marie antoinette and her son-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


herself　to　the　people；　and　greeted　them　with　friendly　smiles。

But；　instead　of　the　shouts　of　applause　which　she　had　expected；　the
crowd　relapsed　at　once　into　a　gloomy　silence。　Not　a　hand　was　raised
to　greet　her；　not　a　mouth　was　opened　to　cry　〃Long　live　the　queen！〃

Soon；　however；　there　was　heard　a　harsh　woman's　voice　shouting；　〃Long
live　the　Duke　d'Orleans！　Long　life　to　the　friend　of　the　people！〃

The　queen；　pale　and　trembling；　reeled　back　from　the　balcony；　and
sank　almost　in　a　swoon　into　the　arms　of　the　Duchess　de　Polignac；　who
was　behind　her。　Her　eyes　were　closed；　and　a　convulsive　spasm　shook
her　breast。

Through　the　opened　doors　of　the　balcony　the　shouts　of　the　people
could　be　heard　all　the　time；　〃Long　live　the　Duke　d'Orleans！〃

The　queen；　still　in　her　swoon；　was　carried　into　her　apartments　and
laid　upon　her　bed；　only　Madame　de　Campan　remained　in　front　of　it　to
watch　the　queen；　who；　it　was　supposed；　had　fallen　asleep。

A　deep　silence　prevailed　in　the　room；　and　the　stillness　awoke　Marie
Antoinette　from　her　half　insensibility。　She　opened　her　eyes；　and
seeing　Campan　kneeling　before　her　bed；　she　threw　her　arms　around　the
faithful　friend；　and　with　gasping　breath　bowed　her　head　upon　her
shoulder。

〃Oh；　Campan；〃　she　cried；　with　loud；　choking　voice；　〃ruin　is　upon　me！
I　am　undone！　All　my　happiness　is　over；　and　soon　my　life　will　be　over
too！　I　have　to…day　tasted　of　the　bitterness　of　death！　We　shall　never
be　happy　more；　for　destruction　hangs　over　us；　and　our　death…sentence
is　pronounced！〃




CHAPTER　X。

THE　INHERITANCE　OF　THE　DAUPHIN。


For　four　weeks　the　National　Assembly　met　daily　at　Versailles；　that
is　to　say；　for　four　weeks　the　political　excitement　grew　greater　day
by　day；　the　struggle　of　the　parties　more　pronounced　and　fierce；　only
with　this　qualification；　that　the　party　which　attacked　the　queen　was
stronger　than　that　which　defended　her。　Or　rather；　to　express　the
exact　truth；　there　was　no　party　for　Marie　Antoinette；　there　were
only　here　and　there　devoted　friends；　who　dared　to　encounter　the
odium　which　their　position　called　down　upon　themdared　face　the
calumnies　which　were　set　in　circulation　by　the　other　parties：　that
of　the　people；　the　democrats；　that　of　Orleans；　that　of　the　princes
and　princesses　of　the　royal　family。　All　these　united　their　forces　in
order　to　attack　the　〃Austrian；〃　to　obscure　the　last　gleams　of　the
love　and　respect　which　were　paid　to　her　in　happier　days。

When　Mirabeau　made　the　proposition　in　the　National　Assembly　that　the
person　of　the　king　should　be　declared　inviolable；　there　arose　from
all　these　four　hundred　representatives　of　the　French　nation　only　one
man　who　dared　to　declare　with　a　loud　voice　and　with　defiant　face；
〃The　persons　of　the　king　and　queen　shall　be　declared　inviolable！〃

This　was　Toulan；　the　〃soldier　of　the　queen。〃　But　the　Assembly
replied　to　this　demand　only　with　loud　murmurs；　and　scornful
laughter；　not　a　voice　was　raised　in　support　of　this　last　cry　in
favor　of　the　queen；　and　the　Assembly　decreed　only　this：　〃The　person
of　the　king　is　inviolable。〃

〃That　means；〃　said　the　queen　to　the　police　minister　Brienne；　who
brought　the　queen　every　morning　tidings　of　what　had　occurred　at
Paris　and　Versailles；　〃that　means　that　my　death…warrant　was　signed
yesterday。〃

〃Your　majesty　goes　too　far！〃　cried　the　minister　in　horror；　〃I　think
that　this　has　an　entirely　different　meaning。　The　National　Assembly
has　not　pronounced　the　person　of　the　queen　inviolable；　because　they
want　to　say　that　the　queen　has　nothing　to　do　with　politics；　and
therefore　it　is　unnecessary　to　pass　judgment　upon　the　inviolability
of　the　queen。〃

〃Ah！〃　sighed　the　queen；　〃I　should　have　been　happy　if　I　had　not　been
compelled　to　trouble　myself　with　these　dreadful　politics。　It
certainly　was　not　in　my　wish　nor　in　my　character。　My　enemies　have
compelled　me　to　it；　it　is　they　who　have　turned　the　simple；　artless
queen　into　an　intriguer。〃

〃Ah！　madam！〃　said　the　minister；　astonished；　〃you　use　there　too　harsh
a　word；　you　speak　as　if　they　belonged　to　your　enemies。〃

〃No；　I　use　the　right　word；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　sadly。　〃My
enemies　have　made　an　intriguer　of　me。　Every　woman　who　goes　beyond
her　knowledge　and　the　bounds　of　her　duty　in　meddling　with　politics
is　nothing　better　than　an　intriguer。　You　see　at　least　that　I　do　not
flatter　myself；　although　it　troubles　me　to　have　to　give　myself　so
bad　a　name。　The　Queens　of　France　are　happy　only　when　they　have
nothing　to　trouble　themselves　about；　and　reserve　only　influence
enough　to　give　pleasure　to　their　friends；　and　reward　their　faithful
servants。　Do　you　know　what　recently　happened　to　me？〃　continued　the
queen；　with　a　sad　smile。　〃As　I　was　going　into　the　privy　council
chamber　to　have　a　consultation　with　the　king；　I　heard；　while　passing
OEil　de　Boeuf；　one　of　the　musicians　saying　so　loud　that　I　had　to
listen　to　every　word；　'A　queen　who　does　her　duty　stays　in　her　own
room　and　busies　herself　with　her　sewing　and　knitting。'　I　said　within
myself；　'Poor　fellow；　you　are　right；　but　you　don't　know　my　unhappy
condition；　I　yield　only　to　necessity；　and　my　bad　luck　urges　me
forward。〃　＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own　words。See　〃Memoires　de　Madame
de　Campan；〃　vol　ii。；　p。　32。＇

〃Ah！　madame；〃　said　the　minister　with　a　sigh；　〃would　that　they　who
accuse　you　of　mingling　in　politics　out　of　ambition　and　love　of
powerwould　that　they　could　hear　your　majesty　complain　of　yourself
in　these　moving　words！〃

〃My　friend；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with　a　sad　smile；　〃if　they　heard
it　they　would　say　that　it　was　only　something　learned　by　heart；　with
which　I　was　trying　to　disarm　the　righteous　anger　of　my　enemies。　It
is　in　vain　to　want　to　excuse　or　justify　myself；　for　no　one　will　hear
a　word。　I　must　be　guilty；　I　must　be　criminal；　that　they　who　accuse
me　may　appear　to　have　done　right；　that　they　may　ascend　while　they
pull　me　down。　But　let　us　not　speak　more　of　this！　I　know　my　future；　I
feel　it　clear　and　plain　in　my　mind　and　in　my　soul　that　I　am　lost；
but　I　will　at　least　fight　courageously　and　zealously　till　the　last
moment；　and；　if　I　must　go　down；　it　shall　be　at　least　with　honor；
true　to　myself　and　true　to　the　views　and　opinions　in　which　I　have
been　trained。　Now；　go　on；　let　me　know　the　new　libels　and　accusations
which　have　been　disseminated　about　me。〃　The　minister　drew　from　his
portfolio　a　whole　package　of　pamphlets；　and　spread　them　upon　a
little　table　before　the　queen。

〃So　much　at　once！〃　said　the　queen；　sadly；　turning　over　the　papers。
〃How　much　trouble　I　make　to　my　enemies；　and　how　much　they　must　hate
me　that　I　have　such　tenacity　of　life！　Here　is　a　pamphlet　entitled
'Good　advice　to　Madame　Deficit　to　leave　France　as　soon　as　possible。'
'Madame　Deficit！'　that　means　me；　doesn't　it？〃

〃It　is　a　name；　your　majesty；　which　the　wickedness　of　the　Duke
d'Orleans　has　imposed　upon　your　majesty；　answered　the　minister；　with
a　shrug　of　his　shoulders。

The　eyes　of　the　queen　flashed　in　anger。　She　opened　her　lips　to　utter
a　choleric　word；　but　she　governed　herself；　and　went　on　turning　over
the　pamphlets　and　caricatures。　While　doing　that；　while　reading　the
words　charged　with　poison　of　wickedness　and　hate；　the　tears　coursed
slowly　over　her　cheeks；　and　once　in　a　while　a　convulsive　gasp　forced
itself　from　her　breast。

Brienne　pitied　the　deep　sorrow　of　the　queen。　He　begged　her　to
discontinue　this　sad　perusal。　He　wanted　to　gather　up　again　the
contumelious　writings；　but　Marie　Antoinette　held　his　hand　back。

〃I　must　know　every　thing；　every　thing；〃　said　she。　〃Go　on　bringing　me
every　thing；　and　do　not　be　hindered　by　my　tears。　It　is　of　course
natural　that　I　am　sensitive　to　the　evil　words　that　are　spoken　about
me；　and　to　the　bad　opinion　that　is　cherished　toward　me　by　a　people
that　I　love；　and　to　win　whose　love　I　am　prepared　to　make　every
sacrifice。〃　＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own　words。See　Malleville；
〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　197＇

At　this　moment　the　door　of　the　cabinet　was　dashed　open　without
ceremony；　and　the　Duchess　de　Polignac　entered。

〃Forgiveness！　your　majesty；　forgiveness　that　I　have　ventured　to
disturb　you；　but〃

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　the　queen；　springing　up。　〃You　come　to　announce
misfortune　to　me；　duchess。　It　concerns　the　dauphin；