adjoining, opened the
mouth of the stove, and drew out a letter.
42 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.
" What do you want with me ? " asked the child.
" To inquire if you heard nothing during the night "
" No ; I was asleep."
" You are very fond of sleep, it seems."
" Yes ; for when I sleep I dream."
" And what do you dream ? "
" That I again see my father, whom you have
killed."
" Then you heard nothing ? " said Santerre, quickly.
"Nothing."
"These wolf's cubs are, in truth, well agreed with the she-wolf," said the municipal, furious with rage. " There has been, notwithstanding, a plot."
The queen smiled.
"She bullies us, the Austrian !" cried the municipal.
" Well, since it is thus, let us execute in all its rigor the decree of the Commune. Get up, Capet."
"What would you do ?" said the queen, forgetting
herself. " Do you not see my son is ill, and suffering from fever ? Would you wish to kill him ? "
" Your son," said the municipal, " is the cause of constant alarm to the council of the temple ; he is the point
at which all the conspirators aim, and natter themselves
they shall carry you off altogether. Well, let them come.
Tison call Tison ! "
Tison was a species of journeyman, charged with all
the household work in the prison. He appeared. He
was a man of forty years old, much sunburned, of a rude
and ferocious aspect, with matted black hair overhanging
his eyebrows.
" Tison," said Santerre, " who came yesterday to bring the prisoners' food ? "
Tison uttered a name.
' And their linen, who brought it to them ?"
' My daughter."
' Then your daughter is a laundress ?"
'Certainly."
' And you gave her the washing of the prisoners ? "
' Why not ? She gains as much by one as another ; it
THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 43
is no longer the tyrant's money, but belongs to the
nation, who pays for them."
" You were told to examine the linen with the greatest attention."
" Well, do I ever fail in my duty ? In proof of which, they had yesterday a handkerchief tied in two knots. I
have taken it to the council, who ordered my wife to
wash, iron, and return it to Madame Capet, without say-
ing anything about it."
At this remark of two knots being tied in the pocket-
handkerchief, the queen trembled, the pupils of her eyes
dilated, and she and Mme. Elizabeth exchanged hasty
glances.
" Tison," said Santerre, "your daughter is a person of whose patriotism no one can entertain a doubt ; but when
she leaves the Temple to-day she returns there no more."
"Ah, mon Dieu ! " said Tison, terrified. " What are you saying to me ? I shall not see my daughter till I go
out ? "
" You will not go out," said Santerre.
Tison looked wildly around, without allowing his eye
to remain fixed on any particular object, and suddenly
exclaimed :
" I am not to go out ; that is it, is it ? Well, then, I will go out altogether. Give me my dismissal. I am
neither traitor nor aristocrat, that I should be detainad
in prison. I tell you I will ro out."
" Citizen/' said Santerrt, " obey the orders of the Commune, and be silent, or I tell you it may be all the
worse for you. Remain here and watch all that passes.
There is an eye on you. I warn you of this."
During this time, the queen, who thought herself for
a moment forgotten, recovered by degrees, and replaced
her son in his bed.
" Desire your wife to oorne up," said the municipal to Tison.
He obeyed without a word. The threats of Santerre
had rendered him meek as a lamb.
Tison's wife came up.
44 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.
" Come here, citoyenne," said Santerre ; " we are going into the ante-chambers ; during that time search all
the prisoners."
" Listen, wife," said Tison ; "they will not permit our daughter to come to the Temple."
" They will not permit our daughter to come here ?
Then we shall see her no more ? "
Tison mournfully shook his head.
" What do you say to this ? "
" I say we will make a report to the council of the
temple, and the
mouth of the stove, and drew out a letter.
42 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.
" What do you want with me ? " asked the child.
" To inquire if you heard nothing during the night "
" No ; I was asleep."
" You are very fond of sleep, it seems."
" Yes ; for when I sleep I dream."
" And what do you dream ? "
" That I again see my father, whom you have
killed."
" Then you heard nothing ? " said Santerre, quickly.
"Nothing."
"These wolf's cubs are, in truth, well agreed with the she-wolf," said the municipal, furious with rage. " There has been, notwithstanding, a plot."
The queen smiled.
"She bullies us, the Austrian !" cried the municipal.
" Well, since it is thus, let us execute in all its rigor the decree of the Commune. Get up, Capet."
"What would you do ?" said the queen, forgetting
herself. " Do you not see my son is ill, and suffering from fever ? Would you wish to kill him ? "
" Your son," said the municipal, " is the cause of constant alarm to the council of the temple ; he is the point
at which all the conspirators aim, and natter themselves
they shall carry you off altogether. Well, let them come.
Tison call Tison ! "
Tison was a species of journeyman, charged with all
the household work in the prison. He appeared. He
was a man of forty years old, much sunburned, of a rude
and ferocious aspect, with matted black hair overhanging
his eyebrows.
" Tison," said Santerre, " who came yesterday to bring the prisoners' food ? "
Tison uttered a name.
' And their linen, who brought it to them ?"
' My daughter."
' Then your daughter is a laundress ?"
'Certainly."
' And you gave her the washing of the prisoners ? "
' Why not ? She gains as much by one as another ; it
THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE. 43
is no longer the tyrant's money, but belongs to the
nation, who pays for them."
" You were told to examine the linen with the greatest attention."
" Well, do I ever fail in my duty ? In proof of which, they had yesterday a handkerchief tied in two knots. I
have taken it to the council, who ordered my wife to
wash, iron, and return it to Madame Capet, without say-
ing anything about it."
At this remark of two knots being tied in the pocket-
handkerchief, the queen trembled, the pupils of her eyes
dilated, and she and Mme. Elizabeth exchanged hasty
glances.
" Tison," said Santerre, "your daughter is a person of whose patriotism no one can entertain a doubt ; but when
she leaves the Temple to-day she returns there no more."
"Ah, mon Dieu ! " said Tison, terrified. " What are you saying to me ? I shall not see my daughter till I go
out ? "
" You will not go out," said Santerre.
Tison looked wildly around, without allowing his eye
to remain fixed on any particular object, and suddenly
exclaimed :
" I am not to go out ; that is it, is it ? Well, then, I will go out altogether. Give me my dismissal. I am
neither traitor nor aristocrat, that I should be detainad
in prison. I tell you I will ro out."
" Citizen/' said Santerrt, " obey the orders of the Commune, and be silent, or I tell you it may be all the
worse for you. Remain here and watch all that passes.
There is an eye on you. I warn you of this."
During this time, the queen, who thought herself for
a moment forgotten, recovered by degrees, and replaced
her son in his bed.
" Desire your wife to oorne up," said the municipal to Tison.
He obeyed without a word. The threats of Santerre
had rendered him meek as a lamb.
Tison's wife came up.
44 THE CHEVALIER DE MAISON ROUGE.
" Come here, citoyenne," said Santerre ; " we are going into the ante-chambers ; during that time search all
the prisoners."
" Listen, wife," said Tison ; "they will not permit our daughter to come to the Temple."
" They will not permit our daughter to come here ?
Then we shall see her no more ? "
Tison mournfully shook his head.
" What do you say to this ? "
" I say we will make a report to the council of the
temple, and the
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