marie antoinette and her son-第77节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　faithful　to　us　out　of　love；　and　devoted　their
services　to　us　as　a　free　gift；　and　we　will　not　supply　their　places
by　servants　who　are　paid　by　our　enemies。〃

〃Then　you　will　have　to　wait　upon　yourselves；〃　cried　Manuel；　with　a
harsh　voice。

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　queen；　gently；　〃we　will　wait　upon　ourselves；　and
take　pleasure　in　it。〃

And　they　did　wait　upon　themselves；　they　took　the　tenderest　care　one
of　another；　and　performed　all　these　offices　with　constant　readiness。
The　king　had；　happily；　been　allowed　to　retain　his　valet；　who　dressed
him；　who　knew　all　his　quiet；　moderate　ways；　and　who　arranged　every
thing　for　the　king　in　the　little　study　at　the　Temple；　as　he　had　been
accustomed　to　do　in　the　grand　cabinet　at　Versailles。　The　ladies
waited　upon　themselves；　and　Marie　Antoinette　undertook　the　task　of
dressing　and　undressing　the　dauphin。

The　little　fellow　was　the　sunbeam　which　now　and　then　would　light　up
even　the　sombre　apartments　of　the　Temple。　With　the　happy
carelessness　of　infancy；　he　had　forgotten　the　past；　and　did　not
think　of　the　future；　he　lived　only　in　the　present；　sought　to　be
happy；　and　found　his　happiness　when　he　succeeded　in　calling　a　smile
to　the　pale；　proud　lips　of　the　queen；　or　in　winning　a　word　of　praise
from　the　king　for　his　industry　and　his　attention。

And　thus　the　days　went　by　with　the　royal　family…monotonous；　sad；　and
dreary。　No　greeting　of　love；　no　ray　of　hope　came　in　from　the　outer
world；　to　lighten　up　the　thick　walls　of　the　old　building。　No　one
brought　the　prisoners　news　of　what　was　transpiring　without。　They
were　too　well　watched　for　any　of　their　friends　to　be　able　to
communicate　with　them。　This　was　the　greatest　trial　for　the　royal
captives。　Not　a　moment；　by　day　or　by　night；　when　the　eyes　of　the
sentries　were　not　directed　toward　them；　and　their　motions　observed！
The　doors　to　the　anterooms　were　constantly　open；　and　in　them　always
there　were　officials；　with　searching　looks　and　with　severe　faces；
watching　the　prisoners　in　the　inner　rooms。　Even　during　the　night
this　trial　did　not　cease；　and　the　Queen　of　France　had　to　undergo　the
indignity　of　having　the　door　of　her　sleeping…room　constantly　open；
while　the　officials；　who　spent　the　night　in　their　arm…chairs　in　the
anteroom；　drank；　played；　and　smoked；　always　keeping　an　eye　on　her
bed；　in　order　to　be　sure　of　her　presence。

Even　when　she　undressed　herself；　the　doors　of　the　queen's　apartment
were　not　closed；　a　mere　small　screen　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；
this　was　removed　as　soon　as　the　queen　had　disrobed　and　lain　down。

This　daily　renewed　pain　and　humiliationthis　being　watched　every
minutewas　the　heaviest　burden　that　the　prisoners　of　the　Temple　had
to　bear；　and　the　proud　heart　of　Marie　Antoinette　rose　in
exasperation　every　day　against　these　restraints。　She　endeavored　to
be　patient　and　to　choke　the　grief　that　rose　within　her；　and　yet　she
must　sometimes　give　expression　to　it　in　tears　and　threatening　words；
which　now　fell　like　cold　thunderbolts　from　the　lips　of　the　queen；
and　no　longer　kindled　any　thing；　no　longer　dashed　any　thing　in
pieces。

Thus　August　passed　and　September　began；　sad；　gloomy；　and　hopeless。
On　the　morning　of　the　3d　of　September；　Manuel　came　to　the　royal
prisoners；　to　tell　them　that　Paris　was　in　great　excitement；　and　that
they　were　not　to　go　into　the　garden　that　day　as　usual　about　noon；
but　were　to　remain　in　their　rooms。

〃How　is　it　with　my　friend；　Princess　Lamballe？〃　asked　Marie
Antoinette。

Manuel　was　perplexed；　he　even　blushed　and　cast　down　his　eyes；　as　he
answered　that　that　morning　the　princess　had　been　taken　to　the　prison
La　Force。　Then；　in　order　to　divert　conversation　from　this　channel；
Manuel　told　the　prisoners　about　the　tidings　which　had　recently
reached　Paris；　and　had　thrown　the　city　into　such　excitement　and
rage。

The　neighboring　powers　had　made　an　alliance　against　France。　The　King
of　Prussia　was　advancing　with　a　powerful　army；　and　had　already
confronted　the　French　force　before　Chalons；　while　the　Emperor　of
Germany　was　marching　against　Alsace。　Marie　Antoinette　forgot　the
confusion　and　perplexity　which　Manuel　had　exhibited；　in　the
importance　of　this　news。　She　hoped　again；　she　found　in　her　elastic
spirit　support　in　these　tidings；　and　began　to　think　of　the
possibility　of　escape。　It　did　not　trouble　her　that　beneath　her
windows　she　heard　a　furious　cry；　as　the　crowd　surged　up　to　the
prison　walls：　〃The　head　of　the　Austrian！　Give　us　the　head　of　the
Austrian！〃　She　had　so　often　heard　thatit　had　been　so　long　the
daily　refrain　to　the　sorrowful　song　of　riot　which　filled　Paristhat
it　had　lost　all　meaning　for　Marie　Antoinette。

Nor　did　it　disturb　her　at　all　that　she　heard　the　loud　beatings　of
drums　approaching　like　muffled　thunder；　that　trumpets　were　blown；
that　musketry　rattled；　and　loud　war　cries　resounded　in　the　distant
streets。

Marie　Antoinette　paid　no　heed　to　this。　She　heard　constantly　ringing
before　her　ear　Manuel's　words：　〃The　neighboring　nations　have　allied
against　France。　The　King　of　Prussia　is　before　Chalons。　The　Emperor
of　Germany　is　advancing　upon　Strasburg。〃　〃0　God　of　Heaven；　be
merciful　to　us！　Grant　to　our　friends　victory　over　our　enemies。

Release　us　from　these　sufferings　and　pains；　that　our　children　may　at
least　find　the　happiness　which　for　us　is　buried　forever　in　the
past。〃

And　yet　Marie　Antoinette　could　speak　to　no　one　of　her　hopes　and
fears。　She　must　breathe　her　prayer　in　her　own　heart　alone；　for　the
municipal　officials　were　there；　and　the　two　servants　who　had　been
forced　upon　the　prisoners；　Tison　and　his　wife；　the　paid　servants　of
their　enemies。

Only　the　brave　look　and　the　clearer　brow　told　the　king　of　the　hopes
and　wishes　of　his　wife；　but　he　responded　to　them　with　a　faint　shrug
and　a　sad　smile。

All　at　once；　after　the　royal　family　had　sat　down　to　take　their
dinner　at　the　round　tableall　at　once　there　was　a　stir　in　the
building　which　was　before　so　still。　Terrible　cries　were　heard；　and
steps　advancing　up　the　staircase。　The　two　officials；　who　were
sitting　in　the　open　anteroom；　stood　and　listened　at　the　door。　This
was　suddenly　opened；　and　a　third　official　entered；　pale；　trembling
with　rage；　and　raising　his　clinched　fists　tremblingly　against　the
king。

〃The　enemy　is　in　Verdun；〃　cried　he。　〃We　shall　all　be　undone；　but　you
shall　be　the　first　to　suffer！〃

The　king　looked　quietly　at　him；　but　the　dauphin；　terrified　at　the
looks　of　the　angry　man　and　his　loud　voice；　burst　into　a　violent　fit
of　weeping　and　sobbing；　and　Marie　Antoinette　and　the　little　Theresa
strove　in　vain　to　quiet　the　little　fellow　by　gentle　words。

A　fourth　official　now　entered；　and　whispered　secretly　to　his
colleagues。

〃Is　my　family　no　longer　in　safety　here？〃　asked　the　king。

The　official　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃The　report　has　gone　abroad
that　the　royal　family　is　no　longer　in　the　Temple。　This　has　excited
the　people；　and　they　desire　that　you　all　show　yourselves　at　the
windows；　but　we　will　not　permit　it；　you　shall　not　show　yourselves。
The　public　must　have　more　confidence　in　its　servants。〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　the　other　official；　still　raising　his　fists〃yes；　that
it　must；　but　if　the　enemy　come；　the　royal　family　shall　die！〃

And　when　at　these　words　the　dauphin　began　to　cry　aloud　again；　he
continued：　〃I　pity　the　poor　little　fellow；　but　die　he　must！〃

Meanwhile　the　cries　outside　were　still　louder；　and　abusive　epithets
were　distinctly　heard　directed　at　the　queen。　A　fifth　official　then
came　in；　followed　by　some　soldiers；　in　order　to　assure　themselves；
in　the　name　of　the　people；　that　the　Capet　family　was　still　in　the
tower。　This　official　demanded；　in　an　angry　voice；　that　they　should
go　to　the　window　and　show　themselves　to　the　people。

〃No；　no；　they　shall　not　do　it；〃　cried　the　other　functionaries。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　king。　〃Come；　Marie。〃

He　extended　his　hand　to　her；　and　advanced　with　her　to　the　window。

〃No；　don't　do　it！〃　cried　the　official；　rushing　to　the　window。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　king；　in　astonishment。

〃Well；〃　cried　the　man；　with　threatening　fist；　〃the　people　want　to
show　you　the　head　of　Lamballe；　that　you　may　see　how　the　nation　takes
vengeance　on　its　tyrants。〃

At　that　same　instant　there　arose　behind　the　window…pane　a　pale　head
encircled　with　long；　fair　hair；　the　livid　forehead　sprinkled　with
blood；　the　eyes　lustreless　and　fixedthe　head　of　Princess　Lamballe；
which　the　people　had　dressed　by　a　friseur；　to　hoist　it　upon　a　pike
and　show　it　to　the　queen。

The　queen　had　seen　it；　staggering　she　fell　back　upon　a　chair；　she
gazed　fixedly　at　the　window；　even　after　the　fearful　phantom　had
disappeared。　Her　lips　were　open；　as　if　for　a　cry　which　had　been
silenced　by　horror。　She　did　not　weep；　she　did　not　complain；　and　even
the　caresses　of　the　children；　the　gentle　address　of　Princess
Elizabeth；　and　the　comforting　words　of　the　king　could　not　rouse　her
out　of　this　stupefying　of　her　whole　nature。

Princess　Lamballe　had　been　murdered；　and　deep　in　her　soul　the　queen
saw　that　this　was　only　the　prelude　to　the　fearful　tragedy；　in　which
her　family　would　soon　be　implicated。

Poor　Princess　L