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the sword； reconquer the throne of his fathers； and take possession
of it as King Louis XVII。 Therefore let us hope； sister。〃
〃Yes； therefore let us hope〃 whispered the queen； drying her tears。
〃And here at last；〃 she continued； opening the remaining paper；
〃here is the third relic； the hair of the king！ the only thing
which is left us of the martyr king； the unfortunate husband of an
unfortunate wife； the pitiable king of a most pitiable people！ Oh；
my king！ they have laid your poor head that bore this white hair
they have laid it upon the scaffold； and the axe； the dreadful axe
〃
The queen uttered a loud shriek of horror； sprang up； and raised
both her hands in conjuration to Heaven； while a curse just trembled
on her lips。 But Princess Elizabeth threw herself into her arms； and
pressed on the cold； quivering lips of the queen a long； fervent
kiss。
〃For God's sake； sister；〃 she whispered； 〃speak softly。 If Tison
heard your cry； we are lost。 Hush！ it seems to me I hear steps； hide
the things。 Let us hurry into bed。 Oh； for God's sake； quick！〃
She huddled the papers together； and put them hastily into her
bosom； while Marie Antoinette； gathering up the relics； dashed into
her bed。
〃She is coming；〃 whispered Elizabeth； as she slipped into her bed。
〃We must pretend to be asleep。〃
And in fact Princess Elizabeth was right。 The glass…door； which led
from the sleeping…room of the children to the little corridor； and
from there to the chamber of Mistress Tison； was slowly and
cautiously opened； and she came with a lamp in her hand into the
children's room。 She stood near the door； listening and spying
around。 In the beds of the children she could hear the long…drawn；
calm breathing； which indicated peaceful slumbers； and in the open；
adjoining apartment； in which the two ladies slept； nothing was
stirring。
〃But I did hear a sound plainly；〃 muttered Tison。 〃I was awaked by a
loud cry； and when I sat up in bed I heard people talking。〃
She stole to the beds of the children； and let the light fall upon
their faces。 〃They are sleeping soundly enough；〃 she muttered； 〃they
have not cried or spoken； but we will see how it is in the other
room。〃 Slowly； with the lamp in her hand； she crept into the
neighboring apartment。 The two ladies lay motionless upon their
beds； closing their eyes quickly when Mistress Tison crossed the
threshold； and praying to God for courage and steadfastness。
Tison went first to the bed of Princess Elizabeth and let the lamp
fall full upon her face。 The glare seemed to awaken her。 〃What is
it？〃 she cried； 〃what has happened？ sister； what has happened？ where
are you； Marie Antoinette？〃
〃Here； here I am； Elizabeth；〃 cried the queen； rising suddenly up in
bed； as if awakened。 〃Why do you call me； and who is here？〃
〃It is I；〃 muttered Tison； angrily。 〃That is the way if one has a
bad conscience！ One is startled then with the slightest sound。〃
〃We have no bad conscience；〃 said Elizabeth； gently； 〃but you know
that if we are awakened from sleep we cry out easily； and we might
be thinking that some one was waking us to bring us happy tidings。〃
〃I hope so；〃 cried Tison； with a scornful laugh； 〃Happy news for
you！ that means unhappy and sad news for France and for the French
people。 No； thank God！ I did not waken you to bring you any good
news。〃
〃Well；〃 said the queen； gently； 〃tell us why you have wakened us and
what you have to communicate to us。〃
〃I have nothing at all to communicate to you；〃 growled Tison； 〃and
you know best whether I wake you or you were already awake； talking
and crying aloud。 Hist！ it is not at all necessary that you answer；
I know well enough that you are capable of lying。 I tell you my ears
are open and my eyes too。 I let nothing escape me； you have talked
and you have cried aloud； and if it occurs again I shall report it
to the supervisor and have a watch put here in the night again； that
the rest of us may have a little quiet in the night…time； and not
have to sleep like the hares； with our eyes open。〃
〃But；〃 said the princess gently； 〃but dear woman〃
〃Hush！〃 interrupted Tison； commandingly； 〃I am not your 'dear
woman；' I am the wife of Citizen Tison； and I want none of your
confidence； for confidence from such persons as you are； might
easily bring me to the scaffold。〃
She now passed through the whole room with her slow； stealthy tread；
let the light fall upon every article of furniture and the floor；
examined all the objects that lay upon the table； and then； after
one last threatening look at the beds of the two ladies； went slowly
out。 She stopped again at the cribs of the children； and looked at
them with a touch of gentleness。 〃How quietly they sleep！〃 the
whispered。 〃They lie there exactly as they lay before。 One would
think they were smiling in their sleepI suppose they are playing
with angels。 I should like to know how angels come into this old；
horrid Temple； and what Simon's wife would say if she knew they came
in here at night without her permission。 See； see；〃 she continued；
〃the boy is laughing again； and spreading out his hands； as if he
wanted to catch the angels。 Ah！ I should like to know if my dear
little Solange is sleeping as soundly as these children； and whether
she smiles in her sleep and plays with angels； I should like to know
if she dreams of her parents； my dear little Solange； and whether
she sometimes sees her poor mother； who loves her so and yearns
toward her so tenderly that〃 ＇Footnote： This Mistress Tison； the
cruel keeper of the queen； soon after this fell into lunacy； owing
both to her longings after her daughter and her compunctions of
conscience for her treatment of the queen。 The first token of her
insanity was her falling upon her knees before Marie Antoinette； and
begging pardon for all the pain she had occasioned； and amid floods
of tears accusing herself as the one who would be answerable for the
death of the queen。 She then fell into such dreadful spasms； that
four men were scarcely able to hold her。 They carried her into the
Hotel Dieu； where she died after two days of the most dreadful
sufferings and bitter reproaches of herself。See Goncourt； p。 280。
＇
She could not go on； tears extinguished her utterance； and she
hastened out； to silence her longings on the pillow of her bed。
The ladies listened a long time in perfect silence； then； when every
thing was still again； they raised themselves up softly； and began
to talk to each other in the faintest of whispers； and to make their
final preparations for the flight of the morrow。 They then rose and
drew from the various hiding…places the garments which they were to
use； placed the various suits together； and then tried to put them
on。 A fearful； awful picture； such as a painter of hell； such as
Breugel could not surpass in horror！a queen and a princess； two
tender； pale； harmless women； busied； deep in the night； as if
dressing for a masquerade； in transforming themselves into those
very officials who had led the king to the scaffold； and who； with
their pitiless iron hands； were detaining the royal family in
prison！
There they stood； a queen； a princess； c