“Well，“saidthequeen，gently，“telluswhyyouhavewakenedusandwhatyouhavetocommunicatetous。“
“Ihavenothingatalltocommunicatetoyou，“growledTison，“andyouknowbestwhetherIwakeyouoryouwerealreadyawake，talkingandcryingaloud。Hist!itisnotatallnecessarythatyouanswer，Iknowwellenoughthatyouarecapableoflying。Itellyoumyearsareopenandmyeyestoo。Iletnothingescapeme；youhavetalkedandyouhavecriedaloud，andifitoccursagainIshallreportittothesupervisorandhaveawatchputhereinthenightagain，thattherestofusmayhavealittlequietinthenight-time，andnothavetosleeplikethehares，withoureyesopen。“
“But，“saidtheprincessgently，“butdearwoman——“
“Hush!“interruptedTison，commandingly，“Iamnotyour’dearwoman，’IamthewifeofCitizenTison，andIwantnoneofyourconfidence，forconfidencefromsuchpersonsasyouare，mighteasilybringmetothescaffold。“
Shenowpassedthroughthewholeroomwithherslow，stealthytread，letthelightfalluponeveryarticleoffurnitureandthefloor，examinedalltheobjectsthatlayuponthetable，andthen，afteronelastthreateninglookatthebedsofthetwoladies，wentslowlyout。Shestoppedagainatthecribsofthechildren，andlookedatthemwithatouchofgentleness。“Howquietlytheysleep!“thewhispered。“Theyliethereexactlyastheylaybefore。Onewouldthinktheyweresmilingintheirsleep——Isupposetheyareplayingwithangels。Ishouldliketoknowhowangelscomeintothisold，horridTemple，andwhatSimon’swifewouldsayifsheknewtheycameinhereatnightwithoutherpermission。See，see，“shecontinued，“theboyislaughingagain，andspreadingouthishands，asifhewantedtocatchtheangels。Ah!IshouldliketoknowifmydearlittleSolangeissleepingassoundlyasthesechildren，andwhethershesmilesinhersleepandplayswithangels；Ishouldliketoknowifshedreamsofherparents，mydearlittleSolange，andwhethershesometimesseesherpoormother，wholoveshersoandyearnstowardhersotenderlythat“[Footnote：ThisMistressTison，thecruelkeeperofthequeen，soonafterthisfellintolunacy，owingbothtoherlongingsafterherdaughterandhercompunctionsofconscienceforhertreatmentofthequeen。ThefirsttokenofherinsanitywasherfallinguponherkneesbeforeMarieAntoinette，andbeggingpardonforallthepainshehadoccasioned，andamidfloodsoftearsaccusingherselfastheonewhowouldbeanswerableforthedeathofthequeen。Shethenfellintosuchdreadfulspasms，thatfourmenwerescarcelyabletoholdher。TheycarriedherintotheHotelDieu，whereshediedaftertwodaysofthemostdreadfulsufferingsandbitterreproachesofherself——SeeGoncourt，p。280。
]
Shecouldnotgoon；tearsextinguishedherutterance，andshehastenedout，tosilenceherlongingsonthepillowofherbed。
Theladieslistenedalongtimeinperfectsilence；then，wheneverythingwasstillagain，theyraisedthemselvesupsoftly，andbegantotalktoeachotherinthefaintestofwhispers，andtomaketheirfinalpreparationsfortheflightofthemorrow。Theythenroseanddrewfromthevarioushiding-placesthegarmentswhichtheyweretouse，placedthevarioussuitstogether，andthentriedtoputthemon。Afearful，awfulpicture，suchasapainterofhell，suchasBreugelcouldnotsurpassinhorror!——aqueenandaprincess，twotender，pale，harmlesswomen，busied，deepinthenight，asifdressingforamasquerade，intransformingthemselvesintothoseveryofficialswhohadledthekingtothescaffold，andwho，withtheirpitilessironhands，weredetainingtheroyalfamilyinprison!
Theretheystood，aqueen，aprincess，cladinthecoarse，threadbaregarmentsofrepublicanofficials，thetri-coloredsashesofthe“oneindivisiblerepublic“aroundtheirbodies，theirheadscoveredwiththethree-corneredhats，onwhichthetri-coloredcockadeglittered。Theystoodandviewedeachotherwithsadlooksandheavysighs。Ah，whatbright，joyouslaughterwouldhavesprungfromthelipsofthequeeninthedaysofherhappiness，ifshehadwantedtohideherbeautyinsuchattireforsomepleasantmasqueradeatTrianon!Whatcharmingsportitwouldhavebeenthenandthere!Howwouldherfriendsandcourtiershavelaughed!Howtheywouldhaveadmiredthequeeninheroriginalcostume，whichmightwellhavebeenthoughttobelongtotherealmofdreamsandfantasies!Atri-coloredcockade——afigmentofthebrain——atri-
coloredsash——amerrydream!TheliliesruleoverFrance，andwillruleforever!
Nolaughterresoundedinthedesolateroom，scantilylightedwiththedimtaper——nolaughterasthequeenandtheprincessputontheirstrange，fearfulattire。Itwasnomasquerade，butadreadful，horriblereality；andastheylookedateachotherwearingthecostumeofrevolutionists，tearsstartedfromtheeyesofthequeen；
theprincessfoldedherhandsandprayed；andshetoocouldnotkeepbackthedropsthatslowlycoursedoverhercheeks。
TheliliesofFrancearefadedandtornfromtheground!FromthepalaceoftheTuilerieswavedthetri-coloroftherepublic，andinthepalaceoftheformerKnightsTemplarsisapale，sadwoman，withgrayhairandsunkeneyes，abrokenheart，andabowedform。Thispale，sadshadowofthepastisMarieAntoinette，oncetheQueenofFrance，therenownedbeauty，thefirstwomaninagreatkingdom，nowthewidowofanexecutedman，sheherselfprobablywithonefoot——
No，no，shewillbesaved!Godhassentheradeliverer，afriend，andthisfriend，thishelperinherneed，hasmadeeverythingreadyforherflight。
Slowlyandheavilythehoursofthenextdayrolledon。WherewasToulan？Whydidhenotcome？Thequeenwaitedforhimthewholeofthatlong，dreadfuldayinfeverishexpectation。Shelistenedtoeverysound，toeveryapproachingstep，toeveryvoicethatechoedinthecorridor。AtnoonToulanhadpurposedtocometotakehispostasguard。Atsix，whenthetimeoflightingthelampsshouldarrive，thedisguisesweretobeputon。Atseventhecarefullyandskilfully-plannedflightwastobemade。
TheclockinthetoweroftheTemplehadalreadystruckfour。Toulanhadnotyetcome，andtheguardsofthedayhadnotyetbeenrelieved。Theyhadhadalittleleisureatnoonfordinner，andduringtheinterimSimonandTisonwereonguard，andhadkeptthequeenontherackwiththeirmockeryandtheirabusivewords。Inordertoavoidthelanguageandthelooksofthesemen，shehadfledintothechildren’sroom，towhomtheprincess，inhertrustfulcalmnessandunshakenequanimity，wasassigningthemlessons。MarieAntoinettewantedtofindprotectionherefromthedreadfulanxietythattorturedher，aswellasfromtheribaldjestsandscurrilityofherkeepers。ButMistressTisonwasthere，standingneartheglasswindow，gazinginwithamaliciousgrin，andworkinginherwonted，quickwayuponthelongstocking，andknitting，knitting，sothatyoucouldheartheneedlesclicktogether。
Thequeencouldnotgivewaytoawordoralook。Thatwouldhavecreatedsuspicion，andwould，perhaps，havecausedanexaminationtobemade。Shehadtobearallinsilence，shehadtoappearindifferentandcalm；shehadtogivepleasantanswerstothedauphin’sinnocentquestions，andevencompelasmiletoherlipswhenthechild，readinginherlooks，bytheinstinctoflove，hergreatexcitement，triedtocheerherupwithpleasantwords。
Itstruckfive，andstillToulandidnotcome。Achillcreptoverherheart，andinthehorrorwhichfilledhershefirstbecameconscioushowmuchloveoflifestillsurvivedinher，andhowintenselyshehadhopedtofindapossibilityofescape。
Onlyonelasthourofhopeleft!Ifitshouldstrikesix，andheshouldnotcome，allwouldbelost!Thedoorsofherprisonwouldbeclosedforever——neveropeningagainexceptingtoallowMarieAntoinettetopasstotheguillotine。
MistressTisonhadgone，andhercold，mockingfacewasnolongervisiblebehindtheglassdoor。Theguardsintheanteroomhadalsogone，andhadclosedthedoorsbehindthem。Thequeenwas，therefore，safefrombeingwatchedatleast!Shecouldfalluponherknees，shecouldraiseherhandstoGodandwrestlewithHiminspeechlessprayerforpityanddeliverance。Shecouldcallherchildrentoherself，andpressthemtoherheart，andwhispertothemthattheymustbecomposediftheyshouldseesomethingstrange，andnotwonderiftheyshouldhavetoputonclothingthattheywerenotaccustomedto。
“Mamma，“askedthedauphin，inawhisper，“arewegoingtoVarennesagain？“
Thequeenshudderedinherinmostsoulatthisquestion，andhidherquiveringfaceonthefaithfulbreastoftheprincess。
“Oh，sister，Iamsuffocatingwithanxiety，“shesaid。“Ifeelthatthishouristodecidethelivesofusall，anditseemstomeasifDeathwerealreadystretchingouthiscoldhandtowardme。Wearelost，andmyson，myunhappyson，willneverwearanyotherthanthemartyr’scrown，and——“
Thequeenwassilent，forjustthenthetower-clockbegantostrike，slowly，peacefully，thehourofsix!Thecriticalmoment!Thelamplightmustcomenow!IfitwereToulan，theymightbesaved。
Someunforeseenoccurrencemighthavepreventedhiscomingbefore；
hemighthaveborrowedthesuitofthebribedlamplighterinordertocometothem。Therewashopestill——onelast，palerayofhope!
Stepsuponthecorridor!Voicesthatareaudible!
Thequeen，breathless，withbothhandslaiduponherheart，whichwasoneinstantstill，andthenbeatwithredoubledrapidity，listenedwithstrainedattentiontotheopeningofthedooroftheanteroom。PrincessElizabethapproachedher，andlaidherhandonthequeen’sshoulder。Thetwochildren，terrifiedbysomecausewhichtheycouldnotcomprehend，clungtothehandandthebodyoftheirmother，andgazedanxiouslyatthedoor。
Thestepscamenearer，thevoicesbecamelouder。Thedooroftheanteroomisopened——andthereisthelamp-lighter。ButitisnotToulan——no，notToulan!Itisthemanwhocomeseveryday，andthetwochildren，arewithhimasusual。
Aheavysighescapedfromthelipsofthequeen，and，throwingherarmsaroundthedauphinwithaconvulsivemotion，shemurmured：
“Myson，oh，mydearson!MayGodtakemylifeifHewillbutsparethine!“
WherewasToulan？Wherehadhebeenallthisdreadfulday？“WherewasFidelethebrave，theindefatigable？
Onthemorningofthedayappointedfortheflight，helefthishouse，takingasolemnleaveofhisMarguerite。Atthispartinghourhetoldherforthefirsttimethathewasgoingtoenteruponthegreatandexaltedundertakingoffreeingthequeenandherchildren，orofdyingforthem。Histrue，braveyoungwifehadsuppressedhertearsandhersighstogivehimherblessing，andtotellhimthatshewouldprayforhim，andthatifheshouldperishintheserviceofthequeen，shewoulddietoo，inordertobeunitedwithhimabove。