marie antoinette and her son-第16部分

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honor　to　Madame　Elizabeth；　and　Julia　de　Polignac　was　governess　of
the　children　of　Prance。

They　would　not　believe　it；　they　held　it　impossible　that　so　unheard…
of　a　thing　should　happen；　that　their　income　should　be　reduced。　The
whole　circle　of　intimate　friends　resorted　to　Trianon；　to　have　an
interview　with　the　queen；　to　receive　from　her　the　assurance　that　she
would　not　tolerate　such　a　robbing　of　her　friends；　and　that　she　would
induce　the　king　to　take　back　his　commands。

The　queen；　however；　for　the　first　time；　made　a　stand　against　her
friends。

〃It　is　the　will　of　the　king；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　am　too　happy　that　the
king　has　a　will；　to　dare　opposing　it。　May　the　king　reign！　It　is　his
duty　and　his　right；　as　it　is　the　duty　and　right　of　all　his　subjects
to　conform　to　his　wish　and　be　subject　to　his　will。〃

〃But；〃　cried　Lord　Besenval；　〃it　is　horrible　to　live　in　a　country
where　one　is　not　sure　but　he　may　lose　tomorrow　what　he　holds　to…day；
down　to　this　time　that　has　always　been　the　Turkish　fashion。〃
＇Footnote：　His　very　words。　See　Goncourt's　〃Histoire　de　Marie
Antoinette；〃　p。　181。＇

The　queen　trembled　and　raised　her　great　eyes　with　a　look　full　of
astonishment　and　pain　to　Besenval；　then　to　the　other　friends；　she
read　upon　all　faces　alienation　and　unkindly　feeling。　The　mask　of
devoted　courtiers　and　true　servants　had　for　the　first　time　fallen
from　their　faces；　and　Marie　Antoinette　discovered　these　all　at　once
wholly　estranged　and　unknown　countenances；　eyes　without　the　beam　of
friendship；　lips　without　the　smile　of　devotion。

The　queen　sought　to　put　her　hand　to　her　heart。　It　seemed　to　her　as
if　she　had　been　wounded　with　a　dagger。　She　felt　as　if　she　must　cry
aloud　with　pain　and　grief。　But　she　commanded　herself　and　only　gave
utterance　to　a　faint　sigh。

〃You　are　not　the　only　ones　who　will　lose；　my　friends；〃　said　she；
gently。　〃The　king　is　a　loser；　too；　for　if　he　gives　up　the　great
stables；　he　sacrifices　to　the　common　good　his　horses；　his　equipages；
and；　above　all；　his　true　servants。　We　must　all　learn　to　put　up　with
limitations　and　a　reduction　of　outlay。　But　we　can　still　remain　good
friends；　and　here　in　Trianon　pass　many　pleasant　days　with　one
another　in　harmless　gayety　and　happy　contentment。　Come；　my　friends；
let　us　forget　these　cares　and　these　constraints；　let　us；　despite　all
these　things；　be　merry　and　glad。　Duke　de　Coigny；　you　have　been　for　a
week　my　debtor　in　billiards；　to…day　you　must　make　it　up。　Come；　my
friends；　let　us　go　into　the　billiard…room。〃

And　the　queen；　who　had　found　her　gayety　again；　went　laughing　in
advance　of　her　friends　into　the　next　apartment；　where　the　billiard…
table　stood。　She　took　up　her　cue；　and；　brandishing　it　like　a
sceptre；　cried；　〃Now；　my　friends；　away　with　care〃

She　ceased；　for　as　she　looked　around　her　she　saw　that　her　friends
had　not　obeyed　her　call。　Only　the　Duke　de　Coigny；　whom　she　had
specially　summoned；　had　followed　the　queen　into　the　billiard…room。

A　flash　of　anger　shot　from　the　eyes　of　the　queen。

〃How！〃　cried　she；　aloud；　〃did　my　companions　not　hear　that　I
commanded　them　to　follow　me　hither？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　answered　the　Duke　de　Coigny；　peevishly；　〃the　ladies
and　gentlemen　have　probably　recalled　the　fact　that　your　majesty　once
made　it　a　rule　here　in　Trianon　that　every　one　should　do　as　he
pleases；　and　your　majesty　sees　that　they　hold　more　strictly　to　the
laws　than　others　do。〃

〃My　lord；〃　sighed　the　queen；　〃do　you　bring　reproaches　against　me
too？　Are　you　also　discontented？〃

〃And　why　should　I　be　contented；　your　majesty？〃　asked　the　duke；　with
choler。　〃I　am　deprived　of　a　post　which　hitherto　has　been　held　for
life；　and　does　your　majesty　desire　that　I　should　be　contented？　No；　I
am　not　contented。　No；　I　do　as　the　others　do。　I　am　full　of　anger　and
pain　to　see　that　nothing　is　secure　more；　that　nothing　is　stable
more；　that　one　can　rely　upon　nothing　morenot　even　upon　the　word　of
kings。〃

〃My　lord　duke；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　with　flashing　anger；　〃you　go
too　far；　you　forget　that　you　are　speaking　to　your　queen。〃

〃Madame；〃　cried　he；　still　louder；　〃here　in　Trianon　there　is　no
queen；　there　are　no　subjects！　You　yourself　have　said　it；　and　I　at
least　will　hold　to　your　words；　even　if　you　yourself　do　not。　Let　us
play　billiards；　madame。　I　am　at　your　service。〃

And　while　the　Duke　de　Coigny　said　this；　he　seized　with　an　angry
movement　the　billiard…cue　of　the　queen。　It　was　a　present　which　Marie
Antoinette　had　received　from　her　brother；　the　Emperor　Joseph。　It　was
made　of　a　single　rhinoceros　skin；　and　was　adorned　with　golden　knobs。
The　king　had　a　great　regard　for　it；　and　no　one　before　had　ever
ventured　to　use　it　excepting　her　alone。

〃Give　it　to　me；　Coigny；〃　said　she；　earnestly。　〃You　deceive　yourself；
that　is　not　your　billiard…cue；　that　is　mine。〃

〃Madame；〃　cried　he；　angrily；　〃what　is　mine　is　taken　from　me；　and　why
should　I　not　take　what　is　not　mine？　It　seems　as　if　this　were　the
latest　fashion；　to　do　what　one　pleases　with　the　property　of　others；
I　shall　hasten　to　have　a　share　in　this　fashion；　even　were　it　only　to
show　that　I　have　learned　something　from　your　majesty。　Let　us　begin。〃

Trembling　with　anger　and　excitement；　he　took　two　balls；　laid　them　in
the　middle　of　the　table；　and　gave　the　stroke。　But　it　was　so
passionately　given；　and　in　such　rage；　that　the　cue　glided　by　the
balls　and　struck　so　strongly　against　the　raised　rim　of　the　table
that　it　broke。

The　queen　uttered　an　exclamation　of　indignation；　and；　raising　the
hand；　pointed　with　a　commanding　gesture　to　the　door。

〃My　Lord　Duke　de　Coigny；〃　said　she；　proudly；　〃I　release　you　from　the
duty　of　ever　coming　again　to　Trianon。　You　are　dismissed。〃

The　duke；　trembling　with　anger；　muttering　a　few　unintelligible
words；　made　a　slight；　careless　obeisance　to　the　queen；　and　left　the
billiard…hall　with　a　quick　step。＇Footnote：　This　scene　is　historical。
See　〃Memoires　de　Madame　de　Campan；〃　vol。　ii。＇

Marie　Antoinette　looked　after　him　with　a　long　and　pained　look。　Then；
with　a　deep　sigh；　she　took　up　the　bits　of　the　broken　cue　and　went
into　her　little　porcelain　cabinet；　in　order　to　gain　rest　and　self…
command　in　solitude　and　stillness。

Reaching　that　place；　and　now　sure　that　no　one　could　observe　her；
Marie　Antoinette　sank　with　a　deep　sigh　into　an　arm…chair；　and　the
long…restrained　tears　started　from　her　eyes。

〃Oh；〃　sighed　she；　sadly；　〃they　will　destroy　every　thing　I　have；
every　thingmy　confidence；　my　spirit；　my　heart　itself。　They　will
leave　me　nothing　but　pain　and　misfortune；　and　not　one　of　them　whom　I
till　now　have　held　to　be　my　friends；　will　share　it　with　me。〃




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　TRIAL。


For　a　whole　year　the　preparation　for　the　trial　had　lasted；　and　to…
day；　the　31st　of　August；　1786；　the　matter　would　be　decided。　The
friends　and　relatives　of　the　cardinal　had　had　time　to　manipulate　not
only　public　opinion；　but　also　to　win　over　the　judges；　the　members　of
Parliament；　to　the　cause　of　the　cardinal；　and　to　prejudice　them
against　the　queen。　All　the　enemies　of　Marie　Antoinette；　the
legitimists　even；　who　saw　their　old　rights　of　nobility　encroached
upon　by　the　preference　given　to　the　Polignacs　and　other　families
which　had　sprung　from　obscurity；　the　party　of　the　royal　princes　and
princesses；　whom　Marie　Antoinette　had　always　offended；　first　because
she　was　an　Austrian；　and　later　because　she　had　allowed　herself　to
win　the　love　of　the　king；　the　men　of　the　agitation　and　freedom
party；　who　thundered　in　their　clubs　against　the　realm；　and　held　it
to　be　their　sacred　duty　to　destroy　the　nimbus　which；　had　hitherto
enveloped　the　throne；　and　to　show　to　the　hungering　people　that　the
queen　who　lived　in　luxury　was　nothing　more　than　a　light…minded；
voluptuous　woman；all　these　enemies　of　the　queen　had　had　time　to
gain　over　public　opinion　and　the　judges。　The　trial　had　been　a
welcome　opportunity　to　all　to　give　free　play　to　their　revenge；　their
indignation；　and　their　hate。　The　family　of　the　cardinal；　sorely
touched　by　the　degradation　which　had　come　upon　them　all　in　their
head；　would；　at　the　least；　see　the　queen　compromised　with　the
cardinal；　and　if　the　latter　should　really　come　out　from　the　trial　as
the　deceived　and　duped　one；　Marie　Antoinette　should；　nevertheless；
share　in　the　stain。

The　Rohan　family　and　their　friends　set　therefore　all　means　in
motion；　in　order　to　win　over　public　opinion　and　the　judges。　To　this
end　they　visited　the　members　of　Parliament；　brought　presents　to
those　of　them　who　were　willing　to　receive　them；　made　use　of
mercenary　authors　to　hurl　libellous　pamphlets　at　the　queen；
published　brochures　which；　in　dignified　language；　defended　the
cardinal　in　advance；　and　exhibited　him　as　the　victim　of　his　devotion
and　love　to　the　royal　family。　Everybody　read　these　pamphlets；　and
when　at　last　the　day　of　decision　came；　public　opinion　had　already
declared　itself　in　favor　of　the　cardinal　and　against　the　queen。

On　the　31st　of　August；　1786；　as　already　said；　the　trial　so　long　in
preparation　was　to　be　decided。　The　night　before；　the　cardinal　had
been　transferred　from　the　Bastile　to　the　prison；　as　had　also　the
other　prisoners　who　were　involved　in　the　case。

At　early　dawn　the　whole　square　before　the　prison　was　full　of　men；
and　the　dependants　of　Rohan　and　the　Agitators　of　Freedom；　as　Marat
and　his　companions　called　themselves；　were　active　here　as　ever　to
turn　the　feeling　of　the　people　against　the　queen。

In　the　court…house；　on　the　other　side　of　the　great　square；
meanwhile；　the　great　drama　of　the　trial　had　begun。　The　members　of
Parliament；　the　judges　in　the　case；　sat　in　their　flowing　black
garments；　in　long　rows　before　the　green　table；　and　their　serious；
sad　faces　and　sympathetic　looks　were　all　directed　toward　the
cardinal；　Louis　de　Rohan。　But　in　spite　of　the　danger　of　the
situation；　the　noble　face　of　the　cardinal　was　completely
undisturbed；　and　his　bearing　princely。　He　appeared　in　his　full
priestly　array；　substituting　in　place　of　the　purple…red　under…
garment　one　of　violet；　as　cardinals　do　when　they　appear　in　mourning。
Over　this　he　wore　the　short　red　cloak；　and　displayed　all　his　orders；
the　red　stockings；　the　silk　shoes　with　jewelled　buckles；　completed
his　array。　While　entering；　he　raised　his　hands　and　gave　his　priestly
blessing　to　those　who　should