the memoirs of marie antoinette-第85节

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be　suspected　of　evil　designs；　and　that　no　political　opinion　could　afford　a　ground　of　objection　to　these　solicitations。　　Seeing　that　the　well…meaning　man　did　not　succeed；　I　thought　to　do　more　in　person；　but　Petion　persisted　in　his　refusal；　and　threatened　to　send　me　to　La　Force。　Thinking　to　give　me　a　kind　of　consolation；　he　added　I　might　be　certain　that　all　those　who　were　then　with　Louis　XVI。　and　his　family　would　not　stay　with　them　long。　　And　in　fact；　two　or　three　days　afterwards　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　Madame　de　Tourzel；　her　daughter；　the　Queen's　first　woman；　the　first　woman　of　the　Dauphin　and　of　Madame；　M。　de　Chamilly；　and　M。　de　Hue　were　carried　off　during　the　night　and　transferred　to　La　Force。　After　the　departure　of　the　King　and　Queen　for　the　Temple；　my　sister　was　detained　a　prisoner　in　the　apartments　their　Majesties　had　quitted　for　twenty…four　hours。

From　this　time　I　was　reduced　to　the　misery　of　having　no　further　intelligence　of　my　august　and　unfortunate　mistress　but　through　the　medium　of　the　newspapers　or　the　National　Guard；　who　did　duty　at　the　Temple。

The　King　and　Queen　said　nothing　to　me　at　the　Feuillans　about　the　portfolio　which　had　been　deposited　with　me；　no　doubt　they　expected　to　see　me　again。　　The　minister　Roland　and　the　deputies　composing　the　provisional　government　were　very　intent　on　a　search　for　papers　belonging　to　their　Majesties。　　They　had　the　whole　of　the　Tuileries　ransacked。　　The　infamous　Robespierre　bethought　himself　of　M。　Campan；　the　Queen's　private　secretary；　and　said　that　his　death　was　feigned；　that　he　was　living　unknown　in　some　obscure　part　of　France；　and　was　doubtless　the　depositary　of　all　the　important　papers。　　In　a　great　portfolio　belonging　to　the　King　there　had　been　found　a　solitary　letter　from　the　Comte　d'Artois；　which；　by　its　date；　and　the　subjects　of　which　it　treated；　indicated　the　existence　of　a　continued　correspondence。　　（This　letter　appeared　among　the　documents　used　on　the　trial　of　Louis　XVI。）　　A　former　preceptor　of　my　son's　had　studied　with　Robespierre；　the　latter；　meeting　him　in　the　street；　and　knowing　the　connection　which　had　subsisted　between　him　and　the　family　of　M。　Campan；　required　him　to　say；　upon　his　honour；　whether　he　was　certain　of　the　death　of　the　latter。　　The　man　replied　that　M。　Campan　had　died　at　La　Briche　in　1791；　and　that　he　had　seen　him　interred　in　the　cemetery　of　Epinay。　　〃well；　then；〃　resumed　Robespierre；　〃bring　me　the　certificate　of　his　burial　at　twelve　to…morrow；　it　is　a　document　for　which　I　have　pressing　occasion。〃　　Upon　hearing　the　deputy's　demand　I　instantly　sent　for　a　certificate　of　M。　Campan's　burial；　and　Robespierre　received　it　at　nine　o'clock　the　next　morning。　　But　I　considered　that；　in　thinking　of　my　father…in…law；　they　were　coming　very　near　me；　the　real　depositary　of　these　important　papers。　　I　passed　days　and　nights　in　considering　what　I　could　do　for　the　best　under　such　circumstances。

I　was　thus　situated　when　the　order　to　inform　against　those　who　had　been　denounced　as　suspected　on　the　10th　of　August　led　to　domiciliary　visits。　My　servants　were　told　that　the　people　of　the　quarter　in　which　I　lived　were　talking　much　of　the　search　that　would　be　made　in　my　house；　and　came　to　apprise　me　of　it。　　I　heard　that　fifty　armed　men　would　make　themselves　masters　of　M。　Auguies　house；　where　I　then　was。　　I　had　just　received　this　intelligence　when　M。　Gougenot；　the　King's　maitre　d'hotel　and　receiver…　general　of　the　taxes；　a　man　much　attached　to　his　sovereign；　came　into　my　room　wrapped　in　a　ridingcloak；　under　which；　with　great　difficulty；　he　carried　the　King's　portfolio；　which　I　had　entrusted　to　him。　　He　threw　it　down　at　my　feet；　and　said　to　me；　〃There　is　your　deposit；　I　did　not　receive　it　from　our　unfortunate　King's　own　hands；　in　delivering　it　to　you　I　have　executed　my　trust。〃　　After　saying　this　he　was　about　to　withdraw。　I　stopped　him；　praying　him　to　consult　with　me　what　I　ought　to　do　in　such　a　trying　emergency。　　He　would　not　listen　to　my　entreaties；　or　even　hear　me　describe　the　course　I　intended　to　pursue。　　I　told　him　my　abode　was　about　to　be　surrounded；　I　imparted　to　him　what　the　Queen　had　said　to　me　about　the　contents　of　the　portfolio。　　To　all　this　he　answered；　〃There　it　is；　decide　for　yourself；　I　will　have　no　hand　in　it。〃　　Upon　that　I　remained　a　few　seconds　thinking；　and　my　conduct　was　founded　upon　the　following　reasons。　　I　spoke　aloud；　although　to　myself；　I　walked　about　the　room　with　agitated　steps；　M。　Gougenot　was　thunderstruck。　　〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃when　we　can　no　longer　communicate　with　our　King　and　receive　his　orders；　however　attached　we　may　be　to　him；　we　can　only　serve　him　according　to　the　best　of　our　own　judgment。　　The　Queen　said　to　me；　'This　portfolio　contains　scarcely　anything　but　documents　of　a　most　dangerous　description　in　the　event　of　a　trial　taking　place；　if　it　should　fall　into　the　hands　of　revolutionary　persons。'　　She　mentioned；　too；　a　single　document　which　would；　under　the　same　circumstances；　be　useful。　　It　is　my　duty　to　interpret　her　words；　and　consider　them　as　orders。　　She　meant　to　say；　'You　will　save　such　a　paper；　you　will　destroy　the　rest　if　they　are　likely　to　be　taken　from　you。'　　If　it　were　not　so；　was　there　any　occasion　for　her　to　enter　into　any　detail　as　to　what　the　portfolio　contained？　　The　order　to　keep　it　was　sufficient。　　Probably　it　contains；　moreover；　the　letters　of　that　part　of　the　family　which　has　emigrated；　there　is　nothing　which　may　have　been　foreseen　or　decided　upon　that　can　be　useful　now；　and　there　can　be　no　political　thread　which　has　not　been　cut　by　the　events　of　the　10th　of　August　and　the　imprisonment　of　the　King。　　My　house　is　about　to　be　surrounded；　I　cannot　conceal　anything　of　such　bulk；　I　might；　then；　through　want　of　foresight；　give　up　that　which　would　cause　the　condemnation　of　the　King。　　Let　us　open　the　portfolio；　save　the　document　alluded　to；　and　destroy　the　rest。〃　　I　took　a　knife　and　cut　open　one　side　of　the　portfolio。　　I　saw　a　great　number　of　envelopes　endorsed　by　the　King's　own　hand。　　M。　Gougenot　found　there　the　former　seals　of　the　King；

　　　　　＇No　doubt　it　was　in　order　to　have　the　ancient　seals　ready　at　a　　　　　　moment's　notice；　in　case　of　a　counter…revolution；　that　the　Queen　　　　　　desired　me　not　to　quit　the　Tuileries。　　M。　Gougenot　threw　the　seals　　　　　　into　the　river；　one　from　above　the　Pont　Neuf；　and　the　other　from　　　　　　near　the　Pont　Royal。MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

such　as　they　were　before　the　Assembly　had　changed　the　inscription。　　At　this　moment　we　heard　a　great　noise；　he　agreed　to　tie　up　the　portfolio；　take　it　again　under　his　cloak；　and　go　to　a　safe　place　to　execute　what　I　had　taken　upon　me　to　determine。　　He　made　me　swear；　by　all　I　held　most　sacred；　that　I　would　affirm；　under　every　possible　emergency；　that　the　course　I　was　pursuing　had　not　been　dictated　to　me　by　anybody；　and　that；　whatever　might　be　the　result；　I　would　take　all　the　credit　or　all　the　blame　upon　myself。　　I　lifted　up　my　hand　and　took　the　oath　he　required；　he　went　out。　　Half　an　hour　afterwards　a　great　number　of　armed　men　came　to　my　house；　they　placed　sentinels　at　all　the　outlets；　they　broke　open　secretaires　and　closets　of　which　they　had　not　the　keys；　they　'searched　the　flower…pots　and　boxes；　they　examined　the　cellars；　and　the　commandant　repeatedly　said；　〃Look　particularly　for　papers。〃　　In　the　afternoon　M。　Gougenot　returned。　　He　had　still　the　seals　of　France　about　him；　and　he　brought　me　a　statement　of　all　that　he　had　burnt。

The　portfolio　contained　twenty　letters　from　Monsieur；　eighteen　or　nineteen　from　the　Comte　d'Artois；　seventeen　from　Madame　Adelaide；　eighteen　from　Madame　Victoire；　a　great　many　letters　from　Comte　Alexandre　de　Lameth；　and　many　from　M。　de　Malesherbes；　with　documents　annexed　to　them。　　There　were　also　some　from　M。　de　Montmorin　and　other　ex…ministers　or　ambassadors。　　Each　correspondence　had　its　title　written　in　the　King's　own　hand　upon　the　blank　paper　which　contained　it。　　The　most　voluminous　was　that　from　Mirabeau。　　It　was　tied　up　with　a　scheme　for　an　escape；　which　he　thought　necessary。　　M。　Gougenot；　who　had　skimmed　over　these　letters　with　more　attention　than　the　rest；　told　me　they　were　of　so　interesting　a　nature　that　the　King　had　no　doubt　kept　them　as　documents　exceedingly　valuable　for　a　history　of　his　reign；　and　that　the　correspondence　with　the　Princes；　which　was　entirely　relative　to　what　was　going　forward　abroad；　in　concert　with　the　King；　would　have　been　fatal　to　him　if　it　had　been　seized。　　After　he　had　finished　he　placed　in　my　hands　the　proces…verbal；　signed　by　all　the　ministers；　to　which　the　King　attached　so　much　importance；　because　he　had　given　his　opinion　against　the　declaration　of　war；　a　copy　of　the　letter　written　by　the　King　to　the　Princes；　his　brothers；　inviting　them　to　return　to　France；　an　account　of　the　diamonds　which　the　Queen　had　sent　to　Brussels　（these　two　documents　were　in　my　handwriting）；　and　a　receipt　for　four　hundred　thousand　francs；　under　the　hand　of　a　celebrated　banker。　　This　sum　was　part　of　the　eight　hundred　thousand　francs　which　the　Queen　had　gradually　saved　during　her　reign；　out　of　her　pension　of　three　hundred　thousand　francs　per　annum；　and　out　of　the　one　hundred　thousand　francs　given　by　way　of　present　on　the　birth　of　the　Dauphin。

This　receipt；　written　on　a　very　small　piece　of　paper；　was　in　the　cover　of　an　almanac。　　I　agreed　with　M。　Gougenot；　who　wa