the memoirs of marie antoinette-第79节

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　the　idea　of　privately　making；　with　the　assistance　of　a　locksmith　who　had　worked　with　him　above　ten　years；　a　place　of　concealment　in　an　inner　corridor　of　his　apartments。　　The　place　of　concealment；　but　for　the　man's　information；　would　have　been　long　undiscovered？　　The　wall　in　which　it　was　made　was　painted　to　imitate　large　stones；　and　the　opening　was　entirely　concealed　among　the　brown　grooves　which　formed　the　shaded　part　of　these　painted　stones。　　But　even　before　this　locksmith　had　denounced　what　was　afterwards　called　the　iron　closet　to　the　Assembly；　the　Queen　was　aware　that　he　had　talked　of　it　to　some　of　his　friends；　and　that　this　man；　in　whom　the　King　from　long　habit　placed　too　much　confidence；　was　a　Jacobin。　　She　warned　the　King　of　it；　and　prevailed　on　him　to　fill　a　very　large　portfolio　with　all　the　papers　he　was　most　interested　in　preserving；　and　entrust　it　to　me。　　She　entreated　him　in　my　presence　to　leave　nothing　in　this　closet；　and　the　King；　in　order　to　quiet　her；　told　her　that　he　had　left　nothing　there。　　I　would　have　taken　the　portfolio　and　carried　it　to　my　apartment；　but　it　was　too　heavy　for　me　to　lift。　　The　King　said　he　would　carry　it　himself；　I　went　before　to　open　the　doors　for　him。　　When　he　placed　the　portfolio　in　my　inner　closet　he　merely　said；　〃The　Queen　will　tell　you　what　it　contains。〃　Upon　my　return　to　the　Queen　I　put　the　question　to　her；　deeming；　from　what　the　King　had　said；　that　it　was　necessary　I　should　know。　　〃They　are；〃　the　Queen　answered　me；　〃such　documents　as　would　be　most　dangerous　to　the　King　should　they　go　so　far　as　to　proceed　to　a　trial　against　him。　　But　what　he　wishes　me　to　tell　you　is；　that　the　portfolio　contains　a　'proces…verbal'　of　a　cabinet　council；　in　which　the　King　gave　his　opinion　against　the　war。　He　had　it　signed　by　all　the　ministers；　and；　in　case　of　a　trial；　he　trusts　that　this　document　will　be　very　useful　to　him。〃　　I　asked　the　Queen　to　whom　she　thought　I　ought　to　commit　the　portfolio。　　〃To　whom　you　please；〃　answered　she；　〃you　alone　are　answerable　for　it。　　Do　not　quit　the　palace　even　during　your　vacation　months：　there　may　be　circumstances　under　which　it　would　be　very　desirable　that　we　should　be　able　to　have　it　instantly。〃

At　this　period　M。　de　La　Fayette；　who　had　probably　given　up　the　idea　of　establishing　a　republic　in　France　similar　to　that　of　the　United　States；　and　was　desirous　to　support　the　first　constitution　which　he　had　sworn　to　defend；　quitted　his　army　and　came　to　the　Assembly　for　the　purpose　of　supporting　by　his　presence　and　by　an　energetic　speech　a　petition　signed　by　twenty　thousand　citizens　against　the　late　violation　of　the　residence　of　the　King　and　his　family。　　The　General　found　the　constitutional　party　powerless；　and　saw　that　he　himself　had　lost　his　popularity。　　The　Assembly　disapproved　of　the　step　he　had　taken；　the　King；　for　whom　it；　was　taken；　showed　no　satisfaction　at　it；　and　he　saw　himself　compelled　to　return　to　his　army　as　quickly　as　he　could。　　He　thought　he　could　rely　on　the　National　Guard；　but　on　the　day　of　his　arrival　those　officers　who　were　in　the　King's　interest　inquired　of　his　Majesty　whether　they　were　to　forward　the　views　of　Gendral　de　La　Fayette　by　joining　him　in　such　measures　as　he　should　pursue　during　his　stay　at　Paris。　　The　King　enjoined　them　not　to　do　so。　　From　this　answer　M。　de　La　Fayette　perceived　that　he　was　abandoned　by　the　remainder　of　his　party　in　the　Paris　guard。

On　his　arrival　a　plan　was　presented　to　the　Queen；　in　which　it　was　proposed　by　a　junction　between　La　Fayette's　army　and　the　King's　party　to　rescue　the　royal　family　and　convey　them　to　Rouen。　　I　did　not　learn　the　particulars　of　this　plan；　the　Queen　only　said　to　me　upon　the　subject　that　M。　de　La　Fayette　was　offered　to　them　as　a　resource；　but　that　it　would　be　better　for　them　to　perish　than　to　owe　their　safety　to　the　man　who　had　done　them　the　most　mischief；　or　to　place　themselves　under　the　necessity　of　treating　with　him。

I　passed　the　whole　month　of　July　without　going　to　bed；　I　was　fearful　of　some　attack　by　night。　　There　was　one　plot　against　the　Queen's　life　which　has　never　been　made　known。　　I　was　alone　by　her　bedside　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　we　heard　somebody　walking　softly　down　the　corridor；　which　passes　along　the　whole　line　of　her　apartments；　and　which　was　then　locked　at　each　end。　　I　went　out　to　fetch　the　valet　de　chambre；　he　entered　the　corridor；　and　the　Queen　and　myself　soon　heard　the　noise　of　two　men　fighting。　　The　unfortunate　Princess　held　me　locked　in　her　arms；　and　said　to　me；　〃What　a　situation！　insults　by　day　and　assassins　by　night！〃　The　valet　de　chambre　cried　out　to　her　from　the　corridor；　〃Madame；　it　is　a　wretch　that　I　know；　I　have　him！〃〃Let　him　go；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃open　the　door　to　him；　he　came　to　murder　me；　the　Jacobins　would　carry　him　about　in　triumph　to…morrow。〃　　The　man　was　a　servant　of　the　King's　toilet；　who　had　taken　the　key　of　the　corridor　out　of　his　Majesty's　pocket　after　he　was　in　bed；　no　doubt　with　the　intention　of　committing　the　crime　suspected。　　The　valet　de　chambre；　who　was　a　very　strong　man；　held　him　by　the　wrists；　and　thrust　him　out　at　the　door。　　The　wretch　did　not　speak　a　word。　　The　valet　de　chambre　said；　in　answer　to　the　Queen；　who　spoke　to　him　gratefully　of　the　danger　to　which　he　had　exposed　himself；　that　he　feared　nothing；　and　that　he　had　always　a　pair　of　excellent　pistols　about　him　for　no　other　purpose　than　to　defend　her　Majesty。　　The　next　day　M。　de　Septeuil　had　all　the　locks　of　the　King's　inner　apartments　changed。　　I　did　the　same　by　those　of　the　Queen。

We　were　every　moment　told　that　the　Faubourg　St。　Antoine　was　preparing　to　march　against　the　palace。　　At　four　o'clock　one　morning　towards　the　latter　end　of　July　a　person　came　to　give　me　information　to　that　effect。　　I　instantly　sent　off　two　men；　on　whom　I　could　rely；　with　orders　to　proceed　to　the　usual　places　for　assembling；　and　to　come　back　speedily　and　give　me　an　account　of　the　state　of　the　city。　　We　knew　that　at　least　an　hour　must　elapse　before　the　populace　or　the　faubourgs　assembled　on　the　site　of　the　Bastille　could　reach　the　Tuileries。　　It　seemed　to　me　sufficient　for　the　Queen's　safety　that　all　about　her　should　be　awakened。　I　went　softly　into　her　room；　she　was　asleep；　I　did　not　awaken　her。　　I　found　General　de　W　in　the　great　closet；　he　told　me　the　meeting　was；　for　this　once；　dispersing。　　The　General　had　endeavoured　to　please　the　populace　by　the　same　means　as　M。　de　La　Fayette　had　employed。　　He　saluted　the　lowest　poissarde；　and　lowered　his　hat　down　to　his　very　stirrup。　But　the　populace；　who　had　been　flattered　for　three　years；　required　far　different　homage　to　its　power；　and　the　poor　man　was　unnoticed。　　The　King　had　been　awakened；　and　so　had　Madame　Elisabeth；　who　had　gone　to　him。　　The　Queen；　yielding　to　the　weight　of　her　griefs；　slept　till　nine　o'clock　on　that　day；　which　was　very　unusual　with　her。　　The　King　had　already　been　to　know　whether　she　was　awake；　I　told　him　what　I　had　done；　and　the　care　I　had　taken　not　to　disturb　her。　　He　thanked　me；　and　said；　〃I　was　awake；　and　so　was　the　whole　palace；　she　ran　no　risk。　　I　am　very　glad　to　see　her　take　a　little　rest。　　Alas！　her　griefs　double　mine！〃　What　was　my　chagrin　when；　upon　awaking　and　learning　what　had　passed；　the　Queen　burst　into　tears　from　regret　at　not　having　been　called；　and　began　to　upbraid　me；　on　whose　friendship　she　ought　to　have　been　able　to　rely；　for　having　served　her　so　ill　under　such　circumstances！　　In　vain　did　I　reiterate　that　it　had　been　only　a　false　alarm；　and　that　she　required　to　have　her　strength　recruited。　〃It　is　not　diminished；〃　said　she；　〃misfortune　gives　us　additional　strength。　　Elisabeth　was　with　the　King；　and　I　was　asleep；I　who　am　determined　to　perish　by　his　side！　　I　am　his　wife；　I　will　not　suffer　him　to　incur　the　smallest　risk　without　my　sharing　it。〃




CHAPTER　VIII。

During　July　the　correspondence　of　M。　Bertrand　de　Molleville　with　the　King　and　Queen　was　most　active。　　M。　de　Marsilly；　formerly　a　lieutenant　of　the　Cent…Suisses　of　the　Guard；　was　the　bearer　of　the　letters。

　　　　　＇I　received　by　night　only　the　King's　answer；　written　with　his　own　　　　　　hand；　in　the　margin　of　my　letter。　　I　always　sent　him　back　with　the　　　　　　day's　letter　that　to　which　he　had　replied　the　day　before；　so　that　my　　　　　　letters　and　his　answers；　of　which　I　contented　myself　with　taking　　　　　　notes　only；　never　remained　with　me　twenty…four　hours。　　I　proposed　　　　　　this　arrangement　to　his　Majesty　to　remove　all　uneasiness　from　his　　　　　　mind；　my　letters　were　generally　delivered　to　the　King　or　the　Queen　　　　　　by　M。　de　Marsilly；　captain　of　the　King's　Guard；　whose　attachment　and　　　　　　fidelity　were　known　to　their　Majesties。　　I　also　sometimes　employed　　　　　　M。　Bernard　de　Marigny；　who　had　left　Brest　for　the　purpose　of　sharing　　　　　　with　his　Majesty's　faithful　servants　the　dangers　which　threatened　　　　　　the　King。〃Memoirs　of　Bertrand　de　Molleville；〃　vol。　　ii。；　p。　　12。＇

He　came　to　me　the　first　time　with　a　note　from　the　Queen　directed　to　M。　Bertrand　himself。　　In　this　note　the　Queen　said：　〃Address　yourself　with　full　confidence　to　Madame　Campan；　the　conduct　of　her　brother　in　Russia　has　not　at　all　influenced　her　sentiments；　she　is　wholly　devoted　to　us；　and　if；　hereafter；　you　should　have　anything　to　say　to　us　verbally；　you　may　rely　entirely　upon　her　devotion　and　discretion。〃

The　mobs　which　gathered　a