the memoirs of marie antoinette-第84章

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m。　　　　　　Turning　round　the　picture；　behind　which　he　had　hidden　the　Queen's　　　　　　letter；　he　found　it　in　the　place　into　which　he　had　slipped　it；　and；　　　　　　delighted　to　see　that　I　was　safe　from　the　ill　consequences　the　　　　　　discovery　of　this　paper　might　have　brought　upon　me；　he　burnt　it　　　　　　instantly。　　In　times　of　danger　a　mere　nothing　may　save　life　or　　　　　　destroy　it。MADAME　CAMPAN＇

At　the　moment　that　I　was　going　to　express　my　gratitude　to　the　Queen　I　heard　a　tapping　at　the　door　of　my　room；　which　opened　upon　the　Queen's　inner　corridor。　　I　opened　it；　it　was　the　King。　　I　was　confused；　he　perceived　it；　and　said　to　me；　kindly：　〃I　alarm　you；　Madame　Campan；　I　come；　however；　to　comfort　you；　the　Queen　has　told　me　how　much　she　is　hurt　at　the　injustice　of　several　persons　towards　you。　　But　how　is　it　that　you　complain　of　injustice　and　calumny　when　you　see　that　we　are　victims　of　them？　　In　some　of　your　companions　it　is　jealousy；　in　the　people　belonging　to　the　Court　it　is　anxiety。　　Our　situation　is　so　disastrous；　and　we　have　met　with　so　much　ingratitude　and　treachery；　that　the　apprehensions　of　those　who　love　us　are　excusable！　　I　could　quiet　them　by　telling　them　all　the　secret　services　you　perform　for　us　daily；　but　I　will　not　do　it。　　Out　of　good…will　to　you　they　would　repeat　all　I　should　say；　and　you　would　be　lost　with　the　Assembly。　　It　is　much　better；　both　for　you　and　for　us；　that　you　should　be　thought　a　constitutionalist。　　It　has　been　mentioned　to　me　a　hundred　times　already；　I　have　never　contradicted　it；　but　I　come　to　give　you　my　word　that　if　we　are　fortunate　enough　to　see　an　end　of　all　this；　I　will；　at　the　Queen's　residence；　and　in　the　presence　of　my　brothers；　relate　the　important　services　you　have　rendered　us；　and　I　will　recompense　you　and　your　son　for　them。〃　　I　threw　myself　at　the　King's　feet　and　kissed　his　hand。　　He　raised　me　up；　saying；　〃Come；　come；　do　not　grieve；　the　Queen；　who　loves　you；　confides　in　you　as　I　do。〃

Down　to　the　day　of　the　acceptance　it　was　impossible　to　introduce　Barnave　into　the　interior　of　the　palace；　but　when　the　Queen　was　free　from　the　inner　guard　she　said　she　would　see　him。　　The　very　great　precautions　which　it　was　necessary　for　the　deputy　to　take　in　order　to　conceal　his　connection　with　the　King　and　Queen　compelled　them　to　spend　two　hours　waiting　for　him　in　one　of　the　corridors　of　the　Tuileries；　and　all　in　vain。　　The　first　day　that　he　was　to　be　admitted；　a　man　whom　Barnave　knew　to　be　dangerous　having　met　him　in　the　courtyard　of　the　palace；　he　determined　to　cross　it　without　stopping；　and　walked　in　the　gardens　in　order　to　lull　suspicion。　　I　was　desired　to　wait　for　Barnave　at　a　little　door　belonging　to　the　entresols　of　the　palace；　with　my　hand　upon　the　open　lock。　　I　was　in　that　position　for　an　hour。　　The　King　came　to　me　frequently；　and　always　to　speak　to　me　of　the　uneasiness　which　a　servant　belonging　to　the　Chateau；　who　was　a　patriot；　gave　him。　　He　came　again　to　ask　me　whether　I　had　heard　the　door　called　de　Decret　opened。　　I　assured　him　nobody　had　been　in　the　corridor；　and　he　became　easy。　　He　was　dreadfully　apprehensive　that　his　connection　with　Barnave　would　be　discovered。　　〃It　would；〃　said　the　King；　〃be　a　ground　for　grave　accusations；　and　the　unfortunate　man　would　be　lost。〃　　I　then　ventured　to　remind　his　Majesty　that　as　Barnave　was　not　the　only　one　in　the　secret　of　the　business　which　brought　him　in　contact　with　their　Majesties；　one　of　his　colleagues　might　be　induced　to　speak　of　the　association　with　which　they　were　honoured；　and　that　in　letting　them　know　by　my　presence　that　I　also　was　informed　of　it；　a　risk　was　incurred　of　removing　from　those　gentlemen　part　of　the　responsibility　of　the　secret。　　Upon　this　observation　the　King　quitted　me　hastily　and　returned　a　moment　afterwards　with　the　Queen。　　〃Give　me　your　place；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　wait　for　him　in　my　turn。　　You　have　convinced　the　King。　　We　must　not　increase　in　their　eyes　the　number　of　persons　informed　of　their　communications　with　us。〃

The　police　of　M。　de　Laporte；　intendant　of　the　civil　list；　apprised　him；　as　early　as　the　latter　end　of　1791；　that　a　man　belonging　to　the　King's　offices　who　had　set　up　as　a　pastrycook　at　the　Palais　Royal　was　about　to　resume　the　duties　of　his　situation；　which　had　devolved　upon　him　again　on　the　death　of　one　who　held　it　for　life；　that　he　was　so　furious　a　Jacobin　that　he　had　dared　to　say　it　would　be　a　good　thing　for　France　if　the　King's　days　were　shortened。　　His　duty　was　confined　to　making　the　pastry；　he　was　closely　watched　by　the　head　officers　of　the　kitchen；　who　were　devoted　to　his　Majesty；　but　it　is　so　easy　to　introduce　a　subtle　poison　into　made　dishes　that　it　was　determined　the　King　and　Queen　should　eat　only　plain　roast　meat　in　future；　that　their　bread　should　be　brought　to　them　by　M。　Thierry　de　Ville…d'Avray；　intendant　of　the　smaller　apartments；　and　that　he　should　likewise　take　upon　himself　to　supply　the　wine。　　The　King　was　fond　of　pastry；　I　was　directed　to　order　some；　as　if　for　myself；　sometimes　of　one　pastry…cook；　and　sometimes　of　another。　　The　pounded　sugar；　too；　was　kept　in　my　room。　　The　King；　the　Queen；　and　Madame　Elisabeth　ate　together；　and　nobody　remained　to　wait　on　them。　　Each　had　a　dumb　waiter　and　a　little　bell　to　call　the　servants　when　they　were　wanted。　M。　Thierry　used　himself　to　bring　me　their　Majesties'　bread　and　wine；　and　I　locked　them　up　in　a　private　cupboard　in　the　King's　closet　on　the　ground　floor。　　As　soon　as　the　King　sat　down　to　table　I　took　in　the　pastry　and　bread。　　All　was　hidden　under　the　table　lest　it　might　be　necessary　to　have　the　servants　in。　　The　King　thought　it　dangerous　as　well　as　distressing　to　show　any　apprehension　of　attempts　against　his　person；　or　any　mistrust　of　his　officers　of　the　kitchen。　　As　he　never　drank　a　whole　bottle　of　wine　at　his　meals　（the　Princesses　drank　nothing　but　water）；　he　filled　up　that　out　of　which　he　had　drunk　about　half　from　the　bottle　served　up　by　the　officers　of　his　butlery。　　I　took　it　away　after　dinner。　　Although　he　never　ate　any　other　pastry　than　that　which　I　brought；　he　took　care　in　the　same　manner　that　it　should　seem　that　he　had　eaten　of　that　served　at　table。　The　lady　who　succeeded　me　found　this　duty　all　regulated；　and　she　executed　it　in　the　same　manner；　the　public　never　was　in　possession　of　these　particulars；　nor　of　the　apprehensions　which　gave　rise　to　them。　　At　the　end　of　three　or　four　months　the　police　of　M。　de　Laporte　gave　notice　that　nothing　more　was　to　be　dreaded　from　that　sort　of　plot　against　the　King's　life；　that　the　plan　was　entirely　changed；　and　that　all　the　blows　now　to　be　struck　would　be　directed　as　much　against　the　throne　as　against　the　person　of　the　sovereign。

There　are　others　besides　myself　who　know　that　at　this　time　one　of　the　things　about　which　the　Queen　most　desired　to　be　satisfied　was　the　opinion　of　the　famous　Pitt。　　She　would　sometimes　say　to　me；　〃I　never　pronounce　the　name　of　Pitt　without　feeling　a　chill　like　that　of　death。〃　　（I　repeat　here　her　very　expressions。）　〃That　man　is　the　mortal　enemy　of　France；　and　he　takes　a　dreadful　revenge　for　the　impolitic　support　given　by　the　Cabinet　of　Versailles　to　the　American　insurgents。　　He　wishes　by　our　destruction　to　guarantee　the　maritime　power　of　his　country　forever　against　the　efforts　made　by　the　King　to　improve　his　marine　power　and　their　happy　results　during　the　last　war。　　He　knows　that　it　is　not　only　the　King's　policy　but　his　private　inclination　to　be　solicitous　about　his　fleets；　and　that　the　most　active　step　he　has　taken　during　his　whole　reign　was　to　visit　the　port　of　Cherbourg。　　Pitt　had　served　the　cause　of　the　French　Revolution　from　the　first　disturbances；　he　will　perhaps　serve　it　until　its　annihilation。　　I　will　endeavour　to　learn　to　what　point　he　intends　to　lead　us；　and　I　am　sending　M。…　to　London　for　that　purpose。　He　has　been　intimately　connected　with　Pitt；　and　they　have　often　had　political　conversations　respecting　the　French　Government。　　I　will　get　him　to　make　him　speak　out；　at　least　so　far　as　such　a　man　can　speak　out。〃　Some　time　afterwards　the　Queen　told　me　that　her　secret　envoy　was　returned　from　London；　and　that　all　he　had　been　able　to　wring　from　Pitt；　whom　he　found　alarmingly　reserved；　was　that　he　would　not　suffer　the　French　monarchy　to　perish；　that　to　suffer　the　revolutionary　spirit　to　erect　an　organised　republ