marie antoinette and her son-第6部分

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questions　of　the　cabinet　are　decided　without　appealing　to　her！　I
know　that　this　is　a　new　offence　which　you　lay　to　my　charge；　and　that
by　your　calumniations　and　suspicions　you　make　me　suffer　the　penalty
for　it。　I　know　that　the　Count　de　Provence　stoops　to　direct　epigrams
and　pamphlets　against　his　sister…in…law；　his　sovereign；　and　through
the　agency　of　his　creatures　to　scatter　them　through　Paris。　I　know
that　in　his　saloons　all　the　enemies　of　the　queen　are　welcome；　and
that　charges　against　me　are　made　without　rebuke；　and　that　there　the
weapons　are　forged　with　which　I　am　assailed。　But　take　care　lest　some
day　these　weapons　be　turned　against　you！　It　is　you　who　are
imperilling　the　kingdom；　and　undermining　the　throne；　for　you　do　not
hesitate　setting　before　the　people　an　example　that　nothing　is　sacred
to　you；　that　the　dignity　of　the　throne　no　longer　has　an　existence；
but　that　it　may　be　denied　with　vile　insinuations；　and　the　most
poisonous　arrows　directed　against　those　who　wear　the　crown　of　St。
Louis　on　their　head。　But　all　you；　the　aunts；　the　brothers　of　the
king；　and　the　whole　swarm　of　their　intimates　and　dependents；　you　are
all　undermining　the　monarchy；　for　you　forget　that　the　foreigner；　the
Austrian；　as　you　call　herthat　she　is　Queen　of　France；　your
sovereign；　your　lord；　and　that　you　are　nothing　better　than　her
subjects。　You　are　criminals；　you　are　high　traitors！〃

〃Madame；〃　cried　the　Princess　Adelaide；　〃Madame；　what　language　is
this　that〃

〃It　is　the　language　of　a　woman　in　reply　to　a　calumniator；　the
language　of　a　queen　to　a　rebellious　subject。　Madame；　have　the
goodness　not　to　answer　me　again。　You　have　come　into　the　palace　of
your　sovereign　to　accuse　her；　and　she　has　answered　you　as　becomes
her　station。　Now　we　have　nothing　more　to　say　to　each　other。　You
requested　a　half…hour's　private　audience　with　me；　and　the　time　has
gone。　Farewell；　madame；　my　carriage　stands　ready；　and　I　go　to
Trianon。　I　shall；　however；　say　nothing　to　the　king　respecting　the
new　attack　which　you　have　made　upon　me；　and　I　promise　you　that　I
shall　forget　it　and　forgive　it。〃

She　nodded　lightly；　turned　herself　around；　and；　with　lofty　carriage
and　proud　self…possession；　left　the　apartment。

Princess　Adelaide　looked　after　her　with　an　expression　of　the　deepest
hate；　and　entirely　forgetful　of　her　lofty　station；　even　raised　her
hand　threateningly　in　the　direction　of　the　door　through　which　the
noble　figure　of　the　queen　had　just　vanished。　〃I　shall　not　forget　nor
forgive；〃　muttered　she。　〃I　shall　have　my　revenge　on　this　impudent
person　who　dares　to　threaten　me　and　even　to　defy　me；　and　who　calls
herself　my　sovereign。　This　Austrian；　a　sovereign　of　the　princess
royal　of　France！　We　will　show　her　where　are　the　limits　of　her　power；
and　where　are　the　limits　of　France！　She　shall　go　back　to　Austria；　we
want　her　not；　this　Austrian　who　dares　to　defy　us。〃

Proud　and　erect　though　the　bearing　was　with　which　the　queen　left
Madame　Adelaide；　she　had　hardly　entered　her　own　room　and　closed　the
door　which　separated　her　from　her　enemy；　when　she　sank　groaning　upon
a　seat；　and　a　flood　of　tears　streamed　from　her　eyes。

〃Oh；　Campan；　Campan！　what　have　I　been　compelled　to　hear？〃　cried　she；
bitterly。　〃With　what　expressions　have　they　ventured　to　address　the
Queen　of　France！〃　Madame　de　Campan；　the　first　lady…in…waiting　on　the
queen；　who　had　just　then　entered　the　porcelain　room；　hastened　to　her
mistress；　and；　sinking　upon　her　knees；　pressed　the　fallen　hand　of
the　queen　to　her　lips。　〃Your　majesty　is　weeping！〃　she　whispered　with
her　mild；　sympathetic　voice。　〃　Your　majesty　has　given　the　princess
the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　she　has　succeeded　in　drawing　tears
from　the　Queen　of　France；　and　reddening　her　beautiful　eyes。〃

〃No；　I　will　not　give　her　this　pleasure；〃　said　the　queen；　quickly
raising　herself　up　and　drying　her　eyes。　〃I　will　be　merry；　and　why　do
I　weep？　She　sought　to　make　me　sick；　she　sought　to　wound　me；　but　I
have　given　back　the　sickness；　and　the　wounds　which　I　have　inflicted
upon　her　will　not　so　soon　heal。〃

〃Has　your　majesty　inflicted　anything　upon　the　princess？〃　cried
Madame　de　Campan；　in　agitation。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Marie　Antoinette；　with　triumphant　joy。　〃I　have
scourged　her；　I　have　wounded　her；　for　I　have　distinctly　intimated　to
her　that　I　am　Queen　of　France；　and　she　my　subject。　I　have　told　her；
that　when　she　dares　direct　her　calumnies　against　the　queen；　she　is
guilty　of　high…treason。〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Madame　de　Campan；　〃the　proud　princess　will　never
pardon　that。　Your　majesty　has　now　become　her　irreconcilable　enemy；
and　she　will　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　revenge　herself　upon　you。〃

〃She　may　attempt　to　revenge　herself　upon　me；〃　cried　the　queen；　whose
countenance　began　to　brighten　up　once　more。　〃I　fear　neither　her　nor
her　whole　set。　All　their　arrows　will　fall　powerless　at　my　feet；　for
the　love　of　my　husband　and　my　pure　conscience　form　the　protection
which　secures　me。　And　what　can　these　people　accomplish　against　me？
They　can　slander　me；　that　is　all。　But　their　calumnies　will；　in　the
end；　prove　that　it　is　lies　they　tell；　and　no　one　will　give　them
confidence　more。〃

〃Ah！　your　majesty　does　not　know　the　wickedness　of　the　world；〃　sighed
Campan；　sadly。　〃Your　majesty　believes　that　the　good　are　not
cowardly；　and　that　the　bad　are　not　reckless。　Your　majesty　does　not
know　that　the　bad　have　it　in　their　power　to　corrupt　public　opinion；
and　that　then　the　good　have　not　the　courage　to　meet　this　corrupting
influence。　But　public　opinion　is　a　monster　that　brings　the　charge；
passes　judgment；　pronounces　the　sentence；　and　inflicts　the
punishment　in　one　person。　Who　thinks　lightly　of　it；　arrays　against
himself　an　enemy　stronger　than　a　whole　army；　and　less　open　to
entreaty　than　death。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　queen；　raising　her　head　proudly；　〃I　do　not　fear　this
enemy。　She　shall　not　dare　to　attack　me。　She　shall　crouch　and　shrink
before　my　gaze　as　the　lion　does　when　confronted　by　the　eye　of　a
virgin。　I　am　pure　and　blameless。　I　pledged　my　troth　to　my　husband
before　he　loved　me；　and　how　shall　I　now　break　it；　when　he　does　love
me；　and　is　the　father　of　my　dear　children？　And　now；　enough　of　these
disagreeable　things　that　want　to　cast　their　vileness　upon　us！　And
the　sun　is　shining　so　splendidly；　and　they　are　waiting　for　me　in
Trianon！　Come；　Campan；　come；　the　queen　will　take　the　form　of　a　happy
wife。〃

Marie　Antoinette　hastened　before　her　lady…in…waiting；　hurried　into
her　toilet…chamber　in　advance　of　her　lady…in…waiting；　who　followed；
sighing　and　shaking　her　head；　and　endeavored　with　her　own　hands　to
loosen　the　stiff　corset　of　her　robe；　and　to　free　herself　from　the
immense　crinoline　which　imprisoned　her　noble　form。

〃Off　with　these　garments　of　state　and　royal　robes；〃　said　Marie
Antoinette；　gliding　out　of　the　stiff　apparel；　and　standing　in　a
light；　white　undergarment；　with　bare　shoulders　and　arms。　〃Give　me　a
white　percale　dress　and　a　gauze　mantle　with　it。〃

〃Will　your　majesty　appear　again　in　this　simple　costume？〃　asked
Madame　de　Campan；　sighing。

〃Certainly；　I　will；〃　cried　she；　〃I　am　going　to　Trianon；　to　my　much…
loved　country…house。　You　must　know；　Campan；　that　the　king　has
promised　to　spend　every　afternoon　of　a　whole　week　with　me　at
Trianon；　and　that　there　we　are　going　to　enjoy　life；　nature；　and
solitude。　So；　for　a　whole　week；　the　king　will　only　be　king　in　the
forenoon；　and　in　the　afternoon　a　respectable　miller　in　the　village
Trianon。　Now；　is　not　that　a　merry　thought；　Campan？　And　do　you　not
see　that　I　cannot　go　to　Trianon　in　any　other　than　a　light　white
dress？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　I　understand；　but　I　was　only　thinking　that　the
trades…people　of　Lyons　had　just　presented　a　paper　to　your　majesty；
in　which　they　complain　of　the　decadence　of　the　silk　manufacture；
explaining　it　on　the　ground　that　your　majesty　has　a　preference　for
white　clothing；　and　stating　that　all　the　ladies　feel　obliged　to
follow　the　example　of　their　queen；　and　lay　their　silk　robes　aside。〃

〃And　do　you　know；　too；〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　〃that　Madame
Adelaide　has　herself　supported　this　ridiculous　paper　of　the　Lyonnese
merchants；　giving　out　that　I　wear　white　percale　because　I　want　to　do
my　brother；　the　Emperor　Joseph；　a　service；　and　so　ordered　these
white　goods　from　the　Netherlands？　Ah；　let　us　leave　these　follies　of
the　wicked　and　the　stupid。　They　shall　not　prevent　my　wearing　white
clothes　and　being　happy　in　Trianon。　Give　me　a　white　dress　quickly；
Campan。〃

〃Pardon；　your　majesty；　but　I　must；　first　summon　the　ladies　of　the
robing…room；〃　answered　Madame　de　Campan；　turning　to　the　door　of　the
sleeping…room。

〃Oh；　why　all　this　parade？〃　sighed　the　queen。　〃Can　I　never　be　free
from　the　fetters　of　all　this　ceremony？　Could　you　not　yourself；
Campan；　put　a　simple　dress　upon　me？〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　am　only　a　poor；　powerless　being；　and　I　fear
enmities。　The　ladies　would　never　forgive　me　if　I　should　encroach
upon　their　rights　and　separate　them　from　the　adored　person　of　the
queen。　It　is　their　right；　it　is　their　duty　to　draw　the　robe　upon　the
person　of　your　majesty；　and　to　secure　your　shoes。　I　beg；　therefore；
your　gracious　permission　to　allow　the　ladies　to　come　in。〃

〃Well；　do　it　then；〃　sighed　the　queen。　〃　Let　me　bear　the　fetters　here
in　Versailles　until　the　last　moment。　I　shall　have　my　compensation　in
Trianon。　Be　assured　I　shall　have　my　compensation　there。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　the　queen　was　arrayed　in　her　changed
attire；　and　came　out　from　the　toilet…chamber。　The　stiff　crinoline
had　disappeared；　the　whalebone　corset；　with　the　long　projecting
point；　was　cast　aside；　and　the　high　coiffure；　which　Leonard　had　so
elaborately　made　up　in　the　morning；　was　no　more　to　be　seen。　A　white
robe；　decorated　at　the　bottom　with　a　simple　volante；　fell　in　broad
artistic　folds　over　her　noble　figure；　whose　full　proportions　had
been　concealed　by　the　rigid　state　dress。　A　simple　waist　encircled
her　bust；　and　was　held　together　by　a　blue　sash；　which　hung　in　long
ends　at　her　left　side。　Broad　cuffs；　held　together　with　simple；
narrow　lace；　fell　down　as　far　as　the　wrist；　but　through　the　thin
material　could　be　seen　the　fair　form　of　her　beautiful　arms；　and　the
white　triangle　of　gauze　which　she　had　thrown　over　her　naked　neck；
did　not　entirely　veil　the　gracefu