the memoirs of marie antoinette-第50章

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me。〃　　A　person　who　accompanied　the　monarch　　　　　　said　to　the　child；　〃Keep　it　all；　my　friend；　the　gentleman　is　not　　　　　　chevalier；　he　is　the　eldest　of　the　family。〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

The　day　after　the　arrival　of　the　Court　at　Paris；　terrified　at　hearing　some　noise　in　the　gardens　of　the　Tuileries；　the　young　prince　threw　himself　into　the　arms　of　the　Queen；　crying　out；　〃Grand…Dieu；　mamma！　will　it　be　yesterday　over　again？〃　　A　few　days　after　this　affecting　exclamation；　he　went　up　to　the　King；　and　looked　at　him　with　a　pensive　air。　　The　King　asked　him　what　he　wanted；　he　answered；　that　he　had　something　very　serious　to　say　to　him。　　The　King　having　prevailed　on　him　to　explain　himself；　the　young　Prince　asked　why　his　people；　who　formerly　loved　him　so　well；　were　all　at　once　angry　with　him；　and　what　he　had　done　to　irritate　them　so　much。　　His　father　took　him　upon　his　knees；　and　spoke　to　him　nearly　as　follows：　〃I　wished；　child；　to　render　the　people　still　happier　than　they　were；　I　wanted　money　to　pay　the　expenses　occasioned　by　wars。　　I　asked　my　people　for　money；　as　my　predecessors　have　always　done；　magistrates；　composing　the　Parliament；　opposed　it；　and　said　that　my　people　alone　had　a　right　to　consent　to　it。　　I　assembled　the　principal　inhabitants　of　every　town；　whether　distinguished　by　birth；　fortune；　or　talents；　at　Versailles；　that　is　what　is　called　the　States　General。　　When　they　were　assembled　they　required　concessions　of　me　which　I　could　not　make；　either　with　due　respect　for　myself　or　with　justice　to　you；　who　will　be　my　successor；　wicked　men　inducing　the　people　to　rise　have　occasioned　the　excesses　of　the　last　few　days；　the　people　must　not　be　blamed　for　them。〃

The　Queen　made　the　young　Prince　clearly　comprehend　that　he　ought　to　treat　the　commanders　of　battalions；　the　officers　of　the　National　Guard；　and　all　the　Parisians　who　were　about　him；　with　affability；　the　child　took　great　pains　to　please　all　those　people；　and　when　he　had　had　an　opportunity　of　replying　obligingly　to　the　mayor　or　members　of　the　commune　he　came　and　whispered　in　his　mother's　ear；　〃Was　that　right？〃

He　requested　M。　Bailly　to　show　him　the　shield　of　Scipio；　which　is　in　the　royal　library；　and　M。　Bailly　asking　him　which　he　preferred；　Scipio　or　Hannibal；　the　young　Prince　replied；　without　hesitation；　that　he　preferred　him　who　had　defended　his　own　country。　　He　gave　frequent　proofs　of　ready　wit。　　One　day；　while　the　Queen　was　hearing　Madame　repeat　her　exercises　in　ancient　history；　the　young　Princess　could　not　at　the　moment　recollect　the　name　of　the　Queen　of　Carthage；　the　Dauphin　was　vexed　at　his　sister's　want　of　memory；　and　though　he　never　spoke　to　her　in　the　second　person　singular；　he　bethought　himself　of　the　expedient　of　saying　to　her；　〃But　'dis　donc'　the　name　of　the　Queen；　to　mamma；　'dis　donc'　what　her　name　was。〃

Shortly　after　the　arrival　of　the　King　and　his　family　at　Paris　the　Duchesse　de　Luynes　came；　in　pursuance　of　the　advice　of　a　committee　of　the　Constitutional　Assembly；　to　propose　to　the　Queen　a　temporary　retirement　from　France；　in　order　to　leave　the　constitution　to　perfect　itself；　so　that　the　patriots　should　not　accuse　her　of　influencing　the　King　to　oppose　it。　　The　Duchess　knew　how　far　the　schemes　of　the　conspirers　extended；　and　her　attachment　to　the　Queen　was　the　principal　cause　of　the　advice　she　gave　her。　　The　Queen　perfectly　comprehended　the　Duchesse　de　Luynes's　motive；　but　replied　that　she　would　never　leave　either　the　King　or　her　son；　that　if　she　thought　herself　alone　obnoxious　to　public　hatred　she　would　instantly　offer　her　life　as　a　sacrifice；but　that　it　was　the　throne　which　was　aimed　at；　and　that；　in　abandoning　the　King；　she　should　be　merely　committing　an　act　of　cowardice；　since　she　saw　no　other　advantage　in　it　than　that　of　saving　her　own　life。

One　evening；　in　the　month　of　November；　1790；　I　returned　home　rather　late；　I　there　found　the　Prince　de　Poix；　he　told　me　he　came　to　request　me　to　assist　him　in　regaining　his　peace　of　mind；　that　at　the　commencement　of　the　sittings　of　the　National　Assembly　he　had　suffered　himself　to　be　seduced　into　the　hope　of　a　better　order　of　things；　that　he　blushed　for　his　error；　and　that　he　abhorred　plans　which　had　already　produced　such　fatal　results；　that　he　broke　with　the　reformers　for　the　rest　of　his　life；　that　he　had　given　in　his　resignation　as　a　deputy　of　the　National　Assembly；　and；　finally；　that　he　was　anxious　that　the　Queen　should　not　sleep　in　ignorance　of　his　sentiments。　　I　undertook　his　commission；　and　acquitted　myself　of　it　in　the　best　way　I　could；　but　I　was　totally　unsuccessful。　　The　Prince　de　Poix　remained　at　Court；　he　there　suffered　many　mortifications；　never　ceasing　to　serve　the　King　in　the　most　dangerous　commissions　with　that　zeal　for　which　his　house　has　always　been　distinguished。

When　the　King；　the　Queen；　and　the　children　were　suitably　established　at　the　Tuileries；　as　well　as　Madame　Elisabeth　and　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　the　Queen　resumed　her　usual　habits；　she　employed　her　mornings　in　superintending　the　education　of　Madame；　who　received　all　her　lessons　in　her　presence；　and　she　herself　began　to　work　large　pieces　of　tapestry。　Her　mind　was　too　much　occupied　with　passing　events　and　surrounding　dangers　to　admit　her　of　applying　herself　to　reading；　the　needle　was　the　only　employment　which　could　divert　her。

　　　　　＇There　was　long　preserved　at　Paris；　in　the　house　of　Mademoiselle　　　　　　Dubuquois；　a　tapestry…worker；　a　carpet　worked　by　the　Queen　and　　　　　　Madame　Elisabeth　for　the　large　room　of　her　Majesty's　ground…floor　　　　　　apartments　at　the　Tuileries。　　The　Empress　Josephine　saw　and　admired　　　　　　this　carpet；　and　desired　it　might　be　taken　care　of；　in　the　hope　of　　　　　　one　day　sending　it　to　Madame　MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

She　received　the　Court　twice　a　week　before　going　to　mass；　and　on　those　days　dined　in　public　with　the　King；　she　spent　the　rest　of　the　time　with　her　family　and　children；　she　had　no　concert；　and　did　not　go　to　the　play　until　1791；　after　the　acceptation　of　the　constitution。　　The　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　however；　had　some　evening　parties　in　her　apartments　at　the　Tuileries；　which　were　tolerably　brilliant　in　consequence　of　the　great　number　of　persons　who　attended　them。　　The　Queen　was　present　at　a　few　of　these　assemblies；　but　being　soon　convinced　that　her　present　situation　forbade　her　appearing　much　in　public；　she　remained　at　home；　and　conversed　as　she　sat　at　work。　　The　sole　topic　of　her　discourse　was；　as　may　well　be　supposed；　the　Revolution。　　She　sought　to　discover　the　real　opinions　of　the　Parisians　respecting　her；　and　how　she　could　have　so　completely　lost　the　affections　of　the　people；　and　even　of　many　persons　in　the　higher　ranks。　　She　well　knew　that　she　ought　to　impute　the　whole　to　the　spirit　of　party；　to　the　hatred　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　the　folly　of　the　French；　who　desired　to　have　a　total　change　in　the　constitution；　but　she　was　not　the　less　desirous　of　ascertaining　the　private　feelings　of　all　the　people　in　power。

From　the　very　commencement　of　the　Revolution　General　Luckner　indulged　in　violent　sallies　against　her。　　Her　Majesty；　knowing　that　I　was　acquainted　with　a　lady　who　had　been　long　connected　with　the　General；　desired　me　to　discover　through　that　channel　what　was　the　private　motive　on　which　Luckner's　hatred　against　her　was　founded。　　On　being　questioned　upon　this　point；　he　answered　that　Marechal　de　Segur　had　assured　him　he　had　proposed　him　for　the　command　of　a　camp　of　observation；　but　that　the　Queen　had　made　a　bar　against　his　name；　and　that　this　'par'；　as　he　called　it；　in　his　German　accent；　he　could　not　forget。

The　Queen　ordered　me　to　repeat　this　reply　to　the　King　myself；　and　said　to　him：　〃See；　Sire；　whether　I　was　not　right　in　telling　you　that　your　ministers；　in　order　to　give　themselves　full　scope　in　the　distribution　of　favours；　persuaded　the　French　that　I　interfered　in　everything；　there　was　not　a　single　license　given　out　in　the　country　for　the　sale　of　salt　or　tobacco　but　the　people　believed　it　was　given　to　one　of　my　favourites。〃

〃That　is　very；　true；〃　replied　the　King；　〃but　I　find　it　very　difficult　to　believe　that　Marechal　de　S4gur　ever　said　any　such　thing　to　Luckner；　he　knew　too　well　that　you　never　interfered　in　the　distribution　of　favours。

That　Luckner　is　a　good…for…nothing　fellow；　and　Segur　is　a　brave　and　honourable　man　who　never　uttered　such　a　falsehood；　however；　you　are　right；　and　because　you　provided　for　a　few　dependents；　you　are　most　unjustly　reported　to　have　disposed　of　all　offices；　civil　and　military。〃

All　the　nobility　who　had　not　left　Paris　made　a　point　of　presenting　themselves　assiduously　to　the　King；　and　there　was　a　considerable　influx　to　the　Tuileries。　　Marks　of　attachment　were　exhibited　even　in　external　symbols；　the　women　wore　enormous　bouquets　of　lilies　in　their　bosoms　and　upon　their　heads；　and　sometimes　even　bunches　of　white　ribbon。　　At　the　play　there　were　often　disputes　between　the　pit　and　the　boxes　about　removing　these　ornaments；　which　the　people　thought　dangerous　emblems。　National　cockades　were　sold　in　every　corner　of　Paris；　the　sentinels　stopped　all　who　did　not　wear　them；　the　young　men　piqued　themselves　upon　breaking　through　this　regulation；　which　was　in　some　degree　sanctioned　by　the　acquiescence　of　Louis　XVI。　　Frays　took　place；　which　were　to　be　regretted；　because　they　excited　a　spirit　of　lawlessness。　　The　King　adopted　conciliatory　measures　with　the　Assembly　in　order　to　promote　tranquillity；　the　revolutionists　were　but　little　disposed　to　think　him　sincere；　unfortunately　the　royalists　encouraged　this　incredulity　by　incessantly　repeating　that　the　King　was　not　free；　and　that　all　that　he　did　was　completely　null；　and　in　no　way　bound　him　for　the　time　to　come。　Such　was　the　heat　and　violence　of　party　spirit　that　persons　the　most　sincerely　attached　to　the　King　were　not　even　permitted　to　use　the　language　of　reason；　and　recommend　greater　reserve　in　conversation。　People　would　talk　and　argue　at　table　without　considering　that　all　the　servants　belonged　to　the　hostile　army；　and　it　may　truly　be　said　there　was　as　much　imprudence　and　levity　in　the　party　assailed　as　there　was　cunning；　boldness；　and　perseverance　in　that　which　made　the　attack。




CHAPTER　III。

In　February；　1790；　another　matter　gave　the　Court　much　uneasiness；　a　zealous　individual　of　the　name　of　Favras　had　conceived　the　scheme　of　carrying　off　the　King；　and　affecting　a　counter…revolution。　　Monsieur；　probably　out　of　mere　benevolence；　gave　him　some　money；　and　thence　arose　a　report　that　he　thereby　wished　to　favour　the　execution　of　the　enterprise。　The　step　taken　by　Monsieur　in　going　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　to　explain　himself　on　this　matter　was　unknown　to　the　Queen；　it　is　more　than　probable　that　the　King　was　acquainted　with　it。　　When　judgment　was　pronounced　upon　M。　de　Favras　the　Queen　did　not　conceal　from　me　her　fears　about　the　confessions　of　the　unfortunate　man　in　his　last　moments。

I　sent　a　confidential　person　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　she　came　to　inform　the　Queen　that　the　condemned　had　demanded　to　be　taken　from　Notre…Dame　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　to　make　a　final　declaration；　and　give　some　particulars　verifying　it。　　These　particulars　compromised　nobody；　Favras　corrected　his　last　will　after　writing　it；　and　went　to　the　scaffold　with　heroic　courage　and　coolness。　　The　judge　who　read　his　condemnation　to　him　told　him　that　his　life　was　a　sacrifice　which　he　owed　to　public