the memoirs of marie antoinette-第69节

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th　the　portfolio　she　had　agreed　to　receive。　　This　commission　could　not　escape　the　detestable　spy　upon　the　Queen。　　She　gave　information　that　a　portfolio　had　been　carried　out　on　the　evening　of　the　departure；　adding　that　the　King　had　placed　it　upon　the　Queen's　easy…chair；　that　the　garcon　de　toilette　wrapped　it　up　in　a　napkin　and　took　it　under　his　arm；　and　that　she　did　not　know　where　he　had　carried　it。　　The　man；　who　was　remarkable　for　his　fidelity；　underwent　three　examinations　without　making　the　slightest　disclosure。　　M。　Diet；　a　man　of　good　family；　a　servant　on　whom　the　Queen　placed　particular　reliance；　likewise　experienced　the　severest　treatment。　　At　length；　after　a　lapse　of　three　weeks；　the　Queen　succeeded　in　obtaining　the　release　of　her　servants。

The　Queen；　about　the　15th　of　August；　had　me　informed　by　letter　that　I　might　come　back　to　Paris　without　being　under　any　apprehension　of　arrest　there；　and　that　she　greatly　desired　my　return。　　I　brought　my　father…in…　law　back　in　a　dying　state；　and　on　the　day　preceding　that　of　the　acceptation　of　the　constitutional　act；　I　informed　the　Queen　that　he　was　no　more。　　〃The　loss　of　Lassonne　and　Campan；〃　said　she；　as　she　applied　her　handkerchief　to　her　streaming　eyes；　〃has　taught　me　how　valuable　such　subjects　are　to　their　masters。　　I　shall　never　find　their　equals。〃

I　resumed　my　functions　about　the　Queen　on　the　1st　of　September；　1791。　She　was　unable　then　to　converse　with　me　on　all　the　lamentable　events　which　had　occurred　since　the　time　of　my　leaving　her；　having　on　guard　near　her　an　officer　whom　she　dreaded　more　than　all　the　others。　　She　merely　told　me　that　I　should　have　some　secret　services　to　perform　for　her；　and　that　she　would　not　create　uneasiness　by　long　conversations　with　me；　my　return　being　a　subject　of　suspicion。　　But　next　day　the　Queen；　well　knowing　the　discretion　of　the　officer　who　was　to　be　on　guard　that　night；　had　my　bed　placed　very　near　hers；　and　having　obtained　the　favour　of　having　the　door　shut；　when　I　was　in　bed　she　began　the　narrative　of　the　journey；　and　the　unfortunate　arrest　at　Varennes。　　I　asked　her　permission　to　put　on　my　gown；　and　kneeling　by　her　bedside　I　remained　until　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　listening　with　the　liveliest　and　most　sorrowful　interest　to　the　account　I　am　about　to　repeat；　and　of　which　I　have　seen　various　details；　of　tolerable　exactness；　in　papers　of　the　time。

The　King　entrusted　Count　Fersen　with　all　the　preparations　for　departure。　The　carriage　was　ordered　by　him；　the　passport；　in　the　name　of　Madame　de　Korf；　was　procured　through　his　connection　with　that　lady；　who　was　a　foreigner。　　And　lastly；　he　himself　drove　the　royal　family；　as　their　coachman；　as　far　as　Bondy；　where　the　travellers　got　into　their　berlin。　Madame　Brunier　and　Madame　Neuville；　the　first　women　of　Madame　and　the　Dauphin；　there　joined　the　principal　carriage。　　They　were　in　a　cabriolet。　Monsieur　and　Madame　set　out　from　the　Luxembourg　and　took　another　road。　They　as　well　as　the　King　were　recognised　by　the　master　of　the　last　post　in　France；　but　this　man；　devoting　himself　to　the　fortunes　of　the　Prince；　left　the　French　territory；　and　drove　them　himself　as　postilion。　　Madame　Thibaut；　the　Queen's　first　woman；　reached　Brussels　without　the　slightest　difficulty。　　Madame　Cardon；　from　Arras；　met　with　no　hindrance；　and　Leonard；　the　Queen's　hairdresser；　passed　through　Varennes　a　few　hours　before　the　royal　family。　　Fate　had　reserved　all　its　obstacles　for　the　unfortunate　monarch。

Nothing　worthy　of　notice　occurred　in　the　beginning　of　the　journey。　　The　travellers　were　detained　a　short　time；　about　twelve　leagues　from　Paris；　by　some　repairs　which　the　carriage　required。　　The　King　chose　to　walk　up　one　of　the　hills；　and　these　two　circumstances　caused　a　delay　of　three　hours；　precisely　at　the　time　when　it　was　intended　that　the　berlin　should　have　been　met；　just　before　reaching　Varennes；　by　the　detachment　commanded　by　M。　de　Goguelat。　　This　detachment　was　punctually　stationed　upon　the　spot　fixed　on；　with　orders　to　wait　there　for　the　arrival　of　certain　treasure；　which　it　was　to　escort；　but　the　peasantry　of　the　neighbourhood；　alarmed　at　the　sight　of　this　body　of　troops；　came　armed　with　staves；　and　asked　several　questions；　which　manifested　their　anxiety。　　M。　de　Goguelat；　fearful　of　causing　a　riot；　and　not　finding　the　carriage　arrive　as　he　expected；　divided　his　men　into　two　companies；　and　unfortunately　made　them　leave　the　highway　in　order　to　return　to　Varennes　by　two　cross　roads。　The　King　looked　out　of　the　carriage　at　Ste。　Menehould；　and　asked　several　questions　concerning　the　road。　　Drouet；　the　post…master；　struck　by　the　resemblance　of　Louis　to　the　impression　of　his　head　upon　the　assignats；　drew　near　the　carriage；　felt　convinced　that　he　recognised　the　Queen　also；　and　that　the　remainder　of　the　travellers　consisted　of　the　royal　family　and　their　suite；　mounted　his　horse；　reached　Varennes　by　cross　roads　before　the　royal　fugitives；　and　gave　the　alarm。＇Varennes　lies　between　Verdun　and　Montmedy；　and　not　far　from　the　French　frontier。＇

The　Queen　began　to　feel　all　the　agonies　of　terror；　they　were　augmented　by　the　voice　of　a　person　unknown；　who；　passing　close　to　the　carriage　in　full　gallop；　cried　out；　bending　towards　the　window　without　slackening　his　speed；　〃You　are　recognised！〃　　They　arrived　with　beating　hearts　at　the　gates　of　Varennes　without　meeting　one　of　the　horsemen　by　whom　they　were　to　have　been　escorted　into　the　place。　　They　were　ignorant　where　to　find　their　relays；　and　some　minutes　were　lost　in　waiting；　to　no　purpose。　　The　cabriolet　had　preceded　them；　and　the　two　ladies　in　attendance　found　the　bridge　already　blocked　up　with　old　carts　and　lumber。　　The　town　guards　were　all　under　arms。　　The　King　at　last　entered　Varennes。　　M。　de　Goguelat　had　arrived　there　with　his　detachment。　　He　came　up　to　the　King　and　asked　him　if　he　chose　to　effect　a　passage　by　force！　　What　an　unlucky　question　to　put　to　Louis　XVI。；　who　from　the　very　beginning　of　the　Revolution　had　shown　in　every　crisis　the　fear　he　entertained　of　giving　the　least　order　which　might　cause　an　effusion　of　blood！　　〃Would　it　be　a　brisk　action？〃　said　the　King。　　〃It　is　impossible　that　it　should　be　otherwise；　Sire；〃　replied　the　aide…decamp。　　Louis　XVI。　was　unwilling　to　expose　his　family。　They　therefore　went　to　the　house　of　a　grocer；　Mayor　of　Varennes。　　The　King　began　to　speak；　and　gave　a　summary　of　his　intentions　in　departing；　analogous　to　the　declaration　he　had　made　at　Paris。　　He　spoke　with　warmth　and　affability；　and　endeavoured　to　demonstrate　to　the　people　around　him　that　he　had　only　put　himself；　by　the　step　he　had　taken；　into　a　fit　situation　to　treat　with　the　Assembly；　and　to　sanction　with　freedom　the　constitution　which　he　would　maintain；　though　many　of　its　articles　were　incompatible　with　the　dignity　of　the　throne；　and　the　force　by　which　it　was　necessary　that　the　sovereign　should　be　surrounded。　　Nothing　could　be　more　affecting；　added　the　Queen；　than　this　moment；　in　which　the　King　felt　bound　to　communicate　to　the　very　humblest　class　of　his　subjects　his　principles；　his　wishes　for　the　happiness　of　his　people；　and　the　motives　which　had　determined　him　to　depart。

Whilst　the　King　was　speaking　to　this　mayor；　whose　name　was　Sauce；　the　Queen；　seated　at　the　farther　end　of　the　shop；　among　parcels　of　soap　and　candles；　endeavoured　to　make　Madame　Sauce　understand　that　if　she　would　prevail　upon　her　husband　to　make　use　of　his　municipal　authority　to　cover　the　flight　of　the　King　and　his　family；　she　would　have　the　glory　of　having　contributed　to　restore　tranquillity　to　France。　　This　woman　was　moved；　she　could　not；　without　streaming　eyes；　see　herself　thus　solicited　by　her　Queen；　but　she　could　not　be　got　to　say　anything　more　than；　〃Bon　Dieu；　Madame；　it　would　be　the　destruction　of　M。　Sauce；　I　love　my　King；　but　I　love　my　husband　too；　you　must　know；　and　he　would　be　answerable；　you　see。〃　Whilst　this　strange　scene　was　passing　in　the　shop；　the　people；　hearing　that　the　King　was　arrested；　kept　pouring　in　from　all　parts。　　M。　de　Goguelat；　making　a　last　effort；　demanded　of　the　dragoons　whether　they　would　protect　the　departure　of　the　King；　they　replied　only　by　murmurs；　dropping　the　points　of　their　swords。　　Some　person　unknown　fired　a　pistol　at　M。　de　Goguelat；　he　was　slightly　wounded　by　the　ball。　　M。　Romeuf；　aide…　de…camp　to　M。　de　La　Fayette；　arrived　at　that　moment。　　He　had　been　chosen；　after　the　6th　of　October；　1789；　by　the　commander　of　the　Parisian　guard　to　be　in　constant　attendance　about　the　Queen。　　She　reproached　him　bitterly　with　the　object　of　his　mission。　　〃If　you　wish　to　make　your　name　remarkable；　monsieur；〃　said　the　Queen　to　him；　〃you　have　chosen　strange　and　odious　means；　which　will　produce　the　most　fatal　consequences。〃　　This　officer　wished　to　hasten　their　departure。　　The　Queen；　still　cherishing　the　hope　of　seeing　M。　de　Bouille　arrive　with　a　sufficient　force　to　extricate　the　King　from　his　critical　situation；　prolonged　her　stay　at　Varennes　by　every　means　in　her　power。

The　Dauphin's　first　woman　pretended　to　be　taken　ill　with　a　violent　colic；　and　threw　herself　upon　a　bed；　in　the　hope　of　aiding　the　designs　of　her　superiors；　she　went　and　implored　for　assistance。　　The　Queen　understood　her　perfectly　well；　and　refused　to　leave　one　who　had　devoted　herself　to　follow　them　in　such　a　state　of　suffering。　　But　no　delay　in　de