“Andwillyourmajestynotgothereto-day？“askedtheduchess。“Itissuchbeautifulweather，thesunshinessosplendidly，andweshallhavesuchaglorioussunset。“
“Aglorioussunset!“repeatedMarieAntoinette，withabittersmile。
“Aqueenisatleastallowedtoseethesungodown；etiquettehasnotforbiddenaqueentoseethesunsetandnightapproach。Butthepoorcreatureisnotallowedtoseethesunrise，andrejoiceinthebeautyofthedawn。Ihaveonce，sinceIwasaqueen，seenthesunrise，andalltheworldcried’Murder，’andcounteditacrime，andallFrancelaughedattheepigramsandjestswithwhichmyfriendspunishedmeforthecrimethatthequeenofFrance，withhercourt，hadseenthesunrise。Andnowyouwanttoallowmetoseeitset，butIwillnot；Iwillnotlookatthissadspectacleofcomingnight。Inmeitisnight，andIfeelthestormswhicharedrawingnigh。Go，Julia，leavemealone，foryoucanseethatthereisnothingtobedonewithmeto-day。Icannotlaugh，Icannotbemerry。Go，formysadnessmightinfectyou，andthatwouldmakemedoublysad。“
Theduchessdidnotreply；sheonlymadeadeepreverence，andwentwithlight，inaudiblestepoverthecarpettothedoor。Thequeen’sfacehadbeenturnedaway，butasthelightsoundofthedoorstruckherear，sheturnedquicklyaroundandsawthatshewasalone。
“Shehasleftme——shehasreallygone，“sighedthequeen，bitterly。
“Oh!sheislikealltherest，sheneverlovedme。Butwhodoesloveme？“askedshe，indespair。“Whoisthereintheworldthatlovesme，andforgetsthatIamthequeen？MyGod!myheartcriesforlove，yearnsforfriendship，andhasneverfoundthem。Andtheymakethisyearningofmineacrime；theyaccusemethatIhaveaheart。0
myGod!havepityuponme。Veilatleastmyeyes，thatImaynotseethefaithlessnessofmyfriends。SustainatleastmyfaithinthefriendshipofmyJulia。LetmenothavethebitternessoffeelingthatIamalone，inconsolablyalone。“
Shepressedherhandsbeforeherface，andsankuponachair，andsatlongthere，motionless，andwhollygivenovertohersad，bitterfeelings。
Afteralongtimesheletherhandsfallfromherface，andlookedaroundwithapained，confusedlook。Thesunhadgonedown，itbegantogrowdark，andMarieAntoinetteshudderedwithinherself。
“Bythistimethesentencehasbeenpronounced，“shemuttered，softly。“BythistimeitisknownwhethertheQueenofFrancecanbeslanderedandinsultedwithimpunity。Oh!ifIonlycouldbesure。
DidnotCampansay——IwillgotoCampan。“Andthequeenrosequickly，wentwithadecisivestepoutofhercabinet；thenthroughthetoilet-roomcloseby，andopenedthedoorwhichledtothechamberofherfirstlady-in-waiting，MadamedeCampan。
MadamedeCampanstoodatthewindow，andgazedwithsuchalookofintenseexpectationoutintothetwilight，thatshedidnotnoticetheentranceofthequeentillthelattercalledherloudlybyname。
“Thequeen!“criedshe，drawingbackterrifiedfromthewindow。“Thequeen!and——here，inmyroom!“
MarieAntoinettemadeamovementofimpatience。“Youwanttosaythatitisnotbecomingforaqueentoentertheroomofhertrustedwaiting-maid，thatitisagainstetiquette。Iknowthatindeed，butthesearedays，mygoodCampan，whenetiquettehasnopoweroverus，andwhen，behindtheroyalpurple，thepoorhumanheart，inallitsneed，comesintotheforeground。Thisissuchadayforme，andasI
knowyouaretrue，Ihavecometoyou。Didyounottellme，Campan，thatyoushouldreceivethenewsassoonasthesentencewaspronounced？“
“Yes，yourmajesty，Idohopeto，andthatisthereasonwhyIamstandingatthewindowlookingformymessenger。“
“Howcurious!“saidthequeen，thoughtfully。“TheycallmeQueenofFrance，andyetIhavenoonewhohastenstogivemenewsofthisimportantaffair，whilemywaiting-maidhasdevotedfriends，whodoforherwhatnoonedoesforthequeen。“
“Ibegyourmajesty’spardon，“answeredMadamedeCampan，smiling。
“Whattheydoto-dayforme，theydoonlybecauseIamthewaiting-
maidofthequeen。IwasyesterdayatCouncillorBugeaud’s，inordertopaymyrespectstothefamilyafteralonginterval，forhiswifeisacousinofmine。“
“Thatmeans，“saidthequeen，withaslightsmile，“thatyouwentthere，nottovisityourcousin，thecouncillor’swife，buttovisitthecouncillorhimself。Nowconfess，mygoodCampan，youwantedtodoalittlebribery。“
“Well，Iconfesstoyourmajesty，IwantedtoseeifitwasreallytruethatCouncillorBugeaudhasgoneovertotheenemy。YourmajestyknowsthatMadamedeMarsanhasvisitedallthecouncillors，andadjuredthembyGodandtheHolyChurch，nottocondemnthecardinal，buttodeclarehiminnocent。“
“Thatis，theywillfreethecardinalthatImaybecondemned，“saidthequeen，angrily。“Fortofreehimisthesameastoaccusemeandhavemyhonortarnished。“
“ThatwaswhatIwassayingtomycousin，CouncillorBugeaud，andhappilyIfoundsupportersinhisownfamily。Oh，Iassureyourmajestythatinthisfamilytherearethosewhoaredevoted，heartandsoul，toyourmajesty。“
“Whoarethesepersons？“askedthequeen。“Namethemtome，thatinmysadhoursImayrememberthem。“
“Thereis，inthefirstplace，thedaughterofthecouncillor，theprettyMargaret，whoissoenthusiasticforyourmajestythatshesavesapartofhermeagrepocket-moneythatshemayrideovertoVersaillesateverygreatfestivaltoseeyourmajesty；andthenparticularlythereistheloverofthislittleperson，ayoungmannamedToulan，agifted，fineyoungfellow，whoalmostworshipsyourmajesty——heistheonewhopromisedmetobringnewsatonceafterthesentenceispronounced，anditismoreowingtohiseloquencethantominethatCouncillorBugeaudsawthenecessityofgivinghisvoteagainstthecardinalandputtinghimselfontherightside。“
Atthisinstantthedoorwhichledintotheantechamberwashastilyflungopen，andalackeyentered。
“Thegentlemanwhomyouexpectedhasjustarrived，“heannounced。
“ItisMr。Toulan，“whisperedMadamedeCampantothequeen；“hebringsthesentence。Tellthegentleman，“shethensaidaloudtothelackey，“towaitamomentintheantechamber；Iwillreceivehimdirectly。
“Go，Ibegyourmajesty，“shecontinuedasthelackeywithdrew，“I
begyourmajestytograciouslyallowmetoreceivetheyoungmanhere。“
“Thatistosay，mydearCampan，“saidthequeen，smiling，“tovacatethepremisesandleavetheapartment。ButIamnotatallinclinedto，Iprefertoremainhere。Iwanttoseethisyoungmanofwhomyousaythatheissuchafaithfulfriend，andthenIshouldliketoknowthenewsassoonaspossiblethathebrings。Seehere，thechimney-screenismuchtallerthanI，andifIgobehind，theyoungmanwillhavenosuspicionofmypresence，especiallyasitisdark。Nowlethimcomein。Iammosteagertohearthenews。“
Thequeenquicklysteppedbehindthehighscreen，andMadameCampanopenedthedooroftheantechamber。
“Comein，Mr。Toulan，“shecried，andatoncethereappearedattheopendoorthetall，powerfulfigureoftheyoungman。Hischeekswereheatedwiththequickride，hiseyesglowed，andhisbreathingwasrapidandhard。MadameCampanextendedherhandtohimandgreetedhimwithafriendlysmile。“Soyouhavekeptyourword，Mr。
Toulan，“shesaid。“Youbringmethenewsofthecourt’sdecision？“
“Yes，madame，Ido，“heansweredsoftly，andwithatouchofsadness。“Iamonlysorrythatyouhavehadtowaitsolong，butitisnotmyfault。ItwasstrikingeightfromthetowerofSt。JacqueswhenIreceivedthenews。“
“Eight，“askedMadamedeCampan，lookingattheclock，“itisnowscarcelynine。YoudonotmeantosaythatyouhaveriddentheeighteenmilesfromParistoVersaillesinanhour？“
“Ihavedoneit，andIassureyouthatisnothingwonderful。Ihadfourfreshhorsesstationedalongtheroad，andtheyweregoodones。
Ifanciedmyselfsometimesabirdflyingthroughtheair，anditseemstomenowasifIhadflown。IbegyourpardonifIsitdowninyourpresence，formyfeettremblealittle。“
“Dositdown，mydearyoungfriend，“criedCampan，andshehastenedherselftoplaceaneasy-chairfortheyoungman。
“Onlyaninstant，“hesaid，sinkingintoit。“Butbelievemeitisnotthequickridethatmakesmyfeettremble，butjoyandexcitement。Ishallperhapshavethepleasuretohavedonethequeenalittleservice，foryoutoldmethatitwouldbeveryimportantforhermajestytolearntheverdictasquicklyaspossible，andnoonehasgotherebeforeme，hasthere？“
“No，myfriend，thequeenwilllearnthenewsfirstthroughyourmeans，andIshallsaytohermajestythatIhavelearneditthroughyou。“
“No，madame，“hecried，quickly，“no，Iwouldmuchratheryouwouldnottellthequeen，forwhoknowswhetherthenewsisgood，orwhetheritwouldnottroublethenobleheartofthequeen，andthenmyname，ifsheshouldlearnit，wouldonlybedisagreeabletoher——
ratherthatsheshouldneverhearitthanthatitshouldbeconnectedwithunpleasantassociationstoher。“
“Thenyoudonotknowwhatthesentenceis？“repliedCampan，astonished。“Haveyoucometobringmethesentence，andyetdonotknowyourselfwhatitis？“
“Idonotknowwhatitis，madame。Thecouncillor，thefatherofmysweetheart，hassentitbymeinwriting，andIhavenotallowedmyselftotaketimetoreadit。Perhaps，too，Iwastoocowardlyforit，forifIhadseenthatitcontainedanythingthatwouldtroublethequeen，Ishouldnothavehadcouragetocomehereanddeliverthepapertoyou。SoIdidnotreadit，andthoughtonlyofthis，thatImightperhapssavethequeenaquarterofanhour’sdisquietandanxiousexpectation。Here，madame，isthepaperwhichcontainsthesentence。Takeittohermajesty，andmaytheGodofjusticegrantthatitcontainnothingwhichmaytroublethequeen!“