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〃My son；〃 said the king； solemnly； 〃God has been pleased to give you
another name and another calling。 Your poor brother； Louis； has left
us forever。 He has gone to God； and you are now Dauphin of France！〃
〃And God grant that it be for your good；〃 said the queen； with a
sigh。
The little prince slowly shook his locks。 〃It certainly is not for
my good；〃 said he； 〃else mamma would not weep。〃
〃She is weeping； my child；〃 said the queen〃 she is weeping；
because your brother； who was the dauphin； has left us。〃
〃And will he never come back？〃 asked the child； eagerly。
〃No； Louis； he never will come back。〃
The boy threw both his arms around the neck of the queen。 〃Ah！〃 he
cried； 〃how can any one ever leave his dear mamma and never come
back？ I will never leave you； mamma！〃
〃I pray God you speak the truth；〃 sighed the queen； pressing him
tenderly to herself。 〃I pray God I may die before you both！〃
〃Not before meoh； not before me！〃 ejaculated the king； shuddering。
〃Without you； my dear one； my life were a desert； without you； the
King of France were the poorest man in the whole land！〃
He smiled sadly at her。 〃And with me he will perhaps be the most
unfortunate one；〃 she whispered softly； as if to herself。
〃Never unfortunate； if you are with me； and if you love me；〃 cried
the king； warmly。 〃Weep no more； we must overcome our grief； and
comfort ourselves with what remains。 I say to you once more： the
dauphin is dead； long live the dauphin！〃
〃Papa king；〃 said the boy； quickly； 〃you say the dauphin is dead；
and has left us。 Has he taken every thing away with him that belongs
to him？〃
〃No； my son； he has left every thing。 You are now the dauphin； and
some time will be King of France； for you are the heir of your
brother。〃
〃What does that mean； his heir？〃 asked the child。
〃It means；〃 answered the king； 〃that to you belong now the titles
and honors of your brother。〃
〃Nothing but that？〃 asked the prince； timidly。 〃I do not want his
titles and honors。〃
〃You are the heir to the throne； you have now the title of Dauphin
of France。〃
The little one timidly grasped the hand of his mother； and lifted
his great blue eyes supplicatingly to her。
〃Mamma queen；〃 he whispered； 〃do you not think the title of Duke de
Normandy sounds just as well； or will you love me more； if I am
called Dauphin of France？〃
〃No； my son；〃 answered the queen； 〃I shall not love you better； and
I should be very happy if you were now the Duke de Normandy。〃
〃Then； mamma；〃 cried the boy； eagerly； 〃I am not at all glad to
receive this new title。 But I should like to know whether I have
received any thing else from my dear sick brother。〃
〃Any thing else？〃 asked the king in amazement； 〃what would you
desire； my child？〃
The little prince cast down his eyes。 〃I should not like to tell；
papa。 But if it is true that the dauphin has left us and is not
coming back again； and yet has not taken away every thing which
belongs to him； there is something which I should very much like to
have； and which would please me more than that I am now the
dauphin。〃
The king turned his face inquiringly to the queen。 〃Do you
understand； Marie； what he wants to say？〃 he whispered。
〃I think I can guess；〃 answered Marie Antoinette softly； and she
walked quickly across the room； opened the door of the adjoining
apartment； and whispered a few words to the page who was there。 Then
she returned to the king； but while doing so she stepped upon the
bouquet which had fallen out of the boy's hands when his father
lifted him up。
〃Oh； my pretty violets； my pretty roses；〃 cried the prince； sadly；
and his face put on a sorrowful expression。 But he quickly
brightened； and； looking up at the queen； he said； smiling； 〃Mamma
queen； I wish you always walked on flowers which I have planted and
plucked for you！〃
At this moment the door softly opened； and a little black dog
stepped in； and ran forward； whining； directly up to the prince。
〃Moufflet；〃 cried the child； falling upon his knee； 〃Moufflet！〃
The little dog； with its long； curly locks of hair； put its fore…
paws upon the shoulders of the boy and eagerly and tenderly licked
his laughing； rosy face。
〃Now； my Louis；〃 asked the queen； 〃have I guessed right？wasn't it
the doggy that you wanted so much？〃
〃Mamma queen has guessed it；〃 cried the boy joyfully； putting his
arms around the neck of the dog。 〃Does Moufflet belong to my
inheritance too？ Do I receive him； since my brother has left him
behind？〃
〃Yes； my son； the little dog belongs to your inheritance；〃 answered
the king； with a sad smile。
The child shouted with pleasure； and pressed the dog close to his
breast。 〃Moufflet is mine！〃 he cried； glowing with joy； 〃Moufflet is
my inheritance！〃
The queen slowly raised to heaven her eyes； red with weeping。 〃Oh；
the innocence of childhood； the happiness of childhood！〃 said she；
softly； 〃why do they not go with us through life？ why must we tread
them under feet like the violets arid roses of my son？ A kingdom
falls to him as his portion； and yet he takes pleasure in the little
dog which only licks his hands！ Love is the fairest inheritance； for
love remains with us till death！〃
CHAPTER XI。
KING LOUIS THE SIXTEENTH。
The 14th of July had broken upon Paris with its fearful events。 The
revolution had for the first time opened the crater； after
subterranean thunder had long been heard； and after the ground of
Paris had long been shaken。 The glowing lava…streams of intense
excitement； popular risings； and murder； had broken out and flooded
all Paris； and before them judgment； discretion； and truth even； had
taken flight。
The people had stormed the Bastile with arms； killed the governor；
and for the first time the dreadful cry 〃To the lamp…post！〃 was
heard in the streets of Paris； for the first time the iron arms of
the lamp…posts had been transformed to gallows； on which those were
suspended whom the people had declared guilty。
Meanwhile the lava…streams of revolution had not yet flowed out as
far as Versailles。
On the evening of the 14th of July； peace and silence had settled
early upon the palace； after a whole day spent in the apartments of
the king and queen with the greatest anxiety； and after resolution
had followed resolution in the efforts to come to a decision。
Marie Antoinette had early withdrawn to her rooms。 The king； too；
had retired to rest； and had already fallen into a deep slumber upon
his bed。 He had only slept a few hours； however； when he heard
something moving near his bed； with the evident intention of
awakening him。 The king recognized his valet； who； with signs of the
greatest alarm in his face； announced the Duke de Liancourt； grand
maitre de la garde…robe of his majesty； who was in the antechamber；
and who pressingly urged an immediate audience with the king。 Louis
trembled an instant； and tried to think what to do。 Then he rose
from his bed with a quick and energetic motion； and ordered the
valet to dress him at once。 After this had been done with the utmost
rapidity； the king ordered that the Duke de Liancourt should be
summoned to the adjacent apartment； w