marie antoinette and her son-第102章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


deeds　speak　in　antagonism　to　words；　we　cannot　let　the　latter　beguile
us　out　of　our　sense；　but　we　must　give　heed　to　justice。〃

〃That　is　the　one　only　thing　that　I　ask；〃　cried　Toulan；　brightly。
〃Let　justice　be　done；　my　brothers；　and　I　shall　very　soon　he　free；
and　shall　come　out　from　an　investigation　like　a　spotless　lamb。　I
make　no　resistance。　Come；　my　friends；　take　me　to　prison！　I　only　ask
for　permission　to　be　escorted　first　to　my　house；　to　procure　a　few
articles　of　clothing　to　use　during　my　imprisonment。　But　I　urge
pressingly　that　my　articles　may　be　sealed　up　in　my　presence。　For
when　the　man　of　the　house　is　not　at　home；　it　fares　badly　with　the
safety　of　his　property；　and　I　shall　be　able　to　feel　at　ease　only
when　the　seal　of　the　republic　is　upon　my　possessions。　I　beg　you
therefore　to　allow　my　paper　and　valuables　to　be　sealed　in　my
presence。　You　will　thus　be　sure　that　my　wife　and　my　friends　have　not
removed　any　thing　which　might　be　used　against　me；　and　my　innocence
will　shine　out　the　more　clearly。　I　beg　you　therefore　to　comply　with
my　wish。〃

The　members　of　the　committee　consulted　with　one　another　in　low
tones；　and　the　chairman　then　announced　to　Toulan　that　his　wish　would
be　complied　with；　and　that　an　escort　of　soldiers　might　accompany　him
to　his　house；　to　allow　him　to　procure　linen　and　clothing；　and　to
seal　his　effects　and　papers　in　their　presence。

Toulan　thanked　them　with　cheerful　looks；　and　went　out　into　the
street　between　the　two　guards。　As　they　were　on　the　way　to　his　house；
he　talked　easily　with　them；　laughed　and　joked；　but　in　his　own
thoughts　he　said　to　himself；　〃You　are　lost！　hopelessly　lost；　if　you
do　not　escape　now。　You　are　the　prey　of　the　guillotine；　if　the　gates
of　the　prison　once　close　upon　you；　therefore　escape；　escape　or　die。〃
While　he　was　thus　laughing　and　talking　with　the　soldiers；　and
meanwhile　thinking　such　solemn　thoughts；　his　sharp　black　eyes　were
glancing　in　all　directions；　looking　for　a　friend　who　might　assist
him　out　of　his　trouble。　And　fortune　sent　him　such　a　friend！Ricard；
Ionian's　most　trusted　counsellor；　the　abettor　of　his　plans。　Toulan
called　him　with　an　animated　face；　and　in　loud　tones　told　him　that　he
had　been　denounced；　and　therefore　arrested；　and　that　he　was　only
allowed　to　go　to　his　house　to　procure　some　clothing。

〃Come　along；　Ricard；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　going　to　put　my　effects
under　seal；　and　you　have　some　papers　and　books　on　my　writing…table。
Come　along；　and　take　possession　of　your　own　things；　so　that　they　may
not　be　sealed　up　as　mine。〃

Ricard　nodded　assent；　and　a　significant　look　told　Toulan　that　his
friend　understood　him；　and　that　his　meaning　was；　that　Ricard　should
take　possession　of　papers　that　might　bring　Toulan　under　suspicion。
Continuing　their　walk；　they　spoke　of　indifferent　matters；　and　at
last　reached　Toulan's　house。　Marguerite　met　them　with　calm　bearing。
She　knew　that　every　cry；　every　expression　of　anxiety　and　trouble；
would　only　imperil　the　condition　of　her　husband；　and　her　love　gave
her　power　to　master　herself。

〃Ah！　are　you　there；　husband？〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；　how　hard　to
her　no　one　knew。　〃You　are　bringing　a　great　deal　of　company。〃

〃Yes；　Marguerite；〃　said　Toulan；　with　a　smile；　〃and　I　am　going　to
keep　on　with　this　pleasant　company　to　prison。〃

〃Oh！〃　she　cried；　laughing；　〃that　is　a　good　joke！　Toulan；　the　best　of
patriots；　in　prison！　Come；　you　ought　not　to　joke　about　serious
matters。〃

〃It　is　no　joke；〃　said　one　of　the　guards；　solemnly。　〃Citizen　Toulan
is　arrested；　and　is　here　only　to　procure　some　articles　of　clothing；
and　have　his　effects　put　under　seal。〃

〃And　to　give　back　to　his　friend　Ricard　the　books　and　papers　that
belong　to　him；〃　said　Toulan。　〃Come；　let　us　go　into　my　study；
friends。〃

〃There　are　my　books　and　papers；〃　cried　Ricard；　as　they　went　into　the
next　room。　He　sprang　forward　to　the　writing…table；　seized　all　the
papers　lying　upon　it；　and　tried　to　thrust　them　into　his　coat…pocket。
But　the　two　soldiers　checked　him；　and　undertook　to　resist　his
movement。　Ricard　protested；　a　loud　exchange　of　words　took　placein
which　Marguerite　had　her　shareinsisting　that　all　the　papers　on　the
table　belonged　to　Ricard；　and　she　should　like　to　see　the　man　who
could　have　the　impudence　to　prevent　his　taking　them。

Louder　and　louder　grew　the　contention；　and　when　Ricard　was
endeavoring　again　to　put　the　papers　into　his　pocket；　the　two
soldiers　rushed　at　him　to　prevent　it。　Marguerite　tried　to　come　to
his　assistance；　and　in　the　effort；　overthrew　a　little　table　which
stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　on　which　was　a　water…bottle　and
some　glasses。　The　table　came　down；　a　rattle　of　broken　glass
followed；　and　amid　the　noise　and　outcries；　the　controversy　and
violence；　no　one　paid　attention　to　Toulan；　no　one　saw　the　little
secret　door　quietly　open；　and　Toulan　glide　from　view。

The　soldiers　did　not　notice　this　movement；　but　Marguerite　and　Ricard
understood　it　well；　and　went　on　all　the　more　eagerly　with　their
cries　and　contentions；　to　give　Toulan　time　to　escape　by　the　secret
passage。

And　they　were　successful。　When　the　two　guards　had；　after　long
searching；　discovered　the　secret　door　through　which　the　escape　had
been　effected；　and　had　rushed　down　the　hidden　stairway；　not　a　trace
of　him　was　to　be　seen。

Toulan　was　free！　Unhindered；　he　hastened　to　the　little　attic；　which
he　had；　some　time　before；　hired　in　the　house　adjacent　to　the　Temple；
put　on　a　suit　of　clothes　which　he　had　prepared　there；　and　remained
concealed　the　whole　day。

As　Marie　Antoinette　lay　sleepless　upon　her　bed　in　the　night　that
followed　this　vain　attempt　at　flight；　and　was　torturing　herself　with
anxious　doubts　whether　Fidele　had　fallen　a　victim　to　his　devotion；
suddenly　the　tones　of　a　huntsman's　horn　broke　the　silence；　Marie
Antoinette　raised　herself　up　and　listened。　Princess　Elizabeth　had
done　the　same；　and　with　suspended　breath　they　both　listened　to　the
long…drawn　and　plaintive　tones　which　softly　floated　in　to　them　on
the　wings　of　the　night。　A　smile　of　satisfaction　flitted　over　their
pale；　sad　faces；　and　a　deep　sigh　escaped　from　their　heavy　hearts。

〃Thank　God！　he　is　saved；〃　whispered　Marie　Antoinette。

〃Is　not　that　the　melody　that　was　to　tell　us　that　our　friend　is　in
the　neighborhood？〃

〃Yes；　sister；　that　is　the　one！　So　long　as　we　hear　this　signal；　we
shall　know　that　Toulan　is　living　still；　and　that　he　is　near　us。〃

And　in　the　following　weeks　the　prisoners　of　the　Temple　often　had　the
sad　consolation　of　hearing　the　tones　of　Toulan's　horn；　but　he　never
came　to　them　again；　he　never　appeared　in　the　anteroom　to　keep　guard
over　the　imprisoned　queen。　Toulan　did　not　flee！　He　had　the　courage
to　remain　in　Paris；　he　was　constantly　hoping　that　an　occasion　might
arise　to　help　the　queen　escape；　he　was　constantly　putting　himself　in
connection　with　friends　for　this　object；　and　making　plans　for　the
flight　of　the　royal　captives。

But　exactly　what　Toulan　hoped　for　stood　as　a　threatening　phantom
before　the　eyes　of　the　Conventionthe　flight　of　the　prisoners　in
the　Temple。　They　feared　the　queen　even　behind　those　thick　walls；
behind　the　four　iron　doors　that　closed　upon　her　prison！　They　feared
still　more　this　poor　child　of　seven　years；　this　little　king　without
crown　and　without　throne；　the　son　of　him　who　had　been　executed。　The
Committee　of　Safety　knew　that　people　were　talking　about　the　little
king　in　the　Temple；　and　that　touching　anecdotes　about　him　were　in
circulation。　A　bold；　reckless　fellow　had　appeared　who　called　himself
a　prophet；　and　had　loudly　announced　upon　the　streets　and　squares；
that　the　lilies　would　bloom　again；　and　that　the　sons　of　Brutus　would
fall　beneath　the　hand　of　the　little　king　whose　throne　was　in　the
Temple。　They　had；　it　is　true；　arrested　the　prophet　and　dragged　him
to　the　guillotine；　but　his　prophecies　had　found　an　echo　here　and
there；　and　an　interest　in　the　little　prince　had　been　awakened　in　the
people。　The　noble　and　enthusiastic　men　known　as　the　Girondists　were
deeply　solicitous　about　the　young　royal　martyr；　and　the　application
of　this　expression　to　the　little　dauphin；　made　in　the　earnest　and
impassioned　speeches　before　the　Convention；　melted　all　hearers　to
tears　and　called　out　a　deep　sympathy。

The　Co