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house； taking a solemn leave of his Marguerite。 At this parting hour
he told her for the first time that he was going to enter upon the
great and exalted undertaking of freeing the queen and her children；
or of dying for them。 His true； brave young wife had suppressed her
tears and her sighs to give him her blessing； and to tell him that
she would pray for him； and that if he should perish in the service
of the queen； she would die too； in order to be united with him
above。
Toulan kissed the beaming eyes of his Marguerite with deep fooling；
thanked her for her true…hearted resignation； and told her that he
had never loved her so much as in this hour when he was leaving her
to meet his death； it might be； in the service of another lady。
〃At this hour of parting；〃 he said； 〃I will give you the dearest and
most sacred thing that I possess。 Take this little gold smelling…
bottle。 The queen gave it to me； and upon the bit of paper that lies
within it Marie Antoinette wrote with her own hand； 'Remembrancer
for Fidele。'
Fiddle is the title of honor which my queen has given me for the
little service which I have been able to do for her。 I leave this
little gift for you as that which； next to your love； is the most
sacred and precious thing to me on earth。 If I die； preserve it for
our son； and give it to him on the day when he reaches his majority。
Tell him of the time when I made this bequest to him； in the hope
that he would make himself worthy of it； and live and die as a brave
son of his country； a faithful subject and servant of his king； who；
God willing； will be the son of Marie Antoinette。 Tell him of his
father； say to him that I dearly loved you and him； but that I had
devoted my life to the service of the queen； and that I gave it
freely and gladly； in conformity with my oath。 I have not told you
about these things before； dear Margueritenot because I doubted
your fidelity； but because I did not want you to have to bear the
dreadful burden of expectation； and because I did not want to
trouble your noble soul with these things。 And now I only tell you
this much： I am going away to try to save the queen。 If I succeed； I
shall come back for a moment this evening at ten o'clock。 If I
remain away； if you hear nothing from me during the whole night；
then〃
〃Then what？〃 asked Marguerite； throwing her arms around him； and
looking into his face anxiously。 〃Say； what then？〃
〃Then I shall have died；〃 he said； softly； 〃and our child will be an
orphan！ Do not weep； Marguerite！ Be strong and brave； show a
cheerful face to our neighbors； our friends； and the spies！ But
observe every thing！ Listen to every thing！ Keep the outer door open
all the time； that I may be able to slip in at any moment。 Have the
little secret door in my room open too； and the passageway down into
the cellar always free； that I may slip down there if need be。 Be
ready to receive me at any time； to hide me； and； it may possibly
be； others who may come with me！〃
〃I shall expect you day and night；〃 she whispered； 〃so long as I
live！〃
〃And now； Marguerite；〃 he said； pressing her tenderly to his heart；
〃one last kiss！ Let me kiss your eyes； your beautiful dear eyes；
which have always glanced with looks of love； and which have always
given me new inspiration。 Farewell； my dear wife； and God bless you
for your love and fidelity！〃
〃Do not go； my precious one！ Come once more to the cradle of our boy
and give him a parting kiss！〃
〃No； Marguerite； that would unman me； and to…day I must be strong
and master of myself。 Farewell； I am going to the Temple！〃
And； without looking at his wife again； he hurried out into the
street； and turned his steps toward his destination。 But just as he
was turning the very next corner Lepitre met him； pale； and
displaying great excitement in his face。
〃Thank God！〃 he said； 〃thank God that I have found you。 I wanted to
hasten to you。 We must flee directlyall is discovered。 Immediate
flight alone can save us！〃
〃What is discovered？〃 asked Toulan。 〃Speak； Lepitre； what is
discovered？〃
〃For God's sake； let us not be standing here on the streets！〃
ejaculated Lepitre。 〃They have certainly sent out the constables to
arrest us。 Let us go into this house here； it contains a passage
through to the next street。 Now； listen！ We are reported。 Simon's
wife has carried our names to the Committee of Public Safety as
suspicious persons。 Tison's wife has given out that the queen and
her sister…in…law have won us both over； and that through our means
she is kept informed about every thing that happens。 The carpet…
manufacturer； Arnault； has just been publicly denouncing us both；
saying that Simon's wife has reported to him that we both have
conducted conversation with the prisoners in low tones of voice； and
have thereby been the means of conveying some kind of cheering
information to the queen。 ＇Footnote： Literally reproduced here。See
Concourt； 〃Histoire de Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 290。＇ On that； our
names were stricken from the list of official guards at the Temple；
and we are excluded from the new ward committee that is forming to…
day。〃
〃And is that all？〃 asked Toulan； calmly。 〃Is that all the bad news
that you bring？ Then the projected flight is not discovered； is it？
Nothing positive is known against us？ Nothing more is known than the
silly and unfounded denunciations of two old women？〃
〃For God's sake； do not use such idle words as these！〃 replied
Lepitre。 〃We are suspected； our names are stricken from the ward
list。 Is not that itself a charge against us？ And are not those who
come under suspicion always condemned？ Do not laugh； Toulan； and
shake your head！
Believe me； we are lost if we do not flee； if we do not leave Paris
on the spot and conceal ourselves somewhere。 I am firmly resolved on
this； and in an hour I shall have started； disguised as a sans…
culotte。 Follow my example； my friend。 Do not throw away your life
foolhardily。 Follow me！〃
〃No；〃 said Toulan； 〃I shall stay。 I have sworn to devote my life to
the service of the queen； and I shall fulfil my oath so long as
breath remains in my body。 I must not go away from here so long as
there is a possibility of assisting her。 If flight is impracticable
to…day； it may be effected at some more favorable time； and I must
hold myself in readiness for it。〃
〃But they will take you； I tell you；〃 said Lepitre； with a downcast
air。 〃You will do no good to the queen； and only bring yourself to
harm。〃
〃Oh； nonsense！ they will not catch me so soon；〃 said Toulan；
confidently。 〃Fortune always favors the bold； and I will show you
that I am brave。 Go； my friend； save yourself； and may God give you
long life and a contented heart！ Farewell； and be careful that they
do not discover you！〃
〃You are angry with me； Toulan；〃 said Lepitre。 〃You consider me
cowardly。 But I tell you； you are foolhardy； and your folly will
plunge you into destruction。〃
〃I am not angry with you； Lepitre； and you shall not be with me。
Every one must do as best he can； and as his heart and his head
dictate to him。 One is not the better for this； and another the
worse。 Farewell； my friend！ Take care