marie antoinette and her son-第96章

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the　table　before　which　the　ladies　were　sitting；　to　a　careful
scrutiny。　〃Madame　has　been　reading；〃　she　repeated；　〃I　heard　paper
rattling；　and　I　see　no　book。〃

〃You　are　under　a　mistake；〃　replied　Madame　Elizabeth；　〃we　have　not
been　reading；　we　have　been　sewing；　but　supposing　we　were　reading；　is
there　any　wrong　in　that？　Have　they　made　any　law　that　forbids　that？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Tison；　〃noI　only　wondered　how　people　could　rattle
paper　and　there　be　none　there；　but　all　the　samethe　ladies　of
course　have　a　right　to　read；　and　we　must　be　satisfied　with　that。〃

And　she　went　out；　looking　right　and　left　like　a　hound　on　the　scent；
and　searching　every　corner　of　the　room。

〃I　must　see　what　kind　of　officials　we　have　here　to…day；〃　said　Tison
to　herself；　slipping　through　the　little　side…door　and　through　the
corridor；　〃I　shouldn't　wonder　if　it　were　Toulan　and　Lepitre　again；
for　every　time　when　they　tworight！〃　she　ejaculated；　looking
through　the　outer　door；　〃right！　it　is　they；　Toulan　and　Lepitre。　I
must　see　what　Simon's　wife　has　to　say　to　that。〃

She　slipped　down　the　broad　staircase；　and　passed　through　the　open
door　into　the　porter's　lodge。　Madame　Simon；　one　of　the　most　savage
of　the　knitters；　had　shortly　returned　from　the　guillotine；　and　was
sitting　upon　her　rush　chair；　busily　counting　on　a　long　cotton
stocking　which　she　held　in　her　hand。

〃How　many　heads　to…day？〃　asked　Tison。

Madame　Simon　slowly　shook　her　head；　decorated　with　a　white　knit　cap。

〃It　is　hardly　worth　the　pains；〃　she　said　dismally；〃the　machine
works　badly；　and　the　judges　are　neglectful。　Only　five　cars　to…day；
and　on　every　one　only　seven　persons。〃　〃What！〃　cried　Tison；　〃only
thirty…five　heads　to…day　in　all？〃

〃Yes；　only　thirty…five　heads；〃　repeated　Madame　Simon；　shaking　her
head；　〃I　have　just　been　counting　on　my　stocking；　and　I　find　only
thirty…five　seam…stitches；　for　every　seam…stitch　means　a　head。　For
such　a　little　affair　we　have　had　to　sit　six　hours　in　the　wet　and
cold　on　the　platform。　The　machine　works　too　slowly；　I　say
altogether　too　slowly。　The　judges　are　easy；　and　there　is　no　more
pleasure　to　be　derived　from　the　executions。〃

〃They　must　be　stirred　up；〃　said　Tison　with　a　fiendish　look；　〃your
husband　must　speak　with　his　friend；　citizen　Marat；　and　tell　him　that
his　best　friends　the　knitters；　and　most　of　all；　Simon's　wife；　are
dissatisfied；　and　if　it　goes　on　so；　the　women　will　rise　and　hurry
all　the　men　to　the　guillotine。　That　will　stir　them　up；　for　they　do
respect　the　knitters；　and　if　they　fear　the　devil；　they　fear　yet　more
his　proud　grandmother；　and　every　one　of　us　market…women　and　knitters
is　the　devil's　grandmother。〃

〃Yes；　they　do　respect　us　and　they　shall；〃　said　Madame　Simon；　setting
her　glistening　needles　in　motion　again；　and　working　slowly　on　the
stocking；　〃I　will　myself　speak　with　citizen　Marat；　and　believe　me；　I
will　fire　him　up；　and　then　we　shall　have　better　play；　and　see　more
cars　driven　up　to　the　guillotine。　We　must　keep　our　eyes　well　open；
arid　denounce　all　suspicious　characters。〃

〃I　have　my　eyes　always　open；〃　cried　Tison；　with　a　coarse　laugh；　〃and
I　suspect　traitors　before　they　have　committed　any　thing。　There；　for
example；　are　the　two　officials；　Toulan　and　Lepitre；　do　you　have
confidence　in　them？〃

〃I　have　no　confidence　in　them　whatever；　and　I　have　never　had　any
confidence　in　them；〃　answered　Madame　Simon；　with　dignity；　and
setting　her　needles　in　more　rapid　motion。　〃In　these　times　you　must
trust　nobody；　and　least　of　all　those　who　are　so　very　earnest　to　keep
guard　over　the　Austrian　woman；　for　a　true　republican　despises　the
aristocracy　altogether　too　much　to　find　it　agreeable　to　be　with　such
scum；　and　shows　it　as　much　as　he　can；　but　Toulan　is　always　wanting
to　be　there。　Wait　a　moment；　and　I　will　tell　you　how　many　times
Toulan　and　Lepitre　have　kept　guard　the　present　month。〃

She　drew　a　little　memorandum…book　from　her　reticule；　which　hung　by
black　bands　from　her　brown　hairy　arm；　and　turned　over　the　leaves。
〃There；　here　it　is；〃　she　said。

〃To…day　is　the　20th　of　February；　and　the　two　men　have　already　kept
guard　eight　times　the　present　month。　That　is　three　times　as　many　as
they　need　to　do。　Every　one　of　the　officials　who　were　appointed　to
keep　guard　in　the　Temple　is　obliged　to　serve　only　once　a　week；　and
both　of　these　traitors　are　now　here　for　the　eighth　time。　And　my
husband　is　so　stupid　and　so　blinded　that　he　believes　this　prattler
Toulan　when　he　tells　him　he　comes　here　merely　to　be　with　citizen
Simon；　but　they　cannot　come　round　me　with　their　talk；　they　cannot
throw　dust　in　my　eyes。　I　shall　keep　them　open；　wide　open；　let　me
tell　you。〃

〃They　are　not　sitting　inside　in　the　antechamber　to…day；〃　whispered
Tison；　〃but　outside　on　the　landing；　and　they　have　closed　the　door　of
the　anteroom；　so　that　the　Austrian　has　been　entirely　alone　and
unobserved　these　hours。〃

〃Alone！〃　cried　the　knitter；　and　her　polished　needles　struck　so
violently　against　each　other　that　you　could　hear　them　click。　〃My
husband　cannot　be　to　blame　for　that；　Toulan　must　have　talked　him
into　it；　and　he　must　have　a　reason　for　it；　he　must　have　a　reason；
and　if　it　is　only　from　his　having　pity　upon　her；　that　is　enough　and
more　than　enough　to　bring　him　under　suspicion　and　to　build　an
accusation　upon。　He　must　be　removed；　say　I。　There　shall　no　such
compassionate　worms　as　he　creep　into　the　Temple。　I　will　clear　them
outI　will　clear　them　out　with　human　blood！〃

She　looked　so　devilish；　her　eyes　glared　so　with　such　a　cruel
coldness；　and　such　a　fiendish　smile　played　upon　her　pale；　thin　lips；
that　even　Madame　Tison　was　afraid　of　her；　and　felt　as　if　a　cold；
poisonous　spider　was　creeping　slowly　over　her　heart。

〃They　are　sitting　still　outside；　you　say？〃　asked　Madame　Simon；　after
a　pause。

〃Yes；　they　are　still　sitting　outside　upon　the　landing；　and　the
Austrian　woman　is　at　this　time　alone　unwatched　with　her　brood；　and
she　will　be　alone　for　two　hours　yet；　for　there　is　no　change　of　guard
till　then。〃

〃That　is　true；　yes；　that　is　true；〃　cried　the　knitter；　and　her
nostrils　expanded　like　those　of　the　hyena　when　on　the　scent　of
blood。　〃They　will　sit　up　there　two　hours　longer；　playing　cards　and
singing　stupid　songs；　and　wheedling　my　monkey　of　a　husband　with
their　flatteries；　making　him　believe　that　they　love　him；　love　him
boundlessly；　and　they　let　themselves　be　locked　into　the　Temple　for
his　sake；　andoh！　if　I　had　them　here；　I　would　strangle　them　with　my
own　hands！　I　would　make　a　dagger　of　every　one　of　my　knitting…needles
and　thrust　it　into　their　hearts！　But　quiet；　quiet；〃　she　continued　in
a　grumbling　tone；　〃every　thing　must　go　on　in　a　regular　way。　Will　you
take　my　place　here　for　half　an　hour　and　guard　the　door？　I　have
something　important　to　do；　something　very　important。〃

〃It　will　be　a　very　great　honor；〃　replied　Madame　Tison；　〃a　very　great
honor　to　be　the　substitute　of　one　so　well　known　and　respected　as　you
are；　of　whom　every　one　knows　that　she　is　the　best　patriot　and　the
most　courageous　knitter；　whose　eyelashes　never　quiver；　and　who　can
calmly　go　on　with　her　stitches　when　the　heads　fall　from　the
guillotine　into　the　basket。〃

〃If　I　did　tremble；　and　my　eyelashes　did　quiver；　I　would　dash　my　own
fists　into　my　eyes！〃　said　Madame　Simon；　with　her　hard　coarse　voice；
rising　and　throwing　her　thin；　threadbare　cloak　over　her　shoulders。
〃If　I　found　a　spark　of　sympathy　in　my　heart；　I　would　inundate　it
with　the　blood　of　aristocrats　till　it　should　be　extinguished；　and
till　that　should　be；　I　would　despise　and　hate　myself；　for　I　should
be　not　only　a　bad　patriot；　but　a　bad　daughter　of　my　unfortunate
father。　The　cursed　aristocrats　have　not　only　brought　misery　on　our
country　and　people；　but　they　murdered　my　dear　good　father。　Yes；
murdered　I　say。　They　said　he　was　a　high　traitor。　And　do　you　know
why？　Because　he　told　aloud　the　nice　stories　about　the　Austrian
woman；　who　was　then　our　queen；　which；　had　been　whispered　into　his
ear；　and　because　he　said　that　the　king　was　a　mere　tool　in　the　hands
of　his　wife。　They　shot　my　good；　brave　father　for　what　he　had　said；
and　which　they　called　treason；　although　it　was　only　the　naked　truth。
Yet　I　will　not　work　myself　into　a　passion　about　it；　and　I　will　only
thank　God　that　that　time　is　pa