the memoirs of marie antoinette-第83节

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unately　opened　the　door　of　the　apartments；　otherwise；　the　dreadful　band　seeing　several　women　collected　in　the　Queen's　salon　would　have　fancied　she　was　among　us；　and　would　have　immediately　massacred　us　had　we　resisted　them。　　We　were；　indeed；　all　about　to　perish；　when　a　man　with　a　long　beard　came　up；　exclaiming；　in　the　name　of　Potion；　〃Spare　the　women；　don't　dishonour　the　nation！〃　　A　particular　circumstance　placed　me　in　greater　danger　than　the　others。　　In　my　confusion　I　imagined；　a　moment　before　the　assailants　entered　the　Queen's　apartments；　that　my　sister　was　not　among　the　group　of　women　collected　there；　and　I　went　up　into　an　'entresol'；　where　I　supposed　she　had　taken　refuge；　to　induce　her　to　come　down；　fancying　it　safer　that　we　should　not　be　separated。　　I　did　not　find　her　in　the　room　in　question；　I　saw　there　only　our　two　femmes　de　chambre　and　one　of　the　Queen's　two　heyducs；　a　man　of　great　height　and　military　aspect。　　I　saw　that　he　was　pale；　and　sitting　on　a　bed。　　I　cried　out　to　him；　〃Fly！　the　footmen　and　our　people　are　already　safe。〃〃I　cannot；〃　said　the　man　to　me；　〃I　am　dying　of　fear。〃　　As　he　spoke　I　heard　a　number　of　men　rushing　hastily　up　the　staircase；　they　threw　themselves　upon　him；　and　I　saw　him　assassinated。

I　ran　towards　the　staircase；　followed　by　our　women。　　The　murderers　left　the　heyduc　to　come　to　me。　　The　women　threw　themselves　at　their　feet；　and　held　their　sabres。　　The　narrowness　of　the　staircase　impeded　the　assassins；　but　I　had　already　felt　a　horrid　hand　thrust　into　my　back　to　seize　me　by　my　clothes；　when　some　one　called　out　from　the　bottom　of　the　staircase；　〃What　are　you　doing　above　there？　　We　don't　kill　women。〃　　I　was　on　my　knees；　my　executioner　quitted　his　hold　of　me；　and　said；　〃Get　up；　you　jade；　the　nation　pardons　you。〃

The　brutality　of　these　words　did　not　prevent　my　suddenly　experiencing　an　indescribable　feeling　which　partook　almost　equally　of　the　love　of　life　and　the　idea　that　I　was　going　to　see　my　son；　and　all　that　was　dear　to　me；　again。　　A　moment　before　I　had　thought　less　of　death　than　of　the　pain　which　the　steel；　suspended　over　my　head；　would　occasion　me。　　Death　is　seldom　seen　so　close　without　striking　his　blow。　　I　heard　every　syllable　uttered　by　the　assassins；　just　as　if　I　had　been　calm。

Five　or　six　men　seized　me　and　my　companions；　and；　having　made　us　get　up　on　benches　placed　before　the　windows；　ordered　us　to　call　out；　〃The　nation　for　ever！〃

I　passed　over　several　corpses；　I　recognised　that　of　the　old　Vicomte　de　Broves；　to　whom　the　Queen　had　sent　me　at　the　beginning　of　the　night　to　desire　him　and　another　old　man　in　her　name　to　go　home。　　These　brave　men　desired　I　would　tell　her　Majesty　that　they　had　but　too　strictly　obeyed　the　King's　orders　in　all　circumstances　under　which　they　ought　to　have　exposed　their　own　lives　in　order　to　preserve　his；　and　that　for　this　once　they　would　not　obey；　though　they　would　cherish　the　recollection　of　the　Queen's　goodness。

Near　the　grille；　on　the　side　next　the　bridge；　the　men　who　conducted　me　asked　whither　I　wished　to　go。　　Upon　my　inquiring；　in　my　turn；　whether　they　were　at　liberty　to　take　me　wherever　I　might　wish　to　go；　one　of　them；　a　Marseillais；　asked　me；　giving　me　at　the　same　time　a　push　with　the　butt　end　of　his　musket；　whether　I　still　doubted　the　power　of　the　people？　　I　answered　〃No；〃　and　I　mentioned　the　number　of　my　brother…in…law's　house。　I　saw　my　sister　ascending　the　steps　of　the　parapet　of　the　bridge；　surrounded　by　members　of　the　National　Guard。　　I　called　to　her；　and　she　turned　round。　　〃Would　you　have　her　go　with　you？〃　said　my　guardian　to　me。　I　told　him　I　did　wish　it。　　They　called　the　people　who　were　leading　my　sister　to　prison；　she　joined　me。

Madame　de　la　Roche…Aymon　and　her　daughter；　Mademoiselle　Pauline　de　Tourzel；　Madame　de　Ginestoux；　lady　to　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　the　other　women　of　the　Queen；　and　the　old　Comte　d'Affry；　were　led　off　together　to　the　Abbaye。

Our　progress　from　the　Tuileries　to　my　sister's　house　was　most　distressing。　　We　saw　several　Swiss　pursued　and　killed；　and　musket…shots　were　crossing　each　other　in　all　directions。　　We　passed　under　the　walls　of　the　Louvre；　they　were　firing　from　the　parapet　into　the　windows　of　the　gallery；　to　hit　the　knights　of　the　dagger；　for　thus　did　the　populace　designate　those　faithful　subjects　who　had　assembled　at　the　Tuileries　to　defend　the　King。

The　brigands　broke　some　vessels　of　water　in　the　Queen's　first　antechamber；　the　mixture　of　blood　and　water　stained　the　skirts　of　our　white　gowns。　　The　poissardes　screamed　after　us　in　the　streets　that　we　were　attached　to　the　Austrian。　　Our　protectors　then　showed　some　consideration　for　us；　and　made　us　go　up　a　gateway　to　pull　off　our　gowns；　but　our　petticoats　being　too　short；　and　making　us　look　like　persons　in　disguise；　other　poissardes　began　to　bawl　out　that　we　were　young　Swiss　dressed　up　like　women。　　We　then　saw　a　tribe　of　female　cannibals　enter　the　street；　carrying　the　head　of　poor　Mandat。　　Our　guards　made　us　hastily　enter　a　little　public…house；　called　for　wine；　and　desired　us　to　drink　with　them。　　They　assured　the　landlady　that　we　were　their　sisters；　and　good　patriots。　　Happily　the　Marseillais　had　quitted　us　to　return　to　the　Tuileries。　　One　of　the　men　who　remained　with　us　said　to　me　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　am　a　gauze…worker　in　the　faubourg。　　I　was　forced　to　march；　I　am　not　for　all　this；　I　have　not　killed　anybody；　and　have　rescued　you。　　You　ran　a　great　risk　when　we　met　the　mad　women　who　are　carrying　Mandat's　head。　　These　horrible　women　said　yesterday　at　midnight；　upon　the　site　of　the　Bastille；　that　they　must　have　their　revenge　for　the　6th　of　October；　at　Versailles；　and　that　they　had　sworn　to　kill　the　Queen　and　all　the　women　attached　to　her；　the　danger　of　the　action　saved　you　all。〃

As　I　crossed　the　Carrousel；　I　saw　my　house　in　flames；　but　as　soon　as　the　first　moment　of　affright　was　over；　I　thought　no　more　of　my　personal　misfortunes。　　My　ideas　turned　solely　upon　the　dreadful　situation　of　the　Queen。

On　reaching　my　sister's　we　found　all　our　family　in　despair；　believing　they　should　never　see　us　again。　　I　could　not　remain　in　her　house；　some　of　the　mob；　collected　round　the　door；　exclaimed　that　Marie　Antoinette's　confidante　was　in　the　house；　and　that　they　must　have　her　head。　　I　disguised　myself；　and　was　concealed　in　the　house　of　M。　Morel；　secretary　for　the　lotteries。　　On　the　morrow　I　was　inquired　for　there；　in　the　name　of　the　Queen。　　A　deputy；　whose　sentiments　were　known　to　her；　took　upon　himself　to　find　me　out。

I　borrowed　clothes；　and　went　with　my　sister　to　the　Feuillans＇A　former　monastery　near　the　Tuileries；　so　called　from　the　Bernardines；　one　of　the　Cistercian　orders；　later　a　revolutionary　club。＇　We　got　there　at　the　same　time　with　M。　Thierry　de　Ville　d'Avray；　the　King's　first　valet　de　chambre。　　We　were　taken　into　an　office；　where　we　wrote　down　our　names　and　places　of　abode；　and　we　received　tickets　for　admission　into　the　rooms　belonging　to　Camus；　the　keeper　of　the　Archives；　where　the　King　was　with　his　family。

As　we　entered　the　first　room；　a　person　who　was　there　said　to　me；　〃Ah！　you　are　a　brave　woman；　but　where　is　that　Thierry；

　　　　　＇M。　Thierry；　who　never　ceased　to　give　his　sovereign　proofs　of　　　　　　unalterable　attachment；　was　one　of　the　victims　of　the　2d　of　　　　　　September。MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

that　man　loaded　with　his　master's　bounties？〃〃He　is　here；〃　said　I；　〃he　is　following　me。　　I　perceive　that　even　scenes　of　death　do　not　banish　jealousy　from　among　you。〃

Having　belonged　to　the　Court　from　my　earliest　youth；　I　was　known　to　many　persons　whom　I　did　not　know。　　As　I　traversed　a　corridor　above　the　cloisters　which　led　to　the　cells　inhabited　by　the　unfortunate　Louis　XVI。　and　his　family；　several　of　the　grenadiers　called　me　by　name。　　One　of　them　said　to　me；　〃Well；　the　poor　King　is　lost！　　The　Comte　d'Artois　would　have　managed　it　better。〃〃Not　at　all；〃　said　another。

The　royal　family　occupied　a　small　suite　of　apartments　consisting　of　four　cells；　formerly　belonging　to　the　ancient　monastery　of　the　Feuillans。　　In　the　first　were　the　men　who　had　accompanied　the　King：　the　Prince　de　Poix；　the　Baron　d'Aubier；　M。　de　Saint…Pardou；　equerry　to　Madame　Elisabeth；　MM。　de　Goguelat；　de　Chamilly；　and　de　Hue。　　In　the　second　we　found　the　King；　he　was　having　his　hair　dressed；　he　took　two　locks　of　it；　and　gave　one　to　my　sister　and　one　to　me。　　We　offered　to　kiss　his　hand；　he　opposed　it；　and　embraced　us　without　saying　anything。　　In　the　third　was　the　Queen；　in　bed；　and　in　indescribable　affliction。　　We　found　her　accompanied　only　by　a　stout　woman；　who　appeared　tolerably　civil；　she　was　the　keeper　of　the　apartments。　　She　waited　upon　the　Queen；　who　as　yet　had　none　of　her　own　people　about　her。　　Her　Majesty　stretched　out　her　arms　to　us；　saying；　〃Come；　unfortunate　women；　come；　and　see　one　still　more　unhappy　than　yourselves；　since　she　has　been　the　cause　of　all　your　misfortunes。　　We　are　ruined；〃　continued　she；　〃we　have　arrived　at　that　point　to　which　they　have　been　leading　us　for　three　years；　through　all　possible　outrages；　we　shall　fall　in　this　dreadful　revolution；　and　many　others　will　perish　after　us。　All　have　contributed　to　our　downfall；　the　reformers　have　urged　it　like　mad　people；　and　others　through　ambition；　for　the　wildest　Jacobin　seeks　wealth　and　office；　and　the　mob　is　eager　for　plunder。　　There　is　not　one　real