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sobbing； the dauphin passed through the corridor； but when they
reached the broad staircase which led to the apartments where the
queen lived； the dauphin stopped； suppressed his sobs； and hastily
dried his eyes。
〃I will not weep any more；〃 he said； 〃it would trouble mamma。 I beg
you； abbe； say nothing to mamma。 I will try to be cheerful and
merry； for mamma queen likes much to have me so。 Sometimes； when she
is sad and has been weeping； I make believe not to notice it； and
then I laugh and sing； and jump about； and then her beautiful face
will clear up； and sometimes she even smiles a little。 So； too； I
will be right merry； and she shall notice nothing。 You would not
suspect that I have been weeping； would you？〃
〃No； my prince； no one would think you had；〃 answered the abbe；
looking with deep emotion into the great blue eyes which the dauphin
turned up to his with an inquiring look。
〃Well； then； we will go to my mamma queen；〃 cried the dauphin； and
he sprang forward and opened the door with a smile； and； half
concealed behind the curtains； he asked； in a *jesting tone； whether
he might have permission to enter her majesty's presence。
Marie Antoinette bade him heartily welcome； and opened her arms to
him。 The dauphin embraced her and pressed a glowing kiss upon her
eyes and upon her lips。
〃You are extraordinarily affectionate to…day； my little Louis
Charles；〃 said the queen； with a smile。 〃What is the cause of that？〃
〃That comes from the fact that to…day I have nothing to give you
excepting kissesnot a single flower。 They are all withered in my
garden； and I do not like to go there any more； for there are no
more bouquets to pluck for my dear mamma queen。 Mamma； this is my
bouquet。〃
And he kissed and caressed the queen afresh； and brought a glow to
her eyes and a smile to her lips。
〃Come now； my child； you see that the abbe is waiting； and I believe
it is time for the study…hours to begin。 〃What comes first to…day？〃
〃We have first； grammar；〃 answered the abbe； laying the needful
books upon the little table at which the dauphin always took his
lessons in the presence of the queen。
〃Grammar！〃 cried the dauphin； 〃I wish it were history。 That I like；
but grammar I hate！〃
〃That comes because you make so many mistakes in it；〃 said the abbe；
〃and； certainly； grammar is very hard。〃
The child blushed。 〃Oh； it is not on that account；〃 he said。 〃I do
not dislike grammar because it is hard； but merely because it is
tedious。〃
〃And I will wager that on that account you have forgotten what we
went over in our last grammar hour。 We were speaking of the three
comparatives。 But you probably do not remember them。〃
〃You are mistaken；〃 replied the dauphin； smiling。 〃In proof； hear
me。 If I say； 'My abbe is a good abbe；' that is the positive。 If I
say； 'My abbe is better than another abbe；' that is the comparative。
And；〃 he continued； turning his eyes toward the queen with an
expression of intense affection； 〃if I say； 'My mamma is the dearest
and best of all mammas；' that is the superlative。〃 ＇Footnote： The
dauphin's own words。See Beauchesne's 〃Louis XVII。；〃 vol。 i。； p。
133。＇
The queen drew the boy to her heart and kissed him； while her tears
flowed down upon his auburn curls。
On the next day； at the time of his accustomed walk； the queen went
into the dauphin's room to greet him before he went into the garden。
〃Mamma； I beg your permission to remain here；〃 said the dauphin。 〃My
garden does not please me any longer。〃
〃Why not； my son；〃 asked Marie Antoinette； 〃has any thing happened
to you？〃
〃Yes； mamma；〃 he answered； 〃something has happened to me。 There are
so many bad people always standing around the fence； and they look
at me with such evil eyes； that I am afraid of them； and they scold
and say such hard things。 They laugh at me； and say that I am a
stupid jack； a baker's boy that does not know how to make a loaf；
and they call me a monkey。 That angers me and hurts my feelings； and
if I begin to cry I am ashamed of myself； for I know that it is very
silly to cry before people who mean ill to us。 But I am still a poor
little boy； and my tears are stronger than I。 And so I want you；
mamma； not to let me go to the garden any more。 Moufflet and I would
a great deal rather play in my room。 Come here； Moufflet； make your
compliments to the queen； and salute her like a regular grenadier。〃
And smiling； he caught the little dog by the fore…paws； and made him
stand up on his hind legs； and threatened Moufflet with his hand
till he made him stand erect and let his fore feet hang down very
respectfully。
The queen looked down with a smile at the couple； and laughed aloud
when the dauphin； still waving his hand threateningly to compel the
dog to stand as he was； jumped up； ran to the table； caught up a
paper cap； which he had made and painted with red stripes； and put
it on Moufflet's head； calling out to him： 〃Mr。 Jacobin； behave
respectfully！ Make your salutations to her majesty the queen！〃
After that day； the dauphin did not go into his garden again； and
the park of the Tuileries was now the exclusive property of the
populace； that took possession of it with furious eagerness。
The songs of the revolution； the wild curses of the haters of
royalty； the coarse laughter and shouting of the rabblethese were
the storm birds which were beating at the windows of the royal
apartments。
Marie Antoinette had still one source of enjoyment left to her in
her sufferings； her correspondence with her absent friends； and the
Duchess de Polignac before all others。 Once in a while there was a
favorable opportunity to send a letter by the hands of some faithful
friend around her； and the queen had then the sad satisfaction at
least of being able to express to some sympathizing heart what she
was undergoing； without fearing that these complaints would be read
by her enemies； as was the case with all letters which were sent by
post。
One of these letters to the Duchess de Polignac； which history has
preserved； gives a faithful and touching picture of the sorrows and
grief of the queen。 A translation of it runs thus：
〃I cannot deny myself the pleasure of embracing you； my dear heart；
but it must be done quickly； for the opportunity is a passing one；
although a certain one。 I can only write a word； which will be
forwarded to you with a large package。 We are guarded like
criminals； and this restraint is truly dreadfully hard to bear！
constantly too apprehensive for one another； not to be able to
approach the window without being loaded with insults； not to be
able to take the poor children out into the air without exposing the
dear innocents to reproaches； what a situation is ours； my dear
heart！ And when you think that I suffer not for myself alone； but
have to tremble for the king as well； and for our friends who are
with us； you will see that the burden is well…nigh unbearable！ But；
as I have told you before； you absent ones； you keep me up。 Adieu；
dear heart； let us hope in God； who looks into our consciences； and
who knows whether we are not animated by the truest love for this
land。 I embrace you！
〃P。 S。The k