marie antoinette and her son-第28部分

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The　wedding　guests　were　assembled。　Madame　Bugeaud　had　just　put　the
veil　upon　the　head　of　her　daughter　Margaret；　and　impressed　upon　her
forehead　the　last　kiss　of　motherly　love。　It　was　the　hour　when　a
mother　holds　her　daughter　as　a　child　in　her　arms　for　the　last　time；
bids　adieu　to　the　pleasant　pictures　of　the　past；　and　sends　her　child
from　her　parents'　house　to　go　out　into　the　world　and　seek　a　new
home。　Painful　always　is　such　an　hour　to　a　mother's　heart；　for　the
future　is　uncertain；　no　one　knows　any　thing　about　the　new
vicissitudes　that　may　arise。

And　painful；　too；　to　the　wife　of　Councillor　Bugeaud　was　this　parting
from　her　dearly…loved　daughter；　but　she　suppressed　her　deep　emotion；
restrained　the　tears　in　her　heart；　that　not　one　should　fall　upon　the
bridal　wreath　of　her　loved　daughter。　Tears　dropped　upon　the　bridal
wreath　are　the　heralds　of　coming　misfortune；　the　seal　of　pain　which
destiny　stamps　upon　the　brow　of　the　doomed　one。

And　the　tender　mother　would　so　gladly　have　taken　away　from　her　loved
Margaret　every　pain　and　every　misfortune！　The　times　were
threatening；　and　the　horizon　of　the　present　was　so　full　of　stormy
signs　that　it　was　necessary　to　look　into　the　future　with　hope。

〃Go；　my　daughter；〃　said　Madame　Bugeaud；　with　a　smile；　regarding
which　only　God　knew　how　much　it　cost　the　mother's　heart〃　go　out
into　your　new　world；　be　happy；　and　may　you　never　regret　the　moment
when　yon　left　the　threshold　of　your　father's　house　to　enter　a　new
home！〃

〃My　dear　mother；〃　cried　Margaret；　with　beaming　eyes；　〃the　house　to
which　I　am　going　is　the　house　of　him　I　love；　and　my　new　home　is　his
heart；　which　is　noble；　great；　and　good；　and　in　which　all　the
treasures　in　the　earth　for　me　rest。〃

〃God　grant；　my　daughter；　that　you　may　after　many　years　be　able　to
repeat　those　words！〃

〃I　shall　repeat　them；　mother；　for　in　my　heart　is　a　joyful　trust。　I
can　never　be　unhappy；　for　Toulan　loves　me。　But；　hark！　I　hear　him
coming；　it　is　his　step；　and　listen！　he　is　calling　me！〃

And　the　young　girl；　with　reddening　cheeks；　directed　her　glowing　eyes
to　the　door；　which　just　then　opened；　where　appeared　her　lover；　in　a
simple；　dark；　holiday…suit；　with　a　friendly；　grave　countenance；　his
tender；　beaming　eyes　turned　toward　his　affianced。

He　hastened　to　her；　and　kissed　the　little　trembling　hand　which　was
extended　to　him。

〃All　the　wedding　guests　are　ready；　my　love。　The　carriages　are
waiting；　and　as　soon　as　we　enter　the　church　the　clergyman　will
advance　to　the　altar　to　perform　the　ceremony。〃

〃Then　let　us　go；　Louis；〃　said　Margaret；　nodding　to　him；　and　arm…in…
arm　they　went　to　the　door。

But　Toulan　held　back。　〃Not　yet；　my　dear　one。　Before　we　go　to　the
church；　I　want　to　have　a　few　words　with　you。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　my　dear　sir；　that　you　would　like　to　have　me
withdraw；〃　said　the　mother；　with　a　smile。　〃Do　not　apologize；　my　son；
that　is　only　natural；　and　I　dare　not　be　jealous。　My　daughter　belongs
to　you；　and　I　have　no　longer　the　right　to　press　into　your　secrets。
So　I　will　withdraw；　and　only　God　may　hear　what　the　lover　has　to　say
to　his　affianced　before　the　wedding。〃

She　nodded　in　friendly　fashion　to　the　couple；　and　left　the　room。

〃We　are　now　alone；　my　Margaret；〃　said　Toulan；　putting　his　arm　around
the　neck　of　the　fair　young　maiden；　and　drawing　her　to　himself。　〃Only
God　is　to　hear　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。〃

〃I　hope；　Louis；〃　whispered　the　young　girl；　trembling；　〃I　hope　it　is
not　bad　news　that　you　want　to　tell　me。　Your　face　is　so　grave；　your
whole　look　so　solemn。　You　love　me　still；　Louis？〃

〃Yes；　Margaret；　I　do　love　you；〃　answered　he；　softly；　〃but　yet；
before　you　speak　the　word　which　binds　you　to　me　forever；　I　must　open
my　whole　heart　to　you；　and　you　must　know　all　I　feel；　in　order　that；
if　there　is　a　future　to　prove　us；　we　may　meet　it　with　fixed　gaze　and
joyful　spirit。〃

〃My　God！　what　have　I　to　hear？〃　whispered　the　young　girl；　pressing
her　hand　to　her　heart；　that　began　to　beat　with　unwonted　violence。

〃You　will　have　to　hear；　my　Margaret；　that　I　love　you；　and　yet　that
the　image　of　another　woman　is　cherished　in　my　heart。〃

〃Who　is　this　other　woman？〃　cried　Margaret。

〃Margaret；　it　is　Queen　Marie　Antoinette。〃

The　girl　breathed　freely；　and　laughed。　〃Ah！　how　you　frightened　me；
Louis。　I　was　afraid　you　were　going　to　name　a　rival；　and　now　you
mention　her　whom　I；　too；　love　and　honor；　to　whom　I　pay　my　whole
tribute　of　admiration；　and　who；　although　you　ought　to　live　there
alone；　has　a　place　in　my　heart。　I　shall　never　be　jealous　of　the
queen。　I　love　her　just　as　devotedly　as　you　do。〃

A　light；　sympathetic　smile　played　upon　the　lips　of　Toulan。　〃No；
Margaret；〃　said　he；　gravely；　〃you　do　not　love　her　as　I　do；　and　you
cannot；　for　your　duty　to　her　is　not　like　mine。　Listen；　my　darling；
and　I　will　tell　you　a　little　storya　story　which　is　so　sacred　to　me
that　it　has　never　passed　over　my　lips；　although；　according　to　the
ways　of　human　thinking；　there　is　nothing　so　very　strange　about　it。
Come；　my　dear；　sit　down　with　me　a　little　while；　and　listen　to　me。〃

He　led　the　maiden　to　the　little　divan；　and　took　a　place　with　her
upon　it。　Her　hand　lay　within　his；　and　with　a　joyful　and　tender　look
she　gazed　into　the　bold；　noble；　and　good　face　of　the　man　to　whom　she
was　ready　to　devote　her　whole　life。

〃Speak　now；　Louis；　I　will　listen！〃

〃I　want　to　tell　you　of　my　father；　Margaret；〃　said　the　young　man；
with　a　gentle　voice〃　of　my　father；　who　thirsted　and　hungered　for
me；　in　his　efforts　to　feed；　clothe；　and　educate　me。　He　had　been　an
officer　in　the　army；　had　distinguished　himself　in　many　a　battle；　was
decorated；　on　account　of　his　bravery；　with　the　Order　of　St。　Louis；
and　discharged　as　an　invalid。　That　was　a　sad　misfortune　for　my
father；　for　he　was　poor；　and　his　officer's　pay　was　his　only　fortune。
But　nohe　had　a　nobler；　a　fairer　fortunehe　had　a　wife　whom　he
passionately　loved；　a　little　boy　whom　he　adored。　And　now　the　means
of　existence　were　taken　away　from　this　loved　wife；　this　dear　boy；
and　from　him　whose　service　had　been　the　offering　of　his　life　for　his
king　and　country；　the　storming　of　fortifications；　the　defying　of　the
bayonets　of　enemies；　and　who　in　this　service　had　been　so　severely
wounded；　that　his　life　was　saved　only　by　the　amputation　of　his　right
arm。　Had　it　not　been　just　this　right　arm；　he　would　have　been　able　to
do　something　for　himself；　and　to　have　found　some　employment　in　the
government　service。　But　now　he　was　robbed　of　all　hope　of　employment；
now　he　saw　for　himself　and　his　family　only　destruction；　starvation！
But　he　could　not　believe　it　possible；　he　held　it　to　be　impossible
that　the　king　should　allow　his　bold　soldier；　his　knight　of　the　Order
of　St。　Louis；　to　die　of　hunger；　after　becoming　a　cripple　in　his
service。　He　resolved　to　go　to　Paris；　to　declare　his　need　to　the
king；　and　to　implore　the　royal　bounty。　This　journey　was　the　last
hope　of　the　family；　and　my　father　was　just　entering　on　it　when　my
mother　sickened　and　died。　She　was　the　prop；　the　right　arm　of　my
father；　she　was　the　nurse；　the　teacher　of　his　poor　boy；　now　he　had
no　hope　more；　except　in　the　favor　of　the　king　and　in　death。　The　last
valuables　were　sold；　and　father　and　son　journeyed　to　Paris：　an
invalid　whose　bravery　had　cost　him　an　arm；　and　whose　tears　over　a
lost　wife　had　nearly　cost　him　his　eyesight；　and　a　lad　of　twelve
years；　acquainted　only　with　pain　and　want　from　his　birth；　and　in
whose　heart；　notwithstanding；　there　was　an　inextinguishable　germ　of
hope；　spirit；　and　joy。　We　went　on　foot；　and　when　my　shoes　were　torn
with　the　long　march；　my　feet　swollen　and　bloody；　my　father　told　me
to　climb　upon　his　back　and　let　him　carry　me。　I　would　not　allow　it；
Suppressed　my　pain；　and　went　on　till　I　dropped　in　a　swoon。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Margaret；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　〃how　much　you　have
suffered；　and　I　am　learning　it　now　for　the　first　time；　and　you　never
told　me　this　sad　history。〃

〃I　forgot　every　thing　sad　when　I　began　to　love　you；　Margaret；　and　I
did　not　want　to　trouble　you　with　my　stories。　Why　should　we　darken
the　clear　sky　of　the　present　with　the　clouds　of　the　past？　the　future
will　unquestionably　bring　its　own　clouds。　I　tell　you　all　this　now；
in　order　that　you　may　understand　my　feelings。　Now　hear　me　further；
Margaret！　At　last；　after　long…continued　efforts；　we　reached
Versailles；　and　it　seemed　to　us　as　if　all　suffering　and　want　were
taken　away　from　us　when　we　found　ourselves　in　a　dark；　poor　inn；　and
lay　down　on　the　hard　beds。　On　the　next；　my　father　put　on　his
uniform；　decorated　his　breast　with　the　order　of　St。　Louis；　and；　as
the　pain　in　his　eyes　prevented　his　going　alone；　I　had　to　accompany
him。　We　repaired　to　the　palace　and　entered　the　great　gallery　which
the　court　daily　traversed　on　returning　from　mass　in　the　royal
apartments。　My　father；　holding　in　his　hand　the　petition　which　I　had
written　to　his　dictation；　took　his　place　near　the　door　through　which
the　royal　couple　must　pass。　I　stood　near　him　and　looked　with　curious
eyes　at　the　brilliant　throng　which　filled　the　great　hall；　and　at　the
richly…dressed　gentlemen　who　were　present　and　held　petitions　in
their　hands；　in　spite　of　their　cheerful　looks　and　their　fine
clothes。　And　these　gentlemen　crowded　in　front　of　my　father；　shoved
him　to　the　wall；　hid　him　from　the　eye　of　the　king；　who　passed
through　the　hall　at　the　side　of　the　queen；　and　with　a　pleasant　face
received　all　the　petitions　which　were　handed　to　him。　Sadly　we　turned
home；　but　on　the　following　day　we　repaired　to　the　gallery　again；　and
I　had　the　courage　to　crowd　back　some　of　the　elegantly…dressed　men
who　wanted　to　press　before　my　father；　and　to　secure　for　him　a　place
in　the　front　row。　I　was　rewarded　for　my　boldness。　The　king　came；　and
with　a　gracious　smile　took　the　petition　from　the　hand　of　my　father；
and　laid　it　in　the　silver　basket　which　the　almoner　near　him
carried。〃

〃Thank　God；〃　cried　Margaret；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　〃thank　God；　you
were　saved！〃

〃That　we　said　too；　Margaret；　and　that　restored　my　father's　hope　and
made　him　again　happy　and　well。　We　went　the　next　day　to　the　gallery。
The　king　appeared；　the　grand　almoner　announced　the　names　of　those
who　were　to　receive　answers　to　their　petitionsthe　name　of　my
father　was　not　among　them！　But　we　comforted　ourselves　with　the
tho