TwoconditionsMirabeauhadnamed，whenCountdelaMarckhadtriedtogainhimoverinthenameoftheking：anaudiencewiththequeen，andthepaymentofhisdebts，togetherwithamonthlypensionofahundredlouis-d’or。
“Iampaid，butnotbought，“saidMirabeau，ashereceivedhisfirstpayment。“Onlyoneofmyconditionsisfulfilled，butwhatwillbecomeoftheother？“
“Andsoyoustillinsistonhavinganaudiencewiththequeen？“
askedLaMarck。
“Yes，Iinsistuponit，“saidMirabeau，withnamingeyes。“IfIamtobattleandspeakforthismonarchy，Imustlearntorespectit。
IfIamtobelieveinthepossibilityofrestoringit，Imustbelieveinitscapacityoflife；ImustseethatIhavetodealwithabrave，decided，nobleman。ThetrueandrealkinghereisMarieAntoinette；andthereisonlyonemaninthewholesurroundingsofLouisXVI。，andthatishiswife。Imustspeakwithher，inordertohearandtoseewhethersheisworththeriskingofmylife，honor，andpopularity。IfshereallyistheheroinethatIholdhertobe，wewillbothunitedsavethemonarchy，andthethroneofLouisXVI。，whosekingisMarieAntoinette。Themomentissoontocomewhenweshalllearnwhatawomanandachildcanaccomplish，andwhetherthedaughterofMariaTheresawiththedauphininherarmscannotstirtheheartsoftheFrenchashergreatmotheroncestirredtheHungarians。“[Footnote：Mirabeau’sownwords——See“MarieAntoinetteetsaFamille。“FarM。deLescure。p。478。]
“Doyouthenbelievethedangerissogreat，“askedLaMarck，“thatitisnecessarytoresorttoextreme，heroicmeasures？“
Mirabeaugraspedhisarmwithasuddenmovement，andanexpressionofsolemnearnestnessfilledhislion-likeface。“Iamconvincedofit，“heanswered，“andIwilladd，thedangerissogreat，thatifwedonotsoonmeetitandinheroicfashion，itwillnotbepossibletocontrolit。Thereisnoothersecurityforthequeenthanthroughthereestablishmentoftheroyalauthority。Ibelieveofher，thatshedoesnotdesirelifewithouthercrown，andIamcertainthat，inordertokeepherlife，shemustbeforeallthingspreservehercrown。AndIwillhelpherandstandbyherinit；andforthisendImustmyselfspeakwithherandhaveanaudience。“
[Footnote：Mirabeau’sownwords——SeeCountdelaMarck，“Mirabeau，“
vol。21。p。50。]
AndMirabeau，thefirstmanintherevolutionhadhisaudiencewithMarieAntoinette，thedyingchampionofmonarchy。
Onthe3rdofJuly，1790，themeetingofthequeenandMirabeautookplaceintheparkofSt。Cloud。Secrecyandsilencesurroundedthem，andextremecarehadbeentakentoletnoonesuspect，exceptingafewintimatefriends，whatwastakingplaceonthissequestered，leaf-emboweredgrass-platofSt。Cloud。
Abenchofwhitemarble，surroundedbyhigholeanderandtaxustrees，stoodatthesideofthisgrass-plat。ItwasthethroneonwhichMarieAntoinetteshouldreceivethehomageofhernewknight。
MirabeauhadonthedaybeforegonefromParistotheestateofhisniece，theMarchionessofAragan。Therehespentthenight；andthenextmorning，accompaniedbyhisnephew，M。deSaillant，hewalkedtotheparkofSt。Cloud。
Atthenethergateofthepark，whichhadbeenleftopenforthissecretvisit，Mirabeautookleaveofhiscompanion，andextendedhimhishand。
“Idonotknow，“hesaid，andhisvoice，whichsooftenhadmadethewindowsoftheassemblyhallshakewithitsthunder，wasnowweakandtremulous，“Idonotknowwhythisdreadfulpresentimentcreepsovermeallatonce，andwhyvoiceswhispertome，’Turn，back，Mirabeau，turnback!Donotstepoverthethresholdofthisdoor，forthereyouaresteppingintoyouropengrave!’“
“Followthisvoice，uncle，thereisstilltime，“imploredM。deSaillant；“itiswithmeasitiswithyou。I，too，haveasad，anxiousfeeling!“
“Maytheynothavelaidsnaresformehere？“whisperedMirabeau，thoughtfully。“Theyarecapableofeverything，theseartfulBourbons。Whoknowswhethertheyhavenotinvitedmeheretotakemeprisoner，andtocastme，whomtheyholdtobetheirmostdangerousenemy，intooneoftheiroubliettes，theirsubterraneandungeons？Myfriend，“hecontinued，hastily，“waitformehere，andifintwoorthreehoursIdonotreturn，hastentoParis，gototheNationalAssembly，andannouncetothemthatMirabeau，movedbythequeen’scryofdistress，hasgonetoSt。Cloud，andisthereheldaprisoner。“
“Iwilldoit，uncle，“saidthemarquis，“butIdonotbelieveinanysuchtreacheryonthepartofthequeenorherhusband。TheybothknowthatwithoutMirabeautheyarecertainlylost，andthathe，perhaps，isabletosavethem。Ifearsomethingentirelydifferent。“
“Andwhatdoyoufear？“
“IfearyourenemiesintheNationalAssembly，“saidM。deSaillant，andwithapainedexpression。“Ifeartheseenragedrepublicans，whohavebeguntomistrustyousinceyouhavebeguntospeakinfavorofroyaltyandmonarchy，andsinceyouhaveevenventuredtodefendthequeenpersonallyagainstthesavageandmeanattackswhichMarathurlsagainstMarieAntoinetteinhisjournal，theAmiduPeuplt。“
“Itistrue，“saidMirabeau，withasmile，“theyhavemistrustedme，theseenragedrepublicans，sincethen，andtheytellmethatPetion，thisrepublicanofsteelandiron，turnedtoDantonatthecloseofmyspeech，andsaid：’ThisMirabeauisdangeroustoliberty，forthereistoomuchofthebloodofthecountflowingthroughtheveinsofthetribuneofthepeople。Dantonansweredhimwithasmile：’Inthatcasewemustdrawoffthecount’sbloodfromthetribuneofthepeople，thathemayeitherbecuredofhisreactionarydiseaseordieofit!’“
“AndwhentheytoldMarat，uncle，thatyouhadspokenangrilyanddepreciatinglyofhisattacksuponthequeen，heraisedhisfistthreateningly，andcried：’Mirabeauisatraitor，whowantstosellournew，younglibertytothemonarchy。ButhewillmeetthefateofJudas，whosoldtheSaviour。Hewillonedayatoneforitwithhishead，forifwetaphimforhistreachery，weshalldoforhimwhatJudasdidforhimself。ThisMirabeauJudasmusttakecareofhimself。“
“AnddoyousupposethatthisdisputatiouslittleloadofaMaratwillhangme？“askedMirabeau，withascornfulsmile。
“Ithinkthatyoumustwatchhim，“answeredM。deSaillant。“Lastevening，intheneighborhoodofourvilla，Imettwodisguisedmen，who，Iwouldswear，werePerionandMarat；andonourwayhere，asI
lookedaround，IfeelcertainthatIsawthesesamedisguisedfiguresfollowingus!“
“Whatifitbe？“answeredMirabeau，raisinghimselfup，andlookingaroundhimwithaproudglance。“Theliondoesnotfeartheannoyinginsectthatbuzzesabouthim，heshakesitoffwithhismaneordestroysitwithasinglestrokeofhispaw。AndMirabeaufearsjustaslittlesuchinsectsasPetionandMarat；theywouldmuchbetterkeepoutofhisway。Iwilltreadthemunderfoot，thatisall!Andnow，farewell，mydearnephew，farewell，andwaitformehere!“
Henoddedfamiliarlytohisnephew，passedoverthethreshold，andenteredthepark，fromwhoseentrancethepopularindignationhadlongsinceremovedtheobnoxiouswords，DeparlaReine，thegardenbelongingnowtothekingonlybecausethenationwilleditso。
Mirabeauhastenedwithananxiousmindandalightstepalongthewalk，andagainitseemedtohimasifdarkspiritswerewhisperingtohim，“Turnback，Mirabeau，turnback!forwitheverystepforwardyouareonlygoingdeeperintoyourgrave。“Hestopped，andwithhishand-kerchiefwipedawaythedropsofcoldsweatwhichgathereduponhisforehead。
“Itisfolly，“hesaid，“perfectfolly。TrulyIamastremulousasagirlgoingtoherfirstrendezvous。Shameonyou，Mirabeau，beaman!“
Heshookhisheadasifhewantedtodispeltheseevilforebodings，andhastenedforwardtomeetCountdelaMarck，whoappearedatthebendingoftheallee。
“Thequeenisalreadyhere，andiswaitingforyou，Mirabeau，“saidthemarquis，withaslightreproachinhisvoice。
Mirabeaushruggedhisshouldersinsteadofreplying，andwentonmorerapidly。Theresoonopenedinfrontofthemasmallgrass-plat，surroundedbybushes，andonthebenchopposite，theladyinthewhite，neatdress，withastrawhatonherarm，herhairveiledwithblacklace——thatladywasMarieAntoinette。
Mirabeaustoppedinhiswalk，andfixedalong，searchinglookuponher。Whenheturnedagaintohisfriend，hisfacewaspale，andboreplaintracesofemotion。
“Myfriend，“whisperedhetoLaMarck，“Iknownotwhy，butIhaveastrangefeeling!Ihavenotweptsincethedayonwhichmyfatherdrovemewithacursefromthehouseofmyancestors，but，seeingyonderwoman，Icouldweep，andanunspeakablesympathyfillsmysoul。“
Thequeenhadseenhim，too，andhadgrownpale，andturnedtremblinglytotheking，whostoodbesideher，halfconcealedbythefoliage。
“Thereisthedreadfulman!“saidMarieAntoinette，withashudder。
“MyGod!athrillofhorrorcreepsthroughallmyveins，andifI
onlylookatthismonster，IhaveafeelingasthoughIshouldsickenwithloathing!“[Footnote：Thequeen’sownwords。See“MadameduCampan，“vol。II。]
“Courage，mydearMarie，courage，“whisperedtheking。“Rememberthatthewelfareofourfuture，andofourchildren，perhaps，dependsuponthisinterview。See，heisapproaching。Receivehimkindly，Marie。Iwilldrawback，foryoualoneshallhavethehonorofthisday，andmonarchyhasinyouitsfairestrepresentative。“
“Butremainsonearme，sire，thatyoucanhearmeifIcallforhelp，“whisperedMarieAntoinette。
Thekingsmiled。“Fearnothing，Marie，“hesaid，“andbelievethatthedangerforMirabeauisgreaterthanforyou。Thenameofcriminalwillbefastenednottous，buttoMirabeau，ifitshallbeknownthathehascometovisitushere。Iwillwithdraw，forthereisMirabeau。“
Andthekingwithdrewintothethicket，whileMirabeaustoppednearthequeen，andsalutedherwithaprofoundbow。
MarieAntoinetterosefromhermarbleseat。Atthismomentshewasnotthequeengivinganaudience，buttheanxiouslady，advancingtomeetdanger，anddesiroustomitigateitbypolitenessandsmiles。
“Comenearer，count，“saidMarieAntoinette，stillstanding。Butasheapproached，thequeensankslowlyupontheseat，andraisedhereyestoMirabeau，withanalmosttimidlook，whonowdidnotseemtoheramonster，forhismienwasdisturbed，andhiseyes，whichhadalwaysbeenrepresentedassofearful，hadagentle，respectfulexpression。
“Count，“saidthequeen，andhervoicetrembledalittle“count，ifIfoundmyselffacetofacewithanordinaryenemy，amanwhowasaimingatthedestructionofmonarchy，withoutseeingofwhatuseitisforthepeople，Ishouldbetakingatthismomentaveryuselessstep。ButwhenonetalkswithaMirabeau，oneisbeyondtheordinaryconditionsofprudence，andhopeofhisassistanceisblendedwithwonderattheact。“[Footnote：Thequeen’sownwords——See“MarieAntoinetteetsaFamille“ParM。deLescure，p。484。]
“Madame，“criedMirabeau，deeplymoved，“Ihavenotcomehereasyourenemy，butasyourdevotedservant，whoisreadycheerfullytogivehislifeifhecanbeofanyservicetothemonarchy。“
“Youbelieve，then，thatitisaquestionoflife，or，ifyouprefer，ofdeath，whichstandsbetweentheFrenchpeopleandthemonarchy？“askedthequeen，sadly。
“Yes，Iamconvincedofthat，“answeredMirabeau。“ButIstillhopethatwecananswerthequestioninfavorofthemonarchy，providedthattherightmeansareappliedinseason。“
“Andwhat，accordingtoyourviews，aretherightmeans，count？“
Mirabeausmiledandlookedwithamazementintothenoblefaceofthequeen，who，withsucheasycomposure，hadputintothisoneshortquestionwhatforcenturieshadperplexedthegreatestthinkersandstatesmentoanswer。