marie antoinette and her son-第53章

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more　noticeable；　and　every　now　and　then　there　seemed　to　be　heavy
strokes　as　if　directed　against　the　palace；　sounding　as　if　the　people
were　attempting　to　force　the　iron　gate　of　the　front　court。

〃I　must　know　what　is　going　on；〃　whispered　Campan；　and　with　cool
decision　she　put　the　key　into　the　door；　turned　it；　entered　the
antechamber；　and　flew　to　the　window；　where　there　was　a　view　of　the
whole　court；　and　a　fearful　sight　met　her　there。　The　crowd　had　broken
the　gate；　pressed　into　the　court；　and　was　surging　in　great　masses
toward　the　palace　doors。　Here　and　there　torches　threw　their　glare
over　these　masses；　disclosing　men　with　angry　gestures；　and　women
with　streaming　hair；　swinging　their　arms　savagely；　and　seeming　like
a　picture　of　hell；　not　to　be　surpassed　in　horror　even　by　the
phantasms　of　Dante。　Women　changed　to　furies　and　bacchanalians；
roaring　and　shouting　in　their　murderous　desires；　men；　like　blood…
thirsty　tigers；　preparing　to　spring　upon　their　prey；　and　give　it　the
death…stroke；　swinging　pikes　and　guns；　which　gleamed　horribly　in　the
glare　of　the　torches；　arms　and　fists　bearing　threatening　daggers　and
knives！　All　this　was　pressing　on　upon　the　palaceall　these　clinched
fists　would　soon　be　engaged　in　hammering　upon　the　walls　which
separated　the　king　and　queen　from　the　peoplethe　executioner　from
his　victim！

All　at　once　there　rang　out　a　fearful；　thundering　cry；　which　made　the
windows　rattle；　and　called　forth　a　terrible　echo　above　in　the
deserted　hall；　for　through　all　these　shrieks　and　howls；　there
resounded　now　a　piercing　cry；　such　as　only　the　greatest　pain　or　the
most　instant　need　can　extort　from　human　lips。

〃That　was　a　death…cry；〃　whispered　Madame　de　Campan；　trembling；　and
drawing　back　from　the　window。　〃They　have　certainly　killed　the　Swiss
guards；　who　are　keeping　the　door；　they　will　now　pour　into　the
palace。　O　God！　what　will　become　of　Varicourt？　I　must　know　what　is
going　on！〃

She　flew　through　the　antechamber　and　opened　the　door　of　the　Swiss
hall。　It　was　empty；　but　outside　of　it　could　be　heard　a　confused；
mixed　mass　of　sounds；　cries；　and　the　tramping　as　of　hundreds　and
hundreds　of　men　coming　on。　Nearer　and　nearer　came　the　sound；　more
distinct　every　moment。　All　at　once　the　door　was　flung　open　on　the
other　side　of　the　Swiss　hall；　the　door　which　led　out；　and　Varicourt
appeared　in　it；　pushed　backward　by　the　raging；　howling　mass。　He
still　sought　to　resist　the　oncoming　tramp　of　these　savage　men；　and；
with　a　movement　like　lightning；　putting　his　weapon　across　the　door；
he　was　able　for　one　minute　to　hold　the　place　against　the　tidejust
so　long　as　the　arms　which　held　the　weapon　had　in　them　the　pulse　of
life！　Varicourt　looked　like　a　dying　man；　his　uniform　was　torn　and
cut；　his　face　deathly　pale；　and　on　one　side　disfigured　by　the　blood
which　was　streaming　down　from　a　broad　wound　in　his　forehead。

〃It　is　time；　it　is　time！〃　he　cried；　with　a　loud　tremulous　voice；
and；　as　he　saw　for　an　instant　the　face　of　Campan　at　the　opposite
door；　a　flash　of　joy　passed　over　his　face。

〃Save　the　queen！　They　will　murder　her！〃　＇Varicourt's　last　words。
See　〃Memoires　de　Madame　de　Campan；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　77。　＇

Madame　de　Campan　hastily　closed　the　door；　drew　the　great　bolt；　and
then　sprang　through　the　antechamber　into　the　waiting…room；　and
bolted　its　door　too。　Then；　after　she　had　done　thatafter　she　had
raised　this　double　wall　between　the　sleeping　queen　and　the　raging
mobshe　sank　upon　her　knees　like　one　who　was　utterly　crushed；　and
raised　her　folded　hands　to　heaven。

〃Have　mercy　on　his　soul；　O　God！　take　him　graciously　to　heaven！〃
whispered　she；　with　trembling　lips。

〃For　whom　are　you　praying？〃　asked　the　two　women；　in　low　voices；
hurrying　up　to　her。　〃Who　is　dead？〃

〃Mr。　Varicourt；〃　answered　Campan；　with　a　sigh。　〃I　heard　his　death…
cry；　as　I　was　bolting　the　door　of　the　antechamber。　But　we　cannot
stop　to　weep　and　lament。　We　must　save　the　queen！〃

And　she　sprang　up　from　her　knees；　flew　through　the　room；　and　opened
the　door　leading　to　the　queen's　chamber。

At　that　moment　a　fearful　crash　was　heard；　then　a　loud　shout　of
triumph　in　the　outer　antechamber。

〃The　queen！　We　want　the　heart　of　the　queen！〃

〃They　have　broken　down　the　door　of　the　antechamberthey　are　in　the
waiting…room！〃　whispered　Campan。　〃There　is　no　time　to　be　lost。　Come；
friends；　come！〃

And　she　hastened　to　the　bed　of　the　queen；　who　was　still　lying　in
that　heavy；　unrefreshing　sleep　which　usually　follows　exhaustion　and
intense　excitement。

〃Your　majesty；　your　majesty；　wake！〃

〃What　is　it；　Campan？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　opening　her　eyes；　and
hastily　sitting　up　in　bed。　〃Why　do　you　waken　me？　What　has　happened？〃

The　fearful　sounds　without；　the　crashing　of　the　door　of　the　little
waiting…room；　gave　answer。　The　rough；　hard　voices　of　the　exasperated
women；　separated　now　from　the　queen　by　only　one　thin　door；　quickly
told　all　that　had　happened。

Marie　Antoinette　sprang　from　her　bed。　〃Dress　me　quick；　quick！〃

〃Impossible！　There　is　no　time。　Only　hear　how　the　gunstocks　beat
against　the　door！　They　will　break　it　down；　and　then　your　majesty　is
lost！　The　clothes　on　without　stopping　to　fasten　them！　Now　fly；　your
majesty；　fly！　Through　the　side…door…through　the　OEil　de　Boeuf！〃

Madame　de　Campan　went　in　advance；　the　two　women　supported　the　queen
and　carried　her　loose　clothes；　and　then　they　flew　on　through　the
still　and　deserted　corridors　to　the　sleeping…room　of　the　king。

It　was　emptyno　one　there！

〃O　God！　Campan；　where　is　the　king？　I　must　go　to　him。　My　place　is　by
his　side！　Where　is　the　king？〃

〃Here　I　am；　Marie；　here！〃　cried　the　king；　who　just　then　entered　and
saw　the　eager；　anxious　face　of　his　wife。　〃I　hurried　to　save　our　most
costly　possessions！〃

He　laid　the　dauphin；　only　half　awake；　and　lying　on　his　breast；　in
the　arms　which　Marie　Antoinette　extended　to　him；　and　then　led　her
little　daughter　to　her；　who　had　been　brought　in　by　Madame　Tourzel。

〃Now；〃　said　the　king；　calmly；　〃now　that　I　have　collected　my　dearest
treasures；　I　will　go　and　see　what　is　going　on。〃

But　Marie　Antoinette　held　him　back。　〃There　is　destruction；
treachery；　and　murder　outside。　Crime　may　break　in　here　and　overwhelm
us；　but　we　ought　not　to　go　out　and　seek　it。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　king；　〃we　will　remain　here　and　await　what　comes。〃
And　turning　to　his　valet；　who　was　then　entering；　Louis　continued：
〃Bring　me　my　chocolate；　I　want　to　take　advantage　of　the　time　to
breakfast；　for　I　am　hungry！〃

〃Sire；　now？　shall　we　breakfast　now？〃　asked　the　queen；　amazed。

〃Why　not？〃　answered　Louis　calmly。　〃If　the　body　is　strengthened；　we
look　at　every　thing　more　composedly　and　confidently。　You　must　take
breakfast　too；　Marie；　for　who　knows　whether　we　shall　find　time　for
some　hours　after　this？〃

〃I！　oh；　I　need　no　breakfast；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　and　as　she　saw
Louis　eagerly　taking　a　cup　of　chocolate　from　the　hands　of　a　valet；
and　was　going　to　enjoy　it；　she　turned　away　to　repress　the　tears　of
anger　and　pain　which　in　spite　of　herself　pressed　into　her　eyes。

〃Mamma　queen；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　who　was　yet　in　her　arms；　〃I　should
like　my　breakfast　too。　My　chocolateI　should　like　my　chocolate
too！〃

The　queen　compelled　herself　to　smile；　carried　the　child　to　its
father；　and　softly　set　him　down　on　the　king's　knee。

〃Sire；〃　said　she；　〃will　the　King　of　France　teach　his　son　to　take
breakfast；　while　revolution　is　thundering　without；　and　breaking
down；　with　treasonable　hands；　the　doors　of　the　royal　palace？　Campan；
come　herehelp　me　arrange　my　toilet；　I　want　to　prepare　myself　to
give　audience　to　revolution！〃

And　withdrawing　to　a　corner　of　the　room；　the　queen　finished　her
toilet；　for　which　her　women　fortunately　had　in　their　flight　brought
the　materials。

While　the　queen　was　dressing　and　the　king　breakfasting　with　the
children；　the　cabinet　of　the　king　began　to　fill。　All　Louis's
faithful　servants；　then　the　ministers　and　some　of　the　deputies；　had
hurried　to　the　palace　to　be　at　the　side　of　the　king　and　queen　at　the
hour　of　danger。

Every　one　of　them　brought　new　tidings　of　horror。　St。　Priest　told　how
he；　entering　the　Swiss　room；　at　the　door　leading　into　the
antechamber　of　the　queen；　had　seen　the　body　of　Varicourt　covered
with　wounds。　The　Duke　de