marie antoinette and her son-第47章

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while；　the　free　queen；　and　she　had　gained　a　victory　over　the　people
by　showing　them　that　she　did　not　fear　them。

〃Mamma；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　interrupting　her　in　her　painful　and
proud　thought〃　mamma；　there　comes　the　king；　there　comes　my　papa！
Oh；　he　will　be　glad　to　hear　that　I　was　so　courageous！〃

The　queen　quickly　stooped　down　and　kissed　him。　〃Yes；　truly；　my
little　Bayard；　yon　have　done　honor　to　your　great　exemplar；　and　you
have　really　been　a　little　chevalier　sans　peur　et　sans　reproche。　But；
my　child；　true　bravery　does　not　glory　in　its　great　deeds；　and　does
not　desire　others　to　admire　them；　but　keeps　silent　and　leaves　it　to
others　to　talk　about　them！〃

〃Mamma；　I　will　be　silent；　too；〃　cried　the　boy；　with　glowing　eyes。
〃Oh；　you　shall　see　that　I　can　be　silent；　and　not　talk　at　all　about
myself。〃

The　king　meanwhile；　followed　by　some　gentlemen　and　servants；　was
coming　forward　with　unaccustomed　haste；　and；　in　his　eagerness　to
reach　his　wife；　he　had　not　noticed　the　beds；　but　was　treading　under
foot　the　last　fading　flowers　of　autumn。

〃You　are　here　at　last；　Marie；〃　said　he；　when　he　was　near　enough　to
speak。　〃I　wanted　to　go　to　meet　you；　to　conduct　you　hither　out　of　the
park。　You　were　gone　very　long；　and　I　worried　about　you。〃

〃Why　worried；　sire？〃　asked　the　queen。　〃What　danger　could　threaten　me
in　our　garden？〃

〃Do　not　seek　to　hide　any　thing　from　me；　Marie；〃　said　Louis；　with　a
sigh。　〃I　know　every　thing！　The　hate　of　the　people　denies　us　any
longer　the　enjoyment　of　the　open　air！　Lafayette　and　Bailly　were　with
me　after　they　were　dismissed　by　you。　They　told　me　that　you　had　given
no　favor　to　their　united　request；　and　that　you　would　not　grant　to
General　Lafayette　the　right　to　protect　you　while　you　are　taking　your
walks。〃

〃I　hope　your　majesty　is　satisfied　with　me；〃　answered　Marie
Antoinette。　〃You　feel；　like　me；　that　it　is　a　new　humiliation　for　us
if　we　are　to　allow　our　very　enjoyment　of　nature　to　be　under　the
control　of　the　people's　general；　and　if　even　the　air　is　no　longer　to
be　the　free　air　for　us！〃

〃I　have　only　thought　that　in　such　unguarded　walks　you　would　be
threatened　with　danger；〃　answered　the　king；　perplexed。　〃Lafayette
has　painted　to　me　in　such　dark　and　dreadful　colors；　and　I　have　so
painfully　had　to　confess　that　he　speaks　the　truth；　that　I　could　only
think　of　your　safety；　and　take　no　other　point　of　view　than　to　see
you　sheltered　from　the　attacks　of　your　enemies；　and　from　the　rage　of
these　factions。　I　have　therefore　approved　Lafayette's　proposal；　and
allowed　him　to　protect　your　majesty　on　your　walks。〃

〃But　you　have　not　fixed　definite　hours　for　my　walks？　You　have　not
done　that；　sire；　have　you？〃

〃I　have　indeed　done　that；〃　answered　the　king；　gently。　〃I　am　familiar
with　your　habits；　and　know　that　in　autumn　and　winter　you　usually
take　your　walks　between　twelve　and　two；　and　in　summer　afternoons
between　five　and　seven。　I　have　therefore　named　these　hours　to
General　Lafayette。〃

The　queen　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　〃Sire；〃　she　said；　softly；　〃you
yourself　are　binding　tighter　and　tighter　the　chains　of　our
imprisonment。　To…day　you　limit　our　freedom　to　two　poor　hours；　and
that　will　be　a　precedent　for　others　to　continue　what　you　have　begun。
We　shall　after　this　walk　for　two　hours　daily　under　the　protection　of
M。　de　Lafayette；　but　there　will　come　a　time　when　this　protection
will　not　suffice；　and　no　security　will　be　great　enough　for　us。　For
the　royal　authority　which　shows　itself　weak　and　dependent；　and　which
does　not　draw　power　from　itselfthe　royalty　which　suffers　its　crown
to　be　borne　up　for　it　by　the　hands　of　others；　confesses　thereby　that
it　is　too　weak　to　bear　the　burden　itself。　Oh；　sire；　I　would　rather
you　had　let　me　break　away　from　the　rage　of　the　people；　while　I　might
be　walking　unguarded；　than　be　permitted　to　take　my　daily　walks　under
the　protection　of　M。　de　Lafayette！〃

〃You　see　every　thing　in　too　dark　and　sad　a　light；〃　cried　the　king。
〃Every　thing　will　come　out　right　if　we　are　only　wise　and　carefully
conform　to　circumstances；　and　by　well…timed　concessions　and
admissions　propitiate　this　hate　and　bring　this　enmity　to　silence。〃

The　queen　did　not　reply；　she　stooped　down　to　the　dauphin；　and；
pressing　a　kiss　upon　his　locks；　whispered：　〃Now　yon　may　tell　every
thing；　Louis。　It　is　not　longer　necessary　to　keep　silent　about　any
thing；　for　silence　were　useless！　So　tell　of　your　heroism；　my　son！〃

〃Is　it　of　heroism　that　you　talk？〃　said　the　king；　whose　nice　ear　had
caught　the　words　of　the　queen。

〃Yes；　of　heroism；　sire；〃　answered　Marie　Antoinette。　〃But　it　is　with
us　as　with　Don　Quixote；　we　believed　that　we　were　fighting　for　our
honor　and　our　throne；　now　we　must　confess　that　we　only　fought
against　windmills。　I　beg　you　now；　sire；　to　inform　General　Lafayette
that　it　is　not　necessary　to　call　out　his　National　Guards　on　my
account；　I　shall　not　walk　again！〃

And　the　queen　kept　her　word。　Never　again　during　the　winter　did　she
go　down　into　the　gardens　and　park　of　the　Tuileries。　She　never　gave
Lafayette　occasion　to　protect　her；　but　she　at　least　gained　thereby
what　Lafayette　wanted　to　reach　by　his　National　Guardshe　held　the
populace　away　from　the　Tuileries。　At　first　they　stood　in　dense
masses　day　after　day　along　the　fence　of　the　park　and　the　royal
garden；　but　when　they　saw　that　Marie　Antoinette　would　no　more　expose
herself　to　their　curious　and　evil　glances；　they　grew　tired　of
waiting　for　her；　and　withdrew　from　the　neighborhood　of　the
Tuileries；but　only　to　repair　to　their　clubs　and　listen　to　the
raving　speeches　which　Marat；　Santerre；　and　other　officers；　hurled
like　poisoned　arrows　at　the　queen…only　to　go　into　the　National
Assembly　and　hear　Mirabeau　and　Robespierre；　Danton；　Chenier；　Petion；
and　all　the　rest；　the　assembled　representatives　of　the　nation；
launch　their　thundering　philippics　against　a　royalty　appointed　by
the　grace　of　God；　and　causing　the　people　to　believe　that　it　was　a
royalty　appointed　by　the　wrath　of　God。




CHAPTER　XVI。

IN　ST。　CLOUD。


The　winter　was　passeda　sad　dismal　winter　for　the　royal　family；　and
for　Marie　Antoinette　in　particular！　None　of　those　festivities；　those
diversions；　those　simple　and　innocent　joys；　which　are　wont　to　adorn
the　life　of　a　woman　and　of　a　queen！

Marie　Antoinette　is　no　more　a　queen　who　commands；　who　sees　around
her　a　throng　of　respectful　courtiers；　zealously　listening　to　every
word　that　falls　from　her　lips；　Marie　Antoinette　is　a　grave　solitary
woman；　who　works　much；　thinks　much；　makes　many　plans　for　saving　the
kingdom　and　the　throne；　and　sees　all　these　plans　shipwrecks　on　the
indecision　and　weakness　of　her　husband。

Far　away　from　the　queen　lay　those　happy　times　when　every　day　brought
new　joys　and　new　diversions；　when　the　dawn　of　a　summer　morning　made
the　queen　happy；　because　it　promised　her　a　delightful　evening；　and
one　of　those　charming　idyls　at　Trianon。　The　brothers　of　the　king；
the　schoolmaster　and　mayor　of　Trianon；　had　left　France　and　had
located　themselves　at　Coblentz　on　the　Rhine；　the　Polignacs　had　fled
to　England；　the　Princess　Lamballe；　too；　had；　at　the　wish　of　the
queen；　gone　to　negotiate　with　Pitt；　in　order　to　implore　the　all…
powerful　minister　of　George　III。　to　give　to　the　oppressed　French
crown　more　material　and　effectual　support　than　was　afforded　by　the
angry　and　bitter　words　which　he　hurled　in　Parliament　against　the
riotous　and　rebellious　French　nation。　The　Counts　de　Besenval　and
Coigny；　the　Marquis　de　Lauzun；　and　Baron　d'Adhemar；　all　the
privileged　friends　of　the　summer　days　at　Trianon　and　the　winter　days
of　Versailles；　all；　all；　were　gone。

They　had　fled　to　Coblentz；　and　were　at　the　court　of　the　French
princes。　There　they　spun　their　intrigues；　sought　to　excite　a
European　war　against　France；　from　there　they　hurled　their　flaming
torches　into　France；　their　calumnies　against　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；
the　Austrian　woman。　She　alone　was　accountable　for　all　the
misfortunes　and　the　disturbances　of　France；　she　alone　had　given
occasion　for　the　distrust　now　felt　against　royalty。　On　her　head　fell
the　curse　and　the　burden　of　all　the　faults　and　sins　which　the　French
court　had　for　a　hundred　years　committed。　There　must　be　a　sacrificial
lamb；　to　be　thrown　into　the　arms　glistening　with　spears　and　daggers；
of　a　revolution　which　thirsted　for　blood　and　vengeance；　and　Marie
Antoinette　had　to　be　the　victim。　In　her　bleeding　heart　the　spirits
glowing　with　hate　might　cool　themselves；　and　there　the　evil　which
her　predecessors　had　done；　was　to　be　atoned　for。　Many　a　wrong　had
been　done；　and　the　French　nation　had；　no　doubt；　a　right　to　be　angry
and　to　rage　as　does　the　lion　for　a　long　time　kept　in　subjection；
when　at　last；　touched　too　much　by　the　iron　of　its　keeper；　it　rises
in　its　wildness；　and　with　withering　greed；　tears　him　in　pieces　from
whom　it　has　suffered　so　long　and　so　much。　The　French　people　rose
just　as　the　incensed　lion　does；　and　determined　to　wreak　their
vengeance　on　their　keepers；　on　those　whom　they　had　so　long　called
their　lords　and　rulers。

To　pacify　the　lion　some　prey　must　be　thrown　to　him；　and　to　him　who
thirsts　for　vengeance　and　blood；　a　human　offering　must　be　brought　to
propitiate　him。

Marie　Antoinette　had　to　be　the　offering　to　the　lion！　Her　blood　had
to　flow　for　the　sins　of　the　Bourbons！　On　her　all　the　anger；　the
exasperation；　the　rage　of　the　people　must　concentrate！　She　must　bear
the　blame　of　all　the　miseries　and　the　needs　of　France！　She　must
satisfy　the　hunger　for　vengeance；　in　order　that　when　the　lion　is
appeased　it　can　be　made　placable　and　patient　again；　the　chains　put
on　which　he　has　broken　in　his　ragethe　chains；　however；　to　which；
when　his　rage　is　past；　he　must　again　submit。

The　queen；　the　queen　is　to　blame　for　all！　Marie　Antoinette　has
brought　royalty　into　discredit；　the　Austrian　woman　has　brought　the
hatred　of　the　French　nation　upon　herself；　and　she　must　atone　for　it；
she　alone！

Libels　and　calumnies　are　forged　against　the　queen　by　those　who　were
once　the　friends　and　cavaliers　of　the　queencavaliers　no　longer；
but　cavillers　now；　the　poisoned　arrows　are　sent　to　France　to　be
directed　against　the　head　of　the　queen；　to　destroy　first　her　honor
and　good　name；　and　then　to　make　her　a　prey　for　scorn　and　contempt。

If　the　lion　stills　his　rage　and　cools　his　hate　with　Marie　Antoinette
as　his　victim；　he　will　relax　again　and　bow　to　his　king；　for　it　is
time　for　these　royal　princes　to　return　to　France　and　their　loved
Paris　once　more。

The　Count　do　Provence　is　the　implacable　enemy　of　the　queen；　he　can
never　forgive　her　for　gaining　the　heart　of　the　king　her　husband；　and
leaving　no　influence　for　his　wise；　clever　brother。　The　Count　de
Provence　is　avaricious　and　crafty。　He　sees　that　an　abyss　has　opened
before　the　throne　of　the　lilies；　and　that　it　will　not　close　again！
It　must；　therefore；　be　filled　up！　A　reconciliation　will　not　be
possible　in　a　natural　way；　and　artificial　methods　must　be　found　to
accomplish　it。　Louis　XVI。　will　not　be　saved；　and　Marie　Antoinette
shall　not　be！　The　two；　perhaps；　can　fill　up　the　abyss　that　yawns
between　the　throne　of　the　lilies　and　the　French　people。　They；
perhaps；　may　fill　it　up；　and　then　a　way　may　be　made　for　the　Count　de
Provence；　the　successor　of　his　brother。

The　Count　d'Artois　was　once　the　friend　of　the　queen；　the