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side。
〃Even if the judges clear her；〃 cried the sharp voice of Marat from
the heart of the crowd； 〃the people will pass sentence upon her。 The
people are always right； the people cannot be bribedthey are like
God in this； and the people will not disown their verdict before the
beautiful eyes and the seductive smiles of the Austrian woman。 The
people will not be made fools of； they will not believe in the story
of the counterfeited letters and the forged signature。〃
〃No；〃 shouted the crowd； laughing in derision； 〃we will not believe
it。 The queen wrote the letters； her majesty understands how to
write love…letters！〃
〃The queen loves to have a hand in all kinds of nonsense；〃 thundered
the brewer Santerre； in another group。 〃She wanted to see whether a
pretty girl from the street could play the part of the Queen of
France； and at the same time she wanted to avenge herself upon the
cardinal because she knew that he once found fault with her before
her mother the empress； on account of her light and disreputable
behavior； and the bad manners which； as the dauphiness； she would
introduce into this court。 Since then she has with her glances； her
smiles； and her apparent anger； so worked upon the cardinal as to
make him fall over ears in love with the beautiful； pouting queen。
And that was just what she wanted； for now she could avenge herself。
She appointed a rendezvous with the cardinal； and while she secretly
looked on the scene in the thicket； she allowed the pretty
Mademoiselle Oliva to play her part。 And you see that it is not such
a difficult thing to represent a queen； for Mademoiselle Oliva
performed her part so well that the cardinal was deceived； and took
a girl from the streets to be the Queen of France。〃
〃Oh； better times are coming； better times are coming！〃 cried Simon
the cobbler； who was close by； with his coarse laugh。 〃The cardinal
took a girl from the streets for the Queen of France； but wait a
little and we shall see the time when she will have to sweep the
streets with a broom； that the noble people may walk across with dry
feet！〃
In the loud laugh with which the crowd greeted this remark of the
cobbler； was mingled one single cry of anger； which； however； was
overborne by the rough merriment of the mass。 It came from the lips
of a man in simple citizen's costume； who had plunged into the mob
and worked his way forward with strong arms； in order to reach a
place as near as possible to the entrance…door of the prison； and to
be among the first to learn the impending sentence。
No one； as just said； had heard this cry； no one had troubled
himself about this young man； with the bold defiant face； who； with
shrugged shoulders； was listening to the malicious speeches which
were uttered all around him； and who replied to them all with
flaming looks of anger； pressing his lips closely together； in order
to hold back the words which could hardly be suppressed。
He succeeded at last in reaching the very door of the prison； and
stood directing his eyes thither with gloomy looks of curiosity。
His whole soul lay in this look； he heard nothing of the mocking
speeches which echoed around him； he saw nothing of what took place
about him。 He saw only this fatal door； he only heard the noises
which proceeded from within the prison。
At last； after long waiting； and when the sun had set； the door
opened a little； and a man came out。 The people who； at his
appearance； had broken into a loud cry of delight； were silent when
it was seen that it was not the officer who would announce the
verdict with his stentorian voice； but that it was only one of the
ordinary servants of the court； who had been keeping watch at the
outer gate。
This man ascended with an indifferent air the steps of the
staircase； and to the loud questions which were hurled at him by the
crowd； whether the cardinal were declared innocent； he answered
quietly； 〃I do not know。 But I think the officer will soon make his
appearance。 My time is up； and I am going home； for I am half dead
with hunger and thirst。〃
〃Let the poor hungry man go through；〃 cried the young man； pressing
up to him。 〃Only see how exhausted he is。 Come； old fellow； give me
your hand； support yourself on me。〃
And he took the man by the arm； and with his powerful elbows forced
a way through the crowd。 The people let them pass； and directed
their attention again to the door of the prison。
〃The verdict is pronounced？〃 asked the young man； softly。
〃Yes； Mr。 Toulan；〃 he whispered； 〃the councillor gave me just now；
as I was handing him a glass of water； the paper on which he had
written it。〃
〃Give it to me； John； but so that nobody can see； otherwise they
will suspect what the paper contains； and they will all grab at it
and tear it in bits。〃
The servant slid； with a quick motion； a little folded paper into
the hand of the young man； who thanked him for it with a nod and a
smile； and then quickly dropped his arm； and forced his way in
another direction through the crowd。 Soon； thanks to his youth and
his skill； he had worked through the dense mass； then with a flying
step he sped through the street next to the square； then more
swiftly still through the side streets and alleys； till he reached
the gate that led out to the street of Versailles。 Outside of this
there was a young man in a blue blouse； who； in an idle and listless
manner； was leading a bridled horse up and down the road。
〃Halloo； Richard； come here！〃 cried the young man。
〃Ah！ Mr。 Toulan；〃 shouted the lad in the blouse； running up with the
horse。 〃You have come at last； Mr。 Toulan。 I have been already
waiting eight hours for you。〃
〃I will give you a franc for every hour；〃 said Mr。 Toulan； swinging
himself into the saddle。 〃Now go home； Richard； and greet my
sweetheart； if you see her。〃
He gave his horse a smart stroke； pressed the spurs into his flanks；
and the powerful creature sped like an arrow from a bow along the
road to Versailles。
In Versailles； too； and in the royal palace； this day had been
awaited with anxious expectations。 The king； after ending his daily
duties with his ministers； had gone to his workshop in order to work
with his locksmith； Girard； upon a new lock； whose skilful
construction was an invention of the king。
The queen； too； had not left her room the whole day； and even her
friend； the Duchess Julia de Polignac； had not been able to cheer up
the queen by her pleasant talk。
At last； when she saw that all her efforts were vain； and that
nothing could dissipate the sadness of the queen； the duchess had
made the proposition to go to Trianon； and there to call together
the circle of her intimate friends。
But the queen sorrowfully shook her head； and gazed at the duchess
with a troubled look。
〃You speak of the circle of my friends；〃 she said。 〃Ah！ the circle
of those whom I considered my friends is so rent and broken； that
scarcely any torn fragments of it remain； and I fear to bring them
together again； for I know that what once is broken cannot be mended
again。〃
〃And so does your majesty not believe in your friends any more？〃
asked the duchess； reproachfully。 〃Do you doubt us？ Do you doubt
me？〃
〃I do not doubt you all； and； before all things else； not you；〃 said
Marie Antoinette； with a lingering； tender look。 〃I only doubt the
possibility of a queen's having faithful friends。 I always forgot；
when I was with my friends； that I was the queen； but they never
forgot it。〃
〃Madame； they ought never to forget it；〃 replied the duchess；
softly。 〃With all their love for your majesty； your friends ought
never to forget that reverence is due you as much as love； and
subjection as much as friendship。 They ought never to make
themselves your majesty's equals； and if your majesty； in the grace
of your fair and gentle heart； designs to condescend to us and make
yourself like us； yet we ought never to be so thoughtless as to
raise ourselves to you； and want to make ourselves the equals of our
queen。〃
〃Oh； Julia！ you pain meyou pain me unspeakably；〃 sighed Marie
Antoinette； pressing her hand to her heart； as if she wanted to keep
back the tears which would mount into her eyes。
〃Your majesty knows；〃 continued the duchess； with her gentle； and
yet terribly quiet manner； 〃your majesty knows how modestly I make
use of the great confidence which you most graciously bestow upon
me； how seldom and how tremblingly my lips venture to utter the dear
name of my queen； of whom I may rightly talk only in intimate
converse with your exalted mother and your royal husband。 Your
majesty knows further〃
〃Oh！ I know all； all；〃 interrupted the queen； sadly。 〃I know that it
is not the part of a queen to be happy； to love； to be loved； to
have friends。 I know that you all； whom I have so tenderly loved；
feel yourselves more terrified than benefited； I know； that with
this confession； happiness has withdrawn from me。 I look into the
future and see the dark clouds which are descending； and threatening
us with a tempest。 I see all； I have no illusions more。 The fair
days are all pastthe sunshine of Trianon； and the fragrance of its
flowers。〃
〃And will your majesty n