the memoirs of marie antoinette-第62章

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ntee　the　maritime　power　of　his　country　forever　against　the　efforts　made　by　the　King　to　improve　his　marine　power　and　their　happy　results　during　the　last　war。　　He　knows　that　it　is　not　only　the　King's　policy　but　his　private　inclination　to　be　solicitous　about　his　fleets；　and　that　the　most　active　step　he　has　taken　during　his　whole　reign　was　to　visit　the　port　of　Cherbourg。　　Pitt　had　served　the　cause　of　the　French　Revolution　from　the　first　disturbances；　he　will　perhaps　serve　it　until　its　annihilation。　　I　will　endeavour　to　learn　to　what　point　he　intends　to　lead　us；　and　I　am　sending　M。…　to　London　for　that　purpose。　He　has　been　intimately　connected　with　Pitt；　and　they　have　often　had　political　conversations　respecting　the　French　Government。　　I　will　get　him　to　make　him　speak　out；　at　least　so　far　as　such　a　man　can　speak　out。〃　Some　time　afterwards　the　Queen　told　me　that　her　secret　envoy　was　returned　from　London；　and　that　all　he　had　been　able　to　wring　from　Pitt；　whom　he　found　alarmingly　reserved；　was　that　he　would　not　suffer　the　French　monarchy　to　perish；　that　to　suffer　the　revolutionary　spirit　to　erect　an　organised　republic　in　France　would　be　a　great　error；　affecting　the　tranquillity　of　Europe。　　〃Whenever；〃　said　she；　〃Pitt　expressed　himself　upon　the　necessity　of　supporting　monarchy　in　France；　he　maintained　the　most　profound　silence　upon　what　concerns　the　monarch。　　The　result　of　these　conversations　is　anything　but　encouraging；　but；　even　as　to　that　monarchy　which　he　wishes　to　save；　will　he　have　means　and　strength　to　save　it　if　he　suffers　us　to　fall？〃

The　death　of　the　Emperor　Leopold　took　place　on　the　1st　of　March；　1792。　When　the　news　of　this　event　reached　the　Tuileries；　the　Queen　was　gone　out。　　Upon　her　return　I　put　the　letter　containing　it　into　her　hands。　　She　exclaimed　that　the　Emperor　had　been　poisoned；　that　she　had　remarked　and　preserved　a　newspaper；　in　which；　in　an　article　upon　the　sitting　of　the　Jacobins；　at　the　time　when　the　Emperor　Leopold　declared　for　the　coalition；　it　was　said；　speaking　of　him；　that　a　pie…crust　would　settle　that　matter。　　At　this　period　Barnave　obtained　the　Queen's　consent　that　he　should　read　all　the　letters　she　should　write。　　He　was　fearful　of　private　correspondences　that　might　hamper　the　plan　marked　out　for　her；　he　mistrusted　her　Majesty's　sincerity　on　this　point；　and　the　diversity　of　counsels；　and　the　necessity　of　yielding；　on　the　one　hand；　to　some　of　the　views　of　the　constitutionalists；　and　on　the　other；　to　those　of　the　French　Princes；　and　even　of　foreign　Courts；　were　unfortunately　the　circumstances　which　most　rapidly　impelled　the　Court　towards　its　ruin。

However；　the　emigrants　showed　great　apprehensions　of　the　consequences　which　might　follow　in　the　interior　from　a　connection　with　the　constitutionalists；　whom　they　described　as　a　party　existing　only　in　idea；　and　totally　without　means　of　repairing　their　errors。　　The　Jacobins　were　preferred　to　them；　because；　said　they；　there　would　be　no　treaty　to　be　made　with　any　one　at　the　moment　of　extricating　the　King　and　his　family　from　the　abyss　in　which　they　were　plunged。




CHAPTER　VII。

In　the　beginning　of　the　year　1792；　a　worthy　priest　requested　a　private　interview　with　me。　　He　had　learned　the　existence　of　a　new　libel　by　Madame　de　Lamotte。　　He　told　me　that　the　people　who　came　from　London　to　get　it　printed　in　Paris　only　desired　gain；　and　that　they　were　ready　to　deliver　the　manuscript　to　him　for　a　thousand　louis；　if　he　could　find　any　friend　of　the　Queen　disposed　to　make　that　sacrifice　for　her　peace；　that　he　had　thought　of　me；　and　if　her　Majesty　would　give　him　the　twenty…four　thousand　francs；　he　would　hand　the　manuscript　to　me。

I　communicated　this　proposal　to　the　Queen；　who　rejected　it；　and　desired　me　to　answer　that　at　the　time　when　she　had　power　to　punish　the　hawkers　of　these　libels　she　deemed　them　so　atrocious　and　incredible　that　she　despised　them　too　much　to　stop　them；　that　if　she　were　imprudent　and　weak　enough　to　buy　a　single　one　of　them；　the　Jacobins　might　possibly　discover　the　circumstance　through　their　espionage；　that　were　this　libel　brought　up；　it　would　be　printed　nevertheless；　and　would　be　much　more　dangerous　when　they　apprised　the　public　of　the　means　she　had　used　to　suppress　it。

Baron　d'Aubier；　gentleman…in…ordinary　to　the　King；　and　my　particular　friend；　had　a　good　memory　and　a　clear　way　of　communicating　the　substance　of　the　debates　and　decrees　of　the　National　Assembly。　　I　went　daily　to　the　Queen's　apartments　to　repeat　all　this　to　the　King；　who　used　to　say；　on　seeing　me；　〃Ah！　here's　the　Postillon　par　Calais；〃a　newspaper　of　the　time。

M。　d'Aubier　one　day　said　to　me：　〃The　Assembly　has　been　much　occupied　with　an　information　laid　by　the　workmen　of　the　Sevres　manufactory。　　They　brought　to　the　President's　office　a　bundle　of　pamphlets　which　they　said　were　the　life　of　Marie　Antoinette。　　The　director　of　the　manufactory　was　ordered　up　to　the　bar；　and　declared　he　had　received　orders　to　burn　the　printed　sheets　in　question　in　the　furnaces　used　for　baking　his　china。〃

While　I　was　relating　this　business　to　the　Queen　the　King　coloured　and　held　his　head　down　over　his　plate。　　The　Queen　said　to　him；　〃Do　you　know　anything　about　this；　Sire？〃　　The　King　made　no　answer。　　Madame　Elisabeth　requested　him　to　explain　what　it　meant。　　Louis　was　still　silent。　　I　withdrew　hastily。　　A　few　minutes　afterwards　the　Queen　came　to　my　room　and　informed　me　that　the　King；　out　of　regard　for　her；　had　purchased　the　whole　edition　struck　off　from　the　manuscript　which　I　had　mentioned　to　her；　and　that　M。　de　Laporte　had　not　been　able　to　devise　any　more　secret　way　of　destroying　the　work　than　that　of　having　it　burnt　at　Sevres；　among　two　hundred　workmen；　one　hundred　and　eighty　of　whom　must；　in　all　probability；　be　Jacobins！　　She　told　me　she　had　concealed　her　vexation　from　the　King；　that　he　was　in　consternation；　and　that　she　could　say　nothing；　since　his　good　intentions　and　his　affection　for　her　had　been　the　cause　of　the　mistake。

　　　　　＇M。　de　Laporte　had　by　order　of　the　King　bought　up　the　whole　edition　　　　　　of　the　〃Memoirs　〃　of　the　notorious　Madame　de　Lamotte　against　the　　　　　　Queen。　　Instead　of　destroying　them　immediately；　he　shut　them　up　in　　　　　　one　of　the　closets　in　his　house；　The　alarming　and　rapid　growth　of　　　　　　the　rebellion；　the　arrogance　of　the　crowd　of　brigands；　who　in　great　　　　　　measure　composed　the　populace　of　Paris；　and　the　fresh　excesses　daily　　　　　　resulting　from　it；　rendered　the　intendant　of　the　civil　list　　　　　　apprehensive　that　some　mob　might　break　into　his　house；　carry　off　　　　　　these　〃Memoirs；〃　and　spread　them　among　the　public。　　In　order　to　　　　　　prevent　this　he　gave　orders　to　have　the　〃Memoirs〃　burnt　with　every　　　　　　necessary　precaution；　and　the　clerk　who　received　the　order　entrusted　　　　　　the　execution　of　it　to　a　man　named　Riston；　a　dangerous　Intriguer；　　　　　　formerly　an　advocate　of　Nancy；　who　had　a　twelve…month　before　escaped　　　　　　the　gallows　by　favour　of　the　new　principles　and　the　patriotism　of　　　　　　the　new　tribunals；　although　convicted　of　forging　the　great　seal；　and　　　　　　fabricating　decrees　of　the　council。　　This　Riston；　finding　himself　　　　　　entrusted　with　a　commission　which　concerned　her　Majesty；　and　the　　　　　　mystery　attending　which　bespoke　something　of　importance；　was　less　　　　　　anxious　to　execute　it　faithfully　than　to　make　a　parade　of　this　mark　　　　　　of　confidence。　　On　the　30th　of　May；　at　ten　in　the　morning；　he　had　　　　　　the　sheets　carried　to　the　porcelain　manufactory　at　Sevres；　in　a　cart　　　　　　which　he　himself　accompanied；　and　made　a　large　fire　of　them　before　　　　　　all　the　workmen；　who　were　expressly　forbidden　to　approach　it。　　All　　　　　　these　precautions；　and　the　suspicions　to　which　they　gave　rise；　under　　　　　　such　critical　circumstances；　gave　so　much　publicity　to　this　affair　　　　　　that　it　was　denounced　to　the　Assembly　that　very　night。　　Brissot；　and　　　　　　the　whole　Jacobin　party；　with　equal　effrontery　and　vehemence；　　　　　　insisted　that　the　papers　thus　secretly　burnt　could　be　no　other　than　　　　　　the　registers　and　documents　of　the　correspondence　of　the　Austrian　　　　　　committee。　　M。　de　Laporte　was　ordered　to　the　bar；　and　there　gave　the　　　　　　most　precise　account　of　the　circumstances。　　Riston　was　also　called　　　　　　up；　and　confirmed　M。　de　Laporte's　deposition。　　But　these　　　　　　explanations；　however　satisfactory；　did　not　calm　the　violent　ferment　　　　　　raised　in　the　Assembly　by　this　affair。〃Memoirs　of　Bertrand　de　　　　　　Molleville。〃

Some　time　afterwards　the　Assembly　received　a　denunciation　against　M。　de　Montmorin。　　The　ex…minister　was　accused　of　having　neglected　forty　despatches　from　M。　Genet；　the　charge　d'affaires　from　France　in　Russia；　not　having　even　unsealed　them；　because　M。　Genet　acted　on　constitutional　principles。　　M。　de　Montmorin　appeared　at　the　bar　to　answer　this　accusation。　　Whatever　distress　I　might　feel　in　obeying　the　order　I　had　received　from　the　King　to　go　and　give　him　an　account　of　the　sitting；　I　thought　I　ought　not　to　fail　in　doing　so。　　But　instead　of　giving　my　brother　his　family　name；　I　merely　said　〃your　Majesty's　charge　d'affaires　at　St。　Petersburg。〃

The　King　did　me　the　favour　to　say　that　he　noticed　a　reserve　in　my　account；　of　which　he　approved。　　The　Queen　condescended　to　add　a　few　obliging　remarks　to　those　of　the　King。　　However；　my　office　of　journalist　gave　me　in　this　instance　so　much　pain　that　I　took　an　opportunity；　when　the　King　was　expressing　his　satisfaction　to　me　at　the　manner　in　which　I　gave　him　this　daily　account；　to　tell　him　that　its　merits　belonged　wholly　to　M。　d'Aubier；　and　I　ventured　to　request　the　King　to　suffer　that　excellent　man　to　give　him　an　account　of　the　sittings　himself。　　I　assured　the　King　that　if　he　would　permit　it；　that　gentleman　might　proceed　to　the　Queen's　apartments　through　mine　unseen；　the　King　consented　to　the　arrangement。　　Thenceforward　M。　d'Aubier　gave　the　King　repeated　proofs　of　zeal　and　attachment。

The　Cure　of　St。　Eustache　ceased　to　be　the　Queen's　confessor　when　he　took　the　constitutional　oath。　　I　do　not　remember　the　name　of　the　ecclesiastic　who　succeeded　him；　I　only　know　that　he　was　conducted　into　her　apartments　with　the　greatest　mystery。　　Their　Majesties　did　not　perform　their　Easter　devotions　in　public；　because　they　could　neither　declare　for　the　constitutional　clergy；　nor　act　so　as　to　show　that　they　were　against　them。

The　Queen　did　perform　her　Easter　devotions　in　1792；　but　she　went　to　the　chapel　attended　only　by　myself。　　She　desired　me　beforehand　to　request　one　of　my　relations；　who　was　her　chaplain；　to　celebrate　a　mass　for　her　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　It　was　still　dark；　she　gave　me　her　arm；　and　I　lighted　her　with　a　taper。　　I　left　her　alone　at　the　chapel　door。　She　did　not　return　to　her　room　until　the　dawn　of　day。

Dangers　increased　daily。　　The　Assembly　were　strengthened　in　the　eyes　of　the　people　by　the　hostilities　of　the　foreign　armies　and　the　army　of　the　Princes。　　The　communication　with　the　latter　party　became　more　active；　the　Queen　wrote　almost　every　day。　　M。　de　Goguelat　possessed　her　confidence　for　all　correspondence　with　the　foreign　parties；　and　I　was　obliged　to　have　him　in　my　apartments；　the　Queen　asked　for　him　very　frequently；　and　at　times　which　she　could　not　previously　appoint。

All　parties　were　exerting　themselves　either　to　ruin　or　to　save　the　King。　One　day　I　found　the　Queen　extremely　agitated；　she　told　me　she　no　longer　knew　where　she　was；　tha