marie antoinette and her son-第60部分

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had　given　to　Marie　Antoinette　a　half　year　before　her　last　great
triumph。　It　ran：

〃Reine　infortunee；　ah！　que　ton　coeur　Ne　soit　plus　navre　de　douleur！
Il　vous　reste　encore　des　amis！〃

But　scarcely　had　Clairval　begun　the　first　strophe　when　the
thundering　voice　of　Santerre　called；　〃None　of　that；　we　will　not　hear
the　air！〃

〃No；　we　will　not　hear　the　air！〃　shouted　hundreds　and　hundreds　of
voices。

〃Poor　Gluck；〃　whispered　Marie　Antoinette；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；
〃because　they　hate　me；　they　will　not　even　hear　your　music！〃

〃Sing　it；　sing　it！〃　shouted　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　voices　from　all
parts　of　the　house。

〃No；　do　not　sing　it！〃　roared　the　others；　〃we　will　not　hear　the　air。〃

And　suddenly；　above　the　cries　of　the　contestants；　rose　a　loud；
yelling　voice：

〃I　forbid　the　singer　Clairval　ever　again　singing　this　air。　I　forbid
it　in　the　name　of　the　people！〃

It　was　Marat　who　spoke　these　words。　Standing　on　the　arm…chair　of　the
Princess　de　Lamballe；　and　raising　his　long　arms；　and　directing　them
threateningly　toward　the　stage；　he　turned　his　face；　aglow　with　hate
and　evil；　toward　the　queen。

Marie　Antoinette；　who　had　turned　her　head　in　alarm　in　the　direction
whence　the　voice　proceeded；　met　with　her　searching　looks　the　eyes　of
Marat；　which　were　fixed　upon　her　with　an　expression　equally　stern
and　contemptuous。　She　shrank　back；　and；　as　if　in　deadly　pain；　put
her　hand　to　her　heart。

〃0　God！〃　she　whispered　to　herself；　〃that　is　no　man；　that　is　an
infernal　demon；　who　has　risen　there　to　take　the　place　of　my　dear；
sweet　Lamballe。　Ah；　the　good　spirit　is　gone；　and　the　demon　takes　its
placethe　demon　which　will　destroy　us　all！〃

〃Long　live　Marat！〃　roared　Santerre；　and　his　comrades。　〃Long　live
Marat；　the　great　friend　of　the　people；　the　true　patriot！〃

Marat　bowed　on　all　sides；　stepped　down　from　the　easy…chair；　and
seated　himself　comfortably　in　it。

Clairval　had　stopped　in　the　air；　pale；　confused；　and　terrified；　he
had　withdrawn；　and　the　director　whispered　to　the　orchestra　and　the
singers　to　begin　the　next　number。

The　opera　went　on；　and　the　public　again　appeared　to　give　itself
during　some　scenes　to　the　enjoyment　of　the　music。　But　soon　this
short　quiet　was　to　be　disturbed　again。　One　of　the　singers；　Madame
Dugazont；　a　zealous　royalist；　wanted　to　give　the　queen　a　little
triumph；　and　show　her　that；　although　Clairval　had　been　silenced；　the
love　and　veneration　of　Dugazont　were　still　alive　and　ready　to
display　themselves。

Singing　as　the　attendant　of　Alceste；　Dugazont　had　these　words　to
give　in　her　part：　〃Ah！　comme　faime　la　reine；　comme　faime　ma
maitresse！〃

She　advanced　close　to　the　footlights；　and　turning　her　looks　toward
the　royal　box；　and　bowing　low；　sang　the　words：　〃Comme　faime　la
reine；　comme　j'aime　ma　maitresse！〃

And　now；　as　if　this　had　been　the　battle…cry　of　a　new　contest；　a
fearful　din；　a　raging　torrent　of　sound　began　through　the　whole
house。　At　first　it　was　a　mixed　and　confused　mass　of　cries；　roars；
hisses；　and　applause。　Now　and　then　single　voices　could　be　heard
above　the　horrid　chaos　of　sounds。　〃We　want　no　queen！〃　shouted　some。

〃We　want　no　mistress！〃　roared　others；　and　mingled　with　those　was　the
contrary　cry；　〃Long　live　the　queen！　Long　live　our　mistress！〃

〃Hi！〃　said　Marat；　full　of　delight；　twisting　his　bony　form　up　into
all　kinds　of　knots〃　hi！　this　is　the　way　they　shout　in　hell。　Satan
himself　would　like　this！〃

More　and　more　horrible；　more　and　more　wild　became　the　cries　of　the
rival　partisans。　Already　embittered　and　exasperated　faces　were
confronting　each　other；　and　here　and　there　clinched　fists　were　seen；
threatening　to　bring　a　shouting　neighbor　to　silence　by　the　use　of
violence。

The　queen；　trembling　in　every　limb；　had　let　her　head　fall
powerlessly　on　her　breast；　in　order　that　no　one　might　see　the　tears
which　ran　from　her　eyes　over　her　death…like　cheeks。

〃0　God；〃　whispered　she；　〃we　are　lost；　hopelessly　lost；　for　not
merely　our　enemies　injure　us；　and　bring　us　into　danger；　but　our
friends　still　more。　Why　must　that　woman　turn　to　me　and　direct　her
words　to　me？　She　wanted　to　give　me　a　triumph；　and　yet　she　has
brought　me　a　new　humiliation。〃　Suddenly　she　shrank　back　and　raised
her　head。　She　had　caught　the　first　tones　of　that　sharp；　mocking
voice；　which　had　already　pierced　her　heart；　the　voice　of　that　evil
demon　who　now　occupied　the　place　of　the　good　Princess　Lamballe。

The　voice　cried：　〃The　people　of　Paris　are　right。　We　want　no　queen！
And　more　than　all　other　things；　no　mistress！　Only　slaves　acknowledge
masters　over　them。　If　the　Dugazont　ventures　to　sing　again；　'I　love
my　queen；　I　love　my　mistress；'　she　will　be　punished　as　slaves　are
punishedthat　is；　she　will　be　flogged！〃

〃Bravo；　Marat；　bravo！〃　roared　Santerre；　with　his　savage　rabble。
〃Bravo；　Marat；　bravo！〃　cried　his　friends　in　the　boxes；　〃she　shall　be
flogged！〃

Marat　bowed　on　all　sides；　and　turned　his　eyes；　gleaming　with　scorn
and　hatred；　toward　the　royal　box；　and　menaced　it　with　his　clinched
fists。

〃But　not　alone　shall　the　singer　be　flogged；〃　cried　he；　with　a　voice
louder　and　sharper　than　before〃no；　not　alone　shall　the　singer　be
flogged；　but　greater　punishment　have　they　deserved　who　urge　on　to
such　deeds。　If　the　Austrian　woman　comes　here　again　to　turn　the　heads
of　sympathizing　souls　with　her　martyr　looks；　if　she　undertakes　again
to　move　us　with　her　tears　and　her　face；　we　will　serve　her　as　she
deserves；　we　will　go　whip　in　hand　into　her　box！〃　＇Footnote：
Goneourt's　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　365。＇

The　queen　rose　from　her　chair　like　an　exasperated　lioness；　and
advanced　to　the　front　of　the　box。　Standing　erect；　with　flaming　looks
of　anger；　with　cheeks　like　purple；　she　confronted　them　therethe
true　heir　of　the　Caesars；　the　courageous　daughter　of　Maria　Theresa
and　had　already　opened　her　lips　to　speak　and　overwhelm　the　traitor
with　her　wrath；　when　another　voice　was　heard　giving　answer　to　Marat。

It　cried：　〃Be　silent；　Marat；　be　silent。　Whoever　dares　to　insult　a
woman；　be　she　queen　or　beggar；　dishonors　himself；　his　mother；　his
wife；　and　his　daughter。　I　call　on　you　all；　I　call　on　the　whole
public；　to　take　the　part　of　a　defenceless　woman；　whom　Marat　ventures
to　mortally　insult。

You　all　have　mothers　and　wives；　you　may；　perhaps；　some　day　have
daughters。　Defend　the　honor　of　woman！　Do　not　permit　it　to　be
degraded　in　your　presence。　Marat　has　insulted　a　woman；　we　owe　her
satisfaction　for　it。　Join　with　me　in　the　cry；　'Long　live　the　queen！
Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！'〃

And　the　public；　carried　away　with　the　enthusiasm　of　this　young；
handsome　man；　who　had　risen　in　his　box；　and　whose　slender；　proud
figure　towered　above　allthe　public　broke　into　one　united　stirring
cry：　〃Long　live　the　queen！　Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！〃

Marat；　trembling　with　rage；　his　countenance　suffused　with　a　livid
paleness；　sank　back　in　his　chair。

〃I　knew　very　well　that　Barnave　was　a　traitor；〃　he　whispered。　〃I
shall　remember　this　moment；　and　Barnave　shall　one　day　atone　for　it
with　his　head。〃

〃Barnave；　it　is　Barnave；〃　whispered　the　queen　to　herself。　〃He　has
rescued　me　from　great　danger；　for　I　was　on　the　point　of　being
carried　away　by　my　wrath；　and　answering　the　monster　there　as　he
deserves。〃

〃Long　live　the　queen！　Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！〃　shouted　the
public。

Marie　Antoinette　bowed　and　greeted　the　audience　on　all　sides　with　a
sad　smile；　but　not　one　look　did　she　cast　to　the　box　where　Barnave
sat；　with　not　one　smile　did　she　thank　him　for　the　service　he　had
done　her。　For　the　queen　knew　well　that　her　favor　brought　misfortune
to　those　who　shared　it；　that　he　on　whom　she　bestowed　a　smile　was　the
object　of　the　people's　suspicion。

The　public　continued　to　shout　her　name；　but　the　queen　felt　herself
exhausted；　and　drawing　back　from　the　front　of　the　box；　she　beckoned
to　her　companion。　〃Come；〃　she　whispered；　〃let　us　go　while　the　public
are　calling　'Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！'　Who　knows　whether　they
will　not　be　shouting　in　another　minute；　'Away　with　the　queen！　we
want　no　queen！'　It　pains　my　ear　so　to　hear　that；　so　let　us　go。〃

And　while　the　public　were　yet　crying；　Marie　Antoinette　left　the　box
and　passed　out　into　the　corridor；　followed　by　Mademoiselle　Bugois
and　the　two　officers　in　attendance。　But　the　corridor　which　the　queen
had　to　pass；　the　staircase　which　she　had　to　descend　in　order　to
reach　her　carriage；　were　both　occupied　by　a　dense　throng。　With　the
swiftness　of　the　wind　the　news　had　spread　through　Paris　that　the
queen　was　going　to　visit　the　opera　that　evening；　and　that　her　visit
would　not　take　place　without　witnessing　some　extraordinary　outbreak。

The　royalists　had　hastened　thither；　to　salute　the　queen；　and　at
least　to　see　her　on　the　way。　The　curious；　the　idle；　and　the　hostile…
minded　had　come　to　see　what　should　take　place；　and　to　shout　as　the
majority　might　shout。　The　great　opera…house　had　therefore　not
accommodated　half　who　wanted　to　be　present；　and　all　those　who　had
been　refused　admittance　had　taken　their　station　on　the　stairway　and
the　corridor；　or　before　the　main　entrance。　And　it　was　natural　that
those　who　stood　before　the　door　should；　by　their　merely　being　there；
excite　the　curiosity　of　passers…by；　so　that　these；　too；　stood　still；
to　see　what　was　going　on；　and　all　pressed　forward　to　the　staircase
to　see　every　thing　and　to　hear　every　thing。

But　the　civil　war　which　was　raging　within　the　theatre　had　given　rise
'to　battles　outside　as　well；　the　same　cries　which　had　resounded
within；　pealed　along　the　path　of　the　queen。　She　could　only　advance
slowly；　closer　and　closer　thronged　the　crowd；　louder　and　louder
roared　around　Marie　Antoinette　the　various　battle…cries　of　the
parties；　〃Long　live　the　queen！〃　〃Long　live　the　National　Assembly！
Down　with　the　queen！〃

Marie　Antoinette　appeared　to　hear　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　of
these　cries。　With　proudly　erected　head；　and　calm；　grave　looks；　she
walked　forward；　untroubled　about　the　crowd；　which　the　National　Guard
before　her　could　only　break　through　by　a　recourse　to　threats　and
violence；　in　order　to　make　a　passage　for　the　queen。

At　last　the　difficult　task　was　done；　at　last　she　had　reached　her
carriage；　and　could　rest　upon　its　cushions；　and；　unobserved　by
spying　looks；　could　give　way　to　her　grief　and　her　tea