marie antoinette and her son-第64节

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great　days　of　national　fasting　or　thanksgiving。

On　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　before　life　had　begun　to　move　in
the　streets　of　Paris；　and　before　the　houses　were　opened；　a　cry　was
heard　in　the　great　highways　of　the　city；　ringing　up　into　all　the
houses；　and　entering　all　the　agitated　hearts　that　heard　it：
〃Flowers；　bring　flowers！　Mirabeau　wants　flowers！　Bring　roses　and
violets　for　Mirabeau！　Mirabeau　wants　to　die　amid　flowers！〃

This　cry　awoke　slumbering　Paris　the　2d　of　April；　1791；　and；　as　it
resounded　through　the　streets；　windows　and　doors　opened；　and
hundreds；　thousands　of　men　hastened　from　all　directions　toward
Mirabeau's　house；　carrying　nosegays；　bouquets；　whole　baskets　of
flowers。　One　seemed　to　be　transferred　from　cool；　frosty　spring
weather　to　the　warm；　fragrant　days　of　summer；　all　the　greenhouses；
all　the　chambers　poured　out　their　floral　treasures　to　prepare　one
last　summer　day　for　the　dying　tribune　of　the　people。　His　whole　house
was　filled　with　flowers　and　with　fragrance。　The　hall；　the　staircase；
the　antechamber；　and　the　drawing…room　were　overflowing　with　flowers；
and　there　in　the　middle　of　the　drawing…room　lay　Mirabeau　upon　a
lounge；　carefully　dressed；　shaved　and　powdered；　as　if　for　a　royal
festival。　The　most　beautiful　of　the　flowers；　the　fairest　exotics
surrounded　his　couch；　and　bent　their　variegated　petals　down　to　the
pale；　death…stricken　gladiator；　who　still　had　power　to　summon　a
smile　to　his　lips；　and　with　one　last　look　of　affection　to　bid
farewell　to　his　weeping　friendsfarewell　to　the　flowers　and　the
sunlight！

On　his　lofty　brow；　on　his　smiling　lips；　there　was　written；　after
Death　had　claimed　him；　after　the　gladiator　had　fallen；　〃The　dying
one　greets　you！〃

The　day　of　his　death　was　the　day　of　his　last　triumph；　and　the
flowers　that　all　Paris　sent　to　him；　were　to　Mirabeau　the　parting
word　of　love　and　admiration！

Four　times　daily　the　king　had　sent　to　inquire　after　Mirabeau's
welfare；　and　when　at　noon；　on　the　2d　of　April；　Count　de　la　Marck
brought　the　tidings　of　his　death；　the　king　turned　pale。　〃Disaster　is
hovering　over　us；〃　he　said；　sadly；　〃Death　too　arrays　himself　on　the
side　of　our　enemies！〃

Marie　Antoinette　was　also　very　deeply　moved　by　the　tidings。　〃He
wanted　to　save　us；　and　therefore　must　die！　The　burden　was　too　heavy；
the　pillar　has　broken　under　the　weight；　the　temple　will　plunge　down
and　bury　us　beneath　its　ruins；　if　we　do　not　hasten　to　save
ourselves！　Mirabeau's　bequest　was　his　counsel　to　speedy　and　secret
flight！　We　must　follow　his　advice；　we　must　remove　from　Paris。　May
the　spirit　of　Mirabeau　enlighten　the　heart　of　the　king；　that　he　may
be　willing　to　do　what　is　necessary；that　he　may　be　willing　to　leave
Paris！〃




CHAPTER　XVIII。

REVOLUTION　IN　THE　THEATRE。


All　Paris　was　again　in　commotion；　fear；　and　uproar。　The　furies　of
the　revolution；　the　market…women；　went　howling　again　through　the
streets　on　the　20th　of　June；　1791；　uttering　their　horrid　curses　upon
the　king　and　the　Austrian　woman；　and　hurling　their　savage　words　and
dirty　songs　against　Madame　Veto；　against　la　chienne　d'Autriche。

Around　the　Tuileries　stood　in　immense　masses　the　corps　of　the
National　Guard；　with　grave　and　threatening　mien；　and　with　difficulty
holding　back　the　people；　who　were　filling　the　whole　broad　square　in
front　of　the　palace；　and　who　could　only　with　great　effort　be
prevented　from　breaking　through　those　strong　cordons　of　guards　who
held　both　ends　of　the　street　leading　to　the　Tuileries；　and　kept　at
least　the　middle　of　the　way　free　and　open。

It　was　a　way　for　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the　royal　family；　who　were
to　reenter　Paris　that　day。　Lafayette　had；　at　the　order　of　the
National　Assembly；　gone　with　some　regiments　of　the　guard　to
Varennes；　to　conduct　the　king　back　to　the　capital。　Thousands　upon
thousands　had　hurried　out　after　him　in　order　to　observe　this　return
of　the　representatives　of　monarchy；　and　to　take　part　in　this　funeral
procession！

For　it　was　a　funeral　of　the　monarchy　which　was　celebrated　that　day；
and　this　great；　heavy　carriage；　surrounded　by　soldiers；　and　the
ribald；　mocking　populacethis　great　carriage；　which　now　drove　along
the　streets　leading　to　the　Tuileries；　amid　the　thunder　of　cannon；
and　the　peals　of　bells　from　towers；　was　the　funeral　car　of　monarchy。

The　king；　the　queen；　the　royal　children；　the　sister　of　the　king；
Madame　Tourzel；　and　the　two　deputies　whom　the　National　Assembly　had
sent　to　Varennes　to　accompany　the　royal　family；　Petion　and　Barnave；
were　in　this　carriage。

They　had　tried　to　follow　the　advice　of　the　dying　Mirabean；　and　to
save　themselves　from　the　revolution。　That　was　the　offence　of　this
king　and　this　queen；　who　were　now　brought　back　in　triumph　to　the
Tuileries；　the　palace　of　kings；　and　from　that　time　a　royal　prison。

Tri…colored　banners　waved　from　all　roofs　and　from　all　windows；
placards　were　displayed　everywhere；　bearing　in　immense　letters　the
words：　〃Whoever　applauds　the　king　shall　be　scourged；　whover　insults
him　shall　be　hanged！〃

They　had　wished　to　escape；　these　unhappy　ones；　who　are　now　brought
back　from　Varennes；　where　they　were　identified　and　detained。　Now
they　were　returning；　no　longer　the　masters；　but　the　prisoners　of　the
French　nation！　The　National　Assembly　had　passed　a　decree；　whose
first　article　was：　〃The　king　is　temporarily　set　aside　from　the
functions　of　royalty；〃　and　whose　second　and　third　articles　were；
〃that　so　soon　as　the　king　and　his　family　shall　be　brought　back　to
the　Tuileries；　a　provisional　watch　shall　be　set　over　him；　as　well　as
over　the　queen　and　the　dauphin；　which；　under　the　command　of　the
general…in…chief　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris；　shall　be
responsible　for　their　safety　and　for　their　detention。〃

The　king　and　the　queen　returned　to　Paris　as　prisoners；　and　Lafayette
was　their　jailer。　The　master　of　France；　the　many…headed　King　of　the
French　nation；　was　the　National　Assembly。

Sad；　dreadful　days　of　humiliation；　of　resignation；　of　perils　and
anxieties；　now　followed　for　the　royal　family；　the　prisoners　of　the
Tuileries；　who　were　watched　day　and　night　by　spying　eyes；　and　whose
doors　must　remain　open　day　and　night；　in　order　that　officers　on
guard　might　look　without　hindrance　into　the　apartments　in　which　the
prisoners　of　the　French　nation　lived。

During　the　first　week　after　the　sad　return；　the　spirit　of　the　queen
seemed　to　be　broken；　her　energies　to　be　impaired　forever。　She　had　no
more　hope；　no　more　fear；　she　threw　out　no　new　plans　for　escaping；
she　neither　worked　nor　wrote。　She　only　sat　still　and　sad　for　hours；
and　before　her　eyes　passed　the　dreadful　pictures　of　the　time　just
gone　by；　presenting　themselves　with　dreadful　vividness；　and　in　the
recollection　anguishing　her　spirit。　She　recalled　the　excitement　and
anxiety　of　the　day　which　preceded　the　flight。　She　saw　herself；　as
with　trembling　hands　she　put　on　the　garments　of　one　of　her　waiting…
maids；　and　then　disguised　the　dauphin　in　girl's　clothes；　she　heard
the　boy　asking　anew；　with　his　pleasant　smile：　〃Are　we　going　to　play
theatre；　mamma　queen？〃　Then　she　saw　herself　on　the　street　alone；
waiting　without　any　protection　or　company　for　the　carriage　which　was
to　take　her　up；　after　taking　up　at　another　place　the　king　and　the
two　children。　She　recalled　the　drive　in　the　dark　night；　the　heat　in
the　close；　heavy　carriage；　the　dreadful　alarm　when　suddenly；　after　a
twelve　hours'　drive；　the　carriage　broke；　and　all　dismounted　to　climb
the　hill　to　the　village　which　lay　before　them；　and　where　they　had　to
wait　till　the　carriage　could　be　repaired。　Then　the　journey　on；　the
delay　in　Varennea；　the　cry；　〃They　are　recognized。〃　Then　the
confusion；　the　march；　the　anguish　of　the　hours　following；　and
finally　that　last　hour　of　hope　when；　in　the　poor　chamber　of　the
shopkeeper　Sauce；　his　wife　standing　near　the　bed　on　which　the　little
prince　slept；　she　conjured　his　wife　to　save　the　king　and　find　him　a
hiding…place。　Then　she　heard　again　before　her　ears　the　woman's　hard
voice　answering　her：

〃Madame；　it　cannot　be；　I　love　my　husband；　too；　and　I　also　have
children；　but　my　husband　were　lost　if　I　saved　yours。〃　Then　she　heard
afresh　the　cries；　the　march；　saw　the　arrival　of　the　Paris　regiments
and　the　deputies　whom　the　National　Assembly　sent　to　conduct　the
royal　refugees　back　to　Paris。　Then　she　recalled　the　drive　back；
crowded　into　the　carriage　with　the　deputies；　and　the　ribald　populace
roaring　around。　As　she　thought　of　all　these　things；　a　shudder　ran
through　the　form　of　the　unhappy　queen；　and　tears　streamed
unrestrainedly　from　her　eyes。

But　gradually　she　gained　her　composure　and　spirit；　and　even　the
daily　humiliation　and　trials　which　she　encountered　awakened　in　her
the　fire　and　defiance　of　her　earlier　days。

The　king　and　the　queen　were；　after　their　return　from　Varennes；　the
prisoners　of　their　own　people；　and　the　Tuileries　formed　the　prison
in　which　with　never…sleeping　cruelty　the　people　watched　their　royal
captives。

The　chiefs　of　the　battalions　constituting　the　National　Guard　took
turns　in　sentry　duty　over　the　royal　couple。　They　had　received　the
rigid　order　to　constantly　watch　the　royal　family；　and　not　to　leave
them　for　a　moment　alone。　Even　the　sleeping…room　of　the　queen　was　not
closed　to　the　espionage