the memoirs of marie antoinette-第105章

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garden；　because　she　must　have　passed　the　door　of　what　had　been　my　father's　room；　and　that　she　could　not　bear。　But　fearing　lest　want　of　air　should　prove　injurious　to　my　brother　and　me；　about　the　end　of　February　she　asked　permission　to　walk　on　the　leads　of　the　Tower；　and　it　was　granted。〃

The　Council　of　the　Commune；　becoming　aware　of　the　interest　which　these　sad　promenades　excited；　and　the　sympathy　with　which　they　were　observed　from　the　neighbouring　houses；　ordered　that　the　spaces　between　the　battlements　should　be　filled　up　with　shutters；　which　intercepted　the　view。　　But　while　the　rules　for　the　Queen's　captivity　were　again　made　more　strict；　some　of　the　municipal　commissioners　tried　slightly　to　alleviate　it；　and　by　means　of　M。　de　Hue；　who　was　at　liberty　in　Paris；　and　the　faithful　Turgi；　who　remained　in　the　Tower；　some　communications　passed　between　the　royal　family　and　their　friends。　　The　wife　of　Tison；　who　waited　on　the　Queen；　suspected　and　finally　denounced　these　more　lenient　guardians；＇Toulan；　Lepitre；　Vincent；　Bruno；　and　others。＇who　were　executed；　the　royal　prisoners　being　subjected　to　a　close　examination。

〃On　the　20th　of　April；〃　says　Madame　Royale；　〃my　mother　and　I　had　just　gone　to　bed　when　Hebert　arrived　with　several　municipals。　　We　got　up　hastily；　and　these　men　read　us　a　decree　of　the　Commune　directing　that　we　should　be　searched。　　My　poor　brother　was　asleep；　they　tore　him　from　his　bed　under　the　pretext　of　examining　it。　　My　mother　took　him　up；　shivering　with　cold。　　All　they　took　was　a　shopkeeper's　card　which　my　mother　had　happened　to　keep；　a　stick　of　sealing…wax　from　my　aunt；　and　from　me　'une　sacre　coeur　de　Jesus'　and　a　prayer　for　the　welfare　of　France。　　The　search　lasted　from　half…past　ten　at　night　till　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃

The　next　visit　of　the　officials　was　to　Madame　Elisabeth　alone；　they　found　in　her　room　a　hat　which　the　King　had　worn　during　his　imprisonment；　and　which　she　had　begged　him　to　give　her　as　a　souvenir。　　They　took　it　from　her　in　spite　of　her　entreaties。　　〃It　was　suspicious；〃　said　the　cruel　and　contemptible　tyrants。

The　Dauphin　became　ill　with　fever；　and　it　was　long　before　his　mother；　who　watched　by　him　night　and　day；　could　obtain　medicine　or　advice　for　him。　　When　Thierry　was　at　last　allowed　to　see　him　his　treatment　relieved　the　most　violent　symptoms；　but；　says　Madame　Royale；　〃his　health　was　never　reestablished。　　Want　of　air　and　exercise　did　him　great　mischief；　as　well　as　the　kind　of　life　which　this　poor　child　led；　who　at　eight　years　of　age　passed　his　days　amidst　the　tears　of　his　friends；　and　in　constant　anxiety　and　agony。〃

While　the　Dauphin's　health　was　causing　his　family　such　alarm；　they　were　deprived　of　the　services　of　Tison's　wife；　who　became　ill；　and　finally　insane；　and　was　removed　to　the　Hotel　Dieu；　where　her　ravings　were　reported　to　the　Assembly　and　made　the　ground　of　accusations　against　the　royal　prisoners。

　　　　　＇This　woman；　troubled　by　remorse；　lost　her　reason；　threw　herself　at　　　　　　the　feet　of　the　Queen；　implored　her　pardon；　and　disturbed　the　Temple　　　　　　for　many　days　with　the　sight　and　the　noise　of　her　madness。　　The　　　　　　Princesses；　forgetting　the　denunciations　of　this　unfortunate　being；　　　　　　in　consideration　of　her　repentance　and　insanity；　watched　over　her　by　　　　　　turns；　and　deprived　themselves　of　their　own　food　to　relieve　her。　　　　　　LAMARTINE；　〃History　of　the　Girondists；〃　vol。　iii。；　p。140。＇

No　woman　took　her　place；　and　the　Princesses　themselves　made　their　beds；　swept　their　rooms；　and　waited　upon　the　Queen。

Far　worse　punishments　than　menial　work　were　prepared　for　them。　　On　3d　July　a　decree　of　the　Convention　ordered　that　the　Dauphin　should　be　separated　from　his　family　and　〃placed　in　the　most　secure　apartment　of　the　Tower。〃　　As　soon　as　he　heard　this　decree　pronounced；　says　his　sister；　〃he　threw　himself　into　my　mother's　arms；　and　with　violent　cries　entreated　not　to　be　parted　from　her。　　My　mother　would　not　let　her　son　go；　and　she　actually　defended　against　the　efforts　of　the　officers　the　bed　in　which　she　had　placed　him。　　The　men　threatened　to　call　up　the　guard　and　use　violence。　　My　mother　exclaimed　that　they　had　better　kill　her　than　tear　her　child　from　her。　　At　last　they　threatened　our　lives；　and　my　mother's　maternal　tenderness　forced　her　to　the　sacrifice。　　My　aunt　and　I　dressed　the　child；　for　my　poor　mother　had　no　longer　strength　for　anything。　Nevertheless；　when　he　was　dressed；　she　took　him　up　in　her　arms　and　delivered　him　herself　to　the　officers；　bathing　him　with　her　tears；　foreseeing　that　she　was　never　to　behold　him　again。　　The　poor　little　fellow　embraced　us　all　tenderly；　and　was　carried　away　in　a　flood　of　tears。　　My　mother's　horror　was　extreme　when　she　heard　that　Simon；　a　shoemaker　by　trade；　whom　she　had　seen　as　a　municipal　officer　in　the　Temple；　was　the　person　to　whom　her　child　was　confided　。　　。　　。　　。　　The　officers　now　no　longer　remained　in　my　mother's　apartment；　they　only　came　three　times　a　day　to　bring　our　meals　and　examine　the　bolts　and　bars　of　our　windows；　we　were　locked　up　together　night　and　day。　　We　often　went　up　to　the　Tower；　because　my　brother　went；　too；　from　the　other　side。　　The　only　pleasure　my　mother　enjoyed　was　seeing　him　through　a　crevice　as　he　passed　at　a　distance。　　She　would　watch　for　hours　together　to　see　him　as　he　passed。　　It　was　her　only　hope；　her　only　thought。〃

The　Queen　was　soon　deprived　even　of　this　melancholy　consolation。　　On　1st　August；　1793；　it　was　resolved　that　she　should　be　tried。　　Robespierre　opposed　the　measure；　but　Barere　roused　into　action　that　deep…rooted　hatred　of　the　Queen　which　not　even　the　sacrifice　of　her　life　availed　to　eradicate。　　〃Why　do　the　enemies　of　the　Republic　still　hope　for　success？〃　he　asked。　　〃Is　it　because　we　have　too　long　forgotten　the　crimes　of　the　Austrian？　　The　children　of　Louis　the　Conspirator　are　hostages　for　the　Republic　。　　。　　。but　behind　them　lurks　a　woman　who　has　been　the　cause　of　all　the　disasters　of　France。〃

At　two　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　following　day；　the　municipal　officers　〃awoke　us；〃　says　Madame　Royale；　〃to　read　to　my　mother　the　decree　of　the　Convention；　which　ordered　her　removal　to　the　Conciergerie；

　　　　　＇The　Conciergerie　was　originally；　as　its　name　implies；　the　porter's　　　　　　lodge　of　the　ancient　Palace　of　Justice；　and　became　in　time　a　prison；　　　　　　from　the　custom　of　confining　there　persons　who　had　committed　　　　　　trifling　offences　about　the　Court。＇

preparatory　to　her　trial。　　She　heard　it　without　visible　emotion；　and　without　speaking　a　single　word。　　My　aunt　and　I　immediately　asked　to　be　allowed　to　accompany　my　mother；　but　this　favour　was　refused　us。　　All　the　time　my　mother　was　making　up　a　bundle　of　clothes　to　take　with　her；　these　officers　never　left　her。　　She　was　even　obliged　to　dress　herself　before　them；　and　they　asked　for　her　pockets；　taking　away　the　trifles　they　contained。　　She　embraced　me；　charging　me　to　keep　up　my　spirits　and　my　courage；　to　take　tender　care　of　my　aunt；　and　obey　her　as　a　second　mother。　She　then　threw　herself　into　my　aunt's　arms；　and　recommended　her　children　to　her　care；　my　aunt　replied　to　her　in　a　whisper；　and　she　was　then　hurried　away。　　In　leaving　the　Temple　she　struck　her　head　against　the　wicket；　not　having　stooped　low　enough。

　　　　　＇Mathieu；　the　gaoler；　used　to　say；　〃I　make　Madame　Veto　and　her　　　　　　sister　and　daughter；　proud　though　they　are；　salute　me；　for　the　door　　　　　　is　so　low　they　cannot　pass　without　bowing。〃＇

The　officers　asked　whether　she　had　hurt　herself。　　'No；'　she　replied；　'nothing　can　hurt　me　now：




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Last　Moments　of　Marie　Antoinette。

We　have　already　seen　what　changes　had　been　made　in　the　Temple。　　Marie　Antoinette　had　been　separated　from　her　sister；　her　daughter；　and　her　Son；　by　virtue　of　a　decree　which　ordered　the　trial　and　exile　of　the　last　members　of　the　family　of　the　Bourbons。　　She　had　been　removed　to　the　Conciergerie；　and　there；　alone　in　a　narrow　prison；　she　was　reduced　to　what　was　strictly　necessary；　like　the　other　prisoners。　　The　imprudence　of　a　devoted　friend　had　rendered　her　situation　still　more　irksome。　Michonnis；　a　member　of　the　municipality；　in　whom　she　had　excited　a　warm　interest；　was　desirous　of　introducing　to　her　a　person　who；　he　said；　wished　to　see　her　out　of　curiosity。　　This　man；　a　courageous　emigrant；　threw　to　h