marie antoinette and her son-第123章

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〃There；〃　said　Simon；　throwing　the　coverlet　over　the　boy；　〃there；　the
royal　prince　is　ready；　and　we　can　say；　as　they　used　to　do　at　St。
Denis；　when　they　brought　a　new　occupant　into　the　royal　vault；　'Le
roi　est　mort；　vive　le　roi！　'　Lie　quietly　in　your　basket；　Capet；　for
you　see　you　are　deposed；　and　your　successor　has　your　throne。〃

〃Master；〃　whispered　Louis；　anxiously　and　timidly；　〃master；　may　I　ask
you　a　question？〃

〃Well；　yes；　you　may；　you　little　nameless　toad。　What　is　it？〃

〃Master；　will　the　sick　child　have　to　die；　if　I　am　saved？〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　youngster？　What　are　you　at？〃

〃I　only　mean；　masterI　only　wanted　to　say　that　if　the　poor　boy　must
die；　if　he　takes　my　place；　whyI　should　rather　stay　here。　For〃

〃Well；　go　on；　stupid！　what　do　you　mean　by　your　'for？'　You　would
rather　remain　here？〃

〃Yes；　master；　if　another　is　to　die　and　be　beaten　and　tortured；　for
blows　hurt　so　much；　and　I　should　not　like　to　have　another　boy
receive　them　instead　of　me。　That　would　be　wicked　in　me；　and〃

〃And　you　are　a　stupid　fellow；　and　do　not　know　any　thing　you　are
talking　about；〃　said　Simon；　shaking　his　fist　at　him。　〃　Just　put　on
airs；　and　speak　another　such　a　foolish　word；　and　I　will　not　only
beat　you　to　death；　but　I　will　beat　this　miserable；　whining　youngster
to　death　too；　and　then　you　will　certainly　be　to　blame　for　it。　Down
with　you　into　the　basket；　and　if　you　venture　to　put　your　head　up
again；　and　if　to…morrow　you　are　not　obedient　and　do　just　what　we　bid
you；　I　will　beat　you　and　him；　both　of　you；　to　pieces；　and　pack　you
into　the　clothes…basket；　and　carry　you　away。　Down　into　the　basket！〃

The　boy　sank　down　out　of　sight；　and　when；　after　a　little　while；
Jeanne　Marie　cautiously　looked　to　see　whether　he　had　fallen　asleep；
she　saw　that　Louis　Charles　was　kneeling　on　the　bottom　of　the　basket；
and　raising　his　folded　hands　up　to　heaven。

〃Simon；〃　she　whispered〃　Simon；　do　not　laugh　at　me　and　scold　me。
You　say；　I　know；　that　there　is　no　God；　and　the　republic　has　done
away　with　Deity；　and　the　Church；　and　the　priests。　But　let　me　once
kneel　down　and　pray　to　Him　with　whom　little　Louis　Charles　is　talking
now；　and　to　whom　the　Austrian　spoke　on　the　scaffold。〃

Without　waiting　for　Simon's　answer；　Jeanne　Marie　sank　upon　her
knees。　Folding　her　hands；　she　leaned　her　forehead　on　the　rim　of　the
basket；　and　softly　whispered；　〃Louis　Charles；　do　you　hear　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　lisped　the　child；　〃I　hear　you。〃

〃I　ask　your　forgiveness；〃　whispered　Jeanne　Marie。　〃I　have　sinned
dreadfully　against　you；　but　remorse　has　taken　hold　of　my　heart；　and
tears　it　in　pieces　and　gives　me　no　rest　day　or　night。　Oh；　forgive
me；　son　of　the　queen；　and　when　you　pray；　implore　your　mother　to
forgive　me　the　evil　that　I　have　done　her。〃

〃I　will　pray　to　my　dear　mamma　queen　for　you；　and　I　know　she　will
forgive　you；　for　she　was　so　very　good；　and　she　always　said　to　me
that　we　must　forgive　our　enemies；　and　I　had　to　swear　to　my　dear　papa
that　I　would　forget　and　forgive　all　the　wrong　that　men　should　do　to
me。　And　so　I　forgive　you；　and　I　will　forget　all　the　bad　things　that
Master　Simon　has　done　to　me；　for　my　papa　and　my　mamma　wished　me　to。〃

Jeanne　Marie　let　her　head　sink　lower；　and　pressed　her　hands　firmly
against　her　lips　to　repress　the　outcries　which　her　remorseful
conscience　prompted。　Simon　seemed　to　understand　nothing　of　this　soft
whispering；　he　was　busily　engaged　in　packing　up　his　things；　and　no
one　saw　him　hastily　draw　his　hand　over　his　eyes；　as　if　he　wanted　to
wipe　away　the　dust　which　suddenly　prevented　his　seeing。

Gradually　it　grew　still　in　the　gloomy　room。　The　whispering　in　the
basket　ceased。　Jeanne　Marie　had　retired　to　her　bed；　and　had　wept
herself　to　sleep。　Upon　the　mattress　lay　the　sick；　sobbing　child；　the
substitute　of　King　Louis　XVII。；　who　was　in　the　basket。

Simon　was　the　only　one　who　was　awake；　and　there　must　have　been
dismal　thoughts　that　busied　him。　He　sat　upon　the　stool　near　the
candle；　which　was　nearly　burned　out；　his　forehead　was　corrugated　and
clouded；　his　lips　were　closely　pressed　together；　and　the　little；
flashing　eyes　looked　out　into　the　empty　space　full　of　anger　and
threatenings。

〃It　must　be；〃　he　muttered　at　last；　〃it　must　be。　I　should　otherwise
not　have　a　moment's　peace；　and　always　feel　the　knife　at　my　throat。
One　of　us　must　be　away　from　here；　in　order　that　he　may　disclose　the
other。　I　will　not　be　that　one；　it　must　be　Toulan。〃

He　stood　up　with　the　air　of　one　who　had　made　a　fixed；　unchangeable
resolve；　and　stretched　his　bony；　crooked　limbs。　Then　he　threw　one
last　look　at　the　stranger…child；　that　lay　moaning　and　groaning　on
his　mattress；　fell　upon　his　bed；　and　soon　his　long…drawn；　sonorous
breathing　disclosed　the　fact　that　Master　Simon　was　asleep。

On　the　next　morning　there　reigned　in　the　lower　stories　of　the　Temple
a　busy；　stirring　life。　Master　Simon　was　preparing　to　move；　and　all
his　household　goods　were　set　out　in　the　court；　in　order　to　be
transferred　to　the　wagon　that　Commissioner　Toulan　had　ordered。　Close
to　the　wagon　stood　one　of　the　officials　of　the　Public　Safety；　and
examined　every　article　of　furniture　that　was　put　into　it；　opening
even　the　bandboxes　and　pillows　to　look　into　them。　Not；　as　he　said；
the　Welfare　Committee　doubted　the　honesty　of　the　faithful　and
zealous　servant　of　the　republic；　but　only　to　satisfy　the　forms；　and
to　comply　with　the　laws；　which　demanded　that　the　authorities　should
have　a　watchful　eye　on　every　thing　that　was　at　all　connected　with
the　family　of　the　tyrants。

〃And　you　will　do　me　a　great　pleasure　if　you　will　examine　every　thing
with　the　utmost　care。　In　the　republic　we　are　all　alike；　and　I　do　not
see　why　I　should　not　be　served　to…day　as　another　would　be　on　the
morrow。　You　know；　probably；　that　I　have　been　appointed　collector　at
Porte　Macon；　and　after　to…morrow　I　shall　have　to　inspect　the　goods
of　other　people。　It　is　all　fair　that　I　should　have　my　turn　to…day。
Besides；　you　will　not　have　much　more　to　examine；　we　are　almost
through；　I　believe　there　is　only　a　basket　with　the　soiled　clothes
yet　to　come。　That　is　the　sacred　possession　of　my　wife；　and　she　was
going　to　bring　it　out　herself；　with　the　commissioner's　help。　Yes；
there　they　come。〃

At　that　moment；　Jeanne　Marie　appeared　in　the　court；　followed　by
Toulan。　They　brought　along；　by　two　ropes　which　served　as　handles；　a
large　and　longish　basket；　whose　half…opened　cover　brought　to　view
all　kinds　of　women's　clothes。

〃Room　there；〃　cried　Simon；　with　a　laugh；　〃room　for　the　Citoyenne
Simon　and　her　costly　dowry！〃

〃Come；　no　joking；　Simon；〃　said　his　wife；　threatening　him　with　her
fist　and　laughing。　〃If　my　dowry　is　not　costly　enough；　I　will　only
ask　you　to　provide　me　with　better　things。〃

〃Your　dowry　is　magnificent；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　there　is　not　a　single
article　lacking　to　make　it　complete。　Come；　I　will　help　the
commissioner　put　the　basket　in　the　wagon；　for　it　is　too　heavy　for
you；　my　fairest　one！〃

He　took　hold　of　the　basket　with　his　strong　arm；　and　helped　the
commissioner　swing　it　into　the　wagon。

〃But　let　me　look　first　into　the　basket；　as　my　duty　demands；〃　said
the　official。　〃You　are　too　quick！　You　know；　citizen；　that　I　must
examine　all　your　goods。　The　law　compels　me　to。〃

〃Then　I　beg　you　to　climb　up　into　the　wagon　and　open　the　basket；〃
said　Simon；　calmly。　〃You　cannot　want　us　to　take　the　heavy　thing　down
again　for　you　to　examine　it。〃

〃I　do　not　ask　that；　citizen；　but　I　must　examine　the　basket。〃

The　official　sprang　into　the　wagon；　but　Jeanne　Marie　was　quicker
than　he；　and　stood　close　by　the　basket；　whose　cover　was　partly
opened。

〃Look　in；　citizen；〃　she　said；　with　dignity。　〃Convince　yourself　that
only　the　clothing　of　a　woman　is　in　it；　and　then　tell　the　republic
that　you　found　it　necessary　to　examine　the　basket　of　the　famous
knitter　of　the　guillotine；　as　if　Jeanne　Marie　was　a　disguised
duchess；　who　wanted　to　fly　from　the　hand　of　justice。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　official；　〃every　one　knows　and　honors
the　knitter　of　the　guillotine；　but〃

〃But　you　are　curious；　and　want　to　see　some　of　my　clothes。　Well；　look
at　them！〃　She　raised　those　which　lay　at　the　top；　and　held　them　up　to
the　official　with　a　laugh。

〃And　down　below？　What　is　farther　down　in　the　basket？〃

〃