the memoirs of marie antoinette-第85章
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the French monarchy to perish； that to suffer the revolutionary spirit to erect an organised republic in France would be a great error； affecting the tranquillity of Europe。 〃Whenever；〃 said she； 〃Pitt expressed himself upon the necessity of supporting monarchy in France； he maintained the most profound silence upon what concerns the monarch。 The result of these conversations is anything but encouraging； but； even as to that monarchy which he wishes to save； will he have means and strength to save it if he suffers us to fall？〃
The death of the Emperor Leopold took place on the 1st of March； 1792。 When the news of this event reached the Tuileries； the Queen was gone out。 Upon her return I put the letter containing it into her hands。 She exclaimed that the Emperor had been poisoned； that she had remarked and preserved a newspaper； in which； in an article upon the sitting of the Jacobins； at the time when the Emperor Leopold declared for the coalition； it was said； speaking of him； that a pie…crust would settle that matter。 At this period Barnave obtained the Queen's consent that he should read all the letters she should write。 He was fearful of private correspondences that might hamper the plan marked out for her； he mistrusted her Majesty's sincerity on this point； and the diversity of counsels； and the necessity of yielding； on the one hand； to some of the views of the constitutionalists； and on the other； to those of the French Princes； and even of foreign Courts； were unfortunately the circumstances which most rapidly impelled the Court towards its ruin。
However； the emigrants showed great apprehensions of the consequences which might follow in the interior from a connection with the constitutionalists； whom they described as a party existing only in idea； and totally without means of repairing their errors。 The Jacobins were preferred to them； because； said they； there would be no treaty to be made with any one at the moment of extricating the King and his family from the abyss in which they were plunged。
CHAPTER VII。
In the beginning of the year 1792； a worthy priest requested a private interview with me。 He had learned the existence of a new libel by Madame de Lamotte。 He told me that the people who came from London to get it printed in Paris only desired gain； and that they were ready to deliver the manuscript to him for a thousand louis； if he could find any friend of the Queen disposed to make that sacrifice for her peace； that he had thought of me； and if her Majesty would give him the twenty…four thousand francs； he would hand the manuscript to me。
I communicated this proposal to the Queen； who rejected it； and desired me to answer that at the time when she had power to punish the hawkers of these libels she deemed them so atrocious and incredible that she despised them too much to stop them； that if she were imprudent and weak enough to buy a single one of them； the Jacobins might possibly discover the circumstance through their espionage； that were this libel brought up； it would be printed nevertheless； and would be much more dangerous when they apprised the public of the means she had used to suppress it。
Baron d'Aubier； gentleman…in…ordinary to the King； and my particular friend； had a good memory and a clear way of communicating the substance of the debates and decrees of the National Assembly。 I went daily to the Queen's apartments to repeat all this to the King； who used to say； on seeing me； 〃Ah！ here's the Postillon par Calais；〃a newspaper of the time。
M。 d'Aubier one day said to me： 〃The Assembly has been much occupied with an information laid by the workmen of the Sevres manufactory。 They brought to the President's office a bundle of pamphlets which they said were the life of Marie Antoinette。 The director of the manufactory was ordered up to the bar； and declared he had received orders to burn the printed sheets in question in the furnaces used for baking his china。〃
While I was relating this business to the Queen the King coloured and held his head down over his plate。 The Queen said to him； 〃Do you know anything about this； Sire？〃 The King made no answer。 Madame Elisabeth requested him to explain what it meant。 Louis was still silent。 I withdrew hastily。 A few minutes afterwards the Queen came to my room and informed me that the King； out of regard for her； had purchased the whole edition struck off from the manuscript which I had mentioned to her； and that M。 de Laporte had not been able to devise any more secret way of destroying the work than that of having it burnt at Sevres； among two hundred workmen； one hundred and eighty of whom must； in all probability； be Jacobins！ She told me she had concealed her vexation from the King； that he was in consternation； and that she could say nothing； since his good intentions and his affection for her had been the cause of the mistake。
＇M。 de Laporte had by order of the King bought up the whole edition of the 〃Memoirs 〃 of the notorious Madame de Lamotte against the Queen。 Instead of destroying them immediately； he shut them up in one of the closets in his house； The alarming and rapid growth of the rebellion； the arrogance of the crowd of brigands； who in great measure composed the populace of Paris； and the fresh excesses daily resulting from it； rendered the intendant of the civil list apprehensive that some mob might break into his house； carry off these 〃Memoirs；〃 and spread them among the public。 In order to prevent this he gave orders to have the 〃Memoirs〃 burnt with every necessary precaution； and the clerk who received the order entrusted the execution of it to a man named Riston； a dangerous Intriguer； formerly an advocate of Nancy； who had a twelve…month before escaped the gallows by favour of the new principles and the patriotism of the new tribunals； although convicted of forging the great seal； and fabricating decrees of the council。 This Riston； finding himself entrusted with a commission which concerned her Majesty； and the mystery attending which bespoke something of importance； was less anxious to execute it faithfully than to make a parade of this mark of confidence。 On the 30th of May； at ten in the morning； he had the sheets carried to the porcelain manufactory at Sevres； in a cart which he himself accompanied； and made a large fire of them before all the workmen； who were expressly forbidden to approach it。 All these precautions； and the suspicions to which they gave rise； under such critical circumstances； gave so much publicity to this affair that it was denounced to the Assembly that very night。 Brissot； and the whole Jacobin party； with equal effrontery and vehemence； insisted that the papers thus secretly burnt could be no other than the registers and documents of the correspondence of the Austrian committee。 M。 de Laporte was ordered to the bar； and there gave the most precise account of the circumstances。 Riston was also called up； and confirmed M。 de Laporte's deposition。 But these explanations； however satisfactory； did not calm the violent ferment raised in the Assembly by this affair。〃Memoirs of Bertrand de Molleville。〃
Some time afterwards the Assembly received a denunciation against M。 de Montmorin。 The ex…minister was accused of having neglected forty despatches from M。 Genet； the charge d'affaires from France in Russia； not having even unsealed them； because M。 Genet acted on constitutional principles。 M。 de Montmorin appeared at the bar to answer this accusation。 Whatever distress I might feel in obeying the order I had received from the King to go and give him an account of the sitting； I thought I ought not to fail in doing so。 But instead of giving my brother his family name； I merely said 〃your Majesty's charge d'affaires at St。 Petersburg。〃
The King did me the favour to say that he noticed a reserve in my account； of which he approved。 The Queen condescended to add a few obliging remarks to those of the King。 However； my office of journalist gave me in this instance so much pain th
