MarieAntoinetteandMadameElizabethlistenedagainatthedoor，andasSimonwasjustthenbeginninganewverseofhisribaldsong，theycarefullyunrolledthepaperandspreaditoutbeforethem。
“Readittome，sister，“saidthequeen。“Myeyesarebadandpainmeverymuch；andthenthewordsmakemoreimpressionwhenIhearthemthanwhenIreadthem；Ibegyouthereforetoreadit。“
Inalightwhispertheprincessbegantoread“ThePlanofEscape。“
“ThequeenandPrincessElizabethmustputonmen’sclothes。Thenecessarygarmentsarealreadyintheirpossession，forT。andL。
havewithinthelastfewdayssecretedtheminthecushionsandmattresses。Inaddition，thequeenreceivesto-dayadirty，tornboy’ssuitandaperuke，andapairofsoiledchildren’sshoes。
TheseareforthedauphinandMadameRoyale；andifthequeenlooksattentivelyatthethings，shewillfindthattheyareexactcopiesoftheclothinginwhichthetwochildrenappearwhoalwaysaccompanythelamplighterintothetowerandassisthiminlightingthelamps。Somuchfortheclothing。Theplanofescapeisasfollows：To-morrowevening，atsixo’clock，theroyalchildrenwillchangetheirdressinthelittletowernexttothechamberofthequeen。Intheirsoiledcostumetheywillremainwithinthetower，whitheritisknownthatTisonandhiswifenevercome，andwillwaitthereuntilsomeonegivesthemasignalandcallsthem。ToulanandLepitrewillarrangetohavethewatchagainto-morrowinthetower。Ataquarterbeforesevenintheevening，ToulanwillgiveapinchofsnufftoMadameTisonandherhusband，whoarebothpassionatelyfondofit，andtheywillspeedilytakeitastheyalwaysdo。Thispinchofsnuffwillconsistentirelyofcoloredopium。Theywillfallintoaheavysleep，whichwilllastatleastsevenhours，andduringthistimestheflightofallthemembersoftheroyalfamilymustbeaccomplished——“
“Waitamoment，sister，“whisperedthequeen，“Ifeeldizzy，andmyheartbeatsviolently，asifwewereengagednowintheveryexecutionoftheplan。Itseemstomeasif，inthedarknessofthedreadfulnightwhichsurroundsus，aglimmerofhopewassuddenlyappearing，andmyeyesareblindedwithit。Oh，sister，doyoureallythinkitpossiblethatwecanescapethisplaceoftorment？“
“Escapewewillcertainly，mydearsister，“answeredElizabeth，gently，“butitliesinGod’shandswhetheritisourbodiesoroursoulsonlythatwillescape。Ifwedonotsucceed，theywillkillus，andthenourfreedsoulswillascendtoGod。Oh，mynoblequeenandsister，letuspraythatGodwouldgiveuscourageandsteadfastnesstohopeinHimandtoconformtoHiswill。“
“Yes，sister，letuspray，“saidthequeen，foldingherhands，andreverentiallybendingherhead。Thenafterapause，inwhichtheycouldhearfromwithoutthenoisylaughterofSimonandhiscomrades，thequeenraisedherselfup，andhercountenancehadregaineditswontedcalmandgraveexpression。
“Andnow，Elizabeth，readonfurther。Letushearthecontinuationoftheplan。“
MadameElizabethtookthepaperandreadoninawhisperingvoice：
“AssoonasTisonandhiswifehavefallenasleep，thequeenandMadameElizabethwillputontheirclothes。Overthemen’sgarmentstheywillthrowthecloakswhichToulanbroughtyesterday，andthesecloakswilldisguisetheirgaitandsize。Butcaremustbetakenthatthetri-coloredsashesofthecommissarieswhichLepitrebroughtyesterdaywiththeadmission-cardsofthesameauthorities，shouldpeepoutfrombeneaththecloakssoastobevisibletoeveryone。Thusarrayed，thetwoladieswillpassbythesentry，showinghimthecardastheygooutmeanwhiletalkingwithLepitre，leavetheTemple，andgowithLepitretotheRuedelaConderie，whereM。
deJarjayeswillbewaitingtoconducttheladiesfarther。“
“Butthechildren，“whisperedthequeen，“dothechildrennotaccompanyus？Oh!theyoughtnottothinkthatIwouldleavethisplacewhilemydearchildrenarecompelledtoremainhere。Whatistobedonewiththechildren，Elizabeth？“
“Weshallsoonlearnthat，sister；allowmetoreadon。’Atseveno’clock，assoonastheguardischanged，amandisguisedasalamplighter，withhistinfillerinhishand，willappearatthegateoftheTemple，knockloudlyanddemandoftheguardthathischildren，whohadthisdaybeentakingcareofthelantern，shouldbeallowedtocomeout。Onthis，ToulanwillbringthedauphinandMadameRoyaleintheirchangedcostume，andwhiledeliveringthemovertothesupposedlamplighterhewillscoldhimsoundlyfornottakingcareofthelanternshimself，butgivingittothechildren。
Thisistheplanwhoseexecutionispossibleandprobable，ifeverythingisstrictlyfollowed。Beforetheaffairisdiscovered，therewillbeatleastsevenhours’advantageandtheroyalfamilywillbeable，withthepassesalreadysecuredbyM。Jarjayes，tobealongwayoffbeforetheirflightwillbediscoveredbyTison。Inasecurehouse，whitherToulanwillleadthem，theroyalfamilywillfindsimplecitizen’sclothing。Withoutexcitinganystir，andaccompaniedbyMessieursJarjayesandToulan，theywillreachNormandy。Apacket-boatfurnishedbyanEnglishfriendliesinreadinesstoreceivetheroyalfamilyandtakethemtotheir——’“
“Good-day，MadameTison!“criedthedauphinloudly，“good-day，mydearMadameTison!“
MadameElizabethhastilyconcealedthepaperinherbosom，andMarieAntoinettehadscarcelytimetohidetheballofthreadinherpocket，whenTisonappeareduponthethresholdofthedoor，lookedwithhersharplynx-eyesaround，andthenfixedthemuponthetwoladies。
ShesawthatMarieAntoinettedidnotdisplayheraccustomeddignifiedcalmness，andthatElizabeth’spalecheekswereunusuallyred。
“Somethingisgoingon，“saidthespytoherself，“andwhatdoesitmeanthatto-daythecommissariesarenotintheanteroom，andthattheyletthesewomencarryontheirchatteringentirelyunwatched？“
“Madamehasbeenreading？“askedTison，subjectingeveryobjectuponthetablebeforewhichtheladiesweresitting，toacarefulscrutiny。“Madamehasbeenreading，“sherepeated；“Iheardpaperrattling，andIseenobook。“
“Youareunderamistake，“repliedMadameElizabeth，“wehavenotbeenreading，wehavebeensewing；butsupposingwewerereading，isthereanywronginthat？Havetheymadeanylawthatforbidsthat？“
“No，“answeredTison，“no——Ionlywonderedhowpeoplecouldrattlepaperandtherebenonethere，butallthesame——theladiesofcoursehavearighttoread，andwemustbesatisfiedwiththat。“
Andshewentout，lookingrightandleftlikeahoundonthescent，andsearchingeverycorneroftheroom。
“Imustseewhatkindofofficialswehavehereto-day，“saidTisontoherself，slippingthroughthelittleside-doorandthroughthecorridor；“Ishouldn’twonderifitwereToulanandLepitreagain，foreverytimewhentheytwo——right!“sheejaculated，lookingthroughtheouterdoor，“right!itisthey，ToulanandLepitre。I
mustseewhatSimon’swifehastosaytothat。“
Sheslippeddownthebroadstaircase，andpassedthroughtheopendoorintotheporter’slodge。MadameSimon，oneofthemostsavageoftheknitters，hadshortlyreturnedfromtheguillotine，andwassittinguponherrushchair，busilycountingonalongcottonstockingwhichsheheldinherhand。
“Howmanyheadsto-day？“askedTison。
MadameSimonslowlyshookherhead，decoratedwithawhiteknitcap。
“Itishardlyworththepains，“shesaiddismally，——“themachineworksbadly，andthejudgesareneglectful。Onlyfivecarsto-day，andoneveryoneonlysevenpersons。““What!“criedTison，“onlythirty-fiveheadsto-dayinall？“
“Yes，onlythirty-fiveheads，“repeatedMadameSimon，shakingherhead；“Ihavejustbeencountingonmystocking，andIfindonlythirty-fiveseam-stitches，foreveryseam-stitchmeansahead。Forsuchalittleaffairwehavehadtositsixhoursinthewetandcoldontheplatform。Themachineworkstooslowly，Isay——
altogethertooslowly。Thejudgesareeasy，andthereisnomorepleasuretobederivedfromtheexecutions。“
“Theymustbestirredup，“saidTisonwithafiendishlook；“yourhusbandmustspeakwithhisfriend，citizenMarat，andtellhimthathisbestfriendstheknitters，andmostofall，Simon’swife，aredissatisfied，andifitgoesonso，thewomenwillriseandhurryallthementotheguillotine。Thatwillstirthemup，fortheydorespecttheknitters，andiftheyfearthedevil，theyfearyetmorehisproudgrandmother，andeveryoneofusmarket-womenandknittersisthedevil’sgrandmother。“
“Yes，theydorespectusandtheyshall，“saidMadameSimon，settingherglisteningneedlesinmotionagain，andworkingslowlyonthestocking；“IwillmyselfspeakwithcitizenMarat，andbelieveme，I
willfirehimup，andthenweshallhavebetterplay，andseemorecarsdrivenuptotheguillotine。Wemustkeepoureyeswellopen，ariddenounceallsuspiciouscharacters。“
“Ihavemyeyesalwaysopen，“criedTison，withacoarselaugh，“andIsuspecttraitorsbeforetheyhavecommittedanything。There，forexample，arethetwoofficials，ToulanandLepitre，doyouhaveconfidenceinthem？“
“Ihavenoconfidenceinthemwhatever，andIhaveneverhadanyconfidenceinthem，“answeredMadameSimon，withdignity，andsettingherneedlesinmorerapidmotion。“Inthesetimesyoumusttrustnobody，andleastofallthosewhoaresoveryearnesttokeepguardovertheAustrianwoman；foratruerepublicandespisesthearistocracyaltogethertoomuchtofinditagreeabletobewithsuchscum，andshowsitasmuchashecan，butToulanisalwayswantingtobethere。Waitamoment，andIwilltellyouhowmanytimesToulanandLepitrehavekeptguardthepresentmonth。“
Shedrewalittlememorandum-bookfromherreticule，whichhungbyblackbandsfromherbrownhairyarm，andturnedovertheleaves。
“There，hereitis，“shesaid。
“To-dayisthe20thofFebruary，andthetwomenhavealreadykeptguardeighttimesthepresentmonth。Thatisthreetimesasmanyastheyneedtodo。EveryoneoftheofficialswhowereappointedtokeepguardintheTempleisobligedtoserveonlyonceaweek，andbothofthesetraitorsarenowherefortheeighthtime。AndmyhusbandissostupidandsoblindedthathebelievesthisprattlerToulanwhenhetellshimhecomesheremerelytobewithcitizenSimon；buttheycannotcomeroundmewiththeirtalk；theycannotthrowdustinmyeyes。Ishallkeepthemopen，wideopen，letmetellyou。“
“Theyarenotsittinginsideintheantechamberto-day，“whisperedTison，“butoutsideonthelanding，andtheyhaveclosedthedooroftheanteroom，sothattheAustrianhasbeenentirelyaloneandunobservedthesehours。“