marie antoinette and her son-第51部分

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

〃It　is　true；　I　bethink　me　now；　I　have　spoken　with　you　once　before。
It　was　when　I　carried　the　prince　here；　for　the　first　time；　to　Notre
Dame；　that　God　would　bless　him；　and　that　the　people　might　see　him。
You　stood　then　by　my　carriage；　sir！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　true；〃　answered　Simon；　visibly　flattered。　〃You　have；　at
least；　a　good　memory；　queen。　But　you　ought　to　have　paid　attention　to
what　I　said　to　you。　I　am　no　'sir；'　I　am　a　simple　cobbler；　and　earn
my　poor　bit　of　bread　in　the　sweat　of　my　brow；　while　you　strut　about
in　your　glory　and　happiness；　and　cheat　God　out　of　daylight。　Then　I
held　the　hand　of　your　daughter　in　my　fist；　and　she　cried　out　for
fear；　merely　because　a　poor　fellow　like　me　touched　her。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Simon；　you　see　very　plainly　that　I　do　not　cry　out；〃　said
the　dauphin；　with　a　smile。　〃I　know　that　you　do　not　want　to　do　me　any
harm；　and　I　ask　you　to　be　so　good　as　to　take　away　your　arm；　that　my
mamma　can　go　on　in　her　walk。〃

〃But；　suppose　that　I　do　not　do　as　you　want　me　to？〃　asked　the
cobbler；　defiantly。　〃I　suppose　it　would　come　that　your　mamma　would
dictate　to　me；　and　perhaps　call　some　soldiers；　and　order　them　to
shoot　the　dreadful　people？〃

〃You　know；　Master　Simon；　that　I　give　no　such　command；　and　never　gave
any　such；〃　said　the　queen；　quickly。

〃The　king　and　I　love　our　people；　and　never　would　give　orders　to　our
soldiers　to　fire　upon　them。〃

〃Because　you　would　not　be　sure；　madame；　that　the　soldiers　would　obey
your　commands；　if　you　should；〃　laughed　Simon。　〃Since　we　got　rid　of
the　Swiss　guards；　there　are　no　soldiers　left　who　would　let
themselves　be　torn　in　pieces　for　their　king　and　queen；　and　you　know
well　that　if　the　soldiers　should　fire　the　first　shot　at　us；　the
people　would　tear　the　soldiers　in　pieces　afterward。　Yes；　yes；　the
fine　days　at　Versailles　are　past；　here；　in　Paris；　you　must　accustom
yourself　to　ask；　instead　of　command；　and　the　arm　of　a　single　man　of
the　people　is　enough　to　stop　the　Queen　and　the　Dauphin　of　France。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　whose　proud　heart　could　no
longer　be　restrained；　and　allow　her　to　take　this　humble　stand；　〃the
Queen　of　France　and　her　son　will　no　longer　be　detained　by　you　in
their　walk。〃

And　with　a　quick　movement　she　caught　the　dauphin；　struck　back　at　the
same　moment　the　fist　of　the　cobbler；　snatched　the　boy　away　like
lightning；　and　passed　by　before　Simon　had　time　to　put　his　arm　back。

The　people；　delighted　with　this　energetic　and　courageous　action　of
the　queenthe　people；　who　would　have　howled　with　rage；　if　the　queen
had　ordered　her　lackeys　to　push　the　cobbler　back；　now　roared　with
admiration　and　with　pleasure；　to　see　the　proud…hearted　woman　have
the　boldness　to　repel　the　assailant；　and　to　free　herself　from　him。
They　applauded；　they　laughed；　they　shouted　from　thousands　upon
thousands　of　throats；　〃Long　live　the　queen！　Long　live　the　dauphin！〃
and　the　cry　passed　along　like　wildfire　through　the　whole　mass　of
spectators　behind　the　fence；　and　all　eyes　followed　the　tall　and
proud　figure　of　the　queen　as　she　walked　away。

Only　the　eyes　of　Simon　pursued　her　with　a　malicious　glare；　and　his
clinched　fists　threatened　her　behind　her　back。

〃She　shall　pay　for　this！〃　he　muttered；　with　a　withering　curse。　〃She
has　struck　back　my　hand　to…day；　but　the　day　will　come　when　she　will
feel　it　upon　her　neck；　and　when　I　will　squeeze　the　hand　of　the
little　rascal　so　that　he　shall　cry　out　with　pain！　I　believe　now；
what　Marat　has　so　often　told　me；　that　the　time　of　vengeance　is　come；
and　that　we　must　bring　the　crown　down　and　tread　it　under　our　feet；
that　the　people　may　rule！　I　will　have　my　share　in　it。　I　will　help
bring　it　down；　and　tread　it　under　foot。　I　hate　the　handsome　Austrian
woman；　who　perks　up　her　nose；　and　thinks　herself　better　than　my
wife；　and　if　the　golden　time　has　come　of　which　Marat　speaks；　when
the　people　are　the　master；　and　the　king　is　the　servant；　Marie
Antoinette　shall　be　my　waiting…maid；　and　her　son　shall　be　my
choreboy；　and　his　buckle　shall　make　acquaintance　with　my　shoe…
straps！〃

And　while　Master　Simon　was　muttering　this　to　himself；　he　was　making
a　way　through　the　crowd　with　those　great　elbows　of　his；　a　slipping
along　the　fence；　to　be　able　to　follow　as　long　as　possible　the　tall
figure　of　the　queen；　who　was　now　leading　the　dauphin　by　the　hand；
traversing　the　Arcadian　Walk。　At　the　end　of　it　was　the　fence　which
led　into　the　little　garden　reserved　for　the　royal　family。　Through
the　iron　gate；　hard　by；　adorned　with　the　arms　of　the　kings　of
France；　Marie　Antoinette　entered　an　asylum；　which　had　been　saved　to
the　crown；　free　from　the　intrusion　of　the　people；　and　she　drew　a
free　breath　when　one　of　the　lackeys　closed　the　gate；　and　she　heard
the　key　grate　in　the　lock。

She　stood　still　a　moment　to　regain　her　composure；　and　then　she　felt
that　her　feet　were　trembling；　and　that　she　scarcely　had　the　power　to
go　farther。　It　would　have　been　a　relief　to　her　to　have　fallen　there
upon　her　knees；　and　poured　all　her　sorrows　and　trials　into　the　ear
of　God。　But　there　were　the　lackeys　behind　her；　there　was　her　little
son；　looking　up　to　her　with　his　great　eyes；　and　there　was　that
dreadful　cry　coming　up　from　the　quay　like　the　roaring　of　the　sea。

The　queen　could　not　utter　a　word　of　grief　or　sorrow；　she　could　not
sink　to　the　ground　in　her　weakness；　she　had　to　show　a　cheerful　face
to　her　son；　and　a　proud　brow　to　her　servants。　God　only　could　look
into　her　heart　and　see　the　tears　which　glowed　there　like　burning
coals。　Yet　in　all　her　sadness　she　had　a　feeling　of　triumph；　of　proud
satisfaction。　She　had　preserved　her　freedom；　her　independence；　she
was　not　Lafayette's　prisoner！　No；　the　Queen　of　France　had　not　put
herself　under　the　protection　of　the　people's　general；　she　had　not
given　him　the　power　of　watching　her　with　his　hated　National　Guard；
and　of　saying　to　them：　〃At　this　or　that　hour　the　queen　takes　her
walks；　and；　that　she　may　recreate　herself；　we　will　protect　her
against　the　rage　of　the　people！〃

No；　she　had　defended　herself；　she　had　remained　the　queen　all　the
while；　the　free　queen；　and　she　had　gained　a　victory　over　the　people
by　showing　them　that　she　did　not　fear　them。

〃Mamma；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　interrupting　her　in　her　painful　and
proud　thought〃　mamma；　there　comes　the　king；　there　comes　my　papa！
Oh；　he　will　be　glad　to　hear　that　I　was　so　courageous！〃

The　queen　quickly　stooped　down　and　kissed　him。　〃Yes；　truly；　my
little　Bayard；　yon　have　done　honor　to　your　great　exemplar；　and　you
have　really　been　a　little　chevalier　sans　peur　et　sans　reproche。　But；
my　child；　true　bravery　does　not　glory　in　its　great　deeds；　and　does
not　desire　others　to　admire　them；　but　keeps　silent　and　leaves　it　to
others　to　talk　about　them！〃

〃Mamma；　I　will　be　silent；　too；〃　cried　the　boy；　with　glowing　eyes。
〃Oh；　you　shall　see　that　I　can　be　silent；　and　not　talk　at　all　about
myself。〃

The　king　meanwhile；　followed　by　some　gentlemen　and　servants；　was
coming　forward　with　unaccustomed　haste；　and；　in　his　eagerness　to
reach　his　wife；　he　had　not　noticed　the　beds；　but　was　treading　under
foot　the　last　fading　flowers　of　autumn。

〃You　are　here　at　last；　Marie；〃　said　he；　when　he　was　near　enough　to
speak。　〃I　wanted　to　go　to　meet　you；　to　conduct　you　hither　out　of　the
park。　You　were　gone　very　long；　and　I　worried　about　you。〃

〃Why　worried；　sire？〃　asked　the　queen。　〃What　danger　could　threaten　me
in　our　garden？〃

〃Do　not　seek　to　hide　any　thing　from　me；　Marie；〃　said　Louis；　with　a
sigh。　〃I　know　every　thing！　The　hate　of　the　people　denies　us　any
longer　the　enjoyment　of　the　open　air！　Lafayette　and　Bailly　were　with
me　after　they　were　dismissed　by　you。　They　told　me　that　you　had　given
no　favor　to　their　united　request；　and　that　you　would　not　grant　to
General　Lafayette　the　right　to　protect　you　while　you　are　taking　your
walks。〃

〃I　hope　your　majesty　is　satisfied　with　me；〃　answered　Marie
Antoinette。　〃You　feel；　like　me；　that　it　is　a　new　humiliation　for　us
if　we　are　to　allow　our　very　enjoyment　of　nature　to　be　under　the
control　of　the　people's　general；　and　if　even　the　air　is　no　longer　to
be　the　free　air　for　us！〃

〃I　have　only　thought　that　in　such　unguarded　walks　you　would　be
threatened　with　danger；〃　answered　the　king；　perplexed。　〃Lafayette
has　painted　to　me　in　such　dark　and　dreadful　colors；　and　I　have　so
painfully　had　to　confess　that　he　speaks　the　truth；　that　I　could　only
think　of　your　safety；　and　take　no　other　point　of　view　than　to　see
you　sheltered　from　the　attacks　of　your　enemies；　and　from　the　rage　of
these　factions。　I　have　therefore　approved　Lafayette's　proposal；　and
allowed　him　to　protect　your　majesty　on　your　walks。〃

〃But　you　have　not　fixed　definite　hours　for　my　walks？　You　have　not
done　that；　sire；　have　you？〃

〃I　have　indeed　done　that；〃　answered　the　king；　gently。　〃I　am　familiar
with　your　habits；　and　know　that　in　autumn　and　winter　you　usually
take　your　walks　between　twelve　and　two；　and　in　summer　afternoons
between　five　and　seven。　I　have　therefore　named　these　hours　to
General　Lafayette。〃

The　queen　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　〃Sire；〃　she　said；　softly；　〃you
yourself　are　binding　tighter　and　tighter　the　chains　of　our
imprisonment。　To…day　you　limit　our　freedom　to　two　poor　hours；　and
that　will　be　a　precedent　for　others　to　continue　what　you　have　begun。
We　shall　after　this　walk　for　two　hours　daily　under　the　protection　of
M。　de　Lafayette；　but　there　will　come　a　time　when　this　protection
will　not　suffice；　and　no　security　will　be　great　enough　for　us。　For
the　royal　authority　which　shows　itself　weak　and　dependent；　and　which
does　not　draw　power　from　itselfthe　royalty　which　suffers　its　crown
to　be　borne　up　for　it　by　the　hands　of　others；　confesses　thereby　that
it　is　too　weak　to　bear　the　burden　itself。　Oh；　sire；　I　would　rather
you　had　let　me　break　away　from　the　rage　of　the　people；　while　I　might
be　walking　unguarded；　than　be　permitted　to　take　my　daily　walks　under
the　protection　of　M。　de　Lafayette！〃

〃You　see　every　thing　in　too　dark　and　sad　a　light；〃　cried　the　king。
〃Every　thing　will　come　out　right　if　we　are　only　wise　and　carefully
conform　to　circumstances；　and　by　well…timed　concessions　and
admissions　propitiate　this　hate　and　bring　this　enmity　to　silence。〃

The　queen　did　not　reply；