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〃Amen； amen；〃 whispered all present。
〃Amen；〃 said the king； closing with gentle pressure the open eyes of
his son。 〃God has taken you to Himself； my son； perhaps because He
wanted to preserve you from much trouble and sorrow。 Blessed be His
name！〃
But the queen still bowed over the cold face of the child； and
kissed his lips。 〃Farewell； my son；〃 she whispered； 〃farewell！ Ah！；
why could I not die with youwith you fly from this pitiful；
sorrow…stricken world？〃
Then； as if the queen regretted the words which the mother had
spoken with sighs； Marie Antoinette rose from her knees and turned
to the priest； who was sprinkling the corpse of the dauphin with
holy water。
〃Father；〃 said she； 〃the children of poor parents； who may be born
to…day in Versailles； are each to receive from me the sum of a
thousand francs。 I wish that the death…bed of my son may be a day of
joy for the poor who have not； like me； lost a child； but gained
one； and that the lips of happy mothers may bless the day on which
my boy died。 Have the goodness to bring me to…morrow morning a list
of the children born to…day。〃
〃Come； Marie；〃 said the king； 〃the body of our son belongs no more
to the living； but to the grave of out ancestors in St。 Denis； his
soul to God。 The dauphin is dead！ Long live the dauphin！ Madame de
Polignac； conduct the dauphin to us in the cabinet of his mother。〃
And with the proud and dignified bearing which was peculiar to the
king in great and momentous epochs； he extended his arm to the queen
and conducted her out of the death…chamber； and through the adjacent
apartments； to her cabinet。
〃Ah！〃 cried the queen； 〃here we are alone； here I can weep for my
poor lost child。〃
And she threw her arms around the neck of her husband； and； leaning
her head upon his breast； wept aloud。
The king pressed her closely to his heart； and the tears which
flowed from his own eyes fell in hot drops upon the head of the
queen。
Neither saw the door beyond lightly open； and the Duchess de
Polignac appear there。 But when she saw the royal pair in close
embrace； when she heard their loud weeping； she drew back； stooped
down to the little boy who stood by her side； whispered a few words
to him； and； while gently pushing him forward； drew back herself；
and gently closed the door behind them。 The little fellow stood a
moment irresolutely at the door； fixing his eyes now upon his father
and mother； now upon the nosegay of violets and roses which he
carried in his hand。 The little Louis Charles was of that sweet and
touching beauty that brings tears into one's eyes； and fills the
heart with sadness； because the thought cannot be suppressed； that
life； with its rough； wintry storms； will have no pity on this
tender blossom of innocence； and that the beaming； angel…face of the
child must one day be changed into the clouded； weather…beaten；
furrowed face of the man。 A cheering sight to look upon was the
little； delicate figure of the four…year…old boy； pleasing in his
whole appearance。 Morocco boots； with red tips； covered his little
feet； broad trousers； of dark…blue velvet； came to his knees； and
were held together at the waist by a blue silk sash； whose lace…
tipped ends fell at his left side。 He wore a blue velvet jacket；
with a tastefully embroidered lace ruffle around the neck。 The
round； rosy face； with the ruby lips； the dimple in the chin； the
large blue eyes； shaded by long； dark lashes； and crowned by the
broad； lofty brow； was rimmed around with a profusion of golden
hair； which fell in long； heavy locks upon his shoulders and over
his neck。 The child was as beautiful to look upon as one of the
angels in Raphael's 〃Sistine Madonna；〃 and he might have been taken
for one； had it not been for the silver…embroidered； brilliant star
upon his left side。 This star； which designated his princely rank；
was for the pretty child the seal of his mortalitythe seal which
ruin had already impressed upon his innocent child's breast。
One moment the boy stood indecisively there； looking at his weeping
parents； then he turned quickly forward； and； holding up his
nosegay； he said： 〃Mamma； I have brought you some flowers from my
garden。〃
Marie Antoinette raised her head； and smiled through her tears as
she looked at her son。 The king loosened his embrace from the queen；
in order to lift up the prince。
〃Marie；〃 said he； holding him up to his wife； 〃Marie； this is our
sonthis is the Dauphin of France。〃
Marie Antoinette took his head between her hands； and looked long；
with tears in her eyes； and yet smiling all the while； into the
lovely； rosy face of her boy。 Then she stooped down； and impressed a
long； tender kiss upon his smooth forehead。
〃God love you； my child！〃 said she； solemnly。 〃God bless you；
Dauphin of France！ May the storms which now darken our horizon； have
long been past when you shall ascend the throne of your fathers！ God
bless and defend you； Dauphin of France！〃
〃But； mamma；〃 asked the boy； timidly； 〃why do you call me dauphin
to…day？ I am your little Louis； and I am called Duke de Normandy。〃
〃My son；〃 said the king； solemnly； 〃God has been pleased to give you
another name and another calling。 Your poor brother； Louis； has left
us forever。 He has gone to God； and you are now Dauphin of France！〃
〃And God grant that it be for your good；〃 said the queen； with a
sigh。
The little prince slowly shook his locks。 〃It certainly is not for
my good；〃 said he； 〃else mamma would not weep。〃
〃She is weeping； my child；〃 said the queen〃 she is weeping；
because your brother； who was the dauphin； has left us。〃
〃And will he never come back？〃 asked the child； eagerly。
〃No； Louis； he never will come back。〃
The boy threw both his arms around the neck of the queen。 〃Ah！〃 he
cried； 〃how can any one ever leave his dear mamma and never come
back？ I will never leave you； mamma！〃
〃I pray God you speak the truth；〃 sighed the queen； pressing him
tenderly to herself。 〃I pray God I may die before you both！〃
〃Not before meoh； not before me！〃 ejaculated the king； shuddering。
〃Without you； my dear one； my life were a desert； without you； the
King of France were the poorest man in the whole land！〃
He smiled sadly at her。 〃And with me he will perhaps be the most
unfortunate one；〃 she whispered softly； as if to herself。
〃Never unfortunate； if you are with me； and if you love me；〃 cried
the king； warmly。 〃Weep no more； we must overcome our grief； and
comfort ourselves with what remains。 I say to you once more： the
dauphin is dead； long live the dauphin！〃
〃Papa king；〃 said the boy； quickly； 〃you say the dauphin is dead；
and has left us。 Has he taken every thing away with him that belongs
to him？〃
〃No； my son； he has left every thing。 You are now the dauphin； and
some time will be King of France； for you are the heir of your
brother。〃
〃What does that mean； his heir？〃 asked the child。
〃It means；〃 answered the king； 〃that to you belong now the titles
and honors of your brother。〃
〃Nothing but that？〃 asked the prince； timidly。 〃I do not want his
titles and honors。〃
〃You are the heir to the throne； you have now the title of Dauphin
of France。〃
The little one timidly grasped the hand of his mother； and lifted
his great blue eyes supplicatingly to her。
〃Mamma queen；〃 he whispered； 〃do you not think the title of Duke de
Normandy sounds just as well； or will you love me more； if I am
called Dauphin of France？〃
〃No； my son；〃 answered the queen； 〃I shall not love you better； and
I should be very happy if you were now the Duke de Normandy。〃
〃Then； mamma；〃 cried the boy； eagerly； 〃I am not at all glad to
receive this new title。 But I should like to know whether I have
received any thing else from my dear sick brother。〃
〃Any thing else？〃 asked the king in amazement； 〃what would you
desire； my child？〃
The little prince cast down his eyes。 〃I should not like to tell；
papa。 But if it is true that the dauphin has left us and is not
coming back again； and yet has not taken away every thing which
belongs to him； there is something which I should very much like to
have； and which would please me more than that I am now the
dauphin。〃
The king turned his face inquiringly to the queen。 〃Do you
understand； Marie； what he wants to say？〃 he whispered。
〃I think I can guess；〃 answered Marie Antoinette softly； and she
walked quickly across the room； opened the door of the adjoining
apartment； and whispered a few words to the page who was there。 Then
she returned to the king； but while doing so she stepped upon the
bouquet which had fallen out of the boy's hands when his father
lifted him up。
〃Oh； my pretty violets； my pretty roses；〃 cried the prince； sadly；
and his face put on a sorrowful expression。 But he quickly
brightened； and； looking up at the queen； he said； smiling； 〃Mamma
queen； I wish you always walked on flowers which I have planted and
plucked for you！〃
At this moment the door softly opened； and a little black dog
stepped in； and ran forward； whining； directly up to the prince。
〃Moufflet；〃 cried the child； falling upon his knee； 〃Moufflet！〃
The little dog； with its long； curly locks of hair； put