marie antoinette and her son-第90章

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pressed　up　to　him　and　clasped　him　in　their　midst；　while　loud　sobs
and　heart…rending　cries　filled　the　room。　Behind　the　door　were　the
officials；　but　they　could　not　look　in　upon　the　scene；　for　their　own
eyes　were　filled　with　tears。　In　the　king's　cabinet；　not　far　away；
the　Abbe　Edgewarth　de　Firmont　was　upon　his　knees；　praying　for　the
unfortunates　whose　wails　and　groans　reached　even　him。

Gradually　the　sobs　died　away。　They　took　their　placesthe　queen　at
the　left　of　her　husband；　Madame　Elizabeth；　his　sister；　at　his　right；
opposite　to　him；　his　daughter；　Maria　Theresa；　and　between　his　knees
the　dauphin；　looking　up　into　his　father's　face　with　widely…opened
eyes　and　a　sad　smile。

Louis　was　the　first　to　speak。　He　told　them　of　his　trial；　and　of　the
charges　which　they　had　brought　against　him。　But　his　words　were
gentle　and　calm；　and　he　expressed　his　pity　for　the　〃poor；　misled
men〃　who　had　condemned　him。　He　asked　his　family；　too；　to　forgive
them。　They　answered　him　only　with　sobs；　embraces；　tears；　and　kisses。

Then　all　was　still。　The　officials　heard　not　a　word；　but　they　saw　the
queen；　with　her　children　and　sister…in…law；　sink　upon　their　knees；
while　the　king；　standing　erect　in　the　midst　of　the　group；　raised　his
hands　and　blessed　them　in　gentle；　noble　words；　which　touched　the
heart　of　the　Abbe　Edgewarth；　who　was　kneeling　behind　the　door　of　the
neighboring　cabinet。

The　king　then　bade　the　family　rise；　took　them　again　in　his　arms；　and
kissed　the　queen；　who；　pale　and　trembling；　clung　to　him；　and　whose
quivering　lips　were　not　able　to　restrain　a　word　of　denunciation　of
those　who　had　condemned　him。

〃I　have　forgiven　them；〃　said　the　king；　seriously。　〃I　have　written　my
will；　and　in　it　you　will　read　that　I　pardon　them；　and　that　I　ask　you
to　do　the　same。　Promise　me；　Marie；　that　you　will　never　think　how　you
may　avenge　my　death。〃

A　smile　full　of　sadness　and　despair　flitted　over　the　pale　lips　of
the　queen。

〃I　shall　never　be　in　a　situation　to　take　vengeance　upon　them；〃　she
said。　〃But；〃　she　added　quickly；　〃even　if　I　should　ever　be　able；　and
the　power　should　be　in　my　hands；　I　promise　that　I　will　exact　no
vengeance　for　this　deed。〃

The　king　stooped　down　and　imprinted　a　kiss　upon　her　forehead。

〃I　thank　you；　Marie；　and　I　know　that　you　all；　my　dear　ones；　will
sacredly　regard　my　last　testament；　and　that　my　wishes　and　words　will
be　engraven　on　your　hearts。　But；　my　son〃and　he　took　the　dauphin
upon　his　knee；　and　looked　down　into　his　face　tenderly〃you　are
still　a　child；　and　might　forget。　You　have　heard　what　I　have　said；
but　as　an　oath　is　more　sacred　than　a　word；　raise　your　hand　and　swear
to　me　you　will　fulfil　my　wish　and　forgive　all　our　enemies。〃

The　boy；　turning　his　great　blue　eyes　fixedly　on　the　king；　and　his
lips　trembling　with　emotion；　raised　his　right　hand；　and　even　the
officials　in　the　next　room　could　distinctly　hear　the　sweet　child's
voice　repeating　the　words：　〃I　swear　to　you；　papa　king；　that　I　will
forgive　all　our　enemies；　and　will　do　no　harm　to　those　who　are　going
to　kill　my　dear　father！〃

A　shudder　passed　through　the　hearts　of　the　men　in　the　next　room；
they　drew　back　from　the　door　with　pale　faces。　It　seemed　to　them　as
if　they　had　heard　the　voice　of　an　angel；　and　a　feeling　of
inexpressible　pain　and　regret　passed　through　their　souls。

Within　the　king's　room　all　now　was　still；　and　the　abbe　in　the
cabinet　heard　only　the　gentle　murmuring　of　their　prayers；　and　the
suppressed　weeping　and　sobs。

At　last　the　king　spoke。　〃Now；　go；　my　dear　ones。　I　must　be　alone。　I
need　to　rest　and　collect　myself。〃

A　loud　wail　was　the　answer。　After　some　minutes；　Clery　opened　the
glass　door；　and　the　royal　family　were　brought　into　the　view　of　the
officials　once　more。　The　queen　was　clinging　to　the　right　arm　of
Louis；　they　each　gave　a　hand　to　the　dauphin。　Theresa　had　flung　her
arms　around　the　king's　body；　his　sister　Elizabeth　clung　to　his　left
arm。　They　thus　moved　forward　a　few　steps　toward　the　door；　amid　loud
cries　of　grief　and　heart…breaking　sobs。

〃I　promise　you；〃　said　Louis；　〃to　see　you　once　more　tomorrow　morning；
at　eight　o'clock。〃

〃At　eight！　Why　not　at　seven？〃　asked　the　queen；　with　a　foreboding
tone。

〃Well；　then；〃　answered　the　king；　gently；　〃at　seven。　Farewell；
farewell！〃

The　depth　of　sadness　in　his　utterance　with　which　he　spoke　the　last
parting　word；　doubled　the　tears　and　sobs　of　the　weeping　family。　The
daughter　fell　in　a　swoon　at　the　feet　of　her　father；　and　Clery；
assisted　by　the　Princess　Elizabeth；　raised　her　up。

〃Papa；　my　dear　papa；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　nestling　up　closely　to　his
father；　〃let　us　stay　with　you。〃

The　queen　said　not　a　word。　With　pale　face　and　with　widely…opened
eyes　she　looked　fixedly　at　the　king；　as　though　she　wanted　to　impress
his　countenance　on　her　heart。

〃Farewell；　farewell！〃　cried　the　king；　once　more；　and　he　turned
quickly　around　and　hurried　into　the　next　room。

A　single　cry　of　grief　and　horror　issued　from　all　lips。　The　two
children；　soon　to　be　orphans；　then　clung　closely　to　their　mother；
who　threw　herself；　overmastered　by　her　sobbing；　on　the　neck　of　her
sister…in…law。

〃Forward！　The　Capet　family　will　return　to　their　own　apartments！〃
cried　one　of　the　officials。

Marie　Antoinette　raised　herself　up；　her　eye　flashed；　and　with　a
voice　full　of　anger；　she　cried：　〃You　are　hangmen　and　traitors！〃
＇Footnote：　Beauchesne；　vol。　1。；　p。　49。＇

The　king　had　withdrawn　to　his　cabinet；　where　the　priest；　Abbe
Edgewarth　de　Firmont；　addressed　him　with　comforting　words。　His
earnest　request　had　been　granted；　to　give　the　king　the　sacrament
before　his　death。　The　service　was　to　take　place　very　early　the　next
morning；　so　ran　the　decision　of　the　authorities；　and　at　seven　the
king　was　to　be　taken　to　execution。

Louis　received　the　first　part　of　this　communication　joyfully；　the
second　part　with　complete　calmness。

〃As　I　must　rise　so　early；〃　he　said　to　his　valet　Clery；　〃I　must
retire　early。　This　day　has　been　a　very　trying　one　for　me；　and　I　need
rest；　so　as　not　to　be　weak　to…morrow。〃　He　was　then　undressed　by　the
servant；　and　lay　down。　When　Clery　came　at　five　the　next　morning　to
dress　him；　he　found　the　king　still　asleep；　and　they　must　have　been
pleasant　dreams　which　were　passing　before　him；　for　a　smile　was
playing　on　his　lips。

The　king　was　dressed；　and　the　priest　gave　him　the　sacrament；　the
vessels　used　having　been　taken　from　the　neighboring　Capuchin　church
of　Marais。　An　old　chest　of　drawers　was　converted　by　Clery　into　an
altar；　two　ordinary　candlesticks　stood　on　each　side　of　the　cup；　and
in　them　two　tallow　candles　burned；　instead　of　wax。　Before　this　altar
kneeled　King　Louis　XVI。；　lost　in　thought　and　prayer；　and　wearing　a
calm；　peaceful　face。

The　priest　read　the　mass；　Clery　responded　as　sacristan；　and　even
while　the　king　was　receiving　the　elements；　the　sound　of　the　drums
and　trumpets　was　heard　without；　which　awakened　Paris　that　morning
and　told　the　city　that　the　King　of　France　was　being　led　to　his
execution。　Cannon　were　rattling　through　the　streets；　and　National
Guardsmen　were　hurrying　on　foot　and　on　horse　along　the　whole　of　the
way　that　led　from　the　Temple　to　the　Place　de　la　Concorde。　A　rank　of
men；　four　deep　and　standing　close　to　one　another；　armed　with　pikes
and　other　weapons；　guarded　both　sides　of　the　street；　and　made　it
impossible　for　those　who　wanted　to　liberate　the　king　during　the
ride；　to　come　near　to　him。　The　authorities　knew　that　one　of　the
bravest　and　most　determined　partisans　of　the　king　had　arrived　in
Paris；　and　that　he；　in　conjunction　with　a　number　of　young　and　brave…
spirited　men；　had　resolved　on　rescuing　the　king　at　any　cost；　during
his　ride　to　the　place　of　execution。　The　utmost　precautions　had　been
taken　to　render　this　impossible。　Through　the　dense　ranks　of　the
National　Guard；　which　to…day　was　composed　of　mere　sans…culottes；　the
raging；　bloodthirsty　men　of　the　suburbs　drove　the　carriage　in　which
was　the　king；　followed　and　escorted　by　National　Guardsmen　on
horseback。　The　windows　were　all　closed　and　the　curtains　drawn　in　the
houses　by　which　the　procession　passed；　but　behind　those　curtained
windows　it　is　probable　that　people　were　upon　their　knees　praying　for
the　unhappy　man　who　was　now　on　his　way　to　the　scaffold；　and　w