marie antoinette and her son-第94章

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without　it；　I　cannot　work。〃

〃Oh！　the　ball　which　little　Miss　Capet　gave　me　a　short　time　ago。　And
so　you　won't　let　me　keep　a　remembrance　of　the　pretty　girl？〃

〃I　must　mend　this　dress；〃　said　the　queen；　gently。

〃Well；　if　you　must；　you　must；〃　growled　Toulan；　rising。

〃Wait　a　moment；　brothers；　till　I　carry　her　the　ball。〃

〃What　do　you　want　to　get　up　for？〃　asked　Simon。

〃You　can　throw　it　from　here。〃

〃Or　give　it　a　roll　like　a　ball；〃　added　Lepitre。

〃That　is　a　good　idea；〃　cried　Toulan；　〃I'll　have　a　little　game　of
nine…pins。　I　am　quite　at　home　there；　and　can　do　it　well。　Now　look
sharp！　I　will　contrive　to　roll　the　ball　between　the　four　feet　of　the
table；　and　strike　the　foot　of　the　queen。〃

〃There　is　no　queen；〃　cried　Lepitre；　passionately。

〃I　am　speaking　of　the　game；　Citizen　Lepitre；　do　me　the　pleasure　of
not　making　yourself　an　ass。　Now　look；　and　see　me　roll　it　as　I　said！〃

〃Well；　go　ahead；　we　should　like　to　see　you　do　it；〃　cried　Simon。

〃Yes；　we　would　like　to　see　you　do　it；〃　chimed　in　the　officials；
laying　down　their　cards。

Toulan　now　drew　out　of　his　breast…pocket　a　black　ball　of　silk；　and
counted　〃One；　two；　three！〃　He　then　gave　it　a　skilful　roll　across　the
floor。　With　attention　and　laughing　looks；　they　all　watched　it　take
its　course　across　the　waxed　floor；　as　it　moved　just　where　Toulan　had
said　it　would。

〃Bravo；　bravo！〃　shouted　the　men；　as　the　ball　struck　the　foot　of　the
queen；　who　stooped　down　slowly　and　picked　it　up。

〃Toulan　is　a　jolly　good　fellow；〃　cried　Simon；　striking　the　table
with　his　fists　in　an　ecstasy　of　delight。　〃But　I　declare　it　seems　to
me　that　the　ball　is　a　good　deal　larger　now　than　it　was　before。〃

〃It　may　be；〃　answered　Toulan；　emphatically。　〃Every　thing　grows　and
enlarges　itself；　that　a　true　and　genuine　sans…culottes　carries　next
to　his　heart。〃

〃Well　said；〃　replied　Lepitre。　〃But　listen　to　me；　I　want　to　make　a
proposition　to　you。　I　must　say　that　it　is　hard　workplaying　cards
without　smoking。〃

〃I　find　it　so；　too；〃　sighed　Toulan。

〃I　rather　think　we　all　do；〃　chimed　in　the　others。

〃But　we　must　keep　our　word；　or　else　the　she…wolf　will　think　that　we
republicans　are　no　better　than　the　aristocrats　were！〃

〃Yes；　we　must　keep　our　word；〃　said　Lepitre；　〃and　that　is　why　I
wanted　to　make　the　proposition　that　we　go　out　and　establish
ourselves　in　the　entry。　We　can　put　the　table　close　to　the　door；　and
then　we　are　certainly　safethat　no　one　can　step　in。　What　do　you
say；　brother　Simon？〃

〃I　say　that　it　is　a　very　good　plan；　and　that　we　will　carry　it　into
execution　directly。　Come；　friends；　let　us　take　up　the　table；　and
carry　it　out。　If　the　dogs　are　on　the　watch　outside；　the　badger　does
not　creep　out　of　his　house。　Come；　it　is　much　pleasanter　out　there；
and　we　are　not　ambitious　of　the　honor　of　looking　at　Widow　Capet　all
the　time。　We　are　perfectly　satisfied；　if　we　do　not　see　her。　I　hope
there　will　be　an　end　of　this　tedious　service；　and　that　she　will　soon
go　to　the　place　whither　Louis　Capet　has　already　gone。〃

〃Or；〃　cried　Toulan；　laughing；　〃she　must　change　herself　into　an
eagle；　and　fly　out　of　the　window。　Come；　brothers；　I　long　for　my
pipe。　Let　us　carry　the　table　out　into　the　entry。〃

Simon　opened　the　door　that　led　out　upon　the　landing；　the　officials
took　up　the　table；　and　Toulan　and　Lepitre　the　wooden　stools。　One
quick　look　they　cast　into　the　room　of　the　queen；　whose　eyes　were
turned　to　them。　A　sudden　movement　of　Lepitre's　hand　pointed　to　the
bench　beneath　the　window：　a　movement　of　Toulan's　lips　said　〃To…
morrow；〃　then　they　both　turned　away；　went　with　their　stools　out　upon
the　landing；　and　closed　the　door。

The　queen　held　her　breath　and　listened。　She　heard　them　moving　the
chairs　outside；　and　pushing　the　table　up　against　the　door；　and
detected　Simon's　harsh　voice；　saying；　〃Now　that　we　have　put　a
gigantic　wooden　lock　on　the　door；　let　us　smoke　and　play。〃

The　queen　sprang　up。　〃God　bless　my　faithful　one；〃　whispered　she；
〃yes；　God　bless　him！〃

She　went　hastily　into　the　anteroom；　pressed　her　hand　in　behind　the
bench　beneath　the　window；　took　out　the　package　which　Lepitre　had
placed　there；　and　with　a　timid；　anxious　look；　stepped　back　into　her
room。　Here　she　unfolded　the　bundle。　It　consisted　of　a　boy's　soiled
dress；　an　old　peruke；　and　an　old　felt　hat。

The　queen　looked　at　it　with　the　utmost　attention；　then；　after
casting　one　long；　searching　look　through　the　room；　she　hastened　to
the　divan；　pushed　back　the　already　loosened　cover　of　the　seat；
concealed　the　things　beneath　it；　and　then　carefully　smoothed　down
the　upholstery　again。

She　now　hurried　to　the　door　of　the　sleeping…room；　and　was　going　to
open　it　hastily。　But　she　bethought　herself　in　time。　Her　face　showed
too　much　emotion；　her　voice　might　betray　her。　Madame　Tison　was
certainly　lurking　behind　the　glass　door；　and　might　notice　her
excitement。　Marie　Antoinette　again　put　on　her　ordinary　sad　look；
opened　the　door　slowly　and　gravely；　and　quietly　entered　the
sleeping…room。　Her　great　eyes；　whose　brightness　had　long　since　been
extinguished　by　her　tears；　slowly　passed　around　the　chamber；　rested
for　a　moment　on　the　glass　door；　descried　behind　it　the　spying　face
of　Tison；　and　turned　to　the　two　princesses；　who　were　sitting　with
the　dauphin　on　the　little　divan　in　the　corner。

〃Mamma；〃　asked　the　boy；　〃are　the　bad　men　gone？〃

〃Do　not　call　them　so；　my　child；〃　replied　Marie　Antoinette；　gently。
〃These　men　only　do　what　others　order　them　to　do。〃

〃Then　the　others　are　bad；　mamma；〃　said　the　boy；　quickly。　〃Oh；　yes；
very　bad；　for　they　make　my　dear　mamma　weep　so　much。〃

〃I　do　not　weep　about　them；〃　answered　his　mother。　〃I　weep　because
your　father　is　no　more　with　us。　Think　about　your　father；　my　son；　and
never　forget　that　he　has　commanded　us　to　forgive　his　and　our
enemies。〃

〃And　never　to　take　vengeance　on　them；〃　added　the　boy；　with　a　grave
look　beyond　his　years；　as　he　folded　his　hands。　〃Yes；　I　have　sworn　it
to　my　dear　papa；　and　I　shall　keep　my　word。　I　mean　never　to　take
vengeance　on　our　enemies。〃

〃Sister；〃　said　the　queen；　after　a　pause；　〃I　want　to　ask　you　to　help
me　a　little　in　my　work。　You　know　how　to　mend；　and　I　want　to　learn　of
you。　Will　you　come　into　the　sitting…room？〃

〃And　we；　too；　mamma；〃　asked　the　dauphin；　〃may　we　not　stay　here？
Theresa　has　promised　to　tell　me　an　interesting　story　if　I　did　my
examples　in　arithmetic　correctly；　and　I　have　done　them。〃

〃Well；　she　may　tell　you　the　story。　We　will　leave　the　door　open　so
that　we　can　see　you；　for　you　know；　my　children；　you　are　now　the　only
comfort　left　to　your　aunt　and　me。　Come；　sister！〃

She　turned　slowly　and　went　into　the　next　room；　followed　by　Madame
Elizabeth。

〃Why；　what　does　this　mean？〃　asked　the　princess；　in　amazement；　as　she
saw　the　anteroom　deserted　and　the　door　closed。

〃All　his　work；　Elizabethall　the　work　of　this　noble；　faithful
Toulan。　He　went　through　a　whole　farce　in　order　to　get　the　people　out
of　here；　and　to　make　them　swear　that　they　never　would　smoke　after
this　in　the　anteroom。　Oh；　I　shall　never　be　able　to　repay　him　for
what　he　has　done　for　us　at　the　peril　of　his　life。〃

〃We　will　pray　for　him　every　morning　and　evening；〃　replied　the　pious
Elizabeth。　〃But　tell　me；　sister；　did　Toulon　keep　our　ball　of
thread？〃

〃Yes；　sister；　and　succeeded　in　giving　me　another　in　exchange　for　it。
Here　it　is。　To…night；　when　the　guards　are　asleep；　we　will　unwind　it
and　see　what　it　contains。　But　here　are　other　important　things　which
we　must　examine。　Here；　this　half…burned　light　and　this　cigarette！
Let　us　be　on　the　watch　that　no　one　surprise　us。〃

She　went　again　to　the　threshold　of　the　sleeping…room。　〃Can　you　hear
me　talk；　children？　Nod　with　your　head　if　you　heard　me。　Good。　If
Tison　comes　in；　speak　to　her　loudly；　and　call　her　by　name；　so　that
we　may　hear。〃

〃And　now；　sister；〃　she　continued；　turning　to　the　table；　〃let　us　see
what　Toulan　has　sent　us。　First；　the　cigar…light！〃

She　unfolded　the　paper；　one　side　of　which　was　burned；　and　showed　a
black；　jagged　edge。

〃A　letter　from　M。　de　Jarjayes；〃　she　said；　and　then；　in　a　subdued
voice；　she　hastily　read：　〃I　have　spoken　with　the　noble　messenger
whom　you　sent　to　me　with　a　letter。　He　has　submitted　his　plan　to　me；
and　I　approve　it　entirely；　and　am　ready　to　underta