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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 undertake any thing that
is demanded of me in behalf of those to whom my life； my property；
and my blood belong； and who never shall have occasion to doubt my
fidelity。 The 'true one' will bring you to…morrow every thing that
is needful； and talk the matter over with you。J。〃 〃And now the
cigarette；〃 said the queen； taking it out of her basket。
〃Let us first tear the paper to pieces；〃 said Princess Elizabeth；
warningly。
〃No； no； Tison would find the bits； and think them suspicious。 I
will hide the paper in my dress…pocket； and this evening when we
have a light we will burn it。 Quickly now； the cigar！〃
〃A paper cigarette！〃 said Elizabeth。
〃Yes； and see on the outer paper； 'Unroll carefully！'〃
And with extreme caution Marie Antoinette removed the external
covering。 Beneath it was another； closely written over； this the
queen proceeded to unfold。
〃What is it？〃 asked the Princess Elizabeth； impatiently。
〃See；〃 said Marie Antoinette； with a faint smile：
〃'Plan for the escape of the royal family。 To learn by heart； and
then to burn。' Oh！ sister； do you believe that escape is possible
for us？〃
At this instant Simon was heard outside； singing with his loud；
coarse voice：
〃Madame a sa tour monte Ne salt quand descendra； Madame Veto la
dansera。〃 ＇Footnote： 〃Madame will take her turn； She knows not when
it will come； But Madame Veto will swing。〃＇
The queen shuddered； and Madame Elizabeth folded her hands and
prayed in silence。
〃You hear the dreadful answer； sister； that this sans…culotte gives
to my question！ Well； so long as there is a breath left within us we
must endeavor to save the life of King Louis XVII。 Come； sister； we
will read this plan for our escape； which the faithful Toulan has
made。〃
CHAPTER XXII。
THE PLAN OF THE ESCAPE。
Marie Antoinette and Madame Elizabeth listened again at the door；
and as Simon was just then beginning a new verse of his ribald song；
they carefully unrolled the paper and spread it out before them。
〃Read it to me； sister；〃 said the queen。 〃My eyes are bad and pain
me very much； and then the words make more impression when I hear
them than when I read them； I beg you therefore to read it。〃
In a light whisper the princess began to read 〃The Plan of Escape。〃
〃The queen and Princess Elizabeth must put on men's clothes。 The
necessary garments are already in their possession； for T。 and L。
have within the last few days secreted them in the cushions and
mattresses。 In addition； the queen receives to…day a dirty； torn
boy's suit and a peruke； and a pair of soiled children's shoes。
These are for the dauphin and Madame Royale； and if the queen looks
attentively at the things； she will find that they are exact copies
of the clothing in which the two children appear who always
accompany the lamplighter into the tower and assist him in lighting
the lamps。 So much for the clothing。 The plan of escape is as
follows： To…morrow evening； at six o'clock； the royal children will
change their dress in the little tower next to the chamber of the
queen。 In their soiled costume they will remain within the tower；
whither it is known that Tison and his wife never come； and will
wait there until some one gives them a signal and calls them。 Toulan
and Lepitre will arrange to have the watch again to…morrow in the
tower。 At a quarter before seven in the evening； Toulan will give a
pinch of snuff to Madame Tison and her husband； who are both
passionately fond of it； and they will speedily take it as they
always do。 This pinch of snuff will consist entirely of colored
opium。 They will fall into a heavy sleep； which will last at least
seven hours； and during this times the flight of all the members of
the royal family must be accomplished〃
〃Wait a moment； sister；〃 whispered the queen； 〃I feel dizzy； and my
heart beats violently； as if we were engaged now in the very
execution of the plan。 It seems to me as if； in the darkness of the
dreadful night which surrounds us； a glimmer of hope was suddenly
appearing； and my eyes are blinded wit