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into it； and he must have a reason for it； he must have a reason；
and if it is only from his having pity upon her； that is enough and
more than enough to bring him under suspicion and to build an
accusation upon。 He must be removed； say I。 There shall no such
compassionate worms as he creep into the Temple。 I will clear them
outI will clear them out with human blood！〃
She looked so devilish； her eyes glared so with such a cruel
coldness； and such a fiendish smile played upon her pale； thin lips；
that even Madame Tison was afraid of her； and felt as if a cold；
poisonous spider was creeping slowly over her heart。
〃They are sitting still outside； you say？〃 asked Madame Simon； after
a pause。
〃Yes； they are still sitting outside upon the landing； and the
Austrian woman is at this time alone unwatched with her brood； and
she will be alone for two hours yet； for there is no change of guard
till then。〃
〃That is true； yes； that is true；〃 cried the knitter； and her
nostrils expanded like those of the hyena when on the scent of
blood。 〃They will sit up there two hours longer； playing cards and
singing stupid songs； and wheedling my monkey of a husband with
their flatteries； making him believe that they love him； love him
boundlessly； and they let themselves be locked into the Temple for
his sake； andoh！ if I had them here； I would strangle them with my
own hands！ I would make a dagger of every one of my knitting…needles
and thrust it into their hearts！ But quiet； quiet；〃 she continued in
a grumbling tone； 〃every thing must go on in a regular way。 Will you
take my place here for half an hour and guard the door？ I have
something important to do； something very important。〃
〃It will be a very great honor；〃 replied Madame Tison； 〃a very great
honor to be the substitute of one so well known and respected as you
are； of whom every one knows that she is the best patriot and the
most courageous knitter； whose eyelashes never quiver； and who can
calmly go on with her stitches when the heads fall from the
guillotine into the basket。〃
〃If I did tremble； and my eyelashes did quiver； I would dash my own
fists into my eyes！〃 said Madame Simon； with her hard coarse voice；
rising and throwing her thin； threadbare cloak over her shoulders。
〃If I found a spark of sympathy in my heart； I would inundate it
with the blood of aristocrats till it should be extinguished； and
till that should be； I would despise and hate myself； for I should
be not only a bad patriot； but a bad daughter of my unfortunate
father。 The cursed aristocrats have not only brought misery on our
country and people； but they murdered my dear good father。 Yes；
murdered I say。 They said he was a high traitor。 And do you know
why？ Because he told aloud the nice stories about the Austrian
woman； who was then our queen； which； had been whispered into his
ear； and because he said that the king was a mere tool in the hands
of his wife。 They shot my good； brave father for what he had said；
and which they called treason； although it was only the naked truth。
Yet I will not work myself into a passion about it； and I will only
thank God that that time is past； and I will do my part that it
shall not come back。 And that is why we must be awake and on our
guard； that no aristocrat and no loyalist tie left； but that they
all be guillotined； all！ There； take your place on my chair； and
take my knitting…work。 Ah！ if it could speak to you as it does to
meif it could tell you what heads we two have seen fall； young and
old； handsome； distinguishedit would be fine sport for you and
make you laugh。 But good…by just now！ Keep a strict lookout！ I shall
come back soon。〃
And she did come back soon； this worthy woman； with triumphant
bearing and flashing eyes； looking as the cat looks when it has a
mouse in its soft velvety paws； and is going to push its poisonous
claws into the quivering flesh。 She took her knitting…work up and
bade Tison to go up again to her post。
〃And when you can；〃 she said； 〃just touch the Austrian woman a
little； and pay her off for being so many hours unwatched。 In that
way you will merit a reward from the people； and that is as well as
deserving one of God。 Provoke herprovoke the proud Austrian！〃
〃It is very hard to do it；〃 said Tison； sighing〃very hard； I
assure you； for the Austrian is very cold and moderate of late。
Since Louis Capet died； the widow is very much changed； and now she
is so uniform in her temper that it seems as if nothing would
provoke or excite her。〃
〃What weak and tender creatures you all are！〃 said Simon's wife；
with a shrug。 〃It is very plain that they fed you on milk when you
were young。 But my mother nursed me with hate。 I was scarcely ten
years when they shot my father； and not a day passed after that
without my mother's telling me that we must avenge his murder on the
whole lineage of the king。 I had to swear that I would do it。 She
gave me； for my daily food； hatred against the aristocrats； it was
the meat to my sauce； the sugar to my coffee； the butter to my
bread！ I lived and throve upon it。 Look at me； and see what such
fare has made of me！ Look at me！ I am not yet twenty…four years old；
and yet I have the appearance of an old woman； and I have the
feeling and the experience of an old woman！ Nothing moves me now；
and the only thing that lives and burns in my heart is revenge。
Believe me； were I in your place I should know how to exasperate the
Austrian； I should succeed in drawing out her tears。〃
〃Well； and how would you begin？ Really； I should like to know how to
bring this incarnation of pride to weeping。〃
〃Has not she children？〃 asked Madame Simon； with a horrible
calmness。 〃I would torture and provoke the children； and that would
soon make the heart of the woman humble and pliable。 Oh； she may
count herself happy that I am not in your place； and that her
children are not under my tender hands。 But if it ever happens that
I can lay my fingers upon the shoulders of the little wolves； I will
give them something that will make them cry out； and make the old
wolf howl with rage。 I will show her as little favor then as she
showed when my poor mother and I were begging for my dear father！ Go
up； go up and try at once。 Plague the children； and you will see
that that will make the Austrian pliable。〃
〃That is fine talk；〃 muttered Tison； as she went up the staircase；
〃but she has no children； while I have a daughter； a dear； good
daughter。 She is not with me； but with my mother in Normandy；
because she can be taken better care of there than here。 It is
better for the good child that she has not gone through these evil
days full of blood and grief with us。 But I am always thinking of
her； and when one of these two children here looks up to me so
gravely with great； open eyes； it always makes me think of my
Solonge。 She has exactly such large； innocent eyes； and that touches
my heart so that I cannot be harsh with the children。 They； of
course； are not at all to blame for having such bad； miserable
parents； who have treated the people shamefully； and made them poor
and wretched。 No； they have had nothing to do with it； and I cannot
be severe with the children； for I am always thinking of my little
Solonge！ I will provoke the Austrian woman as much as I can； but not
the childrenno； not the children！〃
Meanwhile； Mistress Simon had taken her place upon the chair near
the open door in the porter's lodge； and sat there with her cold；
immovable face staring into empty space with her great coal…black；
glistening eyes； while her hands were busily flying； making the
polished knitting…needles click against each other。
She was still sitting there； when at last her husband came down the
stairs to open the outer door of the Temple； conduct his friends
past the inner court； and to bring back the two officials who were
to keep guard during the night。
They passed the knitter with a friendly salutation and a bit of
pleasantryToulan stopping a moment to ask the woman after her
welfare； and to say a few smooth words to her about her courage and
her great force of character。
She listened quietly； let him go on with his talk； and when he had
ended； slowly raised her great eyes from her knitting to him。
〃You are a traitor；〃 she said； with coldness； and without any
agitation。 〃Yes； you are a traitor； and you； too； will have your
turn at the guillotine！〃
Toulan paled a little； but collected himself immediately； took leave
of the knitter with a smile； and hastened after the officials； who
were waiting for him at the open doorthe two who were to hold the
watch during the night having already entered。
Simon closed the door after them； exchanged a few words with them；
and then went into his lodge to join his rigid better half。
〃This has been a pleasant afternoon； and it is a great pity that it
is gone； for I have had a very good time。 We have played cards；
sung； smoked； and Toulan has made jokes and told stories； and made
much fun。 I always wonder where he gets so many fine stories； and he
tells them so well that I could hear him day and night。 Now that he
is gone； it seems tedious and dull enough here。 Well； we must
com