the memoirs of marie antoinette-第81节

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　and　that；　with　regard　to　the　Queen's　household；　you　must　be　spoken　to；　that　he　had　long　studied　your　character；　and　that　he　esteemed　your　veracity。〃

The　Princess　had　a　list　of　the　names　of　all　who　belonged　to　the　Queen's　chamber　on　her　desk。　　She　asked　me　for　information　respecting　each　individual。　　I　was　fortunate　in　having　none　but　the　most　favourable　information　to　give。　　I　had　to　speak　of　my　avowed　enemy　in　the　Queen's　chamber；　of　her　who　most　wished　that　I　should　be　responsible　for　my　brother's　political　opinions。　　The　Princess；　as　the　head　of　the　chamber；　could　not　be　ignorant　of　this　circumstance；　but　as　the　person　in　question；　who　idolised　the　King　and　Queen；　would　not　have　hesitated　to　sacrifice　her　life　in　order　to　save　theirs；　and　as　possibly　her　attachment　to　them；　united　to　considerable　narrowness　of　intellect　and　a　limited　education；　contributed　to　her　jealousy　of　me；　I　spoke　of　her　in　the　highest　terms。

The　Princess　wrote　as　I　dictated；　and　occasionally　looked　at　me　with　astonishment。　　When　I　had　done　I　entreated　her　to　write　in　the　margin　that　the　lady　alluded　to　was　my　declared　enemy。　　She　embraced　me；　saying；　〃Ah！　do　not　write　it！　　we　should　not　record　an　unhappy　circumstance　which　ought　to　be　forgotten。〃　　We　came　to　a　man　of　genius　who　was　much　attached　to　the　Queen；　and　I　described　him　as　a　man　born　solely　to　contradict；　showing　himself　an　aristocrat　with　democrats；　and　a　democrat　among　aristocrats；　but　still　a　man　of　probity；　and　well　disposed　to　his　sovereign。　　The　Princess　said　she　knew　many　persons　of　that　disposition；　and　that　she　was　delighted　I　had　nothing　to　say　against　this　man；　because　she　herself　had　placed　him　about　the　Queen。

The　whole　of　her　Majesty's　chamber；　which　consisted　entirely　of　persons　of　fidelity；　gave　throughout　all　the　dreadful　convulsions　of　the　Revolution　proofs　of　the　greatest　prudence　and　self…devotion。　　The　same　cannot　be　said　of　the　antechambers。　　With　the　exception　of　three　or　four；　all　the　servants　of　that　class　were　outrageous　Jacobins；　and　I　saw　on　those　occasions　the　necessity　of　composing　the　private　household　of　princes　of　persons　completely　separated　from　the　class　of　the　people。

The　situation　of　the　royal　family　was　so　unbearable　during　the　months　which　immediately　preceded　the　10th　of　August　that　the　Queen　longed　for　the　crisis；　whatever　might　be　its　issue。　　She　frequently　said　that　a　long　confinement　in　a　tower　by　the　seaside　would　seem　to　her　less　intolerable　than　those　feuds　in　which　the　weakness　of　her　party　daily　threatened　an　inevitable　catastrophe。

　　　　　＇A　few　days　before　the　10th　of　August　the　squabbles　between　the　　　　　　royalists　and　the　Jacobins；　and　between　the　Jacobins　and　the　　　　　　constitutionalists；　increased　in　warmth；　among　the　latter　those　men　　　　　　who　defended　the　principles　they　professed　with　the　greatest　talent；　　　　　　courage；　and　constancy　were　at　the　same　time　the　most　exposed　to　　　　　　danger。　　Montjoie　says：　〃The　question　of　dethronement　was　discussed　　　　　　with　a　degree　of　frenzy　in　the　Assembly。　　Such　of　the　deputies　as　　　　　　voted　against　it　were　abused；　ill　treated；　and　surrounded　by　　　　　　assassins。　　They　had　a　battle　to　fight　at　every　step　they　took；　and　　　　　　at　length　they　did　not　dare　to　sleep　in　their　own　houses。　　Of　this　　　　　　number　were　Regnault　de　Beaucaron；　Froudiere；　Girardin；　and　　　　　　Vaublanc。　　Girardin　complained　of　having　been　struck　in　one　of　the　　　　　　lobbies　of　the　Assembly。　　A　voice　cried　out　to　him；　'Say　where　were　　　　　　you　struck。'　　'Where？'　replied　Girardin；　'what　a　question！　　Behind。　　　　　　Do　assassins　ever　strike　otherwise？〃＇

Not　only　were　their　Majesties　prevented　from　breathing　the　open　air；　but　they　were　also　insulted　at　the　very　foot　of　the　altar。　　The　Sunday　before　the　last　day　of　the　monarchy；　while　the　royal　family　went　through　the　gallery　to　the　chapel；　half　the　soldiers　of　the　National　Guard　exclaimed；　〃Long　live　the　King！〃　and　the　other　half；　〃No；　no　King！　　Down　with　the　veto！〃　and　on　that　day　at　vespers　the　choristers　preconcerted　to　use　loud　and　threatening　emphasis　when　chanting　the　words；　〃Deposuit　potentes　de　sede；〃　in　the　〃Magnificat。〃　　Incensed　at　such　an　irreverent　proceeding；　the　royalists　in　their　turn　thrice　exclaimed；　〃Et　reginam；〃　after　the　〃Domine　salvum　fac　regem。〃　　The　tumult　during　the　whole　time　of　divine　service　was　excessive。

At　length　the　terrible　night　of　the　10th　of　August；　1792；　arrived。　　On　the　preceding　evening　Potion　went　to　the　Assembly　and　informed　it　that　preparations　were　making　for　an　insurrection　on　the　following　day；　that　the　tocsin　would　sound　at　midnight；　and　that　he　feared　he　had　not　sufficient　means　for　resisting　the　attack　which　was　about　to　take　place。　Upon　this　information　the　Assembly　passed　to　the　order　of　the　day。　Petion；　however；　gave　an　order　for　repelling　force　by　force。

　　　　　＇Petion　was　the　Mayor　of　Paris；　and　Mandat　on　this　day　was　　　　　　commandant　of　the　National　Guard。　　Mandat　was　assassinated　that　　　　　　night。　〃Thiers；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　260。＇

M。　Mandat　was　armed　with　this　order；　and；　finding　his　fidelity　to　the　King's　person　supported　by　what　he　considered　the　law　of　the　State；　he　conducted　himself　in　all　his　operations　with　the　greatest　energy。　　On　the　evening　of　the　9th　I　was　present　at　the　King's　supper。　　While　his　Majesty　was　giving　me　various　orders　we　heard　a　great　noise　at　the　door　of　the　apartment。　　I　went　to　see　what　was　the　cause　of　it；　and　found　the　two　sentinels　fighting。　　One　said；　speaking　of　the　King；　that　he　was　hearty　in　the　cause　of　the　constitution；　and　would　defend　it　at　the　peril　of　his　life；　the　other　maintained　that　he　was　an　encumbrance　to　the　only　constitution　suitable　to　a　free　people。　　They　were　almost　ready　to　cut　one　another's　throats。　　I　returned　with　a　countenance　which　betrayed　my　emotion。　　The　King　desired　to　know　what　was　going　forward　at　his　door；　I　could　not　conceal　it　from　him。　　The　Queen　said　she　was　not　at　all　surprised　at　it；　and　that　more　than　half　the　guard　belonged　to　the　Jacobin　party。

The　tocsin　sounded　at　midnight。　　The　Swiss　were　drawn　up　like　walls；　and　in　the　midst　of　their　soldierlike　silence；　which　formed　a　striking　contrast　with　the　perpetual　din　of　the　town　guard；　the　King　informed　M。　de　J…；　an　officer　of　the　staff；　of　the　plan　of　defence　laid　down　by　General　Viomenil。　　M。　de　J…　said　to　me；　after　this　private　conference；　〃Put　your　jewels　and　money　into　your　pockets；　our　dangers　are　unavoidable；　the　means　of　defence　are　nil；　safety　might　be　obtained　by　some　degree　of　energy　in　the　King；　but　that　is　the　only　virtue　in　which　he　is　deficient。〃

An　hour　after　midnight　the　Queen　and　Madame　Elisabeth　said　they　would　lie　down　on　a　sofa　in　a　room　in　the　entresols；　the　windows　of　which　commanded　the　courtyard　of　the　Tuileries。

The　Queen　told　me　the　King　had　just　refused　to　put　on　his　quilted　under…　waistcoat；　that　he　had　consented　to　wear　it　on　the　14th　of　July　because　he　was　merely　going　to　a　ceremony　where　the　blade　of　an　assassin　was　to　be　apprehended；　but　that　on　a　day　on　which　his　party　might　fight　against　the　revolutionists　he　thought　there　was　something　cowardly　in　preserving　his　life　by　such　means。

During　this　time　Madame　Elisabeth　disengaged　herself　from　some　of　her　clothing　which　encumbered　her　in　order　to　lie　down　on　the　sofa：　she　took　a　cornelian　pin　out　of　her　cape；　and　before　she　laid　it　down　on　the　table　she　showed　it　to　me；　and　desired　me　to　read　a　motto　engraved　upon　it　round　a　stalk　of　lilies。　　The　words　were；　〃Oblivion　of　injuries；　pardon　for　offences。〃〃I　much　fear；〃　added　that　virtuous　Princess；　〃this　maxim　has　but　little　influence　among　our　enemies；　but　it　ought　not　to　be　less　dear　to　us　on　that　account。〃

　　　　　＇The　exalted　piety　of　Madame　Elisabeth　gave　to　all　she　said　and　did　　　　　　a　noble　character；　descriptive　of　that　of　her　soul。　　On　the　day　on　　　　　　which　this　worthy　descendant　of　Saint　Louis　was　sacrificed；　the　　　　　　executioner；　in　tying　her　hands　behind　her；　raised　up　one　of　the　　　　　　ends　of　her　handkerchief。　　Madame　Elisabeth；　with　calmness；　and　in　a　　　　　　voice　which　seemed　not　to　belong　to　earth；　said　to　him；　〃In　the　name　　　　　　of　modesty；　cover　my　bosom。〃　　I　learned　this　from　Madame　de　Serilly；　　　　　　who　was　condemned　the　same　day　as　the　Princess；　but　who　obtained　a　　　　　　respite　at　the　moment　of　the　execution；　Madame　de　Montmorin；　her　　　　　　relation；　declaring　that　her　cousin　was　enceinte。…MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

The　Queen　desired　me　to　sit　down　by　her；　the　two　Princesses　could　not　sleep；　they　were　conversing　mournfully　upon　their　situation　when　a　musket　was　discharged　in　the　courtyard。　　They　both　quitted　the　sofa；　saying；　〃There　is　the　first　shot；　unfortunately　it　will　not　be　the　last；　let　us　go　up　to　the　King。〃　　The　Queen　desired　me　to　follow　her；　several　of　her　women　went　with　me。

At　four　o'clock　the　Queen　came　out　of　the　King's　chamber　and　told　us　she　had　no　longer　any　hope；　that　M。　Mandat；　who　had　gone　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　to　receive　further　orders；　had　just　been　assassinated；　and　that　the　people　were　at　that　time　carrying　his　head　about　the　streets。　　Day　came。　The　King；　the　Queen；　Madame　Elisabeth；　Madame；　and　the　Dauphin　went　down　to　pass　through　the　ranks　of　the　sections　of　the　National　Guard；　the　cry　of　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　was　heard　from　a　few　places。　　I　was　at　a　windo