marie antoinette and her son-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


white　triangle　of　gauze　which　she　had　thrown　over　her　naked　neck；
did　not　entirely　veil　the　graceful　lines　of　her　full　shoulders　and
her　noble　bust。　Her　hair；　deprived　of　its　unnatural　disfigurement；
and　almost　entirely　freed　from　powder；　arched　itself　above　her　fine
forehead　in　a　light　toupet；　and　fell　upon　her　shoulders　in　rich
brown　locks；　on　which　only　a　mere　breath　of　powder　had　been　blown。
On　her　arm　the　queen　carried　a　great；　round；　straw　hat；　secured　by
blue　ribbons；　and　over　her　fair；　white　hands　she　had　drawn　gloves　of
black　netting。

Thus；　with　beaming　countenance；　with　blushing　cheeks；　and　with
smiles　curling　around　her　full　red　lips；　thus；　all　innocence；
merriment；　and　cheerfulness；　Marie　Antoinette　entered　the　sitting…
room；　where　the　Duchess　de　Polignac　was　waiting　for　her；　in　an
attire　precisely　like　that　of　the　queen。

The　latter　flew　to　the　duchess　with　the　quickness　of　a　young　girl；
with　the　tenderness　of　a　sister；　and　drew　her　arm　within　that　of　her
friend。

〃Come；　Julia；〃　said　she；　〃let　us　leave　the　world　and　enter
paradise。〃

〃Ah；　I　am　afraid　of　paradise；〃　cried　the　duchess；　with　a　merry
smile。　〃I　have　a　horror　of　the　serpent。〃

〃You　shall　find　no　serpents　there；　my　Julia；〃　said　the　queen；
drawing　the　arm　of　the　duchess　to　herself。　〃Lean　upon　me；　my　friend；
and　be　persuaded　that　I　will　defend　you　against　every　serpent；　and
every　low；　creeping　thing。〃

〃Oh；　I　fear　the　serpent　more　for　my　adored　queen　than　for　myself。
What　is　there　in　me　to　harm？　But　your　majesty　is　exposed　on　every
side　to　attack。〃

〃Oh；　why；　Julia；〃　sighed　the　queen…〃　why　do　you　ad…dress　me　with　the
stiff；　formal　title　of　majesty　when　we　are　alone　together？　Why　do
you　not　forget　for　a　little　etiquette　when　there　is　nobody　by　to
hear　us？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　laughed　the　duchess；　〃we　are　in　Versailles；　and　the
walls　have　ears。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　cried　the　queen；　with　quickly　restored　merriment；　〃　we
are　here　in　Versailles；　that　is　your　exculpation。　Come；　let　us
hasten　to　leave　this　proud；　royal　palace；　and　get　away　to　the
society　of　beautiful　Nature；　where　there　are　no　walls　to　hear　us；
but　only　God　and　Nature。　Come；　Julia。〃

She　drew　the　duchess　quickly　out　through　the　side　door；　which　led　to
the　little　corridor；　and　thence　to　the　adjacent　staircase；　and　over
the　small　court　to　one　of　the　minor　gates　of　the　palace；　leading　to
the　park。　The　coupe　of　the　queen　was　standing　before　this　door；　and
the　master　of　the　stole　and　the　lackeys　were　awaiting　the　approach
of　the　queen。

Marie　Antoinette　sprang　like　a　gazelle　into　the　carriage；　and　then
extended　her　hand　to　the　duchess　to　assist　her　to　ascend。　〃Forward；
forward！〃　cried　the　queen　to　the　coachman；　〃　and　drive　with　all
haste；　as　if　the　horses　had　wings；　for　I　long　to　fly。　Forward！　oh；
forward！〃




CHAPTER　　　III。

TRIANON


Fly；　ye　steeds；　fly！　Bear　the　Queen　of　France　away　from　the　stiff；
proud　Versailles；　from　the　palaces　of　kings；　where　every　thing
breathes　of　exaltation；　greatness；　and　unapproachableness；　bear　her
to　little；　simple；　pretty　Trianon；　to　the　dream　of　paradise；　where
all　is　innocence；　simplicity；　and　peace；　where　the　queen　may　be　a
woman；　and　a　happy　one；　too；　and　where　Marie　Antoinette　has　the
right　to　banish　etiquette；　and　live　in　accordance　with　her
inclinations；　wishes；　and　humors。

Yes；　truly；　the　fiery　steeds　have　transformed　themselves　into　birds；
they　cut　the　air；　they　scarcely　touch　the　ground；　and　hardly　can　the
driver　restrain　them　when　they　reach　the　fence　which　separates　the
garden　of　Trianon　from　Versailles。

Light　as　a　gazelle；　happy　as　a　young　girl　that　knows　nothing　of　the
cares　and　burdens　of　life；　Marie　Antoinette　sprang　out　of　the
carriage　before　the　chamberlain　had　time　to　open　the　gate　with　its
double　wings；　to　let　the　queen　pass　in　as　a　queen　ought。　Laughing；
she　glided　through　the　little　side　gate；　which　sufficed　for　the　more
unpretending　visitor　of　Trianon；　and　took　the　arm　of　her　friend　the
Duchess　de　Polignac；　in　order　to　turn　with　her　into　one　of　the　side
alleys。　But；　before　doing　so；　she　turned　to　the　chamberlain；　who；
standing　in　a　respectful　attitude；　was　awaiting　the　commands　of　his
mistress。

〃Weber；〃　said　she　to　him；　in　the　pleasant　Austrian　dialect；　the
language　of　her　early　home〃　Weber；　there　is　no　need　for　you　to
follow　us。　The　day　is　yours。　You　are　free；　as　I　am　too。　Meanwhile；
if　yon　meet　his　majesty；　tell　him　that　I　have　gone　to　the　small
palace；　and　that；　if　it　pleases　his　majesty；　he　may　await　me　in　my
little　village　at　the　mill。

〃And　now；　come；　my　Julia；〃　said　she；　turning　to　the　duchess；　and
drawing　her　forward　with　gentle　violence；　〃　now　let　us　be　merry　and
happy。　I　am　no　longer　a　queen；　God　be　thanked！　I　am　neither　more　nor
less　than　anybody　else。　That　is　the　reason　I　was　so　well　pleased　to
come　through　the　small　door　just　now。　Through　a　narrow　gate　alone　we
can　enter　paradise；　and　I　am　entering　paradise　now。　Oh；　do　you　not
see；　my　friend；　that　the　trees；　the　flowers；　the　bushes；　every　thing
here　is　free　from　the　dust　of　earth；　that　even　the　heaven　has
another　color；　and　looks　down　upon　me　brilliant　and　blue；　like　the
eye　of　God？〃

〃It　is　just；〃　answered　the　Duchess　de　Polignac；　〃because　you　are
seeing　every　thing　with　other　eyes；　your　majesty。〃

〃Your　majesty！〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette。　〃You　love　me　no　longer；　your
heart　is　estranged　from　me；　since　you　address　me　with　this　cold
title。　In　Versailles；　you　had　a　valid　plea；　but　here；　Julia；　what
can　you　offer　in　justification？　The　flowers　are　not　listeners；　the
bushes　have　not　ears；　like　the　walls　of　Versailles；　to　spy　out　our
privacy。〃

〃I　say　nothing　for　my　exculpation；〃　answered　the　duchess；　throwing
her　arm　with　a　playful　movement　around　the　neck　of　the　queen；　and
imprinting　a　kiss　upon　the　lofty　brow　of　Marie　Antoinette。　〃I　only
ask　your　pardon；　and　promise　that　I　will　be　obedient　and　not　disturb
my　friend's　dream　of　paradise　all　day　long　by　an　ill…timed　word。　Now
will　you　forgive　me；　Marie？〃

〃With　all　my　soul；　Julia；〃　answered　the　queen；　nodding　to　her　in　a
friendly　way。　〃And　now；　Julia；　as　we　have　a　happy　vacation　day
before　us；　we　will　enjoy　it　like　two　young　girls　who　are　celebrating
the　birthday　of　their　grandmother　after　escaping　from　a　boarding
school。　Let　us　see　which　of　us　is　the　swiftest　of　foot。　We　will　make
a　wager　on　it。　See；　there　gleams　our　little　house　out　from　the
shrubbery；　let　us　see　which　of　us　gets　there　first。〃

〃Without　stopping　once　in　the　run？〃　asked　the　duchess；　amazed。

〃I　make　no　conditions；　I　only　say；　let　us　see　who　gets　there　first。
If　you　win；　Julia；　I　will　give　you　the　privilege　of　nominating　a　man
to　have　the　first　place　in　my　Swiss　guards；　and　you　may　select　the
protege　in　whose　behalf　you　were　pleading　yesterday。　Come；　let　us
run。　One！〃

〃No；　Marie；〃　interrupted　the　duchess。　〃Supposing　that　you　are　the
first；　what　shall　I　give　you？〃

〃A　kissa　hearty　kissJulia。　Now；　forward！　One；　two；　three！〃

And；　speaking　these　words　in　merry　accents；　Marie　Antoinette　sprang
forward　along　the　narrow　walk。　The　round　straw　hat　which　covered　her
head　was　tossed　up　on　both　sides；　the　blue　ribbons　fluttered　in　the
wind；　the　white　dress　puffed　up；　and　the　grand　chamberlain　of　the
queen　and　Madame　Adelaide　would　have　been　horrified　if　they　could
have　seen　the　queen　flying　along　like　a　girl　escaped　from　the
boarding…school。

But　she；　she　never　thought　of　there　being　any　thing　improper　in　the
run；　she　looked　forward　to　the　goal　with　laughing　glances；　as　the
white　house　emerged　more　and　more　from　the　verdure　by　which　it　was
surrounded；　and　then　sideways　at　her　friend；　who　had　not　been　able
to　gain　a　single　step　upon　her。

〃Forward；　forward！〃　shouted　the　queen；　〃I　will　and　I　must　win；　for
the　prize　is　a　kiss　from　my　Julia。〃　And　with　renewed　speed　the　queen
dashed　along。　The　lane　opened　and　terminated　in　a　square　in　front　of
the　palace。　The　queen　stopped　in　her　course；　and　turned　round　to　see
her　friend；　who　had　been　left　far　behind　her。

As　soon　as　the　duchess　saw　it　she　tried　to　quicken　her　steps；　and
began　to　run　again；　but　Marie　Antoinette　motioned　with　her　hand；　and
went　rapidly　back　to　meet　her。

〃You　shall　not　make　any　more　effort；　Julia；〃　said　she。　〃I　have　won；
and　you　cannot　bring　my　victory　into　question。〃

〃And　I　do　not　wish　to；〃　answered　the　duchess；　with　a　merry　look　of
defiance　on　her　gentle　features。　〃I　really　did　not　wish　to　win；　for
it　would　have　seemed　as　if　I　had　to　win　what　I　want　on　the　turn　of　a
merry　game。　You　have　done　wrong；　Marie　Antoinette。　You　want　me　to
forget　here　in　Trianon　that　you　are　the　Queen　of　France。　But　you
yourself　do　not　forget　it。　Only　the　queen　can　propose　such　a　prize
as　you　have　set；　and　only　the　queen　can　ask　so　insignificant　a　boon
on　the　other　side。　You　have　made　it　impossible　for　me　to　win；　for
you　know　well　that　I　am　not　selfish。〃

〃I　know　it；　and　that　is　just　the　reason　why　I　love　you　so　dearly；
Julia。　I　have　done　wrong；〃　she　went　on　to　say　with　her　gentle；　sweet
voice。　〃I　see　it；　and　I　beg　your　forgiveness。　Give　me　now　as　a　proof
that　you　do　forgive　me；　give　me　the　prize　which　I　have　wona　kiss；
Julia；　a　kiss。〃

〃Not　here；〃　answered　the　duchess。　〃O；　no；　not　here；　Marie。　Do　not
you　see　that　the　doors　of　the　saloons　are　open；　and　that　your
company　are　all　assembled。　They　would　all　envy　me；　they　would　all　be
jealous　if　they　were　to　see　the　preference　which　you　show　for　me。〃

〃Let　them　be　jealous；　let　them　envy　you；〃　cried　the　queen；　〃the
whole　world　shall　know　that　Julia　de　Polignac　is　my　best…loved
friend；　that　next　to　husband　and　children；　I　love　no　one　so　well　as
her。〃

With　gentle　violence　the　queen　threw　both　her　arms　around　the　neck
of　the　duchess；　and　kissed　her　passionately。

〃Did　you　notice；〃　said　the　Baron　de　Besenval　to　Lord　Adhemar；　with
whom　he　was　playing　a　game　of　backgammon　in　the　saloon；　〃did　you
notice　the　tableau　that　the　queen　is　presenting；　taking　for　her
theme　a　group　representing　Friendship？〃

〃I　wish　it　were　in　my　power　to　reproduce　this　wonderful　group　in
marble；〃　answered　Lord　Adhemar；　laughing。　〃It　would　be　a　companion
piece　to　Orestes　and　Pylades。〃

〃But　which；〃　asked　the　Duchess　de　Guemene；　looking　up