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confess his sins at the feet of your majesty； and to receive your
forgiveness。〃
〃Does the king know this？〃 asked Marie Antoinette。 〃Has any one told
his majesty？〃
〃I should not have taken the liberty of speaking to your majesty
about these things if the king had not authorized me；〃 replied Count
de la Marck； bowing。 〃His majesty recognizes it to be a necessary
duty to gain Mirabeau to the throne； and he hopes to have in this
matter the cooperation of his exalted wife。〃
Marie Antoinette sadly shook her head。 〃I will speak with his
majesty about it；〃 she said； with a sigh； 〃but only under
circumstances of extreme urgency can I submit to this； I tell you in
advance。〃
But the case was of extreme urgency； and when Marie Antoinette had
seen it to be so； she kept her word and conformed to it； and
commissioned Count de la Marck to tell his friend Mirabeau that the
queen would grant him an audience。
But in order that this audience might be of advantage； it must be
conducted with the deepest secrecy。 No one ought to suspect that
Mirabeau； the tribune of the people； the adored hero of the
revolutionMirabeau； who ruled the National Assembly； and Paris
itself； whom the freest of the free hailed as their apostle and
saviour； who with the power of his eloquence ruled the spirits of
thousands and hundreds of thousands of men；no one could suspect
that the leader of the revolution would now become the devoted
dependant upon the monarchy； and the paid servant of the king。
Two conditions Mirabeau had named； when Count de la Marck had tried
to gain him over in the name of the king： an audience with the
queen； and the payment of his debts； together with a monthly pension
of a hundred louis…d'or。
〃I am paid； but not bought；〃 said Mirabeau； as he received his first
payment。 〃Only one of my conditions is fulfilled； but what will
become of the other？〃
〃And so you still insist on having an audience with the queen？〃
asked La Marck。
〃Yes； I insist upon it；〃 said Mirabeau； with naming eyes。 〃If I am
to battle and speak for this monarchy； I must learn to respect it。
If I am to believe in the possibility of restoring it； I must
believe in its capacity of life； I must see that I have to deal with
a brave； decided； noble man。 The true and real king here is Marie
Antoinette； and there is only one man in the whole surroundings of
Louis XVI。； and that is his wife。 I must speak with her； in order to
hear and to see whether she is worth the risking of my life； honor；
and popularity。 If she really is the heroine that I hold her to be；
we will both united save the monarchy； and the throne of Louis XVI。；
whose king is Marie Antoinette。 The moment is soon to come when we
shall learn what a woman and a child can accomplish； and whether the
daughter of Maria Theresa with the dauphin in her arms cannot stir
the hearts of the French as her great mother once stirred the
Hungarians。〃 ＇Footnote：Mirabeau's own words。See 〃Marie Antoinette
et sa Famille。〃 Far M。 de Lescure。 p。 478。＇
〃Do you then believe the danger is so great；〃 asked La Marck； 〃that
it is necessary to resort to extreme； heroic measures？〃
Mirabeau grasped his arm with a sudden movement； and an expression
of solemn earnestness filled his lion…like face。 〃I am convinced of
it；〃 he answered； 〃and I will add； the danger is so great； that if
we do not soon meet it and in heroic fashion； it will not be
possible to control it。 There is no other security for the queen
than through the reestablishment of the royal authority。 I believe
of her； that she does not desire life without her crown； and I am
certain that； in order to keep her life； she must before all things
preserve her crown。 And I will help her and stand by her in it； and
for this end I must myself speak with her and have an audience。〃
＇Footnote： Mirabeau's own words。See Count de la Marck； 〃Mirabeau；〃
vol。 21。 p。 50。＇
And Mirabeau； the first man in the revolution had his audience with
Marie Antoinette； the dying champion of monarchy。
On the 3rd of July； 1790； the meeting of the queen and Mirabeau took
place in the park of St。 Cloud。 Secrecy and silence surrounded them；
and extreme care had been taken to let no one suspect； excepting a
few intimate friends； what was taking place on this sequestered；
leaf…embowered grass…plat of St。 Cloud。
A bench of white marble； surrounded by high oleander and taxus
trees； stood at the side of this grass…plat。 It was the throne on
which Marie Antoinette should receive the homage of her new knight。
Mirabeau had on the day before gone from Paris to the estate of his
niece； the Marchioness of Aragan。 There he spent the night； and the
next morning； accompanied by his nephew； M。 de Saillant； he walked
to the park of St。 Cloud。
At the nether gate of the park； which had been left open for this
secret visit； Mirabeau took leave of his companion； and extended him
his hand。
〃I do not know；〃 he said； and his voice； which so often had made the
windows of the assembly hall shake with its thunder； was now weak
and tremulous； 〃I do not know why this dreadful presentiment creeps
over me all at once； and why voices whisper to me； 'Turn； back；
Mirabeau； turn back！ Do not step over the threshold of this door；
for there you are stepping into your open grave！' 〃
〃Follow this voice； uncle； there is still time；〃 implored M。 de
Saillant； 〃it is with me as it is with you。 I； too； have a sad；
anxious feeling！〃
〃May they not have laid snares for me here？〃 whispered Mirabeau；
thoughtfully。 〃They are capable of every thing； these artful
Bourbons。 Who knows whether they have not invited me here to take me
prisoner； and to cast me； whom they hold to be their most dangerous
enemy； into one of their oubliettes； their subterranean dungeons？ My
friend；〃 he continued； hastily； 〃wait for me here； and if in two or
three hours I do not return； hasten to Paris； go to the National
Assembly； and announce to them that Mirabeau； moved by the queen's
cry of distress； has gone to St。 Cloud； and is there held a
prisoner。〃
〃I will do it； uncle；〃 said the marquis； 〃but I do not believe in
any such treachery on the part of the queen or her husband。 They
both know that without Mirabeau they are certainly lost； and that
he； perhaps； is able to save them。 I fear something entirely
different。〃
〃And what do you fear？〃
〃I fear your enemies in the National Assembly；〃 said M。 de Saillant；
and with a pained expression。 〃I fear these enraged republicans； who
have begun to mistrust you since you have begun to speak in favor of
royalty and mon archy； and since you have even ventured to defend
the queen personally against the savage and mean attacks which Marat
hurls against Marie Antoinette in his journal； the Ami du Peuplt。〃
〃It is true；〃 said Mirabeau； with a smile； 〃they have mistrusted me；
these enraged republicans； since then； and they tell me that Petion；
this republican of steel and iron； turned to Danton at the close of
my speech； and said： 'This Mirabeau is dangerous to liberty； for
there is too much of the blood of the count flowing through the
veins of the tribune of the people。 Danton answered him with a
smile： 'In that case we must draw off the count's blood from the
tribune of the people； that he may either be cured of his
reactionary disease or die of it！'〃
〃And when they told Marat； uncle； that you had spoken angrily and
depreciatingly of his attacks upon the queen； he raised his fist
threateningly； and cried： 'Mirabeau is a traitor； who wants to sell
our new； young liberty to the monarchy。 But he will meet the fate of
Judas； who sold the Saviour。 He will one day atone for it with his
head； for if we tap him for his treachery； we shall do for him what
Judas did for himself。 This Mirabeau Judas must take care of
himself。〃
〃And do you suppose that this disputatious little load of a Marat
will hang me？〃 asked Mirabeau； with a scornful smile。
〃I think that you must watch him；〃 answered M。 de Saillant。 〃Last
evening； in the neighborhood of our villa； I met two disguised men；
who； I would swear； were Perion and Marat； and on our way here； as I
looked around； I feel certain that I saw these same disguised
figures following us！〃
〃What if it be？〃 answered Mirabeau； raising himself up； and looking
around him with a proud glance。 〃The lion does not fear the annoying
insect that buzzes about him； he shakes it off with his mane or
destroys it with a single stroke of his paw。 And Mirabeau fears just
as little such insects as Petion and Marat； they would much better
keep out of his way。 I will tread them under foot； that is all！ And
now； farewell； my dear nephew； farewell； and wait for me here！〃
He nodded familiarly to his nephew； passed over the threshold； and
entered the park； from whose entrance the popular indignation had
long since removed the obnoxious words； De par la Reine； the garden
belonging now to the king only because the nation willed it so。
Mirabeau hastened with an anxious mind and a light step along the
walk； and again it seemed to him as if dark spirits were whispering
to him； 〃Turn back； Mirabeau； turn back！ for with every step forward
you are only going deeper into your grave。