marie antoinette and her son-第19节

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the　queen　in　his　behalf。　Some　days　later　she　told　the　cardinal　that
she　had　fulfilled　her　promise；　she　had　painted　his　sadness　in　such
moving　words　that　the　queen　appeared　to　be　very　much　affected；　and
had　told　the　countess　that　she　would　pardon　all；　if　the　cardinal
would　send　her　in　writing　an　apology　for　the　mortifications　which　he
had　inflicted　upon　herself　and　her　mother　Maria　Theresa。　The
cardinal；　of　course；　joyfully　consented　to　this。　He　sent　to　the
countess　a　document　in　which　he　humbly　begged　pardon　for　asking　the
Empress　Maria　Theresa；　years　before；　when　Marie　Antoinette　was　yet
Dauphiness　of　France；　and　he；　the　cardinal；　was　French　ambassador　in
Vienna；　to　chide　her　daughter　on　account　of　her　light　and　haughty
behavior；　and　to　charge　herself　with　seeing　it　bettered。　This　was
the　only　offence　against　the　queen　of　which　he　felt　himself　guilty；
and　for　this　he　humbly　implored　forgiveness。　He　had；　at　the　same
time；　begged　the　queen　for　an　audience；　that　he　might　pay　his
respects　to　her；　and　on　bended　knee　ask　her　pardon。　Some　days　after；
the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　had　handed　him　a　paper；　written　with　the
queen's　hand；　as　an　answer　to　his　letter。

The　president　here　interrupted　the　cardinal：　〃Are　you　still　in
possession　of　this　document；　your　eminence？〃

The　cardinal　bowed。　〃I　have　always；　since　I　had　the　fortune　to
receive　them；　carried　with　me　the　dear；　and　to　me　invaluable；
letters　of　the　queen。　On　the　day　when　I　was　arrested　in　Versailles；
they　lay　in　my　breast　coat…pocket。　It　was　my　fortune；　and　the
misfortune　of　those　who；　after　I　had　been　carried　to　the　Bastile；
burst　into　my　palace；　sealed　my　papers；　and　at　once　burned　what
displeased　them。　In　this　way　these　letters　escaped　the　auto…da…fe。
Here　is　the　first　letter　of　the　queen。〃

He　drew　a　pocket…book　from　his　robe；　took　from　it　a　small　folded
paper；　and　laid　it　upon　the　table　before　the　president。

The　president　opened　it　and　read：　〃I　have　received　your　brief；　and
am　delighted　to　find　you　no　longer　culpable；　in　the　mean　while；　I　am
sorry　not　to　be　able　to　give　you　the　audience　which　you　ask。　As
soon；　however；　as　circumstances　allow　me；　I　shall　inform　you；　till
then；　silence。　Marie　Antoinette　of　France。〃　＇Footnote：　Goncourt。
〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　143。＇

A　murmur　of　astonishment　arose　among　the　judges　after　this　reading；
and　all　looks　were　directed　with　deep　sympathy　to　the　cardinal；　who；
with　a　quiet；　modest　bearing；　stood　over　against　them。　The　glances
of　the　president　of　the　high　court；　directed　themselves；　after　he
had　read　the　letter　and　laid　it　upon　the　green　table；　to　the　great
dignitary　of　the　Church；　and　then　he　seemed　to　notice　for　the　first
time　that　the　cardinal；　a　prince　and　grand　almoner　of　the　King　of
Prance；　was　standing　like　a　common　criminal。

〃Give　the　lord　cardinal　an　arm…chair；〃　he　ordered；　with　a　loud
voice；　and　one　of　the　guards　ran　to　bring　one　of　the　broad；
comfortable　chairs　of　the　judges；　which　was　just　then　unoccupied；
and　carried　it　to　the　cardinal。

Prince　Rohan　thanked　the　judges　with　a　slight　inclination　of　his
proud　head；　and　sank　into　the　arm…chair。　The　accused　and　the　judges
now　sat　on　the　same　seats；　and　one　would　almost　have　suspected　that
the　cardinal；　in　his　magnificent　costume；　with　his　noble；　lofty
bearing；　his　peaceful；　passionless　face；　and　sitting　in　his　arm…
chair；　alone　and　separated　from　all　others；　was　himself　the　judge　of
those　who；　in　their　dark　garments　and　troubled　and　oppressed
spirits；　and　restless　mien；　were　sitting　opposite　him。

〃Will　your　eminence　have　the　goodness　to　proceed？〃　humbly　asked　the
president　of　the　court；　after　a　pause。　The　cardinal　nodded　as　the
sign　of　assent；　and　continued　his　narrative。

This　letter　of　the　queen　naturally　filled　him　with　great　delight；
particularly　as　he　had　a　personal　interview　with　her　majesty　in
prospect；　and　he　had　implored　the　Countess　Valois　all　the　more　to
procure　this　meeting；　because；　in　spite　of　the　forgiveness　which　the
queen　had　given　to　the　cardinal；　she　continued　on　all　occasions；
where　he　had　the　happiness　to　be　in　her　presence；　to　treat　him　with
extreme　disdain。　On　one　Sunday；　when　he　was　reading　mass　before
their　majesties；　he　took　the　liberty　to　enter　the　audience…room　and
to　address　the　queen。　Marie　Antoinette　bestowed　upon　him　only　an
annihilating　look　of　anger　and　scorn；　and　turned　her　back　upon　him；
saying；　at　the　same　time；　with　a　loud　voice；　to　the　Duchess　of
Polignac：　〃What　a　shameless　act！　These　people　believe　they　may　do
any　thing　if　they　wear　the　purple。　They　believe　they　may　rank　with
kings；　and　even　address　them。〃

These　proud　and　cutting　words　had　naturally　deeply　wounded　the
cardinal；　and；　for　the　first　time；　the　doubt　was　suggested　to　him
whether；　in　the　end；　all　the　communications　of　the　Countess　Valois；
even　the　letter　of　the　queen；　might　not　prove　to　be　false；　for　it
appeared　to　him　impossible　that　the　queen　could　be　secretly；
favorably　inclined　to　a　man　whom　she　openly　scorned。　In　his　anger　he
said　so　to　the　Countess　Lamotte；　and　told　her　that　he　should　hold
all　that　she　had　brought　him　from　the　queen　to　be　false；　unless；
within　a　very　short　time；　she　could　procure　what　he　had　so　long　and
so　urgently　besought；　namely；　an　audience　with　the　queen。　He　desired
this　audience　as　a　proof　that　Marie　Antoinette　was　really　changed；
and；　at　the　same　time；　as　a　proof　that　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois
had　told　him　the　truth。　The　countess　laughed　at　his　distrust；　and
promised　to　try　all　the　arts　of　address　with　the　queen；　in　order　to
gain　for　the　cardinal　the　desired　audience。　The　latter；　who　thought
he　recognized　in　the　beautiful　and　expressive　countenance　of　the
lady　innocence　and　honorableness；　now　regretted　his　hasty　words；　and
said　to　Madame　Lamotte；　that　in　case　the　queen　would　really　grant
him　a　private　audience；　he　would　give　her　（the　countess）　fifty
thousand　francs　as　a　sign　of　his　gratitude。

A　murmur　of　applause　and　of　astonishment　rose　at　these　words　from
the　spectators；　comprising　some　of　the　greatest　noble　families　of
France；　the　Rohans；　the　Guemenes；　the　Count　de　Vergennes；　and　all
the　most　powerful　enemies　of　the　queen；　who　had　taken　advantage　of
this　occasion　in　order　to　avenge　themselves　on　the　Austrian；　who　had
dared　to　choose　her　friends　and　select　her　society；　not　in
accordance　with　lineage；　but　as　her　own　pleasure　dictated。

The　president　of　the　court　did　not　consider　this　murmur　of　applause
marked　enough　to　be　reprimanded；　and　let　it　be　continued。

〃And　did　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　procure　for　you　this　audience？〃
he　then　asked。

Prince　Rohan　was　silent　a　moment；　his　face　grew　pale；　his　features
assumed　for　the　first　time　a　troubled　expression；　and　the　painful
struggles　which　disturbed　his　soul　could　be　seen　working　within　him。

〃May　it　please　this　noble　court；〃　he　replied；　after　a　pause；　with
feeling；　trembling　voice；　〃I　feel　at　this　moment　that；　beneath　the
robe　of　the　priest；　the　heart　of　the　man　beats　yet。　It　is；　however；
for　every　man　a　wrong；　an　unpardonable　wrong；　to　disclose　the
confidence　of　a　lady；　and　to　reveal　to　the　open　light　of　day　the
favors　which　have　been　granted　by　her。　But　I　must　take　this　crime
upon　myself；　because　I　have　to　defend　the　honor　of　a　priest；　even　of
a　dignitary　in　the　Church；　and　also　because　I　do　not　dare　to　suffer
my　purple　to　be　soiled　with　even　the　suspicion　of　a　lie；　or　an　act
of　falsehood。　It　may　beand　I　fear　it　even　myselfit　may　be；　that
in　this　matter；　I　myself　was　the　deceived　one；　but　I　dare　not　bring
suspicion　upon　my　tiara　that　I　was　the　deceiver；　and；　therefore；　I
have　to　meet　the　stern　necessity　of　disclosing　the　secret　of　a　lady
and　a　queen。〃

〃Besides　this；〃　said　the　president；　solemnly〃besides　this；　your
eminence　may　graciously　consider；　in　presence　of　the　authority　given
you　by　God；　all　the　tender　thoughts　of　the　cardinal　must　be　silent。
The　duty　of　a　dignitary　of　the　Church　commands　you　to　go　before　all
other　men　in　setting　them　a　noble　example；　and　one　worthy　of
imitation。　It　is　your　sacred　duty；　in　accordance　with　the　demands　of
truth；　to　give　the　most　detailed　information　regarding　every　thing
that　concerns　this　affair；　and　your　eminence　will　have　the　goodness
to　remember　that　we　are　the　secular　priests　of　God；　before　whom
every　accused　person　must　confess　the　whole　truth　with　a　perfect
conscience。〃

〃I　thank　you；　Mr。　President；〃　said　the　cardinal；　with　so　gentle　and
tremulous　a　voice；　that　you　might　hear　after　it　a　faint　sob　from
some　deeply…veiled　ladies　who　sat　on　the　spectators'　seats；　and　so
that　even　the　eyes　of　President　de　l'Aigro　filled　with　tears〃　I
thank　you；　Mr。　President；〃　repeated　the　cardinal；　breathing　more
freely。　〃You　take　a　heavy　burden　from　my　heart；　and　your　wisdom
instructs　me　as　to　my　own　duty。〃

The　president　blushed　with　pleasure　at　the　high　praises　of　the
cardinal。

〃And　now；〃　he　said；　〃I　take　the　liberty　of　repeating　my　question；
did　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　succeed　in　procuring　for　your
eminence　a　secret　audience　with　the　queen？〃

〃She　did；〃　replied　the　cardinal；　〃she　did　procure　an　interview　for
me。〃

And　compelling　himself　to　a　quiet　manner；　he　went　on　with　his　story：
The　C