the memoirs of marie antoinette-第70节

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o　leave　one　who　had　devoted　herself　to　follow　them　in　such　a　state　of　suffering。　　But　no　delay　in　departing　was　allowed。　　The　three　Body　Guards　（Valory；　Du　Moustier；　and　Malden）　were　gagged　and　fastened　upon　the　seat　of　the　carriage。　　A　horde　of　National　Guards；　animated　with　fury　and　the　barbarous　joy　with　which　their　fatal　triumph　inspired　them；　surrounded　the　carriage　of　the　royal　family。

The　three　commissioners　sent　by　the　Assembly　to　meet　the　King；　MM。　de　Latour…Maubourg；　Barnave；　and　Potion；　joined　them　in　the　environs　of　Epernay。　　The　two　last　mentioned　got　into　the　King's　carriage。　　The　Queen　astonished　me　by　the　favourable　opinion　she　had　formed　of　Barnave。　When　I　quitted　Paris　a　great　many　persons　spoke　of　him　only　with　horror。　She　told　me　he　was　much　altered；　that　he　was　full　of　talent　and　noble　feeling。　　〃A　feeling　of　pride　which　I　cannot　much　blame　in　a　young　man　belonging　to　the　Tiers　Etat；〃　she　said；　〃made　him　applaud　everything　which　smoothed　the　road　to　rank　and　fame　for　that　class　in　which　he　was　born。　　And　if　we　get　the　power　in　our　own　hands　again；　Barnave's　pardon　is　already　written　on　our　hearts。〃　　The　Queen　added；　that　she　had　not　the　same　feeling　towards　those　nobles　who　had　joined　the　revolutionary　party；　who　had　always　received　marks　of　favour；　often　to　the　injury　of　those　beneath　them　in　rank；　and　who；　born　to　be　the　safeguard　of　the　monarchy；　could　never　be　pardoned　for　having　deserted　it。　　She　then　told　me　that　Barnave's　conduct　upon　the　road　was　perfectly　correct；　while　Potion's　republican　rudeness　was　disgusting；　that　the　latter　ate　and　drank　in　the　King's　berlin　in　a　slovenly　manner；　throwing　the　bones　of　the　fowls　out　through　the　window　at　the　risk　of　sending　them　even　into　the　King's　face；　lifting　up　his　glass；　when　Madame　Elisabeth　poured　him　out　wine；　to　show　her　that　there　was　enough；　without　saying　a　word；　that　this　offensive　behaviour　must　have　been　intentional；　because　the　man　was　not　without　education；　and　that　Barnave　was　hurt　at　it。　　On　being　pressed　by　the　Queen　to　take　something；　〃Madame；〃　replied　Barnave；　〃on　so　solemn　an　occasion　the　deputies　of　the　National　Assembly　ought　to　occupy　your　Majesties　solely　about　their　mission；　and　by　no　means　about　their　wants。〃　In　short；　his　respectful　delicacy；　his　considerate　attentions；　and　all　that　he　said；　gained　the　esteem　not　only　of　the　Queen；　but　of　Madame　Elisabeth　also。

The　King　began　to　talk　to　Petion　about　the　situation　of　France；　and　the　motives　of　his　conduct；　which　were　founded　upon　the　necessity　of　giving　to　the　executive　power　a　strength　necessary　for　its　action；　for　the　good　even　of　the　constitutional　act；　since　France　could　not　be　a　republic。　〃Not　yet；　'tis　true；〃　replied　Petion；　〃because　the　French　are　not　ripe　enough　for　that。〃　　This　audacious　and　cruel　answer　silenced　the　King；　who　said　no　more　until　his　arrival　at　Paris。　　Potion　held　the　little　Dauphin　upon　his　knees；　and　amused　himself　with　curling　the　beautiful　light　hair　of　the　interesting　child　round　his　fingers；　and；　as　he　spoke　with　much　gesticulation；　he　pulled　his　locks　hard　enough　to　make　the　Dauphin　cry　out。　　〃Give　me　my　son；〃　said　the　Queen　to　him；　〃he　is　accustomed　to　tenderness　and　delicacy；　which　render　him　little　fit　for　such　familiarity。〃

The　Chevalier　de　Dampierre　was　killed　near　the　King's　carriage　upon　leaving　Varennes。　　A　poor　village　cure；　some　leagues　from　the　place　where　the　crime　was　committed；　was　imprudent　enough　to　draw　near　to　speak　to　the　King；　the　cannibals　who　surrounded　the　carriage　rushed　upon　him。　〃Tigers；〃　exclaimed　Barnave；　〃have　you　ceased　to　be　Frenchmen？　　Nation　of　brave　men；　are　you　become　a　set　of　assassins？〃　　These　words　alone　saved　the　cure；　who　was　already　upon　the　ground；　from　certain　death。　　Barnave；　as　he　spoke　to　them；　threw　himself　almost　out　of　the　coach　window；　and　Madame　Elisabeth；　affected　by　this　noble　burst　of　feeling；　held　him　by　the　skirt　of　his　coat。　　The　Queen；　while　speaking　of　this　event；　said　that　on　the　most　momentous　occasions　whimsical　contrasts　always　struck　her；　and　that　even　at　such　a　moment　the　pious　Elisabeth　holding　Barnave　by　the　flap　of　his　coat　was　a　ludicrous　sight。

The　deputy　was　astonished　in　another　way。　　Madame　Elisabeth's　comments　upon　the　state　of　France；　her　mild　and　persuasive　eloquence；　and　the；　ease　and　simplicity　with　which　she　talked　to　him；　yet　without　sacrificing　her　dignity　in　the　slightest　degree；　appeared　to　him　unique；　and　his　heart；　which　was　doubtless　inclined　to　right　principles　though　he　had　followed　the　wrong　path；　was　overcome　by　admiration。　　The　conduct　of　the　two　deputies　convinced　the　Queen　of　the　total　separation　between　the　republican　and　constitutional　parties。　　At　the　inns　where　she　alighted　she　had　some　private　conversation　with　Barnave。　　The　latter　said　a　great　deal　about　the　errors　committed　by　the　royalists　during　the　Revolution；　adding　that　he　had　found　the　interest　of　the　Court　so　feebly　and　so　badly　defended　that　he　had　been　frequently　tempted　to　go　and　offer　it；　in　himself；　an　aspiring　champion；　who　knew　the　spirit　of　the　age　and　nation。　The　Queen　asked　him　what　was　the　weapon　he　would　have　recommended　her　to　use。

〃Popularity；　Madame。〃

〃And　how　could　I　use　that；〃　replied　her　Majesty；　〃of　which　I　have　been　deprived？〃

〃Ah！　　Madame；　it　was　much　more　easy　for　you　to　regain　it；　than　for　me　to　acquire　it。〃

The　Queen　mainly　attributed　the　arrest　at　Varennes　to　M。　de　Goguelat；　she　said　he　calculated　the　time　that　would　be　spent　in　the　journey　erroneously。　　He　performed　that　from　Montmedy　to　Paris　before　taking　the　King's　last　orders；　alone　in　a　post…chaise；　and　he　founded　all　his　calculations　upon　the　time　he　spent　thus。　　The　trial　has　been　made　since；　and　it　was　found　that　a　light　carriage　without　any　courier　was　nearly　three　hours　less　in　running　the　distance　than　a　heavy　carriage　preceded　by　a　courier。

The　Queen　also　blamed　him　for　having　quitted　the　high…road　at　Pont…de…　Sommevelle；　where　the　carriage　was　to　meet　the　forty　hussars　commanded　by　him。　　She　thought　that　he　ought　to　have　dispersed　the　very　small　number　of　people　at　Varennes；　and　not　have　asked　the　hussars　whether　they　were　for　the　King　or　the　nation；　that；　particularly；　he　ought　to　have　avoided　taking　the　King's　orders；　as　he　was　previously　aware　of　the　reply　M。　d'Inisdal　had　received　when　it　was　proposed　to　carry　off　the　King。

After　all　that　the　Queen　had　said　to　me　respecting　the　mistakes　made　by　M。　de　Goguelat；　I　thought　him　of　course　disgraced。　　What　was　my　surprise　when；　having　been　set　at　liberty　after　the　amnesty　which　followed　the　acceptance　of　the　constitution；　he　presented　himself　to　the　Queen；　and　was　received　with　the　greatest　kindness！　　She　said　he　had　done　what　he　could；　and　that　his　zeal　ought　to　form　an　excuse　for　all　the　rest。

　　　　　＇Full　details　of　the　preparations　for　the　flight　to　Varennes　will　be　　　　　　found　in　〃　Le　Comte　de　Fersen　et　La　Cour　de　France；〃　Paris；　Didot　et　　　　　　Cie；　1878　（a　review　of　which　was　given　in　the　Quarterly　Review　for　　　　　　July；　1880）；　and　in　the　〃Memoirs　of　the　Marquis　de　Bouille；　London；　　　　　　Cadell　and　Davis；　1797；　Count　Fersen　being　the　person　who　planned　　　　　　the　actual　escape；　and　De　Bouille　being　in　command　of　the　army　which　　　　　　was　to　receive　the　King。　　The　plan　was　excellent；　and　would　　　　　　certainly　have　succeeded；　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　royal　family　　　　　　themselves。　　Marie　Antoinette；　it　will　have　been　seen　by　Madame　　　　　　Campan's　account；　nearly　wrecked　the　plan　from　inability　to　do　　　　　　without　a　large　dressing　or　travelling　case。　　The　King　did　a　more　　　　　　fatal　thing。　　De　Bouille　had　pointed　out　the　necessity　for　having　in　　　　　　the　King's　carriage　an　officer　knowing　the　route；　and　able　to　show　　　　　　himself　to　give　all　directions；　and　a　proper　person　had　been　　　　　　provided。　　The　King；　however；　objected；　as　〃he　could　not　have　the　　　　　　Marquis　d'Agoult　in　the　same　carriage　with　himself；　the　governess　of　　　　　　the　royal　children；　who　was　to　accompany　them；　having　refused　to　　　　　　abandon　her　privilege　of　constantly　remaining　with　her　charge。〃　　See　　　　　　〃De　Bouille；〃　pp。　307　and　334。　　Thus；　when　Louis　was　recognised　at　　　　　　the　window　of　the　carriage　by　Drouet；　he　was　lost　by　the　very　danger　　　　　　that　had　been　foreseen；　and　this　wretched　piece　of　etiquette　led　to　　　　　　his　death。＇

When　the　royal　family　was　brought　back　from　Varennes　to　the　Tuileries；　the　Queen's　attendants　found　the　greatest　difficulty　in　making　their　way　to　her　apartments；　everything　had　been　arranged　so　that　the　wardrobe　woman；　who　had　acted　as　spy；　should　have　the　service；　and　she　was　to　be　assisted　in　it　only　by　her　sister　and　her　sister's　daughter。

M。　de　Gouvion；　M。　de　La　Fayette's　aide…de…camp；　had　this　woman's　portrait　placed　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase　which　led　to　the　Queen's　apartments；　in　order　that　the　sentinel　should　not　permit　any　other　women　to　make　their　way　in。　　As　soon　as　the　Queen　was　informed　of　this　contemptible　precaution；　she　told　the　King　of　it；　who　sent　to　ascertain　the　fact。　His　Majesty　then　called　for　M。　de　La　Fayette；　claimed　freedom　in　his　household；　and　particularly　in　that　of　the　Queen；　and　ordered　him　to　send　a　woman　in；　whom　no　one　but　himself　could　confide　out　of　the　palace。　M。　de　La　Fayette　was　obliged　to　comply。

On　the　d