the memoirs of marie antoinette-第61章

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　Louise　Elisabeth　shall　remain　in　the　Temple　till　after　the　judgment　of　Marie　Antoinette。

Art。　　xiv。　　All　the　tombs　of　the　Kings　which　are　at　St。　Denis　and　in　the　departments　shall　be　destroyed　on　August　the　10th。

Art。　　xv。　　The　present　decree　shall　be　despatched　by　extraordinary　couriers　to　all　the　departments。






End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Marie　Antoinette；　V4　by　Madame　Campan






MEMOIRS　OF　THE　COURT　OF　MARIE　ANTOINETTE；　QUEEN　OF　FRANCE

Being　the　Historic　Memoirs　of　Madam　Campan；　First　Lady　in　Waiting　to　the　Queen


BOOK　5。



HISTORIC　COURT　MEMOIRS。

MARIE　ANTOINETTE。

CHAPTER　I。

The　ever…memorable　oath　of　the　States　General；　taken　at　the　Tennis　Court　of　Versailles；　was　followed　by　the　royal　sitting　of　the　23d　of　June。　　In　this　seance　the　King　declared　that　the　Orders　must　vote　separately；　and　threatened；　if　further　obstacles　were　met　with；　to　himself　act　for　the　good　of　the　people。　　The　Queen　looked　on　M。　Necker's　not　accompanying　the　King　as　treachery　or　criminal　cowardice：　she　said　that　he　had　converted　a　remedy　into　poison；　that　being　in　full　popularity；　his　audacity；　in　openly　disavowing　the　step　taken　by　his　sovereign；　had　emboldened　the　factious；　and　led　away　the　whole　Assembly；　and　that　he　was　the　more　culpable　inasmuch　as　he　had　the　evening　before　given　her　his　word　to　accompany　the　King。　　In　vain　did　M。　Necker　endeavour　to　excuse　himself　by　saying　that　his　advice　had　not　been　followed。

Soon　afterwards　the　insurrections　of　the　11th；　12th；　and　14th　of　July　＇The　Bastille　was　taken　on　the　14th　July；　1789。＇　opened　the　disastrous　drama　with　which　France　was　threatened。　　The　massacre　of　M。　de　Flesselles　and　M。　de　Launay　drew　bitter　tears　from　the　Queen；　and　the　idea　that　the　King　had　lost　such　devoted　subjects　wounded　her　to　the　heart。

The　character　of　the　movement　was　no　longer　merely　that　of　a　popular　insurrection；　cries　of　〃Vive　la　Nation！　　Vive　le　Roi！　　Vive　la　Liberte！〃　threw　the　strongest　light　upon　the　views　of　the　reformers。　　Still　the　people　spoke　of　the　King　with　affection；　and　appeared　to　think　him　favourable　to　the　national　desire　for　the　reform　of　what　were　called　abuses；　but　they　imagined　that　he　was　restrained　by　the　opinions　and　influence　of　the　Comte　d'Artois　and　the　Queen；　and　those　two　august　personages　were　therefore　objects　of　hatred　to　the　malcontents。　　The　dangers　incurred　by　the　Comte　d'Artois　determined　the　King's　first　step　with　the　States　General。　　He　attended　their　meeting　on　the　morning　of　the　15th　of　July　with　his　brothers；　without　pomp　or　escort；　he　spoke　standing　and　uncovered；　and　pronounced　these　memorable　words：　〃I　trust　myself　to　you；　I　only　wish　to　be　at　one　with　my　nation；　and；　counting　on　the　affection　and　fidelity　of　my　subjects；　I　have　given　orders　to　the　troops　to　remove　from　Paris　and　Versailles。〃　　The　King　returned　on　foot　from　the　chamber　of　the　States　General　to　his　palace；　the　deputies　crowded　after　him；　and　formed　his　escort；　and　that　of　the　Princes　who　accompanied　him。　The　rage　of　the　populace　was　pointed　against　the　Comte　d'Artois；　whose　unfavourable　opinion　of　the　double　representation　was　an　odious　crime　in　their　eyes。　　They　repeatedly　cried　out；　〃The　King　for　ever；　in　spite　of　you　and　your　opinions；　Monseigneur！〃　One　woman　had　the　impudence　to　come　up　to　the　King　and　ask　him　whether　what　he　had　been　doing　was　done　sincerely；　and　whether　he　would　not　be　forced　to　retract　it。

The　courtyards　of　the　Chateau　were　thronged　with　an　immense　concourse　of　people；　they　demanded　that　the　King　and　Queen；　with　their　children；　should　make　their　appearance　in　the　balcony。　　The　Queen　gave　me　the　key　of　the　inner　doors；　which　led　to　the　Dauphin's　apartments；　and　desired　me　to　go　to　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac　to　tell　her　that　she　wanted　her　son；　and　had　directed　me　to　bring　him　myself　into　her　room；　where　she　waited　to　show　him　to　the　people。　　The　Duchess　said　this　order　indicated　that　she　was　not　to　accompany　the　Prince。　　I　did　not　answer；　she　squeezed　my　hand；　saying；　〃Ah！　Madame　Campan；　what　a　blow　I　receive！〃　　She　embraced　the　child　and　me　with　tears。　　She　knew　how　much　I　loved　and　valued　the　goodness　and　the　noble　simplicity　of　her　disposition。　　I　endeavoured　to　reassure　her　by　saying　that　I　should　bring　back　the　Prince　to　her；　but　she　persisted；　and　said　she　understood　the　order；　and　knew　what　it　meant。　She　then　retired　to　her　private　room；　holding　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes。　　One　of　the　under…governesses　asked　me　whether　she　might　go　with　the　Dauphin；　I　told　her　the　Queen　had　given　no　order　to　the　contrary；　and　we　hastened　to　her　Majesty；　who　was　waiting　to　lead　the　Prince　to　the　balcony。

Having　executed　this　sad　commission；　I　went　down　into　the　courtyard；　where　I　mingled　with　the　crowd。　　I　heard　a　thousand　vociferations；　it　was　easy　to　see；　by　the　difference　between　the　language　and　the　dress　of　some　persons　among　the　mob；　that　they　were　in　disguise。　　A　woman；　whose　face　was　covered　with　a　black　lace　veil；　seized　me　by　the　arm　with　some　violence；　and　said；　calling　me　by　my　name；　〃I　know　you　very　well；　tell　your　Queen　not　to　meddle　with　government　any　longer；　let　her　leave　her　husband　and　our　good　States　General　to　effect　the　happiness　of　the　people。〃　　At　the　same　moment　a　man；　dressed　much　in　the　style　of　a　marketman；　with　his　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes；　seized　me　by　the　other　arm；　and　said；　〃Yes；　yes；　tell　her　over　and　over　again　that　it　will　not　be　with　these　States　as　with　the　others；　which　produced　no　good　to　the　people；　that　the　nation　is　too　enlightened　in　1789　not　to　make　something　more　of　them；　and　that　there　will　not　now　be　seen　a　deputy　of　the　'Tiers　Etat'　making　a　speech　with　one　knee　on　the　ground；　tell　her　this；　do　you　hear？　　〃I　was　struck　with　dread；　the　Queen　then　appeared　in　the　balcony。　〃Ah！〃　said　the　woman　in　the　veil；　〃the　Duchess　is　not　with　her。〃〃No；〃　replied　the　man；　〃but　she　is　still　at　Versailles；　she　is　working　underground；　molelike；　but　we　shall　know　how　to　dig　her　out。〃　　The　detestable　pair　moved　away　from　me；　and　I　reentered　the　palace；　scarcely　able　to　support　myself。　　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　relate　the　dialogue　of　these　two　strangers　to　the　Queen；　she　made　me　repeat　the　particulars　to　the　King。

About　four　in　the　afternoon　I　went　across　the　terrace　to　Madame　Victoire's　apartments；　three　men　had　stopped　under　the　windows　of　the　throne…chamber。　　〃Here　is　that　throne；〃　said　one　of　them　aloud；　〃the　vestiges　of　which　will　soon　be　sought　for。〃　　He　added　a　thousand　invectives　against　their　Majesties。　　I　went　in　to　the　Princess；　who　was　at　work　alone　in　her　closet；　behind　a　canvass　blind；　which　prevented　her　from　being　seen　by　those　without。　　The　three　men　were　still　walking　upon　the　terrace；　I　showed　them　to　her；　and　told　her　what　they　had　said。　　She　rose　to　take　a　nearer　view　of　them；　and　informed　me　that　one　of　them　was　named　Saint…Huruge；　that　he　was　sold　to　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　was　furious　against　the　Government；　because　he　had　been　confined　once　under　a　'lettre　de　cachet'　as　a　bad　character。

The　King　was　not　ignorant　of　these　popular　threats；　he　also　knew　the　days　on　which　money　was　scattered　about　Paris；　and　once　or　twice　the　Queen　prevented　my　going　there；　saying　there　would　certainly　be　a　riot　the　next　day；　because　she　knew　that　a　quantity　of　crown　pieces　had　been　distributed　in　the　faubourgs。

　　　　　＇I　have　seen　a　six…franc　crown　piece；　which　certainly　served　to　pay　　　　　　some　wretch　on　the　night　of　the　12th　of　July；　the　words　〃Midnight；　　　　　　12th　July；　three　pistols；〃　were　rather　deeply　engraven　on　it。　　They　　　　　　were；　no　doubt；　a　password　for　the　first　insurrection。　　　　　　MADAME　COMPAN＇

On　the　evening　of　the　14th　of　July　the　King　came　to　the　Queen's　apartments；　where　I　was　with　her　Majesty　alone；　he　conversed　with　her　respecting　the　scandalous　report　disseminated　by　the　factious；　that　he　had　had　the　Chamber　of　the　National　Assembly　undermined；　in　order　to　blow　it　up；　but　he　added　that　it　became　him　to　treat　such　absurd　assertions　with　contempt；　as　usual；　I　ventured　to　tell　him　that　I　had　the　evening　before　supped　with　M。　Begouen；　one　of　the　deputies；　who　said　that　there　were　very　respectable　persons　who　thought　that　this　horrible　contrivance　had　been　proposed　without　the　King's　knowledge。　　〃Th