marie antoinette and her son-第26节

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countess　made　me　repeat　that　three　times；　and　then　said：　'You　need
not　add　a　single　word　to　that。　The　queen　herself　has　selected　these
words；　and　she　will　hear　whether　you　repeat　them　correctly；　for　she
will　stand　behind　you；　and　be　a　spectator　of　the　whole　scene。'　On
this　the　countess　withdrew；　leading　me　into　a　thicket；　and　soon　the
gentleman　came；　and　I　came　out　of　the　place　of　my　concealment。　After
he　had　made　me　some　very　deep　reverences；　I　handed　him　the　rose　and
the　letter；　and　repeated　the　very　words　the　countess　had　taught　me。
The　gentleman　sank　upon　his　knee；　and　kissed　the　hand　which　I
extended　with　the　rose。　At　this　moment　we　heard　a　noise；　as　if　of
men's　steps　approaching；　and　the　countess　came　running　up。　'For
God's　sake！'　she　cried；　'we　are　watched！　Quick；　quick；　come！'　and
she　drew　me　hurriedly　away。　We　left　the　garden；　and　returned　to　the
dwelling　of　the　countess；　and　there　I　remained　alone；　for　the
countess　and　her　husband　said；　laughing；　that　they　must　go　and
console　the　old　gentleman　for　having　so　short　a　rendezvous；　and　for
being　so　quickly　disturbed。　I　asked　whether　I　had　done　my　part　well；
and　the　countess　said　that　the　queen　was　very　well　satisfied　with
methat　she　had　stood　in　the　thicket；　and　had　observed　all。　Early
next　morning　we　rode　back　to　Paris；　and　when　we　had　arrived　at　their
hotel；　the　countess　paid　me　the　fifteen　thousand　francs　all
correctly；　but　she　made　this　condition；　that　I　must　go　to　see　my
George　as　soon　as　possible；　and　that　till　I　should　go；　I　must　remain
in　a　little　room　in　her　house。　I　wrote　at　once　to　George　and
announced　my　coming；　and　the　time　seemed　endless　till　I　received　his
answer；　although　the　countess　paid　a　great　deal　of　attention　to　me；
and　always　invited　me　to　her　petits　soupers；　where　we　had　a　right
merry　time。　As　soon　as　the　answer　had　come　from　my　George；　who　wrote
me　that　he　was　expecting　me；　I　took　my　departure　in　an　elegant　post…
carriage；　like　a　lady；　for　the　countess　was　not　willing　that　I
should　travel　in　a　diligence；　and　her　husband　had　paid　in　advance
for　all　relays　of　horses　as　far　as　Brussels；　so　that　I　had　a　very
agreeable；　comfortable　ride。　And　this；　I　think；　is　all　that　I　have
to　relate；　and　my　son　will　not　have　an　unquiet　night；　for　I　have
kept　my　word；　and　told　every　thing　truthfully。〃

〃You　have　nothing　to　add　to　this？〃

〃What　could　I　add　to　this？〃　asked　Oliva；　sighing。　〃You　know　as　well
as　I　the　end　of　my　history。　You　know；　that　a　fortnight　after　that
little　scene　at　Versailles；　I　was　arrested　by　police　agents　in
Brussels；　and　brought　to　Paris。　You　know；　also；　that　I　swore　to　take
my　life　if　my　dear　George　were　not　allowed　to　visit　me　daily　in
prison。　You　know　that　my　dear　child　was　born　in　prison；　and　that　it
is　now　half　a　year　old；　while　his　poor　mother　is　accused；　and　not
yet　gained　her　freedom。　You　know　that　all！　What　have　I　that　I　could
add　to　this？　I　beg　you；　let　me　go　and　return　to　my　child；　for　my
little　George　is　certainly　awake；　and　his　father　does　not　know　how
to　quiet　him　when　he　cries。〃

〃You　may　go　to　your　child；〃　said　the　president；　with　a　gentle　smile。
〃Officer；　conduct　Madame　Oliva　back　to　the　witness…room。〃

Madame　Oliva　expressed　her　thanks　for　this　by　throwing　a　kiss　of　the
hand　to　the　president　and　the　judges；　and　then　hastily　followed　the
officer；　who　opened　the　door　of　the　adjoining　room。　As　it　swung
back；　a　loud　cry　of　a　child　was　heard；　and　Madame　Oliva；　who　was
standing　upon　the　threshold；　turned　her　fair　face　back　to　the
president　with　a　triumphant　expression；　and　smiled。

〃Did　I　not　tell　you　so？〃　she　cried。　〃My　son　is　calling；　for　he　is
longing　for　me。　I　am　coming；　my　little　George；　I　am　coming！〃

She　sprang　forward；　and　the　door　closed　behind　her。

〃You　have　heard　the　statements　of　the　witness；〃　said　the　president；
addressing　Countess　Lamotte。　〃You　see　now　that　we　have　the　proof　of
the　ignominious　and　treacherous　intrigues　which　you　have　conducted。
Will　you；　in　the　face　of　such　proofs；　still　endeavor　to　deny　the
facts　which　have　been　given　in　evidence？〃

〃I　have　seen　neither　proofs　nor　facts；〃　answered　Lamotte；
scornfully。　〃I　have　only　been　amazed　at　the　self…possession　with
which　the　queen　goes　through　her　part；　and　wondered　how　far　her
light…mindedness　will　carry　her。　She　is　truly　an　adroit　player；　and
she　has　played　the　part　of　Madame　Oliva　so　well；　that　not　a　motion
nor　a　tone　would　have　betrayed　the　queen。〃

〃How；　madame？〃　asked　the　president；　in　amazement。

〃Do　you　pretend　to　assert　that　this　witness；　who　has　just　left　the
hall；　is　not　Madame　Oliva；　but　another　person？　Do　you　not　know　that
this　witness；　this　living　portrait　of　the　queen；　has　for　ten　months
been　detained　at　the　Bastile；　and　that　no　change　in　the　person　is
possible？〃

〃I　only　know　that　the　queen　has　played　her　part　well；〃　said　Lamotte；
shrugging　her　shoulders。　〃She　has　even　gone　so　far；　in　her　desire　to
show　a　difference　between　Madame　Oliva　and　the　queen；　as　to　make　a
very　great　sacrifice；　and　to　disclose　a　secret　of　her　beauty。　She
has　laid　aside　her　fine　false　teeth；　and　let　us　see　her　natural
ones；　in　order　that　we　may　see　a　difference　between　the　queen　and
Madame　Oliva。　Confess　only；　gentlemen；　that　it　is　a　rare　and　comical
sight　to　have　a　queen　so　like　a　courtesan；　that　you　can　only
distinguish　the　one　from　the　other　by　the　teeth。〃

And　the　countess　broke　out　into　scornful　laughter；　which　found　a
loud　echo　in　some　of　the　veiled　ladies　in　the　tribune。

〃Moderate　your　pleasantry；　madame；〃　commanded　the　president。
〃Remember　that　you　are　in　a　grave　and　perilous　situation；　and　that
justice　hangs　over　you　like　the　sword　of　Damocles。　You　have　already
invoked　your　fate；　in　calling　God　to　witness　that　the　innocent　shall
not　suffer　for　the　guilty；　and　now　this　word　is　fulfilled　in
yourself。　The　whole　edifice　of　your　lies　and　intrigues　crumbles　over
you；　and　will　cover　your　head　with　the　dust　of　eternal　infamy。〃

〃I　experience　nothing　of　it　yet；　God　be　thanked；〃　cried　Lamotte；
shrugging　her　shoulders。

〃You　will　be　punished　for　these　shameless　deeds　sooner　than　you
expected；〃　answered　the　president；　solemnly。

〃You　said　that　you　wanted　proof　that　that　was　not　the　queen　who　gave
the　rendezvous　to　the　cardinal　in　Versailles；　that　the　promissory
note　was　not　subscribed　by　the　queen；　and　that　the　letters　to　the
cardinal　were　not　written　by　her。　If　the　proof　of　this　were　to　be
displayed　to　you；　it　would　be　right　to　accuse　you　of　high…treason。
We　have　already　exhibited　the　proof　that　it　was　not　Queen　Marie
Antoinette　who　made　an　appointment　with　the　cardinal　in　Versailles；
but　that　it　was　the　comedy　planned　and　brought　out　by　yourself；　with
which　you　deceived　the　cardinal；　and　made　him　believe　that　he　was
going　to　buy　the　necklace　of　which　you　intended　to　rob　him。　It　only
remains　to　show　you　that　the　subscription　of　the　queen　and　the
letters　to　the　cardinal　were　forged　by　you。〃

〃And　certainly；〃　cried　the　countess；　〃I　am　very　curious　to　have　you
exhibit　the　proofs　of　this！〃

〃That　is　a　very　simple　matter；〃　answered　the　president；　calmly。　〃We
confront　you　with　him　who　at　your　direction　imitated　the　handwriting
of　the　queen　and　wrote　the　letters。　Officer；　summon　the　last
witness！〃

The　officer　threw　open　the　door　which　led　to　the　next　room。　A
breathless　silence　prevailed　in　the　great　hall；　every　one　was
intensely　eager　to　see　this　last　witness　who　was　to　uncover　the　web
of　frauds　of　the　countess's　spinning。　The　great　burning　eyes　of　the
accused；　too；　were　turned　to　this　door；　and　her　compressed　lips　and
her　piercing　glance　disclosed　a　little　of　the　anxiety　of　her　soul；
although　her　bearing　and　manner　were　still　impudent　and　scornful。

And　now　the　door　opened；　and　a　cry　of　amazement　and　rage　broke　from
the　lips　of　the　countess。

〃Retaux　de　Vilette；〃　cried　she　madly；　doubling　up　her　little　hands
into　fists　and　extending　them　toward　the　man　who　now　entered　the
hall。　〃Shameful；　shameful！　He　has　turned　against　me！〃

And　losing　for　a　moment　her　composure；　she　sank　back　upon　the　seat
from　which　she　had　risen　in　her　fright。　A　deathly　paleness　covered
her　cheeks；　and；　almost　swooning；　she　rested　her　head　on　the　back　of
the　chair。

〃You　now　see　that　God　is　just；〃　said　the　president；　after　a　brief
pause。　〃Your　own　conscience　testifies　against　you　and　compels　you　to
confess　yourself　guilty。〃

She　sprang　up　and　compelled　herself　to　resume　her　self…possessed
manner；　and　to　appear　cool　and　defiant　as　before。

〃No！〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　confess　myself　guilty；　and　I　have　no
reason　to！　My　heart　only　shuddered　when　I　saw　this　man　enter；　whom　I
have　saved　from　hunger；　overwhelmed　with　kindness；　and　whom　my
enemies　have　now　brought　up　to　make　him　testify　against　me！　But　it
is　overI　am　now　ready　to　see　new　lies；　new　infamies　heaped　upon
me：　M。　Retaux　de　Vilette　may　now　speak　on；　his　calumnies　will　only
drop　from　the　undented　mail　of　my　conscience！〃

And　with　possessed　bearing　and　an　air　of　proud　scorn；　Countess
Lamotte　looked　at　the　man　who；　bowing　and　trembling；　advanced　by　the
side　of　the　officer　to　the　green　table；　and　sedulously　shunned
meeting　the　eyes　of　Lamotte；　which　rested　on　him　like　two　fiery
daggers。

The　president