But I think that
the people ought not to be angry at this, and they may take it as a
sign that I am not so proud and unapproachable as I am generally
believed to be. And so farewell, gentlemen!"
She graciously waved her hand toward the door, and, with a gentle
inclination of her head, dismissed the two gentlemen, who, with a
sad bearing, withdrew, and left the pavilion.
"Come, my son," said the queen, "we will return to the palace."
"By the same way that we came, shall we not, mamma?" asked the
dauphin, taking the extended hand of the queen, and pressing it to
his lips.
"You will not weep again if the people shout and laugh?" asked Marie
Antoinette. "You will not be afraid any more?"
"No, I will not be afraid any more. Oh, you shall be satisfied with
me, mamma queen! I have paid close attention to all that you said to
the two gentlemen, and I am very glad that you did not allow M. de
Lafayette to walk behind us. The people would then have believed
that we are afraid, and now they shall see that we are not so at
all."
"Well, come, my child, let us go," said Marie Antoinette, giving her
hand to her son, and preparing to leave the pavilion.
But on the threshold the dauphin stopped, and looked imploringly up
into the face of his mother.
"I should like to ask you something, mamma queen.
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