marie antoinette and her son-第81节

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the　unhappy　man　who　was　now　on　his　way　to　the　scaffold；　and　who　was
once　King　of　France。

All　at　once　there　arose　a　movement　in　this　dreadful　hedge　of　armed
men；　through　which　the　carriage　was　passing。　Two　young　men　cried：
〃To　us；　Frenchmento　us；　all　who　want　to　save　the　king！〃

But　the　cry　found　no　response。　Every　one　looked　horrified　at　his
neighbor；　and　believed　he　saw　in　him　a　spy　or　a　murderer；　fear
benumbed　all　their　souls；　and　the　silence　of　death　reigned　around。

The　two　young　men　wanted　to　flee；　to　escape　into　a　house　close　by。
But　the　door　was　closed；　and　before　the　very　door　they　were　cut　down
and　hewn　in　pieces　by　the　exasperated　sans…culottes。

The　carriage　of　the　king　rolled　on；　and　Louis　paid　no　more　attention
to　objects　around　him；　in　the　prayer…book　which　he　carried　in　his
hands　he　read　the　petitions　for　the　dying；　and　the　abbe　prayed　with
him。

The　coachman　halted　at　the　foot　of　the　scaffold；　and　the　king
dismounted。　A　forest　of　pikes　surrounded　the　spot。　The　drummers　beat
loudly；　but　the　king　cried　with　a　loud　voice；　〃Silence！〃　and　the
noise　ceased。　On　that；　Santerre　sprang　forward　and　commanded　them　to
commence　beating　their　drums　again；　and　they　obeyed　him。　The　king
took　off　his　upper　garments；　and　the　executioners　approached　to　cut
off　his　hair。　He　quietly　let　this　be　done；　but　when　they　wanted　to
tie　his　hands；　his　eyes　flashed　with　anger；　and　with　a　firm　voice　he
refused　to　allow　them　to　do　so。

〃Sire；〃　said　the　priest；　〃I　see　in　this　new　insult　only　a　fresh
point　of　resemblance　between　your　majesty　and　our　Saviour；　who　will
be　your　recompense　and　your　strength。〃

Louis　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　with　an　indescribable　expression　of
grief　and　resignation。　〃Truly；〃　he　said；　〃only　my　recollection　of
Him　and　His　example　can　enable　me　to　endure　this　new　degradation。〃

He　gave　his　hands　to　the　executioner；　to　let　them　be　bound。　Then
resting　on　the　arm　of　the　abbe；　he　ascended　the　steps　of　the
scaffold。　The　twenty　drummers；　who　stood　around　the　staging；　beat
their　drums；　but　the　king；　advancing　to　the　very　verge　of　the
scaffold；　commanded　them　with　a　loud　voice　to　be　silent；　and　the
noise　ceased。

In　a　tone　which　was　audible　across　the　whole　square；　and　which　made
every　word　intelligible；　the　king　said：　〃I　die　innocent　of　all　the
charges　which　are　brought　against　me。　I　forgive　those　who　have
caused　my　death；　and　I　pray　God　that　the　blood　which　you　spill　this
day　may　never　come　back　upon　the　head　of　France。　And　you；　unhappy
people〃

〃Do　not　let　him　go　on　talking　this　way；〃　cried　Santerre's　commanding
voice；　interrupting　the　king；　then　turning　to　Louis　he　said；　in　an
angry　tone；　〃I　brought　you　here　not　to　make　speeches；　but　to　die！〃

The　drums　beat；　the　executioners　seized　the　king　and　bent　him　down。
The　priest　stooped　over　him　and　murmured　some　words　which　only　God
heard；　but　which　a　tradition　full　of　admiration　and　sympathy　has
transposed　into　the　immortal　and　popular　formula　which　is　truer　than
truth　and　more　historical　than　history：　〃Son　of　St。　Louis；　ascend　to
Heaven！〃

The　drums　beat；　a　glistening　object　passed　through　the　air；　a　stroke
was　heard；　and　blood　spirted　up。　The　King　of　France　was　dead；　and
Samson　the　executioner　lifted　up　the　head；　which　had　once　borne　a
crown；　to　show　it　to　the　people。

A　dreadful　silence　followed　for　an　instant；　then　the　populace　broke
in　masses　through　the　rows　of　soldiers；　and　rushed　to　the　scaffold；
in　order　to　bear　away　some　remembrances　of　this　ever…memorable
event。　The　clothes　of　the　king　were　torn　to　rags　and　distributed；
and　they　even　gave　the　executioner　some　gold　in　exchange　for　locks
of　hair　from　the　bleeding　head。　An　Englishman　gave　a　child　fifteen
louis　d'or　for　dipping　his　handkerchief　in　the　blood　which　flowed
from　the　scaffold。　Another　paid　thirty　louis　d'or　for　the　peruke　of
the　king。　＇Footnote：　These　details　I　take　from　the　〃Vossische
Zeitung；〃　which；　in　its　issue　of　the　5th　of　February；　1798；　contains
a　full　report　of　the　execution　of　King　Louis　XVI。；　and　also
announces　that　the　court　of　Prussia　will　testify　its　grief　at　the
unmerited　fate　by　wearing　mourning　for　a　period　of　four　weeks。　The
author　of　this　work　possesses　a　copy　of　the　〃　Vossische　Zeitung　〃　of
that　date；　in　small　quarto　form；　printed　on　thick；　gray　paper。　In
the　same　number　of　the　journal　is　a　fable　by　Hermann　Pfeffel；　which
runs　in　the　following　strain：


First　moral；　then　political　freedom。

A　fable；　by　Hermann　Pfeffel。　Zeus　and　the　Tigers。

To　Zeus　there　came　one　day
A　deputation　of　tigers。　〃Mighty　potentate；〃
Thus　spoke　their　Cicero　before　the　monarch's　throne；
〃The　noble　nation　of　tigers；
Has　long　been　wearied　with　the　lion's　choice　as　king。
Does　not　Nature　give　us　an　equal　claim　with　his？
Therefore；　O　Zeus；　declare　my　race
To　be　a　people　of　free　citizens！〃
〃No；〃　said　the　god　of　gods；　〃it　cannot　be；
You　are　deceivers；　thieves；　and　murderers；
Only　a　good　people　merits　being　free。〃
＇Footnote：　〃Marie　Antoinette　et　sa　Famine；〃　par　Lescure；　p。　648。＇


On　the　evening　of　the　same　day；　the　executioner　Samson；　shocked　at
the　terrible　deed　which　he　had　done；　went　to　a　priest；　paid　for
masses　to　be　said　for　the　repose　of　the　king；　then　laid　down　his
office；　retired　into　solitude；　and　died　in　six　months。　His　son　was
his　successor　in　his　ghostly　office；　and；　in　a　pious　manner；　he
continued　what　his　father　began。　The　masses　for　the　king；　instituted
by　the　two　Samsons；　continued　to　be　read　till　the　year　1840。

On　the　morrow　which　followed　this　dreadful　day；　the　〃Widow　Capet〃
requested　the　authorities　to　provide　for　herself　and　her　family　a
suite　of　mourning　of　the　simplest　kind。

The　republic　was　magnanimous　enough　to　comply　with　this　request。




CHAPTER　XXI。

TOULAN。


The　citizen　Toulan　is　on　guard　again　at　the　Temple；　and　this　time
with　his　friend　Lepitre。　He　is　so　trustworthy　and　blameless　a
republican；　and　so　zealous　a　citizen；　that　the　republic　gives　him
unconditional　confidence。　The　republic　had　appointed　him　as　chief　of
the　bureau　for　the　control　of　the　effects　of　emigres。　Toulan　is；
besides；　a　member　of　the　Convention；　and　it　is　not　his　fault　that；
on　the　day　when　the　decision　was　made　respecting　the　king's　life　or
death；　he　was　not　in　the　Assembly。　He　had　been　compelled　at　that
time　to　make　a　journey　into　the　provinces；　to　attach　the　property　of
an　aristocrat　who　had　emigrated。　Had　Toulan　been　in　Paris；　he　would
naturally　have　given　his　voice　in　favor　of　the　execution　of　the
king。　He　says　this　freely　and　openly　to　every　one；　and　every　one
believes　him；　for　Toulan　is　an　entirely　unsuspected　republican。　He
belongs　to　the　sans…culottes；　and　takes　pride　in　not　being　dressed
better　than　the　meanest　citizen。　He　belongs　to　the　friends　of　Marat；
and　Simon　the　cobbler　is　always　happy　when　Toulan　has　the　watch　in
the　Temple；　for　Toulan　is　such　a　jovial；　merry　fellow；　he　can　make
such　capital　jokes　and　laugh　so　heartily　at　those　of　others。　They
have　such　fine　times　when　Toulan　is　there；　and　the　sport　is　the
greatest　when　his　friend　Lepitre　is　with　him　on　service　in　the
Temple。　Then　the　two　have　the　grandest　sport　of　all；　they　even　have
little　plays；　which　are　so　funny　that　Simon　has　to　laugh　outright；
and　even　the　turnkey　Tison；　and　his　wife；　forget　to　keep　guard；　and
leave　the　glass　door　through　which　they　have　been　watching　the　royal
family；　in　order　to　be　spectators　at　Toulan's　little　farces。

〃These　are　jolly　days　when　you　are　both　in　the　Temple；〃　said　Simon；
〃and　you　cannot　blame　me　if　I　like　to　have　you　here；　and　put　you　on
service　pretty　often。〃

〃Oh；　we　do　not　blame　you　for　that；〃　said　Toulan；　〃on　the　other　hand；
we　particularly　like　being　with　you；　you　are　such　a　splendid
fellow！〃

〃And　then；〃　adds　Lepitre　to　this；　〃it　is　so　pleasant　to　see　the
proud　she…wolf　and　her　young　ones；　and　to　set　them　down　a　little。
These　people；　when　they　were　living　in　the　Tuileries；　have　turned　up
their　noses　at　us　often　enough；　and　acted　as　if　we　were　only　dust
that　they　must　blow　away　from　their　exalted　presence。　It　is　time
that　they　should　feel　a　little　that　they　are　only　dust　for　us　to
blow　away！〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　chimed　in　Toulan；　〃it　is　high　time　that　they　should
feel　it！〃

〃And　you　both　understood　that　matter　capitally；〃　said　Simon；　with　a
laugh；　〃I　always　see　that　it　particularly　provokes　the　queen　to　have
you　on　service；　and　I　like　that；　and　I　am　especially　glad　to　have
you　here。〃

〃I've　thought　out　a　joke　for　to…day；〃　said　Toulan。　〃I　will　teach　the
widow　to　smoke。　You　know；　brother　Simon；　that　she　always　pretends
not　to　be　able　to　bear　the　smell　of　tobacco；　she　shall　learn　to　bear
it。　I　will　hand　her　a　paper　cigarette　to…day；　and　tell　her　that　if
she　does　not　want　us　to　smoke；　she　must　smoke　with　us。〃

〃Splendid　joke！〃　said　Simon；　with　a　loud　laugh。　〃But　there's　one
thing　to　be　thought　of　about　that；〃　said　Lepitre；　reflectively。　〃the
widow　Capet　might　perhaps　promise　to　smoke；　if　we　would　tell　her
that　we　would　never　smoke　afterward。　But　then　we　should　not　keep　our
word；　of　course。〃

〃What！　you　say　we　should　not　keep　our　word！〃　said　Toulan；　in
amazement。　〃We　are　republicans；　more　than　that；　we　are　sans…
culottes！　and　shall　we　not