DEATH OF THE DAUPHIN 37

Lord the King? The king has shut
himself up alone in a room at the
farther end of the palace. Majesty is
not pleased to be seen weeping. For
the queen it is different. Seated by
the side of the little Dauphin’s pillow
her fair face is bathed in tears, and she
sobs aloud before every one just as a
linen-draper’s wife might do.

The little Dauphin lies on his lace
couch with closed eyes, whiter than
the pillows on which he is stretched.
- He seems asleep, but is not so. The
little Dauphin slumbers not. He turns
to his mother and seeing her tears he
says, ‘Why does your Majesty weep?
Do you really think that I am going to
die?’ The queen tries to answer.
Her sobs prevent her. ‘Your Majesty
should not weep. You forget that I
am the Dauphin, and that Dauphins
cannot die like this . . /

The queen sobs louder, and the
little Dauphin begins to be afraid.

‘Hold,’ he says; ‘I do not choose