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to his affianced before the wedding。〃
She nodded in friendly fashion to the couple； and left the room。
〃We are now alone； my Margaret；〃 said Toulan； putting his arm around
the neck of the fair young maiden； and drawing her to himself。 〃Only
God is to hear what I have to say to you。〃
〃I hope； Louis；〃 whispered the young girl； trembling； 〃I hope it is
not bad news that you want to tell me。 Your face is so grave； your
whole look so solemn。 You love me still； Louis？〃
〃Yes； Margaret； I do love you；〃 answered he； softly； 〃but yet；
before you speak the word which binds you to me forever； I must open
my whole heart to you； and you must know all I feel； in order that；
if there is a future to prove us； we may meet it with fixed gaze and
joyful spirit。〃
〃My God！ what have I to hear？〃 whispered the young girl； pressing
her hand to her heart； that began to beat with unwonted violence。
〃You will have to hear； my Margaret； that I love you； and yet that
the image of another woman is cherished in my heart。〃
〃Who is this other woman？〃 cried Margaret。
〃Margaret； it is Queen Marie Antoinette。〃
The girl breathed freely； and laughed。 〃Ah！ how you frightened me；
Louis。 I was afraid you were going to name a rival； and now you
mention her whom I； too； love and honor； to whom I pay my whole
tribute of admiration； and who； although you ought to live there
alone； has a place in my heart。 I shall never be jealous of the
queen。 I love her just as devotedly as you do。〃
A light； sympathetic smile played upon the lips of Toulan。 〃No；
Margaret；〃 said he； gravely； 〃you do not love her as I do； and you
cannot； for your duty to her is not like mine。 Listen； my darling；
and I will tell you a little storya story which is so sacred to me
that it has never passed over my lips； although； according to the
ways of human thinking； there is nothing so very strange about it。
Come； my dear； sit down with me a little while； and listen to me。〃
He led the maiden to the little divan； and took a place with her
upon it。 Her hand lay within his； and with a joyful and tender look
she gazed into the bold； noble； and good face of the man to whom she
was ready to devote her whole life。
〃Speak now； Louis； I will listen！〃
〃I want to tell you of my father； Margaret；〃 said the young man；
with a gentle voice〃 of my father； who thirsted and hungered for
me； in his efforts to feed； clothe； and educate me。 He had been an
officer in the army； had distinguished himself in many a battle； was
decorated； on account of his bravery； with the Order of St。 Louis；
and discharged as an invalid。 That was a sad misfortune for my
father； for he was poor； and his officer's pay was his only fortune。
But nohe had a nobler； a fairer fortunehe had a wife whom he
passionately loved； a little boy whom he adored。 And now the means
of existence were taken away from this loved wife； this dear boy；
and from him whose service had been the offering of his life for his
king and country； the storming of fortifications； the defying of the
bayonets of enemies； and who in this service had been so severely
wounded； that his life was saved only by the amputation of his right
arm。 Had it not been just this right arm； he would have been able to
do something for himself； and to have found some employment in the
government service。 But now he was robbed of all hope of employment；
now he saw for himself and his family only destruction； starvation！
But he could not believe it possible； he held it to be impossible
that the king should allow his bold soldier； his knight of the Order
of St。 Louis； to die of hunger； after becoming a cripple in his
service。 He resolved to go to Paris； to declare his need to the
king； and to implore the royal bounty。 This journey was the last
hope of the family； and my father was just entering on it when my
mother sickened and died。 She was the prop； the right arm of my
father； she was the nurse； the teacher of his poor boy； now he had
no hope more； except in the favor of the king and in death。 The last
valuables were sold； and father and son journeyed to Paris： an
invalid whose bravery had cost him an arm； and whose tears over a
lost wife had nearly cost him his eyesight； and a lad of twelve
years； acquainted only with pain and want from his birth； and in
whose heart； notwithstanding； there was an inextinguishable germ of
hope； spirit； and joy。 We went on foot； and when my shoes were torn
with the long march； my feet swollen and bloody； my father told me
to climb upon his back and let him carry me。 I would not allow it；
Suppressed my pain； and went on till I dropped in a swoon。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Margaret； with tears in her eyes； 〃how much you have
suffered； and I am learning it now for the first time； and you never
told me this sad history。〃
〃I forgot every thing sad when I began to love you； Margaret； and I
did not want to trouble you with my stories。 Why should we darken
the clear sky of the present with the clouds of the past？ the future
will unquestionably bring its own clouds。 I tell you all this now；
in order that you may understand my feelings。 Now hear me further；
Margaret！ At last； after long…continued efforts； we reached
Versailles； and it seemed to us as if all suffering and want were
taken away from us when we found ourselves in a dark； poor inn； and
lay down on the hard beds。 On the next； my father put on his
uniform； decorated his breast with the order of St。 Louis； and； as
the pain in his eyes prevented his going alone； I had to accompany
him。 We repaired to the palace and entered the great gallery which
the court daily traversed on returning from mass in the royal
apartments。 My father； holding in his hand the petition which I had
written to his dictation； took his place near the door through which
the royal couple must pass。 I stood near him and looked with curious
eyes at the brilliant throng which filled the great hall； and at the
richly…dressed gentlemen who were present and held petitions in
their hands； in spite of their cheerful looks and their fine
clothes。 And these gentlemen crowded in front of my father； shoved
him to the wall； hid him from the eye of the king； who passed
through the hall at the side of the queen； and with a pleasant face
received all the petitions which were handed to him。 Sadly we turned
home； but on the following day we repaired to the gallery again； and
I had the courage to crowd back some of the elegantly…dressed men
who wanted to press before my father； and to secure for him a place
in the front row。 I was rewarded for my boldness。 The king came； and
with a gracious smile took the petition from the hand of my father；
and laid it in the silver basket which the almoner near him
carried。〃
〃Thank God；〃 cried Margaret； with a sigh of relief； 〃thank God； you
were saved！〃
〃That we said too； Margaret； and that restored my father's hope and
made him again happy and well。 We went the next day to the gallery。
The king appeared； the grand almoner announced the names of those
who were to receive answers to their petitionsthe name of my
father was not among them！ But we comforted ourselves with the
thought； it was not possible to re