the memoirs of marie antoinette-第89节

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hambon；　accompanied　by　Chaumette；　Procureur　de　la　Commune；　Santerre；　commandant　of　the　National　Guard；　and　others；　arrived　at　the　Temple　and　read　a　decree　to　the　King；　which　ordered　that　〃Louis　Capet〃　should　be　brought　before　the　Convention。　　〃Capet　is　not　my　name；〃　he　replied；　〃but　that　of　one　of　my　ancestors。　　I　could　have　wished；〃　he　added；　〃that　you　had　left　my　son　with　me　during　the　last　two　hours。　　But　this　treatment　is　consistent　with　all　I　have　experienced　here。　　I　follow　you；　not　because　I　recognise　the　authority　of　the　Convention；　but　because　I　can　be　compelled　to　obey　it。〃　　He　then　followed　the　Mayor　to　a　carriage　which　waited；　with　a　numerous　escort；　at　the　gate　of　the　Temple。　　The　family　left　behind　were　overwhelmed　with　grief　and　apprehension。　　〃It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　anxiety　we　suffered；〃　says　Madame　Royale。　　〃My　mother　used　every　endeavour　with　the　officer　who　guarded　her　to　discover　what　was　passing；　it　was　the　first　time　she　had　condescended　to　question　any　of　these　men。　　He　would　tell　her　nothing。〃




　　　　　　　Trial　of　the　King。Parting　of　the　Royal　Family。Execution。

The　crowd　was　immense　as；　on　the　morning　of　the　11th　December；　1792；　Louis　XVI。　was　driven　slowly　from　the　Temple　to　the　Convention；　escorted　by　cavalry；　infantry；　and　artillery。　　Paris　looked　like　an　armed　camp：　all　the　posts　were　doubled；　the　muster…roll　of　the　National　Guard　was　called　over　every　hour；　a　picket　of　two　hundred　men　watched　in　the　court　of　each　of　the　right　sections；　a　reserve　with　cannon　was　stationed　at　the　Tuileries；　and　strong　detachments　patroled　the　streets　and　cleared　the　road　of　all　loiterers。　　The　trees　that　lined　the　boulevards；　the　doors　and　windows　of　the　houses；　were　alive　with　gazers；　and　all　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　King。　　He　was　much　changed　since　his　people　last　beheld　him。　The　beard　he　had　been　compelled　to　grow　after　his　razors　were　taken　from　him　covered　cheeks；　lips；　and　chin　with　light…coloured　hair；　which　concealed　the　melancholy　expression　of　his　mouth；　he　had　become　thin；　and　his　garments　hung　loosely　on　him；　but　his　manner　was　perfectly　collected　and　calm；　and　he　recognised　and　named　to　the　Mayor　the　various　quarters　through　which　he　passed。　　On　arriving　at　the　Feuillans　he　was　taken　to　a　room　to　await　the　orders　of　the　Assembly。

It　was　about　half…past　two　when　the　King　appeared　at　the　bar。　　The　Mayor　and　Generaux　Santerre　and　Wittengoff　were　at　his　side。　　Profound　silence　pervaded　the　Assembly。　　All　were　touched　by　the　King's　dignity　and　the　composure　of　his　looks　under　so　great　a　reverse　of　fortune。　　By　nature　he　had　been　formed　rather　to　endure　calamity　with　patience　than　to　contend　against　it　with　energy。　　The　approach　of　death　could　not　disturb　his　serenity。

〃Louis；　you　may　be　seated；〃　said　Barere。　　〃Answer　the　questions　that　shall　be　put　to　you。〃　　The　King　seated　himself　and　listened　to　the　reading　of　the　'acte　enonciatif'；　article　by　article。　　All　the　faults　of　the　Court　were　there　enumerated　and　imputed　to　Louis　XVI。　personally。　He　was　charged　with　the　interruption　of　the　sittings　of　the　20th　of　June；　1789；　with　the　Bed　of　Justice　held　on　the　23d　of　the　same　month；　the　aristocratic　conspiracy　thwarted　by　the　insurrection　of　the　14th　of　July；　the　entertainment　of　the　Life　Guards；　the　insults　offered　to　the　national　cockade；　the　refusal　to　sanction　the　Declaration　of　Rights；　as　well　as　several　constitutional　articles；　lastly；　all　the　facts　which　indicated　a　new　conspiracy　in　October；　and　which　were　followed　by　the　scenes　of　the　5th　and　6th；　the　speeches　of　reconciliation　which　had　succeeded　all　these　scenes；　and　which　promised　a　change　that　was　not　sincere；　the　false　oath　taken　at　the　Federation　of　the　14th　of　July；　the　secret　practices　of　Talon　and　Mirabeau　to　effect　a　counter…revolution；　the　money　spent　in　bribing　a　great　number　of　deputies；　the　assemblage　of　the　〃knights　of　the　dagger〃　on　the　28th　of　February；　1791；　the　flight　to　Varennes；　the　fusilade　of　the　Champ　de　Mars；　the　silence　observed　respecting　the　Treaty　of　Pilnitz；　the　delay　in　the　promulgation　of　the　decree　which　incorporated　Avignon　with　France；　the　commotions　at　Nimes；　Montauban；　Mende；　and　Jales；　the　continuance　of　their　pay　to　the　emigrant　Life　Guards　and　to　the　disbanded　Constitutional　Guard；　the　insufficiency　of　the　armies　assembled　on　the　frontiers；　the　refusal　to　sanction　the　decree　for　the　camp　of　twenty　thousand　men；　the　disarming　of　the　fortresses；　the　organisation　of　secret　societies　in　the　interior　of　Paris；　the　review　of　the　Swiss　and　the　garrison　of　the　palace　on　the　10th　August；　the　summoning　the　Mayor　to　the　Tuileries；　and　lastly；　the　effusion　of　blood　which　had　resulted　from　these　military　dispositions。　　After　each　article　the　President　paused；　and　said；　〃What　have　you　to　answer？〃　　The　King；　in　a　firm　voice；　denied　some　of　the　facts；　imputed　others　to　his　ministers；　and　always　appealed　to　the　constitution；　from　which　he　declared　he　had　never　deviated。　　His　answers　were　very　temperate；　but　on　the　charge；　〃You　spilt　the　blood　of　the　people　on　the　10th　of　August；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　emphasis；　〃No；　monsieur；　no；　it　was　not　I。〃

All　the　papers　on　which　the　act　of　accusation　was　founded　were　then　shown　to　the　King；　and　he　disavowed　some　of　them　and　disputed　the　existence　of　the　iron　chest；　this　produced　a　bad　impression；　and　was　worse　than　useless；　as　the　fact　had　been　proved。

　　　　　＇A　secret　closet　which　the　King　had　directed　to　be　constructed　in　a　　　　　　wall　in　the　Tuileries。　　The　door　was　of　iron；　whence　it　was　　　　　　afterwards　known　by　the　name　of　the　iron　chest。　　See　Thiers；　and　　　　　　Scott。＇

Throughout　the　examination　the　King　showed　great　presence　of　mind。　He　was　careful　in　his　answers　never　to　implicate　any　members　of　the　constituent；　and　legislative　Assemblies；　many　who　then　sat　as　his　judges　trembled　lest　he　should　betray　them。　　The　Jacobins　beheld　with　dismay　the　profound　impression　made　on　the　Convention　by　the　firm　but　mild　demeanour　of　the　sovereign。　　The　most　violent　of　the　party　proposed　that　he　should　be　hanged　that　very　night；　a　laugh　as　of　demons　followed　the　proposal　from　the　benches　of　the　Mountain；　but　the　majority；　composed　of　the　Girondists　and　the　neutrals；　decided　that　he　should　be　formally　tried。

After　the　examination　　Santerre　took　the　King　by　the　arm　and　led　him　back　to　the　waiting…room　of　the　Convention；　accompanied　by　Chambon　and　Chaumette。　　Mental　agitation　and　the　length　of　the　proceedings　had　exhausted　him；　and　he　staggered　from　weakness。　　Chaumette　inquired　if　he　wished　for　refreshment；　but　the　King　refused　it。　　A　moment　after；　seeing　a　grenadier　of　the　escort　offer　the　Procureur　de　la　Commune　half　a　small　loaf；　Louis　XVI。　approached　and　asked　him；　in　a　whisper；　for　a　piece。

〃Ask　aloud　for　what　you　want；〃　said　Chaumette；　retreating　as　though　he　feared　being　suspected　of　pity。

〃I　asked　for　a　piece　of　your　bread；〃　replied　the　King。

〃Divide　it　with　me；〃　said　Chaumette。　　〃It　is　a　Spartan　breakfast。　　If　I　had　a　root　I　would　give　you　half。〃＇Lamartine's　〃History　of　the　Girondists；〃　edit。　　1870；　vol。　ii。；　p。　313。＇

Soon　after　six　in　the　evening　the　King　returned　to　the　Temple。　　〃He　seemed　tired；〃　says　Clery；　simply；　〃and　his　first　wish　was　to　be　led　to　his　family。　　The　officers　refused；　on　the　plea　that　they　had　no　orders。　He　insisted　that　at　least　they　should　be　informed　of　his　return；　and　this　was　promised　him。　　The　King　ordered　me　to　ask　for　his　supper　at　half…past　eight。　　The　intervening　hours　he　employed　in　his　usual　reading；　surrounded　by　four　municipals。　　When　I　announced　that　supper　was　served；　the　King　asked　the　commissaries　if　his　family　could　not　come　down。　　They　made　no　reply。　　'But　at　least；'　the　King　said；　'my　son　will　pass　the　night　in　my　room；　his　bed　being　here？'　　The　same　silence。　　After　supper　the　King　again　urged　his　wish　to　see　his　family。　　They　answered　that　they　must　await　the　decision　of　the　Convention。　　While　I　was　undressing　him　the　King　said；　'I　was　far　from　expecting　all　the　questions　they　put　to　me。'　　He　lay　down　with　perfect　calmness。　　The　order　for　my　removal　during　the　night　was　not　executed。〃　　On　the　King's　return　to　the　Temple　being　known；　〃my　mother　asked　to　see　him　instantly；〃　writes　Madame　Royale。　〃She　made　the　same　request　even　to　Chambon；　but　received　no　answer。　　My　brother　passed　the　night　with　her；　and　as　he　had　no　bed；　she　gave　him　hers；　and　sat　up　all　the　night　in　such　deep　affliction　that　we　were　afraid　to　leave　her；　but　she　compelled　my　aunt　and　me　to　go　to　bed。　　Next　day　she　again　asked　to　see　my　father；　and　to　read　the　newspapers；　that　she　might　learn　the　course　of　the　trial。　　She　entreated　that　if　she　was　to　be　denied　this　indulgence；　his　children；　at　least；　might　see　him。　　Her　requests　were　referred　to　the　Commune。　　The　newspapers　were　refused；　but　my　brother　and　I　were　to　be　allowed　to　see　my　father　on　condition　of　being　entirely　separated　from　my　mother。　　My　father　replied　that；　great　as　his　happiness　was　in　seeing　his　children；　the　important　business　which　then　occupied　him　would　not　allow　of　his　attending　altogether　to　his　son；　and　that　his　daughter　could　not　leave　her　mother。〃

　　　　　＇During　their　last　interview　Madame　Elisabeth　had　given　Clery　one　of　　　　　　her　handkerchiefs；　saying；　〃You　shall　keep　it　so　long　as