marie antoinette and her son-第103章

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tears　and　called　out　a　deep　sympathy。

The　Convention　saw　the　danger；　and　at　once　resolved　to　be　free　from
it。　On　the　1st　of　July　1793；　that　body　issued　a　decree　with　the
following　purport：　〃The　Committee　of　Public　Safety　ordains　that　the
son　of　Capet　be　separated　from　his　mother；　and　be　delivered　to　an
instructor；　whom　the　general　director　of　the　communes　shall
appoint。〃

The　queen　had　no　suspicion　of　this。　Now　that　Toulan　was　no　longer
there；　no　news　came　to　her　of　what　transpired　beyond　the　prison；　and
Fidele's　horn…signals　were　the　only　sounds　of　the　outer　world　that
reached　her　ear。

The　evening　of　the　3d　of　July　had　come。　The　little　prince　had　gone
to　bed；　and　had　already　sunk　into　a　deep　sleep。　His　bed　had　no
curtains；　but　Marie　Antoinette　had　with　careful　hands　fastened　a
shawl　to　the　wall；　and　spread　it　out　over　the　bed　in　such　a　manner
that　the　glare　of　the　light　did　not　fall　upon　the　closed　eyes　of　the
child　and　disturb　him　in　his　peaceful　slumbers。　It　was　ten　o'clock
in　the　evening；　and　the　ladies　had　that　day　waited　unwontedly　long
before　going　to　bed。　The　queen　and　Princess　Elizabeth　were　busied　in
mending　the　clothing　of　the　family；　and　Princess　Theresa；　sitting
between　the　two；　had　been　reading　to　them　some　chapters　out　of　the
Historical　Dictionary。　At　the　wish　of　the　queen；　she　had　now　taken　a
religious　book；　Passion　Week；　and　was　reading　some　hymns　and　prayers
out　of　it。

Suddenly；　the　quick　steps　of　several　men　were　heard　in　the　corridor。
The　bolts　flew　back；　the　doors　were　opened；　and　six　officials　came
in。

〃We　are　come；〃　cried　one　of　them；　with　a　brutal　voice；　〃to　announce
to　you　the　order　of　the　committee；　that　the　son　of　Capet　be
separated　from　his　mother　and　his　family。〃

At　these　words　the　queen　rose；　pale　with　horror　〃They　are　going　to
take　my　child　from　me！〃　she　cried。　〃No；　no；　that　is　not　possible。
Gentlemen；　the　authorities　cannot　think　of　separating　me　from　my
son。　He　is　still　so　young　and　weak；　he　needs　my　care。〃

〃The　committee　has　come　to　this　determination；〃　answered　the
official；　〃the　Convention　has　confirmed　it；　and　we　shall　carry　it
into　execution　directly。〃

〃I　cannot　allow　it；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette　in　desperation。　〃In　the
name　of　Heaven；　I　conjure　you　not　to　be　so　cruel！〃

Elizabeth　and　Theresa　mingled　their　tears　with　those　of　the　mother。
All　three　had　placed　themselves　before　the　bed　of　the　dauphin；　they
clung　to　it；　they　folded　their　hands；　they　sobbed；　the　most　touching
cries；　the　most　humble　prayers　trembled　on　their　lips；　but　the
guards　were　not　at　all　moved。

〃What　is　all　this　whining　for？〃　they　said。　〃No　one　is　going　to　kill
your　child；　give　him　to　us　of　your　own　free　will；　or　we　shall　have
to　take　him　by　force。〃

They　strode　up　to　the　bed。　Marie　Antoinette　placed　herself　with
extended　arms　before　it；　and　held　the　curtain　firmly；　it　however
detached　itself　from　the　wall　and　fell　upon　the　face　of　the　dauphin。
He　awoke；　saw　what　was　going　on；　and　threw　himself　with　loud　shrieks
into　the　arms　of　the　queen。　〃Mamma；　dear　Mamma；　do　not　leave　me！〃
She　pressed　him　trembling　to　her　bosom；　quieted　him；　and　defended
him　against　the　cruel　hands　that　were　reached　out　for　him。

In　vain；　all　in　vain！　The　men　of　the　republic　have　no　compassion　on
the　grief　of　a　mother！　〃By　free　will　or　by　force　he　must　go　with
us。〃

〃Then　promise　me　at　least　that　he　shall　remain　in　the　tower　of　the
Temple；　that　I　may　see　him　every　day。〃

〃We　have　nothing　to　promise　you；　we　have　no　account　at　all　to　give
you。　Parbleu；　how　can　you　take　on　and　howl　so；　merely　because　your
child　is　taken　from　you？　Our　children　have　to　do　more　than　that。
They　have　every　day　to　have　their　heads　split　open　with　the　balls　of
the　enemies　that　you　have　set　upon　them。〃

〃My　son　is　still　too　young　to　be　able　to　serve　his　country；〃　said
the　queen；　gently；　〃but　I　hope　that　if　God　permits　it；　he　will　some
day　be　proud　to　devote　his　life　to　Him。〃

Meanwhile　the　two　princesses；　urged　on　by　the　officials；　had　clothed
the　gasping；　sobbing　boy。　The　queen　now　saw　that　no　more　hope
remained。　She　sank　upon　a　chair；　and　summoning　all　her　strength；　she
called　the　dauphin　to　herself；　laid　her　hands　upon　his　shoulders；
and　pale；　immovable；　with　widely…opened　eyes；　whose　burning　lids
were　cooled　by　no　tear；　she　gazed　upon　the　quivering　face　of　the
boy；　who　had　fixed　his　great　blue　eyes；　swimming　with　tears；　upon
the　countenance　of　his　mother。

〃My　child；〃　said　the　queen；　solemnly；　〃we　must　part。　Remember　your
duties　when　I　am　no　more　with　you　to　remind　you　of　them。　Never
forget　the　good　God　who　is　proving　you；　and　your　mother　who　is
praying　for　you。　Be　good　and　patient；　and　your　Father　in　heaven　will
bless　you。〃

She　bent　over；　and　with　her　cold　lips　pressed　a　kiss　upon　the
forehead　of　her　son；　then　gently　pushed　him　toward　the　turnkey。　But
the　boy　sprang　back　to　her　again；　clung　to　her　with　his　arms；　and
would　not　go。

〃My　son；　we　must　obey。　God　wills　it　so。〃　A　loud；　savage　laugh　was
heard。　Shuddering；　the　queen　turned　around。　There　at　the　open　door
stood　Simon；　and　with　him　his　wife；　their　hard　features　turned
maliciously　toward　the　pale　queen。　The　woman　stretched　out　her
brown；　bare　arms　to　the　child；　grasped　him；　and　pushed　him　before
her　to　the　door。

〃Is　she　to　have　him？〃　shrieked　Marie　Antoinette。　〃Is　my　son　to
remain　with　this　woman？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Simon；　with　a　grinning　smile；　as　he　put　himself；　with
his　arms　akimbo；　before　the　queen〃　yes；　with　this　woman　and　with
me；　her　husband；　little　Capet　is　to　remain；　and　I　tell　you　he　shall
receive　a　royal　education。　We　shall　teach　him　to　forget　the　past；
and　only　to　remember　that　he　is　a　child　of　the　one　and　indivisible
republic。　If　he　does　not　come　to　it；　he　must　be　brought　to　it；　and
my　old　cobbler's　straps　will　be　good　helpers　in　this　matter。〃

He　nodded　at　Marie　Antoinette　with　a　fiendish　smile；　and　then
followed　the　officials；　who　had　already　gone　out。　The　doors　were
closed　again；　the　bolts　drawn；　and　within　the　chamber　reigned　the
stillness　of　death。　The　two　women　put　their　arms　around　one　another；
kneeled　upon　the　floor　and　prayed。

From　this　day　on；　Marie　Antoinette　had　no　hope　more；　her　heart　was
broken。　Whole　days　long　she　sat　fixed　and　immovable；　without　paying
any　regard　to　the　tender　words　of　her　sister…in…law　and　the　caresses
of　her　daughter；　without　working；　reading；　or　busying　herself　in　any
way。　Formerly　she　had　helped　to　put　the　rooms　in　order；　and　mend　the
clothes　and　linen；　now　she　let　the　two　princesses　do　this　alone　and
serve　her。

Only　for　a　few　hours　each　day　did　her　countenance　lighten　at　all；
and　the　power　of　motion　return　to　this　pale；　marble　figure。　Those
were　the　hours　when　she　waited　for　her　son；　as　he　went　with　Simon
every　day　to　the　upper　story　and　the　platform　of　the　tower。　She
would　then　put　her　head　to　the　door　and　listen　to　every　step　and　all
the　words　that　he　directed　to　the　turnkey　as　he　passed　by。

Soon　she　discovered　a　means　of　seeing　him。　There　was　a　little　crack
on　the　floor　of　the　platform　on　which　the　boy　walked。　The　world
revolved　for　the　queen　only　around　this　little　crack；　and　the
instant　in　which　she　could　see　her　boy。

At　times；　too；　a　compassionate　guard　who　had　to　inspect　the　prison
brought　her　tidings　of　her　son；　told　her　that　he　was　well；　that　he
had　learned　to　play　ball；　and　that　by　his　friendly　nature　he　won
every　one's　love。　Then　Marie　Antoinette's　countenance　would　lighten；
a　smile　would　play　over　her　features　and　linger　on　her　pale　lips　as
long　as　they　were　speaking　of　her　boy。　But　oh！　soon　there　came　other
tidings　about　the　unhappy　child。　His　wailing　tones；　Simon's　threats；
and　his　wife's　abusive　words　penetrated　even　the　queen's　apartments；
and　filled　her　with　the　anguish　of　despair。　And　yet　it　was　not　the
worst　to　hear　him　cry；　and　to　know　that　the　son　of　the　queen　was
treated　ill；　it　was　still　more　dreadful　to　hear　him　sing　with　a　loud
voice；　accompanied　by　the　laugh　and　the　bravoes　of　Simon　and　his
wife；　revolutionary　and　obscene　songsto　know　that　not　only　his
body　but　his　soul　was　doomed　to　destruction。

At　first　the　queen；　on　hearing　these　dreadful　songs；　broke　out　into
lamentations；　cries