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bound。 An abyss has opened between the crown and the nation； and the
States…General and the Third Estate will not close it； but only
widen it。 I tell you； Margaret； dark days are approaching； I see
them coming； and I cannot； for your sake； withdraw from them； for I
am the soldier of the queen。 I must keep guard before her door； and；
if I cannot save her； I must die in her service。 Know this；
Margaret； but know； too； that I love you。 Let me repeat； that from
you alone all fortune and happiness can come to me； and then do you
decide。 Will you； after all that I have told you； still accept my
hand； which I offer you in tenderest affection？ Will you be my wife；
knowing that my life belongs not to you alone； but still more to
another？ Will you share with me the dangers of a stormy time； of an
inevitable future with me； and devote yourself with； me to the
service of the queen？ Examine yourself； Margaret； before you answer。
Do not forget your great and noble heart； consider that it is a vast
sacrifice to devote your life to a man who is prepared every hour to
give his life for another womanto leave the one he loves； and to
go to his death in defence of his queen。 Prove your heart； and； if
you find that the sacrifice is too great； turn your face away from
me； and I will quickly go my waywill not complain； will think that
it happens rightly； will love you my whole life long； and thank you
for the pleasant hours which your love has granted to me。〃
He had dropped from the divan upon his knee； and looked up to her
with supplicating and anxious eyes。 But Margaret did not turn her
face away from him。 A heavenly smile played over her features； her
eye beamed with love and emotion。 And as her glance sank deep into
the heart of her lover； he caught the look as if it had been a ray
of sunlight。 She laid her arms upon his shoulders； and pressing his
head to her bosom； she bowed over him and kissed his black； curly
hair。
〃Ah！ I love you； Louis；〃 she whispered。 〃I am ready to devote my
life to you； to share your dangers with you； and in all contests to
stand by your side。 Soldier of the queen； in me you shall always
have a comrade。 With you I will fight for her； with you die for her；
if it must be。 We will have a common love for her； we will serve her
in common； and with fidelity and love thank her for the good which
she has done to you and your father。〃
〃Blessings upon you； Margaret！〃 cried Toulan； as breaking into tears
he rested his head upon the knee of his affianced。 〃Blessings on
you； angel of my love and happiness！〃 Then he sprang up； and；
drawing the young girl within his arms； he impressed a glowing kiss
upon her lips。
〃That is my betrothal kiss； Margaret； now you are mine； in this hour
our souls are united in never…ending love and faithfulness。 Nothing
can separate us after this； for we journey hand in hand upon the
same road； we have the same great and hallowed goal！ Now come； my
love； let us take our place before the altar of God； and testify
with an oath to the love which we cherish toward our queen！〃
He offered her his arm； and； both smiling； both with beaming faces；
left the room； and joined the wedding guests who had long been
waiting for them with growing impatience。 They entered the carriages
and drove to the church。 With joyful faces the bridal pair pledged
their mutual fidelity before the altar； and their hands pressed one
another； and their eyes met with a secret understanding of all that
was meant at that wedding。 They both knew that at that moment they
were pledging their fidelity to the queen； and that； while seeming
to give themselves away to each other； they were really giving
themselves to their sovereign。
At the conclusion of the ceremony； they left the church of St。 Louis
to repair to the wedding dinner； which Councillor Bugeaud had
ordered to be prepared in one of the most brilliant restaurants of
Versailles。
〃Will you not tell me now； my dear son；〃 he said to Toulan〃will
you not tell me now why you wish so strongly to celebrate the
wedding in Versailles； and not in Paris； and why in the church of
St。 Louis？〃
〃I will tell you； father；〃 answered Toulan； pressing the arm of his
bride closer to his heart。 〃I wanted here； where the country erects
its altar； where in a few days the nation will meet face to face
these poor earthly majesties； here； where in a few days the States…
General will convene； to defend the right of the people against the
prerogative of the sovereign； here alone to give to my life its new
consecration。 Versailles will from this time be doubly dear to me。 I
shall owe to it my life's happiness as a man； my freedom as a
citizen。 They have done me the honor in Rouen to elect me to a place
in the Third Estate； and as； in a few days； the Assembly of the
Nation will meet here in Versailles； I wanted my whole future
happiness to be connected with the place。 And I wanted to be married
in St。 Louis's church； because I love the good King Louis。 He is the
true and sincere friend of the nation； and he would like to make his
people happy； if the queen； the Austrian； would allow it。〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 sighed the councillor； who； in spite of his relation
to Madame de Campan； belonged to the opponents of the queen〃 yes；
indeed； if the Austrian woman allowed it。 But she is not willing
that France should be happy。 Woe to the queen； all our misery comes
from her！
CHAPTER IX。
THE OPENING OF THE STATES…GENERAL。
On the morning of the 5th of May； 1789； the solemn opening of the
States…General of France was to occur at Versailles。 This early date
was appointed for the convocation of the estates； in order to be
able to protract as much as possible the ceremonial proceedings。 But
at the same time this occasion was to be improved in preparing a
sensible humiliation for the members of the Third Estate。
In the avenue of the Versailles palace a large and fine hall was
fixed upon as the most appropriate place for receiving the twelve
hundred representatives of France； and a numerous company of
spectators besides； and； being chosen； was appropriately fitted up。
Louis XVI。 himself； who was very fond of sketching and drawing
architectural plans； had busied himself in the most zealous way with
the arrangements and decorations of the hall。
It had long been a matter of special interest to the king to fit up
the room which was to receive the representatives of the nation； in
a manner which would be worthy of so significant an occasion。 He had
himself selected the hangings and the curtains which were to protect
the audience from the too glaring light of the day。
When the members of the Third Estate arrived； they saw with the
greatest astonishment that they were not to enter the hall by the
same entrance which was appropriated to the representatives of the
nobility and the clergy； who were chosen at the same time with
themselves。 While for the last two the entrance was appointed
through the main door of the hall； the commoners were allowed to
enter by a rear door； opening into a dark and narrow corridor；
where； crowded together； they were compelled to wait till the doors
were opened。
Almost two h