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breast； she said； gently： 〃Take care； sir； you might wound somebody；
and I am convinced that you would be sorry。〃
The people were amazed at this； and respectfully made way for her to
come up with the king。 He stood in the middle of the hall；
surrounded by a crowd threatening him with wild curses。 One of these
desperadoes pressed close up to the king； while the others were
shouting that they must strangle the whole royal family； and；
pulling a bottle and a glass out of his pocket； he filled the
latter； gave it to the king； and ordered him to drink to the welfare
of the nation。
The king quietly took the glass。 〃The nation must know that I love
it；〃 said he； 〃for I have made many sacrifices for it。 From the
bottom of my heart I drink to its welfare；〃 and； in spite of the
warning cries of his friends； he put the glass to his lips and
emptied it。
The crowd was beside itself with delight； and their cries were
answered from without by the demand of the bloodthirsty rabble〃How
soon are you going to throw out the heads of the king and the
queen？〃
Marie Antoinette had meanwhile succeeded in pacifying the dauphin。
She raised herself up； and when she saw that the king had gone out；
she started toward the door。
Her faithful friends stopped the way； they reminded her that she was
not simply a queen； that she was a mother； too。 They conjured her
with tears to give ear to prudencenot to rush in vain into danger；
and imperil the king still more。
〃No one shall hinder me from doing what is my duty；〃 cried the
queen。 〃Leave the doorway free。〃
But her friends would not yield； they defied even the wrath of the
queen。 At that moment； some of the National Guards came in through
another door； and pacified Marie Antoinette； assuring her that the
life of the king was not threatened。
In the mean while the shouting came nearer and nearer； the cries
resounded from the guard…room； the doors were torn open； and the
people surged in； in immense waves； like the sea lashed into fury by
the storm。 The National Guards rolled a table before the queen and
her children； and placed themselves at the two sides to defend them。
Only a bit of wood now separated the queen from her enemies； who
brandished their weapons at her。 But Marie Antoinette had now
regained her whole composure。 She stood erect； at her right hand；
her daughter； who nestled up to her motherat her left； the
dauphin； who； with wide…open eyes and looks of astonishment； gazed
at the people bursting in。 Behind the queen were Princesses Lamballe
and Tarente； and Madame Tourzel。
A man； with dishevelled hair and bare bosom； gave the queen a
handful of rods； bearing the inscription； 〃For Marie Antoinette！〃
Another showed her a guillotine； a third a gallows； with the
inscription； 〃Tremble； tyrant！ thy hour has come！〃 Another held up
before her； on the point of a pike； a human heart dripping with
blood； and cried： 〃Thus shall they all bleedthe hearts of tyrants
and aristocrats！〃
The queen did not let her eyes fall； her fixed look rested upon the
shrieking and howling multitude； but when this man； with the
bleeding heart； approached her； her eyelids trembleda deathly
paleness spread over her cheeks； for she recognized himSimon the
cobblerand a fearful presentiment told her that this man； who had
always been for her the incarnation of hatred； is now； when her life
is threatened； to be the source of her chief peril。
From the distance surged in the cries： 〃Long live Santerre！ Long
live the Faubourg Saint Antoine！ Long live the sans…culottes！〃
And at the head of a crowd of half…naked fellows； the brewer
Santerre； arrayed in the fantastic costume of a robber of the
Abruzzo Mountains； with a dagger and pistol in his girdle； dashed
into the room； his broad…brimmed hat； with three red plumes； aslant
upon his brown hair； that streamed down on both sides of his savage
countenance； like the mane of a lion。
The queen lifted the dauphin up； set him upon the table； and
whispered softly to him； he must not cry； he must not grieve； and
the child smiled and kissed his mother's hands。 Just then a drunken
woman rushed up to the table； threw a red cap down upon it； and
ordered the queen； on pain of death； to put it on。
Marie Antoinette threw both her arms around the dauphin； kissed his
auburn hair； and turned calmly to General de Wittgenhofen； who stood
near her。
〃Put the cap upon me；〃 said she； and the women howled with pleasure；
while the general； pale with rage and trembling with grief； obeyed
the queen's command； and put the red cap upon that hair which
trouble had already turned gray in a night。
But； after a minute； General Wittgenhofen took the red cap from the
head of the queen； and laid it on the table。
From all sides resounded thus the commanding cry： 〃The red cap for
the dauphin！ The tri…color for Little Veto！〃 And the women tore
their three…colored ribbons from their caps and threw them upon the
table。
〃If you love the nation；〃 cried the women to the queen； 〃put the red
cap on your son。〃
The queen motioned to Madame Tourzel； who put the red cap on the
dauphin； and decked his neck and arms with the ribbons。 The child
did not understand whether it was a joke or a way of insulting him；
and looked on with a smile of astonishment。
Santerre leaned over the table and looked complacently at the
singular group。 The proud and yet gentle face of the queen was so
near him； that when he saw the sweat…drops rolling down from beneath
the woollen cap over the dauphin's forehead； even he felt a touch of
pity； and； straightening himself up； perhaps to escape the eye of
the queen； he called out； roughly： 〃Take that cap off from that
child； don't you see how he sweats？〃
The queen thanked him with a mute glance； and took the cap herself
from the head of the poor child。
At this point a horde of howling women pressed up to the table； and
threatened the queen with their fists； and hurled wild curses at
her。
〃Only see how proudly and scornfully this Austrian looks at us！〃
cried a young woman； who stood in the front rank。〃 She would like to
blast us with her eyes； for she hates us。〃
Marie Antoinette turned kindly to them： 〃Why should I hate you？〃 she
asked； in gentle tones。 〃It is you that hate meyou。 Have I ever
done you any harm？〃
〃Not to me；〃 answered the young woman； 〃not to me； but to the
nation。〃
〃Poor child！〃 answered the queen； gently； 〃they have told you so；
and you have believed it。 What advantage would it bring to me to
harm the nation？ You call me the Austrian； but I am the wife of the
King of France； the mother of the dauphin。 I am French with all my
feelings of wife and mother。 I shall never see again the land in
which I was born； and only in France can I be happy or unhappy。 And
when you loved me； I was happy there。〃 ＇Footnote： The queen's own
words。See Beauchesne； vol。 i。； p。 106。＇
She said this with quivering voice and moving tones； the tears
filling her eyes； and while she was speaking the noise was hushed；
and even these savage creatures were transformed into gentle；
sympathetic women。
Tears came to the eyes of the young woman who before had spoken so
savagely to the queen。 〃Forgive me；〃 she said； weeping； 〃I did not
know you； now I see that you are not bad。〃
〃No； she is not bad；〃 cried Santerre； striking with both fists upon
the table； 〃but bad people have misled her；〃 and a second time he
struck the table with his resounding blows。 Marie Antoinette
trembled a little； and hastily lifting the dauphin from the table；
she put him by her side。
〃Ah！ madame；〃 cried Santerre； smiling； 〃don't be afraid； they will
do you no harm； but just think how you have been misled； and how
dangerous it is to deceive the people。 I tell you that in the name
of the people。 For the rest； you needn't fear。〃
〃I am not afraid；〃 said Marie Antoinette； calmly； 〃no one need ever
be afraid who is among brave people；〃 and with a graceful gesture
she extended her hands to the National Guards who stood by the
table。
A general shout of applause followed the words of the queen； the
National Guards covered her hands with kisses； and even the women
were touched。
〃How courageous the Austrian is！〃 cried one。 〃How handsome the
prince is！〃 cried another； and all pressed up to get a nearer view
of the dauphin； and a smile or a look from him。
The great eyes of Santerre remained fixed upon the queen； and
resting both arms upon the table he leaned over to her until his
mouth was close by her ear。
〃Madame；〃 he whispered； 〃you have very unskilful friends； I know
people who would serve you better； who〃
But as if ashamed of this touch of sympathy； he stopped； sprang back
from the table； and with a thundering voice； commanded all present
to march out and leave the palace。
They obeyed his command； filed out in military order past the table；
behind which stood the queen with her children and her faithful
friends。
A rare procession； a rare army； consisting of men armed with pikes；
hatchets； and spades； of women brandishing knives and scissors in
their hands； and all directing their countenances； before hyena…like
and scornful； but now subdued and sympathetic； to