marie antoinette and her son-第57章

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queen　took　her　leave　of　all　present；　and　returned　to　her　own
apartments；　which　were　now　guarded　by　Lafayette's　soldiers；　and
which　now　conveyed　no　hint　of　the　scene　of　horror　which　had
transpired　there　a　few　hours　before。

Some　hours　later　two　cannon　were　discharged　upon　the　great　square
before　the　palace。　They　announced　to　the　city　of　Versailles　that　the
king；　the　queen；　and　their　children；　had　just　left　the　proud　palace…
…were　then　leaving　the　solitary　residence　at　Versaillesnever　to
return！

From　the　lofty　tower　of　the　church　of　St。　Louis；　in　which　recently
the　opening　of　the　States…General　had　been　celebrated；　the　bell　was
just　then　striking　the　first　hour　after　mid…day；　when　the　carriage
drove　out　of　the　great　gate　through　which　the　royal　family　must　pass
on　its　way　to　Paris。　A　row　of　other　carriages　formed　the　escort　of
the　royal　equipage。　They　were　intended　for　the　members　of　the
States…General。　For　as　soon　as　the　journey　of　the　king　to　Paris　was
announced；　the　National　Assembly　decreed　that　it　regarded　itself　as
inseparably　connected　with　the　person　of　the　king；　and　that　it　would
follow　him　to　Paris。　A　deputation　had　instantly　repaired　to　the
palace；　to　communicate　this　decree　to　the　king；　and　had　been
received　by　Louis　with　cordial　expressions　of　thanks。

Marie　Antoinette；　however；　had　received　the　tidings　of　these
resolves　of　the　National　Assembly　with；　a　suspicious　smile；　and　an
angry　flash　darted　into　her　eyes。

〃And　so；　the　gentlemen　of　the　Third　Estate　have　gained　their　point！〃
cried　she；　in　wrath。　〃They　alone　have　produced　this　revolt；　in　order
that　the　National　Assembly　may　have　a　pretext　for　going　to　Paris。
Now；　they　have　reached　their　goal！　Yet　do　not　tell　me　that　the
revolution　is　ended　here。　On　the　contrary；　the　hydra　will　now　put
forth　all　its　heads；　and　will　tear　us　in　pieces。　But；　very　well！　I
would　rather　be　torn　to　pieces　by　them　than　bend　before　them！〃

And；　with　a　lofty　air　and　calm　bearing；　Marie　Antoinette　entered　the
great　coach　in　which　the　royal　family　was　to　make　the　journey　to
Paris。　Near　her　sat　the　king；　between　them　the　dauphin。　Opposite　to
them；　on　the　broad；　front　seat；　were　their　daughter　Therese；　the
Princess　Elizabeth；　and　Madame　de　Tourzel；　governess　of　the　royal
children。　Behind　them；　in　a　procession；　whose　end　could　not　be　seen；
followed　an　artillery　train；　then　the　mob；　armed　with　pikes；　and
other　weapons…men　covered　with　blood　and　dust；　women　with
dishevelled　hair　and　torn　garments；　the　most　of　them　drunken　with
wine；　exhausted　by　watching　during　the　night；　shouting　and　yelling；
and　singing　low　songs；　or　mocking　the　royal　family　with　scornful
words。　Behind　these　wild　masses　came　two　hundred　gardes　du　corps
without　weapons；　hats；　and　shoulder…straps；　every　one　escorted　by
two　grenadiers；　and　they　were　followed　by　some　soldiers　of　the　Swiss
guard　and　the　Flanders　regiment。　In　the　midst　of　this　train　rattled
loaded　cannon；　each　one　accompanied　by　two　soldiers。　But　still　more
fearful　than　the　retinue　of　the　royal　equipage　were　the　heralds　who
preceded　itheralds　consisting　of　the　most　daring　and　defiant　of
these　men　and　women；　impatiently　longing　for　the　moment　when　they
could　announce　to　the　city　of　Paris　that　the　revolution　in
Versailles　had　humiliated　the　king；　and　given　the　people　victory。
They　carried　with　them　the　bloody　tokens　of　this　victory；　the　heads
of　Varicourt　and　Deshuttes；　the　faithful　Swiss　guards；　who　had　died
in　the　service　of　their　king。　They　had　hoisted　both　these　heads　upon
pikes；　which　two　men　of　the　mob　carried　before　the　procession。
Between　them　strode；　with　proud；　triumphant　mien；　a　gigantic　figure；
with　long；　black　beard；　with　naked　blood…flecked　arms；　with　flashing
eyes；　his　face　and　hands　wet　with　the　blood　with　which　he　had　imbued
himself；　and　in　his　right　hand　a　slaughter…knife　which　still　dripped
blood。　This　was　Jourdan；　who；　from　his　cutting　off　the　heads　of　both
the　Swiss　guards；　had　won　the　name　of　the　executionera　name　which
he　understood　how　to　keep　during　the　whole　revolution。＇Footnote：
Jourdan；　the　executioner；　had；　until　that　time；　been　a　model　in　the
Royal　Academy　of　Painting　and　Sculpture。＇

Like　storm…birds；　desirous　to　be　the　first　to　announce　to　Paris　the
triumph　of　the　populace；　and　impatient　of　the　slow　progress　of　the
royal　train；　these　heralds　of　victory；　bearing　their　bloody　banner；
hastened　on　in　advance　of　the　procession　to　Paris。　In　Sevres　they
made　a　haltnot　to　rest；　or　wait　for　the　oncoming　trainbut　to
have　the　hair　of　the　two　heads　dressed　by　friseurs；　in　order；　as
Jourdan　announced　with　fiendish　laughter　to　the　yelling　mob；　that
they　might　make　their　entrance　into　the　city　as　fine　gentlemen。

While　before　them　and　behind　them　these　awful　cries；　loud　singing
and　laughing　resounded；　within　the　carriage　that　conveyed　the　royal
family　there　was　unbroken　silence。　The　king　sat　leaning　back　in　the
corner；　with　his　eyes　closed；　in　order　not　to　see　the　horrid　forms
which　from　time　to　time　approached　the　window　of　the　carriage；　to
stare　in　with　curious　looks；　or　with　mocking　laughter　and
equivoques；　to　heap　misery　on　the　unfortunate　family。

The　queen；　however；　sat　erect；　with　proud；　dignified　bearing；
courageously　looking　the　horrors　of　the　day　in　the　face；　and　not　a
quiver　of　the　eyelids；　nor　a　sigh；　betraying　the　pain　that　tortured
her　soul。

〃No；　better　die　than　grant　to　this　triumphing　rabble　the　pleasure　of
seeing　what　I　suffer！　Better　sink　with　exhaustion　than　complain。〃

Not　a　murmur；　not　a　sigh；　came　from　her　lips；　and　yet；　when　the
dauphin；　after　four　hours　of　this　sad　journey；　turned　with　a
supplicatory　expression　to　his　mother；　and　said　to　her　with　his
sweet　voice；　〃Mamma　queen；　I　am　hungry；〃　the　proud　expression
withdrew　from　the　features　of　the　queen；　and　two　great　tears　slowly
ran　down　over　her　cheeks。

At　last；　after　a　ride　of　eight　hours；　the　frightful　train　reached
Paris。　Not　a　window　in　all　the　streets　through　which　the　royal
procession　went　was　empty。　In　amazement　and　terror　the　people　of　the
middle　class　gazed　at　this　hitherto　unseen　spectaclethe　King　and
the　Queen　of　France　brought　in　triumph　to　the　capital　by　the　lowest
people　in　the　city！　A　dumb　fear　took　possession　of　those　who
hitherto　had　tried　to　ignore　the　revolution；　and　supposed　that　every
thing　would　subside　again　into　the　old；　wonted　forms。　Now；　no　one
could　entertain　this　hope　longer；　now；　the　most　timid　must　confess
that　a　revolution　had　indeed　come；　and　that　people　must　accustom
themselves　to　look　at　it　eye　to　eye。

Slowly　the　train　moved　forwardslowly　down　the　quay　which　extends
along　by　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries。　The　loungers　who　were　in　the
garden　hurried　to　the　fence；　which　then　bordered　the　park　on　the
side　of　the　quay；　in　order　to　watch　this　frightful　procession　from
this　point：　to　see　an　unbridled　populace　dash　in　pieces　the
prescriptive　royalty　of　ages。

Scorn　and　the　love　of　destruction　were　written　on　most　of　the　faces
of　these　observers；　but　many　were　pale；　and　many　quivered　with　anger
and　grief。　In　the　front　ranks　of　the　spectators　stood　two　young　men；
one　of　them　in　simple　civilian's　costume；　the　other　in　the　uniform
of　a　sub…lieutenant。　The　face　of　the　young　officer　was　pale；　but　it
lightened　up　with　rare　energy；　and　with　his　noble；　antique　profile；
and　flaming　eyes；　it　enchanted　every　look；　and　fixed　the　attention
of　every　one　who　observed　him。

As　the　howling；　roaring　mob　passed　him；　the　young　officer　turned　to
his　companion　with　an　expression　of　fiery　indignation。　〃0　God；〃　he
cried；　〃how　is　this　possible？　Has　the　king　no　cannon　to　destroy　this
canaille？　〃　＇Footnote：　His　own　words。See　Beauchesne；　vol。　i。；p。
85。＇

〃My　friend；〃　answered　the　young　man；　smiling；　〃remember　the　words　of
our　great　poet　Corneille：　'The　people　give　the　king　his　purple　and
take　it　back　when　they　please。　The　beggar；　king　only　by　the　people's
grace；　simply　gives　back　his　purple　to　the　people。'　〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　young　lieutenant；　smiling；　〃what　once　has　been
received　should　be　firmly　held。　I；　at　least；　if　I　had　once　received
the　purple　by　the　people's　grace；　would　not　give　it　back。　But　come；
let　us　go　on；　it　angers　me　to　see　this　c