marie antoinette and her son-第51节

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Paris。　Near　her　sat　the　king；　between　them　the　dauphin。　Opposite　to
them；　on　the　broad；　front　seat；　were　their　daughter　Therese；　the
Princess　Elizabeth；　and　Madame　de　Tourzel；　governess　of　the　royal
children。　Behind　them；　in　a　procession；　whose　end　could　not　be　seen；
followed　an　artillery　train；　then　the　mob；　armed　with　pikes；　and
other　weapons…men　covered　with　blood　and　dust；　women　with
dishevelled　hair　and　torn　garments；　the　most　of　them　drunken　with
wine；　exhausted　by　watching　during　the　night；　shouting　and　yelling；
and　singing　low　songs；　or　mocking　the　royal　family　with　scornful
words。　Behind　these　wild　masses　came　two　hundred　gardes　du　corps
without　weapons；　hats；　and　shoulder…straps；　every　one　escorted　by
two　grenadiers；　and　they　were　followed　by　some　soldiers　of　the　Swiss
guard　and　the　Flanders　regiment。　In　the　midst　of　this　train　rattled
loaded　cannon；　each　one　accompanied　by　two　soldiers。　But　still　more
fearful　than　the　retinue　of　the　royal　equipage　were　the　heralds　who
preceded　itheralds　consisting　of　the　most　daring　and　defiant　of
these　men　and　women；　impatiently　longing　for　the　moment　when　they
could　announce　to　the　city　of　Paris　that　the　revolution　in
Versailles　had　humiliated　the　king；　and　given　the　people　victory。
They　carried　with　them　the　bloody　tokens　of　this　victory；　the　heads
of　Varicourt　and　Deshuttes；　the　faithful　Swiss　guards；　who　had　died
in　the　service　of　their　king。　They　had　hoisted　both　these　heads　upon
pikes；　which　two　men　of　the　mob　carried　before　the　procession。
Between　them　strode；　with　proud；　triumphant　mien；　a　gigantic　figure；
with　long；　black　beard；　with　naked　blood…flecked　arms；　with　flashing
eyes；　his　face　and　hands　wet　with　the　blood　with　which　he　had　imbued
himself；　and　in　his　right　hand　a　slaughter…knife　which　still　dripped
blood。　This　was　Jourdan；　who；　from　his　cutting　off　the　heads　of　both
the　Swiss　guards；　had　won　the　name　of　the　executionera　name　which
he　understood　how　to　keep　during　the　whole　revolution。＇Footnote：
Jourdan；　the　executioner；　had；　until　that　time；　been　a　model　in　the
Royal　Academy　of　Painting　and　Sculpture。＇

Like　storm…birds；　desirous　to　be　the　first　to　announce　to　Paris　the
triumph　of　the　populace；　and　impatient　of　the　slow　progress　of　the
royal　train；　these　heralds　of　victory；　bearing　their　bloody　banner；
hastened　on　in　advance　of　the　procession　to　Paris。　In　Sevres　they
made　a　haltnot　to　rest；　or　wait　for　the　oncoming　trainbut　to
have　the　hair　of　the　two　heads　dressed　by　friseurs；　in　order；　as
Jourdan　announced　with　fiendish　laughter　to　the　yelling　mob；　that
they　might　make　their　entrance　into　the　city　as　fine　gentlemen。

While　before　them　and　behind　them　these　awful　cries；　loud　singing
and　laughing　resounded；　within　the　carriage　that　conveyed　the　royal
family　there　was　unbroken　silence。　The　king　sat　leaning　back　in　the
corner；　with　his　eyes　closed；　in　order　not　to　see　the　horrid　forms
which　from　time　to　time　approached　the　window　of　the　carriage；　to
stare　in　with　curious　looks；　or　with　mocking　laughter　and
equivoques；　to　heap　misery　on　the　unfortunate　family。

The　queen；　however；　sat　erect；　with　proud；　dignified　bearing；
courageously　looking　the　horrors　of　the　day　in　the　face；　and　not　a
quiver　of　the　eyelids；　nor　a　sigh；　betraying　the　pain　that　tortured
her　soul。

〃No；　better　die　than　grant　to　this　triumphing　rabble　the　pleasure　of
seeing　what　I　suffer！　Better　sink　with　exhaustion　than　complain。〃

Not　a　murmur；　not　a　sigh；　came　from　her　lips；　and　yet；　when　the
dauphin；　after　four　hours　of　this　sad　journey；　turned　with　a
supplicatory　expression　to　his　mother；　and　said　to　her　with　his
sweet　voice；　〃Mamma　queen；　I　am　hungry；〃　the　proud　expression
withdrew　from　the　features　of　the　queen；　and　two　great　tears　slowly
ran　down　over　her　cheeks。

At　last；　after　a　ride　of　eight　hours；　the　frightful　train　reached
Paris。　Not　a　window　in　all　the　streets　through　which　the　royal
procession　went　was　empty。　In　amazement　and　terror　the　people　of　the
middle　class　gazed　at　this　hitherto　unseen　spectaclethe　King　and
the　Queen　of　France　brought　in　triumph　to　the　capital　by　the　lowest
people　in　the　city！　A　dumb　fear　took　possession　of　those　who
hitherto　had　tried　to　ignore　the　revolution；　and　supposed　that　every
thing　would　subside　again　into　the　old；　wonted　forms。　Now；　no　one
could　entertain　this　hope　longer；　now；　the　most　timid　must　confess
that　a　revolution　had　indeed　come；　and　that　people　must　accustom
themselves　to　look　at　it　eye　to　eye。

Slowly　the　train　moved　forwardslowly　down　the　quay　which　extends
along　by　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries。　The　loungers　who　were　in　the
garden　hurried　to　the　fence；　which　then　bordered　the　park　on　the
side　of　the　quay；　in　order　to　watch　this　frightful　procession　from
this　point：　to　see　an　unbridled　populace　dash　in　pieces　the
prescriptive　royalty　of　ages。

Scorn　and　the　love　of　destruction　were　written　on　most　of　the　faces
of　these　observers；　but　many　were　pale；　and　many　quivered　with　anger
and　grief。　In　the　front　ranks　of　the　spectators　stood　two　young　men；
one　of　them　in　simple　civilian's　costume；　the　other　in　the　uniform
of　a　sub…lieutenant。　The　face　of　the　young　officer　was　pale；　but　it
lightened　up　with　rare　energy；　and　with　his　noble；　antique　profile；
and　flaming　eyes；　it　enchanted　every　look；　and　fixed　the　attention
of　every　one　who　observed　him。

As　the　howling；　roaring　mob　passed　him；　the　young　officer　turned　to
his　companion　with　an　expression　of　fiery　indignation。　〃0　God；〃　he
cried；　〃how　is　this　possible？　Has　the　king　no　cannon　to　destroy　this
canaille？　〃　＇Footnote：　His　own　words。See　Beauchesne；　vol。　i。；p。
85。＇

〃My　friend；〃　answered　the　young　man；　smiling；　〃remember　the　words　of
our　great　poet　Corneille：　'The　people　give　the　king　his　purple　and
take　it　back　when　they　please。　The　beggar；　king　only　by　the　people's
grace；　simply　gives　back　his　purple　to　the　people。'　〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　young　lieutenant；　smiling；　〃what　once　has　been
received　should　be　firmly　held。　I；　at　least；　if　I　had　once　received
the　purple　by　the　people's　grace；　would　not　give　it　back。　But　come；
let　us　go　on；　it　angers　me　to　see　this　canaille；　upon　which　you
bestow　the　fine　name　of　'the　people。'〃　He　hastily　grasped　the　arm　of
his　friend；　and　turned　to　a　more　solitary　part　of　the　garden　of　the
Tuileries。

This　young　sub…lieutenant；　who　saw　with　such　indignation　this
revolutionary　procession　pass　him；　and　whom　destiny　had　appointed
one　day　to　bring　this　revolution　to　an　endthis　young　lieutenant's
name　was　Napoleon　Bonaparte。

The　young　man　who　walked　at　his　side；　and　whom；　too；　destiny　had
appointed　to　work　a　revolution；　although　only　in　the　theatrical
world；　to　recreate　the　dramathis　young　man's　name　was　Talma。




CHAPTER　XV。

MAMMA　QUEEN。


〃Every　thing　passes　over；　every　thing　has　an　end；　one　must　only　have
courage　and　think　of　that；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with　a　gentle
smile；　as　on　the　morning　after　her　arrival　in　Paris；　she　had　risen
from　her　bed　and　drunk　her　chocolate　in　the　improvised　sitting…room。
〃Here　we　are　installed　in　the　Tuileries；　and　have　slept；　while　we
yesterday　were　thinking　we　were　lost；　and　that　only　death　could　give
us　rest　and　peace　again。〃

〃It　was　a　fearful　day；〃　said　Madame　de　Campan；　with　a　sigh；　〃but
your　majesty　went　through　it　like　a　heroine。〃

〃Ah；　Campan；〃　said　the　queen；　sadly；　〃I　have　not　the　ambition　to
want　to　be　a　heroine；　and　I　should　be　very　thankful　if　it　were
allowed　me　from　this　time　on　to　be　a　wife　and　mother；　if　it　is　no
longer　allowed　me　to　be　a　queen。〃

At　this　instant　the　door　opened；　the　little　dauphin；　followed　by　his
teacher；　the　Abbe　Davout；　ran　in　and　flew　with　extended　arms　to
Marie　Antoinette。

〃Oh；　mamma　queen！〃　cried　he；　with　winning　voice；　〃let　us　go　back
again　to　our　beautiful　palace；　it　is　dreadful　here　in　this　great；
dark　house。〃

〃Hush；　my　child；　hush！〃　said　the　queen；　pressing　the　boy　close　to
her。　〃You　must　not　say　so；　you　must　accustom　yourself　to　be
contented　everywhere。〃

〃Mamma　queen；〃　whispered　the　child；　tenderly　nestling　close　to　his
mother；　〃it　is　true　it　is　dreadful　here；　but　I　will　always　say　it　so
low　that　nobody　except　you　can　hear。　But　tell　me；　who　owns　this
hateful　house？　And　why　do　we　want　to　stay　here；　when　we　have　such　a
fine　palace　and　a　beautiful　garden　in　Versailles？〃

〃My　son；〃　answered　the　queen　with　a　sigh；　〃this　house　belongs　to　us；
and　it　is　a　beautiful　and　famous　palace。　You　ought　not　to　say　that
it　does　not　please　you；　for　your　renowned　great…grandfather；　the
great　Louis　XIV。；　lived　here；　and　made　this　palace　celebrated　all
over　Europe。〃

〃Yet　I　wish　that　we　were　away　from　here；〃　whispered　the　dauphin；
casting　his　large　blue　eyes　with　a　prolonged　and　timid　glance
through　the　wide；　desolate　room；　which　was　decorated　sparingly　with
old…fashioned；　faded　furniture。

〃I　wish　so；　too；〃　sighed　Marie　Antoinette；　to　herself；　but　softly　as
she　had　spoken　the　words；　the　sensitive　ear　of　the　child　had　caught
them。

〃You；　too；　want　to　go？〃　asked　Louis　Charles；　in　amazement。　〃Are　you
not　queen　now；　and　can　you　not　do　what　you　want　to？〃

The　queen；　pierced　to　the　very　heart　by　the　innocent　question　of　the
child；　burst　into　tears。

〃