marie antoinette and her son-第63部分

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sarcophagus？　And　this　sarcophagus　bears　the　face　of　the　king！　Oh；
the　sorrow　and　woe　to　us　unfortunate　ones；　who　can　not　even　receive
gifts　of　love　without　seeing　them　obscured　by　recollections　of　hate；
and　who　have　no　joys　that　have　not　bitter　drops　of　grief　mingled
with　them！　The　revolution　sends　us　storm…birds；　and　we　are　to　regard
them　as　doves　bringing　us　olive…branches。　Believe　me；　I　see　into　the
future；　and　I　discern　the　deluge　which　will　drown　us　all！〃




BOOK　IV。


CHAPTER　XIX。

JUNE　20　AND　AUGUST　10；　1792。


Marie　Antoinette　was　right。　The　revolution　was　sending　its　storm…
birds　to　the　Tuileries。　They　beat　with　their　strong　pinions　against
the　windows　of　the　palace；　they　pulled　up　and　broke　with　their　claws
the　flowers　and　plants　of　the　garden；　so　that　the　royal　family　no
longer　ventured　to　enter　it。　But　they　had　not　yet　entered　the　palace
itself；　and　within　its　apartments；　watched　by　the　National　Guard；
the　queen　was　at　least　safe　from　the　insults　of　the　populace。

No；　not　even　there　longer；　for　the　storm…birds　of　the　revolution
beat　against　the　windows；　and　these　windows　had　once　in　a　while　to
be　opened　to　let　in　a　little　sunshine；　and　some　fresh　air。　Marie
Antoinette　had　long　given　up　her　walks　in　the　garden　of　the
Tuileries；　for　the　rabble　which　stood　behind　the　fence　had　insulted
her　so　often　with　cries　and　acts；　that　she　preferred　to　give　up　her
exercise　rather　than　to　undergo　such　contemptuous　treatment。

The　king；　too；　in　order　to　escape　the　scornful　treatment　of　the
populace；　had　relinquished　his　walks；　and　before　long　things　came　to
such　a　pass　that　the　dauphin　was　not　allowed　to　visit　his　little
garden。　Marat；　Santerre；　Danton；　and　Robespierre；　the　great　leaders
of　the　people；　had；　by　their　threats　against　the　royalists　and　their
insurrectionary　movements　among　the　people；　gained　such　power；　that
no　one　ventured　to　approach　the　garden　of　the　prince　to　salute　him；
and　show　deference　to　the　son　of　the　king。　The　little　regiment　had
been　compelled；　in　order　to　escape　the　mockery　and　contempt；　the
hatred　and　persecution　which　followed　them；　to　disband　after　a　few
months；　and　around　the　fence；　when　the　dauphin　appeared；　there　now
stood　none　but　men　sent　there　by　the　revolutionists　to　deride　the
dauphin　when　he　appeared；　and　shout　their　wild　curses　against　the
king　and　queen。

One　day；　when　a　crowd　of　savage　women　stood　behind　the　fence；　and
were　giving　vent　to　their　derision　of　the　queen；　the　poor　dauphin
could　not　restrain　his　grief　and　indignation。　With　glowing　cheeks
and　flaming　eyes　he　turned　upon　the　wild　throng。

〃You　lie　oh；　you　lie！〃　he　cried；　with　angry　voice。　〃My　mamma　queen
is　not　a　wicked　woman；　and　she　does　not　hate　the　people。　My　mamma
queen　is　so　good；　so　good　that〃

His　tears　choked　his　voice；　and　flowed　in　clear　streams　down　over
his　cheeks。　Ashamed；　as　it　were；　of　this　indication　of　weakness；　the
dauphin　dashed　out　of　the　garden；　and　hastened　so　rapidly　to　the
palace　that　the　Abbe　Davout　could　scarcely　follow　him。　Weeping　and
sobbing；　the　dauphin　passed　through　the　corridor；　but　when　they
reached　the　broad　staircase　which　led　to　the　apartments　where　the
queen　lived；　the　dauphin　stopped；　suppressed　his　sobs；　and　hastily
dried　his　eyes。

〃I　will　not　weep　any　more；〃　he　said；　〃it　would　trouble　mamma。　I　beg
you；　abbe；　say　nothing　to　mamma。　I　will　try　to　be　cheerful　and
merry；　for　mamma　queen　likes　much　to　have　me　so。　Sometimes；　when　she
is　sad　and　has　been　weeping；　I　make　believe　not　to　notice　it；　and
then　I　laugh　and　sing；　and　jump　about；　and　then　her　beautiful　face
will　clear　up；　and　sometimes　she　even　smiles　a　little。　So；　too；　I
will　be　right　merry；　and　she　shall　notice　nothing。　You　would　not
suspect　that　I　have　been　weeping；　would　you？〃

〃No；　my　prince；　no　one　would　think　you　had；〃　answered　the　abbe；
looking　with　deep　emotion　into　the　great　blue　eyes　which　the　dauphin
turned　up　to　his　with　an　inquiring　look。

〃Well；　then；　we　will　go　to　my　mamma　queen；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　and
he　sprang　forward　and　opened　the　door　with　a　smile；　and；　half
concealed　behind　the　curtains；　he　asked；　in　a　*jesting　tone；　whether
he　might　have　permission　to　enter　her　majesty's　presence。

Marie　Antoinette　bade　him　heartily　welcome；　and　opened　her　arms　to
him。　The　dauphin　embraced　her　and　pressed　a　glowing　kiss　upon　her
eyes　and　upon　her　lips。

〃You　are　extraordinarily　affectionate　to…day；　my　little　Louis
Charles；〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　smile。　〃What　is　the　cause　of　that？〃

〃That　comes　from　the　fact　that　to…day　I　have　nothing　to　give　you
excepting　kissesnot　a　single　flower。　They　are　all　withered　in　my
garden；　and　I　do　not　like　to　go　there　any　more；　for　there　are　no
more　bouquets　to　pluck　for　my　dear　mamma　queen。　Mamma；　this　is　my
bouquet。〃

And　he　kissed　and　caressed　the　queen　afresh；　and　brought　a　glow　to
her　eyes　and　a　smile　to　her　lips。

〃Come　now；　my　child；　you　see　that　the　abbe　is　waiting；　and　I　believe
it　is　time　for　the　study…hours　to　begin。　〃What　comes　first　to…day？〃

〃We　have　first；　grammar；〃　answered　the　abbe；　laying　the　needful
books　upon　the　little　table　at　which　the　dauphin　always　took　his
lessons　in　the　presence　of　the　queen。

〃Grammar！〃　cried　the　dauphin；　〃I　wish　it　were　history。　That　I　like；
but　grammar　I　hate！〃

〃That　comes　because　you　make　so　many　mistakes　in　it；〃　said　the　abbe；
〃and；　certainly；　grammar　is　very　hard。〃

The　child　blushed。　〃Oh；　it　is　not　on　that　account；〃　he　said。　〃I　do
not　dislike　grammar　because　it　is　hard；　but　merely　because　it　is
tedious。〃

〃And　I　will　wager　that　on　that　account　you　have　forgotten　what　we
went　over　in　our　last　grammar　hour。　We　were　speaking　of　the　three
comparatives。　But　you　probably　do　not　remember　them。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；〃　replied　the　dauphin；　smiling。　〃In　proof；　hear
me。　If　I　say；　'My　abbe　is　a　good　abbe；'　that　is　the　positive。　If　I
say；　'My　abbe　is　better　than　another　abbe；'　that　is　the　comparative。
And；〃　he　continued；　turning　his　eyes　toward　the　queen　with　an
expression　of　intense　affection；　〃if　I　say；　'My　mamma　is　the　dearest
and　best　of　all　mammas；'　that　is　the　superlative。〃　＇Footnote：　The
dauphin's　own　words。See　Beauchesne's　〃Louis　XVII。；〃　vol。　i。；　p。
133。＇

The　queen　drew　the　boy　to　her　heart　and　kissed　him；　while　her　tears
flowed　down　upon　his　auburn　curls。

On　the　next　day；　at　the　time　of　his　accustomed　walk；　the　queen　went
into　the　dauphin's　room　to　greet　him　before　he　went　into　the　garden。

〃Mamma；　I　beg　your　permission　to　remain　here；〃　said　the　dauphin。　〃My
garden　does　not　please　me　any　longer。〃

〃Why　not；　my　son；〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　〃has　any　thing　happened
to　you？〃

〃Yes；　mamma；〃　he　answered；　〃something　has　happened　to　me。　There　are
so　many　bad　people　always　standing　around　the　fence；　and　they　look
at　me　with　such　evil　eyes；　that　I　am　afraid　of　them；　and　they　scold
and　say　such　hard　things。　They　laugh　at　me；　and　say　that　I　am　a
stupid　jack；　a　baker's　boy　that　does　not　know　how　to　make　a　loaf；
and　they　call　me　a　monkey。　That　angers　me　and　hurts　my　feelings；　and
if　I　begin　to　cry　I　am　ashamed　of　myself；　for　I　know　that　it　is　very
silly　to　cry　before　people　who　mean　ill　to　us。　But　I　am　still　a　poor
little　boy；　and　my　tears　are　stronger　than　I。　And　so　I　want　you；
mamma；　not　to　let　me　go　to　the　garden　any　more。　Moufflet　and　I　would
a　great　deal　rather　play　in　my　room。　Come　here；　Moufflet；　make　your
compliments　to　the　queen；　and　salute　her　like　a　regular　grenadier。〃

And　smiling；　he　caught　the　little　dog　by　the　fore…paws；　and　made　him
stand　up　on　his　hind　legs；　and　threatened　Moufflet　with　his　hand
till　he　made　him　stand　erect　and　let　his　fore　feet　hang　down　very
respectfully。

The　queen　looked　down　with　a　smile　at　the　couple；　and　laughed　aloud
when　the　dauphin；　still　waving　his　hand　threateningly　to　compel　the
dog　to　stand　as　he　was；　jumped　up；　ran　to　the　table；　caught　up　a
paper　cap；　which　he　had　made　and　painted　with　red　stripes；　and　put
it　on　Moufflet's　head；　calling　out　to　him：　〃Mr。　Jacobin；　behave
respectfully！　Make　your　salutations　to　her　majesty　the　queen！〃

After　that　day；　the　dauphin　did　not　go　into　his　garden　again；　and
the　park　of　the　Tuileries　was　now　the　exclusive　property　of　the
populace；　that　took　possession　of　it　with　furious　eagerness。

The　songs　of　the　revolution；　the　wild　curses　of　the　haters　of
royalty；　the　coarse　laughter　and　shouting　of　the　rabblethese　were
the　storm　birds　which　were　beating　at　the　windows　of　the　royal
apartments。

Marie　Antoinette　had　still　one　source　of　enjoyment　left　to　her　in
her　sufferings；　her　correspondence　with　her　absent　friends；　and　the
Duchess　de　Polignac　before　all　others。　Once　in　a　while　there　was　a
favorable　opportunity　to　send　a　letter　by　the　hands　of　some　faithful
friend　around　her；　and　the　queen　had　then　the　sad　satisfaction　at
least　of　being　able　to　express　to　some　sympathizing　heart　what　she
was　undergoing；　without　fearing　that　these　complaints　would　be　read
by　her　enemies；　as　was　the　case　with　all　letters　which　were　sent　by
post。

One　of　these　letters　to　the　Duchess　de　Polignac；　which　history　has
preserved；　gives　a　faithful　and　touching　picture　of　the　sorrows　and
grief　of　the　queen。　A　translation　of　it　runs　thus：

〃I　cannot　deny　myself　the　pleasure　of　embracing　you；　my　dear　heart；
but　it　must　be　done　quickly；　for　the　opportunity　is　a　passing　one；
although　a　certain　one。　I　can　only　write　a　word；　which　will　be
forwarded　to　you　with　a　large　package。　We　are　guarded　like
criminals；　and　this　restraint　is　truly　dreadfully　hard　to　bear！
constantly　too　apprehensive　for　one　another；　not　to　be　able　to
approach　the　window　without　being　loaded　with　insults；　not　to　be
able　to　take　the　poor　children　out　into　the　air　without　exposing　the
dear　innocents　to　reproaches；　what　a　situation　is　ours；　my　dear
heart！　And　when　you　think　that　I　suffer　not　for　myself　alone；　but
have　to　tremble　for　the　king　as　well；　and　for　our　friends　who　are
with　us；　you　will　see　that　the　burden　is　well…nigh　unbearable！　But；
as　I　have　told　you　before；　you　absent　ones；　you　keep　me　up。　Adieu；
dear　heart；　let　us　hope　in　God；　who　looks　into　our　consciences；　and
who　knows　whether　we　are　not　animated　by　the　truest　love　for　this
land。　I　embrace　you！

〃P。　S。