marie antoinette and her son-第70部分

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steps　advancing　up　the　staircase。　The　two　officials；　who　were
sitting　in　the　open　anteroom；　stood　and　listened　at　the　door。　This
was　suddenly　opened；　and　a　third　official　entered；　pale；　trembling
with　rage；　and　raising　his　clinched　fists　tremblingly　against　the
king。

〃The　enemy　is　in　Verdun；〃　cried　he。　〃We　shall　all　be　undone；　but　you
shall　be　the　first　to　suffer！〃

The　king　looked　quietly　at　him；　but　the　dauphin；　terrified　at　the
looks　of　the　angry　man　and　his　loud　voice；　burst　into　a　violent　fit
of　weeping　and　sobbing；　and　Marie　Antoinette　and　the　little　Theresa
strove　in　vain　to　quiet　the　little　fellow　by　gentle　words。

A　fourth　official　now　entered；　and　whispered　secretly　to　his
colleagues。

〃Is　my　family　no　longer　in　safety　here？〃　asked　the　king。

The　official　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃The　report　has　gone　abroad
that　the　royal　family　is　no　longer　in　the　Temple。　This　has　excited
the　people；　and　they　desire　that　you　all　show　yourselves　at　the
windows；　but　we　will　not　permit　it；　you　shall　not　show　yourselves。
The　public　must　have　more　confidence　in　its　servants。〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　the　other　official；　still　raising　his　fists〃yes；　that
it　must；　but　if　the　enemy　come；　the　royal　family　shall　die！〃

And　when　at　these　words　the　dauphin　began　to　cry　aloud　again；　he
continued：　〃I　pity　the　poor　little　fellow；　but　die　he　must！〃

Meanwhile　the　cries　outside　were　still　louder；　and　abusive　epithets
were　distinctly　heard　directed　at　the　queen。　A　fifth　official　then
came　in；　followed　by　some　soldiers；　in　order　to　assure　themselves；
in　the　name　of　the　people；　that　the　Capet　family　was　still　in　the
tower。　This　official　demanded；　in　an　angry　voice；　that　they　should
go　to　the　window　and　show　themselves　to　the　people。

〃No；　no；　they　shall　not　do　it；〃　cried　the　other　functionaries。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　king。　〃Come；　Marie。〃

He　extended　his　hand　to　her；　and　advanced　with　her　to　the　window。

〃No；　don't　do　it！〃　cried　the　official；　rushing　to　the　window。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　king；　in　astonishment。

〃Well；〃　cried　the　man；　with　threatening　fist；　〃the　people　want　to
show　you　the　head　of　Lamballe；　that　you　may　see　how　the　nation　takes
vengeance　on　its　tyrants。〃

At　that　same　instant　there　arose　behind　the　window…pane　a　pale　head
encircled　with　long；　fair　hair；　the　livid　forehead　sprinkled　with
blood；　the　eyes　lustreless　and　fixedthe　head　of　Princess　Lamballe；
which　the　people　had　dressed　by　a　friseur；　to　hoist　it　upon　a　pike
and　show　it　to　the　queen。

The　queen　had　seen　it；　staggering　she　fell　back　upon　a　chair；　she
gazed　fixedly　at　the　window；　even　after　the　fearful　phantom　had
disappeared。　Her　lips　were　open；　as　if　for　a　cry　which　had　been
silenced　by　horror。　She　did　not　weep；　she　did　not　complain；　and　even
the　caresses　of　the　children；　the　gentle　address　of　Princess
Elizabeth；　and　the　comforting　words　of　the　king　could　not　rouse　her
out　of　this　stupefying　of　her　whole　nature。

Princess　Lamballe　had　been　murdered；　and　deep　in　her　soul　the　queen
saw　that　this　was　only　the　prelude　to　the　fearful　tragedy；　in　which
her　family　would　soon　be　implicated。

Poor　Princess　Lamballe！　She　had　been　killed　because　she　had　refused
to　repeat　the　imprecations　against　the　queen；　which　they　tried　to
extort　from　her　lips：　〃Swear　that　you　love　liberty　and　equality；
swear　that　you　hate　the　king；　the　queen；　and　every　thing　pertaining
to　royalty。〃

〃I　will　swear　to　the　first；〃　was　the　princess's　answer；　〃but　to　the
last　I　cannot　swear；　for　it　does　not　lie　in　my　heart。〃

This　was　the　offence　of　the　princess；　that　hate　did　not　lie　in　her
heartthe　offence　of　so　many　others　who　were　killed　on　that　3d　of
September；　that　dreadful　day　on　which　the　hordes　of　Marseilles
opened　the　prisons；　in　order　to　drag　the　prisoners　before　the
tribunals；　or　to　execute　them　without　further　sentence。

The　days　passed　by；　and　they　had　to　be　borne。　Marie　Antoinette　had
regained　her　composure　and　her　proud　calmness。　She　had　to　overcome
even　this　great　grief；　and　the　heart　of　the　queen　had　not　yet　been
broken。　She　still　loved；　she　still　hoped。　She　owed　it　to　her　husband
and　children　not　to　despair；　and　better　days　might　come　even　yet。
〃We　must　keep　up　courage；〃　she　said；　〃to　live　till　the　dawn　of　this
better　day。〃

And　it　required　spirit　to　bear　the　daily　torture　of　this　life！
Always　exposed　to　scorn　and　abuse！　Always　watched　by　the　eyes　of
mocking；　reviling　men！　Always　scrutinized　by　Madame　Tison；　her
servant；　who　followed　every　one　of　her　motions　as　a　cat　watches　its
prey；　and　among　all　these　sentinels　the　most　obnoxious　of　all　was
the　cobbler　Simon。

Commissioned　by　the　authorities　to　supervise　the　workmen　and　masons
who　were　engaged　in　restoring　the　partially　ruined　ancient　portion
of　the　Temple；　Simon　had　made　himself　at　home　within　the　building；
to　discharge　his　duties　more　comfortably。　It　was　his　pleasure　to
watch　this　humiliated　royal　family；　to　see　them　fall　day　by　day；　and
hear　the　curses　that　accompanied　them　at　every　step。　He　never
appeared　in　their　presence　without　insulting　them；　and　encouraging
with　loud　laughter　those　who　imitated　him　in　this。

Some　of　the　officials　in　charge　never　spoke　excepting　with　dreadful
abuse　of　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the　children。

One　of　them　cried　to　his　comrade　in　presence　of　Marie　Antoinette：
〃If　the　hangman　does　not　guillotine　this　accursed　family；　I　will　do
it！〃

When　the　royal　family　went　down　to　take　their　walk　in　the　garden；
Santerre　used　to　come　up　with　a　troop　of　soldiers。　The　sentries　whom
they　passed　shouldered　arms　before　Santerre；　but　as　soon　as　he　had
passed　and　the　king　came；　they　grounded　their　arms；　and　pretended
not　to　see　him。　In　the　door　that　led　into　the　garden；　Rocher；　the
turnkey；　used　to　stand；　and　take　his　pleasure　in　letting　the　royal
family　wait　before　unlocking；　while　he　blew　great　clouds　of　smoke
into　their　faces　from　his　long　tobacco…pipe。　The　National　Guards　who
stood　in　the　neighborhood　used　to　laugh　at　this；　and　hurl　all　sorts
of　low；　vile　words　at　the　princesses。　Then；　while　the　royal
prisoners　were　taking　their　walk；　the　cannoneers　used　to　collect　in
the　allees　through　which　they　wandered；　and　dance　to　the　music　of
revolutionary　songs　which　some　of　them　sang。　Sometimes　the　gardeners
who　worked　there　hurried　up　to　join　them　in　this　dance；　and　to
encircle　the　prisoners　in　their　wild　evolutions。　One　of　these　people
displayed　his　sickle　to　the　king　one　day；　and　swore　that　he　would
cut　off　the　head　of　the　queen　with　it。　And　when；　after　their　sad
walk；　they　had　returned　to　the　Temple；　they　were　received　by　the
sentinels　and　the　turnkey　with　renewed　insults；　and；　as　if　it　were
not　enough　to　fill　the　ear　with　this　abuse；　the　eye　too　must　have
its　share。　The　vilest　of　expressions　were　written　upon　the　walls　of
the　corridors　which　the　royal　party　had　to　traverse。　You　might　read
there：　〃Madame　Veto　will　soon　be　dancing　again。　Down　with　the
Austrian　she…wolf！　The　wolf's　brood　must　be　strangled。　The　king　must
be　hanged　with　his　own　ribbon！〃　Another　time　they　had　drawn　a
gallows；　on　which　a　figure　was　hanging；　with　the　expression　written
beneath；　〃Louis　taking　an　air…bath！〃

And　so；　even　the　short　walks　of　the　prisoners　were　transformed　into
suffering。　At　first　the　queen　thought　she　could　not　bear　it；　and　the
promenades　were　given　up。　But　the　pale　cheeks　of　her　daughter；　the
longing　looks　which　the　dauphin　cast　from　the　closed　window　to　the
garden；　warned　the　mother　to　do　what　the　queen　found　too　severe　a
task。　She　underwent　the　pain　involved　in　this；　she　submitted
herself；　and　every　day　the　royal　pair　took　the　dear　children　into
the　garden　again；　and　bore　this　unworthy　treatment　without
complaint；　that　the　children　might　enjoy　a　little　air　and　sunshine。

One　day；　the　21st　of　September；　the　royal　family　had　returned　from
their　walk　to　their　sitting…room。　The　king　had　taken　a　book　and　was
reading；　the　queen　was　sitting　near　him；　engaged　in　some　light　work；
while　the　dauphin；　with　his　sister　Theresa；　and　his　aunt　Elizabeth；
were　in　the　next　room；　and　were　busying　each　other　with　riddles。　In
the　open　anteroom　the　two　officials　were　sitting；　their　eyes　fixed
upon　the　prisoners　with　a　kind　of　cruel　pleasure。

Suddenly　beneath　their　windows　were　heard　the　loud　blast　of　trumpets
and　the　rattle　of　drums；　then　followed　deep　silence；　and　amid　this
stillness　the　following　proclamation　was　read　with　a　loud　voice：

〃The　monarchy　is　abolished　in　France。　All　official　documents　will　be
dated　from　the　first　year　of　the　republic。　The　national　seal　will　be
encircled　by　the　words；　'Republic　of　France。'　The　national　coat…of…
arms　will　be　a　woman　sitting　upon　a　bundle　of　weapons；　and　holding
in　her　hand　a　lance　tipped　with　a　liberty…cap。〃

The　two　officials　had　fixed　their　eyes　upon　the　king　and　queen；　from
whose　heads　the　crown　had　just　fallen。　They　wanted　to　read；　with
their　crafty　and　malicious　eyes；　the　impression　which　the
proclamation　had　made　upon　them。　But　those　proud；　calm　features
disclosed　nothing。　Not　for　a　moment　did　the　king　raise　his　eyes　from
the　book　which　he　was　reading；　while　the　voice　without　uttered　each
word　with　fearful　distinctness。　The　queen　quietly　went　on　with　her
embroidery；　and　not　for　a　moment　did　she　intermit　the　regular　motion
of　her　needle。

Again　the　blast　of　trumpets　and　the　rattle　of　drums。　The　funeral　of
the　royalty　was　ended；　and　the　king　was；　after　this　time；　to　be
known　simply　as　Louis　Capet；　and　the　queen　as　Marie　Antoinette。
Within　the　Temple　there　was　no　longer　a　dauphin；　no　longer　a　Madame
Royale；　no　longer　a　princess；　but　only　the　Capet　family！

The　republic　had　hurled　the　crowns　from　the　heads　of　Louis　and　Marie
Antoinette；　and　when；　some　days　later；　the　linen　which　had　been　long
begged　for；　had　been　brought　from　the　Tuileries；　the　republic
commanded　the　queen　to　obliterate　the　crown　which　marked　each　piece；
in　addition　to　the　name。

But　their　sufferings　are　by　no　means　ended　yet。　Still　there　are　some
sources　of　comfort　left；　and　now　and　then　a　peaceful　hour。　The
crowns　have　fallen；　but　hearts　still　beat　side　by　side。　They　have　no
longer　a　kingdom；　but　they　are　together；　they　can　speak　with　looks
one　to　another；　they　can　seek　to　comfort