New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-14
A QUEEN IN EXILE.
TRAGICAL SCENE IN DAUDETs NEW
NOVEL OF LES ROIS IN EXILE

I4fsrGru World.
Christian gradually falls lower and lower; he
finds his companions among doubtful charactcrs,
and involves himself in financial difficulties wDich
only the noble generosity OF an old general, whom
he had once driven from his kingdom, prevents
from reducing HIM TO abject poverty. He sells the
decoration which had hitherto been The PRIDE OF
great MOBILES and the " cross OF Illyria" becomes
the property of any bourgeois who is able To pay
the price FrederiqHe protests. threatens pleads
all in vain At length the DalInatlan assembly an
nounees that If Christian viii abjure his claim TO
the throne, bis estates will be made over into his
control. After some hesitation be signs the docu-
ment, but Is discovered by the Qucen in the very
act. Then follows % Of great dramatic effect.
To the circumstances of Fred6fque the king turns
deaf ear She hastens from the room and returns
leading the little leopold:
"Fr6lerque, without word, dragged the child
TO the feet Of Christian J., and suddenly kneeling,
placed him before her clasping his little bands In
her own. The King will not listen to me; perhaps
he will listen TO y0u cara. Come, say after re-Tny
father. The tImId voice repeated My father-ny
father-my king, ] cOniurc you-lO not rob your
child do not take from him the crown which he
should one day wear. Remember that II mot yonrs
alone that il comes from above that II comes RON
God who or 500 years has given II into The care OF
the house of lllyria. God wills that | be KING,
father IL - my heritage my own yon have no right
10 take 10 away from me- Inc httie prince ac-
cOmpanied the eager muI1nur with tue I'M
pioring pances of one at prayer: but Chris
tan turned away Bis head shrugged his
shoulders, and raging, although seemingly calm.
turn the chld's head Then he walked TO the
door. With one bound the queen stood before him,
glanced at the table which no longer held the
parchment, and knew, with blush OF shame, thar
the act of mfanv had been signed: Christian"
he continued to advance. She stepped forward ~
il to follow, then suddenly exclaimed: Very well!
so be IT, He paused and btheld her upright be-
fore the open window, her feet upon the narrow
stone coping, one arm claspinR her child and the
other upiftcd IN menace toward the departing
figure OF the king The moonlight streaned In over
the group.
'''ro the king of the opera. the queen Of the
tragedy she said. IN grave and terrible
voice Burn Instantly what you have jnst signed,
take oath upon the cross that you viii never
again attempt such a deed-Or YOUR race Is ended,
broken. Your wife and child there-below
upon tho pavement And in her words, her
lovely form leaning ont into space, there was
such determination that the terrified king sprang
forward to hold her back FredeuqueD At his
fathers cry and rhe trembling If the arm which
upheld him. the chd-even then without the WIN
dOw-thOuVht that all was over and that they were
To die. He had not a word, not murmur, since he
was To depart in his mothers embrace. lie simply
clasped his little hands about the queens neck. and
turning his head toward her flowing hair. closed ms
beautiful Dyes in dread of the fall. Christian re-
sisted further. 4 he resignation. the courage OF
the infant-king who already comprehended hrs fu-
ture role SO we'll even 10 dic!-his heart was beat
ing rapidly. He threw the do .ument which he held
upon the table and sank sObblng INTO chair. Fred
Cirque still defiant read lt through from the fifst
line to the signature, then held II 10 a candle burn
ing 10 to her fingers, cast the blaekened fragments
upon the table, and went away to place her son IN
bed-her who already slept in his heroic attitude
of "A SuicideO