marie antoinette and her son-第116部分

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stooped　down　to　her；　and　bade　her　arise；　and　when　she　refused；　and
begged　and　threatened；　and　wept；　his　obstinacy　was　at　last　touched；
or　perhaps　his　prudence；　which　counselled　him　to　make　a　friend；
rather　than　an　enemy；　out　of　the　all…powerful　wife　of　the　future
emperor。

〃Rise；　madame；〃　he　said。　〃What　mortal　is　able　to　resist　your
requests；　since　Bonaparte　himself　cannot？　I　will　save　your　protege；
whatever　shall　come　to　me　afterward　from　it。〃

She　sprang　up；　and　in　the　wildness　of　her　joy　threw　her　beautiful
arms　around　Fouche's　neck；　and　kissed　him。

〃Fouche；〃　she　said；　〃I　give　you　this　kiss　in　the　name　of　Queen　Marie
Antoinette。　It　is　a　kiss　of　forgiveness；　and　of　blessing。　You　swear
to　me　that　you　will　save　him？〃

〃I　swear　it；　madame！〃

〃And　I　swear　to　you　that　as　soon　as　he　is　saved；　and　Bonaparte's
anger　can　no　longer　reach　him；　I　will　confess　all　to　my　husband；　and
put　it　in　such　a　Light　that　Bonaparte　shall　thank　and　reward　you。
Now　tell　me；　how　you　will　save　him。〃

〃I　shall　only　be　able　if　you　will　help　me；　madame。〃

〃I　am　ready　for　any　thingthat　you　know　well。　Tell　me　what　I　shall
do。〃

〃You　must　yourself　direct　a　few　lines　to　the　young　man；　conjuring
him　in　the　name　of　his　mother　to　fly；　to　save　himself　from　the　anger
of　the　First　Consulto　leave　Europe。〃

〃Oh！　Fouche；　how　sly　you　are！〃　said　Josephine；　sadly。

〃You　want　my　handwriting；　in　order　to　justify　yourself　to　the　First
Consul　in　case　of　emergency；　very　good。　I　will　write　the　billet。〃

She　hastened　to　her　table；　dashed　a　few　words　upon　paper；　and　then
passed　the　note　to　Fouche。　〃Read　it；〃　she　said；　〃it　contains　all
that　is　necessary；　does　it　not？〃

〃Yes；　madame；　and　you　have　written　in　such　beautiful　and　moving
words；　that　the　young　man　will　be　melted；　and　will　obey　you。　Will
you　now　have　the　goodness　to　put　the　note　in　an　envelope　and　to
address　it？〃

She　folded　it；　and　put　it　into　an　envelope。　〃To　whom　shall　I　address
it？〃　she　then　asked。

〃Address　it　to　King　Louis　XVII。〃

She　did　so　with　a　quick　stroke　of　the　pen　and　handed　the　letter　to
Fouche。　〃Take　it；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　your　justification。　And　in　order
that　you　may　be　entirely　secure；〃　she　continued；　with　a　slight
smile；　〃retain　this　letter　yourself。　What　I　would　say　to　this　young
man　I　would　rather　communicate　by　word　of　mouth。〃

〃How；〃　cried　Fouche；　〃　you　want〃

〃To　see　and　speak　with　the　king；〃　she　said；　sorrowfully；　〃to　beg　his
forgiveness　for　myself　and　Bonaparte。　Hush！　do　not　oppose　me；　I　am
resolved　upon　it。　I　want　to　see　the　young　man。〃

〃But　he　cannot　come　here；　madamehere；　into　the　very　den　of　the
lion。〃

〃No；　not　here；　into　the　desecrated　palace　of　the　kings；〃　she
answered；　bitterly。　〃No；　he　cannot　come　hereI　shall　go　to　him。〃

〃You　are　jesting；　madame；　it　is　impossible。　You；　the　wife　of　the
First　Consul；　you　will〃

〃I　want　to　fulfil　a　duty　of　gratitude　and　of　loyalty；　Fouche。　In　my
heart　I　still　feel　myself　the　subject　of　the　queen。　Let　me　follow
the　call　of　my　heart！　Listen！　My　carriage　stands　ready。　I　was
intending　to　drive　to　my　friend　Madame　Tallien。　I　will　take　a
pleasure…drive　instead。　In　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　I　will　cause　the
carriage　to　stop；　send　it　away；　and　return　on　foot。　You　will　await
in　there　with　a　fiacre　and　take　me　to　the　king。〃

〃It　shall　be　so；〃　said　Fouche。　〃Your　will　shall　be　my　law。　I　only
ask　that　you　hasten；　for　you　know　well　that　I　have　much　to　do　to…
day。　I　shall　take　advantage　of　the　time　to　procure　for　the　young　man
the　necessary　passports　for　travel。　But；　madame；　you　must　help　him
leave　the　city。　For　you　know　that　the　gates　are　all　closed。〃

〃I　will　tell　Bonaparte　that　I　am　troubled　to　be　in　the　city；　now
that　it　is　so　shut　in。　I　will　drive　out　to　St。　Cloud。　His　carriage
can　follow　mine；　and　if　the　gate…keeper　puts　hinderances　in　the　way；
I　will　command　him　to　let　Louis　pass。　Now　let　us　hasten！〃

An　hour　later　Josephine；　after　dismissing　her　equipage　with　the
servants；　entered　the　fiacre　which　was　waiting　for　her　near　the
fountain。　Fouche　received　her　there；　and　was　unwearied　in　his
complaints　of　the　poor　carriage　which　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul
must　use。

Josephine　smiled；　〃My　dear　sir；〃　she　said；　〃there　have　been　times
when　I　should　have　been　very　proud　and　very　happy　to　have　had　such　a
fiacre　as　this；　and　not　to　have　been　compelled　to　walk　through　the
muddy　streets　of　Paris。　Let　it　be　as　it　is！　The　present　days　of
superfluity　have　not　made　me　proud；　and　I　have　a　vivid　recollection
of　the　past。　But　tell　me；　Fouche；　whither　are　we　driving；　and　where
does　the　young　king　live？〃

〃We　are　driving；　if　you　graciously　approve　of　it；　to　my　house；　and　I
have　brought　the　young　man　there；　for　in　his　own　house　he　is　no
longer　safe。　I　have　had　it　surrounded　by　agents　of　the　secret
police；　with　orders　to　arrest　him　on　his　return。　He　will；　of　course；
not　return；　and　it　will　be　easier　to　assume　the　appearance　that　he
received　an　intimation　of　his　peril　and　escaped　in　season。　But　here
we　are　before　my　door；　and　if　you　will　draw　the　thick　veil　which
happily　you　have　fastened　to　your　bonnet；　carefully　before　your
face；　I　hope　that　no　one　will　see　that　the　most　beautiful　lady　in
Paris　honors　my　house　with　her　distinguished　presence。〃

Josephine　made　no　reply　to　this　flattery；　but　drew　the　black　lace
veil　closely　over　her　face；　and　hastened　to　leave　the　fiacre；　and
entered　the　house。

〃Fouche；〃　she　whispered；　as　she　ascended　the　staircase；　〃my　heart
beats　as　violently　as　it　did　when　I　drove　to　the　Tuileries　to　be
presented　to　Marie　Antoinette。　It　was　the　first　time　that　I　spoke
with　the　Queen　of　France。〃

〃And　now；　madame；〃　said　Fouche；　with　a　smile；　〃you　will　speak　with
the　last　King　of　France。〃

〃Does　he　know　who　I　am？〃

〃No；　madame；　I　have　left　it　to　you　to　inform　him。　Here　we　are　at　the
saloonhe　is　within！〃

〃Wait　only　a　moment；　Fouche。　I　must　collect　myself。　My　heart　beats
dreadfully。　Now；　now　you　may　open　the　door！〃

They　entered　the　little　saloon。　Josephine　stood　still　near　the　door；
and　while　she　hastily　removed　her　bonnet　and　the　thick　veil　and
handed　them　to　Fouche；　her　large；　brilliant；　brown　eyes　were　turned
to　the　young　man　who　stood　in　the　window…niche；　his　hands　calmly
folded　over　his　breast。　In　this　attitude；　with　the　calm　look　of　his
face；　the　gentle　glance　of　his　blue　eyes；　he　bore　so　close　a
resemblance　to　the　pictures　which　represented　Louis　XVI。　in　his
youth；　that　Josephine　could　not　repress　a　cry　of　surprise；　and
hastened　forward　to　the　young　man；　who　now　advanced　out　of　the
window　recess。　〃Madame；〃　he　said；　bowing　low　before　this　beautiful
and　dignified　lady　whom　he　did　not　know；　but　whose　sympathizing　face
made　his　heart　tremble〃madame；　doubtless　you　are　the　lady　whom　M。
Fouche　said　I　might　expect　to　meet　here。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　she；〃　replied　Josephine；　with　a　voice　trembling　with
emotion；　her　eyes；　flooded　with　tears；　all　the　while　being　fixed　on
the　grave；　youthful　face　which　brought　back　so　many　memories　of　the
past。　〃I　have　come　to　see　you　and　to　bring　you　the　greetings　of　a
man　whom　you　loved；　who　revered　you；　and　who　died　blessing　you。〃

〃Of　whom　do　you　speak？〃　asked　Louis；　turning　pale。

〃Men　called　him　Toulan；〃　whispered　Josephine。　〃Queen　Marie
Antoinette　termed　him　Fidele。〃

〃Fidele！〃　cried　Louis；　in　a　tone　of　anguish。　〃Fidele　is　dead！my
deliverer；　he　whose　fidelity　and　bravery　released　me　from　my
dreadful　prison。　Oh；　madame；　what　sad　thoughts　do　you　bring　back
with　his　name！〃

Josephine　turned　with　a　triumphant　look　to　Fouche；　who　was　still
standing　behind　her　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　door。　Her　look　said；
〃You　see　he　is　no　traitor；　he　has　stood　the　proof。〃

Fouche　understood　the　language　of　this　look　perfectly；　and　a　smile
played　over　his　features。　Then　Josephine　turned　again　to　the　young
man。

〃You　did　not　know　that　Toulan　was　dead？〃　she　asked；　softly。

〃How　could　I　know　it？〃　he　cried；　bitterly。　〃I　was　taken　at　that　time
to　a　solitary　castle；　where　I　remained　several　years；　and　then　I
went　to　Germany；　and　from　that　time　I　have　always　lived　in　foreign
parts。　Since　I　have　been　in　Paris　I　have　made　the　effort　to　learn
something　about　him；　but　no　one　could　inform　me；　and　so　I　solaced
myself　with　the　hope　that　he　had　really　gone　to　America；　for　that
was　his　object；　as　the　other　gentleman　who　assisted　me　in　my　release
informed　me　at　that　time。〃

〃This　other　gentleman；〃　said　Josephine；　softly；　〃was　the　Baron　de
Jarjayes；　and　the　child　who　was　carried　into　the　Temple　was　the〃

〃The　son　of　the　Count　de　Frotte；〃　rejoined　Louis。

〃Fouche；　it　is　he！〃　cried　Josephine。　〃It　is　the　son　of　my　noble；
unfortunate　Queen　Marie　Antoinette。Oh；　sire；　let　me　testify　my
homage　to　you；　as　becomes　a　subject　when　she　stands　before　her　king。
Sire；　I　bow　my　knee　before　you；　and　I　would　gladly　pour　out　my　whole
life　in　tears；　and　with　each　of　these　tears　beg　your　forgiveness　for
France；　for　us　all。〃

And　the　beautiful；　passionate　creole　sank　upon　her　knee；　and　raised
her　tearful　eyes　to　the　young　man　who；　perplexed　and　blushing；　gazed
at　her；　then　hastily　stooped　to　her　and　conjured　her　to　rise。

〃Not；　sire；〃　she　cried；　〃until　you　tell　me　that　you　have　forgiven
methat　you　have　forgiven　us　all。〃

〃I　forgive　you？　What　have　I　to　forgive　in　you？　Monsieur　Fouche；　who
is　this　lady　who　knows　me　and　my　destinies；　and　who　brings　me
greetings　from　Fidele？　What　have　I　to　forgive　in　her？　Who　is　she？
Tell　me　her　name？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Fouche；　slowly　approaching；　〃this　lady　is〃

〃Hush！　Fouche；　I　will　tell　him　myself；〃　interrupted　Josephine。
〃Sire；　when　your　beautiful；　exalted　mother　was　still　living　in
Versailles；　I　had　the　honor　to　be　presented　to　her；　both　at　the
grand　receptions　and　at　the　minor　ones。　One　dayit　was　already　in
the　unhappy　Reign　of　Terrorwhen　the　queen　had　left　Versailles　and
Trianon；　and　was　already　living　in　the　Tuileries；　I　went　thither　to
pay　my　respects。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　madame；〃　cried　Louis；　〃you　were　a　brave　and　loyal
woman；　for　only　the　brave　and　the　loyal　ventured　then　to　go　to　the
Tuileries。　Oh；　speak　on！　speak　on！　You　wanted　to　pay　your　respects
to　the　queen；　you　were　saying；　she　received　you；　did　she　not？　You
were　taken　into　the　little　saffron　saloon？〃