The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-07
A ROYAL WITHIN.

The little dauphin is i'll; the little dau-
phin is dying. In all the churches of the
kingdom the holy remains ex-
posed night and day, and great tapers
burn. for the recovery of the royal child.
The streets of the old capital are sad and
silent, the bells ring no more, the carri-
ages lackcn their pace and creep silently
along as they near the house where the
little dauphin. beloved of all, lies dying.
In the neighborhood of the palace the
curious townspeople gaze through the rail-
ings upon the beadles with gilded
paunches. who walk up and down as
they converse in the courts n put on
important airs. All the castle is in a Hut
ter. Chamberlains and major-domos run
up and down the marble stairways. The
galleries are full of pages and of courtiers
in silken apparel, who hurry from n
group to another, begging in low tones
for news. Upon the wide perrons the
maids of honor, in tears. exchange low
courtesies, and wipe their eyes with
daintily embroidered handkerchiefs. A
large assemblage Of ROBBED physicians has
gathered i'm the They a be
seen through the panes waving their long
black sleeves and inclining their periwigs
with professional gesture. The governor
and the equerry of the little dauphin walk
mp and down before the door a~nxiously
awaiting the decision of the learned fac
ulty. Solutions pass by without saluting
them, seeming unaware of their presence.
The equerry swears like a pagan; the
governor quotes verses from Horace. And
meanwhile, over there i'm the direction of
the stables. is heard a long and plaintive
neighing; IL is the little %dauphin's sorrel,
forgotten by the hostlers and calling
sadly before his empty manger. And the
king? Where is his highness the king?
The king has locked himself up i'm a room
at the other end Of the castle that he may
our alone. Majesties, you know, do not
like 10 be seen weeping. For the queen
il is different. Sitting by the bedside of
the little dauphin, she bows her fair face,
bathed in tears, u sobs very loudly be-
fore everybody. For seven nights she has
sat at the sick bed OF the little dauphin.
With her own hands she has held the
spoon of medicine To his lips and given
him the little food-a sip of wine, and a
light cake and a taste of fruit-all he
could take. The queen, stern and
naughty, had become gentle and kind;
the shadow of coming death had trans
formed the stately queen into the loving
mother-the mother who counts nothing
in life great but the treasure she is to lose.
On the bed, embroidered with lace, the
little dauphin whittier han the pillows on
which he is extended, lies with closed
eyes, his face thin and worn. They think
that he is asleep; but no. the little
dauphin Is not asleep, he hears all. He
turns toward his mother, and. seeing her
tears, puts his hand caressingly in hers,
draws the hand of the queen To his
la Refine, why do you weep? Do you
really believe that ! am going to die?"
The queen tries TO answer: Sobs prevent
her from speaking. "Do not weep,
Madame Ia Refine You forget that l am
the dauphin, and that dauphins cannot
die thus. Do not weep So" The queen
sobs more violently, n the little dauphin
begins to eel frightened. "Halloa! :"
says he, ~ do not want Death to come
n take me away, and l know how to
prevent him from coming here. Order
upon the spot forty of the strongest
l~ansquenets to keep guard around our
bed! Have a hundred big a watch
day and night, with lighted fuses. under
our windows! And woe TO Death il he
dare to come near u.s." In order TO
humor the royal child, the queen gives
instant the great m are
heard rolling In the courts, and
forty tall l~ansquenets, with halberds I'm
their fists, file in through the open door
way, with all the pomp and dignity of a
royal review, n drew M around the
room. They are all veterans, with grizzly
m~ustaches. The little dauphin claps his
and on seeing them. He recognizes
one n calls: "Lorrain! Lorrain!" The
veteran makes a step toward the bed. II
love you well, my old Lorrain. Let me
see your big sword. III Death wants To
fetch me, you will kill him before he eau
touch me, won't you" Lorrain answers
"Yes, monseigneur." And two great tears
roll down his tanned cheeks. There is a
restless little stir in the ranks of the tall
lanseqnenets, as If they. hardened and
roughened as they are. feel saddened a,
the strange stiffness and sense of loss al
the death-bed of the little dauphin.
At that moment the chaplain approach,
es the little ~dauphin, and, pointing to the
crucifix at the side of the bed. talks Ia
him i'm low tones. The little dauphin lis.
tens with astonished air; then, suddenly
~interrupting him: 81 understand wei
what YOU are saying, Monsieur fAbbe
but still, couldn't my little friend Beppo
die in my place IL | gave him plenty OF
money!" The chaplain continues TO talk
to him in low tones, and the little dauphir
looks more and more astonished. When
the chaplain has finished. the little
dauphin assumes. with a heavy sigh
what you have said is all very sad, Mon
sier rAbbe; but one thing consoles me
and that is that up there, in ia,
paradise of the stars, l shall still
be the dauphin. ] know that the good
God is my cousin. and cannot fail to treat
.n. aaanralinu IN my rank Then "A,