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the tall； grave woman； her face full of pride and yet of
resignation； had been charming Marie Antoinette； the very
impersonation of beauty； youth； and love； carrying out in Trianon
the idyl of romantic country lifein the excess of her gayety going
disguised to the public opera…house ball； believing herself so safe
amid the French people that she could dispense with the protection
of etiquettehailed with an enthusiastic admiration then； as she
was now saluted with the savage shouts of the enraged people！
No； the former queen； Marie Antoinette； who； in the gilded saloons
of Versailles and in the Tuileries； had received the homage of all
France； and with a smiling face and perfect grace of manner
acknowledged all the tribute that was brought to her； had no longer
any resemblance to the widow of Louis Capet； sitting before the
revolutionary tribunal； and giving earnest answers to the questions
which were put to her。 She arranged her toilet that daybut how
different was the toilet of the Widow Capet from that which Queen
Marie Antoinette had once displayed！ At that earlier time； she； the
easy； light…hearted daughter of fortune； had shut herself up for
hours with her intimate companion； Madame Berthier； the royal
milliner； planning a new ball…dress； or a new fichu； or her Leonard
would lavish all the resources of his fancy and his art inventing
new styles of head…dress； now decorating the beautiful head of the
queen with towering masses of auburn hair； now braiding it so as to
make it enfold little war…ships； the sails of which were finely
woven from her own locks； now laying out a garden filled with fruits
and flowers； butterflies and birds of paradise。
The 〃Widow Capet〃 needed no milliner and no hairdresser in making
her toilet。 Her tall； slender figure was enveloped with the black
woollen dress which the republic had given her at her request； that
she might commemorate her deceased husband。 Her neck and shoulders；
which had once been the admiration of France； was now concealed by a
white muslin kerchief； which her keeper Bault had given her out of
sympathy。 Her hair was uncovered； and fell in long； natural locks on
both sides of her pale； transparent face。 Her hair needed no powder
now； the long； sleepless nights and the sorrowful days have whitened
it more than any powder could do； and the widow of Louis Capet；
though but thirty…eight years old； had the gray locks of a woman of
seventy。
In this toilet Marie Antoinette appeared before the revolutionary
tribunal； from the 6th to the 13th of October。 Nothing royal was
left about her but her look and her proud bearing。
The people； pressing in dense masses into the spectators' seats； did
not weary of seeing the queen in her humiliation and in her
mourning…robe； and constantly demanded that Marie Antoinette should
rise from the woven rush chair on which she was sitting； that she
should allow herself to be stared at by this throng； brought there
not out of compassion； but curiosity。
Once； as she rose in reply to the demand of the public； she was
heard to whisper； as to herself： 〃Ah； will this people not soon be
satisfied with my sufferings？〃 ＇Footnote： Marie Antoinette's own
words。See Goncourt； 〃Histoire de Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 404。＇ At
another time； her pale； dry lips murmured； 〃I am thirsty！〃 but no
one around her dared to have compassion on this cry of distress；
every one looked perplexed at the others； and no one dared give her
a glass of water。 At last one of the gens d'armes ventured to do it；
and Marie Antoinette thanked him with a look that brought tears into
his eyes； and that perhaps caused him to fall on the morrow under
the guillotine as a traitor。
The gens d'armes who guarded the queen； they alone had the courage
to show her compassion。 One night； when she was conducted from the
session…room to her prison； Marie Antoinette felt herself so
exhausted； so overcome； that she murmured to herself； as she
staggered on； 〃I cannot see； I cannot walk any farther。〃 ＇Footnote：
Goncourt； p。416＇ The guard who was walking by her side gave her his
arm； and； supported by him； Marie Antoinette reeled up the stone
steps that led to her prison。
At last； in the night intervening between the 14th and 15th of
October； at four o'clock in the morning； her sentence was
pronounced〃Death！ execution by the guillotine！〃
Marie Antoinette received it with unshakable calmness； while the
tumult of the excited mob was hushed as by magic； and while many
faces even of the exasperated fish…wives grew pale！
Marie Antoinette remained calm； gravely and coldly she rose from her
seat； and with her own hands opened the balustrade in order to leave
the hall to return to her prison！
Finally； on the morning of the 16th of October； her sufferings were
allowed to end； and she was permitted to take refuge in the grave。
It almost made her joyful； she had suffered so much； that to die was
for her really blessedness。
She employed the still hours of the night before her death in
writing to her sister…in…law； Madame Elizabeth； and her letter was
at the same time her testament。 But the widow of Louis Capet had no
riches； no treasures to convey。 She had nothing more that she could
call her own but her love； her tears； and her farewell greetings。
These she left to all who had loved her。 She sent a special word to
her brothers and sisters； and bade them farewell。
〃I had friends；〃 she says； 〃and the thought that I am to be forever
separated from them； and their sorrow for me； is the most painful
thing in this hour； they shall at least know that I thought of them
to the last moment。〃
After Marie Antoinette had ended this letter； whose writing was here
and there blotted with her tears； she turned her thoughts to the
last remembrances she could leave to her childrena remembrance
which should not be profaned by the hand of the executioner。 This
was her long hair； whose silver locks； the only ornament that
remained to her； was at the same time the sad record of her sorrows。
Marie Antoinette； with her own hands； despoiled herself of this
ornament； and cut off her long back…hair； that it might be a last
gift to her children； her relations； and friends。 Then； after a
period of meditation； she prepared herself for the last great
ceremony of her careerher death。 She felt herself exhausted； worn
out； and recognized her need of some physical support during the
hard way which lay before her。 She asked for nourishment； and ate
with some relish the wing of a fowl that was brought to her。 After
that she made her toiletthe toilet of death！
At the request of the queen； the wife of the turnkey gave her one of
her own chemises； and Marie Antoinette put it on。 Then she arrayed
herself in the same garments which she had worn at her trial； with
this single changethat over the black woollen dress； which she had
often mended with her own hand； she now wore a cloak of white pique；
Around her neck she tied a simple kerchief of white muslin； and as
she would not be allowed to ascend the scaffold with uncovered head；
she put on a plain linen cap； such as was in general use among the
people。 Black stockings covered her fee