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words to me？ She wanted to give me a triumph； and yet she has
brought me a new humiliation。〃 Suddenly she shrank back and raised
her head。 She had caught the first tones of that sharp； mocking
voice； which had already pierced her heart； the voice of that evil
demon who now occupied the place of the good Princess Lamballe。
The voice cried： 〃The people of Paris are right。 We want no queen！
And more than all other things； no mistress！ Only slaves acknowledge
masters over them。 If the Dugazont ventures to sing again； 'I love
my queen； I love my mistress；' she will be punished as slaves are
punishedthat is； she will be flogged！〃
〃Bravo； Marat； bravo！〃 roared Santerre； with his savage rabble。
〃Bravo； Marat； bravo！〃 cried his friends in the boxes； 〃she shall be
flogged！〃
Marat bowed on all sides； and turned his eyes； gleaming with scorn
and hatred； toward the royal box； and menaced it with his clinched
fists。
〃But not alone shall the singer be flogged；〃 cried he； with a voice
louder and sharper than before〃no； not alone shall the singer be
flogged； but greater punishment have they deserved who urge on to
such deeds。 If the Austrian woman comes here again to turn the heads
of sympathizing souls with her martyr looks； if she undertakes again
to move us with her tears and her face； we will serve her as she
deserves； we will go whip in hand into her box！〃 ＇Footnote：
Goneourt's 〃Histoire de Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 365。＇
The queen rose from her chair like an exasperated lioness； and
advanced to the front of the box。 Standing erect； with flaming looks
of anger； with cheeks like purple； she confronted them therethe
true heir of the Caesars； the courageous daughter of Maria Theresa
and had already opened her lips to speak and overwhelm the traitor
with her wrath； when another voice was heard giving answer to Marat。
It cried： 〃Be silent； Marat； be silent。 Whoever dares to insult a
woman； be she queen or beggar； dishonors himself； his mother； his
wife； and his daughter。 I call on you all； I call on the whole
public； to take the part of a defenceless woman； whom Marat ventures
to mortally insult。
You all have mothers and wives； you may； perhaps； some day have
daughters。 Defend the honor of woman！ Do not permit it to be
degraded in your presence。 Marat has insulted a woman； we owe her
satisfaction for it。 Join with me in the cry； 'Long live the queen！
Long live Marie Antoinette！'〃
And the public； carried away with the enthusiasm of this young；
handsome man； who had risen in his box； and whose slender； proud
figure towered above allthe public broke into one united stirring
cry： 〃Long live the queen！ Long live Marie Antoinette！〃
Marat； trembling with rage； his countenance suffused with a livid
paleness； sank back in his chair。
〃I knew very well that Barnave was a traitor；〃 he whispered。 〃I
shall remember this moment； and Barnave shall one day atone for it
with his head。〃
〃Barnave； it is Barnave；〃 whispered the queen to herself。 〃He has
rescued me from great danger； for I was on the point of being
carried away by my wrath； and answering the monster there as he
deserves。〃
〃Long live the queen！ Long live Marie Antoinette！〃 shouted the
public。
Marie Antoinette bowed and greeted the audience on all sides with a
sad smile； but not one look did she cast to the box where Barnave
sat； with not one smile did she thank him for the service he had
done her。 For the queen knew well that her favor brought misfortune
to those who shared it； that he on whom she bestowed a smile was the
object of the people's suspicion。
The public continued to shout her name； but the queen felt herself
exhausted； and drawing back from the front of the box； she beckoned
to her companion。 〃Come；〃 she whispered； 〃let us go while the public
are calling 'Long live Marie Antoinette！' Who knows whether they
will not be shouting in another minute； 'Away with the queen！ we
want no queen！' It pains my ear so to hear that； so let us go。〃
And while the public were yet crying； Marie Antoinette left the box
and passed out into the corridor； followed by Mademoiselle Bugois
and the two officers in attendance。 But the corridor which the queen
had to pass； the staircase which she had to descend in order to
reach her carriage； were both occupied by a dense throng。 With the
swiftness of the wind the news had spread through Paris that the
queen was going to visit the opera that evening； and that her visit
would not take place without witnessing some extraordinary outbreak。
The royalists had hastened thither； to salute the queen； and at
least to see her on the way。 The curious； the idle； and the hostile…
minded had come to see what should take place； and to shout as the
majority might shout。 The great opera…house had therefore not
accommodated half who wanted to be present； and all those who had
been refused admittance had taken their station on the stairway and
the corridor； or before the main entrance。 And it was natural that
those who stood before the door should； by their merely being there；
excite the curiosity of passers…by； so that these； too； stood still；
to see what was going on； and all pressed forward to the staircase
to see every thing and to hear every thing。
But the civil war which was raging within the theatre had given rise
'to battles outside as well； the same cries which had resounded
within； pealed along the path of the queen。 She could only advance
slowly； closer and closer thronged the crowd； louder and louder
roared around Marie Antoinette the various battle…cries of the
parties； 〃Long live the queen！〃 〃Long live the National Assembly！
Down with the queen！〃
Marie Antoinette appeared to hear neither the one nor the other of
these cries。 With proudly erected head； and calm； grave looks； she
walked forward； untroubled about the crowd； which the National Guard
before her could only break through by a recourse to threats and
violence； in order to make a passage for the queen。
At last the difficult task was done； at last she had reached her
carriage； and could rest upon its cushions； and； unobserved by
spying looks； could give way to her grief and her tears。 But alas！
this consolation continued only for a short time。 The carriage soon
stopped； the Tuileries； that sad； silent prison of the royal family；
was soon reached； and Marie Antoinette quickly dried her tears； and
compelled herself to appear calm。
〃Do not weep more； Bugois；〃 she whispered。 〃We will not give our
enemies the triumph of seeing that they have forced tears from us。
Try to be cheerful； and tell no one of the insults of this evening。〃
The carriage door was opened； the queen dismounted； and； surrounded
by National Guards and officers； returned to her apartments。
No one bade her welcome； no one received her as becomes a queen。 A
few of the servants only stood in the outer room； but Marie
Antoinette had no looks for them。 She had been compelled as a
constitutional queen ought； to dismiss her own tried and faithful
servants； her household had been reorganized； and she knew very well
that these new menials were her enemies； and served as spies for the
National Assembly。 The queen therefore passed them without greeting；
and entered her sitting…room。
But even here she was not alone； the door of the ante…room was open；
and there sat the officer of the National Guard； whose duty of the
day it was to watch her。
Marie Antoinette had no longer the right of being alone with her
grief； no longer the right of being alone with her husband。 The
little corridor which ran from the apartments of the queen to those
of the king； was always closed and guarded。 When the king came to
visit his wife； the guard came too and remained； hearing every word
and standing at the door till the king retired。 In like manner； both
entrances to the apartments of the queen were always watched； for
before the one sat an officer appointed by the National Assembly；
and before the other a member of the National Guard stood as sentry。
With a deep sigh the queen entered her sleeping…room。 The officer
sat before the open door of the adjacent room； and looked sternly
and coldly in。 For an instant an expression of anger flitted over
the face of the queen； and her lips quivered as though she wanted to
speak a hasty word。 But she suppressed it； and withdrew behind the
great screen； in order to be disrobed by her two waiting…maids and
be arrayed in her night…dress。
Then she dismissed the maids； and coming out from behind the screen；
she said； loudly enough to be heard by the officer： 〃I am weary； I
will sleep。〃
At once he arose； and turning to the two guards； who stood at the
door of the anteroom； said：
〃The queen is retiring； and the watch in the black corridor can
withdraw。 The National Assembly has given command to lighten the
service of the National Guard； by withdrawing as much of the force
as possible。 As long as the queen is lying in bed； two eyes are
enough to watch her； and they shall watch her well！〃
The soldiers left the anteroom； and the officer returned to the
entrance of the sleeping…room。 He did not； however； sit down in the
easy…chair before the door； but walked directl