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straps！〃
And while Master Simon was muttering this to himself； he was making
a way through the crowd with those great elbows of his； a slipping
along the fence； to be able to follow as long as possible the tall
figure of the queen； who was now leading the dauphin by the hand；
traversing the Arcadian Walk。 At the end of it was the fence which
led into the little garden reserved for the royal family。 Through
the iron gate； hard by； adorned with the arms of the kings of
France； Marie Antoinette entered an asylum； which had been saved to
the crown； free from the intrusion of the people； and she drew a
free breath when one of the lackeys closed the gate； and she heard
the key grate in the lock。
She stood still a moment to regain her composure； and then she felt
that her feet were trembling； and that she scarcely had the power to
go farther。 It would have been a relief to her to have fallen there
upon her knees； and poured all her sorrows and trials into the ear
of God。 But there were the lackeys behind her； there was her little
son； looking up to her with his great eyes； and there was that
dreadful cry coming up from the quay like the roaring of the sea。
The queen could not utter a word of grief or sorrow； she could not
sink to the ground in her weakness； she had to show a cheerful face
to her son； and a proud brow to her servants。 God only could look
into her heart and see the tears which glowed there like burning
coals。 Yet in all her sadness she had a feeling of triumph； of proud
satisfaction。 She had preserved her freedom； her independence； she
was not Lafayette's prisoner！ No； the Queen of France had not put
herself under the protection of the people's general； she had not
given him the power of watching her with his hated National Guard；
and of saying to them： 〃At this or that hour the queen takes her
walks； and； that she may recreate herself； we will protect her
against the rage of the people！〃
No； she had defended herself； she had remained the queen all the
while； the free queen； and she had gained a victory over the people
by showing them that she did not fear them。
〃Mamma；〃 cried the dauphin； interrupting her in her painful and
proud thought〃 mamma； there comes the king； there comes my papa！
Oh； he will be glad to hear that I was so courageous！〃
The queen quickly stooped down and kissed him。 〃Yes； truly； my
little Bayard； yon have done honor to your great exemplar； and you
have really been a little chevalier sans peur et sans reproche。 But；
my child； true bravery does not glory in its great deeds； and does
not desire others to admire them； but keeps silent and leaves it to
others to talk about them！〃
〃Mamma； I will be silent； too；〃 cried the boy； with glowing eyes。
〃Oh； you shall see that I can be silent； and not talk at all about
myself。〃
The king meanwhile； followed by some gentlemen and servants； was
coming forward with unaccustomed haste； and； in his eagerness to
reach his wife； he had not noticed the beds； but was treading under
foot the last fading flowers of autumn。
〃You are here at last； Marie；〃 said he； when he was near enough to
speak。 〃I wanted to go to meet you； to conduct you hither out of the
park。 You were gone very long； and I worried about you。〃
〃Why worried； sire？〃 asked the queen。 〃What danger could threaten me
in our garden？〃
〃Do not seek to hide any thing from me； Marie；〃 said Louis； with a
sigh。 〃I know every thing！ The hate of the people denies us any
longer the enjoyment of the open air！ Lafayette and Bailly were with
me after they were dismissed by you。 They told me that you had given
no favor to their united request； and that you would not grant to
General Lafayette the right to protect you while you are taking your
walks。〃
〃I hope your majesty is satisfied with me；〃 answered Marie
Antoinette。 〃You feel； like me； that it is a new humiliation for us
if we are to allow our very enjoyment of nature to be under the
control of the people's general； and if even the air is no longer to
be the free air for us！〃
〃I have only thought that in such unguarded walks you would be
threatened with danger；〃 answered the king； perplexed。 〃Lafayette
has painted to me in such dark and dreadful colors； and I have so
painfully had to confess that he speaks the truth； that I could only
think of your safety； and take no other point of view than to see
you sheltered from the attacks of your enemies； and from the rage of
these factions。 I have therefore approved Lafayette's proposal； and
allowed him to protect your majesty on your walks。〃
〃But you have not fixed definite hours for my walks？ You have not
done that； sire； have you？〃
〃I have indeed done that；〃 answered the king； gently。 〃I am familiar
with your habits； and know that in autumn and winter you usually
take your walks between twelve and two； and in summer afternoons
between five and seven。 I have therefore named these hours to
General Lafayette。〃
The queen heaved a deep sigh。 〃Sire；〃 she said； softly； 〃you
yourself are binding tighter and tighter the chains of our
imprisonment。 To…day you limit our freedom to two poor hours； and
that will be a precedent for others to continue what you have begun。
We shall after this walk for two hours daily under the protection of
M。 de Lafayette； but there will come a time when this protection
will not suffice； and no security will be great enough for us。 For
the royal authority which shows itself weak and dependent； and which
does not draw power from itselfthe royalty which suffers its crown
to be borne up for it by the hands of others； confesses thereby that
it is too weak to bear the burden itself。 Oh； sire； I would rather
you had let me break away from the rage of the people； while I might
be walking unguarded； than be permitted to take my daily walks under
the protection of M。 de Lafayette！〃
〃You see every thing in too dark and sad a light；〃 cried the king。
〃Every thing will come out right if we are only wise and carefully
conform to circumstances； and by well…timed concessions and
admissions propitiate this hate and bring this enmity to silence。〃
The queen did not reply； she stooped down to the dauphin； and；
pressing a kiss upon his locks； whispered： 〃Now yon may tell every
thing； Louis。 It is not longer necessary to keep silent about any
thing； for silence were useless！ So tell of your heroism； my son！〃
〃Is it of heroism that you talk？〃 said the king； whose nice ear had
caught the words of the queen。
〃Yes； of heroism； sire；〃 answered Marie Antoinette。 〃But it is with
us as with Don Quixote； we believed that we were fighting for our
honor and our throne； now we must confess that we only fought
against windmills。 I beg you now； sire； to inform General Lafayette
that it is not necessary to call out his National Guards on my
account； I shall not walk again！〃
And the queen kept her word。 Never again during the winter did she
go down into the gardens and park of the Tuileries。 She never gave
Lafayette occasion to protect her； but she at least gained thereby
what Lafayette wanted to reach by his National Guardshe held the
populace away from the Tuileries。 At first they stood in dense
masses day after day along the fence of the park and the royal
garden； but when they saw that Marie Antoinette would no more expose
herself to their curious and evil glances； they grew tired of
waiting for her； and withdrew from the neighborhood of the
Tuileries；but only to repair to their clubs and listen to the
raving speeches which Marat； Santerre； and other officers； hurled
like poisoned arrows at the queen…only to go into the National
Assembly and hear Mirabeau and Robespierre； Danton； Chenier； Petion；
and all the rest； the assembled representatives of the nation；
launch their thundering philippics against a royalty appointed by
the grace of God； and causing the people to believe that it was a
royalty appointed by the wrath of God。
CHAPTER XVI。
IN ST。 CLOUD。
The winter was passeda sad dismal winter for the royal family； and
for Marie Antoinette in particular！ None of those festivities； those
diversions； those simple and innocent joys； which are wont to adorn
the life of a woman and of a queen！
Marie Antoinette is no more a queen who commands； who sees around
her a throng of respectful courtiers； zealously listening to every
word that falls from her lips； Marie Antoinette is a grave solitary
woman； who works much； thinks much； makes many plans for saving the
kingdom and the throne； and sees all these plans shipwrecks on the
indecision and weakness of her husband。
Far away from the queen lay those happy times when every day brought
new joys and new diversions； when the dawn of a summer morning made
the queen happy； because it promised her a delightful evening； and
one of those charming idyls at Trianon。 The brothers of the king；
the schoolmaster and mayor of Trianon； had left France and had
located themselves at Coblentz on the Rhine； the Polignacs had fled
to England； the Princess Lamballe； too； had； at the wish of the
queen； gone to negotiate with Pitt； in order to implore the all…
powerful minister of George III。 to give to the oppressed French
crow