marie antoinette and her son-第58章

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the　purple　by　the　people's　grace；　would　not　give　it　back。　But　come；
let　us　go　on；　it　angers　me　to　see　this　canaille；　upon　which　you
bestow　the　fine　name　of　'the　people。'〃　He　hastily　grasped　the　arm　of
his　friend；　and　turned　to　a　more　solitary　part　of　the　garden　of　the
Tuileries。

This　young　sub…lieutenant；　who　saw　with　such　indignation　this
revolutionary　procession　pass　him；　and　whom　destiny　had　appointed
one　day　to　bring　this　revolution　to　an　endthis　young　lieutenant's
name　was　Napoleon　Bonaparte。

The　young　man　who　walked　at　his　side；　and　whom；　too；　destiny　had
appointed　to　work　a　revolution；　although　only　in　the　theatrical
world；　to　recreate　the　dramathis　young　man's　name　was　Talma。




CHAPTER　XV。

MAMMA　QUEEN。


〃Every　thing　passes　over；　every　thing　has　an　end；　one　must　only　have
courage　and　think　of　that；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with　a　gentle
smile；　as　on　the　morning　after　her　arrival　in　Paris；　she　had　risen
from　her　bed　and　drunk　her　chocolate　in　the　improvised　sitting…room。
〃Here　we　are　installed　in　the　Tuileries；　and　have　slept；　while　we
yesterday　were　thinking　we　were　lost；　and　that　only　death　could　give
us　rest　and　peace　again。〃

〃It　was　a　fearful　day；〃　said　Madame　de　Campan；　with　a　sigh；　〃but
your　majesty　went　through　it　like　a　heroine。〃

〃Ah；　Campan；〃　said　the　queen；　sadly；　〃I　have　not　the　ambition　to
want　to　be　a　heroine；　and　I　should　be　very　thankful　if　it　were
allowed　me　from　this　time　on　to　be　a　wife　and　mother；　if　it　is　no
longer　allowed　me　to　be　a　queen。〃

At　this　instant　the　door　opened；　the　little　dauphin；　followed　by　his
teacher；　the　Abbe　Davout；　ran　in　and　flew　with　extended　arms　to
Marie　Antoinette。

〃Oh；　mamma　queen！〃　cried　he；　with　winning　voice；　〃let　us　go　back
again　to　our　beautiful　palace；　it　is　dreadful　here　in　this　great；
dark　house。〃

〃Hush；　my　child；　hush！〃　said　the　queen；　pressing　the　boy　close　to
her。　〃You　must　not　say　so；　you　must　accustom　yourself　to　be
contented　everywhere。〃

〃Mamma　queen；〃　whispered　the　child；　tenderly　nestling　close　to　his
mother；　〃it　is　true　it　is　dreadful　here；　but　I　will　always　say　it　so
low　that　nobody　except　you　can　hear。　But　tell　me；　who　owns　this
hateful　house？　And　why　do　we　want　to　stay　here；　when　we　have　such　a
fine　palace　and　a　beautiful　garden　in　Versailles？〃

〃My　son；〃　answered　the　queen　with　a　sigh；　〃this　house　belongs　to　us；
and　it　is　a　beautiful　and　famous　palace。　You　ought　not　to　say　that
it　does　not　please　you；　for　your　renowned　great…grandfather；　the
great　Louis　XIV。；　lived　here；　and　made　this　palace　celebrated　all
over　Europe。〃

〃Yet　I　wish　that　we　were　away　from　here；〃　whispered　the　dauphin；
casting　his　large　blue　eyes　with　a　prolonged　and　timid　glance
through　the　wide；　desolate　room；　which　was　decorated　sparingly　with
old…fashioned；　faded　furniture。

〃I　wish　so；　too；〃　sighed　Marie　Antoinette；　to　herself；　but　softly　as
she　had　spoken　the　words；　the　sensitive　ear　of　the　child　had　caught
them。

〃You；　too；　want　to　go？〃　asked　Louis　Charles；　in　amazement。　〃Are　you
not　queen　now；　and　can　you　not　do　what　you　want　to？〃

The　queen；　pierced　to　the　very　heart　by　the　innocent　question　of　the
child；　burst　into　tears。

〃My　prince；〃　said　the　Abbe　Davout；　turning　to　the　dauphin；　〃you　see
that　you　trouble　the　queen；　and　her　majesty　needs　rest。　Come；　we
will　take　a　walk。〃

But　Marie　Antoinette　put　both　her　arms　around　the　child　and　pressed
its　head　with　its　light　locks　to　her　breast。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃no；　he　does　not　trouble　me。　Let　me　weep。　Tears　do
me　good。　One　is　only　unfortunate　when　she　can　no　longer　weep；　when
but　what　is　that？〃　she　eagerly　asked；　rising　from　her　easy…chair。
〃What　does　that　noise　mean？〃

And　in　very　fact　in　the　street　there　were　loud　shouting　and　crying；
and　intermingled　curses　and　threats。

〃Mamma；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　nestling　close　up　to　the　queen；　〃is　to…
day　going　to　be　just　like　yesterday？〃　＇Footnote：　The　very　words　of
the　dauphin。See　Beauchesne；　vol。　i。＇

The　door　was　hastily　opened；　and　the　king　entered。

〃Sire；〃　asked　Marie；　eagerly　advancing　toward　him；　〃are　they　going
to　renew　the　dreadful　scenes　of　yesterday？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　Marie；　they　are　going　to　bring　to　their　reckoning
those　who　occasioned　the　scenes　of　yesterday；〃　answered　the　king。　〃A
deputation　from　the　Court　of　Chatelet　have　come　to　the　Tuileries；
and　desire　of　me　an　authorization　to　bring　to　trial　those　who　are
guilty；　and　of　you　any　information　which　you　can　give　about　what　has
taken　place。　The　mob　have　accompanied　the　deputation　hither；　and
hence　arise　these　cries。　I　am　come　to　ask　you；　Marie；　to　receive　the
deputation　of　Chatelet。〃

〃As　if　there　were　any　choice　left　us　to　refuse　to　see　them；〃
answered　Marie　Antoinette；　sighing。　〃The　populace　who　are　howling
and　crying　without　are　now　the　master　of　the　men　who　come　to　us　with
a　sneer；　and　ask　us　whether　we　will　grant　them　an　audience。　We　must
submit！〃

The　king　did　not　answer；　but　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　opened　the
door　of　the　antechamber。　〃Let　them　enter；〃　he　said　to　the
chamberlains　there。

The　two　folding　doors　were　now　thrown　open；　and　the　loud　voice　of　an
officer　announced；　〃The　honorable　judges　of　Chatelet！〃

Slowly；　with　respectful　mien　and　bowed　head；　the　gentlemen；　arrayed
in　their　long　black　robes；　entered　the　room；　and　remained　humbly
standing　near　the　door。

Marie　Antoinette　had　advanced　a　few　steps。　Not　a　trace　of　grief　and
disquiet　was　longer　to　be　seen　in　her　face。　Her　figure　was　erect；
her　glance　was　proud　and　full　of　fire；　and　the　expression　of　her
countenance　noble　and　majestic。　She　was　still　the　queen；　though　not
surrounded　by　the　solemn　pomp　which　attended　the　public　audiences　at
Versailles。　She　did　not　stand　on　the　purple…carpeted　step　of　the
throne；　no　gold…embroidered　canopy　arched　over　her；　no　crowd　of
brilliant　courtiers　surrounded　her；　only　her　husband　stood　near　her；
her　son　clung　to　her　side；　and　his　teacher；　the　Abbe　Davout；　timidly
withdrew　into　the　background。　These　formed　all　her　suite。　But　Marie
Antoinette　did　not　need　external　pomp　to　be　a　queen；　she　was　so　in
her　bearing；　in　every　look；　in　every　gesture。　With　commanding
dignity　she　allowed　the　deputation　to　approach　her；　and　to　speak
with　her。　She　listened　with　calm　attention　to　the　words　of　the
speaker；　who；　in　the　name　of　the　court；　gave　utterance　to　the　deep
horror　with　which　the　treasonable　actions　of　the　day　before　had
filled　him。　He　then　humbly　begged　the　queen　to　give　such　names　of
the　rioters　as　might　be　known　to　her；　that　they　might　be　arrested；
but　Marie　Antoinette　interrupted　him　in　his　address。

〃No；　sir；〃　she　cried；　〃no；　never　will　I　be　an　informer　against　the
subjects　of　the　king。〃　＇Footnote：　Marie　Antoinette's　own　words。See
Goncourt；　〃Marie　Antoinette；〃　pp。　196；　197。＇

The　speaker　bowed　respectfully。　〃Then　let　me　at　least　beg　of　you；　in
the　name　of　the　High…Court　of　the　Chatelet；　to　give　us　your　order　to
bring　the　guilty　parties　to　trial；　for　without　such　a　charge　we
cannot　prosecute　the　criminals　who　have　been　engaged　in　these　acts。〃

〃Nor　do　I　wish　you　to　bring　any　one　to　trial；〃　cried　the　queen；　with
dignity。　〃I　have　seen　all；　known　all；　and　forgotten　all！　Go；
gentlemen；　go！　My　heart　knows　no　vengeance；　it　has　forgiven　all
those　who　have　wounded　me。　Go！〃　＇Footnote：　Ibid＇

With　a　commanding　gesture　of　her　hand；　and　a　gentle　nod　of　her　head；
she　dismissed　the　deputation；　who　silently　withdrew。

〃Marie；〃　said　the　king；　grasping　the　hand　of　his　wife　with　unwonted
eagerness；　and　pressing　it　tenderly　to　his　lips；　〃Marie；　I　thank　you
in　the　name　of　all　my　subjects。　You　have　acted　this　hour　not　only　as
a　queen；　but　as　the　mother　of　my　people。〃

〃Ah；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　with　a　sad　smile；　〃only　that　the
children　will　not　believe　in　the　love　of　their　motheronly　that
your　subjects　do　not　consider　me　their　mother；　but　their　enemy。〃

〃They　have　been　misguided；〃　said　the　king。　〃Evil…minded　men　have
deceived　them；　but　I　hope　we　shall　succeed　in　bringing　the　people
back　from　their　error。〃

〃Sire；〃　sighed　Marie　Antoinette；　〃I　hope　for　nothing　more；　but；〃
added　she；　with　still　firmer　voice；　〃I　also　fear　nothing　more。　The
worst　may　break　over　meit　shall　find　m