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Antoinette； the dauphin listened； but gradually his eyes fell； and
motionless and with grave face the child sat in his arm…chair。
Marie Antoinette saw it； and began to sing one of those cradle…songs
of the 〃Children's Friend；〃 which Berquin had written； and Gretry
had set to music so charmingly。
How still was it in the music…room； how full and touching was the
voice of the queen as she began the last verse：
〃Oh； sleep； my child； now so to sleep。 Thy crying grieves my heart；
Thy mother； child； has cause to weep； But sleep and feel no smart。〃
＇Footnote： 〃Dors； mon enfant； clos ta paupiere； Tes cris me
dechirent la coeur； Dors； mon enfant； ta pauvre more A bien assez de
sa douleur。〃＇
All was still in the music…room when the last words were sung；
motionless； with downcast eyes； sat the dauphin long after the sad
voice of the queen had ceased。
〃Ah； see；〃 cried Madame Elizabeth； with a smile； 〃I believe now our
Louis has fallen asleep。〃
But the child quickly raised his head and looked at the smiling
young princess with a reproachful glance。
〃Ah； my dear aunt；〃 cried he； reprovingly； 〃how could any one sleep
when mamma sings？〃 ＇Footnote： The dauphin's own words。See
Beauchesne； vol。 i。； p。 27。＇
Marie Antoinette drew the child within her arms； and her countenance
beamed with delight。 Never had the queen received so grateful a
compliment from the most flattering courtier as these words of her
fair…haired boy conveyed； who threw his arms around her neck and
nestled up to her。
The Queen of France is still a rich； enviable woman； for she has
children who love her； the Queen of France ought not to look without
courage into the future； for the future belongs to her son。 The
throne which now is so tottering and insecure； shall one day belong
to him； the darling of her heart； and therefore must his mother
struggle with all her power； and with all the means at her command
contend for the throne for the Dauphin of France； that he may
receive the inheritance of his father intact； and that his throne
may not in the future plunge down into the abyss which the
revolution has opened。
No； the dauphin； Louis Charles； shall not then think reproachfully
of his parents； he shall not have cause to complain that through
want of spirit and energy they have imperilled or lost the sacred
heritage of his fathers。
No； Queen Marie Antoinette may not halt and lose courage；not even
when her husband has done so； and when he is prepared to humbly bow
his sacred head beneath that yoke of revolution； which the heroes
and orators selected by the nation have wished to put upon his neck
in the name of France。
This makes hers a double duty； to be active； to plan； and work； to
keep her head erect； and look with searching eye in all directions
to see whence help and deliverance are to come。
Not from without can they come； not from foreign monarchs； nor from
the exiled princes。 Foreign armies which might march into the
country would place the king； who had summoned them to fight with
his own people； in the light of a traitor； and the moment that they
should pass the frontiers of France； the wrath of the nation would
annihilate the royal couple。
Only from those who had called down the danger could help come。 The
chiefs of the revolution； the men who had raised their threatening
voices against the royal couple； must be won over to become the
advocates of royalty。 And who was more powerful； who more
conspicuous among all these chiefs of the revolution； and all the
orators of the National Assembly； than Count Mirabeau！
When he ascended the Speaker's tribune of the National Assembly all
were silent； and even his opponents listened with respectful
attention to his words； which found an echo through all France； when
he spoke； when from his lips the thunder of his speeches resounded；
the lightning flashed in his eyes； and his head was like the head of
a lion； who； with the shaking of his mane and the power of his
anger； destroyed every thing which dared to put itself in his way。
And the French nation loved this lion； and listened in reverential
silence to the thunder of his speech； and the throne shook before
him。 And the excitable populace shouted with admiration whenever
they saw the lion； and deified that Count Mirabeau； who； with his
powerul； lace…cuffed hand； had thrust these words into the face of
his own caste： 〃They have done nothing more than to give themselves
the trouble to be born。〃
The people loved this aristocrat； who was abhorred by his family and
the men of his own rank； this count whom； the nobility hated because
the Third Estate loved him。
CHAPTER XVII。
MIRABEAU。
〃Count Mirabeau must be won over；〃 Count de la Marck ventured to say
one day to Marie Antoinette。 〃Count Mirabeau is now the mightiest
man in France； and he alone is able to bring the nation back again
to the throne。〃
〃It is he；〃 replied the queen； with a glow； 〃who is most to blame
for alienating the nation from the throne。 Never will the renegade
count be forgiven！ Never can the king stoop so low as to pardon this
apostate； who frivolously professes the new religion of 'liberty；'
and disowns the faith of his fathers。〃
〃Your majesty；〃 replied Count de la Marck； with a sigh； 〃it may be
that in the hand of this renegade lies the future of your son。〃
The queen trembled； and the proud expression on her features was
softened。
〃The future of my son？〃 said she。 〃What do you mean by that？ What
has Count Mirabeau to do with the dauphin？ His wrath follows us
only； his hatred rests upon us alone！ I grant that at present he is
powerful； but over the future he has no sway。 I hope； on the
contrary； that the future will avenge the evil that Mirabeau does to
us in the present。〃
〃But how does it help； madame； if vengeance hurries him on？〃 asked
Count de la Marck； sadly。 〃The temple which Samson pulled down was
not built again； that Samson might be taken from its ruins； it
remained in its dust and fragments； and its glory was gone forever。
Oh； I beseech your majesty； do not listen to the voice of your
righteous indignation； but only to the voice of prudence。 Master
your noble； royal heart； and seek to reconcile your adversaries； not
to punish them！〃
〃What do you desire of me？〃 asked Marie Antoinette； in amazement。
〃What shall I do？〃
〃Your majesty must chain the lion；〃 whispered the count。 〃Your
majesty must have the grace to change Mirabeau the enemy into
Mirabeau the devoted ally and friend！〃
〃Impossible； it is impossible！〃 cried the queen； in horror。 〃I
cannot descend to this。 I never can view with friendly looks this
monster who is accountable for the horrors of those October days。 I
can only speak of this man； who has created his reputation out of
his crimes； who is a faithless son； a faithless husband； a faithless
lover； a faithless aristocrat； and a faithless royalistI can only
speak of him in words of loathing； scorn； and horror！ No； rather die
than accept assistance from Count Mirabeau！ Do you not know； count；
that he honors me his queen with his enmity and his contempt？ Is it
not Mirabeau who caused the States…General to accept the words 'the
person of the king is inviolable；' and to reject the words 'and that
of the queen？' Was it not Mirabeau who once； when my friends
exhorted him to moderation； and besought him to soften his words
about the Queen of France； had the grace to answer with a shrug；
'Well； she may keep her life！' Was it not Mirabeau who was to blame
for the October days？ Was it not Mirabeau who publicly said： 'The
king and the queen are lost。 The people hate them so； that they
would even destroy their corpses？'〃 ＇Footnote： The queen's own
words。See Goncourt； 〃Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 305。＇
〃Your majesty； Mirabeau said that； not as a threat； but out of pity；
and deep concern and sympathy。〃
〃Sympathy！〃 repeated the queen； 〃Mirabeau； who hates us！〃
〃No； your majesty； Mirabeau； who honors his queen； who is ready to
give his life for you and for the monarchy； if your majesty will
forgive him and receive him as a defender of the throne！〃
The queen shuddered； and looked in astonishment and terror at the
excited face of Count de la Marck。 〃Are you speaking of Mirabeau；
the tribune of the people；〃 she asked； 〃the fiery orator of the
National Assembly？〃
〃I am speaking of Count Mirabeau； who yesterday was the enemy of the
throne； and who to…day will be a zealous defender； if your majesty
will only have it soif your majesty will only speak a gracious
word to him。〃
〃It is impossible； it is impossible！〃 whispered the queen。
De la Marck continued： 〃Since he has frequently seen your majesty
since he has had occasion to observe your proud spirit and lofty
resignationa change has taken place in the character of Mirabeau。
He is subdued as the lion is subdued； when the beaming eye of a pure
soul looks it in the face。 He might be of service again； he might be
reconciled！ He writes； he speaks of his exalted queen with
admiration； with enthusiasm； he glows with a longing desire to
confess his sins at the feet of your majesty； and to receive your
forgiveness。〃
〃Does the king know this？〃 asked Marie Antoinet