marie antoinette and her son-第50部分

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〃Your　majesty；〃　said　Bailly；　〃I　conjure　you；　do　this　out　of
compassion　for　us；　for　all　your　faithful　servants　who　tremble　for
the　peace　and　security　of　your　majesty；　and　allow　M。　de　Lafayette　to
keep　the　brutality　of　the　people　away　from　you；　and　protect　you　in
your　walks。〃

〃Sufficient；　gentlemen；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　impatiently。　〃You
now　know　my　fixed　resolve；　and　it　is　not　necessary　to　discuss　it
further。　I　will　not　hide　myself　from　the　people；　and　I　will　confront
them　under　the　simple　protection　of　God。　Defended　by　Him；　and
sustained　by　the　conviction　that　I　have　not　merited　the　hate　with
which　I　am　pursued；　I　will　continue　to　meet　the　subjects　of　the　king
fearlessly；　with　an　unveiled　head；　and　only　God　and　my　fate　shall
judge　between　me　and　them！　I　thank　you；　gentlemen；　for　your　zeal　and
your　care；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　I　shall　never　forget　it。　But　now
farewell；　gentlemen！　It　is　growing　cold；　and　I　should　like　to　return
to　the　palace。〃

〃Will　your　majesty　not　have　the　kindness　to　allow　us　both　to　mingle
with　your　train；　and　accompany　you　to　the　palace？〃　asked　Lafayette。

〃I　came　hither；　attended　by　only　two　lackeys；　who　are　waiting
outside　the　pavilion；〃　answered　the　queen。　〃You　know　that　I　have
laid　aside　the　court　etiquette　which　used　to　attend　the　queen　upon
her　walks；　and　which　do　not　allow　the　free　enjoyment　of　nature。　My
enemies　charge　me　with　this　as　an　offence；　and　consider　it　improper
that　the　Queen　of　France　should　take　a　walk　without　a　brilliant
train　of　courtiers；　and　like　any　other　human　being。　But　I　think　that
the　people　ought　not　to　be　angry　at　this；　and　they　may　take　it　as　a
sign　that　I　am　not　so　proud　and　unapproachable　as　I　am　generally
believed　to　be。　And　so　farewell；　gentlemen！〃

She　graciously　waved　her　hand　toward　the　door；　and；　with　a　gentle
inclination　of　her　head；　dismissed　the　two　gentlemen；　who；　with　a
sad　bearing；　withdrew；　and　left　the　pavilion。

〃Come；　my　son；〃　said　the　queen；　〃we　will　return　to　the　palace。〃

〃By　the　same　way　that　we　came；　shall　we　not；　mamma？〃　asked　the
dauphin；　taking　the　extended　hand　of　the　queen；　and　pressing　it　to
his　lips。

〃You　will　not　weep　again　if　the　people　shout　and　laugh？〃　asked　Marie
Antoinette。　〃You　will　not　be　afraid　any　more？〃

〃No；　I　will　not　be　afraid　any　more。　Oh；　you　shall　be　satisfied　with
me；　mamma　queen！　I　have　paid　close　attention　to　all　that　you　said　to
the　two　gentlemen；　and　I　am　very　glad　that　you　did　not　allow　M。　de
Lafayette　to　walk　behind　us。　The　people　would　then　have　believed
that　we　are　afraid；　and　now　they　shall　see　that　we　are　not　so　at
all。〃

〃Well；　come；　my　child；　let　us　go；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　giving　her
hand　to　her　son；　and　preparing　to　leave　the　pavilion。

But　on　the　threshold　the　dauphin　stopped；　and　looked　imploringly　up
into　the　face　of　his　mother。

〃I　should　like　to　ask　you　something；　mamma　queen。〃

〃Well；　what　is　it；　my　little　Louis？　What　do　you　wish？〃

〃I　should　like　to　have　you　allow　me　to　go　alone；　else　the　people
would　believe　that　I　am　afraid　and　want　you　to　lead　me。　And　I　want
to　be　like　the　Chevalier　Bayard；　about　whom　the　Abbe　talked　with　me
to…day。　I　want　to　be　sans　peur　et　sans　reproche；　like　Bayard。〃

〃Very　well；　chevalier；〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　smile；　〃then　walk
alone　and　free　by　my　side。〃

〃No；　mamma；　if　you　will　allow　me；　I　will　walk　before　you。　The
knights　always　walk　in　advance　of　the　ladies；　so　as　to　ward　off　any
danger　which　may　be　in　the　way。　And　I　am　your　knight；　mamma；　and　I
want　to　be　as　long　as　I　live。　Will　you　allow　it；　my　royal　lady？〃

〃I　allow　it！　So　go　in　front；　Chevalier　Louis　Charles！　We　will　take
the　same　way　back　by　which　we　came。〃

The　dauphin　sprang　over　the　little　square　in　front　of　the　pavilion；
and　down　the　alley　which　led　to　the　Arcadia　Walk　along　the　side　of
the　quay。

Before　the　little　staircase　which　led　up　to　this　walk；　he　stopped
and　turned　his　pretty　head　round　to　the　queen；　who；　followed　by　the
two　lackeys；　was　walking　slowly　and　quietly　along。

〃Well；　Chevalier　Bayard；〃　asked　the　queen；　with　a　smile；　〃what　are
you　stopping　for？〃

〃I　am　only　waiting　for　your　majesty；〃　replied　the　child；　gravely。
〃Here　is　where　my　knightly　service　commences；　for　here　it　is　that
danger　begins。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　queen；　as　she　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the
steps　and　listened　to　the　loud　shouting　which　now　became　audible。
〃One　would　think　that　a　storm　had　been　Sweeping　over　the　ocean；
there　is　such　a　thundering　sound。　But　you　know；　my　son；　that　the
storms　lie　in　God's　hand；　and　that　He　protects　those　who　trust　in
Him。　Think　of　that；　my　child；　and　do　not　be　afraid！〃

〃Oh；　I　am　not　afraid！〃　cried　the　boy；　and　he　sprang　up　the　stairs
like　a　gazelle。

The　queen　quickened　her　steps　a　little；　and　seemed　to　be　giving　her
whole　attention　to　her　son；　who　went　before　her　with　such　a　happy
flow　of　spirits；　and　appeared　to　hear　nothing　of　what　was　passing
around　her。　And　yet；　behind　the　fence　which　ran　along　the　left　side
of　the　Arcadia　Walk　all　the　way　to　the　quay；　was　a　dense　mass　of
people；　head　behind　head；　and　all　their　blazing　eyes　were　directed
at　the　queen；　and　words　of　hate；　malediction；　and　threatening
followed　her　every　step　which　she　took　forward。

〃See；　see；〃　cried　a　woman；　with　dishevelled　hair；　which　streamed　out
from　her　round　cap；　and　fell　down　over　her　red；　angry　face〃　see；
that　is　the　baker's　woman；　and　the　monkey　that　jumps　in　front　of　her
is　the　apprentice…boy！　They　can　dress　themselves　up　and　be　fine；　for
all　is　well　with　them；　and　they　can　eat　cakes；　while　we　have　to　go
hungry。　But　wait；　only　wait！　times　will　be　different　by　and　by；　and
we　shall　see　the　baker…woman　as　hungry　as　we。　But　when　we　have　the
bread；　we　will　give　her　noneno；　we　will　give　her　none！〃

〃No；　indeed；　we　will　give　her　none！〃　roared；　and　cried；　and　laughed；
and　howled　the　mob。　And　they　all　pressed　closer　up　to　the　fence；　and
naked　arms　and　clinched　fists　were　thrust　through　the　palings；　and
threatened　the　queen；　and　the　dauphin；　who　walked　in　front　of　his
mother。

〃Will　he　be　able　to　bear　it？　Will　my　poor　boy　not　weep　with　fear　and
anxiety？　〃That　was　the　only　thought　of　the　queen；　as　she　walked　on
past　the　angry　roars　of　the　crowd。　To　the　dauphin　alone　all　her
looks　were　directed；　not　once　did　she　glance　at　the　fence；　behind
which　the　populace　roared　like　a　pack　of　lions。

All　at　once　the　breath　of　the　queen　stopped；　and　her　heart　ceased
beating；　with　horror。　She　saw　directly　at　the　place　where　the　path
turned　and　ran　away　from　the　fence；　but　where；　before　making　the
turn；　it　ran　very　near　the　fence；　the　bare　arm　of　a　man　extended
through　the　paling　as　far　as　possible；　and　stretching　in　fact　half…
way　across　the　path；　as　if　it　were　a　turnpike…bar　stopping　the　way。
The　eyes　of　the　queen；　when　they　fell　upon　this　dreadful；　powerful
arm；　turned　at　once　in　deep　alarm　to　the　dauphin。　She　saw　him
hesitate　a　little　in　his　hurried　course；　and　then　go　slowly　forward。
The　queen　quickened　her　steps　in　order　to　come　up　with　the　dauphin
before　he　should　reach　the　danger　which　confronted　him。　The　people
outside　of　the　fence；　when　they　saw　the　manoeuvre　of　the　man　who　was
forcing　his　arm　still　farther　in；　stopped　their　shouting　and　lapsed
into　a　breathless；　eager　silence；　as　sometimes　is　the　case　in　a
storm；　between　the　successive　bursts　of　wind　and　thunder。

Every　one　felt　that　the　touch　of　that　threatening　arm　and　that
little　child　might　be　like　the　contact　of　steel　and　flint；　and
elicit　sparks　which　should　kindle　the　fires　of　another　revolution。
It　was　this　feeling　which　made　the　crowd　silent；　the　same　feeling
compelled　the　queen　to　quicken　her　steps；　so　that　she　was　close　to
the　dauphin　before　he　had　reached　this　terrible　turnpike…bar。

〃Come　here；　my　son；〃　cried　the　queen；　〃give　me　your　hand！〃

But　before　she　had　time　to　grasp　the　hand　of　the　little　prince；　he
sprang　forward　and　stood　directly　in　front　of　the　outstretched　arm。

〃My　God！　what　will　he　do？〃　whispered　the　queen　to　herself。

At　the　same　instant；　there　resounded　from　behind　the　fence　a　loud；
mighty　bravo；　and　a　thousand　voices　took　it　up　and　cried；　〃Bravo！
bravo！〃

The　dauphin　had　stretched　up　his　little　white　hand　and　laid　it　upon
the　brown；　clinched　fist　that　was　stretched　out　toward　him；　and
nodded　pleasantly　at　the　man　who　looked　down　so　fiercely　upon　him。

〃Good…day；　sir！〃　he　said；　with　a　loud　voice〃good…day！〃

And　he　took　hold　with　his　little　hand　of　the　great　hand　of　the　man
and　shook　it　a　little；　as　in　friendly　salutation。　〃Little　knirps；〃
roared　the　man；　〃what　do　you　mean；　and　how　dare　you　lay　your　little
paw　on　the　claws　of　the　lion？〃

〃Sir；〃　said　the　boy；　smiling；　〃I　thought　you　were　stretching　out
your　hand　to　reach　me　with　it；　and　so　I　give　you　mine；　and　say；
'Good…day；　sir！'〃

〃And　if　I　wanted；　I　could　crush　your　hand　in　my　fist　as　if　it　were
in　a　vise；〃　cried　the　man；　holding　the　little　hand　firmly。

〃You　shall　not　do　it；〃　cried　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　voices　in　the
crowd。　〃No；　Simon；　you　shall　not　hurt　the　child。〃

〃Who　of　you　could　hinder　me　if　I　wanted　to？〃　asked　the　man；　with　a
laugh。　〃See　here；　I　hold　the　hand　of　the　future　King　of　France　in　my
fist；　and　I　can　break　it　if　I　want　to；　and　make　it　so　that　it　can
never　lift　the　sceptre　of　France。　The　little　monkey　thought　he　would
take　hold　of　my　hand　and　make　me　draw　it　back；　and　now　my　hand　has
got　his　and　holds　it　fast。　And　mark　this；　boy；　the　time　is　past　when
kings　seized　us　and　trod　us　down；　now　we　seize　them　and　hold　them
fast；　and　do　not　let　them　go　unless　we　will。〃

〃Sir！〃　cried　the　queen；　motioning　back　with　a　commanding　gesture　the
two　lackeys　who　were　hurrying　up　to　release　the　dauphin　from　the
hand　of　the　man；　〃sir；　I　beg　you　to　withdraw　your　hand；　and　not　to
hinder　us　in　our　walk。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　there；　too；　madame；　the　baker's　wife；　are　you？〃　cried
the　man；　with　a　horrid　laugh。　〃We　meet　once　more；　and　the　eyes　of
our　most　beautiful　queen　fall　again　upon　the　dirty；　pitiable　face　of
such　a　poor；　wretched　creature　as；　in　your　heavenly　eyes；　the
cobbler　Simon　is！〃

〃Are　you　Simon　the　cobbler？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette。

〃It　is　true；　I　bethink　me　now；　I　have　spoken　with　you　once　before。
It　was