Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-12-12
FOf tile SPECrArUh.
TWO ODD SKETCHES.
The Death of the Dauphin.

From the pen of Alphonse Daudet Trans
lated from the French by g 81
The little Oauphin is very ill-thp
title Dauphin is going to die n
IN all The churches of The kingdom the
H"ly Sacrament has remsined exposed
'mih day and night. and massive wax
candles are constantly burning, dpdi-
-attd IN the r. cOv-ry of the roy al child.
he streets of the old city are silent aud
s-riei !; the bells no louger peal forth
| IA RACES are bot allowed to rass On
ne su' aidr5 of the palace, the curious
populace watch the liveried laequeys
WHO whiper to each other with in
reastd p"mIosity. a "a s-.
the eutire Castle ia in an excitement
Chamn-riains and major donos ascend
sd descend the great marble stairs ;
s,apts an.' courtiers in silkeu attire. cir
culate, frum group t. group. asking for
eu- in suadneh ten 8. In The vast
.alieries the court ladies', in tears. bow
- rsch other with grave cnuntenances.
they wipe tneir weeping eyes with
i.iutiiy eubroi0ered bandkt rchiefs.
IL the conservatory there is q larg.
Gathering Of roUed physicians. their
iHg black sleeves waving back and
ID forth as they spleunly discuss
nj sspeIy md their pe'ugutd heads.
Tue D.uphin's tutor and his .uu+rry
walk up and down before the door
~aiii, z fer the Medical Faculty to ar
I'VE at q conclusion The scullions
l,ass nv th-m without howipx The
Yuerrv swears like trooper; the tufor
e,.-ata verses from Horace A. inter
2 eai- "re tear- from the dIteclInp of tn.
stables the piaintive n-igbiny of a
| 'r,rse l. j. the D.uphin's = sliced which
he i.osii+is have torgr.ien, and which.
| Standing before his empty trough. hun.
grily calls for his accustomed food
And the hing? Where Is NV lord.
he king? THE king has lacked him.
-eif alone il, q remote chamber at the
further +nd of the palace Suvereiyrs
':o not like I" have the people s.e them
uee,,ing But with the queen it il
different Seated by the Danphin's :
bedside. her beautiful face l.a,hed in
ears. she weepr sa if She were the
nimblest work woman in all the king
DOM.
/" his bed of lace the little Dauphip
lies with closed eA es and his pinche.i
ace I'a!er and whittier than the SUNNY
nliows which surround them They
SUPPOSE h+ sleeps; n',. the little Dauph.
III is not asleep. He opsns his eyes.
turns himself rwarfs his nnther, and
noti'ing her tears, he say y TO her:
.'MahaIne, the queen, why do you
weep? Do you really believe, ike The
Others, that / am going to die pa
The queen tries L. speak tears choke
her utterAhce
"D0 not weep. Madame the queen
fyou forget that am the DAnphin, and
chat dauphips do nOt die thus ?i
| The queens snhs grow Louder, and
the little Dsuphin becomes frish ht ned
Hold" cries he. II do not waui
Death tn take nle away; and | know
how TO prevent him frasm ccm,iny here
[ order yuu to summon forty of niy
| hrav+st and str"ng+st. guards to sur
round my bedside Let ,h-re t,e hun
dred canrors placed under my win
d0ws, wit, gur.ntrs watching dag aud
night. the lighted fuse in hand. And
wu- IT, Death, if he dares approach vu,
royal person
T." humOr the child. the queen give,
the signal. Immediately the noise d
great cani'Ons ia hsar6 as I pey are rolleS
acrn.s ,na court yard. xrd forty guard,
with arhls III hand enter and surrount
the g,idsst- couch They are old svete
! rans with gfizz'v h-ards. TIE ljitl,
TJamphin claps his .h.pds on " ei :, ,
them Recognizing one of ;hem," vi
calls to han: ~ w u.
= - IoIrain, Lorrain p
4.