marie antoinette and her son-第30节

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you。〃

〃No；　madame；〃　he　cried；　quickly；　〃no；　I　would　much　rather　you　would
not　tell　the　queen；　for　who　knows　whether　the　news　is　good；　or
whether　it　would　not　trouble　the　noble　heart　of　the　queen；　and　then
my　name；　if　she　should　learn　it；　would　only　be　disagreeable　to　her
rather　that　she　should　never　hear　it　than　that　it　should　be
connected　with　unpleasant　associations　to　her。〃

〃Then　you　do　not　know　what　the　sentence　is？〃　replied　Campan；
astonished。　〃Have　you　come　to　bring　me　the　sentence；　and　yet　do　not
know　yourself　what　it　is？〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　it　is；　madame。　The　councillor；　the　father　of　my
sweetheart；　has　sent　it　by　me　in　writing；　and　I　have　not　allowed
myself　to　take　time　to　read　it。　Perhaps；　too；　I　was　too　cowardly　for
it；　for　if　I　had　seen　that　it　contained　any　thing　that　would　trouble
the　queen；　I　should　not　have　had　courage　to　come　here　and　deliver
the　paper　to　you。　So　I　did　not　read　it；　and　thought　only　of　this；
that　I　might　perhaps　save　the　queen　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　disquiet
and　anxious　expectation。　Here；　madame；　is　the　paper　which　contains
the　sentence。　Take　it　to　her　majesty；　and　may　the　God　of　justice
grant　that　it　contain　nothing　which　may　trouble　the　queen！〃

He　stood　up；　and　handed　Madame　de　Campan　a　paper。　〃And　now；　madame；〃
he　continued；　〃allow　me　to　retire；　that　I　may　return　to　Paris；　for
my　sweetheart　is　expecting　me；　and；　besides；　they　are　expecting　some
disturbance　in　the　city。　I　must　go；　therefore；　to　protect　my　house。〃

〃Go；　my　young　friend；〃　said　Madame　de　Campan；　warmly　pressing　his
hand。　〃Receive　my　heartiest　thanks　for　your　devotion；　and　be　sure
the　queen　shall　hear　of　it。　farewell；　farewell！〃

〃No；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　emerging　from　behind　the　screen　with　a
laugh；　〃no；　do　not　go；　sir！　Remain　to　receive　your　queen's　thanks
for　the　disinterested　zeal　which　you　have　displayed　for　me　this
day。〃

〃The　queen！〃　whispered　Toulan；　turning　pale；　〃the　queen！〃

And　falling　upon　his　knee　he　looked　at　the　queen　with　such　an
expression　of　rapture　and　admiration　that　Marie　Antoinette　was
touched。

〃I　have　much　to　thank　you　for；　Mr。　Toulan；〃　she　said。　〃Not　merely
that　you　are　the　bearer　of　important　newsI　thank　you　besides　for
convincing　me　that　the　Queen　of　France　has　faithful　and　devoted
friends；　and　to　know　this　is　so　cheering　to　me　that　even　if　you
bring　me　bad　news；　my　sorrow　will　be　softened　by　this　knowledge。　I
thank　you　again；　Mr。　Toulan！〃

Toulan　perceived　that　the　queen　was　dismissing　him；　he　stood　up　and
retreated　to　the　door；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　queen；　and　then；　after
opening　the　door；　he　sank；　as　it　were；　overcome　by　the　storm　of　his
emotions；　a　second　time　upon　his　knee；　and　folding　his　hands；　raised
his　great；　beaming　eyes　to　heaven。

〃God　in　heaven；〃　he　said　loudly　and　solemnly；　〃I　thank　Thee　for　the
joy　of　this　hour。　From　this　moment　I　devote　myself　to　the　service　of
my　queen。　She　shall　henceforth　be　the　divinity　whom　I　serve；　and　to
whom　I　will；　if　I　can　avail　any　thing；　freely　offer　my　blood　and
life。　This　I　swear；　and　God　and　the　queen　have　heard　my　oath！〃

And　without　casting　another　glance　at　the　queen；　without　saluting
her；　Toulan　rose　and　softly　left　the　room；　tightly　closing　the　door
after　him。

〃Singular；〃　murmured　the　queen；　〃really　singular。　When　he　took　the
oath　a　shudder　passed　through　my　soul；　and　something　seemed　to　say
to　me　that　I　should　some　time　be　very　unhappy；　and　that　this　young
man　should　then　be　near　me。〃

〃Your　majesty　is　excited　to…day；　and　so　every　thing　seems　to　have　a
sad　meaning；〃　said　Madame　de　Campan；　softly。

〃But　the　sentence；　the　sentence！〃　cried　the　queen。　〃Give　me　the
paper；　I　will　read　it　myself。〃

Madame　de　Campan　hesitated。　〃Would　your　majesty　not　prefer　to
receive　it　in　the　presence　of　the　king；　and　have　it　read　by　his
majesty？〃

〃No；　no；　Campan。　If　it　is　favorable；　I　shall　have　pleasure　in
carrying　the　good　news　to　the　king。　If　it　is　unfavorable；　then　I　can
collect　myself　before　I　see　him。〃

〃But　it　is　so　dark　here　now　that　it　will　be　impossible　to　read
writing。〃

〃You　are　right；　let　us　go　into　my　sitting…room；〃　said　the　queen。
〃The　candles　must　be　lighted　there　already。　Come；　Campan；　since　I　am
indebted　to　you　for　this　early　message；　you　shall　be　the　first　to
learn　it。　Come；　Campan；　go　with　me！〃

With　a　quick　step　the　queen　returned　to　her　apartments；　and　entered
her　sitting…room；　followed　by　Madame　de　Campan；　whose　countenance
was　filled　with　sad　forebodings。　The　queen　was　right；　the　candles
had　already　been　lighted　in　her　apartments；　and　diffused　a　light
like　that　of　day　throughout　her　large　sitting…room。　In　the　little
porcelain　cabinet；　however；　there　was　a　milder　light；　as　Marie
Antoinette　liked　to　have　it　when　she　was　alone　and　sans　ceremonial。
The　candles　on　the　main　chandelier　were　not　lighted；　and　on　the
table　of　Sevres　china　and　rosewood　which　stood　before　the　divan　were
two　silver　candlesticks；　each　with　two　wax　candles。　These　four　were
the　only　lights　in　the　apartment。

〃Now；　Campan；〃　said　the　queen；　sinking　into　the　armchair　which　stood
before　the　table；　near　the　divan；　〃now　give　me　the　paper。　But　no；
you　would　better　read　it　to　mebut　exactly　as　it　stands。　You
promise　me　that？〃

〃Your　majesty　has　commanded；　and　I　must　obey；〃　said　Campan；　bowing。

〃Read；　read；〃　urged　Marie　Antoinette。　〃Let　me　know　the　sentence。〃

Madame　de　Campan　unfolded　the　paper；　and　went　nearer　to　the　light　in
order　to　see　better。　Marie　Antoinette　leaned　forward；　folded　both
hands　in　her　lap；　and　looked　at　Campan　with　an　expression　of　eager
expectation。

〃Read；　read！〃　she　repeated；　with　trembling　lips。　Madame　de　Campan
bowed　and　read：

〃First。The　writing；　the　basis　of　the　trial；　the　note　and
signatures；　are　declared　to　be　forged　in　imitation　of　the　queen's
hand。

〃Second。Count　Lamotte　is　sentenced　in　contumacion　to　the　galleys
for　life。

〃Third。The　woman　Lamotte　to　be　whipped；　marked　on　both　shoulders
with　the　letter　O；　and　to　be　confined　for　life。

〃Fourth。Retaux　de　Vilette　to　be　banished　for　life　from　France。

〃Fifth。Mademoiselle　Oliva　is　discharged。

〃Sixth。The　lord　cardinal〃

〃Well；〃　cried　the　queen；　passionately；　〃why　do　you　stammer；　why　do
you　tremble？　He　has　been　discharged；　I　know　it　already；　for　we　are
already　at　the　names　of　the　acquitted。　Read　on；　Campan。〃

And　Madame　de　Campan　read　on：

〃The　lord　cardinal　is　acquitted　from　every　charge；　and　is　allowed　to
publish　this　acquittal。〃

〃Acquitted！〃　cried　the　queen；　springing　from　her　seat；　〃acquitted！
Oh；　Campan；　what　I　feared　is　true。　The　Queen　of　France　has　become
the　victim　of　cabals　and　intrigues。　The　Queen　of　France　in　her
honor；　dignity；　and　virtue；　is　injured　and　wounded　by　one　of　her　own
subjects；　and　there　is　no　punishment　for　him；　he　is　free。　Pity　me；
Campan！　But　no；　on　the　contrary；　I　pity　you；　I　pity　France！　If　I　can
have　no　impartial　judges　in　a　matter　which　darkens　my　character；
what　can　you；　what　can　all　others　hope　for；　when　you　are　tried　in　a
matter　which　touches　your　happiness　and　honor？　＇Footnote：　The　very
words　of　the　queen　See　〃Memoires　de　Madame　de　Campan；〃　vol。　ii。；　o。
23。＇　I　am　sad；　sad　in　my　inmost　soul；　and　it　seems　to　me　as　if　this
instant　were　to　overshadow　my　whole　life；　as　if　the　shades　of　night
had　fallen　upon　me；　andwhat　is　that？　Did　you　blow　out　the　light；
Campan？〃

〃Your　majesty　sees　that　I　am　standing　entirely　away　from　the
lights。〃

〃But　only　see；〃　cried　the　queen；　〃one　of　the　candles　is　put　out！〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Madame　de　Campan；　looking　at　the　light；　over
which　a　bluish　cloud　was　yet　hovering。　〃The　light　is　put　out；　but　if
your　majesty　allows　me；　I〃

She　was　silent；　and　her　bearing　assumed　the　appearance　of　amazement
and　horror。

The　candle　which　had　been　burning　in　the　other　arm　of　the
candlestick　went　out　like　the　one　before。

The　queen　said　not　a　word。　She　gazed　with　pale　lips　and　wide…opened
eyes　at　both　the　lights；　the　last　spark　of　which　had　just
disappeared。

〃Will　your　majesty　allow　me　to　light　the　candles　again？〃　asked
Madame　de　Campan；　extending　her　hand　to　the　candlestick。

But　the　queen　held　her　hand　fast。　〃Let　them　be；〃　she　whispered；　〃I
want　to　see　whether　both　the　other　lights〃

Suddenly　she　was　convulsed；　and；　rising　slowly　from　her　arm…chair；
pointed　with　silent　amazement　at　the　second　candlestick。

One　of　the　two　other　lights　had　gone　out。

Only　one　was　now　burning；　and　dark　shadows　filled　the　cabinet。　The
one　light　faintly　illumined　only　the　centre；　and　shone　with　its
glare　upon　the　pale；　horrified　face　of　the　queen。

〃Campan；〃　she　whispered；　raising　her　arm；　and　pointing　at　the　single
light　which　remained　burning；　〃if　this　fourth　light　goes　out　like
the　other　three；　it　is　a　bad　omen　for　me；　and　forebodes　the　approach
of　misfortune。〃

At　this　instant　the　light　flared　up　and　illumined　the　room　more
distinctly；　then　its　flame　began　to　die　away。　One　flare　more　and
this　light　went　out；　and　a　deep　darkness　reigned　in　the　cabinet。

The　queen　uttered　a　loud；　piercing　cry；　and　sank　in　a　swoon。




CHAPTER　VIII。

BEFORE　THE　MARRIAGE。


The　wedding　guests　were　assembled。　Madame　Bugeaud　had　just　put　the
veil　upon　the　head　of　her　daughter　Margaret；　and　i