Theweddingguestswereassembled。MadameBugeaudhadjustputtheveilupontheheadofherdaughterMargaret，andimpresseduponherforeheadthelastkissofmotherlylove。Itwasthehourwhenamotherholdsherdaughterasachildinherarmsforthelasttime，bidsadieutothepleasantpicturesofthepast，andsendsherchildfromherparents’housetogooutintotheworldandseekanewhome。Painfulalwaysissuchanhourtoamother’sheart，forthefutureisuncertain；nooneknowsanythingaboutthenewvicissitudesthatmayarise。
Andpainful，too，tothewifeofCouncillorBugeaudwasthispartingfromherdearly-loveddaughter，butshesuppressedherdeepemotion，restrainedthetearsinherheart，thatnotoneshouldfalluponthebridalwreathofherloveddaughter。Tearsdroppeduponthebridalwreatharetheheraldsofcomingmisfortune，thesealofpainwhichdestinystampsuponthebrowofthedoomedone。
AndthetendermotherwouldsogladlyhavetakenawayfromherlovedMargareteverypainandeverymisfortune!Thetimeswerethreatening，andthehorizonofthepresentwassofullofstormysignsthatitwasnecessarytolookintothefuturewithhope。
“Go，mydaughter，“saidMadameBugeaud，withasmile，regardingwhichonlyGodknewhowmuchitcostthemother’sheart——“gooutintoyournewworld，behappy，andmayyouneverregretthemomentwhenyonleftthethresholdofyourfather’shousetoenteranewhome!“
“Mydearmother，“criedMargaret，withbeamingeyes，“thehousetowhichIamgoingisthehouseofhimIlove，andmynewhomeishisheart，whichisnoble，great，andgood，andinwhichallthetreasuresintheearthformerest。“
“Godgrant，mydaughter，thatyoumayaftermanyyearsbeabletorepeatthosewords!“
“Ishallrepeatthem，mother，forinmyheartisajoyfultrust。I
canneverbeunhappy，forToulanlovesme。But，hark!Ihearhimcoming；itishisstep，andlisten!heiscallingme!“
Andtheyounggirl，withreddeningcheeks，directedherglowingeyestothedoor，whichjustthenopened，whereappearedherlover，inasimple，dark，holiday-suit，withafriendly，gravecountenance，histender，beamingeyesturnedtowardhisaffianced。
Hehastenedtoher，andkissedthelittletremblinghandwhichwasextendedtohim。
“Alltheweddingguestsareready，mylove。Thecarriagesarewaiting，andassoonasweenterthechurchtheclergymanwilladvancetothealtartoperformtheceremony。“
“Thenletusgo，Louis，“saidMargaret，noddingtohim，andarm-in-
armtheywenttothedoor。
ButToulanheldback。“Notyet，mydearone。Beforewegotothechurch，Iwanttohaveafewwordswithyou。“
“Thatistosay，mydearsir，thatyouwouldliketohavemewithdraw，“saidthemother，withasmile。“Donotapologize，myson，thatisonlynatural，andIdarenotbejealous。Mydaughterbelongstoyou，andIhavenolongertherighttopressintoyoursecrets。
SoIwillwithdraw，andonlyGodmayhearwhattheloverhastosaytohisaffiancedbeforethewedding。“
Shenoddedinfriendlyfashiontothecouple，andlefttheroom。
“Wearenowalone，myMargaret，“saidToulan，puttinghisarmaroundtheneckofthefairyoungmaiden，anddrawinghertohimself。“OnlyGodistohearwhatIhavetosaytoyou。“
“Ihope，Louis，“whisperedtheyounggirl，trembling，“Ihopeitisnotbadnewsthatyouwanttotellme。Yourfaceissograve，yourwholelooksosolemn。Youlovemestill，Louis？“
“Yes，Margaret，Idoloveyou，“answeredhe，softly；“butyet，beforeyouspeakthewordwhichbindsyoutomeforever，Imustopenmywholehearttoyou，andyoumustknowallIfeel，inorderthat，ifthereisafuturetoproveus，wemaymeetitwithfixedgazeandjoyfulspirit。“
“MyGod!whathaveItohear？“whisperedtheyounggirl，pressingherhandtoherheart，thatbegantobeatwithunwontedviolence。
“Youwillhavetohear，myMargaret，thatIloveyou，andyetthattheimageofanotherwomanischerishedinmyheart。“
“Whoisthisotherwoman？“criedMargaret。
“Margaret，itisQueenMarieAntoinette。“
Thegirlbreathedfreely，andlaughed。“Ah!howyoufrightenedme，Louis。Iwasafraidyouweregoingtonamearival，andnowyoumentionherwhomI，too，loveandhonor，towhomIpaymywholetributeofadmiration，andwho，althoughyououghttolivetherealone，hasaplaceinmyheart。Ishallneverbejealousofthequeen。Iloveherjustasdevotedlyasyoudo。“
Alight，sympatheticsmileplayeduponthelipsofToulan。“No，Margaret，“saidhe，gravely，“youdonotloveherasIdo，andyoucannot，foryourdutytoherisnotlikemine。Listen，mydarling，andIwilltellyoualittlestory——astorywhichissosacredtomethatithasneverpassedovermylips，although，accordingtothewaysofhumanthinking，thereisnothingsoverystrangeaboutit。
Come，mydear，sitdownwithmealittlewhile，andlistentome。“
Heledthemaidentothelittledivan，andtookaplacewithheruponit。Herhandlaywithinhis，andwithajoyfulandtenderlookshegazedintothebold，noble，andgoodfaceofthemantowhomshewasreadytodevoteherwholelife。
“Speaknow，Louis，Iwilllisten!“
“Iwanttotellyouofmyfather，Margaret，“saidtheyoungman，withagentlevoice——“ofmyfather，whothirstedandhungeredforme，inhiseffortstofeed，clothe，andeducateme。Hehadbeenanofficerinthearmy，haddistinguishedhimselfinmanyabattle，wasdecorated，onaccountofhisbravery，withtheOrderofSt。Louis，anddischargedasaninvalid。Thatwasasadmisfortuneformyfather，forhewaspoor，andhisofficer’spaywashisonlyfortune。
Butno——hehadanobler，afairerfortune——hehadawifewhomhepassionatelyloved，alittleboywhomheadored。Andnowthemeansofexistenceweretakenawayfromthislovedwife，thisdearboy，andfromhimwhoseservicehadbeentheofferingofhislifeforhiskingandcountry，thestormingoffortifications，thedefyingofthebayonetsofenemies；andwhointhisservicehadbeensoseverelywounded，thathislifewassavedonlybytheamputationofhisrightarm。Haditnotbeenjustthisrightarm，hewouldhavebeenabletodosomethingforhimself，andtohavefoundsomeemploymentinthegovernmentservice。Butnowhewasrobbedofallhopeofemployment；
nowhesawforhimselfandhisfamilyonlydestruction，starvation!
Buthecouldnotbelieveitpossible；heheldittobeimpossiblethatthekingshouldallowhisboldsoldier，hisknightoftheOrderofSt。Louis，todieofhunger，afterbecomingacrippleinhisservice。HeresolvedtogotoParis，todeclarehisneedtotheking，andtoimploretheroyalbounty。Thisjourneywasthelasthopeofthefamily，andmyfatherwasjustenteringonitwhenmymothersickenedanddied。Shewastheprop，therightarmofmyfather；shewasthenurse，theteacherofhispoorboy；nowhehadnohopemore，exceptinthefavorofthekingandindeath。Thelastvaluablesweresold，andfatherandsonjourneyedtoParis：aninvalidwhosebraveryhadcosthimanarm，andwhosetearsoveralostwifehadnearlycosthimhiseyesight，andaladoftwelveyears，acquaintedonlywithpainandwantfromhisbirth，andinwhoseheart，notwithstanding，therewasaninextinguishablegermofhope，spirit，andjoy。Wewentonfoot，andwhenmyshoesweretornwiththelongmarch，myfeetswollenandbloody，myfathertoldmetoclimbuponhisbackandlethimcarryme。Iwouldnotallowit，Suppressedmypain，andwentontillIdroppedinaswoon。“
“Oh!“criedMargaret，withtearsinhereyes，“howmuchyouhavesuffered；andIamlearningitnowforthefirsttime，andyounevertoldmethissadhistory。“
“IforgoteverythingsadwhenIbegantoloveyou，Margaret，andI
didnotwanttotroubleyouwithmystories。Whyshouldwedarkentheclearskyofthepresentwiththecloudsofthepast？thefuturewillunquestionablybringitsownclouds。Itellyouallthisnow，inorderthatyoumayunderstandmyfeelings。Nowhearmefurther，Margaret!Atlast，afterlong-continuedefforts，wereachedVersailles，anditseemedtousasifallsufferingandwantweretakenawayfromuswhenwefoundourselvesinadark，poorinn，andlaydownonthehardbeds。Onthenext，myfatherputonhisuniform，decoratedhisbreastwiththeorderofSt。Louis，and，asthepaininhiseyespreventedhisgoingalone，Ihadtoaccompanyhim。Werepairedtothepalaceandenteredthegreatgallerywhichthecourtdailytraversedonreturningfrommassintheroyalapartments。Myfather，holdinginhishandthepetitionwhichIhadwrittentohisdictation，tookhisplacenearthedoorthroughwhichtheroyalcouplemustpass。Istoodnearhimandlookedwithcuriouseyesatthebrilliantthrongwhichfilledthegreathall，andattherichly-dressedgentlemenwhowerepresentandheldpetitionsintheirhands，inspiteoftheircheerfullooksandtheirfineclothes。Andthesegentlemencrowdedinfrontofmyfather，shovedhimtothewall，hidhimfromtheeyeoftheking，whopassedthroughthehallatthesideofthequeen，andwithapleasantfacereceivedallthepetitionswhichwerehandedtohim。Sadlyweturnedhome，butonthefollowingdaywerepairedtothegalleryagain，andIhadthecouragetocrowdbacksomeoftheelegantly-dressedmenwhowantedtopressbeforemyfather，andtosecureforhimaplaceinthefrontrow。Iwasrewardedformyboldness。Thekingcame，andwithagracioussmiletookthepetitionfromthehandofmyfather，andlaiditinthesilverbasketwhichthealmonernearhimcarried。“
“ThankGod，“criedMargaret，withasighofrelief，“thankGod，youweresaved!“
“Thatwesaidtoo，Margaret，andthatrestoredmyfather’shopeandmadehimagainhappyandwell。Wewentthenextdaytothegallery。
Thekingappeared，thegrandalmonerannouncedthenamesofthosewhoweretoreceiveanswerstotheirpetitions——thenameofmyfatherwasnotamongthem!Butwecomfortedourselveswiththethought，itwasnotpossibletoreceiveanswerssoquickly，andonthenextdaywewenttothegalleryagain，andsoonforfourteensuccessivedays，butallinvain；thenameofmyfatherwasnevercalled。Stillwewenteverydaytothegalleryandtookouroldplacethere，onlythecountenanceofmyfatherwasdailygrowingpaler，hisstepweaker，andhispoorboymoretrustlessandweak。Wehadnolongerthemeansofstillingourhunger，wehadconsumedeverything，andmyfather’scrossofSt。Louiswasourlastpossession。Butthatwedarednotpartwith，foritwasourpassporttothepalace，itopenedtousthedoorsofthegreatgallery，andtherewasstillonelasthope。’Wegoto-morrowforthelasttime，’