marie antoinette and her son-第130节

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child's　soul　was　absorbed　in　the　gaze　which　he　directed　to　his
mother。　The　queen　was　singing；　and　the　tones　of　her　soulful　voice
resound　still　in　my　heart。　The　song　was　this：

'Dors；　mon　enfant；　clos　ta　paupiere；　Tes　cris　me　dechirent　le　coeur：
Dors；　mon　enfant；　ta　pauvre　mere　A　bien　assez　de　sa　douleur。'

And　while　she　sang　she　turned　her　head　toward　her　son；　who　listened
to　her　motionless　and　as　if　enchanted。　'See；'　cried　madame；　the
sister　of　the　pretty　boy；　'I　believe　Louis　Charles　has　fallen
asleep。'　The　child　started　up；　and　a　glowing　redness　suffused　his
cheeks。　'Oh！　Theresa；'　he　cried；　'how　could　any　one　go　to　sleep　when
my　mamma　queen　was　singing'？'　His　mother　stooped　down　to　him；
pressed　a　long　kiss　upon　his　brow；　and　a　tear　fell　from　her　eyes
upon　his　golden　hair。　I　saw　it；　and　involuntarily　my　eyes　filled；　I
could　not　hold　back　my　tears；　aud　went　softly　out　to　compose　myself。
Sire；　I　see　you　still　before　methis　beautiful　queen　and　her
childrenand　it　is　with　me　to…day　as　then；　I　must　weep。〃

〃And　I！oh；　my　God！and　I！〃　whispered　Louis；　putting　both　his
hands　before　his　quivering　face。　Even　Fouche　seemed　moved；　his　lips
trembled　and　his　cheeks　grew　pale。

A　long　pause　ensued。　Nothing　was　heard　but　the　convulsive　sobbing　of
the　young　man；　who　still　held　his　hands　before　his　face；　and　wept　so
violently　that　the　tears　poured　down　in　heavy　drops　between　his
fingers。

〃Sire；〃　cried　Josephine；　with　supplicatory　voice〃　sire；　by　the
recollection　of　that　hour；　I　conjure　you；　forgive　me　that　I　now　live
in　those　rooms　which　Marie　Antoinette　once　inhabited。　Ah！　it　has　not
been　my　wish；　and　I　have　done　it　only　with　pain　and　grief。　Believe
me；　sire；　and　forgive　me　that　I　have　been　compelled　to　live　in　the
palace　of　the　kings。〃

He　took　his　hands　from　his　face；　and　gazed　at　her。

〃You　live　in　the　Tuileries？　Who　are　you？　Madame；　who　are　you？〃

〃Sire；　I　was　formerly　Viscountess　Beauharnais；　now　I　am〃

〃The　wife　of　the　First　Consul！〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　drawing　back
in　terror〃　the　wife　of　him　who　is　pursuing　me；　and　who；　as　Fouche
says；　means　to　bring　me　to　the　scaffold。〃

〃Oh；　sire；　forgive　him！〃　implored　Josephine；　〃he　is　not　wicked；　he
is　not　cruel；　but　circumstances　compel　him　to　act　as　he　does。　God
Himself；　it　would　seem；　has　chosen　him　to　restore；　with　his　heroic
sword　and　his　heroic　spirit；　peace　and　prosperity　to　this
unfortunate　land；　bleeding　from　a　thousand　wounds。　He　was　the　savior
of　France；　and　the　grateful　nation　hailed　him　with　paeans；　and　full
of　confidence　laid　the　reins　of　government　in　his　hands。　Through　his
victories　and　his　administration　of　affairs；　France　has　again　grown
strong　and　great　and　happy；　and　yet　he　is　daily　threatened　by
assassins；　yet　there　are　continual　conspiracies　whose　aim　is　to
murder　the　man　to　whom　France　is　indebted　for　its　new　birth。　What
wonder　that　he　at　last；　to　put　an　end　to　these　conspiracies；　and
these　attempts　upon　his　life；　will；　by　a　deed　of　horror；　inspire　the
conspirators　with　fear？　He　is　firmly　resolved　on　this。　The　lion　has
been　aroused　from　his　calmness　by　new　conspiracies；　and　the　shaking
of　his　mane　will　this　time　annihilate　all　who　venture　to　conspire
against　him。　Sire；　I　do　not　accuse　you；　I　do　not　say　that　you　do
wrongly　to　make　every　attempt　to　regain　the　inheritance　of　your
fathers。　May　God　judge　between　you　and　your　enemies！　But　your
enemies　have　the　power　in　their　hands；　and　you　must　yield　to　that
power。　Oh；　my　dear；　unfortunate；　pitiable　lord；　I　conjure　you；　save
yourself　from　the　anger　of　the　First　Consul；　and　from　the　pursuers
who　have　been　sent　out　to　seek　you。　If　you　are　found；　you　are　lost；
and　no　one　in　the　world　will　then　be　able　to　save　you。　Fly；
thereforefly；　while　there　is　still　time！〃

〃Fly！〃　cried　the　young　prince；　bitterly；　〃evermore　fly！　My　whole
life　is　a　perpetual　flight；　a　continuous　concealment。　Like　the
Wandering　Jew；　I　must　journey　from　land　to　landnowhere　can　I　rest；
nowhere　find　peace。　Without　a　home；　without　parents；　without　a　name；
I　wander　around；　and；　like　a　hunted　wild　beast；　I　must　continually
start　afresh；　for　the　hounds　are　close　behind　me。　Well；　be　it　so；
then；　I　am　weary　of　defying　my　fate　longer；　I　surrender　myself　to
what　is　inevitable。　The　First　Consul　may　send　me　as　a　conspirator　to
the　scaffold。　I　am　prepared　to　die。　I　shall　find　that　peace　in　death
at　least　that　life　so　cruelly　denies　me。　I　will　not　flyI　will
remain。　The　example　of　my　parents　will　teach　me　how　to　die。〃

〃Oh；　speak　not　so！〃　exclaimed　Josephine。　〃Have　pity　on　me；　have　pity
on　yourself。　You　are　still　so　young；　life　has　so　much　for　you　yet；
there　remains　so　much　to　you　yet　to　hope　for。　You　must　live；　not　to
avenge　the　death　of　your　illustrious　parents；　but　to　make　its　memory
less　poignant。　Son　of　kings；　you　have　received　life　from　God；　and
from　your　parents；　you　may　not　lightly　throw　it　away；　but　must
defend　it；　for　the　blessing　of　your　mother　rests　upon　your　head；
which　you　must　save　from　the　scaffold。〃

〃You　must　live；〃　said　Fouche；　〃for　your　death　would　bring　joy　to
those　who　were　the　bitter　enemies　of　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　and　who
would　be　your　mocking　heirs。　Will　you　grant　to　the　Count　de　Lille
the　uncontested　right　of　calling　himself　Louis　XVIII。？the　Count　de
Lille；　who　caused　Marie　Antoinette　to　shed　so　many　tears。〃

The　prince　flamed　up　at　this；　and　his　eyes　flashed。

〃No；〃　he　cried；　〃the　Count　de　Lille　shall　not　have　this　joy。　He
shall　not　rest　his　curse…laden　head　upon　the　pillow　with　the　calm
consciousness　that　he　will　be　the　king　of　the　future。　My　vision
shall　disturb　his　sleep；　and　the　possibility　that　I　shall　return　and
demand　my　own　again；　shall　be　the　terror　that　shall　keep　peace　far
from　him。　You　are　right；　madame；　I　must　live。　The　spirit　of　Marie
Antoinette　hovers　over　me；　and　demands　that　I　live；　and　by　my　life
avenge　her　of　her　most　bitter　enemy。　Let　it　be　so；　then。　Tell　me；
Fouche；　whither　shall　I　go？　Where　shall　the　poor　criminal　hide
himself；　whose　only　offence　lies　in　this；　that　he　is　alive；　and　that
he　is　the　son　of　his　father？　Where　is　there　a　cave　in　which　the　poor
hunted　game　can　hide　himself　from　the　hounds？〃

〃Sire；　you　must　away；　away　into　foreign　lands。　The　arm　of　the　First
Consul　is　powerful；　and　his　eagle　eye　scans　all　Europe；　and　would
discover　you　at　any　point。〃

〃You　must　for　the　present　find　a　home　beyond　the　sea；〃　said　Fouche；
approaching　nearer。　〃I　have　already　taken　measures　which　will　allow
you　to　do　so。　There　are　ships　sailing　southward　from　Marseilles
every　day；　and　in　one　of　these　you　must　go　to　America。　America　is
the　land　of　freedom；　of　adventures；　and　of　great　deeds。　You　will
there　find　sufficient　occupation　for　your　spirit　and　for　your　love
of　work。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Louis；　with　a　bitter　smile；　〃I　will　go　to
America。　I　will　find　a　refuge　with　the　savages。　Perhaps　they　will
appoint　me　as　their　chieftain；　and　adorn　my　head　with　a　crown　of
feathers　instead　of　the　crown　of　gold。　Yes；　I　will　go　to　America；　In
the　primeval　forests；　with　the　children　of　nature；　there　will　be　a
home　for　the　exile；　the　homeless　one。　Madame；　I　thank　you　for　your
sympathy　and　your　goodness；　and　my　thanks　shall　consist　in　this；
that　I　subject　myself　wholly　to　your　will。　You　loved　Queen　Marie
Antoinette。　A　blessing　on　you；　and　all　who　love　you。〃

He　extended　both　his　hands　to　Josephine；　and；　as　she　was　about　to
press　them　to　her　lips；　he　stooped　toward　her　with　a　sad　smile。

〃Madame；　bless　my　poor　brow　with　the　touch　of　those　lips　which　once
kissed　the　hand　of　my　mother。〃

Josephine　did　as　she　was　asked；　and　a　tear　fell　from　her　eyes　upon
his　fair　hair。

〃Go；　sire；〃　she　said；　〃and　may　God　bless　and　protect　you！　If　you
ever　need　my　help；　call　upon　me；　and　be　sure　that　I　will　never
neglect　your　voice。〃

An　hour　later　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul　drove　out　to　St。　Cloud。
At　the　corner　of　the　Rue　St。　Honore　a　second　carriage　joined　her
own；　and　a　young　man　who　sat　in　it　greeted　Josephine　deferentially
as　she　leaned　far　out　of　the　carriage　to　return　his　salute。

At　the　barriers　the　carriage　stopped；　for　the　gates　of　the　city　were
still　closed。　But　Josephine　beckoned　the　officer　of　the　guard　to　her
carriage；　and；　fortunately；　he　knew　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul。

〃It　is　not　necessary；〃　said　Josephine；　with　a　charming　smile；　〃it　is
not　necessary　that　I　should　procure　a　permit　from　the　First　Consul
to　allow　myself　and　my　escort　to　pass　the　gate？　You　do　not　suppose
that　I　and　my　secretary；　who　sits　in　the　next　carriage；　belong　to
the　villains　who　threaten　the　life　of　my　husband？〃

The　officer；　enchanted　with　the　grace　of　Josephine；　bowed　low；　and
commanded　the　guard　instantly　to　open　the　gate　and　allow　the　two
carriages　to　pass。

And　so　the　son　of　the　queen　was　saved。　For　the　second　time　he　left
Paris；　to　go　forth　as　an　exile　and　an　adventurer　to　meet　his　fate。




CHAPTER　XXXIII。

AFTER　LONG　WANDERINGS。


For　the　city　of　Paris　the　16th　of　February；　1804；　was　a　day　of
terror。　The　gates　remained　closed　the　whole　day；　military　patrols
passed　through　the　streets；　at　whose　corners　the　proclamations　were
posted；　by　which　Murat；　the　governor　of　Paris；　announced　to　the　city
that　fifty　assassi