the memoirs of marie antoinette-第78节
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had not a warmer friend than myself。 Upon this an ill…looking man； making his way through the crowd； came up to me and said； rather roughly； 'Well； if you speak the truth； prove it by putting on this red cap。' 'I consent；' replied I。 One or two of them immediately came forward and placed the cap upon my hair； for it was too small for my head。 I was convinced； I knew not why； that his intention was merely to place the cap upon my head for a moment； and then to take it off again； and I was so completely taken up with what was passing before me that I did not feel whether the cap did or did not remain upon my hair。 I was so little aware of it that when I returned to my room I knew only from being told so that it was still there。 I was very much surprised to find it upon my head； and was the more vexed at it because I might have taken it off immediately without the smallest difficulty。 But I am satisfied that if I had hesitated to consent to its being placed upon my head the drunken fellow who offered it to me would have thrust his pike into my stomach。〃〃Memoirs of Bertrand de Molleville。〃＇
the sort of standards which they carried were symbols of the most atrocious barbarity。 There was one representing a gibbet； to which a dirty doll was suspended； the words 〃Marie Antoinette a la lanterne〃 were written beneath it。 Another was a board； to which a bullock's heart was fastened； with 〃Heart of Louis XVI。〃 written round it。 And a third showed the horn of an ox； with an obscene inscription。
One of the most furious Jacobin women who marched with these wretches stopped to give vent to a thousand imprecations against the Queen。 Her Majesty asked whether she had ever seen her。 She replied that she had not。 Whether she had done her any； personal wrong？ Her answer was the same； but she added：
〃It is you who have caused the misery of the nation。〃
〃You have been told so；〃 answered the Queen； 〃you are deceived。 As the wife of the King of France； and mother of the Dauphin； I am a French… woman； I shall never see my own country again； I can be happy or unhappy only in France； I was happy when you loved me。〃
The fury began to weep； asked her pardon； and said； 〃It was because I did not know you； I see that you are good。〃
Santerre； the monarch of the faubourgs； made his subjects file off as quickly as he could； and it was thought at the time that he was ignorant of the object of this insurrection； which was the murder of the royal family。 However； it was eight o'clock in the evening before the palace was completely cleared。 Twelve deputies； impelled by attachment to the King's person； ranged themselves near him at the commencement of the insurrection； but the deputation from the Assembly did not reach the Tuileries until six in the evening； all the doors of the apartments were broken。 The Queen pointed out to the deputies the state of the King's palace； and the disgraceful manner in which his asylum had been violated under the very eyes of the Assembly； she saw that Merlin de Thionville was so much affected as to shed tears while she spoke。
〃You weep； M。 Merlin；〃 said she to him； 〃at seeing the King and his family so cruelly treated by a people whom he always wished to make happy。〃
〃True； Madame；〃 replied Merlin； 〃I weep for the misfortunes of a beautiful and feeling woman； the mother of a family； but do not mistake； not one of my tears falls for either King or Queen； I hate kings and queens；it is my religion。〃
The Queen could not appreciate this madness； and saw all that was to be apprehended by persons who evinced it。
All hope was gone； and nothing was thought of but succour from abroad。 The Queen appealed to her family and the King's brothers； her letters probably became more pressing； and expressed apprehensions upon the tardiness of relief。 Her Majesty read me one to herself from the Archduchess Christina； Gouvernante of the Low Countries： she reproached the Queen for some of her expressions； and told her that those out of France were at least as much alarmed as herself at the King's situation and her own； but that the manner of attempting to assist her might either save her or endanger her safety； and that the members of the coalition were bound to act prudently； entrusted as they were with interests so dear to them。
The 14th of July； 1792； fixed by the constitution as the anniversary of the independence of the nation drew near。 The King and Queen were compelled to make their appearance on the occasion； aware that the plot of the 20th of June had their assassination for its object； they had no doubt but that their death was determined on for the day of this national festival。 The Queen was recommended； in order to give the King's friends time to defend him if the attack should be made； to guard him against the first stroke of a dagger by making him wear a breastplate。 I was directed to get one made in my apartments： it was composed of fifteen folds of Italian taffety； and formed into an under…waistcoat and a wide belt。 This breastplate was tried； it resisted all thrusts of the dagger； and several balls were turned aside by it。 When it was completed the difficulty was to let the King try it on without running the risk of being surprised。 I wore the immense heavy waistcoat as an under… petticoat for three days without being able to find a favourable moment。 At length the King found an opportunity one morning to pull off his coat in the Queen's chamber and try on the breastplate。
The Queen was in bed； the King pulled me gently by the gown； and drew me as far as he could from the Queen's bed； and said to me； in a very low tone of voice： 〃It is to satisfy her that I submit to this inconvenience： they will not assassinate me； their scheme is changed； they will put me to death another way。〃 The Queen heard the King whispering to me； and when he was gone out she asked me what he had said。 I hesitated to answer； she insisted that I should； saying that nothing must be concealed from her； and that she was resigned upon every point。
When she was informed of the King's remark she told me she had guessed it； that he had long since observed to her that all which was going forward in France was an imitation of the revolution in England in the time of Charles I。； and that he was incessantly reading the history of that unfortunate monarch in order that he might act better than Charles had done at a similar crisis。 〃I begin to be fearful of the King's being brought to trial；〃 continued the Queen； 〃as to me； I am a foreigner； they will assassinate me。 What will become of my poor children？〃
These sad ejaculations were followed by a torrent of tears。 I wished to give her an antispasmodic； she refused it； saying that only happy women could feel nervous； that the cruel situation to which she was reduced rendered these remedies useless。 In fact； the Queen； who during her happier days was frequently attacked by hysterical disorders； enjoyed more uniform health when all the faculties of her soul were called forth to support her physical strength。
I had prepared a corset for her； for the same purpose as the King's under…waistcoat； without her knowledge； but she would not make use of it； all my entreaties； all my tears； were in vain。 〃If the factions assassinate me；〃 she replied； 〃it will be a fortunate event for me； they will deliver me from a most painful existence。〃 A few days after the King had tried on his breastplate I met him on a back staircase。 I drew back to let him pass。 He stopped and took my hand； I wished to kiss his； he would not suffer it； but drew me towards him by the hand； and kissed both my cheeks without saying a single word。
The fear of another attack upon the Tuileries occasioned scrupulous search among the King's papers
I burnt almost all those belonging to the Queen。 She put her family letters； a great deal of correspondence which she thought it necessary to preserve for the history of the era of the Revolution； and particularly Barnave's letters and her answers； of which she had copies； into a portfolio； which she entrusted to M。 de J。 That gentleman was unable to save this deposit； and it was burnt。 The Queen left a few papers in her secretaire。 Among them were instructions to Madame de Tourzel； respecting the dispositions of her children and the characters and abilities of the sub…governesses under that lady's orders。 This paper； which the Queen drew up at the time of Madame de Tourzel's appointment； with several letters from Maria Theresa； filled with the best advice and instructions； was printed after the 10th of August by order of the Assembly in the collection of papers found in the secretaires of the King and Queen。
Her Majesty had still； without reckoning the income of the month； one hundred and forty thousand francs in gold。 She was desirous of depositing the whole of it with me； but I advised her to retain fifteen hundred louis； as a sum of rather considerable amount might be suddenly necessary for her。 The King had an immense quantity of papers； and unfortunately conceived the idea of privately making； with the assistance of a locksmith who had worked with him above ten
