the memoirs of marie antoinette-第87节

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　prevent　their　seeing　anything；　but　outside　the　workmen　and　the　gaoler　Rocher　joined　the　assassins　and　increased　the　tumult。　　Several　officers　of　the　guard　and　the　municipality　now　arrived；　and　on　my　father's　asking　what　was　the　matter；　a　young　officer　replied；　'Well；　since　you　will　know；　it　is　the　head　of　Madame　de　Lamballe　that　they　want　to　show　you。'　At　these　words　my　mother　was　overcome　with　horror；　it　was　the　only　occasion　on　which　her　firmness　abandoned　her。　　The　municipal　officers　were　very　angry　with　the　young　man；　but　the　King；　with　his　usual　goodness；　excused　him；　saying　that　it　was　his　own　fault；　since　he　had　questioned　the　officer。　　The　noise　lasted　till　five　o'clock。　　We　learned　that　the　people　had　wished　to　force　the　door；　and　that　the　municipal　officers　had　been　enabled　to　prevent　it　only　by　putting　a　tricoloured　scarf　across　it；　and　allowing　six　of　the　murderers　to　march　round　our　prison　with　the　head　of　the　Princess；　leaving　at　the　door　her　body；　which　they　would　have　dragged　in　also。〃

Clery　was　not　so　fortunate　as　to　escape　the　frightful　spectacle。　　He　had　gone　down　to　dine　with　Tison　and　his　wife；　employed　as　servants　in　the　Temple；　and　says：　〃We　were　hardly　seated　when　a　head；　on　the　end　of　a　pike；　was　presented　at　the　window。　　Tison's　wife　gave　a　great　cry；　the　assassins　fancied　they　recognised　the　Queen's　voice；　and　responded　by　savage　laughter。　　Under　the　idea　that　his　Majesty　was　still　at　table；　they　placed　their　dreadful　trophy　where　it　must　be　seen。　　It　was　the　head　of　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　although　bleeding；　it　was　not　disfigured；　and　her　light　hair；　still　in　curls；　hung　about　the　pike。〃

At　length　the　immense　mob　that　surrounded　the　Temple　gradually　withdrew；　〃to　follow　the　head　of　the　Princess　de　Lamballe　to　the　Palais　Royal。〃

　　　　　＇The　pike　that　bore　the　head　was　fixed　before　the　Duc　d'Orleans's　　　　　　window　as　he　was　going　to　dinner。　　It　is　said　that　he　looked　at　this　　　　　　horrid　sight　without　horror；　went　into　the　dining…room；　sat　down　to　　　　　　table；　and　helped　his　guests　without　saying　a　word。　　His　silence　and　　　　　　coolness　left　it　doubtful　whether　the　assassins；　in　presenting　him　　　　　　this　bloody　trophy；　intended　to　offer　him　an　insult　or　to　pay　him　　　　　　homage。DE　MOLLEVILLE'S　〃Annals　of　the　French　Revolution；〃　vol。　　　　　　vii。；　p。　　398。＇

Meanwhile　the　royal　family　could　scarcely　believe　that　for　the　time　their　lives　were　saved。　　〃My　aunt　and　I　heard　the　drums　beating　to　arms　all　night；〃　says　Madame　Royale；　〃my　unhappy　mother　did　not　even　attempt　to　sleep。　　We　heard　her　sobs。〃

In　the　comparative　tranquillity　which　followed　the　September　massacres；　the　royal　family　resumed　the　regular　habits　they　had　adopted　on　entering　the　Temple。　　〃The　King　usually　rose　at　six　in　the　morning；〃　says　Clery。　〃He　shaved　himself；　and　I　dressed　his　hair；　he　then　went　to　his　reading…　room；　which；　being　very　small；　the　municipal　officer　on　duty　remained　in　the　bedchamber　with　the　door　open；　that　he　might　always　keep　the　King　in　sight。　　His　Majesty　continued　praying　on　his　knees　for　some　time；　and　then　read　till　nine。　　During　that　interval；　after　putting　his　chamber　to　rights　and　preparing　the　breakfast；　I　went　down　to　the　Queen；　who　never　opened　her　door　till　I　arrived；　in　order　to　prevent　the　municipal　officer　from　going　into　her　apartment。　　At　nine　o'clock　the　Queen；　the　children；　and　Madame　Elisabeth　went　up　to　the　King's　chamber　to　breakfast。　　At　ten　the　King　and　his　family　went　down　to　the　Queen's　chamber；　and　there　passed　the　day。　　He　employed　himself　in　educating　his　son；　made　him　recite　passages　from　Corneille　and　Racine；　gave　him　lessons　in　geography；　and　exercised　him　in　colouring　the　maps。　　The　Queen；　on　her　part；　was　employed　in　the　education　of　her　daughter；　and　these　different　lessons　lasted　till　eleven　o'clock。　　The　remaining　time　till　noon　was　passed　in　needlework；　knitting；　or　making　tapestry。　　At　one　o'clock；　when　the　weather　was　fine；　the　royal　family　were　conducted　to　the　garden　by　four　municipal　officers　and　the　commander　of　a　legion　of　the　National　Guard。　As　there　were　a　number　of　workmen　in　the　Temple　employed　in　pulling　down　houses　and　building　new　walls；　they　only　allowed　a　part　of　the　chestnut…　tree　walk　for　the　promenade；　in　which　I　was　allowed　to　share；　and　where　I　also　played　with　the　young　Prince　at　ball；　quoits；　or　races。　　At　two　we　returned　to　the　Tower；　where　I　served　the　dinner；　at　which　time　Santerre　regularly　came　to　the　Temple；　attended　by　two　aides…de…camp。　　The　King　sometimes　spoke　to　him；the　Queen　never。

After　the　meal　the　royal　family　came　down　into　the　Queen's　room；　and　their　Majesties　generally　played　a　game　of　piquet　or　tric…trac。　　At　four　o'clock　the　King　took　a　little　repose；　the　Princesses　round　him；　each　with　a　book　。　　。　　。　　。　　When　the　King　woke　the　conversation　was　resumed；　and　I　gave　writing　lessons　to　his　son；　taking　the　copies；　according　to　his　instructions；　from　the　works　of；　Montesquieu　and　other　celebrated　authors。　　After　the　lesson　I　took　the　young　Prince　into　Madame　Elisabeth's　room；　where　we　played　at　ball；　and　battledore　and　shuttlecock。　　In　the　evening　the　family　sat　round　a　table；　while　the　Queen　read　to　them　from　books　of　history；　or　other　works　proper　to　instruct　and　amuse　the　children。　　Madame　Elisabeth　took　the　book　in　her　turn；　and　in　this　manner　they　read　till　eight　o'clock。　　After　that　I　served　the　supper　of　the　young　Prince；　in　which　the　royal　family　shared；　and　the　King　amused　the　children　with　charades　out　of　a　collection　of　French　papers　which　he　found　in　the　library。　　After　the　Dauphin　had　supped；　I　undressed　him；　and　the　Queen　heard　him　say　his　prayers。　　At　nine　the　King　went　to　supper；　and　afterwards　went　for　a　moment　to　the　Queen's　chamber；　shook　hands　with　her　and　his　sister　for　the　night；　kissed　his　children；　and　then　retired　to　the　turret…room；　where　he　sat　reading　till　midnight。　　The　Queen　and　the　Princesses　locked　themselves　in；　and　one　of　the　municipal　officers　remained　in　the　little　room　which　parted　their　chamber；　where　he　passed　the　night；　the　other　followed　his　Majesty。　　In　this　manner　was　the　time　passed　as　long　as　the　King　remained　in　the　small　tower。〃

But　even　these　harmless　pursuits　were　too　often　made　the　means　of　further　insulting　and　thwarting　the　unfortunate　family。　　Commissary　Le　Clerc　interrupted　the　Prince's　writing　lessons；　proposing　to　substitute　Republican　works　for　those　from　which　the　King　selected　his　copies。　A　smith；　who　was　present　when　the　Queen　was　reading　the　history　of　France　to　her　children；　denounced　her　to　the　Commune　for　choosing　the　period　when　the　Connstable　de　Bourbon　took　arms　against　France；　and　said　she　wished　to　inspire　her　son　with　unpatriotic　feelings；　a　municipal　officer　asserted　that　the　multiplication　table　the　Prince　was　studying　would　afford　a　means　of　〃speaking　in　cipher；〃　so　arithmetic　had　to　be　abandoned。　　Much　the　same　occurred　even　with　the　needlework；　the　Queen　and　Princess　finished　some　chairbacks；　which　they　wished　to　send　to　the　Duchesse　de　Tarente；　but　the　officials　considered　that　the　patterns　were　hieroglyphics；　intended　for　carrying　on　a　correspondence；　and　ordered　that　none　of　the　Princesses　work　should　leave　the　Temple。　The　short　daily　walk　in　the　garden　was　also　embittered　by　the　rude　behaviour　of　the　military　and　municipal　gaolers；　sometimes；　however；　it　afforded　an　opportunity　for　marks　of　sympathy　to　be　shown。　　People　would　station　themselves　at　the　windows　of　houses　overlooking　the　Temple　gardens；　and　evince　by　gestures　their　loyal　affection；　and　some　of　the　sentinels　showed；　even　by　tears；　that　their　duty　was　painful　to　them。

On　the　21st　September　the　National　Convention　was　constituted；　Petion　being　made　president　and　Collot　d'Herbois　moving　the　〃abolition　of　royalty〃　amidst　transports　of　applause。　　That　afternoon　a　municipal　officer　attended　by　gendarmes　a　cheval；　and　followed　by　a　crowd　of　people；　arrived　at　the　Temple；　and；　after　a　flourish　of　trumpets；　proclaimed　the　establishment　of　the　French　Republic。　　The　man；　says　Clery；　〃had　the　voice　of　a　Stentor。〃　　The　royal　family　could　distinctly　hear　the　announcement　of　the　King's　deposition。　　〃Hebert；　so　well　known　under　the　title　of　Pere　Duchesne；　and　Destournelles　were　on　guard。　　They　were　sitting　near　the　door；　and　turned　to　the　King　with　meaning　smiles。　He　had　a　book　in　his　hand；　and　went　on　reading　without　changing　countenance。　　The　Queen　showed　the　same　firmness。　　The　proclamation　finished；　the　trumpets　sounded　afresh。　　I　went　to　the　window；　the　people　took　me　for　Louis　XVI。　and　I　was　overwhelmed　with　insults。〃

After　the　new　decree　the　prisoners　were　treated　with　increased　harshness。　Pens；　paper；　ink；　and　pencils　were　taken　from　them。　　The　King　and　Madame　Elisabeth　gave　up　all；　but　the　Queen　and　her　daughter　each　concealed　a　pencil。　　〃In　the　beginning　of　October；〃　says　Madame　Royale；　〃after　my　father　had　supped；　he　was　told　to　stop；　that　he　was　not　to　return　to　his　former　apartments；　and　that　he　was　to　be　separated　from　his　family。　　At　this　dreadful　sentence　the　Queen　lost　her　usual　courage。　　We　parted　from　him　with　abundance　of　tears；　though　we　expected　to　see　him　again　in　the　morning。

　　　　　＇At　nine　o'clock；　says　Clery；　the　King　asked　to　be　taken　to　his　　　　　　family；　but　the　municipal　officers　re