marie antoinette and her son-第84部分

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arm；　and；　supported　by　him；　Marie　Antoinette　reeled　up　the　stone
steps　that　led　to　her　prison。

At　last；　in　the　night　intervening　between　the　14th　and　15th　of
October；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　her　sentence　was
pronounced〃Death！　execution　by　the　guillotine！〃

Marie　Antoinette　received　it　with　unshakable　calmness；　while　the
tumult　of　the　excited　mob　was　hushed　as　by　magic；　and　while　many
faces　even　of　the　exasperated　fish…wives　grew　pale！

Marie　Antoinette　remained　calm；　gravely　and　coldly　she　rose　from　her
seat；　and　with　her　own　hands　opened　the　balustrade　in　order　to　leave
the　hall　to　return　to　her　prison！

Finally；　on　the　morning　of　the　16th　of　October；　her　sufferings　were
allowed　to　end；　and　she　was　permitted　to　take　refuge　in　the　grave。
It　almost　made　her　joyful；　she　had　suffered　so　much；　that　to　die　was
for　her　really　blessedness。

She　employed　the　still　hours　of　the　night　before　her　death　in
writing　to　her　sister…in…law；　Madame　Elizabeth；　and　her　letter　was
at　the　same　time　her　testament。　But　the　widow　of　Louis　Capet　had　no
riches；　no　treasures　to　convey。　She　had　nothing　more　that　she　could
call　her　own　but　her　love；　her　tears；　and　her　farewell　greetings。
These　she　left　to　all　who　had　loved　her。　She　sent　a　special　word　to
her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　bade　them　farewell。

〃I　had　friends；〃　she　says；　〃and　the　thought　that　I　am　to　be　forever
separated　from　them；　and　their　sorrow　for　me；　is　the　most　painful
thing　in　this　hour；　they　shall　at　least　know　that　I　thought　of　them
to　the　last　moment。〃

After　Marie　Antoinette　had　ended　this　letter；　whose　writing　was　here
and　there　blotted　with　her　tears；　she　turned　her　thoughts　to　the
last　remembrances　she　could　leave　to　her　childrena　remembrance
which　should　not　be　profaned　by　the　hand　of　the　executioner。　This
was　her　long　hair；　whose　silver　locks；　the　only　ornament　that
remained　to　her；　was　at　the　same　time　the　sad　record　of　her　sorrows。

Marie　Antoinette；　with　her　own　hands；　despoiled　herself　of　this
ornament；　and　cut　off　her　long　back…hair；　that　it　might　be　a　last
gift　to　her　children；　her　relations；　and　friends。　Then；　after　a
period　of　meditation；　she　prepared　herself　for　the　last　great
ceremony　of　her　careerher　death。　She　felt　herself　exhausted；　worn
out；　and　recognized　her　need　of　some　physical　support　during　the
hard　way　which　lay　before　her。　She　asked　for　nourishment；　and　ate
with　some　relish　the　wing　of　a　fowl　that　was　brought　to　her。　After
that　she　made　her　toiletthe　toilet　of　death！

At　the　request　of　the　queen；　the　wife　of　the　turnkey　gave　her　one　of
her　own　chemises；　and　Marie　Antoinette　put　it　on。　Then　she　arrayed
herself　in　the　same　garments　which　she　had　worn　at　her　trial；　with
this　single　changethat　over　the　black　woollen　dress；　which　she　had
often　mended　with　her　own　hand；　she　now　wore　a　cloak　of　white　pique；
Around　her　neck　she　tied　a　simple　kerchief　of　white　muslin；　and　as
she　would　not　be　allowed　to　ascend　the　scaffold　with　uncovered　head；
she　put　on　a　plain　linen　cap；　such　as　was　in　general　use　among　the
people。　Black　stockings　covered　her　feet；　and　over　these　were　shoes
of　black　woollen　stuff。

Her　toilet　was　at　last　ended；　she　was　done　with　all　earthly　things！
Ready　to　meet　her　death；　she　lay　down　on　her　bed　and　slept。

She　was　still　sleeping　when　it　was　announced　to　her　that　a　priest
was　there；　ready　to　meet　her；　if　she　wanted　to　confess。　But　Marie
Antoinette　had　already　unveiled　her　heart　before　God：　she　wanted
none　of　those　priests　of　reason　whom　the　republic　had　appointed
after　it　had　banished　or　guillotined　the　priests　of　the　Church。

〃As　I　am　not　mistress　of　my　own　will；〃　she　had　written　to　her　sister
Elizabeth；　〃I　shall　have　to　submit　if　a　priest　is　brought　to　me；　but
I　solemnly　declare　that　I　will　not　speak　a　word　to　him；　and　that　I
shall　treat　him　as　a　person　with　whom　I　wish　to　have　no　relations。〃

And　Marie　Antoinette　kept　her　word；　she　did　not　refuse　to　allow
Geroid　to　enter；　but　when　he　asked　her　if　she　wished　to　receive　the
consolations　of　religion　from　him；　she　declined。

Then；　in　order　to　warm　her　feet；　which　were　cold；　she　walked　up　and
down　her　little　room。　As　it　struck　seven　the　door　opened。　It　was
Samson；　the　public　executioner；　who　entered！

A　slight　thrill　passed　through　the　form　of　the　queen。

〃You　have　come　very　early；　sir；　could　you　not　delay　a　little？〃　When
Samson　denied　her　request；　Marie　Antoinette　put　on　her　calm；　cold
manner。　She　drank；　without　resistance；　a　cup　of　chocolate　which　was
brought　to　her；　she　remained　possessed；　and　wore　her　wonted　air　of
dignity　as　they　bound　her　hands　behind　her　with　thick　cords。

At　eleven　o'clock　she　left　her　room；　passed　through　the　corridor；
and　ascended　the　car；　which　was　waiting　for　her　before　the　prison
door。　No　one　accompanied　her；　no　one　bade　her　a　last　farewell；　not　a
look　of　pity　or　compassion　was　bestowed　upon　her　by　her　keepers。

Alone；　between　the　rows　of　gens　d'armes　that　were　placed　along　the
sides　of　the　corridor；　the　queen　advanced；　Samson　walking　behind
her；　carrying　the　end　of　the　rope　with　which　the　queen's　hands　were
bound；　and　behind　him　his　two　assistants　and　the　priest。　This　is　the
retinue　of　the　queen；　the　daughter　of　an　emperor；　on　the　way　to　her
execution！

It　may　be；　that　at　this　hour　thousands　are　on　their　knees；　offering
their　fervent　prayers　to　God　in　behalf　of　Marie　Antoinette；　whom；　in
their　hearts；　they　continued　to　call　〃the　queen；〃　it　may　be　that
thousands　are　pouring　out　tears　of　compassion　for　her　who　now　mounts
the　wretched　car；　and　sits　down　on　the　board　which　is　bound　by　ropes
to　the　sides　of　the　vehicle。　But　those　who　are　praying　and　weeping
have　withdrawn　to　the　solitude　of　their　own　apartments；　and　only　God
can　see　their　tears　and　hear　their　cries。　The　eyes　which　witnessed
the　queen　in　this　last　drive　were　not　allowed　to　shed　a　tear；　the
words　which　followed　her　on　her　last　way　could　express　no
compassion。

All　Paris　knew　the　hour　of　the　execution；　and　the　people　were　ready
to　witness　it。　On　the　streets；　at　the　windows；　on　the　roofs；　immense
masses　had　congregated；　and　the　whole　Place　de　la　Revolution　（now
the　Place　de　la　Concorde）　was　filled　with　a　dark；　surging　crowd。

And　now　the　drums　of　the　guards　stationed　before　the　Conciergerie
began　to　beat。　The　great　white　horse；　（which　drew　the　car　in　which
the　queen　sat；　side　by　side　with　the　priest；　and　facing　backward；）
was　driven　forward　by　a　man　who　was　upon　his　back。　Behind　Marie
Antoinette　were　Samson　and　his　assistants。

The　queen　was　pale；　all　the　blood　had　left　her　cheeks　and　lips；　but
her　eyes　were　red！　Poor　queen；　she　bore　even　then　the　marks　of　much
weeping！　But　she　could　shed　no　tears　then！　Not　a　single　one　obscured
her　eye　as　her　look　ranged；　gravely　and　calmly；　over　the　mass；　up
the　houses　to　the　very　roofs；　then　slowly　down；　and　then　away　over
the　boundless　sea　of　human　faces。

Her　face　was　as　cold　and　grave　as　her　eyes；　her　lips　were　firmly
compressed；　not　a　quiver　betrayed　whether　she　was　suffering；　and
whether　she　shrank　from　the　thousand　and　ten　thousand　scornful　and
curious　looks　which　were　fixed　upon　her。　And　yet　Marie　Antoinette
saw　it　all！　She　saw　a　woman　raise　a　child；　she　saw　the　child　throw
her　a　kiss　with　its　little　hand！　At　that　the　queen　gave　way　for　an
instant；　her　lips　quivered；　her　eyes　were　darkened　with　a　tear！　This
solitary　sign　of　human　sympathy　reanimated　the　heart　of　the　queen；
and　gave　her　a　little　fresh　life。

But　the　people　took　good　care　that　Marie　Antoinette　should　not　carry
this　one　drop　of　comfort　to　the　end　of　her　journey。　The　populace
thronged　around　the　car；　howled；　groaned；　sang　ribald　songs；　clapped
their　hands；　and　pointed　their　fingers　in　derision　at　Madame　Veto。

The　queen；　however；　remained　calm；　her　gaze　wandering　coldly　over
the　vast　multitude；　only　once　did　her　eye　flash　on　the　route。　It　was
as　she　passed　the　Palais　Royal；　where　Philippe　Egalite；　once　the
Duke　d'Orleans；　lived；　and　read　the　inscription　which　he　had　caused
to　be　placed　over　the　main　entrance　of　the　palace。

At　noon　the　car　reached　its　destination。　It　came　to　a　halt　at　the
foot　of　the　scaffold；　Marie　Antoinette　dismounted；　and　then　walked
slowly　and　with　erect　head　up　the　steps。

Not　once　during　her　dreadful　ride　had　her　lips　opened；　not　a
complaint　had　escaped　her；　not　a　farewell　had　she　spoken。　The　only
adieu　which　she　had　to　give　on　earth　was　a　lookone　long；　sad　look…
…directed　toward　the　Tuileries；　and　as　she　gazed　at　the　great　pile
her　cheeks　grew　paler；　and　a　deep　sigh　escaped　from　her　lips。

Then　she　placed　her　head　under　the　guillotine；a　momentary；
breathless　silence　followed。

Samson　lifted　up　the　pale　head　that　had　once　belonged　to　the　Queen
of　France；　and　the　people　greeted　the　sight　with　the　cry；　〃Long　live
the　republic！〃

That　same　evening　one　of　the　officials　of　the　republic　made　up　an
account；　now　preserved　in　the　Imperial　Library　of　Paris；　and　which
must　move　even　the　historian　himself　to　tears。　It　runs　as　follows：
〃Cost　of　interments；　conducted　by　Joly；　sexton　of　Madelaine　de　la
Ville　l'Eveque；　of　persons　condemned　by　the　Tribunal　of　the
Committee　of　Safety；　to　wit；　No。　1　。　。　。　。〃　Then　follow　twenty…four
names　and　numbers；　and　then　〃No。　25。　Widow　Capet：

For　the　coffin；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。6　francs。
For　digging　the　grave；。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　25　francs。〃

Beneath　are　the　words；　〃Seen　and　approved　by　me；　President　of　the
Revolutionary　Tribunal；　that　Joly；　sexton　of　the　Madelaine；　receive
the　sum　of　two　hundred　and　sixty…four　francs　from　the　National
Treasury；　Paris；　llth　Brumaire。　Year　II。　of　the　French　Republic。
Herman；　President。〃

The　interment　of　the　Queen　of　France　did　not　cost　the　republic　more
than　thirty…one　francs；　or　six　American　dollars。




CHAPTER　　XXV。

KING　LOUIS　THE　SEVENTEENTH。


The　〃one　and　indivisible　republic〃　bad　gained　the　victory　over　the
lilies　of　France。　In　their　dark　and　unknown　graves；　in　the　Madelaine
churchyard；　King　Louis　XVI。　and　Marie　Antoinette　slept　their　last
sleep。　The　monarchy　had　perished　on　the　guillotine；　and　the
republicans；　the　preachers　of　liberty；　equality；　and　fraternity；
repeated　triumphantly：　〃Royalty　is　forever　extinguished；　and　the