Themembersofthecommitteeconsultedwithoneanotherinlowtones，andthechairmanthenannouncedtoToulanthathiswishwouldbecompliedwith，andthatanescortofsoldiersmightaccompanyhimtohishouse，toallowhimtoprocurelinenandclothing，andtosealhiseffectsandpapersintheirpresence。
Toulanthankedthemwithcheerfullooks，andwentoutintothestreetbetweenthetwoguards。Astheywereonthewaytohishouse，hetalkedeasilywiththem，laughedandjoked；butinhisownthoughtshesaidtohimself，“Youarelost!hopelesslylost，ifyoudonotescapenow。Youarethepreyoftheguillotine，ifthegatesoftheprisononcecloseuponyou；thereforeescape，escapeordie。“
Whilehewasthuslaughingandtalkingwiththesoldiers，andmeanwhilethinkingsuchsolemnthoughts，hissharpblackeyeswereglancinginalldirections，lookingforafriendwhomightassisthimoutofhistrouble。Andfortunesenthimsuchafriend!——Ricard，Ionian’smosttrustedcounsellor，theabettorofhisplans。Toulancalledhimwithananimatedface，andinloudtonestoldhimthathehadbeendenounced，andthereforearrested；andthathewasonlyallowedtogotohishousetoprocuresomeclothing。
“Comealong，Ricard，“hesaid。“Theyaregoingtoputmyeffectsunderseal，andyouhavesomepapersandbooksonmywriting-table。
Comealong，andtakepossessionofyourownthings，sothattheymaynotbesealedupasmine。“
Ricardnoddedassent，andasignificantlooktoldToulanthathisfriendunderstoodhim，andthathismeaningwas，thatRicardshouldtakepossessionofpapersthatmightbringToulanundersuspicion。
Continuingtheirwalk，theyspokeofindifferentmatters，andatlastreachedToulan’shouse。Margueritemetthemwithcalmbearing。
Sheknewthateverycry，everyexpressionofanxietyandtrouble，wouldonlyimperiltheconditionofherhusband，andherlovegaveherpowertomasterherself。
“Ah!areyouthere，husband？“shesaid，withasmile，howhardtohernooneknew。“Youarebringingagreatdealofcompany。“
“Yes，Marguerite，“saidToulan，withasmile，“andIamgoingtokeeponwiththispleasantcompanytoprison。“
“Oh!“shecried，laughing，“thatisagoodjoke!Toulan，thebestofpatriots，inprison!Come，yououghtnottojokeaboutseriousmatters。“
“Itisnojoke，“saidoneoftheguards，solemnly。“CitizenToulanisarrested，andishereonlytoprocuresomearticlesofclothing，andhavehiseffectsputunderseal。“
“AndtogivebacktohisfriendRicardthebooksandpapersthatbelongtohim，“saidToulan。“Come，letusgointomystudy，friends。“
“Therearemybooksandpapers，“criedRicard，astheywentintothenextroom。Hesprangforwardtothewriting-table，seizedallthepaperslyinguponit，andtriedtothrustthemintohiscoat-pocket。
Butthetwosoldierscheckedhim，andundertooktoresisthismovement。Ricardprotested，aloudexchangeofwordstookplace——inwhichMargueritehadhershare——insistingthatallthepapersonthetablebelongedtoRicard，andsheshouldliketoseethemanwhocouldhavetheimpudencetopreventhistakingthem。
Louderandloudergrewthecontention；andwhenRicardwasendeavoringagaintoputthepapersintohispocket，thetwosoldiersrushedathimtopreventit。Margueritetriedtocometohisassistance，andintheeffort，overthrewalittletablewhichstoodinthemiddleoftheroom，onwhichwasawater-bottleandsomeglasses。Thetablecamedown，arattleofbrokenglassfollowed，andamidthenoiseandoutcries，thecontroversyandviolence，noonepaidattentiontoToulan；noonesawthelittlesecretdoorquietlyopen，andToulanglidefromview。
Thesoldiersdidnotnoticethismovement，butMargueriteandRicardunderstooditwell，andwentonallthemoreeagerlywiththeircriesandcontentions，togiveToulantimetoescapebythesecretpassage。
Andtheyweresuccessful。Whenthetwoguardshad，afterlongsearching，discoveredthesecretdoorthroughwhichtheescapehadbeeneffected，andhadrusheddownthehiddenstairway，notatraceofhimwastobeseen。
Toulanwasfree!Unhindered，hehastenedtothelittleattic，whichhehad，sometimebefore，hiredinthehouseadjacenttotheTemple，putonasuitofclotheswhichhehadpreparedthere，andremainedconcealedthewholeday。
AsMarieAntoinettelaysleeplessuponherbedinthenightthatfollowedthisvainattemptatflight，andwastorturingherselfwithanxiousdoubtswhetherFidelehadfallenavictimtohisdevotion，suddenlythetonesofahuntsman’shornbrokethesilence；MarieAntoinetteraisedherselfupandlistened。PrincessElizabethhaddonethesame；andwithsuspendedbreaththeybothlistenedtothelong-drawnandplaintivetoneswhichsoftlyfloatedintothemonthewingsofthenight。Asmileofsatisfactionflittedovertheirpale，sadfaces，andadeepsighescapedfromtheirheavyhearts。
“ThankGod!heissaved，“whisperedMarieAntoinette。
“Isnotthatthemelodythatwastotellusthatourfriendisintheneighborhood？“
“Yes，sister，thatistheone!Solongaswehearthissignal，weshallknowthatToulanislivingstill，andthatheisnearus。“
AndinthefollowingweekstheprisonersoftheTempleoftenhadthesadconsolationofhearingthetonesofToulan’shorn；buthenevercametothemagain，heneverappearedintheanteroomtokeepguardovertheimprisonedqueen。Toulandidnotflee!HehadthecouragetoremaininParis；hewasconstantlyhopingthatanoccasionmightarisetohelpthequeenescape；hewasconstantlyputtinghimselfinconnectionwithfriendsforthisobject，andmakingplansfortheflightoftheroyalcaptives。
ButexactlywhatToulanhopedforstoodasathreateningphantombeforetheeyesoftheConvention——theflightoftheprisonersintheTemple。Theyfearedthequeenevenbehindthosethickwalls，behindthefourirondoorsthatcloseduponherprison!Theyfearedstillmorethispoorchildofsevenyears，thislittlekingwithoutcrownandwithoutthrone，thesonofhimwhohadbeenexecuted。TheCommitteeofSafetyknewthatpeopleweretalkingaboutthelittlekingintheTemple，andthattouchinganecdotesabouthimwereincirculation。Abold，recklessfellowhadappearedwhocalledhimselfaprophet，andhadloudlyannounceduponthestreetsandsquares，thatthelilieswouldbloomagain，andthatthesonsofBrutuswouldfallbeneaththehandofthelittlekingwhosethronewasintheTemple。Theyhad，itistrue，arrestedtheprophetanddraggedhimtotheguillotine，buthisprophecieshadfoundanechohereandthere，andaninterestinthelittleprincehadbeenawakenedinthepeople。ThenobleandenthusiasticmenknownastheGirondistsweredeeplysolicitousabouttheyoungroyalmartyr，andtheapplicationofthisexpressiontothelittledauphin，madeintheearnestandimpassionedspeechesbeforetheConvention，meltedallhearerstotearsandcalledoutadeepsympathy。
TheConventionsawthedanger，andatonceresolvedtobefreefromit。Onthe1stofJuly1793，thatbodyissuedadecreewiththefollowingpurport：“TheCommitteeofPublicSafetyordainsthatthesonofCapetbeseparatedfromhismother，andbedeliveredtoaninstructor，whomthegeneraldirectorofthecommunesshallappoint。“
Thequeenhadnosuspicionofthis。NowthatToulanwasnolongerthere，nonewscametoherofwhattranspiredbeyondtheprison，andFidele’shorn-signalsweretheonlysoundsoftheouterworldthatreachedherear。
Theeveningofthe3dofJulyhadcome。Thelittleprincehadgonetobed，andhadalreadysunkintoadeepsleep。Hisbedhadnocurtains，butMarieAntoinettehadwithcarefulhandsfastenedashawltothewall，andspreaditoutoverthebedinsuchamannerthattheglareofthelightdidnotfallupontheclosedeyesofthechildanddisturbhiminhispeacefulslumbers。Itwasteno’clockintheevening，andtheladieshadthatdaywaitedunwontedlylongbeforegoingtobed。ThequeenandPrincessElizabethwerebusiedinmendingtheclothingofthefamily，andPrincessTheresa，sittingbetweenthetwo，hadbeenreadingtothemsomechaptersoutoftheHistoricalDictionary。Atthewishofthequeen，shehadnowtakenareligiousbook，PassionWeek，andwasreadingsomehymnsandprayersoutofit。
Suddenly，thequickstepsofseveralmenwereheardinthecorridor。
Theboltsflewback，thedoorswereopened，andsixofficialscamein。
“Wearecome，“criedoneofthem，withabrutalvoice，“toannouncetoyoutheorderofthecommittee，thatthesonofCapetbeseparatedfromhismotherandhisfamily。“
Atthesewordsthequeenrose，palewithhorror“Theyaregoingtotakemychildfromme!“shecried。“No，no，thatisnotpossible。
Gentlemen，theauthoritiescannotthinkofseparatingmefrommyson。Heisstillsoyoungandweak，heneedsmycare。“
“Thecommitteehascometothisdetermination，“answeredtheofficial，“theConventionhasconfirmedit，andweshallcarryitintoexecutiondirectly。“
“Icannotallowit，“criedMarieAntoinetteindesperation。“InthenameofHeaven，Iconjureyounottobesocruel!“
ElizabethandTheresamingledtheirtearswiththoseofthemother。
Allthreehadplacedthemselvesbeforethebedofthedauphin；theyclungtoit，theyfoldedtheirhands，theysobbed；themosttouchingcries，themosthumbleprayerstrembledontheirlips，buttheguardswerenotatallmoved。
“Whatisallthiswhiningfor？“theysaid。“Nooneisgoingtokillyourchild；givehimtousofyourownfreewill，orweshallhavetotakehimbyforce。“
Theystrodeuptothebed。MarieAntoinetteplacedherselfwithextendedarmsbeforeit，andheldthecurtainfirmly；ithoweverdetacheditselffromthewallandfelluponthefaceofthedauphin。
Heawoke，sawwhatwasgoingon，andthrewhimselfwithloudshrieksintothearmsofthequeen。“Mamma，dearMamma，donotleaveme!“
Shepressedhimtremblingtoherbosom，quietedhim，anddefendedhimagainstthecruelhandsthatwerereachedoutforhim。
Invain，allinvain!Themenoftherepublichavenocompassiononthegriefofamother!“Byfreewillorbyforcehemustgowithus。“