marie antoinette and her son-第76节

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resting　on　their　hard　beds；　sighs　and　suppressed　sobs　were　heard
from　where　the　dauphin　lay。　It　was　the　little　fellow　weeping　for　his
lost　dog。　The　heir　of　the　kings　of　France　had　to…day　lost　his　last
possessionhis　little；　faithful　dog。

Marie　Antoinette　stooped　down　and　kissed　his　wet　eyes。

〃Do　not　cry；　my　boy；　Moufflet　will　come　back　again　tomorrow。〃

〃To…morrow！　certainly；　mamma？〃

〃Certainly。〃

The　boy　dried　his　tears；　and　went　to　sleep　with　a　smile　upon　his
lips。

But　Marie　Antoinette　did　not　sleep；　sitting　erect　in　her　bed；　she
listened　to　the　cries　and　fiendish　shoutings　which　came　up　from　the
terrace　of　the　Feuillants；　as　the　people　heaped　their　abuses　upon
her；　and　demanded　her　head。

On　the　next　day　new　sufferings！　The　royal　family　had　to　go　again
into　the　little　box　which　they　had　occupied　the　day　before；　they　had
to　listen　to　the　deliberation　of　the　National　Assembly　about　the
future　residence　of　the　royal　family；　which　had　made　itself　unworthy
to　inhabit　the　Tuileries；　while　even　the　Luxemburg　palace　was　no
suitable　residence　for　Monsieur　and　Madame　Veto。

The　queen　had　in　the　mean　time　regained　her　self…possession　and
calmness；　she　could　even　summon　a　smile　to　her　lips　with　which　to
greet　her　children　and　the　faithful　friends　who　thronged　around　her
in　order　to　be　near　her　in　these　painful　hours。　She　was　pleased　with
the　attentions　of　the　wife　of　the　English　ambassador；　Lady
Sutherland；　who　sent　linen　and　clothes　of　her　own　son　for　the
dauphin。　The　queen　also　received　from　Madame　Tourzel　her　watch　with
many　thanks；　since　she　had　been　robbed　of　her　own　and　her　purse　on
the　way　to　the　Convent　des　Feuillants。

On　receiving　news　of　this　theft；　the　five　gentlemen　present　hastened
to　lay　all　the　gold　and　notes　that　they　carried　about　them　on　the
table　before　they　withdrew。　But　Marie　Antoinette　had　noticed　this。
〃Gentlemen；〃　she　said；　with　thanks　and　deep　feeling；　〃gentlemen；
keep　your　money；　you　will　want　it　more　than　we；　for　you　will；　I
trust；　live　longer。〃　＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own　words。See
〃Beauehesne；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　806。＇

Death　had　no　longer　any　terrors　for　the　queen；　for　she　had　too　often
looked　him　in　the　eye　of　late　to　be　afraid。　She　had　with　joy　often
seen　him　take　away　her　faithful　servants　and　friends。　Death　would
have　been　lighter　to　bear　than　the　railings　and　abuse　which　she　had
to　experience　upon　her　walks　from　the　Logograph's　reporters'　seat　to
the　rooms　in　the　Convent　des　Feuillants。　On　one　of　these　walks　she
saw　in　the　garden　some　respectably　dressed　people　standing　and
looking　without　hurling　insults　at　her。Full　of　gratitude；　the
queen　smiled　and　bowed　to　them。　On　this；　one　of　the　men　shouted：
〃You　needn't　take　the　trouble　to　shake　your　head　so　gracefully；　for
you　won't　have　it　much　longer！〃

〃I　would　the　man　were　right！〃　said　Marie　Antoinette　softly；　going　on
to　the　hall　of　the　Assembly　to　hear　the　representatives　of　the
nation　discuss　the　question　whether　the　Swiss　guards；　who　had
undertaken　to　defend　the　royal　family　with　weapons　in　their　hands；
should　not　be　condemned　to　death　as　traitors　to　the　French　nation。

At　length；　after　five　days　of　continued　sufferings；　the　Assembly
became　weary　of　insulting　and　humiliating　longer　those　who　had　been
robbed　of　their　power　and　dignity；　and　it　was　announced　to　the　royal
family　that　they　would　hereafter　reside　in　the　Temple；　and　be
perpetual　prisoners　of　the　nation。

On　the　morning　of　the　18th　of　August　two　great　carriages；　each　drawn
by　only　two　horses；　stood　in　the　court　des　Feuillants　ready　to　carry
the　royal　family　to　the　Temple。　In　the　first　of　these　sat　the　king；
the　queen；　their　two　children；　Madame　Elizabeth；　Princess　Lamballe；
Madame　Tourzel　and　her　daughter；　and　besides　these；　Potion　the　mayor
of　Paris；　the　attorney…general；　and　a　municipal　officer。　In　the
second　carriage　were　the　servants　of　the　king　and　two　officials。　A
detachment　of　the　National　Guards　escorted　the　carriages；　on　both
sides　of　which　dense　masses　of　men　stood；　incessantly　pouring　out
their　abuse　and　insults。

In　the　Place　Vendome　the　procession　stopped；　and　with　scornful
laughter　they　showed　the　king　the　scattered　fragments；　upon　the
pavements；　of　the　equestrian　statue　of　Louis　XIV。；　which　had　stood
there；　and　which　had　been　thrown　from　its　pedestal　by　the　anger　of
the　people。　〃So　shall　it　be　with　all　tyrants！〃　shouted　and　roared
the　mob；　raising　their　fists　threateningly。

〃How　bad　they　are！〃　said　the　dauphin；　looking　with　widely…opened
eyes　at　the　king；　between　whose　knees　he　was　standing。

〃No；〃　answered　Louis；　gently；　〃they　are　not　bad；　they　are　only
misled。〃

At　seven　in　the　evening　they　reached　the　gloomy　building　which　was
now　to　be　the　home　of　the　King　and　Queen　of　France。　〃Long　live　the
nation！〃　roared　the　mob；　which　filled　the　inner　court　as　Marie
Antoinette　and　her　husband　dismounted　from　the　carriage。　〃Long　live
the　nation！down　with　the　tyrants！〃　The　queen　paid　no　attention　to
the　cries；　she　looked　down　at　her　black　shoe；　which　was　torn；　and
out　of　whose　tip　her　white　silk　stocking　peeped。　〃See；〃　she　said；　to
Princess　Lamballe；　who　was　walking　by　her　side；　〃see　my　foot；　it
would　hardly　be　believed　that　the　Queen　of　France　has　no　shoes。〃




CHAPTER　XX。

TO　THE　21ST　0F　JANUARY。


〃We　must　look　misfortune　directly　in　the　eye；　and　have　courage　to
bear　it　worthily；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette。〃　〃We　are　prisoners；　and
shall　long　remain　so！　Let　us　seek　to　have　a　kind　of　household　life
even　in　our　prison。　Let　us　make　a　fixed　plan　how　to　spend　our　days。〃

〃You　are　right；　Marie；〃　replied　Louis；　〃let　us　arrange　how　to　spend
each　day。　As　I　am　no　longer　a　king；　I　will　be　the　teacher　of　my　son；
and　try　to　educate　him　to　be　a　good　king。〃

〃Do　you　believe；　then；　husband；　that　there　are　to　be　kings　after
this　in　France？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　with　a　shrug。

〃Well；〃　answered　Louis；　〃we　will　at　least　seek　to　give　him　such　an
education　that　he　shall　be　able　to　fill　worthily　whatever　station　he
may　be　called　to。　I　will　be　his　teacher　in　the　sciences。〃

〃And　I　will　interest　him　and　our　daughter　in　music　and　drawing；〃
said　the　queen。

〃And　you　will　allow　me　to　teach　my　niece　to　embroider　an　altar…
cover；〃　said　Madame　Elizabeth。

〃And　in　the　evening；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　nodding　playfully　to
Princess　Lamballe；　〃in　the　evening　we　will　read　comedies；　that　the
children　may　learn　of　our　Lamballe　the　art　of　declamation。　We　will
seek　to　forget　the　past；　and　turn　our　thoughts　only　to　the　present；
whatever　it　may　be。　You　see　that　these　four　days　that　we　have　spent
here　in　the　Temple　have　been　good　schoolmasters　for　me；　and　have
made　me　patient；　andbut　what　is　that？〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　〃did
you　not　hear　steps　before　the　door？　It　must　be　something　unusual；
for　it　is　not　yet　so　late　as　the　officials　are　accustomed　to　come。
Where　are　the　children？〃

And；　in　the　anxiety　of　her　motherly　love；　the　queen　hastened　up　the
little　staircase　which　led　to　the　second　story　of　the　Temple；　where
was　the　chamber　of　the　dauphin；　together　with　the　general　sitting…
room。

Louis　Charles　sprang　forward　to　meet　his　mother；　and　asked　her
whether　she　had　come　to　fulfil　her　promise；　and　go　out　with　him　into
the　garden。　The　queen；　instead　of　answering；　clasped　him　in　her
arms；　and　beckoned　to　Theresa　to　come　to　her　side。　〃Oh！　my　children；
my　dear　children；　I　only　wanted　to　see　you；　I〃

The　door　opened；　and　the　king；　followed　by　his　sister；　Princess
Lamballe；　and　Madame　Tourzel；　entered。

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette。　〃Some　new　misfortune；　is　it
not？〃

She　was　silent；　for　she　now　became　aware　of　the　presence　of　both　of
the　municipal　officials；　who　had　come　in　behind　the　ladies；　and　in
whose　presence　she　would　not　complain。　Manuel；　who；　since　the　10th
of　August；　had　been　attorney…generalManuel；　the　enemy　of　the
queen；　the　chief　supervisor　of　the　prisoners　in　the　Temple；　was
thereand　Marie　Antoinette　would　not　grant　him　the　triumph　of
seeing　her　weakness。

〃You　have　something　to　say　to　us；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　voice
which　she　compelled　to　be　calm。

Yes；　Manuel　had　something　to　say　to　her。　He　had　to　lay　before　her
and　the　king　a　decree　of　the　National　Assembly；　which　ordered　old
parties　who　had　accompanied　〃Louis　Capet　and　his　wife〃　to　the
Temple；　either　under　the　name　of　friends　or　servants；　to　leave　the
place　at　once。　The　queen　had　not　a　word　of　complaint；　but　her　pride
was　vanquished；　she　suffered　Manuel　to　see　her　tears。　She　extended
her　arms；　and　called　the　faithful　Lamballe　to　her；　mingled　her　tears
with　those　of　the　princess；　and　then　gave　a　parting　kiss　to　Madame
de　Tourzel　and　her　daughter。

The　evening　of　that　day　was　a　silent　and　solitary　one　in　the　rooms
of　the　Temple。　Their　last　servants　had　been　taken　away　from　the
royal　prisoners；　and　only　Clery；　the　valet　of　the　king；　had　been
suffered　to　remain；　to　wait　upon　his　master。　The　next　morning；
however；　Manuel　came　to　inform　the　queen　that　she　would　be　allowed
to　have　two　other　women　to　wait　upon　her；　and　gave　her　a　list　of
names　from　which　she　might　choose。　But　Marie　Antoinette；　with　proud
composure；　refused　to　accept　this　offer。　〃We　have　been　deprived　of
those　who　remained　fa