marie antoinette and her son-第43节

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fashion。　As　they　saw　the　figure　on　the　shore；　they　expanded　their
wings　and　sailed　quicker　on；　to　pick　up　the　crumbs　which　the　white
hands　of　the　queen　used　to　throw　to　them。

But　these　hands　have　to…day　no　gifts　for　the　solitary；　forgotten
swans。　All　the　dear；　pleasant　customs　of　the　past　are　forgotten；
they　have　all　ceased。

Yet　the　swans　have　not　forgotten　her；　they　sail　unquietly　hither　and
thither　along　the　shore　of　the　pond；　they　toss　up　their　slender
necks；　and　then　plunge　their　red　beaks　down　into　the　dark　water
seeking　for　the　grateful　bits　which　were　not　there。　But　when　they
saw　that　they　were　disappointed；　they　poured　forth　their　peculiarly
mournful　song　and　slowly　sailed　away　down　the　lakelet　into　the
obscurity　of　the　distance；　letting　their　complaining　notes　be　heard
from　time　to　time。

〃They　are　singing　the　swan's　song　of　my　happiness；〃　whispered　the
queen；　looking　with　tearful　eyes　at　the　beautiful　creatures。　〃They
too　turn　away　from　me；　and　now　I　am　alone；　all　alone。〃

She　had　spoken　this　loudly；　and　her　quivering　voice　wakened　the　echo
which　had　been　artistically　contrived　there；　to　repeat　cheery　words
and　merry　laughter。

〃Alone！〃　sounded　back　from　the　walls　of　the　Marlborough　Tower　at　the
end　of　the　fish…pond。　〃Alone！〃　whispered　the　water　stirred　with　the
swans。　〃Alone！〃　was　the　rustling　cry　of　the　bushes。　〃Alone！〃　was
heard　in　the　heart　of　the　queen；　and　she　sank　down　upon　the　grass；
covered　her　face　with　her　hands；　and　wept　aloud。　All　at　once　there
was　a　cry　in　the　distance；　〃The　queen；　where　is　the　queen？　〃

Marie　Antoinette　sprang　up　and　dried　her　eyes。　No　one　should　see
that　she　had　wept。　Tears　belong　only　to　solitude；　but　she　has　no
longer　even　solitude。　The　voice　comes　nearer　and　nearer；　and　Marie
Antoinette　follows　the　sound。　She　knows　that　she　is　going　to　meet　a
new　misfortune。　People　have　not　come　to　Trianon　to　bring　her　tidings
of　joy；　they　have　come　to　tell　her　that　destruction　awaits　her　in
Versailles；　and　the　queen　is　to　give　audience　to　it。

A　man　came　with　hurried　step　from　the　thicket　down　the　winding
footpath。　Marie　Antoinette　looked　at　him　with　eager；　sharp　eye。　Who
is　he；　this　herald　of　misfortune？　No　one　of　the　court　servants；　no
one　of　the　gentry。

He　wears　the　simple　garments　of　a　citizen；　a　man　of　the　people；　of
that　Third　Estate　which　has　prepared　for　the　poor　queen　so　much
trouble　and　sorrow。

He　had　perhaps　read　her　question　in　her　face；　for；　as　he　now　sank
breathless　at　her　feet；　his　lips　murmured：　〃Forgive　me；　your
majesty；　forgive　me　that　I　disturb　you。　I　am　Toulan；　your　most
devoted　servant；　and　it　is　Madame　de　Campan　who　sends　me。〃

〃Toulan；　yes；　I　recognize　you　now；〃　said　the　queen；　hastily。　〃It　was
you；　was　it　not；　who　brought　me　the　sad　news　of　the　acquittal　of
Rohan？〃

〃It　appears；　your　majesty；　that　a　cruel　misfortune　has　always　chosen
me　to　be　the　bearer　of　evil　tidings　to　my　exalted　queen。　And　to…day
I　come　only　with　such。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　the　queen；　eagerly。　〃Has　any　thing　happened　to
my　husband？　Are　my　children　threatened？　Speak　quickly；　say　no　or
yes。　Let　me　know　the　whole　truth　at　once。　Is　the　king　dead？　Are　my
children　in　danger？〃

〃No；　your　majesty。〃

〃No；〃　cried　the　queen；　breathing　a　breath　of　relief。　〃I　thank　you；
air。　You　see　that　you　accused　Fate　falsely；　for　you　have　brought　me
good　tidings。　And　yet　again　I　thank　you；　for；　I　remember；　I　have
much　to　thank　you　for。　It　was　you　who　raised　your　voice　in　the
National　Assembly；　and　voted　for　the　inviolability　of　the　queen。　It
was　not　your　fault；　and　believe　me　not　mine　either；　that　your　voice
was　alone；　that　no　one　joined　you。　The　king　has　been　declared
inviolable；　but　not　the　queen；　and　now　I　am　to　be　attacked；　am　I
not？　Tell　me　what　is　it？　Why　does　my　faithful　Campan　send　you　to
me？〃

〃Your　majesty；　to　conjure　you　to　come　to　Versailles。〃

〃What　has　happened　there？〃

〃Nothing　as　yet；　your　majesty；　butI　was　early　this　morning　in
Paris；　and　what　I　saw　there　determined　me　to　come　hither　at　once；　to
bring　the　news　and　warn　your　majesty。〃

〃What　is　it？　Why　do　you　hesitate？　Speak　out　freely。〃

〃Your　majesty；　all　Paris　is　in　motion；　all　Paris　is　marching　upon
Versailles！〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　passionately。
〃What　does　Paris　want？　Does　it　mean　to　threaten　the　National
Assembly？　Explain　yourself；　for　you　see　I　do　not　understand　you。〃

〃Your　majesty；　the　people　of　Paris　hunger。　The　bakers　have　made　no
bread；　for　they　assert　that　there　is　no　more　meal。　The　enemies　of
the　realm　have　taken　advantage　of　the　excitement　to　stir　up　the
masses　and　even　the　women。　The　people　are　hungry；　the　people　are
coming　to　Versailles　to　ask　the　king　for　bread。　Ten　thousand　women
are　on　the　road　to　Versailles；　accompanied　by　armed　bodies　of　men。〃

〃Let　us　hasten；　sir；　I　must　go　to　my　children；〃　said　the　queen；　and
with　quick　steps　she　went　forward。　Not　a　glance　back；　not　a　word　of
farewell　to　the　loved　plantation　of　Trianon；　and　yet　it　is　the　last
time　that　Marie　Antoinette　is　to　look　upon　it。　She　will　never　return
hither；　she　turns　her　back　forever　upon　Trianon。

With　flying　steps　she　hurries　on；　Toulan　does　not　venture　to　address
her；　and　she　has　perhaps　entirely　forgotten　his　presence。　She　does
not　know　that　a　faithful　one　is　near　her；　she　only　knows　that　her
children　are　in　Versailles；　and　that　she　must　go　to　them　to　protect
them；　and　to　the　king　too；　to　die　with　him；　if　it　must　be。

When　they　were　not　far　from　the　great　mall　of　the　park　at
Versailles；　the　Count　de　St。　Priest　came　running；　and　his　frightened
looks　and　pale　face　confirmed　the　news　that　Mr。　Toulan　had　brought。

〃Your　majesty；〃　cried　the　count；　breathless；　〃I　took　the　liberty　of
looking　for　your　majesty　at　Trianon。　Bad　news　has　arrived。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　answered　the　queen；　calmly。　〃Ten　thousand　women　are
marching　upon　Versailles；　Mr。　Toulan　has　informed　me；　and　you　see　I
am　coming　to　receive　the　women。〃

All　at　once　she　stood　still　and　turned　to　Toulan；　who　was　walking
behind　her　like　the　faithful　servant　of　his　mistress。

〃Sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　thank　you；　and　I　know　that　I　may　reckon　upon
you。　I　am　sure　that　to…day　as　always　you　have　thought　upon　our
welfare；　and　that　you　will　remain　mindful　of　the　oath　of　fidelity
which　you　once　gave　me。　Farewell！　Do　you　go　to　the　National
Assembly。　I　will　go　to　the　palace；　and　may　we　each　do　our　duty。〃　She
saluted　Toulan　with　a　gentle　inclination　of　her　head　and　with
beaming　looks　of　gratitude　in　her　beautiful　eyes；　and　then　hurried
on　up　the　grand　mall　to　the　palace。

In　Versailles　all　was　confusion　and　consternation。　Every　one　had
lost　his　senses。　Every　one　asked；　and　no　one　answered；　for　the　only
one　who　could　answer；　the　king；　was　not　there。　He　had　not　yet
returned　from　the　hunt　in　Meudon。

But　the　queen　was　there；　and　with　a　grand　calmness　and　matchless
grasp　of　mind　she　undertook　the　duties　of　the　king。　First；　she　sent
the　chief　equerry；　the　Marquis　de　Cubieres；　to　meet　the　king　and
cause　him　to　hasten　home　at　once。　She　intrusted　Count　St。　Priest；
minister　of　the　interior；　with　a　division　of　the　guards　in　the　inner
court　of　the　palace。　She　inspired　the　timid　women　with　hope。　She
smiled　at　her　children；　who；　timid　and　anxious　at　the　confusion
which　surrounded　them；　fled　to　the　queen　for　refuge；　and　clung　to
her。

Darker　and　darker　grew　the　reports　that　came　meanwhile　to　the
palace。　They　were　the　storm…birds；　so　to　speak；　that　precede　the
tempest。　They　announced　the　near　approach　of　the　people　of　Paris；　of
the　women；　who　were　no　longer　unarmed；　and　who　had　been　joined　by
thousands　of　the　National　Guard；　who；　in　order　to　give　the　train　of
women　a　more　imposing　appearance；　had　brought　two　cannon　with　them；
and　who；　armed　with　knives　and　guns；　pikes　and　axes；　and　singing
wild　war…songs；　were　marching　on　as　the　escort　of　the　women。

The　queen　heard　all　without　alarm；　without　fear。　She　commanded　the
women；　who　stood　around　her　weeping　and　wringing　their　hands；　to
withdraw　to　their　own　apartments；　and　protect　the　dauphin　and　the
princess；　to　lock　the　doors　behind　them　and　to　admit　no　oneno　one；
excepting　herself。　She　took　leave　of　the　children　with　a　kiss；　and
bade　them　be　fearless　and　untroubled。　She　did　not　look　at　them　as
the　women　took　them　away。　She　breathed　firmly　as　the　doors　closed
behind　them。

〃Now　I　have　courage　to　bear　every　thing；〃　she　said　to　St。　Priest。
〃My　children　are　in　safety！　Would　only　that　the　king　were　here！〃

At　the　same　instant　the　door　opened　and　the　king　entered。　Marie
Antoinette　hastened　to　meet　him；　threw　herself　with　a　cry　of　joy
into　his　arms；　and　rested　her　head；　which　had　before　been　erect　with
courage；　heavily　on　his　shoulder。

〃Oh；　sire；　my　dear　sire！　thank　God　that　you　are　here。　Now　I　fear
nothing　more！　You　will　not　suffer　us　to　perish　in　misery！　You　will
breathe　courage　into　these　despairing　ones；　and　tell　the
inexperienced　what　they　have　to　do。　Sire；　Paris　is　marching　against
us；　but　with　us　there　are　God　and　France。　You　will　defend　the　honor
of　France　and　your　crown　against　the　rebels？〃

The　king　answered　confusedly；　and　as　if　in　a　yielding　frame　of　mind。
〃We　must　first　hear　what　the　people　want；〃　he