“WillyourmajestygraciouslypardonmeifIcravepermission，beforeIanswer，toputaquestioninlikemannertomyexaltedqueen？“
“Askon，count，“repliedMarieAntoinette，withagentleinclinationofherhead。
“Well，madame，thisismyquestion：’Doesyourmajestypurposeandaimatthereestablishmentoftheoldregime，anddoyoudeemitpossibletorollthechariotofhumanhistoryandofpoliticsbackward？“
“Youhaveinyourquestiongiventheansweraswell，“saidMarieAntoinette，withasigh。“Itisimpossibletoreerectthesameedificeoutofitsownruins。Onemustbesatisfiedifoutofthemahousecanbebuilt，inwhichonecanmanagetolive。“
“Ah，yourmajesty，“saidMirabeau，withfeeling，“thisansweristhefirstrayoflightwhichbreaksthroughtheheavystorm-clouds!Thenewdaycanbedescriedandhailedwithdelight!Afterhearingthisnobleanswerofyourmajesty，Ilookupcomforted，andthecloudsdonotterrifymelonger，forIknowthattheywillsoonbepast——thatis，ifweemploytherightmeans。“
“AndnowIrepeatmyquestion，count，What，accordingtoyourview，aretherightmeans？“
“Firstofall，therecognitionofwhatiswrong，“answeredMirabeau，“andthenthecheerfulandhonestwilltodowhatisfoundtobenecessary。“
“Well，tellme，whatisitthatiswrong？“
Mirabeaubowed，andthenbegantospeaktoherinhisclear，sharpway，whichwasatthesametimesofullofenergy，ofthesituationofFrance，therelationofthevariouspoliticalpartiestooneanother，tothecourt，andthethrone。Instronglyoutlinedsentenceshecharacterizedthechiefsofthepoliticalclubs，theleadersofthepartiesintheNationalAssembly，andspokeoftheperilousgoalwhichthedemagogues，themenoftheextremeLeft，aimedat。Hedidnot，fromdelicacy，speaktheword“republican，“
buthegavethequeentounderstandthatthedestructionofthemonarchyandthethrone，theannihilationoftheroyalfamily，wastheultimateobjectaimedatbyalltheravingoratorsandleadersoftheextremeLeft。
Thequeenhadlistenedtohimwitheager，fixedattention，and，atthesametime，withadignifiedcomposure；andtheearnest，thoughtfullookofherlargeeyeshadpenetratedandmovedMirabeaumoreandmore，sothathiswordscamefromhislipslikeastreamoffire，andkindledanewhopeeveninhimself。
“Allwillyetbewell，“hecried，inconclusion；“weshallsucceedincontendingwiththehiddenpowersthatwishtoundermineyourmajesty’sthrone，andtotakefromthehandsofyourenemiesthesedangerousweaponsofdestruction。Ishallapplyallmypower，allmyeloquencetothis。Iwillopposetheundertakingsofthedemagogues；
Iwillshowmyselftobetheirpublicopponent，andzealouslyservethemonarchy，makinguseofallsuchmeansofhelpasareadaptedtomovemen’sminds，andnottotroubleandterrifythem，asiffreedomandself-governmentweretobetakenfromthem，andyetwhichwillrestorethecreditandpowerofthemonarchy。“
“Areyou，then，withhonestanduprightheart，afriendofours？“
askedMarieAntoinette，almostsupplicatingly。“Doyouwishtoassistus，andstandbyus，withyourcounselandhelp？“
Mirabeaumetherinquisitiveandanxiouslookwithacordialsmile，anobleandtrustworthyexpressionofface。“Madame，“hesaid，withhisfine，resonantvoice，“IdefendedmonarchicalprincipleswhenI
sawonlytheirweakness，andwhenIdidnotknowthesoulnorthethoughtsofthedaughterofMariaTheresa，andlittlereckoneduponhavingsuchanexaltedmediator。IcontendedfortherightsofthethronewhenIwasonlymistrusted，whencalumnydoggedallmysteps，anddeclaredmeguiltyoftreachery!Iservedthemonarchy，then，whenIknewthatfrommyrightful，butmisledking，Ishouldreceiveneitherkindnessnorreward。WhatshallIdonow，whenconfidenceanimatesmyspirit，andgratitudehasmademydutiesrundirectlyinthecurrentofmyprinciples？IshallbeandremainwhatIhavealwaysbeen，thedefenderofmonarchygovernedbylaw，theapostleoflibertyguaranteedbythemonarchy。“[Footnote：Mirabeau’sownwords——See“MemoiresduComtedeMirabeau，“volIII。，p。290。]
“Ibelieveyou，count，“criedMarieAntoinette，withemotion。“Youwillserveuswithfidelityandzeal，andwithyourhelpallwillyetbewell。Ipromiseyonthatwewillfollowyourcounsels，andactinconcordwithyou。Youwillputyourselfincommunicationwiththeking；youwillconsulthimaboutneedfulmatters，andadvisehimaboutthethingswhichareessentialtohiswelfareandthatofthepeople。“
“Madame，“repliedMirabeau，“Itakethelibertyofaddingthistowhathasalreadybeensaid。ThemostnecessarythingisthattheroyalcourtleaveParisforaseason!“
“Thatweflee？“askedMarieAntoinette，hastily。“Notflee，butwithdraw，“answeredMirabeau。“Theexasperatedpeoplemenacethemonarchy，andthereforethethreatenedcrownmustforawhilebeconcealedfromthepeople’ssight，thattheymaybebroughtbacktoasenseofdutyandloyalty。And，therefore，Idonotsaythatthecourtmustflee；IonlysayitmustleaveParis，forParisisthefurnaceoftherevolution!Theroyalcourtmustwithdraw，assoonaspossible，totheveryboundariesofFrance!Itmusttheregatheranarmy，andputitunderthecommandofsomefaithfulgeneral，andwiththisarmymarchagainsttheriotouscapital；andIwillbetheretosmooththewayandopenthegates!“
“Ithankyou，count，Ithankyou!“criedMarieAntoinette，risingfromherseat。“Now，Idoubtnomoreaboutthefuture，formyownthoughtscoincidewiththoseofourgreateststatesmen!I，too，amconvincedthecourtoughttoleaveParis——thatitmustwithdraw，inordertoescapenewhumiliations，andthatitoughttoreturnonlyinthesplendorofitspower，andwithanarmytoputtherebelstoflight，andbreathecourageintothetimidandfaithful。Oh!youmusttellthekingallthis；youmustshowhimthatourremovalfromParisisnotonlyameansofsalvationtothecrown，buttothepeopleaswell。Yourwordswillconvincethenoblestandbestofmonarchs；hewillfollowyourcounsels，and，thankstoyou，notwealone，butthemonarchywillbesaved!No，gotothework，count!Beactiveinourbehalf；bringyourunboundedinfluence，infavorofthekingandqueen，tobearuponallspirits，andbesurethatweshallbegratefultoyousolongaswelive。Farewell，andrememberthatmyeyewillfollowallyoursteps，andthatmyearswillheareverywordwhichMirabeaushallspeakintheNationalAssembly。“
Mirabeaubowedrespectfully。“Madame，“saidhe，“whenyourexaltedmothercondescendedtofavoroneofhersubjectswithanaudience，sheneverdismissedhimwithoutpermittingthefavoredonerespectfullytokissherhand。“
“Itistrue，“repliedMarieAntoinette，withapleasantsmile，“andinthis，atleast，Icanfollowtheexampleofmygreatmother!“
And，withinimitablegrace，thequeenextendedherhandtohim。
Mirabeau，enraptured，besidehimselfatthisdisplayofcourtesyandfavor，droppeduponhiskneeandpressedhislipstothedelicate，whitehandofthequeen。
“Madame，“criedhe，withwarmth，“thiskisssavesthemonarchy!“
[Mirabeau’sownwords——See“MemoiresdeMirabeau，“voliv。，p。
208。]
“Ifyouhavespokenthetruth，sir，“saidthequeen，withasigh，risinganddismissinghim，withagentleinclinationofherhead。
Withexcitedandradiantlooks，Mirabeaureturnedtohisnephew，whowaswaitingforhimatthegateofthepark。
“Oh!“saidhe，withabreathofrelief，layinghishandupontheshoulderofSaillant，“whathaveInotheardandseen!Sheisverygreat，verynoble，andveryunhappy，Victor!But，“criedhe，withaloud，earnestvoice，“Iwillsaveher——Iwillsaveher!“[Footnote：
“MarieAntoinetteetsaFamille，“p480。]
Mirabeauwasinearnestinthispurpose；andnotbecausehehadbeenboughtover，butbecausehehadbeenwon——carriedawaywiththenobleaspectofthequeen——didhebecomefromthistimeazealousdefenderofthemonarchy，aneloquentadvocateinbehalfofMarieAntoinette。Buthewasnotnowabletorestrainthedashingwavesofrevolution；hecouldnotevensavehimselffrombeingengulfedintheseragingwaves。
Mirabeauknewitwell，andmadenosecretoftheperilofhisposition。Onthedaywhen，beforethedivision，hespokeindefenceofthemonarchyandtheroyalprerogative，andundertooktodecidethequestionofpeaceorwar——onthatdayhefirstannouncedhimselfopenlyfortheking，andraisedastormofexcitementanddisgustintheNationalAssembly。Stillhespokerightbravelyinbehalfofthecrown；andwhiledoingso，hecried，“IknowwellthatitisonlyasinglestepfromthecapitoltotheTarpeianrock!“
Stepafterstep!AndthesesuccessivestepsMirabeauwassoontotake。PetionhadnotinvaincharacterizedMirabeauasthemostdangerousenemyoftherepublic。Marathadnotasserted，withoutknowingwhathesaid，thatMirabeaumustletallhisaristocraticbloodflowfromhisveins，orbleedtodeathaltogether!NotwithimpunitycouldMirabeauencountertherageofparties，andflingdownthegauntletbeforethem，saying，atthesamemoment，“Hewoulddefendthemonarchyagainstallattacks，fromwhatsidesoever，andfromwhatpartsoeverofthekingdomtheymightcome。“
TheleadersoftherepublicanfactionsknewverywellhowtoestimatethepowerofMirabeau；theyknewverywellthatMirabeauwasabletofittogetherthefragmentsofthecrownwhichhehadhelpedtobreak。And，topreventhisdoingthis，theyknewthathemustbeburiedbeneaththesefragments。
Soonafterhisinterviewwiththequeen——afterhisdissentingspeechinbehalfoftheprerogativeoftheking——Mirabeaubegantofailinhealth。Hisenemiessaidthatitwasonlytheresultofover-
exertion，andacoldwhichhehadbroughtonbydrinkingaglassofcoldwaterduringaspeech，intheNationalAssembly。Hisfriendswhisperedaboutadeadlypoisonwhichhadbeenmingledwiththisglassofwater，inordertoridthemselvesofthispowerfulanddangerousopponent。
Mirabeaubelievedthis；andtheincreasingtorporofhislimbs，thepainswhichhefeltinhisbowels，appearedtohimtobethesureindicationsofpoisongivenhimbyhisenemies。
Thelion，whohadbeenwillingtocrouchatthefootofthethroneforthepurposeofguardingit，wasnownothingbutapoor，sickman，whosevoicewaslost，andwhosepowerwasextinguished。Foraseasonhesoughttocontendagainstthemaladywhichwaslurkinginhisbody；butoneday，inthemidstofaspeechwhichhewasmakinginbehalfofthequeen，hesankinafainting-fit，andwascarriedunconsciouslytohisdwelling。Afterlongeffortsonthepartofhisphysician，thecelebratedCabanis，Mirabeauopenedhiseyes。
Consciousnesswasrestored，butwithitafixedpremonitionofhisapproachingdeath。
“Iamdying!“hesaid，softly。“Iambearinginmyheartthefuneralcrapeofthemonarchy。Theseragingpartisanswanttopluckitout，derideit，andfastenittotheirownforeheads。Andthiscompelsthemtobreakmyheart，andthistheyhavedone!“[Footnote：
Mirabeau’sownwords——See“MemoiressurMirabeau，“vol。iv。，。p。