marie antoinette and her son-第40部分

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palace　defiantly；　their　eyes　naming；　their　mouths　overflowing　with
curses。　Wild　men's　figures；　with　torn　blouses；　the　sleeves　rolled　up
over　dusty　and　dirty　arms；　and　bearing　pikes；　knives；　and　guns；　here
and　there　members　of　the　National　Guard　marching　with　them　arm　in
arm；　pressed　on　toward　the　palace。　Sometimes　shrieks　and　yells；
sometimes　coarse　peals　of　laughter；　or　threatening　cries；　issued
from　the　confused　crowd。　Nearer　and　nearer　surged　the　dreadful　wave
of　destruction　to　the　royal　palace。　Now　it　has　reached　it。　Maddened
fists　pounded　upon　the　iron　gates　before　the　inner　court；　and
threatening　voices　demanded　entrance：　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　women
shrieked　with　wild　gestures：

〃We　want　to　come　in！　We　want　to　speak　with　the　baker！　We　will　eat
the　queen's　guts　if　we　cannot　get　any　thing　else　to　eat！〃

And　thousands　upon　thousands　of　women's　voices　repeated〃Yes；　we
will　eat　the　queen's　guts；　if　we　get　nothing　else　to　eat！〃

Marie　Antoinette　withdrew　from　the　window；　her　bearing　was　grave　and
defiant；　a　laugh　of　scorn　played　over　her　proudly…drawn…up　upper…
lip；　her　head　was　erect；　her　step　decisive；　dignified。

She　went　again　to　the　king　and　his　ministers。　〃Sire；〃　said　she；　〃the
people　are　here。　It　is　now　too　late　to　supplicate　them；　as　you
wanted　to　do。　Nothing　remains　for　you　except　to　defend　yourself；　and
to　save　the　crown　for　your　son　the　dauphin；　even　if　it　falls　from
your　own　head。〃

〃It　remains　for　us；〃　answered　the　king；　gravely；　〃to　bring　the
people　back　to　a　sense　of　duty。　They　are　deceived　about　us。　They　are
excited。　We　will　try　to　conciliate　them；　and　to　show　them　our
fatherly　interest　in　them。〃

The　queen　stared　in　amazement　at　the　pleasant；　smiling　face　of　the
king；　then；　with　a　loud　cry　of　pain；　which　escaped　from　her　breast
like　the　last　gasp　of　a　dying　man；　she　turned　around；　and　went　up　to
the　Prince　de　Luxemburg；　the　captain　of　the　guard；　who　just　then
entered　the　hall。

〃Do　you　come　to　tell　us　that　the　people　have　taken　the　palace？〃
cried　the　queen；　with　an　angry　burst　from　her　very　soul。

〃Madame；〃　answered　the　prince；　〃had　that　been　the　case；　I　should　not
have　been　here　alive。　Only　over　my　body　will　the　rabble　enter　the
palace。〃

〃Ah；〃　muttered　Marie　Antoinette　to　herself；　〃there　are　men　in
Versailles　yet；　there　are　brave　men　yet　to　defend　us！〃

〃What　news　do　you　bring；　captain？〃　asked　the　king；　stepping　up。

〃Sire；　I　am　come　to　receive　your　commands；〃　answered　the　prince；
bowing　respectfully。　〃This　mob　of　shameless　shrews　is　growing　more
maddened；　more　shameless　every　moment。　Thousands　and　thousands　of
arms　are　trying　the　gates；　and　guns　are　fired　with　steady　aim　at　the
guards。　I　beg　your　majesty　to　empower　me　to　repel　this　attack　of　mad
women！〃

〃What　an　idea；　captain！〃　cried　Louis；　shrugging　his　shoulders。
〃Order　to　attack　a　company　of　women！　You　are　joking；　prince！〃
＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。See　Weber；　〃Memoires；〃　vol。　t；　p。
433。＇

And　the　king　turned　to　Count　de　la　Marck；　who　was　entering　the　room。
〃You　come　with　new　news。　What　is　it；　count？〃

〃Sire；　the　women　are　most　desirous　of　speaking　with　your　majesty；
and　presenting　their　grievances。〃

〃I　will　hear　them；〃　cried　the　king；　eagerly。　〃Tell　the　women　to
choose　six　of　their　number　and　bring　them　into　my　cabinet。　I　will　go
there　myself。〃

〃Sire；　you　are　going　to　give　audience　to　revolution；〃　cried　Marie
Antoinette；　seizing　the　arm　of　the　king；　who　was　on　the　point　of
leaving　the　room。　〃I　conjure　you；　my　husband；　do　not　be　overpowered
by　your　magnanimous　heart！　Let　not　the　majesty　of　the　realm　be
defiled　by　the　raging　hands　of　these　furies！　Remain　here。　Oh；　sire；
if　my　prayers；　my　wishes　have　any　power　with　you；　remain　here！　Send
a　minister　to　treat　with　these　women　in　your　name。　But　do　not
confront　their　impudence　with　the　dignity　of　the　crown。　Sire；　to
give　them　audience　is　to　give　audience　to　revolution；　and　from　the
hour　when　it　takes　place；　revolution　has　gained　the　victory　over　the
kingly　authority！　Do　not　go；　oh　do　not　go！〃

〃I　have　given　my　word；〃　answered　Louis；　gently。　〃I　have　sent　word　to
the　women　that　I　would　receive　them；　and　they　shall　not　say　that　the
first　time　they　set　foot　in　the　palace　of　their　king；　they　were
deceived　by　him。　And　see；　there　comes　the　count　to　take　me！〃

And　the　king　followed　with　hasty　step　Count　de　la　Marck；　who　just
then　appeared　at　the　door。

Six　women　of　wild　demeanor；　with　dusty；　dirty　clothes；　their　hair
streaming　out　from　their　round　white　caps；　were　assembled　in　the
cabinet　of　the　king；　and　stared　at　him　with　defiant　eyes　as　he
entered。　But　his　gentle　demeanor　and　pleasant　voice　appeared　to
surprise　them；　and　Louise　Chably；　the　speaker；　who　had　selected　the
women；　found　only　timid；　modest　words；　with　which　to　paint　to　the
king　the　misfortune；　the　need；　and　the　pitiable　condition　of　the
people；　and　with　which　to　entreat　his　pity　and　assistance。

〃Ah；　my　children；〃　answered　the　king　with　a　sigh；　〃only　believe　me；
it　is　not　my　fault　that　you　are　miserable；　and　I　am　still　more
unhappy　than　you。　I　will　give　directions　to　Corbeil　and　D'Estampes；
the　controllers　of　the　grain…stores；　to　give　out　all　that　they　can
spare。　If　my　commands　had　always　been　obeyed；　it　would　be　better
with　us　all！　If　I　could　do　every　thing；　could　see　to　it　that　my
commands　were　everywhere　carried　into　effect；　you　would　not　be
unhappy；　and　you　must　confess；　at　least；　that　your　king　loves　you　as
a　father　his　children；　and　that　nothing　lies　so　closely　at　his　heart
as　your　welfare。　Go；　my　children；　and　tell　your　friends　to　prove
worthy　of　the　love　of　their　king；　and　to　return　peaceably　to　Paris。〃
＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。See。　A。　de　Beauchesne；　〃Louis
XVI。。　sa　Vie；　son　Agonie；　〃etc。；　vol。　i。；　p。　43。＇

〃Long　live　the　king！　Long　live　our　father！〃　cried　the　touched　and
pacified　women；　as　trembling　and　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　they　left
the　royal　cabinet；　in　order　to　go　to　the　women　below；　and　announce
to　them　what　the　king　had　said。

But　the　royal　words　found　no　response　among　the　excited　masses。　〃We
are　hungry；　we　want　bread；〃　shouted　the　women。　〃We　are　not　going　to
live　on　words　any　more。　The　king　shall　give　us　bread；　and　then　we
shall　see　it　proved　that　he　loves　us　like　a　father；　then　we　will　go
back　to　Paris。　If　the　baker　believes　that　he　can　satisfy　us　with
words　and　fine　speeches；　he　is　mistaken。〃

〃If　he　has　no　bread；　he　shall　give　us　his　wife　to　eat！〃　roared　a　man
with　a　pike　in　his　hand　and　a　red　cap　on　his　head。　〃The　baker's　wife
has　eaten　up　all　our　bread；　and　it　is　no　more　than　fair　that　we
should　eat　her　up　now。〃

〃Give　us　the　heart　of　the　queen；〃　was　now　the　cry；　〃give　us　the
heart　of　the　queen！〃

Marie　Antoinette　heard　the　words；　but　she　appeared　not　to　be
alarmed。　With　dignity　and　composure；　she　cast　a　look　at　the
ministers　and　gentlemen；　who；　pale　and　speechless；　had　gathered
around　the　royal　couple。

〃I　know　that　this　crowd　has　come　from　Paris　to　demand　my　head！　I
learned　of　my　mother　not　to　fear　death；　and　I　shall　meet　it　with
courage　and　steadfastness。〃　＇Footnote：　The　words　of　the　queen。See
〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　194。＇

And　firmly　and　fearlessly　Marie　Antoinette　remained　all　this
dreadful　evening；　which　was　now　beginning　to　overshadow　Versailles。
Outside　of　the　palace　raged　the　uproar；　revolutionary　songs　were
sung；　veiled　forms；　the　leaders　of　the　revolution；　stole　around；　and
fired　the　people　with　new　rage　against　the　baker　and　the　baker's
wife。　Torches　were　lighted　to　see　by；　and　the　blood…red　glare　shone
into　the　faces　there；　and　tended　to　exasperate　them　still　more。　What
dances　were　executed　by　the　women；　with　torches　in　their　hands！　and
the　men　roared　in　accompaniment；　ridiculing　the　king　and　threatening
the　queen　with　death。

At　times　the　torches　threw　their　flickering　glare　into　the　windows
of　the　palace；　where　were　the　ministers　and　servants　of　the　king；　in
silent　horror。　Among　all　those　counsellor　of　the　king；　there　was　at
this　time　but　one　Man；　Marie　Antoinette！　She　alone　preserved　her
steadfastness　and　discretion；　she　spoke　to　every　one　friendly；
inspiriting　words。　She　roused　up　the　timid；　at　times　she　even
attempted　to　bring　the　king　to　some　decisive　action；　and　yet　she　did
not　complain　when　she　found　herself　unable　to　do　so。

Once　her　face　lighted　up　in　hope　and　joy。　That　was　when　a　company　of
deputies；　headed　by　Toulan；　entered　the　hall；　to　offer　their
services　to　the　royal　couple；　and　to　ask　permission　to　be　allowed　to
remain　around　the　king　and　queen。

But　scarcely　had　this　request　been　granted；　when　both　the
secretaries　of　the　president　of　the　National　Assembly　entered；
warning　the　members；　in　the　name　of　the　president；　to　return　at　once
to　the　hall　and　to　take　part　in　the　night　session　which　was　to　be
held。

〃They　call　our　last　friends　away　from　us；〃　murmured　the　queen；　〃for
they　want　us　to　be　entirely　defenceless！〃

All　at　once　the　cries　on　the　square　below　were　more　violent　and
loud；　musket…shots　were　heard；　at　the　intervals　between　rose　the
thousand…voiced　clamor；　and　at　one　time　the　thunder　of　a　cannon。
There　was　a　rush　of　horses；　and　clash　of　arms；　more　musket…shots；
and　then　the　cry　of　the　wounded。

The　king　had　withdrawn　to　hold　a　last　consultation　with　his
ministers　and　a　few　faithful　friends。　At　this　fearful　noise；　this
sound　of　weapons；　this　shout　of　victory；　his　first　thought　was　of
the　queen。　He　rose　quickly　and　entered　the　hall。

No　one　was　there；　the　red　glare　of　the　torches　was　thrown　from　below
into　the　deserted　room；　and　showed　upon　the　wall　wondrous　shadows　of
contorted　human　figures；　with　clinched　fists　and　with　raised　and
threatening　arms。

The　king　walked　hastily　through　the　fearfully　illuminated　hall；
called　for　the　queen　with　a　loud　voice；　burst　into　the　cabinet；　then
into　her　sleeping…room；　but　no　Marie　Antoinette　was　to　be　foundno
one　gave　reply　to　the　anxious　call　of　the　king。

More　dreadful　grew　the　wild　shrieks　and　howls；　the　curses　and
maledictions　which　came　in　from　without。

The　king　sprang　up　the　little　staircase　which　led　to　the　rooms　of
the　children；　and　dashed　through　the　antechamber；　where　the　door　was
open　that　led　to　the　dauphin's　sleeping…room。

An