marie antoinette and her son-第33章

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important　affair；　while　my　waiting…maid　has　devoted　friends；　who　do
for　her　what　no　one　does　for　the　queen。〃

〃I　beg　your　majesty's　pardon；〃　answered　Madame　de　Campan；　smiling。
〃What　they　do　to…day　for　me；　they　do　only　because　I　am　the　waiting…
maid　of　the　queen。　I　was　yesterday　at　Councillor　Bugeaud's；　in　order
to　pay　my　respects　to　the　family　after　a　long　interval；　for　his　wife
is　a　cousin　of　mine。〃

〃That　means；〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　slight　smile；　〃that　you　went
there；　not　to　visit　your　cousin；　the　councillor's　wife；　but　to　visit
the　councillor　himself。　Now　confess；　my　good　Campan；　you　wanted　to
do　a　little　bribery。〃

〃Well；　I　confess　to　your　majesty；　I　wanted　to　see　if　it　was　really
true　that　Councillor　Bugeaud　has　gone　over　to　the　enemy。　Your
majesty　knows　that　Madame　de　Marsan　has　visited　all　the　councillors；
and　adjured　them　by　God　and　the　Holy　Church；　not　to　condemn　the
cardinal；　but　to　declare　him　innocent。〃

〃That　is；　they　will　free　the　cardinal　that　I　may　be　condemned；〃　said
the　queen；　angrily。　〃For　to　free　him　is　the　same　as　to　accuse　me　and
have　my　honor　tarnished。〃

〃That　was　what　I　was　saying　to　my　cousin；　Councillor　Bugeaud；　and
happily　I　found　supporters　in　his　own　family。　Oh；　I　assure　your
majesty　that　in　this　family　there　are　those　who　are　devoted；　heart
and　soul；　to　your　majesty。〃

〃Who　are　these　persons？〃　asked　the　queen。　〃Name　them　to　me；　that　in
my　sad　hours　I　may　remember　them。〃

〃There　is；　in　the　first　place；　the　daughter　of　the　councillor；　the
pretty　Margaret；　who　is　so　enthusiastic　for　your　majesty　that　she
saves　a　part　of　her　meagre　pocket…money　that　she　may　ride　over　to
Versailles　at　every　great　festival　to　see　your　majesty；　and　then
particularly　there　is　the　lover　of　this　little　person；　a　young　man
named　Toulan；　a　gifted；　fine　young　fellow；　who　almost　worships　your
majestyhe　is　the　one　who　promised　me　to　bring　news　at　once　after
the　sentence　is　pronounced；　and　it　is　more　owing　to　his　eloquence
than　to　mine　that　Councillor　Bugeaud　saw　the　necessity　of　giving　his
vote　against　the　cardinal　and　putting　himself　on　the　right　side。〃

At　this　instant　the　door　which　led　into　the　antechamber　was　hastily
flung　open；　and　a　lackey　entered。

〃The　gentleman　whom　you　expected　has　just　arrived；〃　he　announced。

〃It　is　Mr。　Toulan；〃　whispered　Madame　de　Campan　to　the　queen；　〃he
brings　the　sentence。　Tell　the　gentleman；〃　she　then　said　aloud　to　the
lackey；　〃to　wait　a　moment　in　the　antechamber；　I　will　receive　him
directly。

〃Go；　I　beg　your　majesty；〃　she　continued　as　the　lackey　withdrew；　〃I
beg　your　majesty　to　graciously　allow　me　to　receive　the　young　man
here。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　my　dear　Campan；〃　said　the　queen；　smiling；　〃to
vacate　the　premises　and　leave　the　apartment。　But　I　am　not　at　all
inclined　to；　I　prefer　to　remain　here。　I　want　to　see　this　young　man
of　whom　you　say　that　he　is　such　a　faithful　friend；　and　then　I　should
like　to　know　the　news　as　soon　as　possible　that　he　brings。　See　here；
the　chimney…screen　is　much　taller　than　I；　and　if　I　go　behind；　the
young　man　will　have　no　suspicion　of　my　presence；　especially　as　it　is
dark。　Now　let　him　come　in。　I　am　most　eager　to　hear　the　news。〃

The　queen　quickly　stepped　behind　the　high　screen；　and　Madame　Campan
opened　the　door　of　the　antechamber。

〃Come　in；　Mr。　Toulan；〃　she　cried；　and　at　once　there　appeared　at　the
open　door　the　tall；　powerful　figure　of　the　young　man。　His　cheeks
were　heated　with　the　quick　ride；　his　eyes　glowed；　and　his　breathing
was　rapid　and　hard。　Madame　Campan　extended　her　hand　to　him　and
greeted　him　with　a　friendly　smile。　〃So　you　have　kept　your　word；　Mr。
Toulan；〃　she　said。　〃You　bring　me　the　news　of　the　court's　decision？〃

〃Yes；　madame；　I　do；〃　he　answered　softly；　and　with　a　touch　of
sadness。　〃I　am　only　sorry　that　you　have　had　to　wait　so　long；　but　it
is　not　my　fault。　It　was　striking　eight　from　the　tower　of　St。　Jacques
when　I　received　the　news。〃

〃Eight；〃　asked　Madame　de　Campan；　looking　at　the　clock；　〃it　is　now
scarcely　nine。　You　do　not　mean　to　say　that　you　have　ridden　the
eighteen　miles　from　Paris　to　Versailles　in　an　hour？〃

〃I　have　done　it；　and　I　assure　you　that　is　nothing　wonderful。　I　had
four　fresh　horses　stationed　along　the　road；　and　they　were　good　ones。
I　fancied　myself　sometimes　a　bird　flying　through　the　air；　and　it
seems　to　me　now　as　if　I　had　flown。　I　beg　your　pardon　if　I　sit　down
in　your　presence；　for　my　feet　tremble　a　little。〃

〃Do　sit　down；　my　dear　young　friend；〃　cried　Campan；　and　she　hastened
herself　to　place　an　easy…chair　for　the　young　man。

〃Only　an　instant；〃　he　said；　sinking　into　it。　〃But　believe　me　it　is
not　the　quick　ride　that　makes　my　feet　tremble；　but　joy　and
excitement。　I　shall　perhaps　have　the　pleasure　to　have　done　the　queen
a　little　service；　for　you　told　me　that　it　would　be　very　important
for　her　majesty　to　learn　the　verdict　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　no
one　has　got　here　before　me；　has　there？〃

〃No；　my　friend；　the　queen　will　learn　the　news　first　through　your
means；　and　I　shall　say　to　her　majesty　that　I　have　learned　it　through
you。〃

〃No；　madame；〃　he　cried；　quickly；　〃no；　I　would　much　rather　you　would
not　tell　the　queen；　for　who　knows　whether　the　news　is　good；　or
whether　it　would　not　trouble　the　noble　heart　of　the　queen；　and　then
my　name；　if　she　should　learn　it；　would　only　be　disagreeable　to　her
rather　that　she　should　never　hear　it　than　that　it　should　be
connected　with　unpleasant　associations　to　her。〃

〃Then　you　do　not　know　what　the　sentence　is？〃　replied　Campan；
astonished。　〃Have　you　come　to　bring　me　the　sentence；　and　yet　do　not
know　yourself　what　it　is？〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　it　is；　madame。　The　councillor；　the　father　of　my
sweetheart；　has　sent　it　by　me　in　writing；　and　I　have　not　allowed
myself　to　take　time　to　read　it。　Perhaps；　too；　I　was　too　cowardly　for
it；　for　if　I　had　seen　that　it　contained　any　thing　that　would　trouble
the　queen；　I　should　not　have　had　courage　to　come　here　and　deliver
the　paper　to　you。　So　I　did　not　read　it；　and　thought　only　of　this；
that　I　might　perhaps　save　the　queen　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　disquiet
and　anxious　expectation。　Here；　madame；　is　the　paper　which　contains
the　sentence。　Take　it　to　her　majesty；　and　may　the　God　of　justice
grant　that　it　contain　nothing　which　may　trouble　the　queen！〃

He　stood　up；　and　handed　Madame　de　Campan　a　paper。　〃And　now；　madame；〃
he　continued；　〃allow　me　to　retire；　that　I　may　return　to　Paris；　for
my　sweetheart　is　expecting　me；　and；　besides；　they　are　expecting　some
disturbance　in　the　city。　I　must　go；　therefore；　to　protect　my　house。〃

〃Go；　my　young　friend；〃　said　Madame　de　Campan；　warmly　pressing　his
hand。　〃Receive　my　heartiest　thanks　for　your　devotion；　and　be　sure
the　queen　shall　hear　of　it。　farewell；　farewell！〃

〃No；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　emerging　from　behind　the　screen　with　a
laugh；　〃no；　do　not　go；　sir！　Remain　to　receive　your　queen's　thanks
for　the　disinterested　zeal　which　you　have　displayed　for　me　this
day。〃

〃The　queen！〃　whispered　Toulan；　turning　pale；　〃the　queen！〃

And　falling　upon　his　knee　he　looked　at　the　queen　with　such　an
expression　of　rapture　and　admiration　that　Marie　Antoinette　was
touched。

〃I　have　much　to　thank　you　for；　Mr。　Toulan；〃　she　said。　〃Not　merely
that　you　are　the　bearer　of　important　newsI　thank　you　besides　for
convincing　me　that　the　Queen　of　France　has　faithful　and　devoted
friends；　and　to　know　this　is　so　cheering　to　me　that　even　if　you
bring　me　bad　news；　my　sorrow　will　be　softened　by　this　knowledge。　I
thank　you　again；　Mr。　Toulan！〃

Toulan　perceived　that　the　queen　was　dismissing　him；　he　stood　up　and
retreated　to　the　door；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　queen；　and　then；　after
opening　the　door；　he　sank；　as　it　were；　overcome　by　the　storm　of　his
emotions；　a　second　time　upon　his　knee；　and　folding　his　hands；　raised
his　great；　beaming　eyes　to　heaven。

〃God　in　heaven；〃　he　said　loudly　and　solemnly；　〃I　thank　Thee　for　the
joy　of　this　hour。　From　this　moment　I　devote　myself　to　the　service　of
my　queen。　She　shall　henceforth　be　the　divinity　whom　I　serve；　and　to
whom　I　will；　if　I　can　avail　any　thing；　freely　offer　my　blood　and
life。　This　I　swear；　and　God　and　the　queen　have　heard　my　oath！〃

And　without　casting　another　glance　at　the　queen；　without　saluting