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outside of the fence； when they saw the manoeuvre of the man who was
forcing his arm still farther in； stopped their shouting and lapsed
into a breathless； eager silence； as sometimes is the case in a
storm； between the successive bursts of wind and thunder。
Every one felt that the touch of that threatening arm and that
little child might be like the contact of steel and flint； and
elicit sparks which should kindle the fires of another revolution。
It was this feeling which made the crowd silent； the same feeling
compelled the queen to quicken her steps； so that she was close to
the dauphin before he had reached this terrible turnpike…bar。
〃Come here； my son；〃 cried the queen； 〃give me your hand！〃
But before she had time to grasp the hand of the little prince； he
sprang forward and stood directly in front of the outstretched arm。
〃My God！ what will he do？〃 whispered the queen to herself。
At the same instant； there resounded from behind the fence a loud；
mighty bravo； and a thousand voices took it up and cried； 〃Bravo！
bravo！〃
The dauphin had stretched up his little white hand and laid it upon
the brown； clinched fist that was stretched out toward him； and
nodded pleasantly at the man who looked down so fiercely upon him。
〃Good…day； sir！〃 he said； with a loud voice〃good…day！〃
And he took hold with his little hand of the great hand of the man
and shook it a little； as in friendly salutation。 〃Little knirps；〃
roared the man； 〃what do you mean； and how dare you lay your little
paw on the claws of the lion？〃
〃Sir；〃 said the boy； smiling； 〃I thought you were stretching out
your hand to reach me with it； and so I give you mine； and say；
'Good…day； sir！'〃
〃And if I wanted； I could crush your hand in my fist as if it were
in a vise；〃 cried the man； holding the little hand firmly。
〃You shall not do it；〃 cried hundreds and hundreds of voices in the
crowd。 〃No； Simon； you shall not hurt the child。〃
〃Who of you could hinder me if I wanted to？〃 asked the man； with a
laugh。 〃See here； I hold the hand of the future King of France in my
fist； and I can break it if I want to； and make it so that it can
never lift the sceptre of France。 The little monkey thought he would
take hold of my hand and make me draw it back； and now my hand has
got his and holds it fast。 And mark this； boy； the time is past when
kings seized us and trod us down； now we seize them and hold them
fast； and do not let them go unless we will。〃
〃Sir！〃 cried the queen； motioning back with a commanding gesture the
two lackeys who were hurrying up to release the dauphin from the
hand of the man； 〃sir； I beg you to withdraw your hand； and not to
hinder us in our walk。〃
〃Ah！ you are there； too； madame； the baker's wife； are you？〃 cried
the man； with a horrid laugh。 〃We meet once more； and the eyes of
our most beautiful queen fall again upon the dirty； pitiable face of
such a poor； wretched creature as； in your heavenly eyes； the
cobbler Simon is！〃
〃Are you Simon the cobbler？〃 asked Marie Antoinette。
〃It is true； I bethink me now； I have spoken with you once before。
It was when I carried the prince here； for the first time； to Notre
Dame； that God would bless him； and that the people might see him。
You stood then by my carriage； sir！〃
〃Yes； it is true；〃 answered Simon； visibly flattered。 〃You have； at
least； a good memory； queen。 But you ought to have paid attention to
what I said to you。 I am no 'sir；' I am a simple cobbler； and earn
my poor bit of bread in the sweat of my brow； while you strut about
in your glory and happiness； and cheat God out of daylight。 Then I
held the hand of your daughter in my fist； and she cried out for
fear； merely because a poor fellow like me touched her。〃
〃But； Mr。 Simon； you see very plainly that I do not cry out；〃 said
the dauphin； with a smile。 〃I know that you do not want to do me any
harm； and I ask you to be so good as to take away your arm； that my
mamma can go on in her walk。〃
〃But； suppose that I do not do as you want me to？〃 asked the
cobbler； defiantly。 〃I suppose it would come that your mamma would
dictate to me； and perhaps call some soldiers； and order them to
shoot the dreadful people？〃
〃You know； Master Simon； that I give no such command； and never gave
any such；〃 said the queen； quickly。
〃The king and I love our people； and never would give orders to our
soldiers to fire upon them。〃
〃Because you would not be sure； madame； that the soldiers would obey
your commands； if you should；〃 laughed Simon。 〃Since we got rid of
the Swiss guards； there are no soldiers left who would let
themselves be torn in pieces for their king and queen； and you know
well that if the soldiers should fire the first shot at us； the
people would tear the soldiers in pieces afterward。 Yes； yes； the
fine days at Versailles are past； here； in Paris； you must accustom
yourself to ask； instead of command； and the arm of a single man of
the people is enough to stop the Queen and the Dauphin of France。〃
〃You are mistaken； sir；〃 said the queen； whose proud heart could no
longer be restrained； and allow her to take this humble stand； 〃the
Queen of France and her son will no longer be detained by you in
their walk。〃
And with a quick movement she caught the dauphin； struck back at the
same moment the fist of the cobbler； snatched the boy away like
lightning； and passed by before Simon had time to put his arm back。
The people； delighted with this energetic and courageous action of
the queenthe people； who would have howled with rage； if the queen
had ordered her lackeys to push the cobbler back； now roared with
admiration and with pleasure； to see the proud…hearted woman have
the boldness to repel the assailant； and to free herself from him。
They applauded； they laughed； they shouted from thousands upon
thousands of throats； 〃Long live the queen！ Long live the dauphin！〃
and the cry passed along like wildfire through the whole mass of
spectators behind the fence； and all eyes followed the tall and
proud figure of the queen as she walked away。
Only the eyes of Simon pursued her with a malicious glare； and his
clinched fists threatened her behind her back。
〃She shall pay for this！〃 he muttered； with a withering curse。 〃She
has struck back my hand to…day； but the day will come when she will
feel it upon her neck； and when I will squeeze the hand of the
little rascal so that he shall cry out with pain！ I believe now；
what Marat has so often told me； that the time of vengeance is come；
and that we must bring the crown down and tread it under our feet；
that the people may rule！ I will have my share in it。 I will help
bring it down； and tread it under foot。 I hate the handsome Austrian
woman； who perks up her nose； and thinks herself better than my
wife； and if the golden time has come of which Marat speaks； when
the people are the master； and the king is the servant； Marie
Antoinette shall be my waiting…maid； and her son shall be my
choreboy； and his buckle shall make acquaintance with my shoe…
straps！〃
And while Master Simon was muttering this to himself； he was making
a way through the crowd with those great elbows