marie antoinette and her son-第81部分

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dreadful　burden　of　expectation；　and　because　I　did　not　want　to
trouble　your　noble　soul　with　these　things。　And　now　I　only　tell　you
this　much：　I　am　going　away　to　try　to　save　the　queen。　If　I　succeed；　I
shall　come　back　for　a　moment　this　evening　at　ten　o'clock。　If　I
remain　away；　if　you　hear　nothing　from　me　during　the　whole　night；
then〃

〃Then　what？〃　asked　Marguerite；　throwing　her　arms　around　him；　and
looking　into　his　face　anxiously。　〃Say；　what　then？〃

〃Then　I　shall　have　died；〃　he　said；　softly；　〃and　our　child　will　be　an
orphan！　Do　not　weep；　Marguerite！　Be　strong　and　brave；　show　a
cheerful　face　to　our　neighbors；　our　friends；　and　the　spies！　But
observe　every　thing！　Listen　to　every　thing！　Keep　the　outer　door　open
all　the　time；　that　I　may　be　able　to　slip　in　at　any　moment。　Have　the
little　secret　door　in　my　room　open　too；　and　the　passageway　down　into
the　cellar　always　free；　that　I　may　slip　down　there　if　need　be。　Be
ready　to　receive　me　at　any　time；　to　hide　me；　and；　it　may　possibly
be；　others　who　may　come　with　me！〃

〃I　shall　expect　you　day　and　night；〃　she　whispered；　〃so　long　as　I
live！〃

〃And　now；　Marguerite；〃　he　said；　pressing　her　tenderly　to　his　heart；
〃one　last　kiss！　Let　me　kiss　your　eyes；　your　beautiful　dear　eyes；
which　have　always　glanced　with　looks　of　love；　and　which　have　always
given　me　new　inspiration。　Farewell；　my　dear　wife；　and　God　bless　you
for　your　love　and　fidelity！〃

〃Do　not　go；　my　precious　one！　Come　once　more　to　the　cradle　of　our　boy
and　give　him　a　parting　kiss！〃

〃No；　Marguerite；　that　would　unman　me；　and　to…day　I　must　be　strong
and　master　of　myself。　Farewell；　I　am　going　to　the　Temple！〃

And；　without　looking　at　his　wife　again；　he　hurried　out　into　the
street；　and　turned　his　steps　toward　his　destination。　But　just　as　he
was　turning　the　very　next　corner　Lepitre　met　him；　pale；　and
displaying　great　excitement　in　his　face。

〃Thank　God！〃　he　said；　〃thank　God　that　I　have　found　you。　I　wanted　to
hasten　to　you。　We　must　flee　directlyall　is　discovered。　Immediate
flight　alone　can　save　us！〃

〃What　is　discovered？〃　asked　Toulan。　〃Speak；　Lepitre；　what　is
discovered？〃

〃For　God's　sake；　let　us　not　be　standing　here　on　the　streets！〃
ejaculated　Lepitre。　〃They　have　certainly　sent　out　the　constables　to
arrest　us。　Let　us　go　into　this　house　here；　it　contains　a　passage
through　to　the　next　street。　Now；　listen！　We　are　reported。　Simon's
wife　has　carried　our　names　to　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety　as
suspicious　persons。　Tison's　wife　has　given　out　that　the　queen　and
her　sister…in…law　have　won　us　both　over；　and　that　through　our　means
she　is　kept　informed　about　every　thing　that　happens。　The　carpet…
manufacturer；　Arnault；　has　just　been　publicly　denouncing　us　both；
saying　that　Simon's　wife　has　reported　to　him　that　we　both　have
conducted　conversation　with　the　prisoners　in　low　tones　of　voice；　and
have　thereby　been　the　means　of　conveying　some　kind　of　cheering
information　to　the　queen。　＇Footnote：　Literally　reproduced　here。See
Concourt；　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　290。＇　On　that；　our
names　were　stricken　from　the　list　of　official　guards　at　the　Temple；
and　we　are　excluded　from　the　new　ward　committee　that　is　forming　to…
day。〃

〃And　is　that　all？〃　asked　Toulan；　calmly。　〃Is　that　all　the　bad　news
that　you　bring？　Then　the　projected　flight　is　not　discovered；　is　it？
Nothing　positive　is　known　against　us？　Nothing　more　is　known　than　the
silly　and　unfounded　denunciations　of　two　old　women？〃

〃For　God's　sake；　do　not　use　such　idle　words　as　these！〃　replied
Lepitre。　〃We　are　suspected；　our　names　are　stricken　from　the　ward
list。　Is　not　that　itself　a　charge　against　us？　And　are　not　those　who
come　under　suspicion　always　condemned？　Do　not　laugh；　Toulan；　and
shake　your　head！

Believe　me；　we　are　lost　if　we　do　not　flee；　if　we　do　not　leave　Paris
on　the　spot　and　conceal　ourselves　somewhere。　I　am　firmly　resolved　on
this；　and　in　an　hour　I　shall　have　started；　disguised　as　a　sans…
culotte。　Follow　my　example；　my　friend。　Do　not　throw　away　your　life
foolhardily。　Follow　me！〃

〃No；〃　said　Toulan；　〃I　shall　stay。　I　have　sworn　to　devote　my　life　to
the　service　of　the　queen；　and　I　shall　fulfil　my　oath　so　long　as
breath　remains　in　my　body。　I　must　not　go　away　from　here　so　long　as
there　is　a　possibility　of　assisting　her。　If　flight　is　impracticable
to…day；　it　may　be　effected　at　some　more　favorable　time；　and　I　must
hold　myself　in　readiness　for　it。〃

〃But　they　will　take　you；　I　tell　you；〃　said　Lepitre；　with　a　downcast
air。　〃You　will　do　no　good　to　the　queen；　and　only　bring　yourself　to
harm。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense！　they　will　not　catch　me　so　soon；〃　said　Toulan；
confidently。　〃Fortune　always　favors　the　bold；　and　I　will　show　you
that　I　am　brave。　Go；　my　friend；　save　yourself；　and　may　God　give　you
long　life　and　a　contented　heart！　Farewell；　and　be　careful　that　they
do　not　discover　you！〃

〃You　are　angry　with　me；　Toulan；〃　said　Lepitre。　〃You　consider　me
cowardly。　But　I　tell　you；　you　are　foolhardy；　and　your　folly　will
plunge　you　into　destruction。〃

〃I　am　not　angry　with　you；　Lepitre；　and　you　shall　not　be　with　me。
Every　one　must　do　as　best　he　can；　and　as　his　heart　and　his　head
dictate　to　him。　One　is　not　the　better　for　this；　and　another　the
worse。　Farewell；　my　friend！　Take　care　for　your　own　safety；　for　it　is
well　that　some　faithful　ones　should　still　remain　to　serve　the　queen；
and　I　know　that　you　will　serve　her　when　she　needs　your　help。〃

〃Then　give　me　your　hand　in　parting；　my　friend。　And　if　at　last　you
come　to　the　conclusion　to　flee；　come　to　Normandy；　and　in　the　village
of　Lerne；　near　Dieppe；　you　will　find　me；　and　my　father　will　receive
you；　and　you　shall　be　treated　as　if　you　were　my　brother。〃

〃Thanks；　my　friend；　thanks！　One　last　shake　of　the　hand。　There！　Now
you　are　away；　and　I　remain　here。〃

Toulan　went　out　into　the　street；　walked　along　with　a　cheerful　face；
and　repaired　at　once　to　the　hall　where　the　Committee　of　Safety　were
sitting。

〃Citizens　and　brothers；〃　he　said；　in　aloud；　bold　voice；　〃I　have　just
been　informed　that　I　have　been　brought　under　suspicion　and
denounced。　Friends　have　warned　me　to　betake　to　flight。　But　I　am　no
coward；　I　have　no　bad　conscience；　and　therefore　do　not　fly；　but　come
here　and　ask　you　is　this　true？　Is　it　possible　that　you　regard　me　as
no　patriot；　and　as　a　traitor？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　President　Hobart；　with　a　harsh；　hard　voice；　〃you　are
under　suspicion；　and　we　mistrust　you。　This　shameful　seducer；　this
she…wolf　Marie　Antoinette　has　cast　her　foxy　eyes　upon　you；　and　would
doubtless　succeed　if　you　are　often　with　her。　We　have　therefore　once
for　all　taken　your　name　from　the　list　of　the　official　guards　in　the
Temple；　and　you　will　no　longer　be　exposed　to　the　wiles　of　the
Austrian　woman。　But　besides　this；　as　the　second　denunciation　has
been　made　against　you　to…day；　and　as　it　is　asserted　that　you　are　in
relations　with　aristocrats　and　suspected　persons；　we　have　considered
it　expedient；　in　view　of　the　common　safety；　to　issue　a　warrant　for
your　apprehension。　An　officer　has　just　gone　with　two　soldiers　to
your　house；　to　arrest　you　and　bring　you　hither。　You　have　simply
anticipated　the　course　of　law　by　surrendering　yourself。　Officer；
soldiers；　here！〃

The　persons　summoned　appeared；　and　put　Toulan　under　arrest；
preparatory　to　taking　him　to　prison。

〃It　is　well；〃　said　Toulan；　with　a　noble　calmness。　〃I　know　that　the
time　will　come　when　you　will　regret　having　so　abused　a　true　patriot；
and　I　hope；　for　the　peace　of　your　consciences；　that　there　will　be　a
time　then　to　undo　the　evil　which　you　are　doing　to　me　to…day；　and
that　my　head　will　then　be　on　my　shoulders；　that　my　lips　may　be　able
to　testify　to　you　what　my　heart　now　dictates；　that　I　forgive　you！
You　are　in　error　about　me；　yet　I　know　that　you　are　acting　not　out　of
enmity　to　me；　but　for　the　weal　of　the　country；　and　out　of　love　for
the　great；　united　republic。　As　the　true　and　tenderly　loving　son　of
this　noble；　exalted　mother；　I　forgive　you　for　giving　ear　to　my
unrighteous　accusers；　and；　even　if　you　shed　my　innocent　blood；　my
dying　wish　will　be　a　blessing　on　the　republic。〃

〃Those　are　noble　and　excellent　words；〃　said　Hobart；　coldly。　〃But　if
deeds　speak　in　antagonism　to　words；　we　cannot　let　the　latter　beguile
us　out　of　our　sense；　but　we　must　give　heed　to　justice。〃

〃That　is　the　one　only　thing　that　I　ask；〃　cried　Toulan；　brightly。
〃Let　justice　be　done；　my　brothers；　and　I　shall　very　soon　he　free；
and　shall　come　out　from　an　investigation　like　a　spotless　lamb。　I
make　no　resistance。　Come；　my　friends；　take　me　to　prison！　I　only　ask
for　permission　to　be　escorted　first　to　my　house；　to　procure　a　few
articles　of　clothing　to　use　during　my　imprisonment。　But　I　urge
pressingly　that　my　articles　may　be　sealed　up　in　my　presence。　For
when　the　man　of　the　house　is　not　at　home；　it　fares　badly　with　the
safety　of　his　property；　and　I　shall　be　able　to　feel　at　ease　only
when　the　seal　of　the　republic　is　upon　my　possessions。　I　beg　you
therefore　to　allow　my　paper　and　valuables　to　be　sealed　in　my
presence。　You　will　thus　be　sure　that　my　wife　and　my　friends　have　not
removed　any　thing　which　might　be　used　against　me；　and　my　innocence
will　shine　out　the　more　clearly。　I　beg　you　therefore　to　comply　with
my　wish。〃

The　members　of　the　committee　consulted　with　one　another　in　low
tones；　and　the　chairman　then　announced　to　Toulan　that　his　wish　would
be　complied　with；　and　that　an　escort　of　soldiers　might　accompany　him
to　his　house；　to　allow　him　to　procure　linen　and　clothing；　and　to
seal　his　effects　and　papers　in　their　presence。

Toulan　thanked　them　with　cheerful　looks；　and　went　out　into　the
street　between　the　two　guards。　As　they　were　on　the　way　to　his　house；
he　talked　easily　with　them；　laughed　and　joked；　but　in　his　own
thoughts　he　said　to　himself；　〃You　are　lost！　hopelessly　lost；　if　you
do　not　escape　now。　You　are　the　prey　of　the　guillotine；　if　the　gates
of　the　prison　once　close　upon　you；　therefore　escape；　escape　or　die。〃
While　he　was　thus　laughing　and　talking　with　the　soldiers；　and
meanwhile　thinking　such　solemn　thoughts；　his　sharp　black　eyes　were
glancing　in　all　directions；　looking　for　a　friend　who　might　assist
him　out　of　his　trouble。　And　fortune　sent　him　such　a　friend！Ricard；
Ionian's　most　trusted　counsellor；　the　abettor　of　his　plans。　Toulan
called　him　w