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No laughter resounded in the desolate room； scantily lighted with
the dim taperno laughter as the queen and the princess put on
their strange； fearful attire。 It was no masquerade； but a dreadful；
horrible reality； and as they looked at each other wearing the
costume of revolutionists； tears started from the eyes of the queen；
the princess folded her hands and prayed； and she too could not keep
back the drops that slowly coursed over her cheeks。
The lilies of France are faded and torn from the ground！ From the
palace of the Tuileries waved the tri…color of the republic； and in
the palace of the former Knights Templars is a pale； sad woman； with
gray hair and sunken eyes； a broken heart； and a bowed form。 This
pale； sad shadow of the past is Marie Antoinette； once the Queen of
France； the renowned beauty； the first woman in a great kingdom； now
the widow of an executed man； she herself probably with one foot
No； no； she will be saved！ God has sent her a deliverer； a friend；
and this friend； this helper in her need； has made every thing ready
for her flight。
CHAPTER XXIII。
THE SEPARATION。
Slowly and heavily the hours of the next day rolled on。 Where was
Toulan？ Why did he not come？ The queen waited for him the whole of
that long； dreadful day in feverish expectation。 She listened to
every sound； to every approaching step； to every voice that echoed
in the corridor。 At noon Toulan had purposed to come to take his
post as guard。 At six； when the time of lighting the lamps should
arrive； the disguises were to be put on。 At seven the carefully and
skilfully…planned flight was to be made。
The clock in the tower of the Temple had already struck four。 Toulan
had not yet come； and the guards of the day had not yet been
relieved。 They had had a little leisure at noon for dinner； and
during the interim Simon and Tison were on guard； and had kept the
queen on the rack with their mockery and their abusive words。 In
order to avoid the language and the looks of these men； she had fled
into the children's room； to whom the princess； in her trustful
calmness and unshaken equanimity； was assigning them lessons。 Marie
Antoinette wanted to find protection here from the dreadful anxiety
that tortured her； as well as from the ribald jests and scurrility
of her keepers。 But Mistress Tison was there； standing near the
glass window； gazing in with a malicious grin； and working in her
wonted； quick way upon the long stocking； and knitting； knitting； so
that you could hear the needles click together。
The queen could not give way to a word or a look。 That would have
created suspicion； and would； perhaps； have caused an examination to
be made。 She had to bear all in silence； she had to appear
indifferent and calm； she had to give pleasant answers to the
dauphin's innocent questions； and even compel a smile to her lips
when the child； reading in her looks； by the instinct of love； her
great excitement； tried to cheer her up with pleasant words。
It struck five； and still Toulan did not come。 A chill crept over
her heart； and in the horror which filled her she first became
conscious how much love of life still survived in her； and how
intensely she had hoped to find a possibility of escape。
Only one last hour of hope left！ If it should strike six； and he
should not come； all would be lost！ The doors of her prison would be
closed forevernever opening again excepting to allow Marie
Antoinette to pass to the guillotine。
Mistress Tison had gone； and her cold； mocking face was no longer
visible behind the glass door。 The guards in the anteroom had also
gone； and had closed the doors behind them。 The queen was；
therefore； safe from being watched at least！ She could fall upon her
knees； she could raise her hands to God and wrestle with Him in
speechless prayer for pity and deliverance。 She could call her
children to herself； and press them to her heart； and whisper to
them that they must be composed if they should see something
strange； and not wonder if they should have to put on clothing that
they were not accustomed to。
〃Mamma；〃 asked the dauphin； in a whisper； 〃are we going to Varennes
again？〃
The queen shuddered in her inmost soul at this question； and hid her
quivering face on the faithful breast of the princess。
〃Oh； sister； I am suffocating with anxiety；〃 she said。 〃I feel that
this hour is to decide the lives of us all； and it seems to me as if
Death were already stretching out his cold hand toward me。 We are
lost； and my son； my unhappy son； will never wear any other than the
martyr's crown； and〃
The queen was silent； for just then the tower…clock began to strike；
slowly； peacefully； the hour of six！ The critical moment！ The
lamplight must come now！ If it were Toulan； they might be saved。
Some unforeseen occurrence might have prevented his coming before；
he might have borrowed the suit of the bribed lamplighter in order
to come to them。 There was hope stillone last； pale ray of hope！
Steps upon the corridor！ Voices that are audible！
The queen； breathless； with both hands laid upon her heart； which
was one instant still； and then beat with redoubled rapidity；
listened with strained attention to the opening of the door of the
anteroom。 Princess Elizabeth approached her； and laid her hand on
the queen's shoulder。 The two children； terrified by some cause
which they could not comprehend； clung to the hand and the body of
their mother； and gazed anxiously at the door。
The steps came nearer； the voices became louder。 The door of the
anteroom is openedand there is the lamp…lighter。 But it is not
Toulanno； not Toulan！ It is the man who comes every day； and the
two children； are with him as usual。
A heavy sigh escaped from the lips of the queen； and； throwing her
arms around the dauphin with a convulsive motion； she murmured：
〃My son； oh； my dear son！ May God take my life if He will but spare
thine！〃
Where was Toulan？ Where had he been all this dreadful day？ 〃Where
was Fidele the brave； the indefatigable？
On the morning of the day appointed for the flight； he left his
house； taking a solemn leave of his Marguerite。 At this parting hour
he told her for the first time that he was going to enter upon the
great and exalted undertaking of freeing the queen and her children；
or of dying for them。 His true； brave young wife had suppressed her
tears and her sighs to give him her blessing； and to tell him that
she would pray for him； and that if he should perish in the service
of the queen； she would die too； in order to be united with him
above。
Toulan kissed the beaming eyes of his Marguerite with deep fooling；
thanked her for her true…hearted resignation； and told her that he
had never loved her so much as in this hour when he was leaving her
to meet his death； it might be； in the service of another lady。
〃At this hour of parting；〃 he said； 〃I will give you the dearest and
most sacred thing that I possess。 Take this little gold smelling…
bottle。 The queen gave it to me； and upon the bit of paper that lies
within it Marie Antoinette wrote with her own hand； 'Remembrancer
for Fidele。'
Fiddle is the title of honor which my queen has given me for the
little service which I have been able to do for her。 I leave this
little gift for you as that which； next to your love； is the most
sacred and precious thing to me on earth。 If I die； preserve it for
our son； and give it to him on the day when he reaches his majority。
Tell him of the time when I made this bequest to him； in the hope
that he would make himself worthy of it； and live and die as a brave
son of his country； a faithful subject and servant of his king； who；
God willing； will be the son of Marie Antoinette。 Tell him of his
father； say to him that I dearly loved you and him； but that I had
devoted my life to the service of the queen； and that I gave it
freely and gladly； in conformity with my oath。 I have not told you
about these things before； dear Margueritenot because I doubted
your fidelity； but because I did not want you to have to bear the
dreadful burden of expectation； and because I did not want to
trouble your noble soul with these things。 And now I only tell you
this much： I am going away to try to save the queen。 If I succeed； I
shall come back for a moment this evening at ten o'clock。 If I
remain away； if you hear nothing from me during the whole night；
then〃
〃Then what？〃 asked Marguerite； throwing her arms around him； and
looking into his face anxiously。 〃Say； what then？〃
〃Then I shall have died；〃 he said； softly； 〃and our child will be an
orphan！ Do not weep； Marguerite！ Be strong and brave； show a
cheerful face to our neighbors； our friends； and the spies！ But
observe every thing！ Listen to every thing！ Keep the outer door open
all the time； that I may be able to slip in at any moment。 Have the
little secret door in my room open too； and the passageway down into
the cellar always free； that I may slip down there if need be。 Be
ready to receive me at any time； to hide me； and； it may possibly
be； others who may come with me！〃
〃I shall expect you day and night；〃 she whispered； 〃so long as I
live！〃
〃And now；