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one of them in simple civilian's costume； the other in the uniform
of a sub…lieutenant。 The face of the young officer was pale； but it
lightened up with rare energy； and with his noble； antique profile；
and flaming eyes； it enchanted every look； and fixed the attention
of every one who observed him。
As the howling； roaring mob passed him； the young officer turned to
his companion with an expression of fiery indignation。 〃0 God；〃 he
cried； 〃how is this possible？ Has the king no cannon to destroy this
canaille？ 〃 ＇Footnote： His own words。See Beauchesne； vol。 i。；p。
85。＇
〃My friend；〃 answered the young man； smiling； 〃remember the words of
our great poet Corneille： 'The people give the king his purple and
take it back when they please。 The beggar； king only by the people's
grace； simply gives back his purple to the people。' 〃
〃Ah！〃 cried the young lieutenant； smiling； 〃what once has been
received should be firmly held。 I； at least； if I had once received
the purple by the people's grace； would not give it back。 But come；
let us go on； it angers me to see this canaille； upon which you
bestow the fine name of 'the people。'〃 He hastily grasped the arm of
his friend； and turned to a more solitary part of the garden of the
Tuileries。
This young sub…lieutenant； who saw with such indignation this
revolutionary procession pass him； and whom destiny had appointed
one day to bring this revolution to an endthis young lieutenant's
name was Napoleon Bonaparte。
The young man who walked at his side； and whom； too； destiny had
appointed to work a revolution； although only in the theatrical
world； to recreate the dramathis young man's name was Talma。
CHAPTER XV。
MAMMA QUEEN。
〃Every thing passes over； every thing has an end； one must only have
courage and think of that；〃 said Marie Antoinette； with a gentle
smile； as on the morning after her arrival in Paris； she had risen
from her bed and drunk her chocolate in the improvised sitting…room。
〃Here we are installed in the Tuileries； and have slept； while we
yesterday were thinking we were lost； and that only death could give
us rest and peace again。〃
〃It was a fearful day；〃 said Madame de Campan； with a sigh； 〃but
your majesty went through it like a heroine。〃
〃Ah； Campan；〃 said the queen； sadly； 〃I have not the ambition to
want to be a heroine； and I should be very thankful if it were
allowed me from this time on to be a wife and mother； if it is no
longer allowed me to be a queen。〃
At this instant the door opened； the little dauphin； followed by his
teacher； the Abbe Davout； ran in and flew with extended arms to
Marie Antoinette。
〃Oh； mamma queen！〃 cried he； with winning voice； 〃let us go back
again to our beautiful palace； it is dreadful here in this great；
dark house。〃
〃Hush； my child； hush！〃 said the queen； pressing the boy close to
her。 〃You must not say so； you must accustom yourself to be
contented everywhere。〃
〃Mamma queen；〃 whispered the child； tenderly nestling close to his
mother； 〃it is true it is dreadful here； but I will always say it so
low that nobody except you can hear。 But tell me； who owns this
hateful house？ And why do we want to stay here； when we have such a
fine palace and a beautiful garden in Versailles？〃
〃My son；〃 answered the queen with a sigh； 〃this house belongs to us；
and it is a beautiful and famous palace。 You ought not to say that
it does not please you； for your renowned great…grandfather； the
great Louis XIV。； lived here； and made this palace celebrated all
over Europe。〃
〃Yet I wish that we were away from here；〃 whispered the dauphin；
casting his large blue eyes with a prolonged and timid glance
through the wide； desolate room； which was decorated sparingly with
old…fashioned； faded furniture。
〃I wish so； too；〃 sighed Marie Antoinette； to herself； but softly as
she had spoken the words； the sensitive ear of the child had caught
them。
〃You； too； want to go？〃 asked Louis Charles； in amazement。 〃Are you
not queen now； and can you not do what you want to？〃
The queen； pierced to the very heart by the innocent question of the
child； burst into tears。
〃My prince；〃 said the Abbe Davout； turning to the dauphin； 〃you see
that you trouble the queen； and her majesty needs rest。 Come； we
will take a walk。〃
But Marie Antoinette put both her arms around the child and pressed
its head with its light locks to her breast。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃no； he does not trouble me。 Let me weep。 Tears do
me good。 One is only unfortunate when she can no longer weep； when
but what is that？〃 she eagerly asked； rising from her easy…chair。
〃What does that noise mean？〃
And in very fact in the street there were loud shouting and crying；
and intermingled curses and threats。
〃Mamma；〃 cried the dauphin； nestling close up to the queen； 〃is to…
day going to be just like yesterday？〃 ＇Footnote： The very words of
the dauphin。See Beauchesne； vol。 i。＇
The door was hastily opened； and the king entered。
〃Sire；〃 asked Marie； eagerly advancing toward him； 〃are they going
to renew the dreadful scenes of yesterday？〃
〃On the contrary； Marie； they are going to bring to their reckoning
those who occasioned the scenes of yesterday；〃 answered the king。 〃A
deputation from the Court of Chatelet have come to the Tuileries；
and desire of me an authorization to bring to trial those who are
guilty； and of you any information which you can give about what has
taken place。 The mob have accompanied the deputation hither； and
hence arise these cries。 I am come to ask you； Marie； to receive the
deputation of Chatelet。〃
〃As if there were any choice left us to refuse to see them；〃
answered Marie Antoinette； sighing。 〃The populace who are howling
and crying without are now the master of the men who come to us with
a sneer； and ask us whether we will grant them an audience。 We must
submit！〃
The king did not answer； but shrugged his shoulders； and opened the
door of the antechamber。 〃Let them enter；〃 he said to the
chamberlains there。
The two folding doors were now thrown open； and the loud voice of an
officer announced； 〃The honorable judges of Chatelet！〃
Slowly； with respectful mien and bowed head； the gentlemen； arrayed
in their long black robes； entered the room； and remained humbly
standing near the door。
Marie Antoinette had advanced a few steps。 Not a trace of grief and
disquiet was longer to be seen in her face。 Her figure was erect；
her glance was proud and full of fire； and the expression of her
countenance noble and majestic。 She was still the queen； though not
surrounded by the solemn pomp which attended the public audiences at
Versailles。 She did not stand on the purple…carpeted step of the
throne； no gold…embroidered canopy arched over her； no crowd of
brilliant courtiers surrounded her； only her husband stood near her；
her son clung to her side； and his teacher； the Abbe Davout； timidly
withdrew into the background。 These formed all her suite。 But Marie
Antoinette did not need external pomp to be a queen； she was so in
her bearing； in every look； in every gesture。 With commanding
dignity she allowed the deputation to approach her； and to spe