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〃Your majesty；〃 said Bailly； 〃I conjure you； do this out of
compassion for us； for all your faithful servants who tremble for
the peace and security of your majesty； and allow M。 de Lafayette to
keep the brutality of the people away from you； and protect you in
your walks。〃
〃Sufficient； gentlemen；〃 cried Marie Antoinette； impatiently。 〃You
now know my fixed resolve； and it is not necessary to discuss it
further。 I will not hide myself from the people； and I will confront
them under the simple protection of God。 Defended by Him； and
sustained by the conviction that I have not merited the hate with
which I am pursued； I will continue to meet the subjects of the king
fearlessly； with an unveiled head； and only God and my fate shall
judge between me and them！ I thank you； gentlemen； for your zeal and
your care； and you may be sure that I shall never forget it。 But now
farewell； gentlemen！ It is growing cold； and I should like to return
to the palace。〃
〃Will your majesty not have the kindness to allow us both to mingle
with your train； and accompany you to the palace？〃 asked Lafayette。
〃I came hither； attended by only two lackeys； who are waiting
outside the pavilion；〃 answered the queen。 〃You know that I have
laid aside the court etiquette which used to attend the queen upon
her walks； and which do not allow the free enjoyment of nature。 My
enemies charge me with this as an offence； and consider it improper
that the Queen of France should take a walk without a brilliant
train of courtiers； and like any other human being。 But I think that
the people ought not to be angry at this； and they may take it as a
sign that I am not so proud and unapproachable as I am generally
believed to be。 And so farewell； gentlemen！〃
She graciously waved her hand toward the door； and； with a gentle
inclination of her head； dismissed the two gentlemen； who； with a
sad bearing； withdrew； and left the pavilion。
〃Come； my son；〃 said the queen； 〃we will return to the palace。〃
〃By the same way that we came； shall we not； mamma？〃 asked the
dauphin； taking the extended hand of the queen； and pressing it to
his lips。
〃You will not weep again if the people shout and laugh？〃 asked Marie
Antoinette。 〃You will not be afraid any more？〃
〃No； I will not be afraid any more。 Oh； you shall be satisfied with
me； mamma queen！ I have paid close attention to all that you said to
the two gentlemen； and I am very glad that you did not allow M。 de
Lafayette to walk behind us。 The people would then have believed
that we are afraid； and now they shall see that we are not so at
all。〃
〃Well； come； my child； let us go；〃 said Marie Antoinette； giving her
hand to her son； and preparing to leave the pavilion。
But on the threshold the dauphin stopped； and looked imploringly up
into the face of his mother。
〃I should like to ask you something； mamma queen。〃
〃Well； what is it； my little Louis？ What do you wish？〃
〃I should like to have you allow me to go alone； else the people
would believe that I am afraid and want you to lead me。 And I want
to be like the Chevalier Bayard； about whom the Abbe talked with me
to…day。 I want to be sans peur et sans reproche； like Bayard。〃
〃Very well； chevalier；〃 said the queen； with a smile； 〃then walk
alone and free by my side。〃
〃No； mamma； if you will allow me； I will walk before you。 The
knights always walk in advance of the ladies； so as to ward off any
danger which may be in the way。 And I am your knight； mamma； and I
want to be as long as I live。 Will you allow it； my royal lady？〃
〃I allow it！ So go in front； Chevalier Louis Charles！ We will take
the same way back by which we came。〃
The dauphin sprang over the little square in front of the pavilion；
and down the alley which led to the Arcadia Walk along the side of
the quay。
Before the little staircase which led up to this walk； he stopped
and turned his pretty head round to the queen； who； followed by the
two lackeys； was walking slowly and quietly along。
〃Well； Chevalier Bayard；〃 asked the queen； with a smile； 〃what are
you stopping for？〃
〃I am only waiting for your majesty；〃 replied the child； gravely。
〃Here is where my knightly service commences； for here it is that
danger begins。〃
〃It is true；〃 said the queen； as she stopped at the foot of the
steps and listened to the loud shouting which now became audible。
〃One would think that a storm had been Sweeping over the ocean；
there is such a thundering sound。 But you know； my son； that the
storms lie in God's hand； and that He protects those who trust in
Him。 Think of that； my child； and do not be afraid！〃
〃Oh； I am not afraid！〃 cried the boy； and he sprang up the stairs
like a gazelle。
The queen quickened her steps a little； and seemed to be giving her
whole attention to her son； who went before her with such a happy
flow of spirits； and appeared to hear nothing of what was passing
around her。 And yet； behind the fence which ran along the left side
of the Arcadia Walk all the way to the quay； was a dense mass of
people； head behind head； and all their blazing eyes were directed
at the queen； and words of hate； malediction； and threatening
followed her every step which she took forward。
〃See； see；〃 cried a woman； with dishevelled hair； which streamed out
from her round cap； and fell down over her red； angry face〃 see；
that is the baker's woman； and the monkey that jumps in front of her
is the apprentice…boy！ They can dress themselves up and be fine； for
all is well with them； and they can eat cakes； while we have to go
hungry。 But wait； only wait！ times will be different by and by； and
we shall see the baker…woman as hungry as we。 But when we have the
bread； we will give her noneno； we will give her none！〃
〃No； indeed； we will give her none！〃 roared； and cried； and laughed；
and howled the mob。 And they all pressed closer up to the fence； and
naked arms and clinched fists were thrust through the palings； and
threatened the queen； and the dauphin； who walked in front of his
mother。
〃Will he be able to bear it？ Will my poor boy not weep with fear and
anxiety？ 〃That was the only thought of the queen； as she walked on
past the angry roars of the crowd。 To the dauphin alone all her
looks were directed； not once did she glance at the fence； behind
which the populace roared like a pack of lions。
All at once the breath of the queen stopped； and her heart ceased
beating； with horror。 She saw directly at the place where the path
turned and ran away from the fence； but where； before making the
turn； it ran very near the fence； the bare arm of a man extended
through the paling as far as possible； and stretching in fact half…
way across the path； as if it were a turnpike…bar stopping the way。
The eyes of the queen； when they fell upon this dreadful； powerful
arm； turned at once in deep alarm to the dauphin。 She saw him
hesitate a little in his hurried course； and then go slowly forward。
The queen quickened her steps in order to come up with the dauphin
before he should reach the danger which confronted him。 The people
outside of the fence； when they saw the manoeuvre of the man who was
forcing his a