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the unhappy man who was now on his way to the scaffold； and who was
once King of France。
All at once there arose a movement in this dreadful hedge of armed
men； through which the carriage was passing。 Two young men cried：
〃To us； Frenchmento us； all who want to save the king！〃
But the cry found no response。 Every one looked horrified at his
neighbor； and believed he saw in him a spy or a murderer； fear
benumbed all their souls； and the silence of death reigned around。
The two young men wanted to flee； to escape into a house close by。
But the door was closed； and before the very door they were cut down
and hewn in pieces by the exasperated sans…culottes。
The carriage of the king rolled on； and Louis paid no more attention
to objects around him； in the prayer…book which he carried in his
hands he read the petitions for the dying； and the abbe prayed with
him。
The coachman halted at the foot of the scaffold； and the king
dismounted。 A forest of pikes surrounded the spot。 The drummers beat
loudly； but the king cried with a loud voice； 〃Silence！〃 and the
noise ceased。 On that； Santerre sprang forward and commanded them to
commence beating their drums again； and they obeyed him。 The king
took off his upper garments； and the executioners approached to cut
off his hair。 He quietly let this be done； but when they wanted to
tie his hands； his eyes flashed with anger； and with a firm voice he
refused to allow them to do so。
〃Sire；〃 said the priest； 〃I see in this new insult only a fresh
point of resemblance between your majesty and our Saviour； who will
be your recompense and your strength。〃
Louis raised his eyes to heaven with an indescribable expression of
grief and resignation。 〃Truly；〃 he said； 〃only my recollection of
Him and His example can enable me to endure this new degradation。〃
He gave his hands to the executioner； to let them be bound。 Then
resting on the arm of the abbe； he ascended the steps of the
scaffold。 The twenty drummers； who stood around the staging； beat
their drums； but the king； advancing to the very verge of the
scaffold； commanded them with a loud voice to be silent； and the
noise ceased。
In a tone which was audible across the whole square； and which made
every word intelligible； the king said： 〃I die innocent of all the
charges which are brought against me。 I forgive those who have
caused my death； and I pray God that the blood which you spill this
day may never come back upon the head of France。 And you； unhappy
people〃
〃Do not let him go on talking this way；〃 cried Santerre's commanding
voice； interrupting the king； then turning to Louis he said； in an
angry tone； 〃I brought you here not to make speeches； but to die！〃
The drums beat； the executioners seized the king and bent him down。
The priest stooped over him and murmured some words which only God
heard； but which a tradition full of admiration and sympathy has
transposed into the immortal and popular formula which is truer than
truth and more historical than history： 〃Son of St。 Louis； ascend to
Heaven！〃
The drums beat； a glistening object passed through the air； a stroke
was heard； and blood spirted up。 The King of France was dead； and
Samson the executioner lifted up the head； which had once borne a
crown； to show it to the people。
A dreadful silence followed for an instant； then the populace broke
in masses through the rows of soldiers； and rushed to the scaffold；
in order to bear away some remembrances of this ever…memorable
event。 The clothes of the king were torn to rags and distributed；
and they even gave the executioner some gold in exchange for locks
of hair from the bleeding head。 An Englishman gave a child fifteen
louis d'or for dipping his handkerchief in the blood which flowed
from the scaffold。 Another paid thirty louis d'or for the peruke of
the king。 ＇Footnote： These details I take from the 〃Vossische
Zeitung；〃 which； in its issue of the 5th of February； 1798； contains
a full report of the execution of King Louis XVI。； and also
announces that the court of Prussia will testify its grief at the
unmerited fate by wearing mourning for a period of four weeks。 The
author of this work possesses a copy of the 〃 Vossische Zeitung 〃 of
that date； in small quarto form； printed on thick； gray paper。 In
the same number of the journal is a fable by Hermann Pfeffel； which
runs in the following strain：
First moral； then political freedom。
A fable； by Hermann Pfeffel。 Zeus and the Tigers。
To Zeus there came one day
A deputation of tigers。 〃Mighty potentate；〃
Thus spoke their Cicero before the monarch's throne；
〃The noble nation of tigers；
Has long been wearied with the lion's choice as king。
Does not Nature give us an equal claim with his？
Therefore； O Zeus； declare my race
To be a people of free citizens！〃
〃No；〃 said the god of gods； 〃it cannot be；
You are deceivers； thieves； and murderers；
Only a good people merits being free。〃
＇Footnote： 〃Marie Antoinette et sa Famine；〃 par Lescure； p。 648。＇
On the evening of the same day； the executioner Samson； shocked at
the terrible deed which he had done； went to a priest； paid for
masses to be said for the repose of the king； then laid down his
office； retired into solitude； and died in six months。 His son was
his successor in his ghostly office； and； in a pious manner； he
continued what his father began。 The masses for the king； instituted
by the two Samsons； continued to be read till the year 1840。
On the morrow which followed this dreadful day； the 〃Widow Capet〃
requested the authorities to provide for herself and her family a
suite of mourning of the simplest kind。
The republic was magnanimous enough to comply with this request。
CHAPTER XXI。
TOULAN。
The citizen Toulan is on guard again at the Temple； and this time
with his friend Lepitre。 He is so trustworthy and blameless a
republican； and so zealous a citizen； that the republic gives him
unconditional confidence。 The republic had appointed him as chief of
the bureau for the control of the effects of emigres。 Toulan is；
besides； a member of the Convention； and it is not his fault that；
on the day when the decision was made respecting the king's life or
death； he was not in the Assembly。 He had been compelled at that
time to make a journey into the provinces； to attach the property of
an aristocrat who had emigrated。 Had Toulan been in Paris； he would
naturally have given his voice in favor of the execution of the
king。 He says this freely and openly to every one； and every one
believes him； for Toulan is an entirely unsuspected republican。 He
belongs to the sans…culottes； and takes pride in not being dressed
better than the meanest citizen。 He belongs to the friends of Marat；
and Simon the cobbler is always happy when Toulan has the watch in
the Temple； for Toulan is such a jovial； merry fellow； he can make
such capital jokes and laugh so heartily at those of others。 They
have such fine times when Toulan is there； and the sport is the
greatest when his friend Lepitre is with him on service in the
Temple。 Then the two have the grandest sport of all； they even have
little plays； which are so funny that Simon has to laugh outright；
and even the turnkey Tison； and his wife； forget to keep guard； and
leave the glass door through which they have been watching the royal
family； in order to be spectators at Toulan's little farces。
〃These are jolly days when you are both in the Temple；〃 said Simon；
〃and you cannot blame me if I like to have you here； and put you on
service pretty often。〃
〃Oh； we do not blame you for that；〃 said Toulan； 〃on the other hand；
we particularly like being with you； you are such a splendid
fellow！〃
〃And then；〃 adds Lepitre to this； 〃it is so pleasant to see the
proud she…wolf and her young ones； and to set them down a little。
These people； when they were living in the Tuileries； have turned up
their noses at us often enough； and acted as if we were only dust
that they must blow away from their exalted presence。 It is time
that they should feel a little that they are only dust for us to
blow away！〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 chimed in Toulan； 〃it is high time that they should
feel it！〃
〃And you both understood that matter capitally；〃 said Simon； with a
laugh； 〃I always see that it particularly provokes the queen to have
you on service； and I like that； and I am especially glad to have
you here。〃
〃I've thought out a joke for to…day；〃 said Toulan。 〃I will teach the
widow to smoke。 You know； brother Simon； that she always pretends
not to be able to bear the smell of tobacco； she shall learn to bear
it。 I will hand her a paper cigarette to…day； and tell her that if
she does not want us to smoke； she must smoke with us。〃
〃Splendid joke！〃 said Simon； with a loud laugh。 〃But there's one
thing to be thought of about that；〃 said Lepitre； reflectively。 〃the
widow Capet might perhaps promise to smoke； if we would tell her
that we would never smoke afterward。 But then we should not keep our
word； of course。〃
〃What！ you say we should not keep our word！〃 said Toulan； in
amazement。 〃We are republicans； more than that； we are sans…
culottes！ and shall we not