The“oneandindivisiblerepublic“badgainedthevictoryovertheliliesofFrance。Intheirdarkandunknowngraves，intheMadelainechurchyard，KingLouisXVI。andMarieAntoinetteslepttheirlastsleep。Themonarchyhadperishedontheguillotine，andtherepublicans，thepreachersofliberty，equality，andfraternity，repeatedtriumphantly：“Royaltyisforeverextinguished，andthegloriousrepublicistherisingsunwhichistobringeternaldeliverancetoFrance。“
But，inspiteofthisjubilantcry，theforeheadsoftherepublicanleadersdarkened，andapeculiarsolicitudetookpossessionoftheirheartswhentheireyesfellupontheTemple——thatgreat，dismalbuilding，thatthrewitsdarkshadowsoverthesunnypathoftherepublic。Wasitregretthatdarkenedthebrowsoftheregicidesastheylookeduponthisbuilding，whichhadbeenthesadprisonofthekingandqueen？Thoseheartsofbronzeknewnoregret；andwhentheheroesoftherevolutioncrossedthePlacedelaGuillotine，onwhichtheroyalvictimshadperished，theireyesflashedmoreproudly，anddidnotfallevenwhentheypassedbytheMadelainechurchyard。
No，itwasnottherecollectionofthedeedthatsaddenedthebrowsofthepotentatesoftherepublicwhentheylookedatthedismalTemple，buttherecollectionofhimwhowasnotyetdead，butwhowasstilllivingasacaptiveinthegloomystate-prisonoftherepublic。
Thisprisonerwasindeedonlyachildofeightyears，butthelegitimists——andthereweremanyofthemstillinthecountry——
calledhimtheKingofFrance；andpriestsinloyalVendee，whentheyhadfinishedthedailymassforthemurderedking，prayedtoGod，withupliftedhands，forgraceanddeliverancefortheyoungcaptiveattheTemple，theyoungking，LouisXVII。
“Leroiestmort——Viveleroi!“
Therewere，itmustbeconfessed，amongtheroyalistsandlegitimistsmanywhothoughtoftheyoungprisonerwithbitternessandanger，andwhoaccusedandblamedhimasthecalumniatorofhismother!Asifthechildknewwhathewasdoingwhen，atthecommandofhistormentorSimon，hewrotewithtremblinghandhisnameuponthepaperwhichwaslaidbeforehimintheopencourt。Asifthepoorinnocentboyknewwhatmeaningthedreadfulquestionshad，whichthemercilessjudgesputtohim，andwhichheansweredwithno，orwithyes，accordingashisscrutinizinglookswereabletomakeoutthefittingansweronthehardfaceofSimon，whostoodnearhim。Fortheunhappyladhadalreadylearnedtoreadthefaceoftheturnkey，andknewverywellthateverywrinkleoftheforeheadwhichwascausedbyhimmustbeatonedforwithdreadfulsufferings，abuses，andblows。
Thepoorboywasafraidoftheheavyfistthatcamedownlikeanironclubuponhisbackandevenonhisface，whenhesaidanythingordidanythingthatdispleasedSimonorhiswife；andthereforehesoughttoescapethiscrueltreatment，confirmingwithhisyesandnowhatSimontoldthejudges，andwhatthechildinhisinnocencedidnotunderstand!Andthereforehesubscribedthepaperwithoutreluctanceinwhichheunconsciouslygaveevidencethatdisgracedhismother。
WiththistestimonytheyventuredtoaccuseMarieAntoinetteofinfamy，butthequeengaveitnootheranswerthanscornfulsilenceandaproudanddignifiedlook，beforewhichthejudgescastdowntheireyesinshame。Thenafterapausetheyrepeatedtheirquestion，anddemandedananswer。
MarieAntoinetteturnedherproudandyetgentleglancetothewomenwhohadtakenpossessionindensemassesofthespectators’gallery，andwhobreathlesslyawaitedtheanswerofthequeen。
“Iappealtoallmotherspresent，“shesaid，withhersad，sonorousvoice——“Iaskwhethertheyholdsuchacrimetobepossible。“
Noonegaveaudiblereply，butamurmurpassedthroughtheranksofthespectators，andthesharpearofthejudgesunderstoodverywellthemeaningofthissound，thislanguageofsympathy，anditseemedtothemwisertolettheaccusationfallratherthanrouseupthecompassionofthemothersstillmoreinbehalfofthequeen。Hercondemnationwasaneventfixedupon，the“guilty“hadbeenspokenintheheartsofthejudgeslongbeforeitcametotheirlips，andbroughtthequeentotheguillotine。
MarieAntoinettereferredtothisdreadfulchargeintheletterwhichshewrotetohersister-in-lawElizabethinthenightbeforeherexecution，aletterwhichwasatthesametimehertestamentandherfarewelltolife。
“Maymyson，“shewrote，“neverforgetthelastwordsofhisfather!
Irepeatthemtohimhereexpressly：’Mayheneverseektoavengeourdeath!’AndnowIhavetospeakofamatterwhichsurelygrievesmyheart，Iknowwhattroublethischildmusthaveoccasionedyou。
Forgivehim，mydearsister；thinkhowyoungheis，andhoweasyitistoinduceachildtosaywhatpeoplewanttohavehimsay，andwhathedoesnotunderstand。Thedaywillcome，Ihope，whenheshallbettercomprehendthehighvalueofyourgoodnessandtendernesstobothofmychildren。“[Footnote：Beauchesne，“LouisXVII。，saVie，sonAgonie，“etc。，vol。i……，p。150，facsimileofMarieAntoinette’sletter。]*
AtthesamehourwhenMarieAntoinettewaswritingthis，therewasadisputebetweenSimonandhiswife，whohadbeenorderedbytheConventiontowatchthatnight，inorderthattheenragedlegitimistsmightnotmakeanefforttoabductthesonofthequeen。
Theywerecontendingwhethertheexecutionwouldreallyoccurthenextday。Simon，inajubilanttone，declaredhisconvictionthatitwould，whilehiswifedoubted。“Sheisstillhandsome，“shesaid，gloomily，“sheknowshowtotalkwell，andshewillbeabletomoveherjudges，forherjudgesaremen。“
“ButJusticeisawoman，andsheisunshakable，“criedSimonemphatically，andashiswifecontinuedtocontradict，Simonproposedabet。Thewagerwas，thatiftheQueenofFranceshouldbeguillotinedthenextnoon，theonewholostshouldfurnishbrandyandcakesthenexteveningforajollification。
ThenextmorningSimonrepairedwiththelittleprisonertotheplatformofthetower，fromwhichtherewasafreelookoutoverthestreets，andwheretheycouldplainlyseewhatwasgoingonbelow。
HiswifemeanwhilehadlefttheTempleatearlydawnwithherdreadfulknitting-work。“ImustbeonthespotearlyifIwantagoodplaceto-day，“shesaid，“anditwouldbearealmisfortuneforme，ifIshouldnotseethemiserableheadoftheshe-wolfdrop，andnotmakeadoublestitchinmystocking。“
“Butyouforget，JeanneMarie，“saidSimon，withagrin，“youforgetthatyouloseyourbetifyoumakethemarkinyourstocking。“
“Iwouldratherloseallthebetsthatwereevermadethannotmakethemarkinmystocking，“criedtheknitter，grimly。“Iwouldratherlosemywedding-dressandmymarriage-ringthanwinthisbet。Gouptotheplatformwiththeyoungwolf，andwaitformethere。AssoonasIhavemadethemarkinmystocking，Iwillrunhomeandshowittoyou。“
“ItistoobadthatIcannotgowithyou，“saidSimon，sighing。“I
wishIhadneverundertakenthebusinessofbringingupthelittleCapet。Itishatefulwork，forIcanneverleavetheTemple，andI
amjustasmuchaprisonerasheis。“
“Therepublichasdoneyouagreathonor，“saidtheknitter，solemnly。“Shehasconfidencethatyouwillmakeoutofthesonoftheshe-wolf，outoftheworthlessscionoftyrants，asonoftherepublic，ausefulcitizen。“
“Goodtalk，“growledSimon，“andyouhaveonlythehonoroftheaffair，andthesatisfactionbesidesofplaguingthesonofourtyrantsabit。“
“Oftakingrevenge，“struckintheknitter——“revengeforthemiserywhichmyfamilyhassufferedfromthetyrants。“
“ButI，“continuedSimon，“Ihavecertainlythehonorofthething，butIhavealsotheburden。Inthefirstplace，itisveryhardtomakeastrongandusefulcitizen，oftherepublicoutofthiswhining，tender，andsensitiveurchin。Andthenagainitisveryunpleasantanddisagreeabletohavetolivelikeaprisoneralways。“
“Listen，Simon，hearwhatIpromiseyou，“saidJeanneMarie，layingherhardbrownhanduponSimon’sshoulder。“IftheAustrianatonesto-dayforhercrimes，andtheexecutionershowsherheadtotheavengedpeople，Iwillgiveupmyplaceattheguillotineasaknitter，willremainwithyouhereintheTemple，willtakemyshareinthebringingupofthelittleCapet，andyouyourselfshallmakethepropositiontothesupervisor，thatyourwifelikeyourselfshallnotbeallowedtoleavetheTemple。“
“ThatissomethingIliketohear，“criedSimon，delighted；“therewillthenbeatleasttwoofustobearthetediumofimprisonment。
Sogo，JenneMarie，takeyourplaceforthelasttimeattheguillotine，forItellyou，youwillloseyourbet；youwillhavetofurnishbrandyandcakes，andstaywithmehereattheTempletobringupthelittleCapet。Sogo，Iwillgouptotheplatformwiththeboy，andwaitthereforyourreturn。“
HecalledthelittleLouisCharles，whowassittingonthetotteringrush-chairinhisroom，andanxiouslywaitingtoseewhether“hismaster“wasgoingtotakehimthatdayoutofthedismal，darkprison。
“Come，littleCapet，“criedSimon，pushingthedooropenwithhisfoot——“come，wewillgoupontheplatform。Youcantakeyourballalongandplay，andIadviseyoutoberightmerryto-day，foritisaholidayfortherepublic，andIamgoingtoteachyoutobeagoodrepublican。Soifyouwanttokeepyourbackfreefrommystraps，bejollyto-day，andplaywithyourball“
“Oh!“criedthechild，springingforwardmerrilywithhisball——“
oh!onlybegood，master，Iwillcertainlybemerry，forIliketoplaywithmyball，andIameversofondofholidays。Whatkindofoneisitto-day？“
“Nomatteraboutyourknowingthat，youlittletoad!“growledSimon，whoinspiteofhimselfhadcompassiononthepalefaceofthechildthatlookeduptohimsoinnocentlyandinquiringly。“Upthestaircasequick，andplayandlaugh。“
Louisobeyedwithasmile，sprangupthehighstepsofthewindingstairway，jumpedaboutontheplatform，throwinghisballupintheair，andshoutingaloudwhenhecaughtitagainwithhislittlethinhands。
MeanwhileSimonstoodleaningontheironrailingthatsurroundedtheplatform，lookingwithhissearchingeyesdownintothestreetwhichfarbelowranbetweenthedarkhouseslikeanarrowribbon。