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Paris。 Near her sat the king； between them the dauphin。 Opposite to
them； on the broad； front seat； were their daughter Therese； the
Princess Elizabeth； and Madame de Tourzel； governess of the royal
children。 Behind them； in a procession； whose end could not be seen；
followed an artillery train； then the mob； armed with pikes； and
other weapons…men covered with blood and dust； women with
dishevelled hair and torn garments； the most of them drunken with
wine； exhausted by watching during the night； shouting and yelling；
and singing low songs； or mocking the royal family with scornful
words。 Behind these wild masses came two hundred gardes du corps
without weapons； hats； and shoulder…straps； every one escorted by
two grenadiers； and they were followed by some soldiers of the Swiss
guard and the Flanders regiment。 In the midst of this train rattled
loaded cannon； each one accompanied by two soldiers。 But still more
fearful than the retinue of the royal equipage were the heralds who
preceded itheralds consisting of the most daring and defiant of
these men and women； impatiently longing for the moment when they
could announce to the city of Paris that the revolution in
Versailles had humiliated the king； and given the people victory。
They carried with them the bloody tokens of this victory； the heads
of Varicourt and Deshuttes； the faithful Swiss guards； who had died
in the service of their king。 They had hoisted both these heads upon
pikes； which two men of the mob carried before the procession。
Between them strode； with proud； triumphant mien； a gigantic figure；
with long； black beard； with naked blood…flecked arms； with flashing
eyes； his face and hands wet with the blood with which he had imbued
himself； and in his right hand a slaughter…knife which still dripped
blood。 This was Jourdan； who； from his cutting off the heads of both
the Swiss guards； had won the name of the executionera name which
he understood how to keep during the whole revolution。＇Footnote：
Jourdan； the executioner； had； until that time； been a model in the
Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture。＇
Like storm…birds； desirous to be the first to announce to Paris the
triumph of the populace； and impatient of the slow progress of the
royal train； these heralds of victory； bearing their bloody banner；
hastened on in advance of the procession to Paris。 In Sevres they
made a haltnot to rest； or wait for the oncoming trainbut to
have the hair of the two heads dressed by friseurs； in order； as
Jourdan announced with fiendish laughter to the yelling mob； that
they might make their entrance into the city as fine gentlemen。
While before them and behind them these awful cries； loud singing
and laughing resounded； within the carriage that conveyed the royal
family there was unbroken silence。 The king sat leaning back in the
corner； with his eyes closed； in order not to see the horrid forms
which from time to time approached the window of the carriage； to
stare in with curious looks； or with mocking laughter and
equivoques； to heap misery on the unfortunate family。
The queen； however； sat erect； with proud； dignified bearing；
courageously looking the horrors of the day in the face； and not a
quiver of the eyelids； nor a sigh； betraying the pain that tortured
her soul。
〃No； better die than grant to this triumphing rabble the pleasure of
seeing what I suffer！ Better sink with exhaustion than complain。〃
Not a murmur； not a sigh； came from her lips； and yet； when the
dauphin； after four hours of this sad journey； turned with a
supplicatory expression to his mother； and said to her with his
sweet voice； 〃Mamma queen； I am hungry；〃 the proud expression
withdrew from the features of the queen； and two great tears slowly
ran down over her cheeks。
At last； after a ride of eight hours； the frightful train reached
Paris。 Not a window in all the streets through which the royal
procession went was empty。 In amazement and terror the people of the
middle class gazed at this hitherto unseen spectaclethe King and
the Queen of France brought in triumph to the capital by the lowest
people in the city！ A dumb fear took possession of those who
hitherto had tried to ignore the revolution； and supposed that every
thing would subside again into the old； wonted forms。 Now； no one
could entertain this hope longer； now； the most timid must confess
that a revolution had indeed come； and that people must accustom
themselves to look at it eye to eye。
Slowly the train moved forwardslowly down the quay which extends
along by the garden of the Tuileries。 The loungers who were in the
garden hurried to the fence； which then bordered the park on the
side of the quay； in order to watch this frightful procession from
this point： to see an unbridled populace dash in pieces the
prescriptive royalty of ages。
Scorn and the love of destruction were written on most of the faces
of these observers； but many were pale； and many quivered with anger
and grief。 In the front ranks of the spectators stood two young men；
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。
〃