the memoirs of marie antoinette-第97节

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the　King　was　too　　　　　　fond　of　his　sister　to　endure　the　separation。　　There　were　also　　　　　　rumours　of　a　marriage　between　Madame　Elisabeth　and　the　Emperor　　　　　　Joseph。　　The　Queen　was　sincerely　attached　to　her　brother；　and　loved　　　　　　her　sister…in…law　most　tenderly；　she　ardently　desired　this　marriage　　　　　　as　a　means　of　raising　the　Princess　to　one　of　the　first　thrones　in　　　　　　Europe；　and　as　a　possible　means　of　turning　the　Emperor　from　his　　　　　　innovations。　　She　had　been　very　carefully　educated；　had　talent　in　　　　　　music　and　painting；　spoke　Italian　and　a　little　Latin；　and　understood　　　　　　mathematics　。。。。　　Her　last　moments　were　worthy　of　her　courage　and　　　　　　virtue。　D'HEZECQUES's　〃Recollections；〃　pp。　　72…75。

〃It　is　impossible　to　imagine　my　distress　at　finding　myself　separated　from　my　aunt；〃　says　Madame　Royale。　　〃Since　I　had　been　able　to　appreciate　her　merits；　I　saw　in　her　nothing　but　religion；　gentleness；　meekness；　modesty；　and　a　devoted　attachment　to　her　family；　she　sacrificed　her　life　for　them；　since　nothing　could　persuade　her　to　leave　the　King　and　Queen。　　I　never　can　be　sufficiently　grateful　to　her　for　her　goodness　to　me；　which　ended　only　with　her　life。　　She　looked　on　me　as　her　child；　and　I　honoured　and　loved　her　as　a　second　mother。　　I　was　thought　to　be　very　like　her　in　countenance；　and　I　feel　conscious　that　I　have　something　of　her　character。　Would　to　God　I　might　imitate　her　virtues；　and　hope　that　I　may　hereafter　deserve　to　meet　her；　as　well　as　my　dear　parents；　in　the　bosom　of　our　Creator；　where　I　cannot　doubt　that　they　enjoy　the　reward　of　their　virtuous　lives　and　meritorious　deaths。〃

Madame　Royale　vainly　begged　to　be　allowed　to　rejoin　her　mother　or　her　aunt；　or　at　least　to　know　their　fate。　　The　municipal　officers　would　tell　her　nothing；　and　rudely　refused　her　request　to　have　a　woman　placed　with　her。　　〃I　asked　nothing　but　what　seemed　indispensable；　though　it　was　often　harshly　refused；〃　she　says。　　〃But　I　at　least　could　keep　myself　clean。　　I　had　soap　and　water；　and　carefully　swept　out　my　room　every　day。　　I　had　no　light；　but　in　the　long　days　I　did　not　feel　this　privation　much　。　　。　　。　　。　I　had　some　religious　works　and　travels；　which　I　had　read　over　and　over。　I　had　also　some　knitting；　'qui　m'ennuyait　beaucoup'。〃　　Once；　she　believes；　Robespierre　visited　her　prison：

　　　　　＇It　has　been　said　that　Robespierre　vainly　tried　to　obtain　the　hand　　　　　　of　Mademoiselle　d'Orleans。　　It　was　also　rumoured　that　Madame　Royale　　　　　　herself　owed　her　life　to　his　matrimonial　ambition。＇

〃The　officers　showed　him　great　respect；　the　people　in　the　Tower　did　not　know　him；　or　at　least　would　not　tell　me　who　he　was。　　He　stared　insolently　at　me；　glanced　at　my　books；　and；　after　joining　the　municipal　officers　in　a　search；　retired。〃

　　　　　＇On　another　occasion　〃three　men　in　scarfs；〃　who　entered　the　　　　　　Princess's　room；　told　her　that　they　did　not　see　why　she　should　wish　　　　　　to　be　released；　as　she　seemed　very　comfortable！　　〃It　is　dreadful；'　　　　　　I　replied；　'to　be　separated　for　more　than　a　year　from　one's　mother；　　　　　　without　even　hearing　what　has　become　of　her　or　of　my　aunt。''You　　　　　　are　not　ill？''No；　monsieur；　but　the　cruellest　illness　is　that　of　　　　　　the　heart''　We　can　do　nothing　for　you。　　Be　patient；　and　submit　to　　　　　　the　justice　and　goodness　of　the　French　people：　I　had　nothing　more　to　　　　　　say。〃　DUCHESSE　D'ANGOULEME；　〃Royal　Memoirs；〃　p。　273。＇

When　Laurent　was　appointed　by　the　Convention　to　the　charge　of　the　young　prisoners；　Madame　Royale　was　treated　with　more　consideration。　　〃He　was　always　courteous；〃　she　says；　he　restored　her　tinderbox；　gave　her　fresh　books；　and　allowed　her　candles　and　as　much　firewood　as　she　wanted；　〃which　pleased　me　greatly。〃　　This　simple　expression　of　relief　gives　a　clearer　idea　of　what　the　delicate　girl　must　have　suffered　than　a　volume　of　complaints。

But　however　hard　Madame　Royale's　lot　might　be；　that　of　the　Dauphin　was　infinitely　harder。　　Though　only　eight　years　old　when　he　entered　the　Temple；　he　was　by　nature　and　education　extremely　precocious；　〃his　memory　retained　everything；　and　his　sensitiveness　comprehended　everything。〃　　His　features　〃recalled　the　somewhat　effeminate　look　of　Louis　XV。；　and　the　Austrian　hauteur　of　Maria　Theresa；　his　blue　eyes；　aquiline　nose；　elevated　nostrils；　well…defined　mouth；　pouting　lips；　chestnut　hair　parted　in　the　middle　and　falling　in　thick　curls　on　his　shoulders；　resembled　his　mother　before　her　years　of　tears　and　torture。　　All　the　beauty　of　his　race；　by　both　descents；　seemed　to　reappear　in　him。〃＇Lamartine＇　　For　some　time　the　care　of　his　parents　preserved　his　health　and　cheerfulness　even　in　the　Temple；　but　his　constitution　was　weakened　by　the　fever　recorded　by　his　sister；　and　his　gaolers　were　determined　that　he　should　never　regain　strength。

〃What　does　the　Convention　intend　to　do　with　him？〃　asked　Simon；　when　the　innocent　victim　was　placed　in　his　clutches。　　〃Transport　him？〃

〃No。〃

〃Kill　him？〃

〃No。〃

〃Poison　him？〃

〃No。〃

〃What；　then？〃

〃Why；　get　rid　of　him。〃

For　such　a　purpose　they　could　not　have　chosen　their　instruments　better。　〃Simon　and　his　wife；　cut　off　all　those　fair　locks　that　had　been　his　youthful　glory　and　his　mother's　pride。　　This　worthy　pair　stripped　him　of　the　mourning　he　wore　for　his　father；　and　as　they　did　so；　they　called　it　'playing　at　the　game　of　the　spoiled　king。'　　They　alternately　induced　him　to　commit　excesses；　and　then　half　starved　him。　　They　beat　him　mercilessly；　nor　was　the　treatment　by　night　less　brutal　than　that　by　day。　As　soon　as　the　weary　boy　had　sunk　into　his　first　profound　sleep；　they　would　loudly　call　him　by　name；　'Capet！　　Capet！'　Startled；　nervous；　bathed　in　perspiration；　or　sometimes　trembling　with　cold；　he　would　spring　up；　rush　through　the　dark；　and　present　himself　at　Simon's　bedside；　murmuring；　tremblingly；　'I　am　here；　citizen。''Come　nearer；　let　me　feel　you。'　He　would　approach　the　bed　as　he　was　ordered；　although　he　knew　the　treatment　that　awaited　him。　　Simon　would　buffet　him　on　the　head；　or　kick　him　away；　adding　the　remark；　'Get　to　bed　again；　wolfs　cub；　I　only　wanted　to　know　that　you　were　safe。'　　On　one　of　these　occasions；　when　the　child　had　fallen　half　stunned　upon　his　own　miserable　couch；　and　lay　there　groaning　and　faint　with　pain；　Simon　roared　out　with　a　laugh；　'Suppose　you　were　king；　Capet；　what　would　you　do　to　me？'　The　child　thought　of　his　father's　dying　words；　and　said；　'I　would　forgive　you。'〃'＇THIERS＇

The　change　in　the　young　Prince's　mode　of　life；　and　the　cruelties　and　caprices　to　which　he　was　subjected；　soon　made　him　fall　ill；　says　his　sister。　　〃Simon　forced　him　to　eat　to　excess；　and　to　drink　large　quantities　of　wine；　which　he　detested　。　　。　　。　　。　　He　grew　extremely　fat　without　increasing　in　height　or　strength。〃　　His　aunt　and　sister；　deprived　of　the　pleasure　of　tending　him；　had　the　pain　of　hearing　his　childish　voice　raised　in　the　abominable　songs　his　gaolers　taught　him。　　The　brutality　of　Simon　〃depraved　at　once　the　body　and　soul　of　his　pupil。　　He　called　him　the　young　wolf　of　the　Temple。　　He　treated　him　as　the　young　of　wild　animals　are　treated　when　taken　from　the　mother　and　reduced　to　captivity；at　once　intimidated　by　blows　and　enervated　by　taming。　　He　punished　for　sensibility；　he　rewarded　meanness；　he　encouraged　vice；　he　made　the　child　wait　on　him　at　table；　sometimes　striking　him　on　the　face　with　a　knotted　towel；　sometimes　raising　the　poker　and　threatening　to　strike　him　with　it。〃

　　　　　＇Simon　left　the　Temple　to　become　a　municipal　officer。　　He　was　　　　　　involved　in　the　overthrow　of　Robespierre；　and　guillotined　the　day　　　　　　after　him；　29th　July；　1794。＇

Yet　when　Simon　was　removed　the　poor　young　Prince's　condition　became　even　worse。　　His　horrible　loneliness　induced　an　apathetic　stupor　to　which　any　suffering　would　have　been　preferable。　　〃He　passed　his　days　without　any　kind　of　occupation；　they　did　not　allow　him　light　in　the　evening。　　His　keepers　never　approached　him　but　to　give　him　food；〃　and　on　the　rare　occasions　when　they　took　him　to　the　platform　of　the　Tower；　he　was　unable　or　unwilling　to　move　about。　　When；　in　November；　1794；　a　commissary　named　Gomin　arrived　at　the　Temple；　disposed　to　treat　the　little　prisoner　with　kindness；　it　was　too　late。　　〃He　took　extreme　care　of　my　brother；〃　says　Madame　Royale。　　〃For　a　long　time　the　unhappy　child　had　been　shut　up　in　darkness；　and　he　was　dying　of　fright。　　He　was　very　grateful　for　the　attentions　of　Gomin；　and　became　much　attached　to　him。〃　　But　his　physical　condition　was　alarming；　and；　owing　to　Gomin's　representations；　a　commission　was　instituted　to　examine　him。　　〃The　commissioners　appointed　were　Harmond；　Mathieu；　and　Reverchon；　who　visited　'Louis　Charles；'　as　he　was　now　called；　in　the　month　of　February；　1795。　　They　found　the　young　Prince　seated　at　a　square　deal　table；　at　which　he　was　playing　with　some　dirty　cards；　making　card　houses　and　the　like；the　materials　having　been　furnished　him；　probably；　that　they　might　figure　in　the　report　as　evidences　of　indulgence。　　He　did　not　look　up　from　the　table　as　the　commissioners　entered。　　He　was　in　a　slate…coloured　dress；　bareheaded；　the　room　was　reported　as　clean；　the　bed　in　good　condition；　the　linen　fresh；　his　clothes　were　also　reported　as　new；　but；　in　spite　of　all　these　assertions；　it　is　well　known　that　his　bed　had　not　been　made　for　months；　that　he　had　not　left　his　room；　no