marie antoinette and her son-第69章

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place　in　the　park　of　St。　Cloud。　Secrecy　and　silence　surrounded　them；
and　extreme　care　had　been　taken　to　let　no　one　suspect；　excepting　a
few　intimate　friends；　what　was　taking　place　on　this　sequestered；
leaf…embowered　grass…plat　of　St。　Cloud。

A　bench　of　white　marble；　surrounded　by　high　oleander　and　taxus
trees；　stood　at　the　side　of　this　grass…plat。　It　was　the　throne　on
which　Marie　Antoinette　should　receive　the　homage　of　her　new　knight。
Mirabeau　had　on　the　day　before　gone　from　Paris　to　the　estate　of　his
niece；　the　Marchioness　of　Aragan。　There　he　spent　the　night；　and　the
next　morning；　accompanied　by　his　nephew；　M。　de　Saillant；　he　walked
to　the　park　of　St。　Cloud。

At　the　nether　gate　of　the　park；　which　had　been　left　open　for　this
secret　visit；　Mirabeau　took　leave　of　his　companion；　and　extended　him
his　hand。

〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice；　which　so　often　had　made　the
windows　of　the　assembly　hall　shake　with　its　thunder；　was　now　weak
and　tremulous；　〃I　do　not　know　why　this　dreadful　presentiment　creeps
over　me　all　at　once；　and　why　voices　whisper　to　me；　'Turn；　back；
Mirabeau；　turn　back！　Do　not　step　over　the　threshold　of　this　door；
for　there　you　are　stepping　into　your　open　grave！'　〃

〃Follow　this　voice；　uncle；　there　is　still　time；〃　implored　M。　de
Saillant；　〃it　is　with　me　as　it　is　with　you。　I；　too；　have　a　sad；
anxious　feeling！〃

〃May　they　not　have　laid　snares　for　me　here？〃　whispered　Mirabeau；
thoughtfully。　〃They　are　capable　of　every　thing；　these　artful
Bourbons。　Who　knows　whether　they　have　not　invited　me　here　to　take　me
prisoner；　and　to　cast　me；　whom　they　hold　to　be　their　most　dangerous
enemy；　into　one　of　their　oubliettes；　their　subterranean　dungeons？　My
friend；〃　he　continued；　hastily；　〃wait　for　me　here；　and　if　in　two　or
three　hours　I　do　not　return；　hasten　to　Paris；　go　to　the　National
Assembly；　and　announce　to　them　that　Mirabeau；　moved　by　the　queen's
cry　of　distress；　has　gone　to　St。　Cloud；　and　is　there　held　a
prisoner。〃

〃I　will　do　it；　uncle；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃but　I　do　not　believe　in
any　such　treachery　on　the　part　of　the　queen　or　her　husband。　They
both　know　that　without　Mirabeau　they　are　certainly　lost；　and　that
he；　perhaps；　is　able　to　save　them。　I　fear　something　entirely
different。〃

〃And　what　do　you　fear？〃

〃I　fear　your　enemies　in　the　National　Assembly；〃　said　M。　de　Saillant；
and　with　a　pained　expression。　〃I　fear　these　enraged　republicans；　who
have　begun　to　mistrust　you　since　you　have　begun　to　speak　in　favor　of
royalty　and　mon　archy；　and　since　you　have　even　ventured　to　defend
the　queen　personally　against　the　savage　and　mean　attacks　which　Marat
hurls　against　Marie　Antoinette　in　his　journal；　the　Ami　du　Peuplt。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Mirabeau；　with　a　smile；　〃they　have　mistrusted　me；
these　enraged　republicans；　since　then；　and　they　tell　me　that　Petion；
this　republican　of　steel　and　iron；　turned　to　Danton　at　the　close　of
my　speech；　and　said：　'This　Mirabeau　is　dangerous　to　liberty；　for
there　is　too　much　of　the　blood　of　the　count　flowing　through　the
veins　of　the　tribune　of　the　people。　Danton　answered　him　with　a
smile：　'In　that　case　we　must　draw　off　the　count's　blood　from　the
tribune　of　the　people；　that　he　may　either　be　cured　of　his
reactionary　disease　or　die　of　it！'〃

〃And　when　they　told　Marat；　uncle；　that　you　had　spoken　angrily　and
depreciatingly　of　his　attacks　upon　the　queen；　he　raised　his　fist
threateningly；　and　cried：　'Mirabeau　is　a　traitor；　who　wants　to　sell
our　new；　young　liberty　to　the　monarchy。　But　he　will　meet　the　fate　of
Judas；　who　sold　the　Saviour。　He　will　one　day　atone　for　it　with　his
head；　for　if　we　tap　him　for　his　treachery；　we　shall　do　for　him　what
Judas　did　for　himself。　This　Mirabeau　Judas　must　take　care　of
himself。〃

〃And　do　you　suppose　that　this　disputatious　little　load　of　a　Marat
will　hang　me？〃　asked　Mirabeau；　with　a　scornful　smile。

〃I　think　that　you　must　watch　him；〃　answered　M。　de　Saillant。　〃Last
evening；　in　the　neighborhood　of　our　villa；　I　met　two　disguised　men；
who；　I　would　swear；　were　Perion　and　Marat；　and　on　our　way　here；　as　I
looked　around；　I　feel　certain　that　I　saw　these　same　disguised
figures　following　us！〃

〃What　if　it　be？〃　answered　Mirabeau；　raising　himself　up；　and　looking
around　him　with　a　proud　glance。　〃The　lion　does　not　fear　the　annoying
insect　that　buzzes　about　him；　he　shakes　it　off　with　his　mane　or
destroys　it　with　a　single　stroke　of　his　paw。　And　Mirabeau　fears　just
as　little　such　insects　as　Petion　and　Marat；　they　would　much　better
keep　out　of　his　way。　I　will　tread　them　under　foot；　that　is　all！　And
now；　farewell；　my　dear　nephew；　farewell；　and　wait　for　me　here！〃

He　nodded　familiarly　to　his　nephew；　passed　over　the　threshold；　and
entered　the　park；　from　whose　entrance　the　popular　indignation　had
long　since　removed　the　obnoxious　words；　De　par　la　Reine；　the　garden
belonging　now　to　the　king　only　because　the　nation　willed　it　so。

Mirabeau　hastened　with　an　anxious　mind　and　a　light　step　along　the
walk；　and　again　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　dark　spirits　were　whispering
to　him；　〃Turn　back；　Mirabeau；　turn　back！　for　with　every　step　forward
you　are　only　going　deeper　into　your　grave。〃　He　stopped；　and　with　his
hand…kerchief　wiped　away　the　drops　of　cold　sweat　which　gathered　upon
his　forehead。

〃It　is　folly；〃　he　said；　〃perfect　folly。　Truly　I　am　as　tremulous　as　a
girl　going　to　her　first　rendezvous。　Shame　on　you；　Mirabeau；　be　a
man！〃

He　shook　his　head　as　if　he　wanted　to　dispel　these　evil　forebodings；
and　hastened　forward　to　meet　Count　de　la　Marck；　who　appeared　at　the
bending　of　the　allee。

〃The　queen　is　already　here；　and　is　waiting　for　you；　Mirabeau；〃　said
the　marquis；　with　a　slight　reproach　in　his　voice。

Mirabeau　shrugged　his　shoulders　instead　of　replying；　and　went　on
more　rapidly。　There　soon　opened　in　front　of　them　a　small　grass…plat；
surrounded　by　bushes；　and　on　the　bench　opposite；　the　lady　in　the
white；　neat　dress；　with　a　straw　hat　on　her　arm；　her　hair　veiled　with
black　lacethat　lady　was　Marie　Antoinette。

Mirabeau　stopped　in　his　walk；　and　fixed　a　long；　searching　look　upon
her。　When　he　turned　again　to　his　friend；　his　face　was　pale；　and　bore
plain　traces　of　emotion。

〃My　friend；〃　whispered　he　to　La　Marck；　〃I　know　not　why；　but　I　have　a
strange　feeling！　I　have　not　wept　since　the　day　on　which　my　father
drove　me　with　a　curse　from　the　house　of　my　ancestors；　but；　seeing
yonder　woman；　I　could　weep；　and　an　unspeakable　sympathy　fills　my
soul。〃

The　queen　had　seen　him；　too；　and　had　grown　pale；　and　turned
tremblingly　to　the　king；　who　stood　beside　her；　half　concealed　by　the
foliage。

〃There　is　the　dreadful　man！〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with　a　shudder。
〃My　God！　a　thrill　of　horror　creeps　through　all　my　veins；　and　if　I
only　look　at　this　monster；　I　have　a　feeling　as　though　I　should
sicken　with　loathing！〃　＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own　words。　See　〃Madame
du　Campan；〃　vol。　II。＇

〃Courage；　my　dear　Marie；　courage；〃　whispered　the　king。　〃Remember
that　the　welfare　of　our　future；　and　of　our　children；　perhaps；
depends　upon　this　interview。　See；　he　is　approaching。　Receive　him
kindly；　Marie。　I　will　draw　back；　for　you　alone　shall　have　the　honor
of　this　day；　and　monarchy　has　in　you　its　fairest　representative。〃

〃But　remain　so　near　me；　sire；　that　you　can　hear　me　if　I　call　for
help；〃　whispered　Marie　Antoinette。

The　king　smiled。　〃Fear　nothing；　Marie；〃　he　said；〃　and　believe　that
the　danger　for　Mirabeau　is　greater　than　for　you。　The　name　of
criminal　will　be　fastened　not　to　us；　but　to　Mirabeau；　if　it　shall　be
known　that　he　has　come　to　visit　us　here。　I　will　withdraw；　for　there
is　Mirabeau。〃

And　the　king　withdrew　into　the　thicket；　while　Mirabeau　stopped　near
the　queen；　and　saluted　her　with　a　profound　bow。

Marie　Antoinette　rose　from　her　marble　seat。　At　this　moment　she　was
not　the　queen　giving　an　audience；　but　the　anxious　lady；　advancing　to
meet　danger；　and　desirous　to　mitigate　it　by　politeness　and　smiles。

〃Come　nearer；　count；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　still　standing。　But　as
he　approached；　the　queen　sank　slowly　upon　the　seat；　and　raised　her
eyes　to　Mirabeau；　with　an　almost　timid　look；　who　now　did　not　seem　to
her　a　monster；　for　his　mien　was　disturbed；　and　his　eyes；　which　had
always　been　represented　as　so　fearful；