marie antoinette and her son-第76章

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spying　looks；　could　give　way　to　her　grief　and　her　tears。　But　alas！
this　consolation　continued　only　for　a　short　time。　The　carriage　soon
stopped；　the　Tuileries；　that　sad；　silent　prison　of　the　royal　family；
was　soon　reached；　and　Marie　Antoinette　quickly　dried　her　tears；　and
compelled　herself　to　appear　calm。

〃Do　not　weep　more；　Bugois；〃　she　whispered。　〃We　will　not　give　our
enemies　the　triumph　of　seeing　that　they　have　forced　tears　from　us。
Try　to　be　cheerful；　and　tell　no　one　of　the　insults　of　this　evening。〃

The　carriage　door　was　opened；　the　queen　dismounted；　and；　surrounded
by　National　Guards　and　officers；　returned　to　her　apartments。

No　one　bade　her　welcome；　no　one　received　her　as　becomes　a　queen。　A
few　of　the　servants　only　stood　in　the　outer　room；　but　Marie
Antoinette　had　no　looks　for　them。　She　had　been　compelled　as　a
constitutional　queen　ought；　to　dismiss　her　own　tried　and　faithful
servants；　her　household　had　been　reorganized；　and　she　knew　very　well
that　these　new　menials　were　her　enemies；　and　served　as　spies　for　the
National　Assembly。　The　queen　therefore　passed　them　without　greeting；
and　entered　her　sitting…room。

But　even　here　she　was　not　alone；　the　door　of　the　ante…room　was　open；
and　there　sat　the　officer　of　the　National　Guard；　whose　duty　of　the
day　it　was　to　watch　her。

Marie　Antoinette　had　no　longer　the　right　of　being　alone　with　her
grief；　no　longer　the　right　of　being　alone　with　her　husband。　The
little　corridor　which　ran　from　the　apartments　of　the　queen　to　those
of　the　king；　was　always　closed　and　guarded。　When　the　king　came　to
visit　his　wife；　the　guard　came　too　and　remained；　hearing　every　word
and　standing　at　the　door　till　the　king　retired。　In　like　manner；　both
entrances　to　the　apartments　of　the　queen　were　always　watched；　for
before　the　one　sat　an　officer　appointed　by　the　National　Assembly；
and　before　the　other　a　member　of　the　National　Guard　stood　as　sentry。

With　a　deep　sigh　the　queen　entered　her　sleeping…room。　The　officer
sat　before　the　open　door　of　the　adjacent　room；　and　looked　sternly
and　coldly　in。　For　an　instant　an　expression　of　anger　flitted　over
the　face　of　the　queen；　and　her　lips　quivered　as　though　she　wanted　to
speak　a　hasty　word。　But　she　suppressed　it；　and　withdrew　behind　the
great　screen；　in　order　to　be　disrobed　by　her　two　waiting…maids　and
be　arrayed　in　her　night…dress。

Then　she　dismissed　the　maids；　and　coming　out　from　behind　the　screen；
she　said；　loudly　enough　to　be　heard　by　the　officer：　〃I　am　weary；　I
will　sleep。〃

At　once　he　arose；　and　turning　to　the　two　guards；　who　stood　at　the
door　of　the　anteroom；　said：

〃The　queen　is　retiring；　and　the　watch　in　the　black　corridor　can
withdraw。　The　National　Assembly　has　given　command　to　lighten　the
service　of　the　National　Guard；　by　withdrawing　as　much　of　the　force
as　possible。　As　long　as　the　queen　is　lying　in　bed；　two　eyes　are
enough　to　watch　her；　and　they　shall　watch　her　well！〃

The　soldiers　left　the　anteroom；　and　the　officer　returned　to　the
entrance　of　the　sleeping…room。　He　did　not；　however；　sit　down　in　the
easy…chair　before　the　door；　but　walked　directly　into　the　chamber　of
the　queen。

Marie　Antoinette　trembled　and　reached　out　her　hand　for　the　bell
which　stood　by　her　on　the　table。

〃Be　still；　for　God's　sake；　be　still！〃　whispered　the　officer。　〃Make
no　noise；　your　majesty。　Look　at　my　face。〃　And；　kneeling　before　the
queen；　he　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　her　with　an　expression
almost　of　supplication。　〃I　am　Toulan；〃　he　whispered；　〃the　faithful
servant　of　my　queen。　Will　your　majesty　have　the　goodness　to　recall
me？　Here　is　a　letter　from　my　patroness；　Madame　de　Campan；　who　speaks
well　for　me。　Will　your　majesty　read　it？〃

The　queen　ran　over　the　paper　quickly　and　turned　with　a　gentle　smile
to　the　officer；　who　was　still　kneeling　before　her；　and　who；　in　all
her　humiliation　and　misfortune；　still　paid　her　the　homage　due　to
majesty。

〃Stand　up；　sir；〃　she　said；　mildly。　〃The　throne　lies　in　dust；　and　my
crown　is　so　sadly　broken；　that　it　is　no　longer　worth　the　trouble　to
kneel　before　it。〃

〃Madame；　I　see　two　crowns　upon　your　noble　head；〃　whispered　Toulan
〃the　crown　of　the　queen；　and　the　crown　of　misfortune。　To　these　two
crowns　I　dedicate　my　service　and　my　fidelity；　and　for　them　I　am
prepared　to　die。　It　is　true；　I　can　do　but　little　for　your　majesty；
but　that　little　shall　be　faithfully　done。　Thanks　to　my　bitter　hatred
of　royalty；　and　my　rampant　Jacobinism；　I　have　carried　matters　so
far；　that　I　have　been　put　upon　the　list　of　officers　to　keep　watch；
and；　therefore；　once　every　week　I　shall　keep　guard　before　your
majesty's　sleeping…room。〃

〃And　will　you　do　me　the　favor　to　so　put　your　chair　that　I　shall　not
see　youthat　during　the　night　I　may　not　always　have　the　feeling　of
being　watched？〃　asked　the　queen；　in　supplicant　tones。

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　Toulan；　moved。　〃I　will　remain　in　my　chair；
but　your　majesty　will　prefer；　perhaps；　to　turn　the　night　into　day；
and　remain　up；　as　during　my　nights　you　will　not　be　disturbed。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　joyfully。

〃I　mean；　that；　as　during　the　day　your　majesty　can　never　speak　with
the　king　without　witnesses；　we　must　call　the　night　to　our
assistance；　if　you　wish　to　speak　confidentially　to　his　majesty。　Your
majesty　has　heard；　that　during　the　night　the　watch　is　withdrawn　from
the　corridor；　and　your　majesty　is　free　to　leave　your　room　and　go　to
the　chamber　of　the　king。〃

A　flash　of　joy　passed　over　the　countenance　of　the　queen。　〃I　thank
you；　sirI　thank　you　to…day　as　a　wife；　perhaps　the　day　may　come
when　I　can　thank　you　as　a　queen；　I　accept　your　magnanimous　kindness。
Yes；　I　will　turn　the　night　into　day；　and；　thanks　to　you；　I　shall　be
able　to　spend　several　hours　undisturbed　with　my　husband　and　my
children。　And　do　you　say　that　you　shall　be　here　quite　often？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　I　shall　be　here　once　every　week　at　your
majesty's　order。〃

〃Oh！　I　have　lost　the　habit　of　ordering；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with
a　pained　look。　〃You　see　that　the　Queen　of　France　is　powerless；　but
she　is　not　wholly　unfortunate；　for　she　has　friends　still。　You　belong
to　these　friends；　sir；　and　that　we　may　both　retain　the　memory　of
this　day；　I　will　always　call　you　my　faithful　one。〃

No；　the　queen　is　not　wholly　unfortunate；　she　has　friends　who　are
ready；　with　her；　to　suffer；　with　her；　if　it　must　be；　to　die。　The
Polignacs　are　gone；　but　Princess　Lamballe；　whom　the　queen　had　sent
to　London；　to　negotiate　with　Pitt；　has　returned；　in　spite　of　the
warnings　and　pleadings　of　the　queen。　Marie　Antoinette；　when　she
learned　that　the　princess　was　on　the　point　of　leaving　England；　had
written　to　her：　〃Do　not　come　back　at　a　moment　so　critical。　You　would
have　to　weep　too　much　for　us。　I　feel　deeply；　believe　me；　how　good
you　are；　and　what　a　true　friend　you　are。　But；　with　all　my　love；　I
enjoin　you　not　to　come　here。　Believe　me；　my　tender　friendship　for
you　will　cease　only　with　death。〃

The　warning　of　her　royal　friend　had；　meanwhile；　not　restrained
Princess　Lamballe　from　doing　what　friendship　commanded。　She　had
returned　to　France；　and　Marie　Antoinette　had；　at　least；　the　comfort
of　having　a　tender　friend　at　her　side。

No；　the　queen　was　not　wholly　unfortunate。　Besides　this　friend；　she
had　her　children；　tooher　sweet；　blooming　little　daughter；　and　the
dauphin；　the　pride　and　joy　of　her　heart。

The　dauphin　had　no　suspicion　of　the　woes　and　misfortunes　which　were
threatening　them。　Like　flowers　that　grow　luxuriantly　and　blossom
upon　graves；　so　grew　and　blossomed　this　beautiful　boy　in　the
Tuileries；　which　was　nothing　more　than　the　grave　of　the　old　kingly
glory。　But　the　dauphin　was　like　sunshine　in　this　dark；　sad　palace；
and　Marie　Antoinette's　countenance　lightened　when　her　eye　fell　upon
her　son；　looking　up　to　her　with　his　tender；　beaming　face。　From　the
fresh；　merry　smile　of　her　darling；　she　herself　learned　to　smile
again；　and　be　happy。

Gradually；　after　the　first　rage　of　the　people　was　appeased；　the
chains　with　which　she　was　bound　were　relaxed。　The　royal　family　was
at　least　permitted　to　leave　the　close；　hot　rooms；　and　go　down　into
the　gardens；　although　still　watched　and　accompanied　by　the　National
Guard。　They　were　permitted　to　close　the　doors　of　th