcryofapplauseresoundedthroughthevastroom。
Intheparquetteandintheboxeshundredsofspectatorsaroseandhailedthequeenwithaloud，pealing“Vivelareine!“andclappedtheirhandslikepleasedchildren，andlookeduptothequeenwithjoyful，beamingcountenances。
“Oh，myfaithhasnotdeceived!“whisperedMarieAntoinetteintotheearofhercompanion。“ThegoodParisianslovemestill；they，likeme，rememberpasttimes，andtheoldloyaltyisawakinginthem。“
Andagainshebowedherthanksrightandleft，andagainthehousebrokeoutintoloudapplause。Asingle，angryglanceofMarat’slittleeyes，peeringoutfrombeneaththebushybrows，metthequeen。
“Onlywait，“saidMarat，risingfromhisseatanddirectinghisglancesattheparterre。TherestoodthegiantSanterre，andnotfarfromhimSimonthecobbler，inthemidstofacrowdofsavage-
looking，defiantfellows，whoalllookedattheirleaders，whilethey，SanterreandSimon，directedtheireyesuptotheboxofMarat。
Theglanceofthechiefmetthatofhistwofriends。Ascornful，savageexpressionsweptoverMarat’sash-colored，dirtyface，andhenoddedlightlytohisallies。SanterreandSimonreturnedthenod，andthey，turningtotheircompanions，gavethesignalbyraisingtherighthand。
Suddenlytheapplausewasoverbornebyloudwhistlingandshouting，derisivelaughter，andwildcurses。
“Thecivilwarhasbegun!“criedMarat，rubbinghishandstogetherwithdelight。