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is gone； it seems tedious and dull enough here。 Well； we must
comfort ourselves that to…morrow will come by and by。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃 asked his wife； sternly。
〃What sort of a day do you expect to…morrow to be？〃
〃A pleasant day； my dear Heloise； for Citizen Toulan will have the
watch again。 I begged him so long； that he at last promised to
exchange with Citizen Pelletan； whose turn regularly comes to…
morrow。 Pelletan is not well； and it would be very hard for him to
sit up there all day； and； besides； he would be dreadfully stupid。
It is a great deal pleasanter to have Toulan here with his jokes and
jolly stories； and so I begged him to come and take Pelletan's
place。 He is going to accommodate me and come。〃
His wife did not answer a word； but broke out in a burst of shrill；
mocking laughter； and with her angry black eyes she scrutinized her
husband's red； bloated face； as though she were reading him through
and through。
〃What are you laughing at？〃 he asked； angrily。 〃I would like to be
beyond hearing when you give way in that style。 What are you
laughing at？〃
〃Because I wonder at you； you Jack；〃 she answered sharply。 〃Because
you are determined to make an ass of yourself； and let dust be
thrown in your eyes； and put yourself at the disposal of every one
who soaps you over with smooth words。〃
〃Come；〃 said Simon； 〃none of that coarseness！ and if you〃
〃Hist！〃 she answered； commandingly。 〃I will show you at once that I
have told you the truth； and that you are making an ass of yourself；
or at least that you are on the point of doing so。 Now； listen。〃
The knitter laid her work aside； and had a long conversation in a
whisper with her husband。 When it ended； Simon stood up wearing a
dark look； and walked slowly backward and forward in the little
room。 Then he stopped and shook his fist threateningly at the room
above。 〃She shall pay for this；〃 he muttered〃 by God in heaven！
she shall pay for this。 She is a good…for…nothing seducer！ Even in
prison she does not leave off coquetting； and flirting； and turning
the heads of the men！ It is disgraceful； thoroughly disgraceful； and
she shall pay for it！ I will soon find means to have my revenge on
her！〃
During the whole evening Mistress Tison did not leave her place
behind the glass door for a moment； and at each stolen glance which
the queen cast thither she always encountered the malicious； glaring
eyes of the keeper； directed at her with an impudent coolness。
At last came the hour of going to bedthe hour to which the queen
looked impatiently forward。 At night she was at least alone and
unguarded。 After the death of the king； it had been found
superfluous to trouble the officials with the wearisome night…
watches； and they were satisfied； after darkness had set in and the
candles were lighted； with locking the three doors which led to the
inner rooms。
Did Marie Antoinette weep and moan at night； did she talk with her
sister； did she walk disconsolately up and down her room？the
republic granted her the privilege。 She could； during the night at
least； have a few hours of freedom and of solitude。
But during the night Marie Antoinette did not weep or moan； this
night her thoughts were not directed to the sad past； but to the
future； for the first ray of hope which had fallen upon her path for
a long time now encountered her。
〃To escape； to be free！〃 she said； and the shadow of a smile flitted
over her face。 〃Can you believe it？ Do you consider it possible；
sister？〃
〃I should like to believe it；〃 whispered Elizabeth； 〃but there is
something in my heart that reminds me of Varennes； and I only pray
to God that He would give us strength to bear all the ills they
inflict upon us。 We must； above all things； keep our calmness and
steadfastness； and be prepared for the worst as well as the best。〃
〃Yes； you are right； we must do that；〃 said Marie Antoinette；
collecting herself。 〃When one has suffered as we have； it is almost
more difficult to hope for good fortune than to prepare for new
terrors。 I will compel myself to be calm。 I will read Toulan's plan；
once more； and will impress it word for word upon my memory； so as
to burn the dangerous sheet as soon as possible。〃
〃And while you are doing that I will unwind the ball that Toulan
brought us； and which certainly contains something heavy；〃 said the
princess。
〃What a grand； noble heart！ what a lofty character has our friend
Toulan！〃 whispered the queen。 〃His courage is inexhaustible； his
fidelity is invincible； and he is entirely unselfish。 How often have
I implored him to express one wish to me that I might gratify； or to
allow me to give him a draft of some amount！ He is not to be shaken…
…he wants nothing； he will take nothing。 Ah； Elizabeth； he is the
first friend； of all who ever drew toward me； who made no claims and
was contented with a kind word。 When I implored him yesterday to
tell me in what way I could do him a service； he said： 'If you want
to make me happy； regard me always as your most devoted and faithful
servant； and give me a name that you give to no one besides。 Call me
Fidele； and if you want to give me another remembrancer than that
which will always live in my heart； present me； as the highest token
of your favor； with the little gold smelling…bottle which I saw you
use in the Logograph box on that dreadful day。' I gave him the
trinket at once。 He kneeled down in order to receive it； and when he
kissed my hand his hot tears fell upon it。 Ah； Elizabeth； no one of
those to whom in the days of our happiness I gave jewels； and to
whom I gave hundreds of thousands； cherished for me so warm thanks
as Toulanno； as Fidelefor the poor； insignificant little
remembrancer。〃
〃God is good and great；〃 said the princess； who； while the queen was
speaking； was busily engaged in unwinding the thread； 〃in order that
we might not lose faith in humanity and confidence in man； He sent
us in His mercy this noble； true…hearted one； whose devotion；
disinterestedness； and fidelity were to be our compensation for all
the sad and heart…rending experiences which we have endured。 And；
therefore； for the sake of this one noble man let us pardon the many
from whom we have received only injury； for it says in the Bible
that； for the sake of one righteous man； many sinners shall be
forgiven； and Toulan is a righteous man。〃
〃Yes； he is a righteous man； blessings on him！〃 whispered the queen。
Then she took the paper in her hand； and began to read the contents
softly； repeating every sentence to herself； and imprinting every
one of those hope…bringing words upon her memory； and while she
read； her poor； crushed heart gradually began to beat with firmer
confidence； and to embrace the possibility of realizing the plan of
Toulan and finding freedom in flight。
During this time Princess Elizabeth had unwound the thread of the
ball； and brought to light a little packet enveloped in paper。
〃Take it； my dear Antoinette；〃 she said； 〃it is addressed to you。〃
Marie Antoinette took it and carefully unfolded the paper。 Then she
uttered a low； carefully…suppressed cry； and； sinking upon her
knees； pressed it with its contents to her lips。
〃What is it； sister？〃 cried the princess； hurrying to her。 〃What
does Toulan demand？〃
The queen gave the paper to the princess。 〃Read；〃 she said〃read
it； sister。〃
Elizabeth read： 〃Your majesty wished to possess the relics which
King Louis left to you。 They consist of the wedding…ring of his
majesty； his little seal； and the hair which the king himself cut
off。 These three things lay on the chimney…piece in the closed
sitting…room of the king。 The supervisor of the Temple took them
from Clery's hand； to whom the king gave them； and put them under
seal。 I have succeeded in getting into the sitting…room； I have
opened the sealed packet； taken out the sacred relics； put articles
of similar character in their place； and sealed it up again。 With
this letter are the relics which belong to your majesty； and I swear
by all that is sacred and dear to meI swear by the head of my
queen； that they are the true articles which the blessed martyr；
King Louis XVI。； conveyed to his wife in his testament。 I have
stolen them for the exalted heir of the crown； and I shall one day
glory in the theft before the throne of God。〃 ＇Footnote： Goncourt； 〃
Histoire de Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 384。＇
〃See； Elizabeth；〃 said the queen； unfolding the little things； each
one of which was carefully wrapped in paper〃see； there is his
wedding…ring。 There on the inside are the four letters； 'M。 A。 A。
A。； 19th April； 1770。' The day of our marriage！a day of joy for
Austria as well as for France！ Thenbut I will not think of it。 Let
me look further。 Here is the seal！ The cornelian engraved on two
sides。 Here on one side the French arms； as you turn the stone； the
portrait of our son the Dauphin of France； with his helmet on his
head。 Oh！ my son； my poor dear child； will your loved head ever bear
any other ornament than a martyr's crown； will God grant you to wear
the helmet of the warrior； and to battle for your rights and your
throne？ How pleased my husband was when on his birthday I brought