emoval of her
boy, that he might he committed to the care of a tutor--the tutor named
being the cobbler, Simon, whose savageness of disposition was sufficiently
attested by the fact of his having been chosen on the recommendation of
Marat. At this unexpected blow, Marie Antoinette's fortitude and
resignation at last gave way. She wept, she remonstrated, she humbled
herself to entreat mercy. She threw her arms around her child, and
declared that force itself should not tear him from her. The commissioners
were not men likely to feel or show pity. They abused her; they threatened
her. She begged them rather to kill her than take her son. They would not
kill her, but they swore that they would murder both him and her daughter
before her eyes if he were not at once surrendered. There was no more
resistance. His aunt and sister took him from the bed and dressed him. His
mother, with a voice choked by her sobs, addressed him the last words he
was ever to hear from her. "My child, they are taking you from me; never
forget the mother who loves you tenderly, and never forget God! Be good,
gentle, and honest, and your father will look down on you from heaven and
bless you!" "Have you done with this preaching?" said the chief
commissioner. "You have abused our patience finely," another added; "the
nation is generous, and will take care of his education." But she had
fainted, and heard not these words of mocking cruelty. Nothing could touch
her further.

If it be not also a mockery to speak of happiness in connection with this
most afflicted queen, she was happy in at least not knowing the details of
the education which was in store for the noble boy whose birth had
apparently secured for him the most splendid of positions, and whose
opening virtues seemed to give every promise that he would be worthy of
his rank and of his mother. A few days afterward Simon received his
instructions from a committee of the Convention, of which Drouet, the
postmaster of Ste. Menehould, was the chief. "How was he to treat the wolf
cub?" he asked (it was one of the mildest names he ever gave him). "Was he
to kill him?" "No." "To poison him?" "No." "What then?" "He was to get rid
of him,[9]" and Simon carried out this instruction by the most unremitting
ill-treatment of his pupil. He imposed upon him the most menial offices;
he made him clean his shoes; he reviled him; he beat him; he compelled him
to wear the red cap and jacket which had been adopted