I must go, therefore, to protect my house."
"Go, my young friend," said Madame de Campan, warmly pressing his
hand. "Receive my heartiest thanks for your devotion, and be sure
the queen shall hear of it. farewell, farewell!"
"No," cried Marie Antoinette, emerging from behind the screen with a
laugh, "no, do not go, sir! Remain to receive your queen's thanks
for the disinterested zeal which you have displayed for me this
day."
"The queen!" whispered Toulan, turning pale, "the queen!"
And falling upon his knee he looked at the queen with such an
expression of rapture and admiration that Marie Antoinette was
touched.
"I have much to thank you for, Mr. Toulan," she said. "Not merely
that you are the bearer of important news--I thank you besides for
convincing me that the Queen of France has faithful and devoted
friends, and to know this is so cheering to me that even if you
bring me bad news, my sorrow will be softened by this knowledge. I
thank you again, Mr. Toulan!"
Toulan perceived that the queen was dismissing him; he stood up and
retreated to the door, his eyes fixed on the queen, and then, after
opening the door, he sank, as it were, overcome by the storm of his
emotions, a second time upon his knee, and folding his hands, raised
his great, beaming eyes to heaven.
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