the memoirs of marie antoinette-第66章

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On　the　first　intimation　of　the　march　of　the　Parisians；　the　Comte　de　Saint…Priest　prepared　Rambouillet　for　the　reception　of　the　King；　his　family；　and　suite；　and　the　carriages　were　even　drawn　out；　but　a　few　cries　of　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　　when　the　women　reported　his　Majesty's　favourable　answer；　occasioned　the　intention　of　going　away　to　be　given　up；　and　orders　were　given　to　the　troops　to　withdraw。

　　　　　＇Compare　this　account　with　the　particulars　given　in　the　〃Memoirs〃　of　　　　　　Ferribres；　Weber；　Bailly；　and　Saint…Priest；　from　the　latter　of　which　　　　　　the　following　sentence　is　taken：

　　　　　〃M。　d'Estaing　knew　not　what　to　do　with　the　Body　Guards　beyond　　　　　　bringing　them　into　the　courtyard　of　the　ministers；　and　shutting　the　　　　　　grilles。　　Thence　they　proceeded　to　the　terrace　of　the　Chateau；　then　　　　　　to　Trianon；　and　lastly　to　Rambouillet。

　　　　　〃I　could　not　refrain　from　expressing　to　M。　d'Estaing；　when　he　came　　　　　　to　the　King；　my　astonishment　at　not　seeing　him　make　any　military　　　　　　disposition。　　'Monsieur；'　replied　he；　'I　await　the　orders　of　the　　　　　　King'　（who　did　not　open　his　mouth）。　　'When　the　King　gives　no　　　　　　orders；'　pursued　I；　'a　general　should　decide　for　himself　in　a　　　　　　soldierly　manner。'　　This　observation　remained　unanswered。〃＇

The　Body　Guards　were；　however；　assailed　with　stones　and　musketry　while　they　were　passing　from　the　Place　d'Armes　to；　their　hotel。　　Alarm　revived；　again　it　was　thought　necessary　that　the　royal　family　should　go　away；　some　carriages　still　remained　ready　for　travelling；　they　were　called　for；　they　were　stopped　by　a　wretched　player　belonging　to　the　theatre　of　the　town；　seconded　by　the　mob：　the　opportunity　for　flight　had　been　lost。

The　insurrection　was　directed　against　the　Queen　in　particular；　I　shudder　even　now　at　the　recollection　of　the　poissardes；　or　rather　furies；　who　wore　white　aprons；　which　they　screamed　out　were　intended　to　receive　the　bowels　of　Marie　Antoinette；　and　that　they　would　make　cockades　of　them；　mixing　the　most　obscene　expressions　with　these　horrible　threats。

The　Queen　went　to　bed　at　two　in　the　morning；　and　even　slept；　tired　out　with　the　events　of　so　distressing　a　day。　　She　had　ordered　her　two　women　to　bed；　imagining　there　was　nothing　to　dread；　at　least　for　that　night；　but　the　unfortunate　Princess　was　indebted　for　her　life　to　that　feeling　of　attachment　which　prevented　their　obeying　her。　　My　sister；　who　was　one　of　the　ladies　in　question；　informed　me　next　day　of　all　that　I　am　about　to　relate。

On　leaving　the　Queen's　bedchamber；　these　ladies　called　their　femmes　de　chambre；　and　all　four　remained　sitting　together　against　her　Majesty's　bedroom　door。　　About　half…past　four　in　the　morning　they　heard　horrible　yells　and　discharges　of　firearms；　one　ran　to　the　Queen　to　awaken　her　and　get　her　out　of　bed；　my　sister　flew　to　the　place　from　which　the　tumult　seemed　to　proceed；　she　opened　the　door　of　the　antechamber　which　leads　to　the　great　guard…room；　and　beheld　one　of　the　Body　Guard　holding　his　musket　across　the　door；　and　attacked　by　a　mob；　who　were　striking　at　him；　his　face　was　covered　with　blood；　he　turned　round　and　exclaimed：　〃Save　the　Queen；　madame；　they　are　come　to　assassinate　her！〃　　She　hastily　shut　the　door　upon　the　unfortunate　victim　of　duty；　fastened　it　with　the　great　bolt；　and　took　the　same　precaution　on　leaving　the　next　room。　　On　reaching　the　Queen's　chamber　she　cried　out　to　her；　〃Get　up；　Madame！　　Don't　stay　to　dress　yourself；　fly　to　the　King's　apartment！〃　　The　terrified　Queen　threw　herself　out　of　bed；　they　put　a　petticoat　upon　her　without　tying　it；　and　the　two　ladies　conducted　her　towards　the　oile…de…boeuf。　　A　door；　which　led　from　the　Queen's　dressing…room　to　that　apartment；　had　never　before　been　fastened　but　on　her　side。　　What　a　dreadful　moment！　　It　was　found　to　be　secured　on　the　other　side。　　They　knocked　repeatedly　with　all　their　strength；　a　servant　of　one　of　the　King's　valets　de　chambre　came　and　opened　it；　the　Queen　entered　the　King's　chamber；　but　he　was　not　there。　Alarmed　for　the　Queen's　life；　he　had　gone　down　the　staircases　and　through　the　corridors　under　the　oeil…de…boeuf；　by　means　of　which　he　was　accustomed　to　go　to　the　Queen's　apartments　without　being　under　the　necessity　of　crossing　that　room。　　He　entered　her　Majesty's　room　and　found　no　one　there　but　some　Body　Guards；　who　had　taken　refuge　in　it。　　The　King；　unwilling　to　expose　their　lives；　told　them　to　wait　a　few　minutes；　and　afterwards　sent　to　desire　them　to　go　to　the　oeil…de…boeuf。　　Madame　de　Tourzel；　at　that　time　governess　of　the　children　of　France；　had　just　taken　Madame　and　the　Dauphin　to　the　King's　apartments。　　The　Queen　saw　her　children　again。　　The　reader　must　imagine　this　scene　of　tenderness　and　despair。

It　is　not　true　that　the　assassins　penetrated　to　the　Queen's　chamber　and　pierced　the　bed　with　their　swords。　　The　fugitive　Body　Guards　were　the　only　persons　who　entered　it；　and　if　the　crowd　had　reached　so　far　they　would　all　have　been　massacred。　　Besides；　when　the　rebels　had　forced　the　doors　of　the　antechamber；　the　footmen　and　officers　on　duty；　knowing　that　the　Queen　was　no　longer　in　her　apartments；　told　them　so　with　that　air　of　truth　which　always　carries　conviction。　　The　ferocious　horde　instantly　rushed　towards　the　oeil…de…boeuf；　hoping；　no　doubt；　to　intercept　her　on　her　way。

Many　have　asserted　that　they　recognised　the　Duc　d'Orleans　in　a　greatcoat　and　slouched　hat；　at　half…past　four　in　the　morning；　at　the　top　of　the　marble　staircase；　pointing　out　with　his　hand　the　guard…room；　which　led　to　the　Queen's　apartments。　　This　fact　was　deposed　to　at　the　Chatelet　by　several　individuals　in　the　course　of　the　inquiry　instituted　respecting　the　transactions　of　the　5th　and　6th　of　October。

　　　　　＇The　National　Assembly　was　sitting　when　information　of　the　march　of　　　　　　the　Parisians　was　given　to　it　by　one　of　the　deputies　who　came　from　　　　　　Paris。　　A　certain　number　of　the　members　were　no　strangers；　to　this　　　　　　movement。　　It　appears　that　Mirabeau　wished　to　avail　himself　of　it　to　　　　　　raise　the　Duc　d'Orleans　to　the　throne。　　Mounier；　who　presided　over　　　　　　the　National　Assembly；　rejected　the　idea　with　horror。　　〃My　good　　　　　　man；〃　said　Mirabeau　to　him；　〃what　difference　will　it　make　to　you　to　　　　　　have　Louis　XVII。　for　your　King　instead　of　Louis　XVI。？〃　（The　Duc　　　　　　d'Orleans　was　baptised　Louis。）＇

The　prudence　and　honourable　feeling　of　several　officers　of　the　Parisian　guards；　and　the　judicious　conduct　of　M。　de　Vaudreuil；　lieutenant…general　of　marine；　and　of　M。　de　Chevanne；　one　of　the　King's　Guards；　brought　about　an　understanding　between　the　grenadiers　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris　and　the　King's　Guard。　　The　doors　of　the　oeil…de…boeuf　were　closed；　and　the　antechamber　which　precedes　that　room　was　filled　with　grenadiers　who　wanted　to　get　in　to　massacre　the　Guards。　　M。　de　Chevanne　offered　himself　to　them　as　a　victim　if　they　wished　for　one；　and　demanded　what　they　would　have。　　A　report　had　been　spread　through　their　ranks　that　the　Body　Guards　set　them　at　defiance；　and　that　they　all　wore　black　cockades。　　M。　de　Chevanne　showed　them　that　he　wore；　as　did　the　corps；　the　cockade　of　their　uniform；　and　promised　that　the　Guards　should　exchange　it　for　that　of　the　nation。　　This　was　done；　they　even　went　so　far　as　to　exchange　their　grenadiers'　caps　for　the　hats　of　the　Body　Guards；　those　who　were　on　guard　took　off　their　shoulder…belts；　embraces　and　transports　of　fraternisation　instantly　succeeded　to　the　savage　eagerness　to　murder　the　band　which　had　shown　so　much　fidelity　to　its　sovereign。　　The　cry　was　now　〃Vivent　le　Roi；　la　Nation；　et　les　Gardes…du…corps！〃

The　army　occupied　the　Place　d'Armes；　all　the　courtyards　of　the　Chateau；　and　the　entrance　to　the　avenue。　　They　called　for　the　Queen　to　appear　in　the　balcony：　she　came　forward　with　Madame　and　the　Dauphin。　　There　was　a　cry　of　〃No　children！〃　　Was　this　with　a　view　to　deprive　her　of　the　interest　she　inspired；　accompanied　as　she　was　by　her　young　family；　or　did　the　leaders　of　the　democrats　hope　that　some　madman　would　venture　to　aim　a　mortal　blow　at　her　person？　　The　unfortunate　Princess　certainly　was　impressed　with　the　latter　idea；　for　she　sent　away　her　children；　and　with　her　hands　and　eyes　raised　towards　heaven；　advanced　upon　the　balcony　like　a　self…devoted　victim。

A　few　voices　shouted　〃To　Paris！〃　　The　exclamati