the memoirs of marie antoinette-第58节

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ch　a　festival。　　She　ordered　me　to　go；　and　desired　me　to　observe　everything　closely；　in　order　to　give　a　faithful　account　of　the　whole　affair。

The　tables　were　set　out　upon　the　stage；　at　them　were　placed　one　of　the　Body　Guard　and　an　officer　of　the　Flanders　regiment　alternately。　　There　was　a　numerous　orchestra　in　the　room；　and　the　boxes　were　filled　with　spectators。　　The　air；　〃O　Richard；　O　mon　Roi！〃　was　played；　and　shouts　of　〃Vive　de　Roi！〃　shook　the　roof　for　several　minutes。　　I　had　with　me　one　of　my　nieces；　and　a　young　person　brought　up　with　Madame　by　her　Majesty。　They　were　crying　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　with　all　their　might　when　a　deputy　of　the　Third　Estate；　who　was　in　the　next　box　to　mine；　and　whom　I　had　never　seen；　called　to　them；　and　reproached　them　for　their　exclamations；　it　hurt　him；　he　said；　to　see　young　and　handsome　Frenchwomen　brought　up　in　such　servile　habits；　screaming　so　outrageously　for　the　life　of　one　man；　and　with　true　fanaticism　exalting　him　in　their　hearts　above　even　their　dearest　relations；　he　told　them　what　contempt　worthy　American　women　would　feel　on　seeing　Frenchwomen　thus　corrupted　from　their　earliest　infancy。　　My　niece　replied　with　tolerable　spirit；　and　I　requested　the　deputy　to　put　an　end　to　the　subject；　which　could　by　no　means　afford　him　any　satisfaction；　inasmuch　as　the　young　persons　who　were　with　me　lived；　as　well　as　myself；　for　the　sole　purpose　of　serving　and　loving　the　King。　　While　I　was　speaking　what　was　my　astonishment　at　seeing　the　King；　the　Queen；　and　the　Dauphin　enter　the　chamber！　　It　was　M。　de　Luxembourg　who　had　effected　this　change　in　the　Queen's　determination。

The　enthusiasm　became　general；　the　moment　their　Majesties　arrived　the　orchestra　repeated　the　air　I　have　just　mentioned；　and　afterwards　played　a　song　in　the　〃Deserter；〃　〃Can　we　grieve　those　whom　we　love？〃　　which　also　made　a　powerful　impression　upon　those　present：　on　all　sides　were　heard　praises　of　their　Majesties；　exclamations　of　affection；　expressions　of　regret　for　what　they　had　suffered；　clapping　of　hands；　and　shouts　of　〃Vive　le　Roi！　Vive　la　Reine！　Vive　le　Dauphin！〃　　It　has　been　said　that　white　cockades　were　worn　on　this　occasion；　that　was　not　the　case；　the　fact　is；　that　a　few　young　men　belonging　to　the　National　Guard　of　Versailles；　who　were　invited　to　the　entertainment；　turned　the　white　lining　of　their　national　cockades　outwards。　　All　the　military　men　quitted　the　hall；　and　reconducted　the　King　and　his　family　to　their　apartments。　　There　was　intoxication　in　these　ebullitions　of　joy：　a　thousand　extravagances　were　committed　by　the　military；　and　many　of　them　danced　under　the　King's　windows；　a　soldier　belonging　to　the　Flanders　regiment　climbed　up　to　the　balcony　of　the　King's　chamber　in　order　to　shout　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　　nearer　his　Majesty；　this　very　soldier；　as　I　have　been　told　by　several　officers　of　the　corps；　was　one　of　the　first　and　most　dangerous　of　their　insurgents　in　the　riots　of　the　5th　and　6th　of　October。　　On　the　same　evening　another　soldier　of　that　regiment　killed　himself　with　a　sword。　　One　of　my　relations；　chaplain　to　the　Queen；　who　supped　with　me；　saw　him　stretched　out　in　a　corner　of　the　Place　d'Armes；　he　went　to　him　to　give　him　spiritual　assistance；　and　received　his　confession　and　his　last　sighs。　He　destroyed　himself　out　of　regret　at　having　suffered　himself　to　be　corrupted　by　the　enemies　of　his　King；　and　said　that；　since　he　had　seen　him　and　the　Queen　and　the　Dauphin；　remorse　had　turned　his　brain。

I　returned　home；　delighted　with　all　that　I　had　seen。

I　found　a　great　many　people　there。　　M。　de　Beaumetz；　deputy　for　Arras；　listened　to　my　description　with　a　chilling　air；　and；　when　I　had　finished；　told　me　that　all　that　had　passed　was　terrific；　that　he　knew　the　disposition　of　the　Assembly；　and　that　the　greatest　misfortunes　would　follow　the　drama　of　that　night；　and　he　begged　my　leave　to　withdraw　that　he　might　take　time　for　deliberate　reflection　whether　he　should　on　the　very　next　day　emigrate；　or　pass　over　to　the　left　side　of　the　Assembly。　He　adopted　the　latter　course；　and　never　appeared　again　among　my　associates。

On　the　2d　of　October　the　military　entertainment　was　followed　up　by　a　breakfast　given　at　the　hotel　of　the　Body　Guards。　　It　is　said　that　a　discussion　took　place　whether　they　should　not　march　against　the　Assembly；　but　I　am　utterly　ignorant　of　what　passed　at　that　breakfast。　　From　that　moment　Paris　was　constantly　in　commotion；　there　were　continual　mobs；　and　the　most　virulent　proposals　were　heard　in　all　public　places；　the　conversation　was　invariably　about　proceeding　to　Versailles。　　The　King　and　Queen　did　not　seem　apprehensive　of　such　a　measure；　and　took　no　precaution　against　it；　even　when　the　army　had　actually　left　Paris；　on　the　evening　of　the　5th　of　October；　the　King　was　shooting　at　Meudon；　and　the　Queen　was　alone　in　her　gardens　at　Trianon；　which　she　then　beheld　for　the　last　time　in　her　life。　　She　was　sitting　in　her　grotto　absorbed　in　painful　reflection；　when　she　received　a　note　from　the　Comte　de　Saint…Priest；　entreating　her　to　return　to　Versailles。　　M。　de　Cubieres　at　the　same　time　went　off　to　request　the　King　to　leave　his　sport　and　return　to　the　palace；　the　King　did　so　on　horseback；　and　very　leisurely。　　A　few　minutes　afterwards　he　was　informed　that　a　numerous　body　of　women；　which　preceded　the　Parisian　army；　was　at　Chaville；　at　the　entrance　of　the　avenue　from　Paris。

The　scarcity　of　bread　and　the　entertainment　of　the　Body　Guards　were　the　pretexts　for　the　insurrection　of　the　5th　and　6th　of　October；　1789；　but　it　is　clear　to　demonstration　that　this　new　movement　of　the　people　was　a　part　of　the　original　plan　of　the　factious；　insomuch　as；　ever　since　the　beginning　of　September；　a　report　had　been　industriously　circulated　that　the　King　intended　to　withdraw；　with　his　family　and　ministers；　to　some　stronghold；　and　at　all　the　popular　assemblies　there　had　been　always　a　great　deal　said　about　going　to　Versailles　to　seize　the　King。

At　first　only　women　showed　themselves；　the　latticed　doors　of　the　Chateau　were　closed；　and　the　Body　Guard　and　Flanders　regiment　were　drawn　up　in　the　Place　d'Armes。　　As　the　details　of　that　dreadful　day　are　given　with　precision　in　several　works；　I　will　only　observe　that　general　consternation　and　disorder　reigned　throughout　the　interior　of　the　palace。

I　was　not　in　attendance　on　the　Queen　at　this　time。　　M。　Campan　remained　with　her　till　two　in　the　morning。　　As　he　was　leaving　her　she　condescendingly；　and　with　infinite　kindness；　desired　him　to　make　me　easy　as　to　the　dangers　of　the　moment；　and　to　repeat　to　me　M。　de　La　Fayette's　own　words；　which　he　had　just　used　on　soliciting　the　royal　family　to　retire　to　bed；　undertaking　to　answer　for　his　army。

The　Queen　was　far　from　relying　upon　M。　de　La　Fayette's　loyalty；　but　she　has　often　told　me　that　she　believed　on　that　day；　that　La　Fayette；　having　affirmed　to　the　King；　in　the　presence　of　a　crowd　of　witnesses；　that　he　would　answer　for　the　army　of　Paris；　would　not　risk　his　honour　as　a　commander；　and　was　sure　of　being　able　to　redeem　his　pledge。　　She　also　thought　the　Parisian　army　was　devoted　to　him；　and　that　all　he　said　about　his　being　forced　to　march　upon　Versailles　was　mere　pretence。

On　the　first　intimation　of　the　march　of　the　Parisians；　the　Comte　de　Saint…Priest　prepared　Rambouillet　for　the　reception　of　the　King；　his　family；　and　suite；　and　the　carriages　were　even　drawn　out；　but　a　few　cries　of　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　　when　the　women　reported　his　Majesty's　favourable　answer；　occasioned　the　intention　of　going　away　to　be　given　up；　and　orders　were　given　to　the　troops　to　withdraw。

　　　　　＇Compare　this　account　with　the　particulars　given　in　the　〃Memoirs〃　of　　　　　　Ferribres；　Weber；　Bailly；　and　Saint…Priest；　from　the　latter　of　which　　　　　　the　following　sentence　is　taken：

　　　　　〃M。　d'Estaing　knew　not　what　to　do　with　the　Body　Guards　beyond　　　　　　bringing　them　into　the　courtyard　of　the　ministers；　and　shutting　the　　　　　　grilles。　　Thence　they　proceeded　to　the　terrace　of　the　Chateau；　then　　　　　　to　Trianon；　and　lastly　to　Rambouillet。

　　　　　〃I　could　not　refrain　from　expressing　to　M。　d'Estaing；　when　he　came　　　　　　to　the　King；　my　astonishment　at　not　seeing　him　make　any　military　　　　　　disposition。　　'Monsieur；'　replied　he；　'I　await　the　orders　of　the　　　　　　King'　（who　did　not　open　his　mouth）。　　'When　the　King　gives　no　　　　　　orders；'　pursued　I；　'a　general　should　decide　for　himself　in　a　　　　　　soldierly　manner。'　　This　observation　remained　unanswered。〃＇

The　Body　Guards　were；　however；　assailed　with　stones　and　musketry　while　they　were　passing　from　the　Place　d'Armes　to；　their　hotel。　　Alarm　revived；　again　it　was　thought　necessary　that　the　royal　family　should　go　away；　some　carriages　still　remained　ready　for　travelling；　they　were　called　for；　they　were　stopped　by　a　wretched　player　belonging　to　the　theatre　of　the　town；　seconded　by　the　mob：　the　opportunity　for　flight　had　been　lost。

The　insurrection　was　directed　against　the　Queen　in　particular；　I　shudder　even　now　at　the　recollection　of　the　poissardes；　or　rather　furies；　who　wore　white　aprons；　which　they　screamed　out　were　intended　to　receive　the　bowels　of　Marie　Antoinette；　and　that　they　would　make　cockades　of　them；　mixing　the　most　obscene　expressions　with　these　horrible　threats。

The　Queen　went　to　bed　at　two　in　the　morning；　and　even　slept；　tired　out　with　the　events　of　so　distressing　a　day