Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-03-11
THE DAUPHIN'S DEATH.
.oHE rrouoAr poFsEssts The
MIND Of rHR chilli.
His Power Can Keep the King OF Ter
rors at Bay-s'Is 1t, Then. Moth
Ing to Bo Dauphin?"-
Nothing Avails.

remains exposed 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 carriages
slacken their pace. In the neighbour
hood of the palace the curious towns
the beadles with gilded paunches. who
converse in the courts and put or i'm
portant airs.
All the castle is in futter. Cham
berlains and major-domos run up and
down the marble stairways. The gal
leries are full of pages and courtiers
in silken apparel who hurry from one
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 handker-
chiefs.
A large assembly OF robed physicians
has gathered In the orangery. They
can be seen through the panes
waving their long black sleeves and
inclining their periwigs with profess
sional gestures. The governor and
the eluerry of the little Dauphin walk
up and down before the door awaiting
the decision of the faculty. Solutions
pass by without saluting them. The
equerry swears like q pagan. The
governor quotes verses from Horace.
And meanwhile. over there in the
direction of the stables is heard
long and plaintive neighing; it is the
little Dauphin's sorrel. forgotten by
the hostlers and calling sadly before
his empty manger
And the king. Where is his high
ness the kingp The king has locked
himself up in a room at the other end
of the castle. Majesties do not like
to be seen weeping. For the queen
it is different. Sitting by the bedside
of the little dauphin she bows her
fair face. bathed in tears, and sobs
very loudly before every body, like q
mere Diapers wife.
In the bed. embroidered with lace,
the little dauphin. whittier than the
pillows on which he is extended, lies
with closed eyes. They think that he
is asleep. but no. the little dauphin is
not asleep. He turns toward his
mother and seeing her tears, he asks:
MADAME la RENE, why do you
weepP Do you really believe am
going to diep'
The queen tries to answer. Sobs
prevent her from speaking.
DO not weep, Madame la Refine.
You forget that l am the dauphin.
and that dauphins can not dia thus"
The queen sobs more violently. and
the dauphin begins to feel frightened.
"Holloa." says he. IL do not want
death to come and take me away. |
know how to prevent him from COM
ing here. Order up on the spot forty
of the strongest lansquenets to keep
guard around our bed! Have 100 big
cannons watch day and night with
lighted fuses under our windows! And
woe to death if he dares to come near
usr' In order TO humor the royal
child the queen makes sign. On
the spot the great cannons are heard
rolling in the courts, and forty tall
lanseuenets with halberds in their
fists, draw up around the room. They
are all veterans with grizzly mus
taches. The little dauphin clasps his
hands on seeing them. He recognizes
one and calls:
.Lorraln! Lorrain!''
The veteran makes a step toward
the bed.
Il love you WE'LL my old Lorrain.
Let me see your big sword. If death
wants to fetch me- you will kill him,
won'S youP"
Lorrain answers: Yes Monselg-
neur" And two great tears roll down
his tanned cheeks. e, ..s
At that mohdnt' the chaplain APP
proaches the little dauphin, and, point
ing to the crucifix talks to him in low
tones. The little dauphin listens with
astonished air. then. suddenly inter-
rupting him:
Il understand we'll what you are
saying. Monsieur lAbbe but still
couldn't my little friend Beppo die in
my place, If l gave him plenty OF
money!"
The chaplain continues to talk to
him in low tones. and the little dau-
phin looks more and more astonished.
| When the chaplain had finished the
little dauphin resumes. with heavy
sigh:
What you have said is all very
WELL Monster rAbbe; but one thing
consoles me, and that is that up there
in the paradise of the stars, shall
still be the dauphin. know that the
good God is my cousin. and can not
fail to treat me according to my
rank"
Then he adds turning towards his
mother: Bring me my fairest
clothes. my doublet of white ermine
and my pumps of velvet! / wish to
look brave 10 the angels and to enter
paradise in the dress of a dauphin.
A third time the chaplain bends
over the little dauphin and talks to
him in low tones. In the midst OF his
discourse the royal child interrupts
him angrily:
why them" he cries, Ito be
dauphin Is nothing at allr'
And, refusing to listen TO any thioG
more, the little dauphin turns to the