“AndIwillwagerthatonthataccountyouhaveforgottenwhatwewentoverinourlastgrammarhour。Wewerespeakingofthethreecomparatives。Butyouprobablydonotrememberthem。“
“Youaremistaken，“repliedthedauphin，smiling。“Inproof，hearme。IfIsay，’Myabbeisagoodabbe，’thatisthepositive。IfI
say，’Myabbeisbetterthananotherabbe，’thatisthecomparative。
And，“hecontinued，turninghiseyestowardthequeenwithanexpressionofintenseaffection，“ifIsay，’Mymammaisthedearestandbestofallmammas，’thatisthesuperlative。“[Footnote：Thedauphin’sownwords——SeeBeauchesne’s“LouisXVII。，“vol。i。，p。
133。]
Thequeendrewtheboytoherheartandkissedhim，whilehertearsfloweddownuponhisauburncurls。
Onthenextday，atthetimeofhisaccustomedwalk，thequeenwentintothedauphin’sroomtogreethimbeforehewentintothegarden。
“Mamma，Ibegyourpermissiontoremainhere，“saidthedauphin。“Mygardendoesnotpleasemeanylonger。“
“Whynot，myson，“askedMarieAntoinette，“hasanythinghappenedtoyou？“
“Yes，mamma，“heanswered，“somethinghashappenedtome。Therearesomanybadpeoplealwaysstandingaroundthefence，andtheylookatmewithsuchevileyes，thatIamafraidofthem，andtheyscoldandsaysuchhardthings。Theylaughatme，andsaythatIamastupidjack，abaker’sboythatdoesnotknowhowtomakealoaf，andtheycallmeamonkey。Thatangersmeandhurtsmyfeelings，andifIbegintocryIamashamedofmyself，forIknowthatitisverysillytocrybeforepeoplewhomeanilltous。ButIamstillapoorlittleboy，andmytearsarestrongerthanI。AndsoIwantyou，mamma，nottoletmegotothegardenanymore。MouffletandIwouldagreatdealratherplayinmyroom。Comehere，Moufflet，makeyourcomplimentstothequeen，andsaluteherlikearegulargrenadier。“
Andsmiling，hecaughtthelittledogbythefore-paws，andmadehimstanduponhishindlegs，andthreatenedMouffletwithhishandtillhemadehimstanderectandlethisforefeethangdownveryrespectfully。
Thequeenlookeddownwithasmileatthecouple，andlaughedaloudwhenthedauphin，stillwavinghishandthreateninglytocompelthedogtostandashewas，jumpedup，rantothetable，caughtupapapercap，whichhehadmadeandpaintedwithredstripes，andputitonMoufflet’shead，callingouttohim：“Mr。Jacobin，behaverespectfully!Makeyoursalutationstohermajestythequeen!“
Afterthatday，thedauphindidnotgointohisgardenagain，andtheparkoftheTuilerieswasnowtheexclusivepropertyofthepopulace，thattookpossessionofitwithfuriouseagerness。
Thesongsoftherevolution，thewildcursesofthehatersofroyalty，thecoarselaughterandshoutingoftherabble——thesewerethestormbirdswhichwerebeatingatthewindowsoftheroyalapartments。
MarieAntoinettehadstillonesourceofenjoymentlefttoherinhersufferings，hercorrespondencewithherabsentfriends，andtheDuchessdePolignacbeforeallothers。Onceinawhiletherewasafavorableopportunitytosendaletterbythehandsofsomefaithfulfriendaroundher，andthequeenhadthenthesadsatisfactionatleastofbeingabletoexpresstosomesympathizingheartwhatshewasundergoing，withoutfearingthatthesecomplaintswouldbereadbyherenemies，aswasthecasewithallletterswhichweresentbypost。
OneoftheseletterstotheDuchessdePolignac，whichhistoryhaspreserved，givesafaithfulandtouchingpictureofthesorrowsandgriefofthequeen。Atranslationofitrunsthus：
“Icannotdenymyselfthepleasureofembracingyou，mydearheart，butitmustbedonequickly，fortheopportunityisapassingone，althoughacertainone。Icanonlywriteaword，whichwillbeforwardedtoyouwithalargepackage。Weareguardedlikecriminals，andthisrestraintistrulydreadfullyhardtobear!——
constantlytooapprehensiveforoneanother，nottobeabletoapproachthewindowwithoutbeingloadedwithinsults；nottobeabletotakethepoorchildrenoutintotheairwithoutexposingthedearinnocentstoreproaches，whatasituationisours，mydearheart!AndwhenyouthinkthatIsuffernotformyselfalone，buthavetotrembleforthekingaswell，andforourfriendswhoarewithus，youwillseethattheburdeniswell-nighunbearable!But，asIhavetoldyoubefore，youabsentones，youkeepmeup。Adieu，dearheart，letushopeinGod，wholooksintoourconsciences，andwhoknowswhetherwearenotanimatedbythetruestloveforthisland。Iembraceyou!
“P。S——Thekinghasjustcomeinandwantstoaddaword。“
“Iwillonlysay，duchess，thatyouarenotforgotten，thatweregretreceivingsofewlettersfromyou，andthat，whethernearorfaraway，youandyoursarealwaysloved。Louis。“[Footnote：
Beauchesne“LouisXVII，“vol。1。，p。143。]
Nottobeabletoshowone’sselfnearthewindowwithoutbeingshoweredwithinsults!Yes，andevenintotheverymiddleofherroomtheyfollowedher。Evenwhensittingfarawayfromthewindow，shecouldnothelphearingtheloudcrieswhichwerethunderedoutonthepavementbelow，asthehuckstersofferedtothelaughingcrowdtheinfamouspamphlet，writtenwithapoisonedpen，andentitled“TheLifeofMarieAntoinette。“
Attimesherangermasteredher，hereyesflashed，herfigurewasstraightenedup，andthesufferingmartyrwastransformedforaninstantintotheproud，commandingqueen。
“Iwillnotbearit!“shecried，walkingupanddownwithgreatstrides，“Iwillspeaktothem；theyshallnotinsultmewithouthearingmyjustification。Yes，Iwillgodowntothesepeople，whocallmeaforeigner。Iwillsaytothem，’Frenchmen，peoplehavehadthewantoffeelingtotellyouthatIdonotloveFrance，I，themotherofadauphin，I——’“[Footnote：Thequeen’sownwords-SeeCampan，“Memoires，“vol。II。]
Buthervoicechokedinhertears，andshefledtotheextremeendoftheroom，fellsobbingonherknees，andheldbothherhandstoherears，inordernottohearthedreadfulinsultswhichcameupfrombelowandthroughherwindows。
Thus，amidtrialswhichrenewedthemselvesdaily，themonthspassedby。Thequeenhadnolongeranyhope。Shehadgivenupeverything，eventhehopeofanhonorableend，ofadeathsuchasbecomesaqueen，proudanddignifiedbeneaththeruinsofapalacelaidlowbyanexasperatedpopulace。Sheknewthatthekingwouldneverbringhimselftomeetsuchadeath，thathisweaknesswouldyieldtoallhumiliation，andhisgood-natureresistallmeasuresthatmightperhapsbringhelp。Shehadsoughtinvaintoinspirehimwithherzeal。Louiswasagoodman，butabadking；hiswasnotanaturetoruleandgovern，butrathertoserveasthescape-goatforthesinsofhisfathers，andtofallasavictimforthemisdeedswhichhisancestorshadcommitted，andthroughwhichtheyhadexcitedthewrathofthepeople，thedivineNemesisthatneversleeps。
Thequeenknewandfeltthis，andthisknowledgelaylikeamourningveiloverherwholethoughtandbeing，fillingherattimeswithamoodyresignation，andattimeswithaswiftly-kindlingandwrathfulpain。
“Iamcontentthatwebethevictims，“criedshe，wringingherhands，“butIcannotbeartothinkthatmychildrentooaretobepunishedforwhattheyhavenotcommitted。“
Thisthoughtofherchildrenwasthepillarwhichalwaysraisedthequeenupagain，whenthetortureofherdailylifecasthertotheground。Shewould，shemustliveforherchildren。Shemust，solongasabreathremainedinher，devoteallherpowerstoretainforhersonthedauphinatleastthecrownbeneathwhoseburdenhisfathersank。Shewantednothingmoreforherself，allforhersonalone。
Therewerestilltruefriendswhowantedtosavethequeen。Secrettidingscametoherthatallwasreadyforherescape。Itwasagainstherthatthepopularragewaschieflydirected，andherlifewaseventhreatened。Twicehadtheattemptbeenmadetokillthequeen，andthemostviolentdenunciationsofthepopulaceweredirectedagainsther。Itwasthereforethequeenwhomherfriendswantedmosttosave。Everythingwaspreparedfortheflight，trueanddevotedfriendswerewaitingforher，readytoconducthertotheboundariesofFrance，wheresheshouldmeetdeputiessentbyhernephew，theEmperorFrancis。Theplanwaslaidwiththegreatestcare；nothingbuttheconsentofthequeenwasneededtobringittocompletion，andsaveherfromcertaindestruction。ButMarieAntoinettewithheldheracquiescence。“Itisofnoconsequenceaboutmylife，“shesaid。“IknowthatImustdie，andIampreparedforit。Ifthekingandmychildrencannotescapewithme，Iremain；formyplaceisatthesideofmyhusbandandmychildren。“
Atlastthekinghimself，inspiredbythecourageandenergyofhiswife，venturedtoopposethedecisionsanddecreesoftheall-
powerfulAssembly。Ithadputforthtwonewdecrees。IthadresolveduponthedeportationofallpriestsbeyondthelimitsofFrance，andalsoupontheestablishmentofacampoftwentythousandmenontheRhinefrontier。Withthelattertherehadbeencoupledawarning，threateningwithdeathallwhoshouldspendanytimeabroad，andengageinanyarmedmovementagainsttheirowncountry。
ToboththesedecreesLouisrefusedhissanction；bothhevetoedonthe20thofJune，1792。
Thepopulace，whichthrongedthedoorsoftheNationalAssemblyinimmensemasses，amongwhomtheemissariesofrevolutionhadbeenveryactive，receivedthenewsoftheking’svetowithahowlofrage。Thestorm-birdsofrevolutionflewthroughthestreets，andshoutedintoallthewindows：“Thecountryisindanger!Thekinghasbeenmakingalliancesabroad。TheAustrianwomanwantstosummonthearmiesofherownlandagainstFrance，andthereforethekinghasvetoedthedecreewhichpunishesthebetrayersoftheircountry。
AcurseonM。Veto!DownwithMadameVeto!Thatisthecryto-dayfortherevolutionaryparty。AcurseonM。Veto!DownwithMadameVeto!“
Thewatch-cryrolledlikeapealofthunderthroughallthestreetsandintoallthehouses；and，whilewithintheircloseddoors，andinthestillnessoftheirownhomes，thewell-disposedpraisedthekingforhavingthecouragetoprotectthepriestsandtheemigres，theevil-disposedbellowedouttheircursesthroughallthestreets，andcalledupontherabbletoavengethemselvesuponMonsieurandMadameVeto。
Nobodypreventedthis。TheNationalAssemblyleteverythinggoquietlyon，andwaitedwithperfectindifferencetoseewhattherighteousangerofthepeopleshouldresolvetodo。