the memoirs of marie antoinette-第57章

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neighbourhood；　alarmed　at　the　sight　of　this　body　of　troops；　came　armed　with　staves；　and　asked　several　questions；　which　manifested　their　anxiety。　　M。　de　Goguelat；　fearful　of　causing　a　riot；　and　not　finding　the　carriage　arrive　as　he　expected；　divided　his　men　into　two　companies；　and　unfortunately　made　them　leave　the　highway　in　order　to　return　to　Varennes　by　two　cross　roads。　The　King　looked　out　of　the　carriage　at　Ste。　Menehould；　and　asked　several　questions　concerning　the　road。　　Drouet；　the　post…master；　struck　by　the　resemblance　of　Louis　to　the　impression　of　his　head　upon　the　assignats；　drew　near　the　carriage；　felt　convinced　that　he　recognised　the　Queen　also；　and　that　the　remainder　of　the　travellers　consisted　of　the　royal　family　and　their　suite；　mounted　his　horse；　reached　Varennes　by　cross　roads　before　the　royal　fugitives；　and　gave　the　alarm。＇Varennes　lies　between　Verdun　and　Montmedy；　and　not　far　from　the　French　frontier。＇

The　Queen　began　to　feel　all　the　agonies　of　terror；　they　were　augmented　by　the　voice　of　a　person　unknown；　who；　passing　close　to　the　carriage　in　full　gallop；　cried　out；　bending　towards　the　window　without　slackening　his　speed；　〃You　are　recognised！〃　　They　arrived　with　beating　hearts　at　the　gates　of　Varennes　without　meeting　one　of　the　horsemen　by　whom　they　were　to　have　been　escorted　into　the　place。　　They　were　ignorant　where　to　find　their　relays；　and　some　minutes　were　lost　in　waiting；　to　no　purpose。　　The　cabriolet　had　preceded　them；　and　the　two　ladies　in　attendance　found　the　bridge　already　blocked　up　with　old　carts　and　lumber。　　The　town　guards　were　all　under　arms。　　The　King　at　last　entered　Varennes。　　M。　de　Goguelat　had　arrived　there　with　his　detachment。　　He　came　up　to　the　King　and　asked　him　if　he　chose　to　effect　a　passage　by　force！　　What　an　unlucky　question　to　put　to　Louis　XVI。；　who　from　the　very　beginning　of　the　Revolution　had　shown　in　every　crisis　the　fear　he　entertained　of　giving　the　least　order　which　might　cause　an　effusion　of　blood！　　〃Would　it　be　a　brisk　action？〃　said　the　King。　　〃It　is　impossible　that　it　should　be　otherwise；　Sire；〃　replied　the　aide…decamp。　　Louis　XVI。　was　unwilling　to　expose　his　family。　They　therefore　went　to　the　house　of　a　grocer；　Mayor　of　Varennes。　　The　King　began　to　speak；　and　gave　a　summary　of　his　intentions　in　departing；　analogous　to　the　declaration　he　had　made　at　Paris。　　He　spoke　with　warmth　and　affability；　and　endeavoured　to　demonstrate　to　the　people　around　him　that　he　had　only　put　himself；　by　the　step　he　had　taken；　into　a　fit　situation　to　treat　with　the　Assembly；　and　to　sanction　with　freedom　the　constitution　which　he　would　maintain；　though　many　of　its　articles　were　incompatible　with　the　dignity　of　the　throne；　and　the　force　by　which　it　was　necessary　that　the　sovereign　should　be　surrounded。　　Nothing　could　be　more　affecting；　added　the　Queen；　than　this　moment；　in　which　the　King　felt　bound　to　communicate　to　the　very　humblest　class　of　his　subjects　his　principles；　his　wishes　for　the　happiness　of　his　people；　and　the　motives　which　had　determined　him　to　depart。

Whilst　the　King　was　speaking　to　this　mayor；　whose　name　was　Sauce；　the　Queen；　seated　at　the　farther　end　of　the　shop；　among　parcels　of　soap　and　candles；　endeavoured　to　make　Madame　Sauce　understand　that　if　she　would　prevail　upon　her　husband　to　make　use　of　his　municipal　authority　to　cover　the　flight　of　the　King　and　his　family；　she　would　have　the　glory　of　having　contributed　to　restore　tranquillity　to　France。　　This　woman　was　moved；　she　could　not；　without　streaming　eyes；　see　herself　thus　solicited　by　her　Queen；　but　she　could　not　be　got　to　say　anything　more　than；　〃Bon　Dieu；　Madame；　it　would　be　the　destruction　of　M。　Sauce；　I　love　my　King；　but　I　love　my　husband　too；　you　must　know；　and　he　would　be　answerable；　you　see。〃　Whilst　this　strange　scene　was　passing　in　the　shop；　the　people；　hearing　that　the　King　was　arrested；　kept　pouring　in　from　all　parts。　　M。　de　Goguelat；　making　a　last　effort；　demanded　of　the　dragoons　whether　they　would　protect　the　departure　of　the　King；　they　replied　only　by　murmurs；　dropping　the　points　of　their　swords。　　Some　person　unknown　fired　a　pistol　at　M。　de　Goguelat；　he　was　slightly　wounded　by　the　ball。　　M。　Romeuf；　aide…　de…camp　to　M。　de　La　Fayette；　arrived　at　that　moment。　　He　had　been　chosen；　after　the　6th　of　October；　1789；　by　the　commander　of　the　Parisian　guard　to　be　in　constant　attendance　about　the　Queen。　　She　reproached　him　bitterly　with　the　object　of　his　mission。　　〃If　you　wish　to　make　your　name　remarkable；　monsieur；〃　said　the　Queen　to　him；　〃you　have　chosen　strange　and　odious　means；　which　will　produce　the　most　fatal　consequences。〃　　This　officer　wished　to　hasten　their　departure。　　The　Queen；　still　cherishing　the　hope　of　seeing　M。　de　Bouille　arrive　with　a　sufficient　force　to　extricate　the　King　from　his　critical　situation；　prolonged　her　stay　at　Varennes　by　every　means　in　her　power。

The　Dauphin's　first　woman　pretended　to　be　taken　ill　with　a　violent　colic；　and　threw　herself　upon　a　bed；　in　the　hope　of　aiding　the　designs　of　her　superiors；　she　went　and　implored　for　assistance。　　The　Queen　understood　her　perfectly　well；　and　refused　to　leave　one　who　had　devoted　herself　to　follow　them　in　such　a　state　of　suffering。　　But　no　delay　in　departing　was　allowed。　　The　three　Body　Guards　（Valory；　Du　Moustier；　and　Malden）　were　gagged　and　fastened　upon　the　seat　of　the　carriage。　　A　horde　of　National　Guards；　animated　with　fury　and　the　barbarous　joy　with　which　their　fatal　triumph　inspired　them；　surrounded　the　carriage　of　the　royal　family。

The　three　commissioners　sent　by　the　Assembly　to　meet　the　King；　MM。　de　Latour…Maubourg；　Barnave；　and　Potion；　joined　them　in　the　environs　of　Epernay。　　The　two　last　mentioned　got　into　the　King's　carriage。　　The　Queen　astonished　me　by　the　favourable　opinion　she　had　formed　of　Barnave。　When　I　quitted　Paris　a　great　many　persons　spoke　of　him　only　with　horror。　She　told　me　he　was　much　altered；　that　he　was　full　of　talent　and　noble　feeling。　　〃A　feeling　of　pride　which　I　cannot　much　blame　in　a　young　man　belonging　to　the　Tiers　Etat；〃　she　said；　〃made　him　applaud　everything　which　smoothed　the　road　to　rank　and　fame　for　that　class　in　which　he　was　born。　　And　if　we　get　the　power　in　our　own　hands　again；　Barnave's　pardon　is　already　written　on　our　hearts。〃　　The　Queen　added；　that　she　had　not　the　same　feeling　towards　those　nobles　who　had　joined　the　revolutionary　party；　who　had　always　received　marks　of　favour；　often　to　the　injury　of　those　beneath　them　in　rank；　and　who；　born　to　be　the　safeguard　of　the　monarchy；　could　never　be　pardoned　for　having　deserted　it。　　She　then　told　me　that　Barnave's　conduct　upon　the　road　was　perfectly　correct；　while　Potion's　republican　rudeness　was　disgusting；　that　the　latter　ate　and　drank　in　the　King's　berlin　in　a　slovenly　manner；　throwing　the　bones　of　the　fowls　out　through　the　window　at　the　risk　of　sending　them　even　into　the　King's　face；　lifting　up　his　glass；　when　Madame　Elisabeth　poured　him　out　wine；　to　show　her　that　there　was　enough；　without　saying　a　word；　that　this　offensive　behaviour　must　have　been　intentional；　because　the　man　was　not　without　education；　and　that　Barnave　was　hurt　at　it。　　On　being　pressed　by　the　Queen　to　take　something；　〃Madame；〃　replied　Barnave；　〃on　so　solemn　an　occasion　the　deputies　of　the　National　Assembly　ought　to　occupy　your　Majesties　solely　about　their　mission；　and　by　no　means　about　their　wants。〃　In　short；　his　respectful　delicacy；　his　considerate　attentions；　and　all　that　he　said；　gained　the　esteem　not　only　of　the　Queen；　but　of　Madame　Elisabeth　also。

The　King　began　to　talk　to　Petion　about　the　situation　of　France；　and　the　motives　of　his　conduct；　which　were　founded　upon　the　necessity　of　giving　to　the　executive　power　a　strength　necessary　for　its　action；　for　the　good　even　of　the　constitutional　act；　since　France　could　not　be　a　republic。　〃Not　yet；　'tis　true；〃　replied　Petion；　〃because　the　French　are　not　ripe　enough　for　that。〃　　This　audacious　and　cruel　answer　silenced　the　King；　who　said　no　more　until　his　arrival　at　Paris。　　Potion　held　the　little　Dauphin　upon　his　knees；　and　amused　himself　with　curling　the　beautiful　light　hair　of　the　interesting　child　round　his　fingers；　and；　as　he　spoke　with　much　gesticulation；　he　pulled　his　locks　hard　enough　to　make　the　Dauphin　cry　out。　　〃Give　me　my　son；〃　said　the　Queen　to　him；　〃he　is　accustomed　to　tenderness　and　delicacy；　which　render　him　little　fit　for　such　familiarity。〃

The　Chevalier　de　Dampierre　was　killed　near　the　King's　carriage　upon　leaving　Varennes。　　A　poor　village　cure；　some　leagues　from　the　place　where　the　crime　was　committed；　was　imprudent　enough　to　draw　near　to　speak　to　the　King；　the　cannibals　who　surrounded　the　carriage　rushed　upon　him。　〃Tigers；〃　exclaimed　Barnave；　〃have　you　ceased　to　be　Frenchmen？　　Nation　of　brave　men；　are　you　become　a　set　of　assassins？〃　　These　words　alone　saved　the　cure；　who　was　already　upon　the　ground；　from　certain　death。　　Barnave；　as　he　spoke　to　them；　threw　himself　almost　out　of　the　coach　window；　and　Madame　Elisabeth；　affected　by　this　noble　burst　of　feeling；　held　him　by　the　skirt　of　his　coat。　　The　Queen；　while　speaking　of　this　event；　said　that　on　the　most　momentous　occasions　whimsical　contrasts　always　struck　her；　and　that　even　at　such　a　moment　the　pious　Elisabeth　holding　Barnave　by　the　flap　of　his　coat　was　a　ludicrous　sight。

The　deputy　was　astonished　in　another　way。　　Madame　Elisabeth's　comments　upon　the　state　of　France；　her　mild　and　persuasive　eloquence；　and　the；　ease　and　simplicity　with　which　she　talked　to　him；　yet　without　sacrificing　her　dignity　in　the　slightest　degree；　appeared　to　him　unique；　and　his　heart；　which　was　doubtless　inclined　to　right　principles　though　he　had　followed　the　wrong　path；　was　overcome　by　admiration。　　The　conduct　of　the　two　deputies　convinced　the　Queen　of　the　total　separation　between　the　republican　and　constitutional　parties。　　At　the　inns　where　she　alighted　she　had　some　private　conversation　with　Barnave。　　The　latter　said　a　great　deal　about　the　errors　committed　by　the　royalists　during　the　Revolution；　adding　that　he　had　found　the　interest　of　the　Court　so　feebly　and　so　badly　defended　that　he　had　been　frequently　tempted　to　go　and　offer　it；　in　himself；　an　aspiring　champion；　who　knew　the　spirit　of　the　age　and　nation。　The　Queen　asked　him　what　was　the　weapon　he　would　have　recommended　her　to　use。

〃Popularity；　Madame。〃

〃And　how　could　I　use　that；〃　replied　her　Majesty；　〃of　which　I　have　been　deprived？〃

〃Ah！　　Madame；　it　was　much　more　easy　for　you　to　regain　it；　than　for　me　to　acquire　it。〃

The　Queen　mainly　attributed　the　arrest　at　Varennes　to　M。　de　Goguelat；　she　said　he　calculated　the　time　that　would　be　spent　in　the　journey　erroneously。　　He　performed　that　from　Montmedy　to　Paris　before　taking　the　King's　last　orders；　alone　in　a　post…chaise；　and　he　founded　all　his　calculations　upon　the　time　he　spent　thus。　　The　trial　has　been　made　since；　and　it　was　found　that　a　light　carriage　without　any　courier　was　nearly　three　hours　less　in　running　the　distance　than　a　heavy　carriage　preceded　by　a　courier。

The　Queen　also　blamed　him　for　having　quitted　the　high…road　at　Pont…de…　Sommevelle；　where　the　carriage　was　to　meet　the　forty　hussars　commanded　by　him。　　She　thought　that　he　ought　to　have　dispersed　the　very　small　number　of　people　at　Varennes；　and　not　have　asked　the　hussars　whether　they　were　for　the　King　or　the　nation；　that；　particularly；　he　ought