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amazement。 〃We are republicans； more than that； we are sans…
culottes！ and shall we not keep our word？ ought we not to be better
than the cursed aristocrats； that never kept their word to the
people？ How can you disgrace us and yourself so much？ Ask our noble
friend and brother Simon； whether he is of the opinion that a free
man ought not to keep his word； even if he has only given it to a
woman in prison。〃
〃I am of that opinion；〃 said Simon； with dignity。 〃I swore to myself
that the king should lose his head； and I kept my word。 I promised
the she…wolf that she should be hanged； and I hope to keep this
promise too。 If I keep my word to her in what is bad； I must do so
also in what is good。 If a republican promises any thing； he must
hold to it。〃
〃Right； Simon； you are a noble and wise man。 It remains fixed； then；
that the queen shall smoke； but if we have our joke out； we shall
not smoke any more。〃
〃I will put up a placard on the door： 'Smoking forbidden in the
anteroom of the she…wolf。'〃
〃Good；〃 cried Toulan； 〃that is worthy of you。〃
〃Let us go up now；〃 said Simon； 〃the two other sentries are up…
stairs already； they will wonder that you come so late； but I do
like to chat with you。 Come on； let's go up。 I'll stay there to see
the joke。 But wait a moment； there is something new。 It has been
proposed that not so many guards are needed to watch the Capets； and
that it has the appearance as if the government was afraid of these
howling women and this little monkey； whom the crazy royalists call
King Louis XVII。 It is very likely that they will reduce the guard
to two。〃
〃Very good；〃 said Toulan； approvingly。〃What's the use of wearying
out so many other men and condemning them to such idleness？ We
cannot be making jokes all the time； and then again it is not
pleasant always looking on these people's long faces。〃
〃So only two guards；〃 said Lepitre； 〃but that seems to me rather too
few； for what if the widow should succeed in winning them over and
getting them to help her escape？〃
〃Impossible！〃 cried Simon； 〃she'll never come around me； and as long
as I have my eyes open； she and her brood will never get away。 No
one can come down the staircase without my hearing and seeing it；
for you know my rooms are near the stairs； and the door is always
open and I am always there； and then there is the turnkey Ricard；
who watches the door that leads to the court like a cerberus。 Then
there are three sentries at the doors leading from the inner court
to the outer one； and the four sentries at the doors leading from
the outer court to the street。 No； no； my friends； if the she…wolf
wants to escape she must use magic； and make wings grow on her
shoulders and fly away。〃
〃That is good； I like that；〃 said Toulan； springing up the
staircase。
〃And that settles my doubts too；〃 said Lepitre。 〃I should think two
official guards would suffice； for it is plain that she cannot
escape。 Simon is on the look…out； and it is plain that the she…wolf
cannot transform herself into an eagle。〃
〃Well said；〃 laughed Simon； 〃here we are before the door； let's go
in and have our fun。〃
He dashed the door open noisily； and went into the room with the two
men。 Two officials were sitting in the middle of the room at the
table； and were actively engaged playing cards。 Through the open
door you could look into the sitting…room of the Capet family。 The
queen was sitting on the divan behind the round table； clothed in
her sad suit of mourning； with a black cap upon her gray locks。
She was busy in dictating an exercise to the dauphin from a book
which she held in her hand。 The prince； also clad in black and with
a broad crape about his arm； sat upon a chair by her side。 His whole
attention was directed to his work； and he was visibly making an
effort to write as well as possible； for a glowing red suffused hia
cheeks。
On the other side of the queen sat Madame Elizabeth； near her the
Princess Maria Theresa； both busy in preparing some clothing for the
queen。
No one of the group appeared to notice the loud opening of the door；
no one observed the entering forms； or cast even a momentary glance
at them。
But Toulan was not contented with this； he demanded nothing less
than that the she…wolf should look at him。 He hurried through the
anteroom with a threatening tread； advanced to the door of the
sitting…room； and stopped upon the threshold； making such a deep and
ceremonious bow； and swinging his arm so comically； that Simon was
compelled to laugh aloud。
〃Madame；〃 cried Toulan； 〃I have the inexpressible honor of greeting
your grace。〃
〃He is a brick； a perfect brick；〃 roared Simon。
Lepitre had gone to the window； and turned his back upon the room；
he was perhaps too deficient in spirit to join in the joke。 Nobody
paid any attention to him； nobody saw him take a little packet from
his coat…pocket； and slide it slowly and carefully behind the wooden
box that stood beneath the window。
〃Madame；〃 cried Toulan； in a still louder voice； 〃I fear your grace
has not heard my salutation。〃
The queen slowly raised her eyes； and turned them to the man who was
still standing upon the threshold。 〃I heard it；〃 she said； coldly；
〃go on writing； my son。〃 And she went on in the sentence that she
had just then begun to dictate。
〃I am so happy at being heard by Madame Veto that I shall have to
celebrate it by a little bonfire！〃said Toulan； taking a cigar from
his breast…pocket。 〃You see； my friends； that I am a very good
courtier； though I have the honor to be a sans…culottes。 In the
presence of handsome ladies I only smoke cigars！ Hallo！ bring me a
little fire。〃
One of the officials silently passed him his long pipe。 Toulan
lighted his cigar； placed himself at the threshold； and blew great
clouds of smoke into the chamber。
The ladies still continued to sit quietly without paying any
attention to Toulan。 The queen dictated； and the dauphin wrote。 The
queen only interrupted herself in this occupation； when she had to
cough and wipe her eyes； which the smoke filled with tears。
Toulan had followed every one of her movements with an amused look。
〃Madame does not appear to take any pleasure in my bonfire！〃 he
said。 〃Will madame not smoke？〃
The queen made no reply； but quietly went on with her dictation。
〃Madame；〃 cried Toulan； laughing loudly； 〃I should like to smoke a
pipe of peace with you； as our brown brethren in happy； free America
domadame； I beg you to do me the honor to smoke a pipe of peace
with me。〃
A flash lightened in the eyes which the queen now directed to
Toulan。 〃You are a shameless fellow！〃 she said。
〃Hear that；〃 said Simon； 〃that is what I call abusing you。〃
〃On the contrary； it delights me；〃 cried Toulan； 〃for you will
confess that it would be jolly if she should smoke now； and I tell
you； she will smoke。〃
He advanced some paces into the room； and made his deep bow again。
〃He understands manners as well as if he had been a rascally
courtier himself；〃 said Simon； laughing。 〃It is a splendid joke。〃
The two princesses had arisen at the entrance of Toulan； and laid
their sewing…work aside。 A ball of white cotton had fallen to the
ground from the lap of one of them； and rolled through the room
toward Toulan。
He picked it up； and bowed to the princesses。 〃May I view this
little globe；〃 he said； 〃as a reminder of the favor of the loveliest
ladies of France？ Oh； yes； I see in your roguish smile that I may；
and I thank you；〃 said Toulan； pressing the round ball to his lips；
and then putting it into his breast…pocket。
〃He plays as well as the fellows do in the theatre；〃 said Simon；
laughing。
〃Go into our sleeping…room；〃 said Marie Antoinette； turning to the
princesses。 〃It is enough for me to have to bear these indignities
go； my son； accompany your aunt。〃
The dauphin stood up； pressed a kiss upon the hand of his mother；
and followed the two princesses； who had gone into the adjoining
apartment。
〃Dear aunt；〃 whispered the dauphin； 〃is this bad man the good friend
who〃
〃Hush！〃 whispered Madame Elizabeth； 〃hush！ Madame Tison is
listening。〃
And； in fact； at the glass…door； which led from the sleeping…room to
the little corridor； stood Madame Tison； looking with sharp；
searching glances into the chamber。
After the princesses had left the room； Toulan approached still
closer to the queen； and taking a cigar from his breast…pocket； he
handed it to the queen。 〃Take it； madame；〃 he said； 〃and do me the
honor of smoking a duet with me！〃
〃I do not smoke； sir；〃 replied the queen； coolly and calmly。 〃I beg
you to go into the anteroom。 The Convention has not； so far as I
understand； ordered the officers of the guard to tarry in my
sitting…room。〃
〃The Convention has not ordered it； nor has it forbidden it。 So I
remain！〃
He took a chair； seated himself in the middle of the room； and
rolled out great clouds of smoke； which filled Simon with
unspeakable delight when they compelled Marie Antoinette to cough
violently。
〃Madame Capet； you would not be so sensitive to smoke if you would
only join me。 I beg you； therefore； to take this cigar。〃
The queen repeated calmly； 〃I do not smoke。