the memoirs of marie antoinette-第59节

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The　Queen　went　to　bed　at　two　in　the　morning；　and　even　slept；　tired　out　with　the　events　of　so　distressing　a　day。　　She　had　ordered　her　two　women　to　bed；　imagining　there　was　nothing　to　dread；　at　least　for　that　night；　but　the　unfortunate　Princess　was　indebted　for　her　life　to　that　feeling　of　attachment　which　prevented　their　obeying　her。　　My　sister；　who　was　one　of　the　ladies　in　question；　informed　me　next　day　of　all　that　I　am　about　to　relate。

On　leaving　the　Queen's　bedchamber；　these　ladies　called　their　femmes　de　chambre；　and　all　four　remained　sitting　together　against　her　Majesty's　bedroom　door。　　About　half…past　four　in　the　morning　they　heard　horrible　yells　and　discharges　of　firearms；　one　ran　to　the　Queen　to　awaken　her　and　get　her　out　of　bed；　my　sister　flew　to　the　place　from　which　the　tumult　seemed　to　proceed；　she　opened　the　door　of　the　antechamber　which　leads　to　the　great　guard…room；　and　beheld　one　of　the　Body　Guard　holding　his　musket　across　the　door；　and　attacked　by　a　mob；　who　were　striking　at　him；　his　face　was　covered　with　blood；　he　turned　round　and　exclaimed：　〃Save　the　Queen；　madame；　they　are　come　to　assassinate　her！〃　　She　hastily　shut　the　door　upon　the　unfortunate　victim　of　duty；　fastened　it　with　the　great　bolt；　and　took　the　same　precaution　on　leaving　the　next　room。　　On　reaching　the　Queen's　chamber　she　cried　out　to　her；　〃Get　up；　Madame！　　Don't　stay　to　dress　yourself；　fly　to　the　King's　apartment！〃　　The　terrified　Queen　threw　herself　out　of　bed；　they　put　a　petticoat　upon　her　without　tying　it；　and　the　two　ladies　conducted　her　towards　the　oile…de…boeuf。　　A　door；　which　led　from　the　Queen's　dressing…room　to　that　apartment；　had　never　before　been　fastened　but　on　her　side。　　What　a　dreadful　moment！　　It　was　found　to　be　secured　on　the　other　side。　　They　knocked　repeatedly　with　all　their　strength；　a　servant　of　one　of　the　King's　valets　de　chambre　came　and　opened　it；　the　Queen　entered　the　King's　chamber；　but　he　was　not　there。　Alarmed　for　the　Queen's　life；　he　had　gone　down　the　staircases　and　through　the　corridors　under　the　oeil…de…boeuf；　by　means　of　which　he　was　accustomed　to　go　to　the　Queen's　apartments　without　being　under　the　necessity　of　crossing　that　room。　　He　entered　her　Majesty's　room　and　found　no　one　there　but　some　Body　Guards；　who　had　taken　refuge　in　it。　　The　King；　unwilling　to　expose　their　lives；　told　them　to　wait　a　few　minutes；　and　afterwards　sent　to　desire　them　to　go　to　the　oeil…de…boeuf。　　Madame　de　Tourzel；　at　that　time　governess　of　the　children　of　France；　had　just　taken　Madame　and　the　Dauphin　to　the　King's　apartments。　　The　Queen　saw　her　children　again。　　The　reader　must　imagine　this　scene　of　tenderness　and　despair。

It　is　not　true　that　the　assassins　penetrated　to　the　Queen's　chamber　and　pierced　the　bed　with　their　swords。　　The　fugitive　Body　Guards　were　the　only　persons　who　entered　it；　and　if　the　crowd　had　reached　so　far　they　would　all　have　been　massacred。　　Besides；　when　the　rebels　had　forced　the　doors　of　the　antechamber；　the　footmen　and　officers　on　duty；　knowing　that　the　Queen　was　no　longer　in　her　apartments；　told　them　so　with　that　air　of　truth　which　always　carries　conviction。　　The　ferocious　horde　instantly　rushed　towards　the　oeil…de…boeuf；　hoping；　no　doubt；　to　intercept　her　on　her　way。

Many　have　asserted　that　they　recognised　the　Duc　d'Orleans　in　a　greatcoat　and　slouched　hat；　at　half…past　four　in　the　morning；　at　the　top　of　the　marble　staircase；　pointing　out　with　his　hand　the　guard…room；　which　led　to　the　Queen's　apartments。　　This　fact　was　deposed　to　at　the　Chatelet　by　several　individuals　in　the　course　of　the　inquiry　instituted　respecting　the　transactions　of　the　5th　and　6th　of　October。

　　　　　＇The　National　Assembly　was　sitting　when　information　of　the　march　of　　　　　　the　Parisians　was　given　to　it　by　one　of　the　deputies　who　came　from　　　　　　Paris。　　A　certain　number　of　the　members　were　no　strangers；　to　this　　　　　　movement。　　It　appears　that　Mirabeau　wished　to　avail　himself　of　it　to　　　　　　raise　the　Duc　d'Orleans　to　the　throne。　　Mounier；　who　presided　over　　　　　　the　National　Assembly；　rejected　the　idea　with　horror。　　〃My　good　　　　　　man；〃　said　Mirabeau　to　him；　〃what　difference　will　it　make　to　you　to　　　　　　have　Louis　XVII。　for　your　King　instead　of　Louis　XVI。？〃　（The　Duc　　　　　　d'Orleans　was　baptised　Louis。）＇

The　prudence　and　honourable　feeling　of　several　officers　of　the　Parisian　guards；　and　the　judicious　conduct　of　M。　de　Vaudreuil；　lieutenant…general　of　marine；　and　of　M。　de　Chevanne；　one　of　the　King's　Guards；　brought　about　an　understanding　between　the　grenadiers　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris　and　the　King's　Guard。　　The　doors　of　the　oeil…de…boeuf　were　closed；　and　the　antechamber　which　precedes　that　room　was　filled　with　grenadiers　who　wanted　to　get　in　to　massacre　the　Guards。　　M。　de　Chevanne　offered　himself　to　them　as　a　victim　if　they　wished　for　one；　and　demanded　what　they　would　have。　　A　report　had　been　spread　through　their　ranks　that　the　Body　Guards　set　them　at　defiance；　and　that　they　all　wore　black　cockades。　　M。　de　Chevanne　showed　them　that　he　wore；　as　did　the　corps；　the　cockade　of　their　uniform；　and　promised　that　the　Guards　should　exchange　it　for　that　of　the　nation。　　This　was　done；　they　even　went　so　far　as　to　exchange　their　grenadiers'　caps　for　the　hats　of　the　Body　Guards；　those　who　were　on　guard　took　off　their　shoulder…belts；　embraces　and　transports　of　fraternisation　instantly　succeeded　to　the　savage　eagerness　to　murder　the　band　which　had　shown　so　much　fidelity　to　its　sovereign。　　The　cry　was　now　〃Vivent　le　Roi；　la　Nation；　et　les　Gardes…du…corps！〃

The　army　occupied　the　Place　d'Armes；　all　the　courtyards　of　the　Chateau；　and　the　entrance　to　the　avenue。　　They　called　for　the　Queen　to　appear　in　the　balcony：　she　came　forward　with　Madame　and　the　Dauphin。　　There　was　a　cry　of　〃No　children！〃　　Was　this　with　a　view　to　deprive　her　of　the　interest　she　inspired；　accompanied　as　she　was　by　her　young　family；　or　did　the　leaders　of　the　democrats　hope　that　some　madman　would　venture　to　aim　a　mortal　blow　at　her　person？　　The　unfortunate　Princess　certainly　was　impressed　with　the　latter　idea；　for　she　sent　away　her　children；　and　with　her　hands　and　eyes　raised　towards　heaven；　advanced　upon　the　balcony　like　a　self…devoted　victim。

A　few　voices　shouted　〃To　Paris！〃　　The　exclamation　soon　became　general。　Before　the　King　agreed　to　this　removal　he　wished　to　consult　the　National　Assembly；　and　caused　that　body　to　be　invited　to　sit　at　the　Chateau。　Mirabeau　opposed　this　measure。　　While　these　discussions　were　going　forward　it　became　more　and　more　difficult　to　restrain　the　immense　disorderly　multitude。　　The　King；　without　consulting　any　one；　now　said　to　the　people：　〃You　wish；　my　children；　that　I　should　follow　you　to　Paris：　I　consent；　but　on　condition　that　I　shall　not　be　separated　from　my　wife　and　family。〃　　The　King　added　that　he　required　safety　also　for　his　Guards；　he　was　answered　by　shouts　of　〃Vivo　le　Roi！　　Vivent　les　Gardes…du…corps！〃　The　Guards；　with　their　hats　in　the　air；　turned　so　as　to　exhibit　the。　cockade；　shouted　〃Vive　le　Roi！　　Vive　la　Nation！〃　　shortly　afterwards　a　general　discharge　of　all　the　muskets　took　place；　in　token　of　joy。　　The　King　and　Queen　set　off　from　Versailles　at　one　o'clock。　　The　Dauphin；　Madame；　the　King's　daughter；　Monsieur；　Madame；＇Madame；　here；　the　wife　of　Monsieur　le　Comte　de　Provence。＇　Madame　Elisabeth；　and　Madame　de　Tourzel；　were　in　the　carriage；　the　Princesse　de　Chimay　and　the　ladies　of　the　bedchamber　for　the　week；　the　King's　suite　and　servants；　followed　in　Court　carriages；　a　hundred　deputies　in　carriages；　and　the　bulk　of　the　Parisian　army；　closed　the　procession。

The　poissardes　went　before　and　around　the　carriage　of　their　Majesties；　Crying；　〃We　shall　no　longer　want　bread！　　We　have　the　baker；　the　baker's　wife；　and　the　baker's　boy　with　us！〃　　In　the　midst　of　this　troop　of　cannibals　the　heads　of　two　murdered　Body　Guards　were　carried　on　poles。　The　monsters；　who　made　trophies　of　them；　conceived　the　horrid　idea　of　forcing　a　wigmaker　of　Sevres　to　dress　them　up　and　powder　their　bloody　locks。　　The　unfortunate　man　who　was　forced　to　perform　this　dreadful　work　died　in　consequence　of　the　shock　it　gave　him。

　　　　　＇The　King　did　not　leave　Versailles　till　one　o'clock。　　The　Queen；　the　　　　　　Dauphin；　Madame　Royale；　Monsieur；　Madame　Elisabeth；　and　Madame　de　　　　　　Tourzel　were　in　his　Majesty's　carriage。　　The　hundred　deputies　in　　　　　　their　carriages　came　next。　　A　detachment　of　brigands；　bearing　the　　　　　　heads　of　the　two　Body　Guards　in　triumph；　formed　the　advance　guard；　　　　　　and　set　out　two　hours　earlier。　　These　cannibals　stopped　a　moment　at　　　　　　Sevres；　and　carried　their　cruelty　to　the　length　of　forcing　an　　　　　　unfortunate　hairdresser　to　dress　the　gory　heads；　the　bulk　of　the　　　　　　Parisian　army　followed　them　closely。　　The　King's　carriage　was　　　　　　preceded　by　the　'poissardes'；　who　had　arrived　the　day　before　from　　　　　　Paris；　and　a　rabble　of　prostitutes；　the　vile　refuse　of　their　sex；　　　　　　still　drunk　with　fury　and　wine。　　Several　of　them　rode　astride　upon　　　　　　cannons；　boasting；　in　the　most　horrible　songs；　of　the　crimes　they　　　　　　had　committed　themselves；　or　seen　others　commit。　　Those　who　were　　　　　　nearest　the　King's　carriage　sang　ballads；　the　allusions　in　which　by　　　　　　means　of　their　vulgar　gestures　they　applied　to　the　Queen。　　Wagons；　　　　　　full　of　corn　and　flour；which　had　been　brought　int