marie antoinette and her son-第114节

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scaffold；　and　as　she　was　about　to　ascend　the　steps；　he　laid　his　hand
upon　her　arm。

〃Princess；　I　have　a　secret　to　impart　to　you。　I　have　promised　with　a
solemn　oath　that　my　lips　should　disclose　it　to　no　mortal；　but　you；
Elizabeth；　belong　already　to　the　immortals；　the　peace　of　God
illumines　your　brow；　and　I　want　you　to　have　one　last　joy　before　you
ascend　into　heaven。　This　is　my　secret：　The　boy　who　is　confined　in
the　Temple　is　not　the　dauphin。　I　have　fulfilled　the　promise　which　I
gave　the　queen。　I　have　saved　the　dauphin；　and　he　is　now　in　Vendee；
under　the　safe　care　of　Prince　de　Conde。〃

〃Elizabeth　Capet；　come　up；　or　we　must　bring　you　by　force。〃

〃I　am　coming。　Farewell；　Fidele！　you　have　spoken　the　truth；　you　have
given　me　a　last　joy！　I　thank　you；　now　kiss　my　lips；　give　your　sister
a　parting　kiss；　Fidele。　Farewell；　my　brother！〃

He　touched　the　lips　that　were　illumined　with　a　sad　smile〃Farewell；
my　sister！〃

She　ascended　the　steps；　and；　reaching　the　scaffold；　she　calmly　laid
aside　the　veil；　and　prepared　her　toilet　for　death。

At　the　foot　of　the　scaffold　Toulan　remained　upon　his　knees；　his
great　eyes；　which　had　been　directed　to　Elizabeth；　beamed　with
rapture；　and　in　his　heart　there　were　words　written　with　a　finger　of
diamondwords　hallowed　and　comforting；　that　Toulan　read　in
meditation　and　prayer：　〃Love　vanquishes　death；　love　is　victorious
even　over　life；　love；　which　is　the　highest　friendship；　and
friendship；　which　is　the　highest　love；　rise　so　far　above　every　thing
earthly；　that　thou　must　surrender　every　thing　for　them；　every　thing
which　thou　hast　valued　upon　earth；　every　thing　which　has　stood　to
thee　in　the　most　tender　relations。　In　this　love　thou　hast　lived；　and
in　this　love　thou　shalt　die　and　ascend　into　heaven。〃

〃Toulan；　come　up！　Do　you　not　hear　us　calling　you？　Do　you　not　see
that　Elizabeth　Capet　has　made　place　for　you？〃

He　had　not　seen　when　the　noble　head　of　the　princess　fell　into　the
basket；　he　had　not　heard　the　executioner　call　him；　he　had　only　read
in　his　heart　the　revelation　of　love。

He　ascended　the　steps；　and　his　countenance　beamed　with　the　same
light　of　rapture　which　had　surrounded　Elizabeth's　brow。

A　piercing　scream　came　from　the　crowd；　as　a　young　wife　fell
senseless　into　the　arms　of　her　neighbors；　while　the　boy　who　stood
near　her　extended　his　hands　to　the　scaffold；　and　called；　loudly；
〃Father；　dear　father！〃

Toulan　did　not　turn　to　them。　No　earthly　sorrow　had　place　in　this
soul；　which　had　overcome　pain；　and　received　eternal　joy　into　itself。

Calmly　he　laid　his　head　beneath　the　axe。　〃God　is　love；〃　he　said；
aloud。　〃He　that　abideth　in　love；　abideth　in　God；　and　God〃

The　axe　descended；　and　left　Toulan's　last　words　unspoken。




BOOK　VI。


CHAPTER　XXIX。

WITHOUT　NAME　AND　RANK。


The　Prince　de　Conde　was　walking　with　quick　steps　up　and　down　his
apartment。　His　brow　was　cloudy；　his　eyes　wore　a　sad　look；　and　at
times　he　raised　his　hand；　as　if　he　would　remove　a　veil　that　darkened
his　sight。

〃It　must　he；〃　he　said；　decisively；　after　a　while。　〃Yes；　it　must　be；
I　see　no　other　means　of　saving　him　from　the　snares　of　his　enemies
and　friends。　He　must　leave；　and　that　at　once。〃

He　walked　hastily　to　the　table；　pulled　the　bell　violently；　and
ordered　the　servant　who　came　in　to　bring　the　boy　who　came　yesterday
to　him。

A　few　minutes　later；　the　door　opened；　and　a　boy　of　ten。　or　twelve
years；　with　great　blue　eyes；　fair　hair；　graceful　form；　and　delicate
complexion；　came　into　the　room。　At　his　appearance　the　Prince　de
Conde　seemed　deeply　moved。　He　hastened　with　open　arms　to　meet　the
boy；　pressed　him　closely　to　his　heart；　and　kissed　his　fair　hair　and
eyes。

〃Welcome；　a　thousand　times　welcome！〃　he　said；　with　trembling　voice。
〃How　long　have　I　desired　to　see　this　moment；　and　how　happy　I　am　that
it　has　come　at　last！　You　are　saved；　yon　are　restored　to　freedom；　to
life；　and　there　is　in　store　for　you；　I　hope；　a　great　and　brilliant
future！〃

〃Then　I　shall　have　to　thank　you　for　it；　my　cousin；〃　said　the　boy；
with　his　sweet；　resonant　voice。　〃You　have　released　me　from　the
dreadful　prison；　and　I　thank　you　for　life。　I　am　glad；　too；　that　I
see　you　at　last；　for　I　wanted　so　much　to　express　my　thanks；　and
every　evening　I　have　prayed　to　God　to　grant　me　the　happiness　of
greeting　my　dear　cousin；　the　Prince　de　Conde。〃

The　joyous　light　had　long　since　faded　from　the　face　of　the　prince；
and　a　cloud　was　gathering　on　his　brow；　as；　with　a　timid；　searching
look；　he　glanced　around；　as　if　he　feared　that　some　one　besides
himself　might　hear　the　words　of　the　boy。

〃Do　not　call　me　your　cousin；〃　he　said；　softly；　and　even　his　voice
was　changed；　and　became　cold　and　husky。

The　boy　fixed　his　great　blue　eyes　with　an　expression　of　astonishment
on　the　gloomy　countenance　of　the　Prince　de　Conde。

〃You　are　no　longer　glad　to　see　me　here？　Is　it　disagreeable　to　you
for　me　to　call　you　my　cousin？〃

The　prince　made　no　answer　at　once；　but　walked　up　and　down　with　great
strides；　and　then　stood　still　before　the　boy；　who　had　calmly
observed　his　impatient　motions。

〃Let　us　sit　down；〃　said　the　Prince　de　Conde〃　let　us　sit　down　and
talk。〃

He　gave　his　hand　to　the　boy；　led　him　to　the　divan；　and　took　his　own
place　upon　an　easy…chair；　directly　opposite　to　the　child。

〃Let　us　talk；〃　he　repeated。　〃I　should　like　to　know；　in　the　first
place；　whether　you　have　a　good　memory；　for　I　have　been　told　that
your　head　has　suffered；　and　that　you　have　no　recollection　of　the
past。〃

A　gentle；　sad　smile　played　around　the　lips　of　the　boy。

〃I　have　been　silent　about　the　past；　as　I　have　been　commanded　to；〃　he
said；　〃but　I　have　not　forgotten　it。〃

〃Do　you　remember　your　mother？〃　asked　the　prince。

The　boy　trembled　convulsively；　a　glowing　red　passed　over　his　cheeks；
and　a　deep　paleness　followed。

〃Monsieur；〃　he　asked；　with　a　tremulous　voice；　〃would　it　be　possible
for　me　to　forget　my　dear　mamma　queen？my　mamma　queen　who　loved　her
little　Louis　Charles　so　much？　Ah；　sir；　you　would　not　have　asked　that
if　you　had　known　how　much　pain　you　give　me。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　prince；　embarrassed。　〃I　see　you
remember。　But　let　me　try　you　once　more。　Will　you　tell　me　what
happened　to　you　after　being　taken　away　from　your　cruel　foster…
parents？　What　were　those　people's　names；　and　what　were　they？〃

〃My　foster…parents；　or　my　tormentors　rather；　were　called　Mr。　and
Mistress　Simon。　The　man　had　been　a　cobbler；　but　afterward　he　was
superintendent　and　turnkey　in　the　Temple；　and　when　I　was　taken　away
from　my　mamma；　sister；　and　aunt；　I　had　to　live　with　these　dreadful
people。〃

〃Did　you　fare　badly　there？〃

〃Very　badly；　sir；　I　was　scolded　and　ill…treated；　and　the　worst　of
all　was　that　they　wanted　to　compel　me　to　sing　ribald　songs　about　my
mamma　queen。〃

〃But　you　did　not　sing　these　songs？〃　asked　the　Prince　de　Conde。

The　eyes　of　the　boy　flamed。　〃No；〃　he　said；　proudly；　〃I　did　not　sing
them。　They　might　have　beaten　me　to　death。　I　would　rather　have　died
than　have　done　it；〃

The　prince　nodded　approvingly。　〃And　how　did　you　escape　from　these
people？〃　he　asked。

〃You　know；　Prince　de　Conde；〃　answered　the　boy；　smiling。　〃It　is　you
who　helped　me　escape。〃

〃Tell　me　about　this　matter　a　little；〃　said　the　prince；　〃and　how　you
have　fared　since　then。　I　contributed；　as　you　suppose；　to　your
release；　but　I　was　not　present　In　person。　How　did　you　escape　from
the　Temple？〃

〃I　was　put　into　a　basket　with　soiled　clothes；　which　Mistress　Simon
was　taking　away　with　her　from　the　Temple。　This　basket　she　gave　to　a
washerwoman　who　was　waiting　for　us　at　the　Macon　gate。　She　had　a
little　donkey…cart　in　readiness　there；　the　basket　was　put　into　it；
and　went　on　to　a　village；　the　name　of　which　I　do　not　know。　There　we
stopped；　I　was　taken　out　of　the　basket　and　carried　into　a　house；
where　we　remained　a　few　hours　to　rest　and　change　our　clothes。〃

〃We？　Whom　do　you　mean　by　we？〃

〃Me　and　the　supposed　washerwoman；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃This　woman　was；
however；　no　other　than　M。　de　Jarjayes；　whom　I　knew　long　ago；　and
who；　with　FideleI　should　say；　with　Toulanhad　thought　out　and
executed　the　plan　of　my　escape。　M。　de　Jarjayes　changed　his　clothes；
as　did　I　also；　and　after　remaining　concealed　in　the　house　all　day；
in　the　evening　we　took　a　carriage　and　rode　all　night。　On　the　next
day　we　remained　concealed　in　some　house；　and　in　the　night　we
continued　our　journey。〃

〃Did　he　tell　you　where　you　were　going？〃

〃Jarjayes　told　me　that　the　Prince　de　Conde　was　my　protector　and
deliverer；　that　the　magnanimous　prince　had　furnished　the　necessary
money；　and　that　I　should　remain　concealed　in　one　of　his　palaces　till
the　time　should　arrive　to　acknowledge　me　publicly。　Till　then；　said
M。　de　Jarjayes　to　me；　I　was　never　to　speak　of　the　past；　nor
disclosesingle　word　about　any　thing　that　concerned　myself　or　my
family。　He　told　me　that　if　I　did　not　follow　his　instructions
literally；　I　should　not　only　be　brought　back　to　Simon；　but　I　should
have　to　bear　the　blame　of　causing　the　death　of　my　sister　Therese　and
my　aunt　Elizabeth。　You　can　understand；　my　prince；　that　after　that　I
was　dumb。〃

〃Yes。　I　understand。　Where　did　M。　de　Jarjayes　carry　you？〃

〃To　one　of　the　palaces　of　the　Prince　de　Conde　in　loyal　and　beautiful
Vendee。　Ah；　it　was　very　deli