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cough and wipe her eyes； which the smoke filled with tears。
Toulan had followed every one of her movements with an amused look。
〃Madame does not appear to take any pleasure in my bonfire！〃 he
said。 〃Will madame not smoke？〃
The queen made no reply； but quietly went on with her dictation。
〃Madame；〃 cried Toulan； laughing loudly； 〃I should like to smoke a
pipe of peace with you； as our brown brethren in happy； free America
domadame； I beg you to do me the honor to smoke a pipe of peace
with me。〃
A flash lightened in the eyes which the queen now directed to
Toulan。 〃You are a shameless fellow！〃 she said。
〃Hear that；〃 said Simon； 〃that is what I call abusing you。〃
〃On the contrary； it delights me；〃 cried Toulan； 〃for you will
confess that it would be jolly if she should smoke now； and I tell
you； she will smoke。〃
He advanced some paces into the room； and made his deep bow again。
〃He understands manners as well as if he had been a rascally
courtier himself；〃 said Simon； laughing。 〃It is a splendid joke。〃
The two princesses had arisen at the entrance of Toulan； and laid
their sewing…work aside。 A ball of white cotton had fallen to the
ground from the lap of one of them； and rolled through the room
toward Toulan。
He picked it up； and bowed to the princesses。 〃May I view this
little globe；〃 he said； 〃as a reminder of the favor of the loveliest
ladies of France？ Oh； yes； I see in your roguish smile that I may；
and I thank you；〃 said Toulan； pressing the round ball to his lips；
and then putting it into his breast…pocket。
〃He plays as well as the fellows do in the theatre；〃 said Simon；
laughing。
〃Go into our sleeping…room；〃 said Marie Antoinette； turning to the
princesses。 〃It is enough for me to have to bear these indignities
go； my son； accompany your aunt。〃
The dauphin stood up； pressed a kiss upon the hand of his mother；
and followed the two princesses； who had gone into the adjoining
apartment。
〃Dear aunt；〃 whispered the dauphin； 〃is this bad man the good friend
who〃
〃Hush！〃 whispered Madame Elizabeth； 〃hush！ Madame Tison is
listening。〃
And； in fact； at the glass…door； which led from the sleeping…room to
the little corridor； stood Madame Tison； looking with sharp；
searching glances into the chamber。
After the princesses had left the room； Toulan approached still
closer to the queen； and taking a cigar from his breast…pocket； he
handed it to the queen。 〃Take it； madame；〃 he said； 〃and do me the
honor of smoking a duet with me！〃
〃I do not smoke； sir；〃 replied the queen； coolly and calmly。 〃I beg
you to go into the anteroom。 The Convention has not； so far as I
understand； ordered the officers of the guard to tarry in my
sitting…room。〃
〃The Convention has not ordered it； nor has it forbidden it。 So I
remain！〃
He took a chair； seated himself in the middle of the room； and
rolled out great clouds of smoke； which filled Simon with
unspeakable delight when they compelled Marie Antoinette to cough
violently。
〃Madame Capet； you would not be so sensitive to smoke if you would
only join me。 I beg you； therefore； to take this cigar。〃
The queen repeated calmly； 〃I do not smoke。〃
〃You mistake； madame； you do smoke。〃
〃See the jolly fellow；〃 exclaimed Simon； 〃that is splendid。〃
〃I will show you at once that you do smoke；〃 continued Toulan。
〃Madame； if you will do me the honor to join me in smoking a cigar；
I will give you my word as a republican and a sans…culottes； that
neither I nor my brothers will ever smoke here again。〃
〃I do not believe you；〃 said the queen； shaking her head。
〃Not believe me？ Would you believe it if the citizen Simon were to
repeat it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the queen； fixing her great； sad eyes upon Simon； 〃if
the citizen Simon should confirm it； I would believe it； for he is a
trustworthy man； who I believe； never breaks his word。〃
〃Oh！ only see how well the Austrian understands our noble brother
Simon；〃 cried Lepitre。
〃Yes； truly； it seems so；〃 said Simon； who had been flattered by
this praise to consent to what he had no inclination for。 〃Well； I
give my word to Widow Capet； as a republican and a sans…culottes；
that there shall be no smoking in the anteroom after this time； if
she will do my friend Toulan the favor of smoking a pipe of peace
with him。〃
〃I believe your word；〃 said the queen； with a gentle inclination of
her head； and then turning to Toulan； she continued； 〃sir〃
〃There are no 'sirs' here； only 'citizens；'〃 interrupted the
cobbler。
〃Citizen Toulan；〃 said the queen； changing her expression； 〃give me
the cigar； I see that I was wrong； I do smoke！〃
Simon cried aloud with laughter and delight； and could scarcely
control himself； when； kneeling before the queen； as the players do
in the grand plays at the theatre； he handed her a cigar。
But he did not see the supplicatory look which Toulan fixed upon the
queen； he did not see the tears which started into his eyes； nor
hear her say； during his inordinate peals of laughter； 〃I thank you；
my faithful one！〃
〃Is it enough if I take the cigar in my mouth； or must I burn it？〃
asked the queen。
〃Certainly； she must burn it；〃 cried Simon。 〃Light the cigar for
her； Citizen Toulan。〃
Toulan drew a bit of paper from his pocket； folded it together；
kindled it； and gave it to the queen。 Then； as soon as the dry cigar
began to burn； he put out the light； and threw it carelessly upon
the table。
The queen put the little smoking cigarette into her mouth。 〃Bravo；
bravo！〃 shouted the officials and Simon。
〃Bravo； Citizen Toulan is a perfect brick！ He has taught Widow Capet
how to smoke。〃
〃I told you I would；〃 said Toulan； proudly。 〃Widow Capet has had to
comply with our will； and that is enough。 You need not go on；
madame。 You have acknowledged our power； and that is all we wanted。
That is enough； Simon； is it not？ She does not need to smoke any
longer； and we； too； must stop。〃
〃No； she does not need to smoke any longer； and there will be no
more smoking in the antechamber。〃
The queen took the paper cigarette from her mouth； put out the
burning end； and laid the remaining portion in her work…basket。
〃Citizen Toulan；〃 said she； 〃I will keep this cigar as a
remembrancer of this hour； and if you ever smoke here again； I shall
show it to you。〃
〃I should like to see this Austrian woman doubting the word of a
sans…culottes；〃 cried Simon。
〃And I too； Simon；〃 replied Toulan； going back into the anteroom。
〃We will teach her that she must trust our word。 You see that I am a
good teacher。〃
〃An excellent one；〃 cried Simon； 〃I must compliment you on it；
citizen。 But if you have no objections； we will play a game or two
of cards with the citizens here。〃
〃All right；〃 replied Toulan。 〃But I hope you have got the new kind
of cards； which have no kings and queens on them。 For； I tell you； I
do not play with the villanous old kind。〃
〃Nor I；〃 chimed in Lepitre。 〃It makes me mad to see the old stupids
with their crowns on that are on the old kind of cards。〃
〃You are a pair of out…and…out republicans；〃 said Simon； admiringly。
〃Truly； one might learn of you how a sans…culottes ought to bear
himsel