dreadful　night　which　surrounds　us；　a　glimmer　of　hope　was　suddenly
  appearing；　and　my　eyes　are　blinded　with　it。　Oh；　sister；　do　you
  really　think　it　possible　that　we　can　escape　this　place　of　torment？〃
  〃Escape　we　will　certainly；　my　dear　sister；〃　answered　Elizabeth；
  gently；　〃but　it　lies　in　God's　hands　whether　it　is　our　bodies　or　our
  souls　only　that　will　escape。　If　we　do　not　succeed；　they　will　kill
  us；　and　then　our　freed　souls　will　ascend　to　God。　Oh；　my　noble　queen
  and　sister；　let　us　pray　that　God　would　give　us　courage　and
  steadfastness　to　hope　in　Him　and　to　conform　to　His　will。〃
  〃Yes；　sister；　let　us　pray；〃　said　the　queen；　folding　her　hands；　and
  reverentially　bending　her　head。　Then　after　a　pause；　in　which　they
  could　hear　from　without　the　noisy　laughter　of　Simon　and　his
  comrades；　the　queen　raised　herself　up；　and　her　countenance　had
  regained　its　wonted　calm　and　grave　expression。
  〃And　now；　Elizabeth；　read　on　further。　Let　us　hear　the　continuation
  of　the　plan。〃
  Madame　Elizabeth　took　the　paper　and　read　on　in　a　whispering　voice：
  〃As　soon　as　Tison　and　his　wife　have　fallen　asleep；　the　queen　and
  Madame　Elizabeth　will　put　on　their　clothes。　Over　the　men's　garments
  they　will　throw　the　cloaks　which　Toulan　brought　yesterday；　and　these
  cloaks　will　disguise　their　gait　and　size。　But　care　must　be　taken
  that　the　tri…colored　sashes　of　the　commissaries　which　Lepitre
  brought　yesterday　with　the　admission…cards　of　the　same　authorities；
  should　peep　out　from　beneath　the　cloaks　so　as　to　be　visible　to　every
  one。　Thus　arrayed；　the　two　ladies　will　pass　by　the　sentry；　showing
  him　the　card　as　they　go　out　（meanwhile　talking　with　Lepitre）；　leave
  the　Temple；　and　go　with　Lepitre　to　the　Rue　de　la　Conderie；　where　M。
  de　Jarjayes　will　be　waiting　to　conduct　the　ladies　farther。〃
  〃But　the　children；〃　whispered　the　queen；　〃do　the　children　not
  accompany　us？　Oh！　they　ought　not　to　think　that　I　would　leave　this
  place　while　my　dear　children　are　compelled　to　remain　here。　What　is
  to　be　done　with　the　children；　Elizabeth？〃
  〃We　shall　soon　learn　that；　sister；　allow　me　to　read　on。　'At　seven
  o'clock；　as　soon　as　the　guard　is　changed；　a　man　disguised　as　a
  lamplighter；　with　his　tin　filler　in　his　hand；　will　appear　at　the
  gate　of　the　Temple；　knock　loudly　and　demand　of　the　guard　that　his
  children；　who　had　this　day　been　taking　care　of　the　lantern；　should
  be　allowed　to　come　out。　On　this；　Toulan　will　bring　the　dauphin　and
  Madame　Royale　in　their　changed　costume；　and　while　delivering　them
  over　to　the　supposed　lamplighter　he　will　scold　him　soundly　for　not
  taking　care　of　the　lanterns　himself；　but　giving　it　to　the　children。
  This　is　the　plan　whose　execution　is　possible　and　probable；　if　every
  thing　is　strictly　followed。　Before　the　affair　is　discovered；　there
  will　be　at　least　seven　hours'　advantage　and　the　royal　family　will　be
  able；　with　the　passes　already　secured　by　M。　Jarjayes；　to　be　a　long
  way　off　before　their　flight　will　be　discovered　by　Tison。　In　a　secure
  house；　whither　Toulan　will　lead　them；　the　royal　family　will　find
  simple　citizen's　clothing。　Without　exciting　any　stir；　and
  accompanied　by　Messieurs　Jarjayes　and　Toulan；　they　will　reach
  Normandy。　A　packet…boat　furnished　by　an　English　friend　lies　in
  readiness　to　receive　the　royal　family　and　take　them　to　their'　〃
  〃Good…day；　Madame　Tison！〃　cried　the　dauphin　loudly；　〃good…day；　my
  dear　Madame　Tison！〃
  Madame　Elizabeth　hastily　concealed　the　paper　in　her　bosom；　and　Marie
  Antoinette　had　scarcely　time　to　hide　the　ball　of　thread　in　her
  pocket；　when　Tison　appeared　upon　the　threshold　of　the　door；　looked
  with　her　sharp　lynx…eyes　around；　and　then　fixed　them　upon　the　two
  ladies。
  She　saw　that　Marie　Antoinette　did　not　display　her　accustomed
  dignified　calmness；　and　that　Elizabeth's　pale　cheeks　were　unusually
  red。
  〃Something　is　going　on；〃　said　the　spy　to　herself；　〃and　what　does　it
  mean　that　to…day　the　commissaries　are　not　in　the　anteroom；　and　that
  they　let　these　women　carry　on　their　chattering　entirely　unwatched？〃
  〃Madame　has　been　reading？〃　asked　Tison；　subjecting　every　object　upon
  the　table　before　which　the　ladies　were　sitting；　to　a　careful
  scrutiny。　〃Madame　has　been　reading；〃　she　repeated；　〃I　heard　paper
  rattling；　and　I　see　no　book。〃
  〃You　are　under　a　mistake；〃　replied　Madame　Elizabeth；　〃we　have　not
  been　reading；　we　have　been　sewing；　but　supposing　we　were　reading；　is
  there　any　wrong　in　that？　Have　they　made　any　law　that　forbids　that？〃
  〃No；〃　answered　Tison；　〃noI　only　wondered　how　people　could　rattle
  paper　and　there　be　none　there；　but　all　the　samethe　ladies　of
  course　have　a　right　to　read；　and　we　must　be　satisfied　with　that。〃
  And　she　went　out；　looking　right　and　left　like　a　hound　on　the　scent；
  and　searching　every　corner　of　the　room。
  〃I　must　see　what　kind　of　officials　we　have　here　to…day；〃　said　Tison
  to　herself；　slipping　through　the　little　side…door　and　through　the
  corridor；　〃I　shouldn't　wonder　if　it　were　Toulan　and　Lepitre　again；
  for　every　time　when　they　tworight！〃　she　ejaculated；　looking
  through　the　outer　door；　〃right！　it　is　they；　Toulan　and　Lepitre。　I
  must　see　what　Simon's　wife　has　to　say　to　that。〃
  She　slipped　down　the　broad　staircase；　and　passed　through　the　open
  door　into　the　porter's　lodge。　Madame　Simon；　one　of　the　most　savage
  of　the　knitters；　had　shortly　returned　from　the　guillotine；　and　was
  sitting　upon　her　rush　chair；　busily　counting　on　a　long　cotton
  stocking　which　she　held　in　her　hand。
  〃How　many　heads　to…day？〃　asked　Tison。
  Madame　Simon　slowly　shook　her　head；　decorated　with　a　white　knit　cap。
  〃It　is　hardly　worth　the　pains；〃　she　said　dismally；〃the　machine
  works　badly；　and　the　judges　are　neglectful。　Only　five　cars　to…day；
  and　on　every　one　only　seven　persons。〃　〃What！〃　cried　Tison；　〃only
  thirty…five　heads　to…day　in　all？〃
  〃Yes；　only　thirty…five　heads；〃　repeated　Madame　Simon；　shaking　her
  head；　〃I　have　just　been　counting　on　my　stocking；　and　I　find　only
  thirty…five　seam…stitches；　for　every　seam…stitch　means　a　head。　For
  such　a　little　affair　we　have　had　to　sit　six　hours　in　the　wet　and
  cold　on　the　platform。　The　machine　works　too　slowly；　I　say
  altogether　too　slowly。　The　judges　are　easy；　and　there　is　no　more
  pleasure　to　be　derived　from　the　executions。〃
  〃They　must　be　stirred　up；〃　said　Tison　with　a　fiendish　look；　〃your
  husband　must　speak　with　his　friend；　citizen　Marat；　and　tell　him　that
  his　best　friends　the　knitters；　and　most　of　all；　Simon's　wife；　are
  dissatisfied；　and　if　it　goes　on　so；　the　women　will　rise　and　hurry
  all　the　men　to　the　guillotine。　That　will　stir　them　up；　for　they　do
  respect　the　knitters；　and　if　they　fear　the　devil；　they　fear　yet　more
  his　proud　grandmother；　and　every　one　of　us　market…women　and　knitters
  is　the　devil's　grandmother。〃
  〃Yes；　they　do　respect　us　and　they　shall；〃　said　Madame　Simon；　setting
  her　glistening　needles　in　motion　again；　and　working　slowly　on　the
  stocking；　〃I　will　myself　speak　with　citizen　Marat；　and　believe　me；　I
  will　fire　him　up；　and　then　we　shall　have　better　play；　and　see　more
  cars　driven　up　to　the　guillotine。　We　must　keep　our　eyes　well　open；
  arid　denounce　all　suspicious　characters。〃
  〃I　have　my　eyes　always　open；〃　cried　Tison；　with　a　coarse　laugh；　〃and
  I　suspect　traitors　before　they　have　committed　any　thing。　There；　for
  example；　are　the　two　officials；　Toulan　and　Lepitre；　do　you　have
  confidence　in　them？〃
  〃I　have　no　confidence　in　them　whatever；　and　I　have　never　had　any
  confidence　in　them；〃　answered　Madame　Simon；　with　dignity；　and
  setting　her　needles　in　more　rapid　motion。　〃In　these　times　you　must
  trust　nobody；　and　least　of　all　those　who　are　so　very　earnest　to　keep
  guard　over　the　Austrian　woman；　for　a　true　republican　despises　the
  aristocracy　altogether　too　much　to　find　it　agreeable　to　be　with　such
  scum；　and　shows　it　as　much　as　he　can；　but　Toulan　is　always　wanting
  to　be　there。　Wait　a　moment；　and　I　will　tell　you　how　many　times
  Toulan　and　Lepitre　have　kept　guard　the　present　month。〃
  She　drew　a　little　memorandum…book　from　her　reticule；　which　hung　by
  black　bands　from　her　brown　hairy　arm；　and　turned　over　the　leaves。
  〃There；　here　it　is；〃　she　said。
  〃To…day　is　the　20th　of　February；　and　the　two　men　have　already　kept
  guard　eight　times　the　present　month。　That　is　three　times　as　many　as
  they　need　to　do。　Every　one　of　the　officials　who　were　appointed　to
  keep　guard　in　the　Temple　is　obliged　to　serve　only　once　a　week；　and
  both　of　these　traitors　are　now　here　for　the　eighth　time。　And　my
  husband　is　so　stupid　and　so　blinded　that　he　believes　this　prattler
  Toulan　when　he　tells　him　he　comes　here　merely　to　be　with　citizen
  Simon；　but　they　cannot　come　round　me　with　their　talk；　they　cannot
  throw　dust　in　my　eyes。　I　shall　keep　them　open；　wide　open；　let　me
  tell　you。〃
  〃They　are　not　sitting　inside　in　the　antechamber　to…day；〃　whispered
  Tison；　〃but　outside　on　the　landing；　and　they　have　closed　the　door　of
  the　anteroom；　so　that　the　Austrian　has　been　entirely　alone　and
  unobserved　these　hours。〃
  〃Alone！〃　cried　the　knitter；　and　her　polished　needles　struck　so
  violently　against　each　other　that　you　could　hear　them　click。　〃My
  husband　cannot　be　to　blame　for　that；　Toulan　must　have　talked　him
  into　it；　and　he　must　have　a　reason　for　it；　he　must　have　a　reason；
  and　if　it　is　only　from　his　having　pity　upon　her；　that　is　enoug