noon
At seven the carefully and skilfully-planned flight was to be made . The clock in the tower of the Temple had already struck four . Toulan had not yet come , and the guards of the day had not yet been relieved . They had had a little leisure at noon for dinner , and during the interim Simon and Tison were on guard , and had kept the queen on the rack with their mockery and their abusive words . In order to avoid the language and the looks of these men , she had fled into the children 's room , to whom the princess , in her trustful calmness and unshaken equanimity , was assigning them lessons . Marie Antoinette wanted to find protection here from the dreadful anxiety that tortured her , as well as from the ribald jests and scurrility of her keepers . But Mistress Tison was there , standing near the glass window , gazing in with a malicious grin , and working in her wonted , quick way upon the long stocking , and knitting , knitting , so that you could hear the needles click together .