marie antoinette and her son-第38部分

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children　of　the　poor　the　bread　for　which　they　hunger。

〃Up；　to　Versailles！　All　wives　and　mothers！〃

The　cry　sweeps　like　a　hurricane　through　the　streets；　and　everywhere
finds　an　echo　in　the　maddened；　panic…stricken；　despairing；　raging
hearts　of　the　women　who　see　their　children　hunger；　and　suffer　hunger
themselves。

〃The　baker's　wife　feeds　her　apprentices　with　cakes；　and　we　have　not
a　crumb　of　bread　to　give　to　our　poor　little　ones！〃

In　whole　crowds　the　women　dashed　into　the　largest　squares；　where
were　the　men　who　fomented　the　revolution；　Marat；　Danton；　Santerre；
Chaumette；　and　all　the　rest；　the　speakers　at　the　clubs；　there　they
are；　giving　their　counsels　to　the　maddened　women；　and　spurring　them
on！

〃Do　not　be　afraid；　do　not　be　turned　aside！　Go　to　Versailles；　brave
women！　Save　your　children；　your　husbands；　from　death　by　starvation！
Compel　the　baker's　wife　to　give　bread　to　you　and　for　us　all！　And　if
she　conceals　it　from　you；　storm　her　palace　with　violence；　there　will
be　men　there　to　help　you。　Only　be　brave　and　undismayed；　God　will　go
with　mothers　who　are　bringing　bread　to　their　children；　and　your
husbands　will　protect　you！〃

They　were　brave　and　undismayed；　the　wives　and　mothers　of　Paris。　In
broad　streams　they　rushed　on；　they　broke　over　every　thing　which　was
in　their　way；　they　drew　all　the　women　into　their　seething　ranks。　〃To
Versailles！　To　Versailles！〃

It　was　to　no　avail　that　De　Bailly；　the　mayor　of　Paris；　encountered
the　women　on　the　street；　and　urged　them　with　pressing　words　to
return　to　their　families　and　their　work；　and　assured　them　that　the
bakers　had　already　opened　their　shops；　and　had　been　ordered　to　bake
bread。　It　was　in　vain　that　the　general　of　the　National　Guard；
Lafayette；　had　a　discussion　with　the　women；　and　tried　to　show　them
how　vain　and　useless　was　their　action。

Louder　and　louder　grew　the　commanding　cry；　〃To　Versailles！　We　will
bring　the　baker　and　his　wife　to　Paris！　To　Versailles！〃

The　crowds　of　women　grew　more　and　more　dense；　and　still　mightier　was
the　shout；　〃To　Versailles！〃

Bailly　went　with　pain　to　General　Lafayette。　〃We　must　pacify　them；　or
you；　general；　must　prevent　them　by　force！〃　〃It　is　impossible；〃
replied　Lafayette。　〃How　could　we　use　force　against　defenceless
women？　Not　one　of　my　soldiers　would　obey　my　commands；　for　these
women　are　the　wives；　the　mothers；　the　sisters　of　my　soldiers！　They
have　no　other　weapons　than　their　tongues　with　which　to　storm　the
heart　of　the　queen！　How　could　we　conquer　them　with　weapons　of　steel？
We　must　let　them　go！　But　we　must　take　precautions　that　the　king　and
the　queen　do　not　fall　into　danger。〃

〃That　will　be　all　the　more　necessary；　general；　as　the　women　will
certainly　be　accompanied　by　armed　crowds　of　men；　and　excitement　and
confusion　will　accompany　them　all　the　way　to　Versailles。　Make　haste；
general；　to　defend　Versailles。　The　columns　of　women　are　already　in
motion；　and；　as　I　have　said　to　you；　they　will　be　accompanied　by
armed　men！〃

〃It　would　not　be　well　for　me　to　take　my　soldiers　to　Versailles；〃
said　Lafayette；　shaking　his　head。　〃You　know；　M。　De　Bailly；　to　what
follies　the　reactionaries　of　Versailles　have　already　led　the　royal
family。　All　Paris　speaks　of　nothing　else　than　of　the　holiday　which
the　king　and　queen　have　given　to　the　royal　troops；　the　regiment　of
Flanders；　which　they　have　summoned　to　Versailles。　The　king　and　the
queen；　with　the　dauphin；　were　present。　The　tri…colored　cockade　was
trodden　under　foot；　and　the　people　were　arrayed　in　white　ribbons。
Royalist　songs　were　sang；　the　National　Guard　was　bitterly　talked　of；
and　an　oath　was　given　to　the　king　and　queen　that　commands　would　only
be　received　of　them。　My　soldiers　are　exasperated；　and　many　of　my
officers　have　desired　of　me　to…day　that　we　should　repair　to
Versailles　and　attack　the　regiment　of　Flanders　and　decimate　them。　It
is；　therefore；　perilous　to　take　these　exasperated　National　Guards　to
Versailles。〃

〃And　yet　something　must　be　done　for　the　protection　of　the　king；〃
said　Bailly；　〃believe　me；　these　raging　troops　of　women　are　more
dangerous　than　the　exasperated　National　Guards。　Come；　General
Lafayette；　we　will　go　to　the　city　hall；　and　summon　the　magistracy
and　the　leaders　of　the　National　Guard；　to　take　counsel　of　them。〃

An　hour　later　the　drums　beat　through　all　the　streets　of　Paris；　for
in　the　city　hall　the　resolve　had　been　taken　that　the　National　Guard
of　Paris；　under　the　lead　of　General　Lafayette；　should　repair　to
Versailles　to　protect　the　royal　family　against　the　attacks　of　the
people；　but　at　the　same　time　to　protect　the　National　Assembly
against　the　attacks　of　the　royalist　troops。

But　long　before　the　troops　were　in　motion；　and　had　really　begun
their　march　to　Versailles；　the　troops　of　women　were　already　on　their
way。　Soldiers　of　the　National　Guard　and　armed　men　from　the　people
accompanied　the　women；　and　secured　among　them　a　certain　military
discipline。　They　marched　in　ten　separate　columns；　every　one　of　which
consisted　of　more　than　a　thousand　women。

Each　column　was　preceded　by　some　soldiers　of　the　National　Guard；
with　weapons　on　their　shoulders；　who；　of　their　own　free　will；　had
undertaken　to　be　the　leaders。　On　both　sides　of　each　column　marched
the　armed　men　from　the　people；　in　order　to　inspire　the　women　with
courage　when　they　grew　tired；　but　at　the　same　time　to　compel　those
who　were　weary　of　the　long　journey；　or　sick　of　the　whole
undertaking；　and　who　wanted　to　return　to　Paris；　to　come　back　into
the　ranks　and　complete　what　they　had　begun；　and　carry　the　work　of
revolution　still　further。　〃On　to　Versailles！〃

All　was　quiet　in　Versailles　that　day。　No　one　suspected　the　horrors
which　it　was　to　bring　forth。　The　king　had　gone　with　some　of　his
gentlemen　to　Meudon　to　hunt：　the　queen　had　gone　to　Trianon　alone
all　alone！

No　one　of　her　friends　was　now　at　her　side；　she　had　lost　them　all。　No
one　was　there　to　share　the　misery　of　the　queen　of　all　who　had　shared
her　happiness。　The　Duchess　de　Polignac；　the　princesses　of　the　royal
house；　the　cheery　brother　of　the　king；　Count　d'Artois；　the　Count　de
Coigny；　Lords　Besenval　and　Lauzun；　where　are　they　all　now；　the
friends；　the　suppliants　of　former　days？　Far；　far　away　in　distant
lands；　flown　from　the　misfortune　that；　with　its　dark　wings　sinking；
was　hovering　lower　and　lower　over　Versailles；　and　darkening　with　its
uncanny　shadows　this　Trianon　which　had　once　been　so　cheerful　and
bright。　All　now　is　desolate　and　still！　The　mill　rattles　no　more；　the
open　window　is　swung　to　and　fro　by　the　wind；　and　the　miller　no　more
looks　out　with　his　good…natured；　laughing　face；　the　miller　of
Trianon　is　no　longer　the　king；　and　the　burdens　and　cares　of　his
realm　have　bowed　his　head。　The　school…house；　too；　is　desolate；　and
the　learned　master　no　longer　writes　his　satires　and　jokes　upon　the
great　black…board　in　the　school…room。　He　now　writes　libels　and
pamphlets；　but　they　are　now　directed　against　the　queen；　against　the
former　mistress　of　Trianon。　And　there　is　the　fish…pond；　along　whose
shores　the　sheep　used　to　pasture；　where　the　courtly　company；
transformed　into　shepherds　and　shepherdesses；　used　to　lie　on　the
grass；　singing　songs；　arranging　tableaux；　and　listening　to　the　songs
which　the　band　played　behind　the　thicket。　All　now　is　silent。　No
joyous　tone　now　breaks　the　melancholy　stillness　which　fills　the
shady　pathways　of　the　grove　where　Marie　Antoinette；　the　mistress　of
Trianon；　now　walks　with　bended　head　and　heart…broken　spirit；　only
the　recollection　of　the　past　resounds　as　an　echo　in　her　inner　ear；
and　revives　the　cheerful　strains　which　long　have　been　silent。

At　the　fish…pond　all　is　still；　no　flocks　grazing　on　the　shore；　no
picturesque　groups；　no　songs。　The　spinning…wheel　no　longer　whirls；
the　hand　of　the　queen　no　longer　turns　the　spindle；　she　has　learned
to　hold　the　sceptre　and　the　pen；　and　to　weave　public　policy；　and　not
a　net　of　linen。　The　trees　with　their　variegated　autumn　foliage　are
reflected　in　the　dark　water　of　the　pond；　some　weeping…willows　droop
with　their　tapering　branches　down　to　the　water；　and　a　few　swans　come
slowly　sailing　across　with　their　necks　raised　in　their　majestic
fashion。　As　they　saw　the　figure　on　the　shore；　they　expanded　their
wings　and　sailed　quicker　on；　to　pick　up　the　crumbs　which　the　white
hands　of　the　queen　used　to　throw　to　them。

But　these　hands　have　to…day　no　gifts　for　the　solitary；　forgotten
swans。　All　the　dear；　pleasant　customs　of　the　past　are　forgotten；
they　have　all　ceased。

Yet　the　swans　have　not　forgotten　her；　they　sail　unquietly　hither　and
thither　along　the　shore　of　the　pond；　they　toss　up　their　slender
necks；　and　then　plunge　their　red　beaks　down　into　the　dark　water
seeking　for　the　grateful　bits　which　were　not　there。　But　when　they
saw　that　they　were　disappointed；　they　poured　forth　their　peculiarly
mournful　song　and　slowly　sailed　away　down　the　lakelet　into　the
obscurity　of　the　distance；　letting　their　complaining　notes　be　heard
from　time　to　time。

〃They　are　singing　the　swan's　song　of　my　happiness；〃　whispered　the
queen；　looking　with　tearful　eyes　at　the　beautiful　creatures。　〃They
too　turn　away　from　me；　and　now　I　am　alone；　all　alone。〃

She　had　spoken　this　loudly；　and　her　quivering　voice　wakened　the　echo
which　had　been　artistically　contrived　there；　to　repeat　cheery　words
and　merry　laughter。

〃Alone！〃　sounded　back　from　the　walls　of　the　Marlborough　Tower　at　the
end　of　the　fish…pond。　〃Alone！〃　whispered　the　water　stirred　with　the
swans。　〃Alone！〃　was　the　rustling　cry　of　the　bushes。　〃Alone！〃　was
heard　in　the　heart　of　the　queen；　and　she　sank　down　upon　the　grass；
covered　her　face　with　her　hands；　and　wept　aloud。　All　at　once　there
was　a　cry　in　the　distance；　〃The　queen；　where　is　the　queen？　〃

Marie　Antoinette　sprang　up　and　dried　her　eyes。　No　one　should　see
that　she　had　wept。　Tears　belong　only　to　solitude；　but　she　has　no
longer　even　solitude。　The　voice　comes　nearer　and　nearer；　and　Marie
Antoinette　follows　the　sound。　She　knows　that　she　is　going　to　meet　a
new　misfortune。　People　have　not　come　to　Trianon　to　bring　her　tidings
of　joy；　they　have　come　to　tell　her　that　destruction　awaits　her　in
Versailles；　and　the　queen　is　to　give　audience　to　it。

A　man　came　with　hurried　step　from　the　thicket　down　the　winding
footpath。　Marie　Anto