“Colonel，webringyouasetofdominoes，“saidalittleofficer，namedPalloy，whowasthespeakerofthedelegation——“asetofdominoesentirelymadeoutoftheruinsoftheBastile。“
Andtakingthewrapperfromthewhitemarblebox，boundwithgold，heextendedittothedauphin，andrepeatedwithasolemnfacethefollowinglines：
“ThosegloomywallsthatonceawokeourfearArechangedintothetoyweofferhere：Andwhenwithjoyfulracethegiftyouview，Thinkwhatthepeople’smightylovecando。“[Footnote：“Decesaffreuxcachota，laterreurdesFrancais，Vousvoyezlesdebristransformesenhoohets；Puissent-ils，enservantauxjeuxdevotreenfance，Dupeuplevousprouver1’amouretlapuissance。“
Beauchesne，“LouisXVD。SaVie，souAgonie，“etc。，vol。iv。，p。
Poorlittledauphin!Evenwhentheywantedtodohimhomage，theywerethreateninghim；andthepresentwhichaffectionofferedtotheroyalchildwasatthesametimeabequestofRevolution，whicheventhenliftedherwarningfinger，andpointedatthepast，whenthehateofthepeopledestroyedthose“gloomywalls，“whichhadbeenerectedbykinglypower。
Inhisinnocenceandchildishsimplicity，thedauphinsawnothingofthestingwhich，unknowneventothegivers，lurkedwithinthisgift。Heenjoyedlikeachildthebeautifulpresent，andlistenedwitheagernesswhilethemannerofplayingthegamewasdescribedtohim。Allthestonesweretakenfromthemantelofblackmarbleinthereception-roomofDelaunay，thegovernoroftheBastile，whohadbeenmurderedbythepeople。Onthebackofeachofthesestoneswasalettersetingold，andwhenthewholewerearrangedinregularorder，theyformedthesentence：“ViveleRoi，vivelaReine，etM。
leDauphin。“Themarbleoftheboxwastakenfromthealtar-slabinthechapel。Inthemiddlewasagoldenrelief，representingaface。
“Thatismypapaking，“criedthedauphin，joyfully，lookingattherepresentation。
“Yes，“repliedPalloy，thespeakerofthelittlecompany，“everyoneofusbearshiminhisheart。Andliketheking，youwillliveforthehappinessofall，andlikehimyouwillbetheidolofPrance。
We，whoshallonedaybeFrenchsoldiersandcitizens，bringtoyou，whowillthenbeourcommander-in-chiefandking，ourhomageasthefuturesupportersofthethronewhichisdestinedforyou，andwhichthewisdomofyourfatherhasplacedundertheunshakablepoweroflaw。Thegiftwhichweofferyouisbutsmall，buteachoneofusaddshishearttoit。“[Footnote：Theverywordsofthelittleofficer。]
“AndIgiveallofyoumyheartinreturnforit，“criedthedauphin，withajoyfuleagerness，“andIshalltakegreatpainstobegood，andtolearnwell，thatImaybeallowedtoamusemyselfwithplayingdominoes。“
Andthelittlefellowfixedhislarge，blueeyesuponthequeenwithatenderlook，tookherhandandpressedittohislips。
“Mydearmammaqueen，“hesaid，caressingly，“ifIamrealgood，andstudyhard，wecanbothplaydominoestogether，can’twe？“
Asadsmileplayedaroundthelipsofthequeen，andnoonesawthedistrustful，timidlookwhichshecastatthebox，whichtoherwasmerelythememorialofadreadfulday。
“Yes，mychild，“shereplied，mildly，“wewillplaydominoesoftentogether，foryoucertainlywillbegoodandindustrious。“
Shecontrolledherselfsufficientlytothanktheboyswithfriendlywordsforthepresentwhichtheyhadmadetothedauphin，andthenthedeputation，accompaniedbythekingandthelittleprince，withdrew。Butassoonastheyhadgone，thesmilediedawayuponherlips，andwithanexpressionofhorrorshepointedtothebox。
“Takeitaway——oh，takeitaway!“shecried，toMadamedeTourzel。
“Itisadreadfulreminderofthepast，aterribleprophecyofthefuture。ThestonesoftheBastile，whichthepeopledestroyed，lieinthisbox!Andtheboxitself，doesitnotlooklikeasarcophagus？Andthissarcophagusbearsthefaceoftheking!Oh，thesorrowandwoetousunfortunateones，whocannotevenreceivegiftsoflovewithoutseeingthemobscuredbyrecollectionsofhate，andwhohavenojoysthathavenotbitterdropsofgriefmingledwiththem!Therevolutionsendsusstorm-birds，andwearetoregardthemasdovesbringingusolive-branches。Believeme，Iseeintothefuture，andIdiscernthedelugewhichwilldrownusall!“
MarieAntoinettewasright。Therevolutionwassendingitsstorm-
birdstotheTuileries。Theybeatwiththeirstrongpinionsagainstthewindowsofthepalace；theypulledupandbrokewiththeirclawstheflowersandplantsofthegarden，sothattheroyalfamilynolongerventuredtoenterit。Buttheyhadnotyetenteredthepalaceitself；andwithinitsapartments，watchedbytheNationalGuard，thequeenwasatleastsafefromtheinsultsofthepopulace。
No，noteventherelonger，forthestorm-birdsoftherevolutionbeatagainstthewindows，andthesewindowshadonceinawhiletobeopenedtoletinalittlesunshine，andsomefreshair。MarieAntoinettehadlonggivenupherwalksinthegardenoftheTuileries，fortherabblewhichstoodbehindthefencehadinsultedhersooftenwithcriesandacts，thatshepreferredtogiveupherexerciseratherthantoundergosuchcontemptuoustreatment。
Theking，too，inordertoescapethescornfultreatmentofthepopulace，hadrelinquishedhiswalks，andbeforelongthingscametosuchapassthatthedauphinwasnotallowedtovisithislittlegarden。Marat，Santerre，Danton，andRobespierre，thegreatleadersofthepeople，had，bytheirthreatsagainsttheroyalistsandtheirinsurrectionarymovementsamongthepeople，gainedsuchpower，thatnooneventuredtoapproachthegardenoftheprincetosalutehim，andshowdeferencetothesonoftheking。Thelittleregimenthadbeencompelled，inordertoescapethemockeryandcontempt，thehatredandpersecutionwhichfollowedthem，todisbandafterafewmonths；andaroundthefence，whenthedauphinappeared，therenowstoodnonebutmensenttherebytherevolutioniststoderidethedauphinwhenheappeared，andshouttheirwildcursesagainstthekingandqueen。
Oneday，whenacrowdofsavagewomenstoodbehindthefence，andweregivingventtotheirderisionofthequeen，thepoordauphincouldnotrestrainhisgriefandindignation。Withglowingcheeksandflamingeyesheturneduponthewildthrong。
“Youlie——oh，youlie!“hecried，withangryvoice。“Mymammaqueenisnotawickedwoman，andshedoesnothatethepeople。Mymammaqueenissogood，sogoodthat——“
Histearschokedhisvoice，andflowedinclearstreamsdownoverhischeeks。Ashamed，asitwere，ofthisindicationofweakness，thedauphindashedoutofthegarden，andhastenedsorapidlytothepalacethattheAbbeDavoutcouldscarcelyfollowhim。Weepingandsobbing，thedauphinpassedthroughthecorridor，butwhentheyreachedthebroadstaircasewhichledtotheapartmentswherethequeenlived，thedauphinstopped，suppressedhissobs，andhastilydriedhiseyes。
“Iwillnotweepanymore，“hesaid，“itwouldtroublemamma。Ibegyou，abbe，saynothingtomamma。Iwilltrytobecheerfulandmerry，formammaqueenlikesmuchtohavemeso。Sometimes，whensheissadandhasbeenweeping，Imakebelievenottonoticeit，andthenIlaughandsing，andjumpabout，andthenherbeautifulfacewillclearup，andsometimessheevensmilesalittle。So，too，I
willberightmerry，andsheshallnoticenothing。YouwouldnotsuspectthatIhavebeenweeping，wouldyou？“
“No，myprince，noonewouldthinkyouhad，“answeredtheabbe，lookingwithdeepemotionintothegreatblueeyeswhichthedauphinturneduptohiswithaninquiringlook。
“Well，then，wewillgotomymammaqueen，“criedthedauphin，andhesprangforwardandopenedthedoorwithasmile，and，halfconcealedbehindthecurtains，heasked，ina*jestingtone，whetherhemighthavepermissiontoenterhermajesty’spresence。
MarieAntoinettebadehimheartilywelcome，andopenedherarmstohim。Thedauphinembracedherandpressedaglowingkissuponhereyesanduponherlips。
“Youareextraordinarilyaffectionateto-day，mylittleLouisCharles，“saidthequeen，withasmile。“Whatisthecauseofthat？“
“Thatcomesfromthefactthatto-dayIhavenothingtogiveyouexceptingkisses——notasingleflower。Theyareallwitheredinmygarden，andIdonotliketogothereanymore，fortherearenomorebouquetstopluckformydearmammaqueen。Mamma，thisismybouquet。“
Andhekissedandcaressedthequeenafresh，andbroughtaglowtohereyesandasmiletoherlips。
“Comenow，mychild，youseethattheabbeiswaiting，andIbelieveitistimeforthestudy-hourstobegin。“Whatcomesfirstto-day？“
“Wehavefirst，grammar，“answeredtheabbe，layingtheneedfulbooksuponthelittletableatwhichthedauphinalwaystookhislessonsinthepresenceofthequeen。
“Grammar!“criedthedauphin；“Iwishitwerehistory。ThatIlike，butgrammarIhate!“
“Thatcomesbecauseyoumakesomanymistakesinit，“saidtheabbe；
“and，certainly，grammarisveryhard。“
Thechildblushed。“Oh，itisnotonthataccount，“hesaid。“Idonotdislikegrammarbecauseitishard，butmerelybecauseitistedious。“