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Instantly there arose a new cry below。 〃The queen shall show
herself！ We want to see the queen！ The queen！ the queen！ the queen！〃
And in tones louder； and more commanding； and more terrible every
moment； the summons came in through the balcony door。
The queen took her two children by the hand and advanced a step or
two； but the king held her back。
〃Do not go； Marie；〃 he cried； with trembling voice and anxious look。
〃No； do not go。 It is such a fearful sight； this raging mass at
one's feet； it confuses one's senses。 Do not go； Marie！〃
But the cry below had now expanded into the volume of a hurricane；
and made the very walls of the palace shake。
〃You hear plainly； sire；〃 cried Marie Antoinette； 〃there is just as
much danger whether we see or do not see it。 Let me do； therefore；
what you have done！ Come； children！〃
And walking between the two little ones； the queen stepped out upon
the balcony with a firm step and raised head； followed by the king；
who placed himself behind Marie Antoinette； as if he were a sentinel
charged with the duty of protecting her life。
But the appearance of the whole royal family did not produce the
effect which Louis had； perhaps； anticipated。 The crowd did not now
break out into snouts of joy。
They cried and roared and howled： 〃The queen alone！ No children！ We
want no one but the queen！ Away with the children！〃
It was all in vain that Louis advanced to the edge of the platform；
in vain that he raised his arms as if commanding silence。 The sound
of his voice was lost in the roar of the mob； who； with their
clinched fists； their pikes and other weapons； their horrid cry； so
frightened the dauphin that he could not restrain his tears。
The royal family drew back and entered the apartment again； where
they were received by the pale； trembling； speechless； weeping
courtiers and servants。
But the mob below were not pacified。 They appeared as though they
were determined to give laws to the king and queen； and demand
obedience from them。
〃The queen！ we will see the queen！〃 was the cry again and again。
〃The queen shall show herself！〃
〃Well； be it so！〃 cried Marie Antoinette； with cool decision； and；
pressing through the courtiers； who wanted to restrain her； and even
impatiently thrusting back the king； who implored her not to go； she
stepped out upon the balcony。 Alone； without any one to accompany
her； and having only the protection which the lion…tamer has when he
enters the cage of the fierce monstersthe look of the eye and the
commanding mien！
And the lion appeared to be subdued； his fearful roar suddenly
ceased； and in astonishment all these thousands gazed up at the
queen； the daughter of the Caesars； standing above in proud
composure； her arms folded upon her breast； and looking down with
steady eye into the yawning and raging abyss。
The people； overcome by this royal composure； broke into loud shouts
of applause； and； during the continuance of these thousand…voiced
bravos； the queen； with a proud smile upon her lips； stepped back
from the balcony into the chamber。
The dauphin flew to her with open arms and climbed up her knee。
〃Mamma queen； my dear mamma queen；〃 cried he； 〃stay with me； don't
go out again to these dreadful men； I am afraid of themoh； I am
afraid！〃
Marie Antoinette took the little boy in her arms； and with her cold；
pale lips pressed a kiss upon his forehead。 For one instant it
seemed as if she felt herself overcome by the fearful scene through
which she had just passedas if the tears which were confined in
her heart would force themselves into her eyes。 But Marie Antoinette
overcame this weakness of the woman； for she felt that at this hour
she could only be a queen。
With the dauphin in her arms； and pressing him closely to her heart；
she advanced to the king； who； in order not to let his wife see the
tears which flooded his face； had withdrawn to the adjoining
apartment and was leaning against the door。
〃Sire；〃 said Marie Antoinette； entering the room； and presenting the
dauphin to him； 〃sire； I conjure you that； in this fearful hour； you
will make one promise to me。〃
〃What is it； Marie？〃 asked the king； 〃what do you desire？〃
〃Sire； by all that is dear to you and me；〃 continued the queen； 〃by
the welfare and safety of France； by your own and by the safety of
this dear child； your successor； I conjure you to promise me that；
if we ever must witness such a scene of horror again； and if you
have the means to escape it； you will not let the opportunity pass；〃
＇Footnote： The very words of the queen。See Beauchesne； 〃Louis
XVI。； sa Vie；〃 etc。； p 145。＇
The king； deeply moved by the noble and glowing face of the queen；
by the tones of her voice； and by her whole expression； turned away。
He wanted to speak； but could not； tears choked his utterance； and；
as if he were ashamed of his weakness； he pushed the queen and the
dauphin back from him； hastened through the room； and disappeared
through the door on the opposite side。
Marie Antoinette looked with a long； sad face after him； and then
returned to the balcony…room。 A shudder passed through her soul； and
a dark； dreadful presentiment made her heart for an instant stop
beating。 She remembered that this chamber in which she had that day
suffered such immeasurable painthat this chamber； which now echoed
the cries of a mob that had this day for the first time prescribed
laws to a queen； had been the dying…chamber of Louis XIV。 ＇Footnote：
Historical。See Goncourt； 〃Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 195。＇ A dreadful
presentiment told her that this day the room had become the dying…
chamber of royalty。
Like a pale； bloody corpse； the Future passed before her eyes； and；
with that lightning speed which accompanies moments of the greatest
excitement； all the old dark warnings came back to her which she had
previously encountered。 She thought of the picture of the slaughter
of the babes at Bethlehem； which decorated the walls of the room in
which the dauphin passed his first night on French soil； then of
that dreadful prophecy which Count do Cagliostro had made to her on
her journey to Paris； and of the scaffold which he showed her。 She
thought of the hurricane which had made the earth shake and turn up
trees by their roots； on the first night which the dauphin had
passed in Versailles。 She thought too of the dreadful misfortune
which on the next day happened to hundreds of men at the fireworks
in Paris； and cost them their lives。 She recalled the moment at the
coronation when the king caught up the crown which the papal nuncio
was just on the point of placing on his head； and said at the same
time；
〃It pricks me。〃 ＇Footnote： Historical。＇And now it seemed to her to
be a new； dreadful reason for alarm； that the scene of horror； which
she had just passed through； should take place in the dying…chamber
of that king to whom France owed her glory and her greatness。
〃We are lost； lost！〃 she whispered to herself。 〃Nothing can save us。
There is the scaffold！〃
〃With a silent gesture； and a gentle inclination of her head； the
queen took her leave of all present； and returned to her own
apartments； which were no