the memoirs of marie antoinette-第80节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


o　us　verbally；　you　may　rely　entirely　upon　her　devotion　and　discretion。〃

The　mobs　which　gathered　almost　nightly　in　the　faubourgs　alarmed　the　Queen's　friends；　they　entreated　her　not　to　sleep　in　her　room　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　Tuileries。　　She　removed　to　the　first　floor；　to　a　room　which　was　between　the　King's　apartments　and　those　of　the　Dauphin。　　Being　awake　always　from　daybreak；　she　ordered　that　neither　the　shutters　nor　the　window…blinds　should　be　closed；　that　her　long　sleepless　nights　might　be　the　less　weary。　　About　the　middle　of　one　of　these　nights；　when　the　moon　was　shining　into　her　bedchamber；　she　gazed　at　it；　and　told　me　that　in　a　month　she　should　not　see　that　moon　unless　freed　from　her　chains；　and　beholding　the　King　at　liberty。　　She　then　imparted　to　me　all　that　was　concurring　to　deliver　them；　but　said　that　the　opinions　of　their　intimate　advisers　were　alarmingly　at　variance；　that　some　vouched　for　complete　success；　while　others　pointed　out　insurmountable　dangers。　　She　added　that　she　possessed　the　itinerary　of　the　march　of　the　Princes　and　the　King　of　Prussia：　that　on　such　a　day　they　would　be　at　Verdun；　on　another　day　at　such　a　place；　that　Lille　was　about　to　be　besieged；　but　that　M。　de　J…；　whose　prudence　and　intelligence　the　King；　as　well　as　herself；　highly　valued；　alarmed　them　much　respecting　the　success　of　that　siege；　and　made　them　apprehensive　that；　even　were　the　commandant　devoted　to　them；　the　civil　authority；　which　by　the　constitution　gave　great　power　to　the　mayors　of　towns；　would　overrule　the　military　commandant。　　She　was　also　very　uneasy　as　to　what　would　take　place　at　Paris　during　the　interval；　and　spoke　to　me　of　the　King's　want　of　energy；　but　always　in　terms　expressive　of　her　veneration　for　his　virtues　and　her　attachment　to　himself。　〃The　King；〃　said　she；　〃is　not　a　coward；　he　possesses　abundance　of　passive　courage；　but　he　is　overwhelmed　by　an　awkward　shyness；　a　mistrust　of　himself；　which　proceeds　from　his　education　as　much　as　from　his　disposition。　　He　is　afraid　to　command；　and；　above　all　things；　dreads　speaking　to　assembled　numbers。　　He　lived　like　a　child；　and　always　ill　at　ease　under　the　eyes　of　Louis　XV。；　until　the　age　of　twenty…one。　　This　constraint　confirmed　his　timidity。

Circumstanced　as　we　are；　a　few　well…delivered　words　addressed　to　the　Parisians；　who　are　devoted　to　him；　would　multiply　the　strength　of　our　party　a　hundredfold：　he　will　not　utter　them。　　What　can　we　expect　from　those　addresses　to　the　people　which　he　has　been　advised　to　post　up？　Nothing　but　fresh　outrages。　　As　for　myself；　I　could　do　anything；　and　would　appear　on　horseback　if　necessary。　　But　if　I　were　really　to　begin　to　act；　that　would　be　furnishing　arms　to　the　King's　enemies；　the　cry　against　the　Austrian；　and　against　the　sway　of　a　woman；　would　become　general　in　France；　and；　moreover；　by　showing　myself；　I　should　render　the　King　a　mere　nothing。　　A　queen　who　is　not　regent　ought；　under　these　circumstances；　to　remain　passive　and　prepare　to　die。〃

The　garden　of　the　Tuileries　was　full　of　maddened　men；　who　insulted　all　who　seemed　to　side　with　the　Court。　　〃The　Life　of　Marie　Antoinette〃　was　cried　under　the　Queen's　windows；　infamous　plates　were　annexed　to　the　book；　the　hawkers　showed　them　to　the　passersby。　　On　all　sides　were　heard　the　jubilant　outcries　of　a　people　in　a　state　of　delirium　almost　as　frightful　as　the　explosion　of　their　rage。　　The　Queen　and　her　children　were　unable　to　breathe　the　open　air　any　longer。　　It　was　determined　that　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries　should　be　closed：　as　soon　as　this　step　was　taken　the　Assembly　decreed　that　the　whole　length　of　the　Terrace　des　Feuillans　belonged　to　it；　and　fixed　the　boundary　between　what　was　called　the　national　ground　and　the　Coblentz　ground　by　a　tricoloured　ribbon　stretched　from　one　end　of　the　terrace　to　the　other。　　All　good　citizens　were　ordered；　by　notices　affixed　to　it；　not　to　go　down　into　the　garden；　under　pain　of　being　treated　in　the　same　manner　as　Foulon　and　Berthier。　A　young　man　who　did　not　observe　this　written　order　went　down　into　the　garden；　furious　outcries；　threats　of　la　lanterne；　and　the　crowd　of　people　which　collected　upon　the　terrace　warned　him　of　his　imprudence；　and　the　danger　which　he　ran。　　He　immediately　pulled　off　his　shoes；　took　out　his　handkerchief；　and　wiped　the　dust　from　their　soles。　　The　people　cried　out；　〃Bravo！　　the　good　citizen　for　ever！〃　　He　was　carried　off　in　triumph。　　The　shutting　up　of　the　Tuileries　did　not　enable　the　Queen　and　her　children　to　walk　in　the　garden。　　The　people　on　the　terrace　sent　forth　dreadful　shouts；　and　she　was　twice　compelled　to　return　to　her　apartments。

In　the　early　part　of　August　many　zealous　persons　offered　the　King　money；　he　refused　considerable　sums；　being　unwilling　to　injure　the　fortunes　of　individuals。　　M。　de　la　Ferte；　intendant　of　the　'menus　plaisirs'；　brought　me　a　thousand　louis；　requesting　me　to　lay　them　at　the　feet　of　the　Queen。　He　thought　she　could　not　have　too　much　money　at　so　perilous　a　time；　and　that　every　good　Frenchman　should　hasten　to　place　all　his　ready　money　in　her　hands。　　She　refused　this　sum；　and　others　of　much　greater　amount　which　were　offered　to　her。

　　　　　＇M。　Auguie；　my　brother…in…law；　receiver…general　of　the　finances；　　　　　　offered　her；　through　his　wife；　a　portfolio　containing　one　hundred　　　　　　thousand　crowns　in　paper　money。　　On　this　occasion　the　Queen　said　the　　　　　　most　affecting　things　to　my　sister；　expressive　of　her　happiness　at　　　　　　having　contributed　to　the　fortunes　of　such　faithful　subjects　as　　　　　　herself　and　her　husband；　but　declined　her　offer。MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

However；　a　few　days　afterwards；　she　told　me　she　would　accept　M。　de　la　Ferte's　twenty…four　thousand　francs；　because　they　would　make　up　a　sum　which　the　King　had　to　expend。　　She　therefore　directed；　me　to　go　and　receive　those　twenty…four　thousand　francs；　to　add　them　to　the　one　hundred　thousand　francs　she　had　placed　in　my　hands；　and　to　change　the　whole　into　assignats　to　increase　their　amount。　　Her　orders　were　executed；　and　the　assignats　were　delivered　to　the　King。　　The　Queen　informed　me　that　Madame　Elisabeth　had　found　a　well…meaning　man　who　had　engaged　to　gain　over　Petion　by　the　bribe　of　a　large　sum　of　money；　and　that　deputy　would；　by　a　preconcerted　signal；　inform　the　King　of　the　success　of　the　project。　　His　Majesty　soon　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing　Petion；　and　on　the　Queen　asking　him　before　me　if　he　was　satisfied　with　him；　the　King　replied；　〃Neither　more　nor　less　satisfied　than　usual；　he　did　not　make　the　concerted　signal；　and　I　believe　I　have　been　cheated。〃　　The　Queen　then　condescended　to　explain　the　whole　of　the　enigma　to　me。　　〃Petion；〃　said　she；　〃was；　while　talking　to　the　King；　to　have　kept　his　finger　fixed　upon　his　right　eye　for　at　least　two　seconds。〃〃He　did　not　even　put　his　hand　up　to　his　chin；〃　said　the　King；　〃after　all；　it　is　but　so　much　money　stolen：　the　thief　will　not　boast　of　it；　and　the　affair　will　remain　a　secret。　　Let　us　talk　of　something　else。〃　　He　turned　to　me　and　said；　〃Your　father　was　an　intimate　friend　of　Mandat；　who　now　commands　the　National　Guard；　describe　him　to　me；　what　ought　I　to　expect　from　him？〃　　I　answered　that　he　was　one　of　his　Majesty's　most　faithful　subjects；　but　that　with　a　great　deal　of　loyalty　he　possessed　very　little　sense；　and　that　he　was　involved　in　the　constitutional　vortex。　　〃I　understand；〃　said　the　King；　〃he　is　a　man　who　would　defend　my　palace　and　my　person；　because　that　is　enjoined　by　the　constitution　which　he　has　sworn　to　support；　but　who　would　fight　against　the　party　in　favour　of　sovereign　authority；　it　is　well　to　know　this　with　certainty。〃

On　the　next　day　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　sent　for　me　very　early　in　the　morning。　　I　found　her　on　a　sofa　facing　a　window　that　looked　upon　the　Pont　Royal。　　She　then　occupied　that　apartment　of　the　Pavilion　of　Flora　which　was　on　a　level　with　that　of　the　Queen。　　She　desired　me　to　sit　down　by　her。　　Her　Highness　had　a　writing…desk　upon　her　knees。　　〃You　have　had　many　enemies；〃　said　she；　〃attempts　have　been　made　to　deprive　you　of　the　Queen's　favour；　they　have　been　far　from　successful。　　Do　you　know　that　even　I　myself；　not　being　so　well　acquainted　with　you　as　the　Queen；　was　rendered　suspicious　of　you；　and　that　upon　the　arrival　of　the　Court　at　the　Tuileries　I　gave　you　a　companion　to　be　a　spy　upon　you；　and　that　I　had　another　belonging　to　the　police　placed　at　your　door！　　I　was　assured　that　you　received　five　or　six　of　the　most　virulent　deputies　of　the　Tiers　Etat；　but　it　was　that　wardrobe　woman　whose　rooms　were　above　you。

〃In　short；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃persons　of　integrity　have　nothing　to　fear　from　the　evil…disposed　when　they　belong　to　so　upright　a　prince　as　the　King。　　As　to　the　Queen；　she　knows　you；　and　has　loved　you　ever　since　she　came　into　France。　　You　shall　judge　of　the　King's　opinion　of　you：　it　was　yesterday　evening　decided　in　the　family　circle　that；　at　a　time　when　the　Tuileries　is　likely　to　be　attacked；　it　was　necessary　to　have　the　most　faithful　account　of　the　opinions　and　conduct　of　all　the　individuals　composing　the　Queen's　service。　　The　King　takes　the　same　precaution　on　his　part　respecting　all　who　are　about　him。　　He　said　there　was　with　him　a　person　of　great　integrity；　to　whom　he　would　commit　this　inquiry；　and　that；　with　regard　to　the　Queen's　household；　you　must　be　spoken　to；　that　he　had　long　studied　you