“Andyoubothunderstoodthatmattercapitally，“saidSimon，withalaugh，“Ialwaysseethatitparticularlyprovokesthequeentohaveyouonservice，andIlikethat，andIamespeciallygladtohaveyouhere。“
“I’vethoughtoutajokeforto-day，“saidToulan。“Iwillteachthewidowtosmoke。Youknow，brotherSimon，thatshealwayspretendsnottobeabletobearthesmelloftobacco，sheshalllearntobearit。Iwillhandherapapercigaretteto-day，andtellherthatifshedoesnotwantustosmoke，shemustsmokewithus。“
“Splendidjoke!“saidSimon，withaloudlaugh。“Butthere’sonethingtobethoughtofaboutthat，“saidLepitre，reflectively。“thewidowCapetmightperhapspromisetosmoke，ifwewouldtellherthatwewouldneversmokeafterward。Butthenweshouldnotkeepourword，ofcourse。“
“What!yousayweshouldnotkeepourword!“saidToulan，inamazement。“Wearerepublicans；morethanthat，wearesans-
culottes!andshallwenotkeepourword？oughtwenottobebetterthanthecursedaristocrats，thatneverkepttheirwordtothepeople？Howcanyoudisgraceusandyourselfsomuch？AskournoblefriendandbrotherSimon，whetherheisoftheopinionthatafreemanoughtnottokeephisword，evenifhehasonlygivenittoawomaninprison。“
“Iamofthatopinion，“saidSimon，withdignity。“Isworetomyselfthatthekingshouldlosehishead，andIkeptmyword。Ipromisedtheshe-wolfthatsheshouldbehanged，andIhopetokeepthispromisetoo。IfIkeepmywordtoherinwhatisbad，Imustdosoalsoinwhatisgood。Ifarepublicanpromisesanything，hemustholdtoit。“
“Right，Simon，youareanobleandwiseman。Itremainsfixed，then，thatthequeenshallsmoke，butifwehaveourjokeout，weshallnotsmokeanymore。“
“Iwillputupaplacardonthedoor：’Smokingforbiddenintheanteroomoftheshe-wolf。’“
“Good，“criedToulan，“thatisworthyofyou。“
“Letusgoupnow，“saidSimon，“thetwoothersentriesareup-
stairsalready，theywillwonderthatyoucomesolate，butIdoliketochatwithyou。Comeon，let’sgoup。I’llstaytheretoseethejoke。Butwaitamoment，thereissomethingnew。IthasbeenproposedthatnotsomanyguardsareneededtowatchtheCapets，andthatithastheappearanceasifthegovernmentwasafraidofthesehowlingwomenandthislittlemonkey，whomthecrazyroyalistscallKingLouisXVII。Itisverylikelythattheywillreducetheguardtotwo。“
“Verygood，“saidToulan，approvingly——“What’stheuseofwearyingoutsomanyothermenandcondemningthemtosuchidleness？Wecannotbemakingjokesallthetime；andthenagainitisnotpleasantalwayslookingonthesepeople’slongfaces。“
“Soonlytwoguards，“saidLepitre；“butthatseemstomerathertoofew，forwhatifthewidowshouldsucceedinwinningthemoverandgettingthemtohelpherescape？“
“Impossible!“criedSimon，“she’llnevercomearoundme，andaslongasIhavemyeyesopen，sheandherbroodwillnevergetaway。Noonecancomedownthestaircasewithoutmyhearingandseeingit，foryouknowmyroomsarenearthestairs，andthedoorisalwaysopenandIamalwaysthere，andthenthereistheturnkeyRicard，whowatchesthedoorthatleadstothecourtlikeacerberus。Thentherearethreesentriesatthedoorsleadingfromtheinnercourttotheouterone，andthefoursentriesatthedoorsleadingfromtheoutercourttothestreet。No，no，myfriends，iftheshe-wolfwantstoescapeshemustusemagic，andmakewingsgrowonhershouldersandflyaway。“
“Thatisgood，Ilikethat，“saidToulan，springingupthestaircase。
“Andthatsettlesmydoubtstoo，“saidLepitre。“Ishouldthinktwoofficialguardswouldsuffice，foritisplainthatshecannotescape。Simonisonthelook-out，anditisplainthattheshe-wolfcannottransformherselfintoaneagle。“
“Wellsaid，“laughedSimon；“herewearebeforethedoor，let’sgoinandhaveourfun。“
Hedashedthedooropennoisily，andwentintotheroomwiththetwomen。Twoofficialsweresittinginthemiddleoftheroomatthetable，andwereactivelyengagedplayingcards。Throughtheopendooryoucouldlookintothesitting-roomoftheCapetfamily。Thequeenwassittingonthedivanbehindtheroundtable，clothedinhersadsuitofmourning，withablackcapuponhergraylocks。
Shewasbusyindictatinganexercisetothedauphinfromabookwhichsheheldinherhand。Theprince，alsocladinblackandwithabroadcrapeabouthisarm，satuponachairbyherside。Hiswholeattentionwasdirectedtohiswork，andhewasvisiblymakinganefforttowriteaswellaspossible，foraglowingredsuffusedhiacheeks。
OntheothersideofthequeensatMadameElizabeth；nearherthePrincessMariaTheresa，bothbusyinpreparingsomeclothingforthequeen。
Nooneofthegroupappearedtonoticetheloudopeningofthedoor，nooneobservedtheenteringforms，orcastevenamomentaryglanceatthem。
ButToulanwasnotcontentedwiththis；hedemandednothinglessthanthattheshe-wolfshouldlookathim。Hehurriedthroughtheanteroomwithathreateningtread，advancedtothedoorofthesitting-room，andstoppeduponthethreshold，makingsuchadeepandceremoniousbow，andswinginghisarmsocomically，thatSimonwascompelledtolaughaloud。
“Madame，“criedToulan，“Ihavetheinexpressiblehonorofgreetingyourgrace。“
“Heisabrick，aperfectbrick，“roaredSimon。
Lepitrehadgonetothewindow，andturnedhisbackupontheroom；
hewasperhapstoodeficientinspirittojoininthejoke。Nobodypaidanyattentiontohim；nobodysawhimtakealittlepacketfromhiscoat-pocket，andslideitslowlyandcarefullybehindthewoodenboxthatstoodbeneaththewindow。
“Madame，“criedToulan，inastillloudervoice，“Ifearyourgracehasnotheardmysalutation。“
Thequeenslowlyraisedhereyes，andturnedthemtothemanwhowasstillstandinguponthethreshold。“Iheardit，“shesaid，coldly，“goonwriting，myson。“Andshewentoninthesentencethatshehadjustthenbeguntodictate。
“IamsohappyatbeingheardbyMadameVetothatIshallhavetocelebrateitbyalittlebonfire!“——saidToulan，takingacigarfromhisbreast-pocket。“Yousee，myfriends，thatIamaverygoodcourtier，thoughIhavethehonortobeasans-culottes。InthepresenceofhandsomeladiesIonlysmokecigars!Hallo!bringmealittlefire。“
Oneoftheofficialssilentlypassedhimhislongpipe。Toulanlightedhiscigar，placedhimselfatthethreshold，andblewgreatcloudsofsmokeintothechamber。
TheladiesstillcontinuedtositquietlywithoutpayinganyattentiontoToulan。Thequeendictated，andthedauphinwrote。Thequeenonlyinterruptedherselfinthisoccupation，whenshehadtocoughandwipehereyes，whichthesmokefilledwithtears。
Toulanhadfollowedeveryoneofhermovementswithanamusedlook。
“Madamedoesnotappeartotakeanypleasureinmybonfire!“hesaid。“Willmadamenotsmoke？“
Thequeenmadenoreply，butquietlywentonwithherdictation。
“Madame，“criedToulan，laughingloudly，“Ishouldliketosmokeapipeofpeacewithyou，asourbrownbrethreninhappy，freeAmericado——madame，Ibegyoutodomethehonortosmokeapipeofpeacewithme。“
AflashlightenedintheeyeswhichthequeennowdirectedtoToulan。“Youareashamelessfellow!“shesaid。
“Hearthat，“saidSimon，“thatiswhatIcallabusingyou。“
“Onthecontrary，itdelightsme，“criedToulan，“foryouwillconfessthatitwouldbejollyifsheshouldsmokenow，andItellyou，shewillsmoke。“
Headvancedsomepacesintotheroom，andmadehisdeepbowagain。
“Heunderstandsmannersaswellasifhehadbeenarascallycourtierhimself，“saidSimon，laughing。“Itisasplendidjoke。“
ThetwoprincesseshadarisenattheentranceofToulan，andlaidtheirsewing-workaside。Aballofwhitecottonhadfallentothegroundfromthelapofoneofthem，androlledthroughtheroomtowardToulan。
Hepickeditup，andbowedtotheprincesses。“MayIviewthislittleglobe，“hesaid，“asareminderofthefavoroftheloveliestladiesofFrance？Oh，yes，IseeinyourroguishsmilethatImay，andIthankyou，“saidToulan，pressingtheroundballtohislips，andthenputtingitintohisbreast-pocket。
“Heplaysaswellasthefellowsdointhetheatre，“saidSimon，laughing。
“Gointooursleeping-room，“saidMarieAntoinette，turningtotheprincesses。“Itisenoughformetohavetobeartheseindignities——
go，myson，accompanyyouraunt。“
Thedauphinstoodup，pressedakissuponthehandofhismother，andfollowedthetwoprincesses，whohadgoneintotheadjoiningapartment。
“Dearaunt，“whisperedthedauphin，“isthisbadmanthegoodfriendwho——“
“Hush!“whisperedMadameElizabeth，“hush!MadameTisonislistening。“
And，infact，attheglass-door，whichledfromthesleeping-roomtothelittlecorridor，stoodMadameTison，lookingwithsharp，searchingglancesintothechamber。
Aftertheprincesseshadlefttheroom，Toulanapproachedstillclosertothequeen，andtakingacigarfromhisbreast-pocket，hehandedittothequeen。“Takeit，madame，“hesaid，“anddomethehonorofsmokingaduetwithme!“
“Idonotsmoke，sir，“repliedthequeen，coollyandcalmly。“Ibegyoutogointotheanteroom。TheConventionhasnot，sofarasI