the memoirs of marie antoinette-第66节

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ersailles；　where　his　rashness　endangered　the　Queen　during　the　earlier　months　of　the　Assembly　of　the　States　General。　　Making　a　parade　of　his　devotion　to　the　King's　interests；　he　went　repeatedly　to　the　tribunes　of　the　Assembly；　and　there　openly　railed　at　all　the　motions　of　the　deputies；　and　then　returned　to　the　Queen's　antechamber；　where　he　repeated　all　that　he　had　just　heard；　or　had　had　the　imprudence　to　say。　　Unfortunately；　at　the　same　time　that　the　Queen　sent　away　M。　de　Goguelat；　she　still　believed　that；　in　a　dangerous　predicament；　requiring　great　self…devotion；　the　man　might　be　employed　advantageously。　　In　1791　he　was　commissioned　to　act　in　concert　with　the　Marquis　de　Bouille　in　furtherance　of　the　King's　intended　escape。

　　　　　＇See　the　〃Memoirs〃　of　M。　de　Bouille；　those　of　the　Duc　de　Choiseul；　　　　　　and　the　account　of　the　journey　to　Varennes；　by　M。　de　Fontanges；　in　　　　　　Weber's；　Memoirs。〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

Projectors　in　great　numbers　endeavoured　to　introduce　themselves　not　only　to　the　Queen；　but　to　Madame　Elisabeth；　who　had　communications　with　many　individuals　who　took　upon　themselves　to　make　plans　for　the　conduct　of　the　Court。　　The　Baron　de　Gilliers　and　M。　de　Vanoise　were　of　this　description；　they　went　to　the　Baronne　de　Mackau's；　where　the　Princess　spent　almost　all　her　evenings。　　The　Queen　did　not　like　these　meetings；　where　Madame　Elisabeth　might　adopt　views　in　opposition　to　the　King's　intentions　or　her　own。

The　Queen　gave　frequent　audiences　to　M。　de　La　Fayette。　　One　day；　when　he　was　in　her　inner　closet；　his　aides…de…camp；　who　waited　for　him；　were　walking　up　and　down　the　great　room　where　the　persons　in　attendance　remained。　　Some　imprudent　young　women　were　thoughtless　enough　to　say；　with　the　intention　of　being　overheard　by　those　officers；　that　it　was　very　alarming　to　see　the　Queen　alone　with　a　rebel　and　a　brigand。　　I　was　annoyed　at　their　indiscretion；　and　imposed　silence　on　them。　　One　of　them　persisted　in　the　appellation　〃brigand。〃　　I　told　her　that　M。　de　La　Fayette　well　deserved　the　name　of　rebel；　but　that　the　title　of　leader　of　a　party　was　given　by　history　to　every　man　commanding　forty　thousand　men；　a　capital；　and　forty　leagues　of　country；　that　kings　had　frequently　treated　with　such　leaders；　and　if　it　was　convenient　to　the　Queen　to　do　the　same；　it　remained　for　us　only　to　be　silent　and　respect　her　actions。　　On　the　morrow　the　Queen；　with　a　serious　air；　but　with　the　greatest　kindness；　asked　what　I　had　said　respecting　M。　de　La　Fayette　on　the　preceding　day；　adding　that　she　had　been　assured　I　had　enjoined　her　women　silence；　because　they　did　not　like　him；　and　that　I　had　taken　his　part。　　I　repeated　what　had　passed　to　the　Queen；　word　for　word。　　She　condescended　to　tell　me　that　I　had　done　perfectly　right。

Whenever　any　false　reports　respecting　me　were　conveyed　to　her　she　was　kind　enough　to　inform　me　of　them；　and　they　had　no　effect　on　the　confidence　with　which　she　continued　to　honour　me；　and　which　I　am　happy　to　think　I　have　justified　even　at　the　risk　of　my　life。

Mesdames；　the　King's　aunts；　set　out　from　Bellevue　in　the　beginning　of　the　year　1791。　　Alexandre　Berthier；　afterwards　Prince　de　Neufchatel；　then　a　colonel　on　the　staff　of　the　army；　and　commandant　of　the　National　Guard　of　Versailles；　facilitated　the　departure　of　Mesdames。　　The　Jacobins　of　that　town　procured　his　dismissal；　and　he　ran　the　greatest　risk；　on　account　of　having　rendered　this　service　to　these　Princesses。

I　went　to　take　leave　of　Madame　Victoire。　　I　little　thought　that　I　was　then　seeing　her　for　the　last　time。　　She　received　me　alone　in　her　closet；　and　assured

　　　　　＇General　Berthier　justified　the　monarch's　confidence　by　a　firm　and　　　　　　prudent　line　of　conduct　which　entitled　him　to　the　highest　military　　　　　　honours；　and　to　the　esteem　of　the　great　warrior　whose　fortune；　　　　　　dangers；　and　glory　he　afterwards　shared。　　This　officer；　full　of　　　　　　honour；　and　gifted　with　the　highest　courage；　was　shut　into　the　　　　　　courtyard　of　Bellevue　by　his　own　troop；　and　ran　great　risk　of　being　　　　　　murdered。　　It　was　not　until　the　14th　of　March　that　he　succeeded　in　　　　　　executing　his　instructions　（〃Memoirs　of　Mesdames；〃　by　Montigny；　vol。　　　　　　i。）。＇

me　that　she　hoped；　as　well　as　wished；　soon　to　return　to　France；　that　the　French　would　be　much　to　be　pitied　if　the　excesses　of　the　Revolution　should　arrive　at　such　a　pitch　as　to　force　her　to　prolong　her　absence。　I　knew　from　the　Queen　that　the　departure　of　Mesdames　was　deemed　necessary；　in　order　to　leave　the　King　free　to　act　when　he　should　be　compelled　to　go　away　with　his　family。　　It　being　impossible　that　the　constitution　of　the　clergy　should　be　otherwise　than　in　direct　opposition　to　the　religious　principles　of　Mesdames；　they　thought　their　journey　to　Rome　would　be　attributed　to　piety　alone。　　It　was；　however；　difficult　to　deceive　an　Assembly　which　weighed　the　slightest　actions　of　the　royal　family；　and　from　that　moment　they　were　more　than　ever　alive　to　what　was　passing　at　the　Tuileries。

Mesdames　were　desirous　of　taking　Madame　Elisabeth　to　Rome。　　The　free　exercise　of　religion；　the　happiness　of　taking　refuge　with　the　head　of　the　Church；　and　the　prospect　of　living　in　safety　with　her　aunts；　whom　she　tenderly　loved；　were　sacrificed　by　that　virtuous　Princess　to　her　attachment　to　the　King。

The　oath　required　of　priests　by　the　civil　constitution　of　the　clergy　introduced　into　France　a　division　which　added　to　the　dangers　by　which　the　King　was　already　surrounded。

　　　　　＇The　priests　were　required　to　swear　to　the　civil　constitution　of　the　　　　　　clergy　of　1790；　by　which　all　the　former　bishoprics　and　parishes　were　　　　　　remodelled；　and　the　priests　and　bishops　elected　by　the　people。　　Most　　　　　　refused；　and　under　the　name　of　'pretres　insermentes'　（as　opposed　to　　　　　　the　few　who　took　the　oath；　'pretres　assermentes'）　were　bitterly　　　　　　persecuted。　　A　simple　promise　to　obey　the　constitution　of　the　State　　　　　　was　substituted　by　Napoleon　as　soon　as　he　came　to　power。＇

Mirabeau　spent　a　whole　night　with　the　cure　of　St。　Eustache；　confessor　of　the　King　and　Queen；　to　persuade　him　to　take　the　oath　required　by　that　constitution。　　Their　Majesties　chose　another　confessor；　who　remained　unknown。

A　few　months　afterwards　（2d　April；　1791）；　the　too　celebrated　Mirabeau；　the　mercenary　democrat　and　venal　royalist；　terminated　his　career。　　The　Queen　regretted　him；　and　was　astonished　at　her　own　regret；　but　she　had　hoped　that　he　who　had　possessed　adroitness　and　weight　enough　to　throw　everything　into　confusion　would　have　been　able　by　the　same　means　to　repair　the　mischief　he　had　caused。　　Much　has　been　said　respecting　the　cause　of　Mirabeau's　death。　　M。　Cabanis；　his　friend　and　physician；　denied　that　he　was　poisoned。　　M。　Vicq…d'Azyr　assured　the　Queen　that　the　'proces…　verbal'　drawn　up　on　the　state　of　the　intestines　would　apply　just　as　well　to　a　case　of　death　produced　by　violent　remedies　as　to　one　produced　by　poison。　　He　said；　also；　that　the　report　had　been　faithful；　but　that　it　was　prudent　to　conclude　it　by　a　declaration　of　natural　death；　since；　in　the　critical　state　in　which　France　then　was；　if　a　suspicion　of　foul　play　were　admitted；　a　person　innocent　of　any　such　crime　might　be　sacrificed　to　public　vengeance。





End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Marie　Antoinette；　V5　by　Madame　Campan









MEMOIRS　OF　THE　COURT　OF　MARIE　ANTOINETTE；　QUEEN　OF　FRANCE

Being　the　Historic　Memoirs　of　Madam　Campan；　First　Lady　in　Waiting　to　the　Queen


BOOK　6。

CHAPTER　V。

IN　the　beginning　of　the　spring　of　1791；　the　King；　tired　of　remaining　at　the　Tuileries；　wished　to　return　to　St。　Cloud。　　His　whole　household　had　already　gone；　and　his　dinner　was　prepared　there。　　He　got　into　his　carriage　at　one；　the　guard　mutinied；　shut　the　gates；　and　declared　they　would　not　let　him　pass。　　This　event　certainly　proceeded　from　some　suspicion　of　a　plan　to　escape。　　Two　persons　who　drew　near　the　King's　carriage　were　very　ill　treated。　　My　father…in…law　was　violently　laid　hold　of　by　the　guards；　who　took　his　sword　from　him。　　The　King　and　his　family　were　obliged　to　alight　and　return　to　their　apartments。

They　did　not　much　regret　this　outrage　in　their　hearts；　they　saw　in　it　a　justification；　even　in　the　eyes　of　the　people；　of　their　intention　to　leave　Paris。

So　early　as　the　month　of　March　in　the　same　year；　the　Queen　began　to　busy　herself　in　preparing　for　her　departure。　　I　spent　that　month　with　her；　and　executed　a　great　number　of　secret　orders　which　she　gave　me　respecting　the　intended　event。　　It　was　with　uneasiness　that　I　saw　her　occupied　with　cares　which　seemed　to　me　useless；　and　even　dangerous；　and　I　remarked　to　her　that　the　Queen　of　France　would　find　linen　and　gowns　everywhere。　My　observations　were　made　in　vain；　she　determined　to　have　a　complete　wardrobe　with　her　at　Brussels；　as　well　for　her　children　as　herself。　I　went　out　alone　and　almost　disguised　to　purchase　the　articles　necessary　and　have　them　made　up。

I　ordered　six　chemises　at　the　shop　of　one　seamstress；　six　at　that　of　another；　gowns；　combing　cloths；　etc。　　My　sister　had　a　complete　set　of　clothes　made　for　Madame；　by　the　measure　of　her　eldest　daughter；　and　I　ordered　clothes　for　the　Dauphin　from　those　of　my　son。　　I　filled　a　trunk　with　these　things；　and　addressed　them；　by　the　Queen's　orders；　to　one　of　her　women；　my　aunt；　Madame　Cardon；a　widow　living　at　Arras