The wager was, that if the Queen of France should be
guillotined the next noon, the one who lost should furnish brandy
and cakes the next evening for a jollification.
The next morning Simon repaired with the little prisoner to the
platform of the tower, from which there was a free lookout over the
streets, and where they could plainly see what was going on below.
His wife meanwhile had left the Temple at early dawn with her
dreadful knitting-work. "I must be on the spot early if I want a
good place to-day," she said, "and it would be a real misfortune for
me, if I should not see the miserable head of the she-wolf drop, and
not make a double stitch in my stocking."
"But you forget, Jeanne Marie," said Simon, with a grin, "you forget
that you lose your bet if you make the mark in your stocking."
"I would rather lose all the bets that were ever made than not make
the mark in my stocking," cried the knitter, grimly. "I would rather
lose my wedding-dress and my marriage-ring than win this bet. Go up
to the platform with the young wolf, and wait for me there. As soon
as I have made the mark in my stocking, I will run home and show it
to you."
"It is too bad that I cannot go with you," said Simon, sighing. "I
wish I had never undertaken the business of bringing up the little
Capet.
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