marie antoinette and her son-第51章

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open　that　led　to　the　dauphin's　sleeping…room。

And　here　Louis　stood　still；　and　looked　with　a　breath　of　relief　at
the　group　which　met　his　tearful　eyes。　The　dauphin　was　lying　in　his
bed　fast　asleep；　with　a　smile　on　his　face。　Marie　Antoinette　stood
erect　before　the　bed　in　an　attitude　of　proud　composure。

〃Marie；〃　said　the　king；　deeply　moved〃Marie；　I　was　looking　for
you。〃

The　queen　slowly　turned　her　head　toward　him　and　pointed　at　the
sleeping　prince。

〃Sire；〃　answered　she　calmly；　〃I　was　at　my　post。〃　＇Footnote：　This
conversation；　as　well　as　this　whole　scene；　is　historical。See
Beauchesne's　〃Louis　XVII。；〃　vol。　i。＇

Louis；　overcome　by　the　sublimity　of　a　mother's　love；　hastened　to　his
wife　and　locked　her　in　his　arms。

〃Remain　with　me；　Marie；〃　he　said。　〃Do　not　leave　me。　Breathe　your
courage　and　your　decision　into　me。〃

The　queen　sighed　and　sadly　shook　her　head。　She　had　not　a　word　of
reproach；　she　did　not　say　that　she　no　longer　believed　in　the　courage
and　decision　of　the　king；　but　she　had　no　longer　any　hope。

But　the　doors　of　the　room　now　opened。　Through　one　came　the　maids　of
the　queen　and　the　governess　of　the　dauphin；　through　the　other；　some
gentlemen　of　the　court；　to　call　the　king　back　into　the　audience…
hall。

After　the　first　panic；　every　one　had　come　back　to　consciousness
again；　and　all　vied　in　devoting　themselves　to　the　king　and　the
queen。　The　gentlemen　brought　word　that　something　new　had　occurred；
and　that　this　was　the　cause　of　the　dreadful　tumult　below　upon　the
square。　The　National　Guard　of　Paris　had　arrived；　they　had
fraternized　with　the　National　Guard　of　Versailles；　and　with　the
people；　they　had　been　received　by　the　women　with　shouts　of　applause；
and　by　the　men　with　a　volley　of　musket…shots　in　salutation。　General
Lafayette　had　entered　the　palace　to　offer　his　services　to　the　king；
and　he　now　asked　for　an　audience。

〃Come；　madame；〃　said　Louis　quickly；　cheered　up；　〃let　us　receive　the
general。　You　see　that　things　are　not　so　bad　with　us　as　you　think。　We
have　faithful　servants　yet　to　hasten　to　our　assistance。〃

The　queen　made　no　reply。　Quietly　she　followed　the　king　into　the
hall；　in　which　Lafayette；　surrounded　by　the　ministers　and　gentlemen；
was　standing。　On　the　entrance　of　the　royal　couple；　the　general
advanced　to　meet　them　with　a　reverential　salutation。

〃Sire；〃　said　Lafayette；　with　cheerful　confidence〃　sire；　I　have
come　to　protect　your　majesties　and　the　National　Assembly　against　all
those　who　shall　venture　to　threaten　you。〃

〃Are　you　assured　of　the　fidelity　and　trustworthiness　of　your
troops？〃　asked　the　queen；　whose　flaming　eyes　rested　upon　Lafayette's
countenance　as　if　she　wanted　to　read　his　utmost　thoughts。

But　these　eyes　did　not　confuse　the　cheerful　calmness　of　the　general。

〃I　know；　madame；　that　I　can　rely　upon　the　fidelity　of　my　soldiers；〃
answered　he；　confidently。　〃They　are　devoted　to　me　to　the　death；　and
as　I　shall　command　them；　they　will　watch　over　the　security　of　the
king　and　queen；　and　keep　all　injury　from　them。〃

The　queen　detected　the　touch　of　scorn　in　these　loud…sounding　words；
but　she　pretended　to　believe　them。　At　last　she　really　did　believe
them；　for　Lafayette　repeated　emphatically　that　from　this　time
nothing　more　was　to　be　feared　for　the　royal　family；　and　that　all
danger　was　past。　The　guard　should　be　chosen　this　night　from　his　own
troops；　the　Paris　National　Guard　should　restore　peace　again　in
Versailles；　and　keep　an　eye　upon　the　crowds　which　had　encamped　upon
the　great　square　before　the　palace。

Lafayette　promised　well　for　his　army；　for　the　howling；　shrieking
women；　for　the　cursing；　raging　men。

And　the　king　was　satisfied　with　these　assurances　of　General
Lafayette；　and　so；　too；　was　Marie　Antoinette　at　last。

Louis　ordered　the　garde　du　corps　to　march　to　Rambouillet；　and
reserved　only　the　necessary　sentinels　in　the　palace。　In　the
immediate　neighborhood　the　soldiers　of　Lafayette　were　stationed。　The
general　once　more　made　the　rounds；　and　then；　as　if　every　thing　was
in　a　position　of　the　greatest　security；　he　went　into　the　palace　to
spend　the　night　there；　and　in　peaceful　slumbers　to　refresh　himself
for　the　labors　of　the　day。

The　king；　too；　had　retired　to　his　apartments；　and　the　valets　who　had
assisted　his　majesty　to　undress　had　not　left　the　sleeping…room；　when
the　loud；　uniform　breathing　which　issued　from　the　silken　curtains　of
the　bed　told　them　that　the　king　had　already　fallen　asleep。　The
queen；　too；　had　gone　to　rest；　and　while　laying　her　wearied　and　heavy
head　upon　the　cushions；　she　tenderly　besought　both　her　maids　to　lie
down　too。　All　was　quiet　now　in　the　dark　palace　of　Versailles。　The
king　and　the　queen　slept。

But　through　the　dark；　deserted　halls　which　that　day　had　witnessed　so
much　pain　and　anxiety；　resounded　now　the　clang　of　the　raging；
howling　voices　which　came　up　from　the　square；　and　hurled　their
curses　against　the　queen。

In　the　palace　of　Versailles　they　were　asleep；　but　without；　before
the　palace；　Uproar　and　Hate　kept　guard；　and　with　wild　thoughts　of
murder　stalked　around　the　palace　of　the　Kings　of　France。

How　soon　were　these　thoughts　to　become　fact！　Sleep；　Marie
Antoinette；　sleep！　One　last　hour　of　peace　and　security！

One　last　hour！　Before　the　morning　dawns　Hate　will　awaken　thee；　and
Murder's　terrible　voice　will　resound　through　the　halls　of　the　Kings
of　France！




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　NIGHT　OF　HORROR。


Marie　Antoinette　slept！　The　fearful　excitement　of　the　past　day　and
of　the　stormy　evening；　crowded　with　its　events；　had　exhausted　the
powers　of　the　queen；　and　she　had　fallen　into　that　deep；　dreamless
sleep　which　sympathetic　and　gracious　Nature　sometimes　sends　to　those
whom　Fate　pursues　with　suffering　and　peril。

Marie　Antoinette　slept！　In　the　interior　of　the　palace　a　deep　calm
reigned；　and　Lafayette　had　withdrawn　from　the　court　in　order　to
sleep　too。　But　below；　upon　this　court；　Revolution　kept　her　vigils；
and　glared　with　looks　of　hatred　and　vengeance　to　the　dark　walls
behind　which　the　queen　was　sleeping。

The　crown　of　France　had　for　centuries　sinned　so　much；　and　proved
false　so　much；　that　the　love　of　the　people　had　at　last　been
transformed　into　hate。　The　crown　had　so　long　sown　the　wind；　that　it
could　not　wonder　if　it　had　to　reap　the　whirlwind。　The　crimes　and
innovations　which　Louis　XIV。　and　Louis　XV。　had　sown　upon　the　soil　of
France；　had　created　an　abyss　between　the　crown　and　the　people；　out
of　which　revolution　must　arise　to　avenge　those　crimes　and　sins　of
the　past　upon　the　present。　The　sins　of　the　fathers　had　to　be　visited
upon　the　children　to　the　third　and　fourth　generation。

Marie　Antoinette　did　not　know　it；　she　did　not　see　the　abyss　which
had　opened　between　the　crown　and　the　people；　the　courtiers　and
flatterers　had　covered　it　with　flowers；　and　with　the　sounds　of
festivity　the　cries　of　a　distressed　people　had　been　drowned。

Now　the　flowers　were　torn　away；　the　festive　sounds　had　ceased；　and
Marie　Antoinette　saw　the　abyss　between　the　crown　and　the　people；　she
heard　the　curses；　the　raging　cries　of　these　exasperated　men；　who　had
been　changed　from　weak；　obedient　subjects　into　threatening；
domineering　rebels。　She　looked　with　steady　eye　down　into　the　abyss；
and　saw　the　monster　rise　from　the　depths　to　destroy　herself　and　her
whole　house；　but　she　would　not　draw　back；　she　would　not　yield。　She
would　rather　be　dragged　down　and　destroyed　than　meekly　and　miserably
to　make　her　way　to　the　camp　of　her　enemies；　to　take　refuge　with
them。

Better　to　die　with　the　crown　on　her　head　than　to　live　robbed　of　her
crown　in　lowliness　and　in　a；　subject　condition。　Thus　thought　Marie
Antoinette；　as　at　the　close　of　that　dreadful　day　she　went　to　rest；
this　was　her　prayer　as　she　sank　upon　her　couch：

〃Give　me　power；　O　God；　to　die　as　a　queen；　if　I　can　no　longer　live　as
a　queen！　And　strengthen　my　husband；　that　he　may　not　only　be　a　good
man；　but　a　king　too！〃

With　this　prayer　on　her　trembling　lips；　she　had　fallen　asleep。　But
when　Campan　stole　on　tiptoe　to　the　queen's　bed　to　watch　her　mistress
while　she　slept；　Marie　Antoinette　opened　her　eyes　again；　and　spoke
in　her　friendly　way　to　her　devoted　servant。

〃Go　to　bed；　Campan；〃　said　she；　〃and　the　second　maid　must　lie　down
too。　You　al