the memoirs of marie antoinette-第96节

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held　　　　　　her；　her　cheeks；　pale　and　emaciated；　were　occasionally　tinged　with　a　　　　　　vivid　colour　at　the　mention　of　those　she　had　lost。　　When　led　out　to　　　　　　execution；　she　was　dressed　in　white；　she　had　cut　off　her　hair　with　　　　　　her　own　hands。　　Placed　in　a　tumbrel；　with　her　arms　tied　behind　her；　　　　　　she　was　taken　by　a　circuitous　route　to　the　Place　de　la　Revolution；　　　　　　and　she　ascended　the　scaffold　with　a　firm　and　dignified　step；　as　if　　　　　　she　had　been　about　to　take　her　place　on　a　throne　by　the　side　of　her　　　　　　husband。…LACRETELLE。＇

The　infamous　wretch　exhibited　her　head　to　the　people；　as　he　was　accustomed　to　do　when　he　had　sacrificed　an　illustrious　victim。




　　　　　　　　　　The　Last　Separation。Execution　of　Madame　Elisabeth。　　　　　　　　　　　Death　of　the　Dauphin。

The　two　Princesses　left　in　the　Temple　were　now　almost　inconsolable；　they　spent　days　and　nights　in　tears；　whose　only　alleviation　was　that　they　were　shed　together。　　〃The　company　of　my　aunt；　whom　I　loved　so　tenderly；〃　said　Madame　Royale；　〃was　a　great　comfort　to　me。　　But　alas！　　all　that　I　loved　was　perishing　around　me；　and　I　was　soon　to　lose　her　also　。　　。　　。　　。　　In　the　beginning　of　September　I　had　an　illness　caused　solely　by　my　anxiety　about　my　mother；　I　never　heard　a　drum　beat　that　I　did　not　expect　another　3d　of　September。〃　＇when　the　head　of　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　was　carried　to　the　Temple。＇

In　the　course　of　the　month　the　rigour　of　their　captivity　was　much　increased。　　The　Commune　ordered　that　they　should　only　have　one　room；　that　Tison　（who　had　done　the　heaviest　of　the　household　work　for　them；　and　since　the　kindness　they　showed　to　his　insane　wife　had　occasionally　given　them　tidings　of　the　Dauphin）　should　be　imprisoned　in　the　turret；　that　they　should　be　supplied　with　only　the　barest　necessaries；　and　that　no　one　should　enter　their　room　save　to　carry　water　and　firewood。　　Their　quantity　of　firing　was　reduced；　and　they　were　not　allowed　candles。　　They　were　also　forbidden　to　go　on　the　leads；　and　their　large　sheets　were　taken　away；　〃lestnotwithstanding　the　gratings！they　should　escape　from　the　windows。〃

On　8th　October；　1793；　Madame　Royale　was　ordered　to　go　downstairs；　that　she　might　be　interrogated　by　some　municipal　officers。　　〃My　aunt；　who　was　greatly　affected；　would　have　followed；　but　they　stopped　her。　　She　asked　whether　I　should　be　permitted　to　come　up　again；　Chaumette　assured　her　that　I　should。　　'You　may　trust；'　said　he；　'the　word　of　an　honest　republican。　　She　shall　return。'　　I　soon　found　myself　in　my　brother's　room；　whom　I　embraced　tenderly；　but　we　were　torn　asunder；　and　I　was　obliged　to　go　into　another　room。＇This　was　the　last　time　the　brother　and　sister　met。＇　。　　。　　。　　Chaumette　then　questioned　me　about　a　thousand　shocking　things　of　which　they　accused　my　mother　and　aunt；　I　was　so　indignant　at　hearing　such　horrors　that；　terrified　as　I　was；　I　could　not　help　exclaiming　that　they　were　infamous　falsehoods。

But　in　spite　of　my　tears　they　still　pressed　their　questions。　　There　were　some　things　which　I　did　not　comprehend；　but　of　which　I　understood　enough　to　make　me　weep　with　indignation　and　horror　。　　。　　。　　。　　They　then　asked　me　about　Varennes；　and　other　things。　　I　answered　as　well　as　I　could　without　implicating　anybody。　　I　had　always　heard　my　parents　say　that　it　were　better　to　die　than　to　implicate　anybody。〃　　When　the　examination　was　over　the　Princess　begged　to　be　allowed　to　join　her　mother；　but　Chaumette　said　he　could　not　obtain　permission　for　her　to　do　so。　　She　was　then　cautioned　to　say　nothing　about　her　examination　to　her　aunt；　who　was　next　to　appear　before　them。　　Madame　Elisabeth；　her　niece　declares；　〃replied　with　still　more　contempt　to　their　shocking　questions。〃

The　only　intimation　of　the　Queen's　fate　which　her　daughter　and　her　sister…in…law　were　allowed　to　receive　was　through　hearing　her　sentence　cried　by　the　newsman。　　But　〃we　could　not　persuade　ourselves　that　she　was　dead；〃　writes　Madame　Royale。　　〃A　hope；　so　natural　to　the　unfortunate；　persuaded　us　that　she　must　have　been　saved。　　For　eighteen　months　I　remained　in　this　cruel　suspense。　　We　learnt　also　by　the　cries　of　the　newsman　the　death　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans。

　　　　　＇The　Duo　d'Orleans；　the　early　and　interested　propagator　of　the　　　　　　Revolution；　was　its　next　victim。　　Billaud　Varennes　said　in　the　　　　　　Convention：　〃The　time　has　come　when　all　the　conspirators　should　be　　　　　　known　and　struck。　　I　demand　that　we　no　longer　pass　over　in　silence　a　　　　　　man　whom　we　seem　to　have　forgotten；　despite　the　numerous　facts　　　　　　against　him。　　I　demand　that　D'ORLEANS　be　sent　to　the　Revolutionary　　　　　　Tribunal。〃　　The　Convention；　once　his　hireling　adulators；　unanimously　　　　　　supported　the　proposal。　　In　vain　he　alleged　his　having　been　　　　　　accessory　to　the　disorders　of　5th　October；　his　support　of　the　revolt　　　　　　on　10th　August；　1792；　his　vote　against　the　King　on　17th　January；　　　　　　1793。　　His　condemnation　was　pronounced。　　He　then　asked　only　for　a　　　　　　delay　of　twenty…four　hours；　and　had　a　repast　carefully　prepared；　on　　　　　　which　he　feasted　with　avidity。　　When　led　out　for　execution　he　gazed　　　　　　with　a　smile　on　the　Palais　Royal；　the　scene　of　his　former　orgies。　　　　　　He　was　detained　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before　that　palace　by　the　　　　　　order　of　Robespierre；　who　had　asked　his　daughter's　hand；　and　　　　　　promised　in　return　to　excite　a　tumult　in　which　the　Duke's　life　　　　　　should　be　saved。　　Depraved　though　he　was；　he　would　not　consent　to　　　　　　such　a　sacrifice；　and　he　met　his　fate　with　stoical　fortitude。　　　　　　ALLISON；　vol。　iii。；　p。　172。＇

It　was　the　only　piece　of　news　that　reached　us　during　the　whole　winter。〃

The　severity　with　which　the　prisoners　were　treated　was　carried　into　every　detail　of　their　life。　　The　officers　who　guarded　them　took　away　their　chessmen　and　cards　because　some　of　them　were　named　kings　and　queens；　and　all　the　books　with　coats　of　arms　on　them；　they　refused　to　get　ointment　for　a　gathering　on　Madame　Elisabeth's　arm；　they；　would　not　allow　her　to　make　a　herb…tea　which　she　thought　would　strengthen　her　niece；　they　declined　to　supply　fish　or　eggs　on　fast…days　or　during　Lent；　bringing　only　coarse　fat　meat；　and　brutally　replying　to　all　remonstances；　〃None　but　fools　believe　in　that　stuff　nowadays。〃　　Madame　Elisabeth　never　made　the　officials　another　request；　but　reserved　some　of　the　bread　and　caf？　au…fait　from　her　breakfast　for　her　second　meal。　　The　time　during　which　she　could　be　thus　tormented　was　growing　short。

On　9th　May；　1794；　as　the　Princesses　were　going　to　bed；　the　outside　bolts　of　the　door　were　unfastened　and　a　loud　knocking　was　heard。　　〃When　my　aunt　was　dressed；〃　says　Madame　Royale；　〃she　opened　the　door；　and　they　said　to　her；　'Citoyenne；　come　down。''And　my　niece？''We　shall　take　care　of　her　afterwards。'　She　embraced　me；　and　to　calm　my　agitation　promised　to　return。　　'No；　citoyenne；'　said　the　men；　'bring　your　bonnet；　you　shall　not　return。'　　They　overwhelmed　her　with　abuse；　but　she　bore　it　patiently；　embracing　me；　and　exhorting　me　to　trust　in　Heaven；　and　never　to　forget　the　last　commands　of　my　father　and　mother。〃

Madame　Elisabeth　was　then　taken　to　the　Conciergerie；　where　she　was　interrogated　by　the　vice…president　at　midnight；'　and　then　allowed　to　take　some　hours　rest　on　the　bed　on　which　Marie　Antoinette　had　slept　for　the　last　time。　　In　the　morning　she　was　brought　before　the　tribunal；　with　twenty…four　other　prisoners；　of　varying　ages　and　both　sexes；　some　of　whom　had　once　been　frequently　seen　at　Court。

〃Of　what　has　Elisabeth　to　complain？〃　　Fouquier…Tinville　satirically　asked。　　〃At　the　foot　of　the　guillotine；　surrounded　by　faithful　nobility；　she　may　imagine　herself　again　at　Versailles。〃

〃You　call　my　brother　a　tyrant；〃　the　Princess　replied　to　her　accuser；　〃if　he　had　been　what　you　say；　you　would　not　be　where　you　are；　nor　I　before　you！〃

She　was　sentenced　to　death；　and　showed　neither　surprise　nor　grief。　　〃I　am　ready　to　die；〃　she　said；　〃happy　in　the　prospect　of　rejoining　in　a　better　world　those　whom　I　loved　on　earth。〃

On　being　taken　to　the　room　where　those　condemned　to　suffer　at　the　same　time　as　herself　were　assembled；　she　spoke　to　them　with　so　much　piety　and　resignation　that　they　were　encouraged　by　her　example　to　show　calmness　and　courage　like　her　own。　　The　women；　on　leaving　the　cart；　begged　to　embrace　her；　and　she　said　some　words　of　comfort　to　each　in　turn　as　they　mounted　the　scaffold；　which　she　was　not　allowed　to　ascend　till　all　her　companions　had　been　executed　before　her　eyes。

　　　　　＇Madame　Elisabeth　was　one　of　those　rare　personages　only　seen　at　　　　　　distant　intervals　during　the　course　of　ages；　she　set　an　example　of　　　　　　steadfast　piety　in　the　palace　of　kings；　she　lived　amid　her　family　　　　　　the　favourite　of　all　and　the　admiration　of　the　world　。。。。　　When　I　　　　　　went　to　Versailles　Madame　Elisabeth　was　twenty…two　years　of　age。　　　　　　Her　plump　figure　and　pretty　pink　colour　must　have　attracted　notice；　　　　　　and　her　air　of　calmness　and　contentment　even　more　than　her　beauty。　　　　　　She　was　fond　of　billiards；　and　her　elegance　and　courage　in　riding　　　　　　were　remarkable。　　But　she　never　allowed　these　amusements　to　　　　　　interfere　with　her　religious　observances。　　At　that　time　her　wish　to　　　　　　take　the　veil　at　St。　Cyr　was　much　talked　of；　but　the　King　was　too　　　　　　fond　of　his　sister　to　endure　the　separation。　　There　were　also　　　　　　rumours　of