marie antoinette and her son-第124章

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the　official　with　a　laugh。

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

〃Farther　down；〃　replied　Jeanne　Marie；　with　an　expression　of　the
greatest　indignation　and　the　most　outraged　modesty；　〃farther　down
are　my　dirty　clothes；　and　I　hope　the　republic　will　not　consider　it
necessary　to　examine　these　too。　I　would　at　least　oppose　it；　and　call
every　female　friend　I　have　to　my　help。〃　＇Footnote：　Madame　Simon's
own　words；　reported　from　her　own　account；　which　she　gave　in　the　year
1810　to　the　Sisters　of　Mercy　who　cared　for　her　in　her　last　sickness。
The　sisterhood　of　the　female　hospital　in　the　rue　Sevres　publicly
repeated；　in　the　year　1851；　this　statement　of　Jeanne　Marie　Simon；
who　died　there　in　1819。　It　was　in　the　civil　process　brought　against
the　Duke　de　Normandy；　who　was　accused　of　giving　himself　out　falsely
as　King　Louis　XVII。；　and　who　could　not　be　proved　not　to　be　he。＇

〃Oh！　you　will　not　have　to　do　that；〃　replied　the　official；　with　a
friendly　nod　of　the　head。　〃It　would　be　presumptuous　to　go　farther
with　the　examination　of　your　goods；　and　the　republic　regards　with
respect　the　mysteries　of　an　honorable　wife。〃

He　jumped　down　from　the　wagon；　while　Jeanne　Marie；　still　wearing　an
angry　look；　laid　the　clothes　back　into　the　basket；　and　shut　the
cover　down。

〃Can　we　go　now？〃　she　asked；　taking　her　seat　on　a　low　stool　which
happened　to　be　near　the　great　basket。

〃Yes；　if　the　official　has　nothing　against　it；　we　can　go；〃　answered
Simon。　〃Our　goods　are　all　loaded。〃

〃Then　go　on；　I　have　nothing　against　it；　and　I　wish　you　and　your　wife
much　happiness　and　joy　in　your　new　career。〃

The　official　waved　them　a　last　gracious　adieu　with　the　hand；　and　the
wagon　started。　Alongside　of　the　great；　hard…mouthed　and　long…haired
horse　that　drew　the　cart；　walked　the　commissioner；　in　order；　once　in
a　while；　when　they　had　to　turn　a　corner；　to　seize　the　bridle　and
give　it　a　powerful　jerk。　At　the　side　of　the　wagon　strode　Simon；
keeping　a　watchful　eye　upon　his　possessions；　and　carefully　setting
every　thing　aright　which　was　in　danger　of　being　shaken　off　upon　the
pavement。　Above　in　the　carriage　near　the　great　basket　sat　Jeanne
Marie；　the　former　knitter　of　the　guillotine。　Her　naked　brown　arm
rested　upon　the　basket；　on　whose　bottom；　covered　with　dirty　linen
and　Mistress　Simon's　clothes；　was　the　son　of　Marie　Antoinette；　King
Louis　XVII。；　making　his　entrance　into　the　world　which　should　have
for　him　only　sufferings　and　illusions；　shattered　hopes　and　dethroned
ideals。

This　happened　on　the　19th　of　January；　1794；　and　on　the　very　day　in
which　the　unhappy　King　Louis　XVII。　was　leaving　the　Temple；　his
sister　Theresa；　who　was　still　living　with　her　Aunt　Elizabeth　in　the
upper　rooms；　wrote　in　her　diary　（known　subsequently　by　the　title
〃Recit　des　evenements　arrives　au　Temple；　par　Madame　Royale〃）　the
following　words：　〃On　the　19th　of　January　my　aunt　and　I　heard　beneath
us；　in　the　room　of　my　brother；　a　great　noise　which　made　us　suspect
that　my　brother　was　leaving　the　Temple。

We　were　convinced　of　it　when；　looking　through　the　keyhole　of　the
door；　we　saw　goods　carried　away。　On　the　following　day　we　heard　the
door　of　the　room；　in　which　my　brother　had　been；　opened；　and
recognized　the　steps　of　men　walking　around；　which　confirmed　us　in
the　belief　that　he　had　been　carried　away。〃

The　pitiful　wagon；　which　gave　its　hospitality　to　the　knitter　of　the
revolution；　as　well　as　to　a　king；　drove　slowly　and　carefully　through
the　streets；　unnoticed　by　the　people　who　hastily　passed　by。　Now　and
then　they　encountered　a　commissioner　who　came　up　to　Toulan；　greeted
him　as　an　acquaintance；　and　asked　after　his　welfare。　Toulan　nodded
to　them　confidentially　and　answered　them　loudly　that　he　was　very
well；　and　that　he　was　helping　Simon　move　out　of　the　Temple　and　going
with　him　to　Porte　Macon。

The　commissioners　then　wished　him　a　pleasant　journey；　and　went　their
way；　but　the　farther　they　were　from　the　wagon；　the　quicker　were
their　steps；　and　here　and　there　they　met　other　commissioners；　to
whom　they　repeated　Toulan's　words；　and　who　then　went　from　there　and
again　told　them　over　to　their　friends　in　the　streets；　in　quiet；
hidden　chambers；　and　in　brilliant　palaces。　In　one　such　palace　the
tidings　caused　a　singular　commotion。　Count　Frotte；　who　lived　there；
and　whom　the　public　permitted　to　live　in　Paris；　ordered　his
travelling　carriage　to　be　brought　out　at　once。　The　postilion；　with
four　swift　horses；　had　already　stood　in　the　court　below　half　an
hour；　waiting　for　this　order。　The　horses　were　quickly　harnessed　to
the　carriage；　which　was　well　filled　with　trunks；　and　scarcely　had　it
reached　the　front　door；　when　the　count　hurried　down　the　grand
staircase；　thickly　wrapped　in　his　riding…furs。　At　his　right　sat　a
little　boy　of　scarcely　ten　years；　a　velvet　cap；　trimmed　with　fur；
upon　his　short；　fair　hair；　the　slender；　graceful　form　concealed　with
a　long　velvet　cloak；　that　fell　down　as　far　as　the　shoes　with　golden；
jewelled　buckles。

Count　Frotte　seemed　to　bestow　special　care　and　attention　upon　this
boy；　for　he　not　only　had　him　sit　on　his　right；　but　remained　standing
near　the　door；　to　give　precedence　to　the　boy；　and　then　hastened　to
follow　him。　He　pressed　the　servants　back　who　stood　near　the　open
door；　bowed　respectfully；　and　gave　his　hand　to　the　lad　to　assist　him
in　ascending。　The　youth　received　these　tokens　of　respect　quietly；
and　seemed　to　take　it　as　a　matter　of　course　that　Count　Frotte　should
carefully　put　furs　around　his　feet　and　body；　in　order　to　protect　him
from　every　draft。　As　soon　as　this　was　done；　the　count　entered　the
carriage；　and　took　his　place　at　the　left　of　the　boy。　The　servant
closed　the　carriage…door　with　a　loud　slam；　and　the　steward　advanced
with　respectful　mien；　and　asked　whither　the　count　would　order　to　go。

〃The　road　to　Puy；〃　said　the　count；　with　a　loud　voice；　and　the
steward　repeated　to　the　postilion　just　as　loudly　and　clearly；　〃The
road　to　Puy。〃

The　carriage　drove　thunderingly　out　of　the　court…door；　and　the
servant　looked　after　it　till　it　disappeared；　and　then　followed　the
house…steward；　who　motioned　him　to　come　into　the　cabinet。

〃I　have　something　to　tell　you；　citizen；〃　said　the　steward；　with　a
weighty　air；　〃but　first　I　must　beg　you　to　make　me　a　solemn　promise
that　you　will　continue　a　faithful　and　obedient　servant　of　the　count；
and　prove　in　no　way　false　to　your　oath　and　your　duty。〃

The　servant　pledged　himself　solemnly；　and　the　steward　continued：
〃The　count　has　undertaken　a　journey　which　is　not　to　be　spoken　of；
and　is　to　remain；　if　possible；　a　secret。　I　demand　of　you；　therefore；
that　if　any　one　asks　where　the　count　has　gone；　you　answer　that　you
do　not　know。　But　above　all　things；　you　are　not　to　say　that　the　count
is　not　travelling　alone；　but　in　company　with　the　young…gentleman；
whose　name　and　rank　I　know　just　as　little　about　as　you。　Will　you
promise　to　faithfully　heed　my　words？〃

The　servant　asserted　it　with　solemn　oaths　and　an　expression　of　deep
reverence。　The　steward　beckoned　to　him　to　go；　and　then　looked　at　him
for　a　long　time；　and　with　a　singular　expression　as　he　withdrew。

〃He　is　a　spy　of　the　Safety　Committee；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃I
am　convinced　that　he　is　so；　and　he　will　certainly　go　at　once　and
report　to　the　authorities；　and　they　will　break　their　heads　thinking
what　the　count　has　to　do　in　Puy；　and　who　the　boy　is　who　accompanies
my　lord。　Well；　that　is　exactly　what　we　want：　to　put　the　bloodhounds
and　murderers　on　a　false　scent。　That　is　just　the　object　of　the
count；　and　for　that　purpose　M。　Morin　de　Gueriviere　has　lent　his　only
son；　for　all　that　we　have　and　are；　our　lives；　our　children；　and
every　thing　else；　belong　to　our　king　and　lord。　I　hope；　therefore；
that　the　count's　plan　will　succeed；　and　the　Safety　Committee　be　put
on　a　false　scent。〃

Meanwhile　the　pitiful　carriage　containing　Simon's　goods　had　slowly
taken　its　way　through　the　streets　and　halted　at　its　goal；　the
custom…house　near　Porte　Macon。　Before　the　building　stood　a　woman　in
the　neat　and　tasteful　costume　of　the　washerwomen　from　the　village　of
Vannes；　which　then；　as　now；　was　the　abode　of　the　washerwomen　of
Paris。

〃Well；〃　cried　the　woman；　with　a　loud　laugh；　helping　Mistress　Simon
dismount　from　the　w