the memoirs of marie antoinette-第74节

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e　often　requested　of　me；　but　this　line　of　conduct　exposed　me　to　every　species　of　ill…will；　and　on　the　same　day　I　saw　myself　denounced　by　Prud'homme；　in　his　'Gazette　Revolutionnaire'；　as　capable　of　making　an　aristocrat　of　the　mother　of　the　Gracchi；　if　a　person　so　dangerous　as　myself　could　have　got　into　her　household；　and　by　Gauthier's　Gazette　Royaliste；　as　a　monarchist；　a　constitutionalist；　more　dangerous　to　the　Queen's　interests　than　a　Jacobin。

At　this　period　an　event　with　which　I　had　nothing　to　do　placed　me　in　a　still　more　critical　situation。　　My　brother；　M。　Genet；　began　his　diplomatic　career　successfully。　　At　eighteen　he　was　attached　to　the　embassy　to　Vienna；　at　twenty　he　was　appointed　chief　secretary　of　Legation　in　England；　on　occasion　of　the　peace　of　1783。　　A　memorial　which　he　presented　to　M。　de　Vergennes　upon　the　dangers　of　the　treaty　of　commerce　then　entered　into　with　England　gave　offence　to　M。　de　Calonne；　a　patron　of　that　treaty；　and　particularly　to　M。　Gerard　de　Rayneval；　chief　clerk　for　foreign　affairs。　　So　long　as　M。　de　Vergennes　lived；　having　upon　my　father's　death　declared　himself　the　protector　of　my　brother；　he　supported　him　against　the　enemies　his　views　had　created。　　But　on　his　death　M。　de　Montmorin；　being　much　in　need　of　the　long　experience　in　business　which　he　found　in　M。　de　Rayneval；　was　guided　solely　by　the　latter。　　The　office　of　which　my　brother　was　the　head　was　suppressed。　　He　then　went　to　St。　Petersburg；　strongly　recommended　to　the　Comte　de　Segur；　minister　from　France　to　that　Court；　who　appointed　him　secretary　of　Legation。　　Some　time　afterwards　the　Comte　de　Segur　left　him　at　St。　Petersburg；　charged　with　the　affairs　of　France。　　After　his　return　from　Russia；　M。　Genet　was　appointed　ambassador　to　the　United　States　by　the　party　called　Girondists；　the　deputies　who　headed　it　being　from　the　department　of　the　Gironde。　　He　was　recalled　by　the　Robespierre　party；　which　overthrew　the　former　faction；　on　the　31st　of　May；　1793；　and　condemned　to　appear　before　the　Convention。　　Vice…President　Clinton；　at　that　time　Governor　of　New　York；　offered　him　an　asylum　in　his　house　and　the　hand　of　his　daughter；　and　M。　Genet　established　himself　prosperously　in　America。

When　my　brother　quitted　Versailles　he　was　much　hurt　at　being　deprived　of　a　considerable　income　for　having　penned　a　memorial　which　his　zeal　alone　had　dictated；　and　the　importance　of　which　was　afterwards　but　too　well　understood。　　I　perceived　from　his　correspondence　that　he　inclined　to　some　of　the　new　notions。　　He　told　me　it　was　right　he　should　no　longer　conceal　from　me　that　he　sided　with　the　constitutional　party；　that　the　King　had　in　fact　commanded　it；　having　himself　accepted　the　constitution；　that　he　would　proceed　firmly　in　that　course；　because　in　this　case　disingenuousness　would　be　fatal；　and　that　he　took　that　side　of　the　question　because　he　had　had　it　proved　to　him　that　the　foreign　powers　would　not　serve　the　King's　cause　without　advancing　pretensions　prompted　by　long…standing　interests；　which　always　would　influence　their　councils；　that　he　saw　no　salvation　for　the　King　and　Queen　but　from　within　France；　and　that　he　would　serve　the　constitutional　King　as　he　served　him　before　the　Revolution。　　And　lastly；　he　requested　me　to　impart　to　the　Queen　the　real　sentiments　of　one　of　his　Majesty's　agents　at　a　foreign　Court。　　I　immediately　went　to　the　Queen　and　gave　her　my　brother's　letter；　she　read　it　attentively；　and　said；　〃This　is　the　letter　of　a　young　man　led　astray　by　discontent　and　ambition；　I　know　you　do　not　think　as　he　does；　do　not　fear　that　you　will　lose　the　confidence　of　the　King　and　myself。〃　　I　offered　to　discontinue　all　correspondence　with　my　brother；　she　opposed　that；　saying　it　would　be　dangerous。　　I　then　entreated　she　would　permit　me　in　future　to　show　her　my　own　and　my　brother's　letters；　to　which　she　consented。　　I　wrote　warmly　to　my　brother　against　the　course　he　had　adopted。　　I　sent　my　letters　by　sure　channels；　he　answered　me　by　the　post；　and　no　longer　touched　upon　anything　but　family　affairs。　　Once　only　he　informed　me　that　if　I　should　write　to　him　respecting　the　affairs　of　the　day　he　would　give　me　no　answer。　　〃Serve　your　august　mistress　with　the　unbounded　devotion　which　is　due　from　you；〃　said　he；　〃and　let　us　each　do　our　duty。　　I　will　only　observe　to　you　that　at　Paris　the　fogs　of　the　Seine　often　prevent　people　from　seeing　that　immense　capital；　even　from　the　Pavilion　of　Flora；　and　I　see　it　more　clearly　from　St。　Petersburg。〃　The　Queen　said；　as　she　read　this　letter；　〃Perhaps　he　speaks　but　too　truly；　who　can　decide　upon　so　disastrous　a　position　as　ours　has　become？〃　The　day　on　which　I　gave　the　Queen　my　brother's　first　letter　to　read　she　had　several　audiences　to　give　to　ladies　and　other　persons　belonging　to　the　Court；　who　came　on　purpose　to　inform　her　that　my　brother　was　an　avowed　constitutionalist　and　revolutionist。　　The　Queen　replied；　〃I　know　it；　Madame　Campan　has　told　me　so。〃　　Persons　jealous　of　my　situation　having　subjected　me　to　mortifications；　and　these　unpleasant　circumstances　recurring　daily；　I　requested　the　Queen's　permission　to　withdraw　from　Court。　　She　exclaimed　against　the　very　idea；　represented　it　to　me　as　extremely　dangerous　for　my　own　reputation；　and　had　the　kindness　to　add　that；　for　my　sake　as　well　as　for　her　own；　she　never　would　consent　to　it。　After　this　conversation　I　retired　to　my　apartment。　　A　few　minutes　later　a　footman　brought　me　this　note　from　the　Queen：　〃I　have　never　ceased　to　give　you　and　yours　proofs　of　my　attachment；　I　wish　to　tell　you　in　writing　that　I　have　full　faith　in　your　honour　and　fidelity；　as　well　as　in　your　other　good　qualities；　and　that　I　ever　rely　on　the　zeal　and　address　you　exert　to　serve　me。〃

　　　　　＇I　had　just　received　this　letter　from　the　Queen　when　M。　de　la　　　　　　Chapelle；　commissary…general　of　the　King's　household；　and　head　of　　　　　　the　offices　of　M。　de　Laporte；　minister　of　the　civil　list；　came　to　　　　　　see　me。　　The　palace　having　been　already　sacked　by　the　brigands　on　　　　　　the　20th　of　June；　1792；　he　proposed　that　I　should　entrust　the　paper　　　　　　to　him；　that　he　might　place　it　in　a　safer　situation　than　the　　　　　　apartments　of　the　Queen。　　When　he　returned　into　his　offices　he　　　　　　placed　the　letter　she　had　condescended　to　write　to　me　behind　a　large　　　　　　picture　in　his　closet；　but　on　the　loth　of　August　M。　de　la　Chapelle　　　　　　was　thrown　into　the　prisons　of　the　Abbaye；　and　the　committee　of　　　　　　public　safety　established　themselves　in　his　offices；　whence　they　　　　　　issued　all　their　decrees　of　death。　　There　it　was　that　a　villainous　　　　　　servant　belonging　to　M。　de　Laporte　went　to　declare　that　in　the　　　　　　minister's　apartments；　under　a　board　in　the　floor；　a　number　of　　　　　　papers　would　be　found。　　They　were　brought　forth；　and　M。　de　Laporte　　　　　　was　sent　to　the　scaffold；　where　he　suffered　for　having　betrayed　the　　　　　　State　by　serving　his　master　and　sovereign。　　M。　de　la　Chapelle　was　　　　　　saved；　as　if　by　a　miracle；　from　the　massacres　of　the　2d　of　　　　　　September。　　The　committee　of　public　safety　having　removed　to　the　　　　　　King's　apartments　at　the　Tuileries；　M。　de　la　Chapelle　had　permission　　　　　　to　return　to　his　closet　to　take　away　some　property　belonging　to　him。　　　　　　Turning　round　the　picture；　behind　which　he　had　hidden　the　Queen's　　　　　　letter；　he　found　it　in　the　place　into　which　he　had　slipped　it；　and；　　　　　　delighted　to　see　that　I　was　safe　from　the　ill　consequences　the　　　　　　discovery　of　this　paper　might　have　brought　upon　me；　he　burnt　it　　　　　　instantly。　　In　times　of　danger　a　mere　nothing　may　save　life　or　　　　　　destroy　it。MADAME　CAMPAN＇

At　the　moment　that　I　was　going　to　express　my　gratitude　to　the　Queen　I　heard　a　tapping　at　the　door　of　my　room；　which　opened　upon　the　Queen's　inner　corridor。　　I　opened　it；　it　was　the　King。　　I　was　confused；　he　perceived　it；　and　said　to　me；　kindly：　〃I　alarm　you；　Madame　Campan；　I　come；　however；　to　comfort　you；　the　Queen　has　told　me　how　much　she　is　hurt　at　the　injustice　of　several　persons　towards　you。　　But　how　is　it　that　you　complain　of　injustice　and　calumny　when　you　see　that　we　are　victims　of　them？　　In　some　of　your　companions　it　is　jealousy；　in　the　people　belonging　to　the　Court　it　is　anxiety。　　Our　situation　is　so　disastrous；　and　we　have　met　with　so　much　ingratitude　and　treachery；　that　the　apprehensions　of　those　who　love　us　are　excusable！　　I　could　quiet　them　by　telling　them　all　the　secret　services　you　perform　for　us　daily；　but　I　will　not　do　it。　　Out　of　good…will　to　you　they　would　repeat　all　I　should　say；　and　you　would　be　lost　with　the　Assembly。　　It　is　much　better；　both　for　you　and　for　us；　that　you　should　be　thought　a　constitutionalist。　　It　has　been　mentioned　to　me　a　hundred　times　already；　I　have　never　contradicted　it；　but　I　come　to　give　you　my　word　that　if　we　are　fortunate　enough　to　see　an　end　of　all　this；　I　will；　at　the　Queen's　residence；　and　in　the　presence　of　my　brothers；　relate　the　important　services　you　have　rendered　us；　and　I　will　recompense　you　and　your　son　for　them。〃　　I　threw　myself　at　the　King's　feet　and　kissed　his　hand。　　He　raised　me　up；　saying；　〃Come；　come；　do　not　grieve；　the　Queen；　who　loves　you；　confides　in　you　as　I　do。〃

Down　to　the　day　of　the　acceptance　it　was　impossible　to　introduce　Barnave　into　the　interior　of　the　palace；　but　when　the　Queen　was　free　from　the　inner　guard　she　said　she　would　see　him。　　The　very　great　precau