I am French with all my
feelings of wife and mother. I shall never see again the land in
which I was born, and only in France can I be happy or unhappy. And
when you loved me, I was happy there." [Footnote: The queen's own
words.--See Beauchesne, vol. i., p. 106.]
She said this with quivering voice and moving tones, the tears
filling her eyes; and while she was speaking the noise was hushed,
and even these savage creatures were transformed into gentle,
sympathetic women.
Tears came to the eyes of the young woman who before had spoken so
savagely to the queen. "Forgive me," she said, weeping, "I did not
know you; now I see that you are not bad."
"No, she is not bad," cried Santerre, striking with both fists upon
the table, "but bad people have misled her," and a second time he
struck the table with his resounding blows. Marie Antoinette
trembled a little, and hastily lifting the dauphin from the table,
she put him by her side.
"Ah! madame," cried Santerre, smiling, "don't be afraid, they will
do you no harm; but just think how you have been misled, and how
dangerous it is to deceive the people. I tell you that in the name
of the people. For the rest, you needn't fear."
"I am not afraid," said Marie Antoinette, calmly; "no one need ever
be afraid who is among brave people," and with a graceful gesture
she extended her hands to the National Guards who stood by the
table.
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