marie antoinette and her son-第87章

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confronted　the　French　force　before　Chalons；　while　the　Emperor　of
Germany　was　marching　against　Alsace。　Marie　Antoinette　forgot　the
confusion　and　perplexity　which　Manuel　had　exhibited；　in　the
importance　of　this　news。　She　hoped　again；　she　found　in　her　elastic
spirit　support　in　these　tidings；　and　began　to　think　of　the
possibility　of　escape。　It　did　not　trouble　her　that　beneath　her
windows　she　heard　a　furious　cry；　as　the　crowd　surged　up　to　the
prison　walls：　〃The　head　of　the　Austrian！　Give　us　the　head　of　the
Austrian！〃　She　had　so　often　heard　thatit　had　been　so　long　the
daily　refrain　to　the　sorrowful　song　of　riot　which　filled　Paristhat
it　had　lost　all　meaning　for　Marie　Antoinette。

Nor　did　it　disturb　her　at　all　that　she　heard　the　loud　beatings　of
drums　approaching　like　muffled　thunder；　that　trumpets　were　blown；
that　musketry　rattled；　and　loud　war　cries　resounded　in　the　distant
streets。

Marie　Antoinette　paid　no　heed　to　this。　She　heard　constantly　ringing
before　her　ear　Manuel's　words：　〃The　neighboring　nations　have　allied
against　France。　The　King　of　Prussia　is　before　Chalons。　The　Emperor
of　Germany　is　advancing　upon　Strasburg。〃　〃0　God　of　Heaven；　be
merciful　to　us！　Grant　to　our　friends　victory　over　our　enemies。

Release　us　from　these　sufferings　and　pains；　that　our　children　may　at
least　find　the　happiness　which　for　us　is　buried　forever　in　the
past。〃

And　yet　Marie　Antoinette　could　speak　to　no　one　of　her　hopes　and
fears。　She　must　breathe　her　prayer　in　her　own　heart　alone；　for　the
municipal　officials　were　there；　and　the　two　servants　who　had　been
forced　upon　the　prisoners；　Tison　and　his　wife；　the　paid　servants　of
their　enemies。

Only　the　brave　look　and　the　clearer　brow　told　the　king　of　the　hopes
and　wishes　of　his　wife；　but　he　responded　to　them　with　a　faint　shrug
and　a　sad　smile。

All　at　once；　after　the　royal　family　had　sat　down　to　take　their
dinner　at　the　round　tableall　at　once　there　was　a　stir　in　the
building　which　was　before　so　still。　Terrible　cries　were　heard；　and
steps　advancing　up　the　staircase。　The　two　officials；　who　were
sitting　in　the　open　anteroom；　stood　and　listened　at　the　door。　This
was　suddenly　opened；　and　a　third　official　entered；　pale；　trembling
with　rage；　and　raising　his　clinched　fists　tremblingly　against　the
king。

〃The　enemy　is　in　Verdun；〃　cried　he。　〃We　shall　all　be　undone；　but　you
shall　be　the　first　to　suffer！〃

The　king　looked　quietly　at　him；　but　the　dauphin；　terrified　at　the
looks　of　the　angry　man　and　his　loud　voice；　burst　into　a　violent　fit
of　weeping　and　sobbing；　and　Marie　Antoinette　and　the　little　Theresa
strove　in　vain　to　quiet　the　little　fellow　by　gentle　words。

A　fourth　official　now　entered；　and　whispered　secretly　to　his
colleagues。

〃Is　my　family　no　longer　in　safety　here？〃　asked　the　king。

The　official　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃The　report　has　gone　abroad
that　the　royal　family　is　no　longer　in　the　Temple。　This　has　excited
the　people；　and　they　desire　that　you　all　show　yourselves　at　the
windows；　but　we　will　not　permit　it；　you　shall　not　show　yourselves。
The　public　must　have　more　confidence　in　its　servants。〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　the　other　official；　still　raising　his　fists〃yes；　that
it　must；　but　if　the　enemy　come；　the　royal　family　shall　die！〃

And　when　at　these　words　the　dauphin　began　to　cry　aloud　again；　he
continued：　〃I　pity　the　poor　little　fellow；　but　die　he　must！〃

Meanwhile　the　cries　outside　were　still　louder；　and　abusive　epithets
were　distinctly　heard　directed　at　the　queen。　A　fifth　official　then
came　in；　followed　by　some　soldiers；　in　order　to　assure　themselves；
in　the　name　of　the　people；　that　the　Capet　family　was　still　in　the
tower。　This　official　demanded；　in　an　angry　voice；　that　they　should
go　to　the　window　and　show　themselves　to　the　people。

〃No；　no；　they　shall　not　do　it；〃　cried　the　other　functionaries。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　king。　〃Come；　Marie。〃

He　extended　his　hand　to　her；　and　advanced　with　her　to　the　window。

〃No；　don't　do　it！〃　cried　the　official；　rushing　to　the　window。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　king；　in　astonishment。

〃Well；〃　cried　the　man；　with　threatening　fist；　〃the　people　want　to
show　you　the　head　of　Lamballe；　that　you　may　see　how　the　nation　takes
vengeance　on　its　tyrants。〃

At　that　same　instant　there　arose　behind　the　window…pane　a　pale　head
encircled　with　long；　fair　hair；　the　livid　forehead　sprinkled　with
blood；　the　eyes　lustreless　and　fixedthe　head　of　Princess　Lamballe；
which　the　people　had　dressed　by　a　friseur；　to　hoist　it　upon　a　pike
and　show　it　to　the　queen。

The　queen　had　seen　it；　staggering　she　fell　back　upon　a　chair；　she
gazed　fixedly　at　the　window；　even　after　the　fearful　phantom　had
disappeared。　Her　lips　were　open；　as　if　for　a　cry　which　had　been
silenced　by　horror。　She　did　not　weep；　she　did　not　complain；　and　even
the　caresses　of　the　children；　the　gentle　address　of　Princess
Elizabeth；　and　the　comforting　words　of　the　king　could　not　rouse　her
out　of　this　stupefying　of　her　whole　nature。

Princess　Lamballe　had　been　murdered；　and　deep　in　her　soul　the　queen
saw　that　this　was　only　the　prelude　to　the　fearful　tragedy；　in　which
her　family　would　soon　be　implicated。

Poor　Princess　Lamballe！　She　had　been　killed　because　she　had　refused
to　repeat　the　imprecations　against　the　queen；　which　they　tried　to
extort　from　her　lips：　〃Swear　that　you　love　liberty　and　equality；
swear　that　you　hate　the　king；　the　queen；　and　every　thing　pertaining
to　royalty。〃

〃I　will　swear　to　the　first；〃　was　the　princess's　answer；　〃but　to　the
last　I　cannot　swear；　for　it　does　not　lie　in　my　heart。〃

This　was　the　offence　of　the　princess；　that　hate　did　not　lie　in　her
heartthe　offence　of　so　many　others　who　were　killed　on　that　3d　of
September；　that　dreadful　day　on　which　the　hordes　of　Marseilles
opened　the　prisons；　in　order　to　drag　the　prisoners　before　the
tribunals；　or　to　execute　them　without　further　sentence。

The　days　passed　by；　and　they　had　to　be　borne。　Marie　Antoinette　had
regained　her　composure　and　her　proud　calmness。　She　had　to　overcome
even　this　great　grief；　and　the　heart　of　the　queen　had　not　yet　been
broken。　She　still　loved；　she　still　hoped。　She　owed　it　to　her　husband
and　children　not　to　despair；　and　better　days　might　come　even　yet。
〃We　must　keep　up　courage；〃　she　said；　〃to　live　till　the　dawn　of　this
better　day。〃

And　it　required　spirit　to　bear　the　daily　torture　of　this　life！
Always　exposed　to　scorn　and　abuse！　Always　watched　by　the　eyes　of
mocking；　reviling　men！　Always　scrutinized　by　Madame　Tison；　her
servant；　who　followed　every　one　of　her　motions　as　a　cat　watches　its
prey；　and　among　all　these　sentinels　the　most　obnoxious　of　all　was
the　cobbler　Simon。

Commissioned　by　the　authorities　to　supervise　the　workmen　and　masons
who　were　engaged　in　restoring　the　partially　ruined　ancient　portion
of　the　Temple；　Simon　had　made　himself　at　home　within　the　building；
to　discharge　his　duties　more　comfortably。　It　was　his　pleasure　to
watch　this　humiliated　royal　family；　to　see　them　fall　day　by　day；　and
hear　the　curses　that　accompanied　them　at　every　step。　He　never
appeared　in　their　presence　without　insulting　them；　and　encouraging
with　loud　laughter　those　who　imitated　him　in　this。

Some　of　the　officials　in　charge　never　spoke　excepting　with　dreadful
abuse　of　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the　children。

One　of　them　cried　to　his　comrade　in　presence　of　Marie　Antoinette：
〃If　the　hangman　does　not　guillotine　this　accursed　family；　I　will　do
it！〃

When　the　royal　family　went　down　to　take　their　walk　in　the　garden；
Santerre　used　to　come　up　with　a　troop　of　soldiers。　The　sentries　whom
they　passed　shouldered　arms　before　Santerre；　but　as　soon　as　he　had
passed　and　the　king　came；　they　grounded　their　arms；　and　pretended
not　to　see　him。　In　the　door　that　led　into　the　garden；　Rocher；　the
turnkey；　used　to　stand；　and　take　his　pleasure　in　letting　the　royal
family　wait　before　unlocking；　while　he　blew　great　clouds　of　smoke
into　their　faces　from　his　long　tobacco…pipe。　The　National　Guards　who
stood　in　the　neighborhood　used　to　laugh　at　this；　and　hurl　all　sorts
of　low；　vile　words　at　the　princesses。　Then；　while　the　royal
prisoners　were　taking　their　walk；　the　cannoneers　used　to　collect　in
the　allees　through　which　they　wandered；　and　dance　to　the　music　of
revol