marie antoinette and her son-第97部分

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〃Why　have　you　not　got　rid　of　the　boy；　Count　St。　Prix？〃　asked　the
latter。

〃It　was　impossible；　Count　Frotte〃　answered　the　former　in　a　whisper。
〃Duval　is　a　very　nervous　man；　and　he　supposed　that　it　would　excite
suspicion　if　the　boy；　who　is　well　known　in　the　neighborhood；　should
disappear　at　just　the　time　when　he　should　be　away。　He　is　right；
perhaps；　and　at　any　rate　the　thing　is　unavoidable。　The　sly　chore…boy
has　noticed　nothing；　I　hope；　and　we　shall　reach　our　goal　without　any
hindrance。　You　are　going　to　London　tomorrow　morning？〃

〃Yes；　count。　And　you？　what　is　your　direction？〃

〃To　Coblentz；　to　the　royal　princes；〃　replied　Count　St。　Prix。　〃Only　I
suspect　that　we　shall　not　both　of　us　reach　the　end　of　our　journeys。〃

〃At　any　rate　not　with　the　children　that　we　shall　take　with　us；〃
whispered　the　other；　as　they　entered　the　house　of　the　cabinet…maker。

They　found　Simon　and　Toulan　in　the　large　workshop　busily　engaged　in
bargaining　with　the　cabinet…maker；　who　had　shown　them　six　tolerably
large　hobby…horses；　and　was　descanting　on　their　beauties。

〃It　seems　tome　they　all　look　very　much　alike；〃　said　Simon。　〃Tell　me；
commissioner；　which　of　these　race…horses　pleases　you　best。〃

〃This　with　the　red　flanks；〃　said　Toulan；　laying　his　hand　upon　the
largest　one。

〃It　is　an　immense　creature；〃　said　Simon；　with　a　laugh。　〃Still；　the
red　flanks　are　pretty；　and　if　we　can　agree　about　the　price　I　will
buy　the　animal。〃

They　did　agree；　and　after　Simon　had　gravely　paid　the　twenty　francs；
he　and　Toulan　took　the　horse　on　their　shoulders　and　marched　down　the
street。

〃Do　all　those　people　know　about　our　secret？〃　asked　Simon；　as　they
strode　forward。

〃No；　only　the　cabinet…maker　knows　about　it；　and　he　will　leave　Paris
to…morrow　and　carry　the　prince　to　a　place　of　safety。〃

〃For　God's　sake；　do　not　speak　so　loudly！〃　whispered　Simon；　casting
an　anxious　look　around。　〃But　why　do　you　yourself　not　go　away　with
the　boy　and　leave　Paris；　where　you　are　constantly　in　danger？〃

〃I　cannot；〃　answered　Toulan；　solemnly。

〃Cannot！　what　forbids　you？〃

〃The　vow　that　I　gave　to　Marie　Antoinette；　to　rescue　her　children
from　the　Temple　or　to　die。〃

〃Well；　but　to…morrow　you　hope　to　fulfil　your　vow；　and　then　you　can
go。〃

〃I　shall　fulfil　to…morrow　but　the　half　of　my　vow。　I　shall；　if　you
help　me；　and　my　plan　succeeds；　release　the　son　of　the　queen；　but　the
daughter　will　remain　behind　in　prison。　You　see；　therefore；　that　I
cannot　leave　Paris；　for　the　daughter　and　sister…in…law　of　the　queen
are　still　prisoners；　and　I　must　release　them。〃

〃But　I　should　rather　that　you　would　go　away　with　the　boy；　and　never
come　back　to　Paris；〃　said　Simon；　thoughtfully。

〃How　so？　Do　you　not　trust　me？〃

〃I　trust　no　one；〃　replied　Simon；　gloomily。　〃You　might　some　day；　when
it　might　suit　your　humor；　or　in　order　to　save　yourself；　betray　me；
and　report　me　to　the　Committee　of　Safety。〃

〃What；　I！　And　ought　I　not　to　fear　too？　Could　not　you　betray　me　as
well？〃

〃You　know　very　well　that　I　shall　take　care　not　to　disclose　a　word　of
this　whole　history；　for　to　disclose　it　would　be　to　write　my　own
death…warrant。　But　hush；　now；　hush！　there　is　the　Temple；　and　it
seems　to　me　as　if　the　very　walls　looked　at　me　maliciously；　as　if
they　wanted　to　say；　'There　comes　a　traitor！'　Ah；　Toulan；　it　is　a　bad
thing　to　have　an　accusing　conscience！〃

〃Help　me　faithfully　to　save　the　prince；　Simon；　and　you　will　have　a
good　conscience　all　the　rest　of　your　life；　for　you　will　have　done　a
grand　and　noble　deed。〃

〃In　your　eyes；〃　whispered　Simon；　〃but　not　in　those　of　the
Convention；　and　when　they　learn　about　itbut　here　we　are；　and　our
talk　and　reconsideration　are　too　late。〃

He　struck　three　times　with　his　fist　against　the　closed　gate　of　the
outer　court。　The　porter　opened；　and　let　the　two　men　in；　only　saying
that　the　guard　had　given　his　special　consent　to　the　bringing　in　of
the　hobhy…horse。

〃But　about　the　commissioner　whom　you　bring　with　you；〃　said　the
porter；　reflectively；　〃he　did　not　make　any　mention；　and　I　can　only
allow　him　to　take　your　plaything　into　the　second　court。　He　must　not
go　into　the　Temple。〃

〃It　is　no　particular　wish　of　mine　to　go　into　a　prison；〃　answered　the
commissioner；　carelessly。　〃It　is　a　good　deal　easier　to　get　in　than
to　get　out　again。　Well；　take　hold；　Citizen　Simon；　forward！〃

They　walked　on　to　the　second　court。　〃Now；　then；〃　whispered　Toulan；
〃for　caution　and　thoughtfulness！　Tomorrow　at　ten　o'clock　I　will　be
standing　before　the　door；　and　you　will　call　me　in　to　help　you　in
your　moving。〃

〃I　wish　it　were　all　over；〃　groaned　Simon。　〃It　seems　to　me　as　if　my
head　were　shaking　on　my　shoulders；　and　my　heart　beats　as　if　I　were　a
young　girl。〃

〃Courage；　Simon；　only　courage！　Remember　that　tomorrow　you　are　to　be
a　free　and　a　rich　man。　Then；　as　soon　as　you　give　your　basket　to　the
washerwoman　at　the　Macon　gate；　I　will　pay　you　the　promised　twenty
thousand　francs。　And〃

〃Halt！〃　cried　the　sentinel　at　the　entrance　to　the　Temple。　〃No　one
can　go　in　here　without　a　pass。〃

〃You　do　not　want　a　pass　for　my　rocking…horse；　brother　citizen；　do
you？〃　asked　Simon；　with　a　laugh。

〃Nonsense！　I　am　speaking　about　the　commissioner。〃

〃He　is　going　of　himself；　and　does　not　want　to　go　in。　But　look　him
square　in　the　face；　for　he　will　come　to…morrow　morning　again。　I　have
secured　him　in　advance；　to　help　me　in　moving　out。　Bring　a　wagon
along；　commissioner；　for　the　things　will　be　too　heavy　to　carry
without　one。　And　now　help　put　the　horse　on　my　shoulders。　So！　Well；
then；　to…morrow　morning　at　ten；　commissioner。〃

〃To…morrow　morning　at　ten；〃　replied　Toulan；　nodding　to　Simon；　and
slowly　sauntering　through　the　court。　He　stopped　at　the　outer　gate；
told　the　porter　that　he　was　going　to　assist　Simon　in　his　moving　on
the　morrow；　and　then　asked　in　an　indifferent　tone　whether　Simon's
successor　at　the　Temple　was　appointed。

〃Why；　would　you　like　the　place？〃　asked　the　porter；　gruffly。

〃No；　indeed；　not　I！　I　have　no　taste　for　such　work。　It　must　be　an
awful　air　in　the　prison。〃

〃It　is　that；〃　replied　the　porter。　〃And　so　after　Simon　has　moved　out；
they　are　going　to　cleanse　the　place　a　little；　and　give　it　an　airing；
and　the　successor　will　move　in　about　noon。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　envy　the　man　who　moves　in；〃　said　Toulan；　with　a
laugh。　〃Good…by；　citizen；　we　shall　see　each　other　to…morrow。〃

He　went　out　into　the　street；　and　slowly　sauntered　along。　At　the　end
of　it　he　stopped　and　gave　a　trifle　to　a　beggar　who；　supported　by　a
crutch；　was　leaning　against　a　house。

〃Is　it　all　right　thus　far？〃

〃Yes；　marquis；　thank　God；　thus　far　every　thing　has　gone　on　well。　The
horse　is　in　the　Temple；　and　nothing　is　discovered。〃

〃May　the　grace　of　God　stand　by　us　to…morrow！〃　whispered　the　beggar。
〃You　are　sure　that　all　the　arrangements　are　carefully　attended　to？〃

〃Entirely　sure；　M。　de　Jarjayes。　While　you　are　leaving　Paris　in　the
garb　of　a　washerwoman；　our　two　allies　will　both　be　driving　out　of
two　other　gates；　with　the　boy；　in　stylish　carriages。〃

〃And　it　will　be　you；　Toulan；　who　will　have　saved　the　King　of
France；〃　whispered　the　beggar。　〃Oh！　be　sure　that　all　France　will
thank　you　for　it　some　day；　and　give　you　the　title　of　savior　of　your
country！〃

〃Baron；〃　said　Toulan；　shaking　his　head；　〃for　me　there　is　but　one
title　of　honor；　that　which　the　Queen　of　France　gave　me。　I　am　called
Fidele；　and　I　want　no　other　name。　But　this　one　I　will　maintain　so
long　as　I　live。　Good…by　till　we　meet　to…morrow　at　the　Porte　Macon！〃

Little　Prince　Louis　Charles　received　the　hobby…horse；　which　Simon
carried　into　the　chamber；　with　a　little　more　interest　than　in　the
case　of　the　other　playthings。　He　even　raised　himself　up　a　little　on
his　mattress；　and　directed　a　long；　searching　gaze　at　the　tall；
handsome　wooden　creature。

〃Well；〃　asked　the　official；　who　had　gone　with　Simon　into　the
dungeon；　and　had　watched　the　effect　of　the　toy；　〃well；　how　does　your
horse　please　you；　little　Capet？〃

The　boy　nodded　slowly；　but　made　no　reply；　he　only　reached　out　his
long；　thin；　right　hand；　and　made　a　motion　as　if　he　wanted　to　rise。

〃To…morrow；　little　Capet；〃　cried　Jeanne　Marie；　holding　him　back。
〃To…day　you　must　keep　entirely　still；　so　the　doctor　said；　and　I　will
cut　your　hair　off　directly；　as　the　doctor　ordered。　But　I　should　like
to　have　you　here；　citizen；　and　oversee　the　operation。　The　boy　will
look　much　changed；　when　his　long；　yellow　hair　is　cut　off；　and
afterward　it　might　be　supposed〃

〃Yes；　certainly；〃　interrupted　Simon；　with　a　laugh；　〃afterward　it
might　be　supposed　that　it　is　not　the　stupid　youngster　who　has
troubled　us　so　long；　that　out　of　pure　tenderness　and　love　we　had
taken　him　along　with　us。〃

〃No　one　would　consider　the　republican　Simon　capable　of　such　a
thing；〃　replied　the　official；　〃and　besides；　the　boy　will　stay　here；
and　no　substitute　for　him　can　fall　out　of　the　clouds。　Be　free　from
care；　Simon。　I　myself　shall　recognize　the　boy　to…morrow；　and　if　he
should　look　changed　in　appearance；　I　shall　know　how　it　comes。〃

〃Yes；　he　will　know　how　it　comes；〃　said　Simon；　with　a　grin；　as　he
watched　the　retreating　form　of　the　official；　now　leaving　the　prison。

〃Lock　the　door；　Simon；〃　whispered　Jeanne　Marie。　〃We　must　let　the　boy
out　of　this　if　he　is　not　to　be　stifled！〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Simon；　motioning　his　wife　to　retreat　from　the　hobby…
horse　which　she　was　approaching。　〃He　will　not　be　stifled；　for
beneath　the　saddle…cloth　there　are　nothing　but　air…holes；　and　he　can
endure　it　a　good　while。　We　must　above　all　things　be　cautious　and
prepared　for　every　thing。　It　would　be　a　fine　thing；　would　it　not；　if
the　officials　who　are　on　guard　in　the　Temple　should　conceive　the
idea　of　making　the　rounds　a　second　time　for　the　purpose　of
inspection。　He　cannot　be　carried　out　before　it　strikes　ten　from
Notre　Dame。　We　will；　however；　give　him　a　little　more　air。〃

He　removed　the　saddle　with　care；　which　was　let　into　the　back　of　the
wooden　horse；　and　listened　at　the　opening。

〃He　breathes　very　peacefully　and　evenly；〃　he　then　said；　softly。　〃He
seems　to　be　asleep。　Jeanne　Marie；　hold　the　saddle　in　your　hand；　and
at　the　least　approach　fit　it　again　in　its　place。　I　will　now　take
hold　and　pack　our　things。〃

When　the　night　came；　and　the　last　rounds　had　been　made　past　the
closed　doors　of　Simon'