marie antoinette and her son-第32章
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another direction through the crowd。 Soon； thanks to his youth and
his skill； he had worked through the dense mass； then with a flying
step he sped through the street next to the square； then more
swiftly still through the side streets and alleys； till he reached
the gate that led out to the street of Versailles。 Outside of this
there was a young man in a blue blouse； who； in an idle and listless
manner； was leading a bridled horse up and down the road。
〃Halloo； Richard； come here！〃 cried the young man。
〃Ah！ Mr。 Toulan；〃 shouted the lad in the blouse； running up with the
horse。 〃You have come at last； Mr。 Toulan。 I have been already
waiting eight hours for you。〃
〃I will give you a franc for every hour；〃 said Mr。 Toulan； swinging
himself into the saddle。 〃Now go home； Richard； and greet my
sweetheart； if you see her。〃
He gave his horse a smart stroke； pressed the spurs into his flanks；
and the powerful creature sped like an arrow from a bow along the
road to Versailles。
In Versailles； too； and in the royal palace； this day had been
awaited with anxious expectations。 The king； after ending his daily
duties with his ministers； had gone to his workshop in order to work
with his locksmith； Girard； upon a new lock； whose skilful
construction was an invention of the king。
The queen； too； had not left her room the whole day； and even her
friend； the Duchess Julia de Polignac； had not been able to cheer up
the queen by her pleasant talk。
At last； when she saw that all her efforts were vain； and that
nothing could dissipate the sadness of the queen； the duchess had
made the proposition to go to Trianon； and there to call together
the circle of her intimate friends。
But the queen sorrowfully shook her head； and gazed at the duchess
with a troubled look。
〃You speak of the circle of my friends；〃 she said。 〃Ah！ the circle
of those whom I considered my friends is so rent and broken； that
scarcely any torn fragments of it remain； and I fear to bring them
together again； for I know that what once is broken cannot be mended
again。〃
〃And so does your majesty not believe in your friends any more？〃
asked the duchess； reproachfully。 〃Do you doubt us？ Do you doubt
me？〃
〃I do not doubt you all； and； before all things else； not you；〃 said
Marie Antoinette； with a lingering； tender look。 〃I only doubt the
possibility of a queen's having faithful friends。 I always forgot；
when I was with my friends； that I was the queen； but they never
forgot it。〃
〃Madame； they ought never to forget it；〃 replied the duchess；
softly。 〃With all their love for your majesty； your friends ought
never to forget that reverence is due you as much as love； and
subjection as much as friendship。 They ought never to make
themselves your majesty's equals； and if your majesty； in the grace
of your fair and gentle heart； designs to condescend to us and make
yourself like us； yet we ought never to be so thoughtless as to
raise ourselves to you； and want to make ourselves the equals of our
queen。〃
〃Oh； Julia！ you pain meyou pain me unspeakably；〃 sighed Marie
Antoinette； pressing her hand to her heart； as if she wanted to keep
back the tears which would mount into her eyes。
〃Your majesty knows；〃 continued the duchess； with her gentle； and
yet terribly quiet manner； 〃your majesty knows how modestly I make
use of the great confidence which you most graciously bestow upon
me； how seldom and how tremblingly my lips venture to utter the dear
name of my queen； of whom I may rightly talk only in intimate
converse with your exalted mother and your royal husband。 Your
majesty knows further〃
〃Oh！ I know all； all；〃 interrupted the queen； sadly。 〃I know that it
is not the part of a queen to be happy； to love； to be loved； to
have friends。 I know that you all； whom I have so tenderly loved；
feel yourselves more terrified than benefited； I know； that with
this confession； happiness has withdrawn from me。 I look into the
future and see the dark clouds which are descending； and threatening
us with a tempest。 I see all； I have no illusions more。 The fair
days are all pastthe sunshine of Trianon； and the fragrance of its
flowers。〃
〃And will your majesty not go there to…day？〃 asked the duchess。 〃It
is such beautiful weather； the sun shines so splendidly； and we
shall have such a glorious sunset。〃
〃A glorious sunset！〃 repeated Marie Antoinette； with a bitter smile。
〃A queen is at least allowed to see the sun go down； etiquette has
not forbidden a queen to see the sun set and night approach。 But the
poor creature is not allowed to see the sun rise； and rejoice in the
beauty of the dawn。 I have once； since I was a queen； seen the sun
rise； and all the world cried 'Murder；' and counted it a crime； and
all France laughed at the epigrams and jests with which my friends
punished me for the crime that the queen of France； with her court；
had seen the sun rise。 And now you want to allow me to see it set；
but I will not； I will not look at this sad spectacle of coming
night。 In me it is night； and I feel the storms which are drawing
nigh。 Go； Julia； leave me alone； for you can see that there is
nothing to be done with me to…day。 I cannot laugh； I cannot be
merry。 Go； for my sadness might infect you； and that would make me
doubly sad。〃
The duchess did not reply； she only made a deep reverence； and went
with light； inaudible step over the carpet to the door。 The queen's
face had been turned away； but as the light sound of the door struck
her ear； she turned quickly around and saw that she was alone。
〃She has left meshe has really gone；〃 sighed the queen； bitterly。
〃Oh！ she is like all the rest； she never loved me。 But who does love
me？〃 asked she； in despair。 〃Who is there in the world that loves
me； and forgets that I am the queen？ My God！ my heart cries for
love； yearns for friendship； and has never found them。 And they make
this yearning of mine a crime； they accuse me that I have a heart。 0
my God！ have pity upon me。 Veil at least my eyes； that I may not see
the faithlessness of my friends。 Sustain at least my faith in the
friendship of my Julia。 Let me not have the bitterness of feeling
that I am alone； inconsolably alone。〃
She pressed her hands before her face； and sank upon a chair； and
sat long there； motionless； and wholly given over to her sad； bitter
feelings。
After a long time she let her hands fall from her face； and looked
around with a pained； confused look。 The sun had gone down； it began
to grow dark； and Marie Antoinette shuddered within herself。
〃By this time the sentence has been pronounced；〃 she muttered；
softly。 〃By this time it is known whether the Queen of France can be
slandered and insulted with impunity。 Oh！ if I only could be sure。
Did not Campan sayI will go to Campan。〃 And the queen rose
quickly； went with a decisive step out of her cabinet； then through
the toilet…room close by； and opened the door which led to the
chamber of her first lady…in…waiting； Madame de Campan。
Madame de Campan stood at the window； and gazed with such a look of
intense expectation out into the twilight； that she did not notice
the entrance of the queen till the latter called her loudly by name。
〃The queen！〃 cried she； drawing back terrified from the window。 〃The
queen！ andhere； in my room！〃
Marie Antoinette made a movement of impatience。 〃You want to say
that it is not becoming for a queen to enter the room of her trusted
waiting…maid； that it is against etiquette。 I know that indeed； but
these are days； my good Campan； when etiquette has no power over us；
and when； behind the royal purple； the poor human heart； in all its
need； comes into the foreground。 This is such a day for me； and as I
know you are true； I have come to you。 Did you not tell me； Campan；
that you should receive the news as soon as the sentence was
pronounced？〃
〃Yes； your majesty； I do hope to； and that is the reason why I am
standing at the window looking for my messenger。〃
〃How curious！〃 said the queen； thoughtfully。 〃They call me Queen of
France； and yet I have no one who hastens to give me news of this
important affair； while my waiting…maid has devoted friends；
