marie antoinette and her son-第8部分

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piece　to　Orestes　and　Pylades。〃

〃But　which；〃　asked　the　Duchess　de　Guemene；　looking　up　from　her
embroidery；　〃which　would　be　the　companion　of　Orestes；　pursued　of
Furies；　surrounded　by　serpents？〃

〃That　is　the　queen；〃　answered　the　Count　de　Vaudreuil；　who　was
sitting　at　the　piano　and　practising　a　new　piece　of　music。　〃The　queen
is　the　womanly　Orestes：　the　Furies　are　the　three　royal　aunts；　and
the　serpentspardon　me；　ladiesare；　with　the　exception　of
yourselves；　most　all　the　ladies　of　Paris。〃

〃You　are　malicious；　count；〃　cried　Madame　de　Morsan；　〃and　were　we　by
any　chance　not　here；　you　would　reckon　us　among　the　serpents。〃

〃If　I　should　do　so；〃　said　Count　Vaudreuil；　laughing；　〃I　should　only
wish　to　take　the　apple　from　you；　in　order　to　be　driven　out　of
paradise　with　you。　But　still！　the　queen　is　coming。〃

Yes；　just　then　the　queen　entered　the　apartment。　Her　cheeks　were
glowing　red　by　reason　of　her　run；　her　bosom　heaved　violently　with
her　hurried；　agitated　breathing。　Her　hat　had　fallen　upon　one　side；
and　the　dark　blond　hair　was　thrown　about　in　wild　confusion。

It　was　not　the　queen　who　entered　the　saloon；　it　was　only　Marie
Antoinette；　the　simple；　young　woman；　greeting　her　friends　with
brilliant　glances　and　lively　nods。　It　had　been　made　a　rule　with　her；
that　when　she　entered；　no　one　should　rise；　nor　leave　the　embroidery；
or　piano…playing；　or　any　other　occupation。

The　women　remained　at　their　work；　Lords　Besenval　and　Adhemar　went　on
playing　their　game　of　backgammon；　and　only　the　Count　de　Vaudreuil
rose　from　his　place　at　the　approach　of　the　queen。

〃What　have　you　been　playing；　count？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette。　〃I　beg
your　pardon；　if　I　leave　your　question　unanswered；〃　replied　the
count；　with　a　gentle　inclination　of　the　head。　〃Your　majesty　has　such
a　fine　ear；　that　you　must　doubtless　recognize　the　composer　in　the
music。　It　is　an　entirely　new　composition；　and　I　have　taken　the
license　of　arranging　it　for　four　hands。　If　your　majesty　would
perhaps　be　inclined…〃

〃Come；〃　interrupted　the　queen；　〃let　us　try　it　at　once。〃

Quickly；　and　with　feverish　impatience；　she　drew　her　black　netted
gloves　from　her　delicate　white　hands；　and　at　once　took　her　place
next　to　the　count；　on　the　seat　already　prepared　for　her。

〃Will　not　the　music　be　too　difficult　for　me　to　play？〃　asked　she；
timidly。

〃Nothing　is　too　difficult　for　the　Queen　of　France。〃

〃But　there　is　a　great　deal　that　is　too　difficult　for　the　dilettante；
Marie　Antoinette；〃　sighed　the　queen。　〃Meanwhile；　we　will　begin　and
try　it。〃

And　with　great　facility　and　lightness　of　touch；　the　queen　began　to
play　the　base　of　the　piece　which　had　been　arranged　by　the　Count　de
Vaudreuil　for　four　hands。　But　the　longer　she　played；　the　more　the
laughter　and　the　unrestrained　gayety　disappeared　from　the　features
of　the　queen。　Her　noble　countenance　assumed　an　expression　of　deep
earnestness；　her　eye　kindled　with　feeling；　and　the　cheeks　which
before　had　become　purple…red　with　the　exercise　of　playing；　now　paled
with　deep　inward　emotion。

All　at　once；　in　the　very　midst　of　the　grand　and　impassioned　strains；
Marie　Antoinette　stopped；　and；　under　the　strength　of　her　feeling；
rose　from　her　seat。

〃Only　Gluck　can　have　written　this！〃　cried　she。　〃This　is　the　music；
the　divine　music　of　my　exalted　master；　my　great　teacher；　Chevalier
Gluck。〃

〃You　are　right；　your　majesty　is　a　great　musician；〃　cried　Lord
Vaudreuil；　in　amazement；　〃the　ideal　pupil　of　the　genial　maestro。
Yes；　this　music　is　Gluck's。　It　is　the　overture　to　his　new　opera　of
'Alcestes；'　which　he　sent　me　from　Venice　to　submit　to　your　majesty。
These　tones　shall　speak　for　the　master；　and　entreat　for　him　the
protection　of　the　queen。〃

〃You　have　not　addressed　the　queen；　but　my　own　heart；〃　said　Marie
Antoinette；　with　gentle；　deeply　moved　voice。　〃It　was　a　greeting　from
my　home；　a　greeting　from　my　teacher；　who　is　at　the　same　time　the
greatest　composer　of　Europe。　Oh；　I　am　proud　of　calling　myself　his
pupil。　But　Gluck　needs　no　protection；　it　is　much　more　we　who　need
the　protection　which　he　affords　us　in　giving　us　the　works　of　his
genius。　I　thank　you；　count；〃　continued　Marie　Antoinette；　turning　to
Vaudreuil　with　a　pleasant　smile。

〃This　is　a　great　pleasure　which　you　have　prepared　for　me。　But
knowing；　as　I　now　do；　that　this　is　Gluck's　music；　I　do　not　dare　to
play　another　note；　for；　to　injure　a　note　of　his　writing；　seems　to　me
like　treason　against　the　crown。　I　will　practise　this　piece；　and　then
some　day　we　will　play　it　to　the　whole　court。　And　now；　my　honored
guests；　if　it　pleases　you；　we　go　to　meet　the　king。　Gentlemen；　let
each　one　choose　his　lady；　for　we　do　not　want　to　go　in　state
procession；　but　by　different　paths。〃

All　the　gentlemen　present　rushed　toward　the　queen；　each　desirous　to
have　the　honor　of　waiting　upon　her。　Marie　Antoinette　thanked　them
all　with　a　pleasant　smile；　and　took　the　arm　of　the　eldest　gentleman
there；　the　Baron　de　Besenval。

〃Come；　baron；〃　said　she；　〃I　know　a　new　path；　which　none　of　these
gentry　have　learned；　and　I　am　sure　that　we　shall　be　the　first　to
reach　the　place　where　the　king　is。〃

Resting　on　the　arm　of　the　baron；　she　left　the　saloon；　and　passed　out
of　the　door　opposite；　upon　the　little　terrace　leading　to　the　well…
shaded　park。

〃We　will　go　through　the　English　garden。　I　have　had　them　open　a　path
through　the　thicket；　which　will　lead　us　directly　to　our　goal；　while
the　others　will　all　have　to　go　through　the　Italian　garden；　and　so
make　a　circuit。　But　look；　my　lord；　somebody　is　coming　therewho　is
it？〃

And　the　queen　pointed　to　the　tall；　slim　figure　of　a　man　who　was　just
then　striding　along　the　terrace。

〃Madame；〃　answered　the　baron；　〃it　is　the　Duke　de　Fronac。〃

〃Alas！〃　murmured　Marie　Antoinette；　〃he　is　coming　to　lay　new　burdens
upon　us；　and　to　put　us　in　the　way　of　meeting　more　disagreeable
things。〃

〃Would　it　be　your　wish　that　I　should　dismiss　him？　Do　you　give　me
power　to　tell　him　that　you　extend　no　audience　to　him　here？〃

〃Oh！　do　not　do　so；〃　sighed　Marie　Antoinette。　〃He；　too；　is　one　of　my
enemies；　and　we　must　proceed　much　more　tenderly　with　our　dear
enemies　than　with　our　friends。〃

Just　then　the　Duke　de　Fronac　ascended　the　last　terrace；　and
approached　the　queen　with　repeated　bows；　which　she　reciprocated　with
an　earnest　look　and　a　gentle　inclination　of　the　head。

〃Well；　duke；　is　it　I　with　whom　the　chief　manager　of　the　royal
theatres　wishes　to　speak？〃

〃Madame；〃　answered　the　duke；　〃I　am　come　to　beg　an　audience　of　your
majesty。〃

〃You　have　it；　and　it　is；　as　you　see；　a　very　imposing　audience；　for
we　stand　in　the　throne　room　of　God；　and　the　canopy　of　Heaven　arches
over　us。　Now　say；　duke；　what　brings　you　to　me？〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　am　come　to　file　an　accusation！〃

〃And　of　course　against　me？〃　asked　the　queen；　with　a　haughty　smile。
The　duke　pretended　not　to　hear　the　question；　and　went　on：　〃I　am　come
to　bring　a　charge　and　to　claim　my　rights。　His　majesty　has　had　the
grace　to　appoint　me　manager…in…chief　of　all　the　royal　theatres；　and
to　give　me　their　supreme　control。〃

〃Well；　what　has　that　to　do　with　me？〃　asked　the　queen　in　her　coldest
way。　〃　You　have　then　your　duties　assigned　you；　to　he　rightfully
fulfilled；　and　to　keep　your　theatres　in　order；　as　if　they　were
troops　under　your　care。〃

〃But；　your　majesty；　there　is　a　theatre　which　seeks　to　free　itself
from　my　direction。　And　by　virtue　of　my　office　and　my　trust　I　must
stringently　urge　you　that　this　new　theatre　royal　be　delivered　into
my　charge。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　said　the　queen；　coolly。　〃Of　what　new
theatre　are　you　speaking；　and　where　is　it？〃

〃Your　majesty；　it　is　here　in　Trianon。　Here　operettas；　comedies；　and
vaudevilles　are　played。　The　stage　is　furnished　as　all　stages　are；　it
is　a　permanent　stage；　and　I　can　therefore　ask　that　it　be　given　over
into　my　charge；　for；　I　repeat　it　again；　the　king　has　appointed　me
director　of　all　the　collective　theatres　royal。〃

〃But；　duke；〃　answered　the　queen　with　a　somewhat　more　pliant　tone；
〃you　forget　one　thing；　and　that　is；　that　the　theatre　in　Trianon　does
not　belong　to　the　theatres　of　his　majesty。　It　is　my　stage；　and
Trianon　is　my　realm。　Have　you　not　read　on　the　placards；　which　are　at
the　entrance　of　Trianon；　that　it　is　the　queen　who　gives　laws　here？
Do　you　not　know　that　the　king　has　given　me　this　bit　of　ground　that　I
may　enjoy　my　freedom　here；　and　have　a　place　where　the　Queen　of
France　may　have　a　will　of　her　own？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　answered　the　duke　with　an　expression　of　the
profoundest　deference；　〃I　beg　your　pardon。　I　did　not　suppose　that
there　was　a　place　in　France　where　the　king　is　not　the　lord
paramount；　and　where　his　commands　are　not　imperative。〃

〃You　see；　then；　that　you　are　mistaken。　Here　in　Trianon　I　am　king；
and　my　commands　are　binding。〃

〃That　does　not　prevent；　your　majesty；　the　commands　of　the　king
having　equal　force；〃　replied　the　duke；　with　vehemence。　〃And　even　if
the　Queen　of　France　disowns　these　laws；　yet　others　do　not　dare　take
the　risk　of　following　the　example　of　the　queen。　For　they　remain；
wherever　they　are；　the　subjects　of　the　king。　So　even　here　in　Trianon
I　am　still　the　obedient　subject　of　his　majesty；　and　his　commands　and
my　duties　are　bound　to　be　respected　by　me。〃

〃My　lord　duke；〃　cried　the　queen　with　fresh　impatience；　〃you　are　free
never　to　come　to　Trianon。　I　give　you　my　full　permission　to　that　end；
and　thus　you　will　be　relieved　from　the　possibility　of　ever　coming
into　collision　with　your　ever…delicate　conscience　and　the　commands
of　the　king。〃

〃But；　your　majesty；　there　is　a　theatre　in　Trianon！〃

〃Not　this　indefinite　phrase；　duke；　there　is　a　theatre　in　Trianon；
but　I　the　queen；　the　princess　of　the　royal　family；　and　the　guests　I
invite；　support　a　theatre　in　Trianon。　Let　me　say　this　once　for　all：
you　cannot　have　the　direction　where　we　are　the　actors。　Besides；　I
have　had　occasion　several　times　to　give　you　my　views　respecting
Trianon。　I　have　no　court　here。　I　live　here　as　a　private　person。　I　am
here　but　a　land　owner；　and　the　pleasures　and　enjoyments　which　I
provide　here　for　myself　and　my　friends　shall　never　be　supervised　by
any　one　but　myself　alone。〃　＇Footnote：　The　very　words　of　the　queen。
See　Goncourt；　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette〃＇

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　the　duke；　with　a　cold　smile