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that they should feel a little that they are only dust for us to
blow away！〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 chimed in Toulan； 〃it is high time that they should
feel it！〃
〃And you both understood that matter capitally；〃 said Simon； with a
laugh； 〃I always see that it particularly provokes the queen to have
you on service； and I like that； and I am especially glad to have
you here。〃
〃I've thought out a joke for to…day；〃 said Toulan。 〃I will teach the
widow to smoke。 You know； brother Simon； that she always pretends
not to be able to bear the smell of tobacco； she shall learn to bear
it。 I will hand her a paper cigarette to…day； and tell her that if
she does not want us to smoke； she must smoke with us。〃
〃Splendid joke！〃 said Simon； with a loud laugh。 〃But there's one
thing to be thought of about that；〃 said Lepitre； reflectively。 〃the
widow Capet might perhaps promise to smoke； if we would tell her
that we would never smoke afterward。 But then we should not keep our
word； of course。〃
〃What！ you say we should not keep our word！〃 said Toulan； in
amazement。 〃We are republicans； more than that； we are sans…
culottes！ and shall we not keep our word？ ought we not to be better
than the cursed aristocrats； that never kept their word to the
people？ How can you disgrace us and yourself so much？ Ask our noble
friend and brother Simon； whether he is of the opinion that a free
man ought not to keep his word； even if he has only given it to a
woman in prison。〃
〃I am of that opinion；〃 said Simon； with dignity。 〃I swore to myself
that the king should lose his head； and I kept my word。 I promised
the she…wolf that she should be hanged； and I hope to keep this
promise too。 If I keep my word to her in what is bad； I must do so
also in what is good。 If a republican promises any thing； he must
hold to it。〃
〃Right； Simon； you are a noble and wise man。 It remains fixed； then；
that the queen shall smoke； but if we have our joke out； we shall
not smoke any more。〃
〃I will put up a placard on the door： 'Smoking forbidden in the
anteroom of the she…wolf。'〃
〃Good；〃 cried Toulan； 〃that is worthy of you。〃
〃Let us go up now；〃 said Simon； 〃the two other sentries are up…
stairs already； they will wonder that you come so late； but I do
like to chat with you。 Come on； let's go up。 I'll stay there to see
the joke。 But wait a moment； there is something new。 It has been
proposed that not so many guards are needed to watch the Capets； and
that it has the appearance as if the government was afraid of these
howling women and this little monkey； whom the crazy royalists call
King Louis XVII。 It is very likely that they will reduce the guard
to two。〃
〃Very good；〃 said Toulan； approvingly。〃What's the use of wearying
out so many other men and condemning them to such idleness？ We
cannot be making jokes all the time； and then again it is not
pleasant always looking on these people's long faces。〃
〃So only two guards；〃 said Lepitre； 〃but that seems to me rather too
few； for what if the widow should succeed in winning them over and
getting them to help her escape？〃
〃Impossible！〃 cried Simon； 〃she'll never come around me； and as long
as I have my eyes open； she and her brood will never get away。 No
one can come down the staircase without my hearing and seeing it；
for you know my rooms are near the stairs； and the door is always
open and I am always there； and then there is the turnkey Ricard；
who watches the door that leads to the court like a cerberus。 Then
there are three sentries at the doors leading from the inner court
to the outer one； and the four sentries at the doors leading from
the outer court to the street。 No； no； my friends； if the she…wolf
wants to escape she must use magic； and make wings grow on her
shoulders and fly away。〃
〃That is good； I like that；〃 said Toulan； springing up the
staircase。
〃And that settles my doubts too；〃 said Lepitre。 〃I should think two
official guards would suffice； for it is plain that she cannot
escape。 Simon is on the look…out； and it is plain that the she…wolf
cannot transform herself into an eagle。〃
〃Well said；〃 laughed Simon； 〃here we are before the door； let's go
in and have our fun。〃
He dashed the door open noisily； and went into the room with the two
men。 Two officials were sitting in the middle of the room at the
table； and were actively engaged playing cards。 Through the open
door you could look into the sitting…room of the Capet family。 The
queen was sitting on the divan behind the round table； clothed in
her sad suit of mourning； with a black cap upon her gray locks。
She was busy in dictating an exercise to the dauphin from a book
which she held in her hand。 The prince； also clad in black and with
a broad crape about his arm； sat upon a chair by her side。 His whole
attention was directed to his work； and he was visibly making an
effort to write as well as possible； for a glowing red suffused hia
cheeks。
On the other side of the queen sat Madame Elizabeth； near her the
Princess Maria Theresa； both busy in preparing some clothing for the
queen。
No one of the group appeared to notice the loud opening of the door；
no one observed the entering forms； or cast even a momentary glance
at them。
But Toulan was not contented with this； he demanded nothing less
than that the she…wolf should look at him。 He hurried through the
anteroom with a threatening tread； advanced to the door of the
sitting…room； and stopped upon the threshold； making such a deep and
ceremonious bow； and swinging his arm so comically； that Simon was
compelled to laugh aloud。
〃Madame；〃 cried Toulan； 〃I have the inexpressible honor of greeting
your grace。〃
〃He is a brick； a perfect brick；〃 roared Simon。
Lepitre had gone to the window； and turned his back upon the room；
he was perhaps too deficient in spirit to join in the joke。 Nobody
paid any attention to him； nobody saw him take a little packet from
his coat…pocket； and slide it slowly and carefully behind the wooden
box that stood beneath the window。
〃Madame；〃 cried Toulan； in a still louder voice； 〃I fear your grace
has not heard my salutation。〃
The queen slowly raised her eyes； and turned them to the man who was
still standing upon the threshold。 〃I heard it；〃 she said； coldly；
〃go on writing； my son。〃 And she went on in the sentence that she
had just then begun to dictate。
〃I am so happy at being heard by Madame Veto that I shall have to
celebrate it by a little bonfire！〃said Toulan； taking a cigar from
his breast…pocket。 〃You see； my friends； that I am a very good
courtier； though I have the honor to be a sans…culottes。 In the
presence of handsome ladies I only smoke cigars！ Hallo！ bring me a
little fire。〃
One of the officials silently passed him his long pipe。 Toulan
lighted his cigar； placed himself at the threshold； and blew great
clouds of smoke into the chamber。
The ladies still continued to sit quietly without paying any
attention to Toulan。 The queen dictated； and the dauphin wrote。 The
queen only interrupted herself in this occupation； when she had to
cough and wipe her eyes； which the smoke filled with tears。
Toulan had followed every one of