the memoirs of marie antoinette-第53章

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　both　he　and　I　consulted　what　precautions　it　would　be　proper　to　take。　　He　relied　much　upon　the　Queen's　temperance；　yet　he　recommended　me　always　to　have　a　bottle　of　oil　of　sweet　almonds　within　reach；　and　to　renew　it　occasionally；　that　oil　and　milk　being；　as　is　known；　the　most　certain　antidotes　to　the　divellication　of　corrosive　poisons。

The　Queen　had　a　habit　which　rendered　M。　Vicq…d'Azyr　particularly　uneasy：　there　was　always　some　pounded　sugar　upon　the　table　in　her　Majesty's　bedchamber；　and　she　frequently；　without　calling　anybody；　put　spoonfuls　of　it　into　a　glass　of　water　when　she　wished　to　drink。　　It　was　agreed　that　I　should　get　a　considerable　quantity　of　sugar　powdered；　that　I　should　always　have　some　papers　of　it　in　my　bag；　and　that　three　or　four　times　a　day；　when　alone　in　the　Queen's　room；　I　should　substitute　it　for　that　in　her　sugar…basin。　　We　knew　that　the　Queen　would　have　prevented　all　such　precautions；　but　we　were　not　aware　of　her　reason。　　One　day　she　caught　me　alone　making　this　exchange；　and　told　me；　she　supposed　it　was　agreed　on　between　myself　and　M。　Vicq…d'Azyr；　but　that　I　gave　myself　very　unnecessary　trouble。　　〃Remember；〃　added　she；　〃that　not　a　grain　of　poison　will　be　put　in　use　against　me。　　The　Brinvilliers　do　not　belong　to　this　century：　this　age　possesses　calumny；　which　is　a　much　more　convenient　instrument　of　death；　and　it　is　by　that　I　shall　perish。〃

Even　while　melancholy　presentiments　afflicted　this　unfortunate　Princess；　manifestations　of　attachment　to　her　person；　and　to　the　King's　cause；　would　frequently　raise　agreeable　illusions　in　her　mind；　or　present　to　her　the　affecting　spectacle　of　tears　shed　for　her　sorrows。　　I　was　one　day；　during　this　same　visit　to　St。　Cloud；　witness　of　a　very　touching　scene；　which　we　took　great　care　to　keep　secret。　　It　was　four　in　the　afternoon；　the　guard　was　not　set；　there　was　scarcely　anybody　at　St。　Cloud　that　day；　and　I　was　reading　to　the　Queen；　who　was　at　work　in　a　room　the　balcony　of　which　hung　over　the　courtyard。　　The　windows　were　closed；　yet　we　heard　a　sort　of　inarticulate　murmur　from　a　great　number　of　voices。　　The　Queen　desired　me　to　go　and　see　what　it　was；　I　raised　the　muslin　curtain；　and　perceived　more　than　fifty　persons　beneath　the　balcony：　this　group　consisted　of　women；　young　and　old；　perfectly　well　dressed　in　the　country　costume；　old　chevaliers　of　St。　Louis；　young　knights　of　Malta；　and　a　few　ecclesiastics。　　I　told　the　Queen　it　was　probably　an　assemblage　of　persons　residing　in　the　neighbourhood　who　wished　to　see　her。　　She　rose；　opened　the　window；　and　appeared　in　the　balcony；　immediately　all　these　worthy　people　said　to　her；　in　an　undertone：　〃Courage；　Madame；　good　Frenchmen　suffer　for　you；　and　with　you；　they　pray　for　you。　　Heaven　will　hear　their　prayers；　we　love　you；　we　respect　you；　we　will　continue　to　venerate　our　virtuous　King。〃　　The　Queen　burst　into　tears；　and　held　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes。　　〃Poor　Queen！　she　weeps！〃　　said　the　women　and　young　girls；　but　the　dread　of　exposing　her　Majesty；　and　even　the　persons　who　showed　so　much　affection　for　her；　to　observation；　prompted　me　to　take　her　hand；　and　prevail　upon　her　to　retire　into　her　room；　and；　raising　my　eyes；　I　gave　the　excellent　people　to　understand　that　my　conduct　was　dictated　by　prudence。　　They　comprehended　me；　for　I　heard；　〃That　lady　is　right；〃　and　afterwards；　〃Farewell；　Madame！〃　from　several　of　them；　and　all　this　in　accents　of　feeling　so　true　and　so　mournful；　that　I　am　affected　at　the　recollection　of　them　even　after　a　lapse　of　twenty　years。

A　few　days　afterwards　the　insurrection　of　Nancy　took　place。

　　　　　＇The　insurrection　of　the　troops　at　Nancy　broke　out　in　August　1790；　　　　　　and　was　put　down　by　Marechal　de　Bouille　on　the　last　day　of　that　　　　　　month。　　See　〃Bouille；〃　p。　195。＇

Only　the　ostensible　cause　is　known；　there　was　another；　of　which　I　might　have　been　in　full　possession；　if　the　great　confusion　I　was　in　upon　the　subject　had　not　deprived　me　of　the　power　of　paying　attention　to　it。　　I　will　endeavour　to　make　myself　understood。　　In　the　early　part　of　September　the　Queen；　as　she　was　going　to　bed；　desired　me　to　let　all　her　people　go；　and　to　remain　with　her　myself；　when　we　were　alone　she　said　to　me；　〃The　King　will　come　here　at　midnight。　　You　know　that　he　has　always　shown　you　marks　of　distinction；　he　now　proves　his　confidence　in　you　by　selecting　you　to　write　down　the　whole　affair　of　Nancy　from　his　dictation。　　He　must　have　several　copies　of　it。〃　　At　midnight　the　King　came　to　the　Queen's　apartments；　and　said　to　me；　smiling；　〃You　did　not　expect　to　become　my　secretary；　and　that；　too；　during　the　night。〃　　I　followed　the　King　into　the　council　chamber。　　I　found　there　sheets　of　paper；　an　inkstand；　and　pens　all　ready　prepared。　　He　sat　down　by　my　side　and　dictated　to　me　the　report　of　the　Marquis　de　Bouille；　which　he　himself　copied　at　the　same　time。　　My　hand　trembled；　I　wrote　with　difficulty；　my　reflections　scarcely　left　me　sufficient　power　of　attention　to　listen　to　the　King。　　The　large　table；　the　velvet　cloth；　seats　which　ought　to　have　been　filled　by　none　but　the　King's　chief　councillors；　what　that　chamber　had　been；　and　what　it　was　at　that　moment；　when　the　King　was　employing　a　woman　in　an　office　which　had　so　little　affinity　with　her　ordinary　functions；　the　misfortunes　which　had　brought　him　to　the　necessity　of　doing　so；all　these　ideas　made　such　an　impression　upon　me　that　when　I　had　returned　to　the　Queen's　apartments　I　could　not　sleep　for　the　remainder　of　the　night；　nor　could　I　remember　what　I　had　written。

The　more　I　saw　that　I　had　the　happiness　to　be　of　some　use　to　my　employers；　the　more　scrupulously　careful　was　I　to　live　entirely　with　my　family；　and　I　never　indulged　in　any　conversation　which　could　betray　the　intimacy　to　which　I　was　admitted；　but　nothing　at　Court　remains　long　concealed；　and　I　soon　saw　I　had　many　enemies。　　The　means　of　injuring　others　in　the　minds　of　sovereigns　are　but　too　easily　obtained；　and　they　had　become　still　more　so；　since　the　mere　suspicion　of　communication　with　partisans　of　the　Revolution　was　sufficient　to　forfeit　the　esteem　and　confidence　of　the　King　and　Queen；　happily；　my　conduct　protected　me；　with　them；　against　calumny。　　I　had　left　St。　Cloud　two　days；　when　I　received　at　Paris　a　note　from　the　Queen；　containing　these　words：

〃Come　to　St。　Cloud　immediately；　I　have　something　concerning　you　to　communicate。〃　　I　set　off　without　loss　of　time。　　Her　Majesty　told　me　she　had　a　sacrifice　to　request　of　me；　I　answered　that　it　was　made。　　She　said　it　went　so　far　as　the　renunciation　of　a　friend's　society；　that　such　a　renunciation　was　always　painful；　but　that　it　must　be　particularly　so　to　me；　that；　for　her　own　part；　it　might　have　been　very　useful　that　a　deputy；　a　man　of　talent；　should　be　constantly　received　at　my　house；　but　at　this　moment　she　thought　only　of　my　welfare。　　The　Queen　then　informed　me　that　the　ladies　of　the　bedchamber　had；　the　preceding　evening；　assured　her　that　M。　de　Beaumetz；　deputy　from　the　nobility　of　Artois；　who　had　taken　his　seat　on　the　left　of　the　Assembly；　spent　his　whole　time　at　my　house。　Perceiving　on　what　false　grounds　the　attempt　to　injure；　me　was　based；　I　replied　respectfully；　but　at　the　same　time　smiling；　that　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　make　the　sacrifice　exacted　by　her　Majesty；　that　M。　de　Beaumetz；　a　man　of　great　judgment；　had　not　determined　to　cross　over　to　the　left　of　the　Assembly　with　the　intention　of　afterwards　making　himself　unpopular　by　spending　his　time　with　the　Queen's　first　woman；　and　that；　ever　since　the　1st　of　October；　1789；　I　had　seen　him　nowhere　but　at　the　play；　or　in　the　public　walks；　and　even　then　without　his　ever　coming　to　speak　to　me；　that　this　line　of　conduct　had　appeared　to　me　perfectly　consistent：　for　whether　he　was　desirous　to　please　the　popular　party；　or　to　be　sought　after　by　the　Court；　he　could　not　act　in　any　other　way　towards　me。　　The　Queen　closed　this　explanation　by　saying；　〃Oh！　it　is　clear；　as　clear　as　the　day！　this　opportunity　for　trying　to　do　you　an　injury　is　very　ill　chosen；　but　be　cautious　in　your　slightest　actions；　you　perceive　that　the　confidence　placed　in　you　by　the　King　and　myself　raises　you　up　powerful　enemies。〃

The　private　communications　which　were　still　kept　up　between　the　Court　and　Mirabeau　at　length　procured　him　an　interview　with　the　Queen；　in　the　gardens　of　St。　Cloud。　　He　left　Paris　on　horseback；　on　pretence　of　going　into　the　country；　to　M。　de　Clavieres；　one　of　his　friends；　but　he　stopped　at　one　of　the　gates　of　the　gardens　of　St。　　Cloud；　and　was　led　to　a　spot　situated　in　the　highest　part　of　the　private　garden；　where　the　Queen　was　waiting　for　him。　　She　told　me　she　accosted　him　by　saying；　〃With　a　common　enemy；　with　a　man　who　had　sworn　to　destroy　monarchy　without　appreciating　its　utility　among　a　great　people；　I　should　at　this　moment　be　guilty　of　a　most　ill…advised　step；　but　in　speaking　to　a　Mirabeau；〃　etc。　　The　poor　Queen　was　delighted　at　having　discovered　this　method　of　exalting　him　above　all　others　of　his　principles；　and　in　imparting　the　particulars　of　this　interview　to　me　she　said；　〃Do　you　know　that　those　words；　'a　Mirabeau；'　appeared　to　flatter　him　exceedingly。〃　　On　leaving　the　Queen　he　said　to　her　with　warmth；　〃Madame；　the　monarchy　is　saved！〃　　It　must　have　been　soon　afterwards　that　Mirabeau　received　considerable　sums　of　money。　　He　showed　it　too　plainly　by　the　increase　of　his　expenditure。　Already　did　some　of　his　remarks　upon　the　necessity　of　arresting　the　progress　of　the　democrats　circulate　in　society。　　Being　once　invited　to　meet　a　person　at　dinner　who　was　very　much　attached　to　the　Queen；　he　learned　that　that　person　withdrew　on　hearing　that　he　was　one　of　the　guests；　the　party　who　invited　him　told　him　this　with　some　degree　of　satisfaction；　but　all　were　very　much　astonished　when　they　heard　Mirabeau　eulogise　the　absent　guest；　and　declare　that　in　his　place　he　would　have　done　the　same；　but；　he　added；　they　had　only　to　invite　that　person　again　in　a　few　months；　and　he　would　then　dine　with　the　restorer　of　the　monarchy。　　Mirabeau　forgot　that　it　was　more　easy　to　do　harm　than　good；　and　thought　himself　the　political　Atlas　of　the　whole　world。

Outrages　and　mockery　were　incessantly　mingled　with　the　audacious　proceedings　of　the　revolutionists。　　It　was　customary　to　give　serenades　under　the　King's　windows　on　New　Year's　Day。　　The　band　of　the　National　Guard　repaired　thither　on　that　festival　in　1791；　in　allusion　to　the　liquidation　of　the　debts　of　the　State；　decreed　by　the　Assembly；　they　played　solely；　and　repeatedly；　that　air　from　the　comic　opera　of　the　〃Debts；〃　the　burden　of　which　is；　〃But　our　creditors　are　paid；　and　that　makes　us　easy。〃

On　the　same　day　some　〃conquerors　of　the　Bastille；〃　grenadiers　of　the　Parisian　guard；　preceded　by　military　music；　came　to　present　to　the　young　Dauphin；　as　a　New　Year's　gift；　a　box　of　dominoes；　made　of　some　of　the　stone　and　marble　of　which　that　state　prison　was　built。　　The　Queen　gave　me　this　inauspicious　curiosity；　desiring　me　to　preserve　it；　as　it　would　be　a　curious　illustration　of　the　history　of　the　Revolution。　　Upon　the　lid　were　engraved　some　bad　verses；　the　purport　of　which　was　as　follows：　〃Stones　from　those　walls；　which　enclosed　the　innocent　victims　of　arbitrary　power；　have　been　converted　into　a　toy；　to　be　presented　to　you；　Monseigneur；　as　a　mark　of　the　people's　love；　and　to　teach　you　their　power。〃

The　Queen　said　that　M。　de　La　Fayette'