Andshethrewherarmsaroundtheneckofherhusband，and，leaningherheaduponhisbreast，weptaloud。
Thekingpressedhercloselytohisheart，andthetearswhichflowedfromhisowneyesfellinhotdropsupontheheadofthequeen。
Neithersawthedoorbeyondlightlyopen，andtheDuchessdePolignacappearthere。Butwhenshesawtheroyalpairincloseembrace，whensheheardtheirloudweeping，shedrewback，stoopeddowntothelittleboywhostoodbyherside，whisperedafewwordstohim，and，whilegentlypushinghimforward，drewbackherself，andgentlyclosedthedoorbehindthem。Thelittlefellowstoodamomentirresolutelyatthedoor，fixinghiseyesnowuponhisfatherandmother，nowuponthenosegayofvioletsandroseswhichhecarriedinhishand。ThelittleLouisCharleswasofthatsweetandtouchingbeautythatbringstearsintoone’seyes，andfillstheheartwithsadness，becausethethoughtcannotbesuppressed，thatlife，withitsrough，wintrystorms，willhavenopityonthistenderblossomofinnocence，andthatthebeaming，angel-faceofthechildmustonedaybechangedintotheclouded，weather-beaten，furrowedfaceoftheman。Acheeringsighttolookuponwasthelittle，delicatefigureofthefour-year-oldboy，pleasinginhiswholeappearance。Moroccoboots，withredtips，coveredhislittlefeet；broadtrousers，ofdark-bluevelvet，cametohisknees，andwereheldtogetheratthewaistbyabluesilksash，whoselace-
tippedendsfellathisleftside。Heworeabluevelvetjacket，withatastefullyembroideredlacerufflearoundtheneck。Theround，rosyface，withtherubylips，thedimpleinthechin，thelargeblueeyes，shadedbylong，darklashes，andcrownedbythebroad，loftybrow，wasrimmedaroundwithaprofusionofgoldenhair，whichfellinlong，heavylocksuponhisshouldersandoverhisneck。ThechildwasasbeautifultolookuponasoneoftheangelsinRaphael’s“SistineMadonna，“andhemighthavebeentakenforone，haditnotbeenforthesilver-embroidered，brilliantstaruponhisleftside。Thisstar，whichdesignatedhisprincelyrank，wasfortheprettychildthesealofhismortality——thesealwhichruinhadalreadyimpresseduponhisinnocentchild’sbreast。
Onemomenttheboystoodindecisivelythere，lookingathisweepingparents；thenheturnedquicklyforward，and，holdinguphisnosegay，hesaid：“Mamma，Ihavebroughtyousomeflowersfrommygarden。“
MarieAntoinetteraisedherhead，andsmiledthroughhertearsasshelookedatherson。Thekingloosenedhisembracefromthequeen，inordertoliftuptheprince。
“Marie，“saidhe，holdinghimuptohiswife，“Marie，thisisourson——thisistheDauphinofFrance。“
MarieAntoinettetookhisheadbetweenherhands，andlookedlong，withtearsinhereyes，andyetsmilingallthewhile，intothelovely，rosyfaceofherboy。Thenshestoopeddown，andimpressedalong，tenderkissuponhissmoothforehead。
“Godloveyou，mychild!“saidshe，solemnly。“Godblessyou，DauphinofFrance!Maythestormswhichnowdarkenourhorizon，havelongbeenpastwhenyoushallascendthethroneofyourfathers!Godblessanddefendyou，DauphinofFrance!“
“But，mamma，“askedtheboy，timidly，“whydoyoucallmedauphinto-day？IamyourlittleLouis，andIamcalledDukedeNormandy。“
“Myson，“saidtheking，solemnly，“Godhasbeenpleasedtogiveyouanothernameandanothercalling。Yourpoorbrother，Louis，hasleftusforever。HehasgonetoGod，andyouarenowDauphinofFrance!“
“AndGodgrantthatitbeforyourgood，“saidthequeen，withasigh。
Thelittleprinceslowlyshookhislocks。“Itcertainlyisnotformygood，“saidhe，“elsemammawouldnotweep。“
“Sheisweeping，mychild，“saidthequeen——“sheisweeping，becauseyourbrother，whowasthedauphin，hasleftus。“
“Andwillhenevercomeback？“askedthechild，eagerly。
“No，Louis，heneverwillcomeback。“
Theboythrewbothhisarmsaroundtheneckofthequeen。“Ah!“hecried，“howcananyoneeverleavehisdearmammaandnevercomeback？Iwillneverleaveyou，mamma!“
“IprayGodyouspeakthetruth，“sighedthequeen，pressinghimtenderlytoherself。“IprayGodImaydiebeforeyouboth!“
“Notbeforeme——oh，notbeforeme!“ejaculatedtheking，shuddering。
“Withoutyou，mydearone，mylifewereadesert；withoutyou，theKingofFrancewerethepoorestmaninthewholeland!“
Hesmiledsadlyather。“Andwithmehewillperhapsbethemostunfortunateone，“shewhisperedsoftly，asiftoherself。
“Neverunfortunate，ifyouarewithme，andifyouloveme，“criedtheking，warmly。“Weepnomore；wemustovercomeourgrief，andcomfortourselveswithwhatremains。Isaytoyouoncemore：thedauphinisdead，longlivethedauphin!“
“Papaking，“saidtheboy，quickly，“yousaythedauphinisdead，andhasleftus。Hashetakeneverythingawaywithhimthatbelongstohim？“
“No，myson，hehaslefteverything。Youarenowthedauphin，andsometimewillbeKingofFrance，foryouaretheheirofyourbrother。“
“Whatdoesthatmean，hisheir？“askedthechild。
“Itmeans，“answeredtheking，“thattoyoubelongnowthetitlesandhonorsofyourbrother。“
“Nothingbutthat？“askedtheprince，timidly。“Idonotwanthistitlesandhonors。“
“Youaretheheirtothethrone；youhavenowthetitleofDauphinofFrance。“
Thelittleonetimidlygraspedthehandofhismother，andliftedhisgreatblueeyessupplicatinglytoher。
“Mammaqueen，“hewhispered，“doyounotthinkthetitleofDukedeNormandysoundsjustaswell，orwillyoulovememore，ifIamcalledDauphinofFrance？“
“No，myson，“answeredthequeen，“Ishallnotloveyoubetter，andIshouldbeveryhappyifyouwerenowtheDukedeNormandy。“
“Then，mamma，“criedtheboy，eagerly，“Iamnotatallgladtoreceivethisnewtitle。ButIshouldliketoknowwhetherIhavereceivedanythingelsefrommydearsickbrother。“
“Anythingelse？“askedthekinginamazement；“whatwouldyoudesire，mychild？“
Thelittleprincecastdownhiseyes。“Ishouldnotliketotell，papa。Butifitistruethatthedauphinhasleftusandisnotcomingbackagain，andyethasnottakenawayeverythingwhichbelongstohim，thereissomethingwhichIshouldverymuchliketohave，andwhichwouldpleasememorethanthatIamnowthedauphin。“
Thekingturnedhisfaceinquiringlytothequeen。“Doyouunderstand，Marie，whathewantstosay？“hewhispered。
“IthinkIcanguess，“answeredMarieAntoinettesoftly，andshewalkedquicklyacrosstheroom，openedthedooroftheadjoiningapartment，andwhisperedafewwordstothepagewhowasthere。Thenshereturnedtotheking，butwhiledoingsoshesteppeduponthebouquetwhichhadfallenoutoftheboy’shandswhenhisfatherliftedhimup。
“Oh，myprettyviolets，myprettyroses，“criedtheprince，sadly，andhisfaceputonasorrowfulexpression。Buthequicklybrightened，and，lookingupatthequeen，hesaid，smiling，“Mammaqueen，IwishyoualwayswalkedonflowerswhichIhaveplantedandpluckedforyou!“
Atthismomentthedoorsoftlyopened，andalittleblackdogsteppedin，andranforward，whining，directlyuptotheprince。
“Moufflet，“criedthechild，fallinguponhisknee，“Moufflet!“
Thelittledog，withitslong，curlylocksofhair，putitsfore-
pawsupontheshouldersoftheboyandeagerlyandtenderlylickedhislaughing，rosyface。
“Now，myLouis，“askedthequeen，“haveIguessedright？——wasn’titthedoggythatyouwantedsomuch？“
“Mammaqueenhasguessedit，“criedtheboyjoyfully，puttinghisarmsaroundtheneckofthedog。“DoesMouffletbelongtomyinheritancetoo？DoIreceivehim，sincemybrotherhaslefthimbehind？“
“Yes，myson，thelittledogbelongstoyourinheritance，“answeredtheking，withasadsmile。
Thechildshoutedwithpleasure，andpressedthedogclosetohisbreast。“Mouffletismine!“hecried，glowingwithjoy，“Mouffletismyinheritance!“
Thequeenslowlyraisedtoheavenhereyes，redwithweeping。“Oh，theinnocenceofchildhood，thehappinessofchildhood!“saidshe，softly，“whydotheynotgowithusthroughlife？whymustwetreadthemunderfeetlikethevioletsaridrosesofmyson？Akingdomfallstohimashisportion，andyethetakespleasureinthelittledogwhichonlylickshishands!Loveisthefairestinheritance，forloveremainswithustilldeath!“