the memoirs of marie antoinette-第6章

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When　the　terrible　Danton　exclaimed；　〃The　kings　of　Europe　menace　us；　it　behooves　us　to　defy　them；　let　us　throw　down　to　them　the　head　of　a　king　as　our　gage！〃　these　detestable　words；　followed　by　so　cruel　a　result；　formed；　however；　a　formidable　stroke　of　policy。　　But　the　Queen！　　What　urgent　reasons　of　state　could　Danton；　Collot　d'Herbois；　and　Robespierre　allege　against　her？　　What　savage　greatness　did　they　discover　in　stirring　up　a　whole　nation　to　avenge　their　quarrel　on　a　woman？　　What　remained　of　her　former　power？　　She　was　a　captive；　a　widow；　trembling　for　her　children！　In　those　judges；　who　at　once　outraged　modesty　and　nature；　in　that　people　whose　vilest　scoffs　pursued　her　to　the　scaffold；　who　could　have　recognised　the　generous　people　of　France？　　Of　all　the　crimes　which　disgraced　the　Revolution；　none　was　more　calculated　to　show　how　the　spirit　of　party　can　degrade　the　character　of　a　nation。

The　news　of　this　dreadful　event　reached　Madame　Campan　in　an　obscure　retreat　which　she　had　chosen。　　She　had　not　succeeded　in　her　endeavours　to　share　the　Queen's　captivity；　and　she　expected　every　moment　a　similar　fate。　　After　escaping；　almost　miraculously；　from　the　murderous　fury　of　the　Marseillais；　after　being　denounced　and　pursued　by　Robespierre；　and　entrusted；　through　the　confidence　of　the　King　and　Queen；　with　papers　of　the　utmost　importance；　Madame　Campan　went　to　Coubertin；　in　the　valley　of　Chevreuse。　　Madame　Auguid；　her　sister；　had　just　committed　suicide；　at　the　very　moment　of　her　arrest。

　　　　　＇Maternal　affection　prevailed　over　her　religious　sentiments；　she　　　　　　wished　to　preserve　the　wreck　of　her　fortune　for　her　children。　　Had　　　　　　she　deferred　this　fatal　act　for　one　day　she　would　have　been　saved；　　　　　　the　cart　which　conveyed　Robespierre　to　execution　stopped　her　funeral　　　　　　procession！＇

The　scaffold　awaited　Madame　Campan；　when　the　9th　of　Thermidor　restored　her　to　life；　but　did　not　restore　to　her　the　most　constant　object　of　her　thoughts；　her　zeal；　and　her　devotion。

A　new　career　now　opened　to　Madame　Campan。　　At　Coubertin；　surrounded　by　her　nieces；　she　was　fond　of　directing　their　studies。　　This　occupation　caused　her　ideas　to　revert　to　the　subject　of　education；　and　awakened　once　more　the　inclinations　of　her　youth。　　At　the　age　of　twelve　years　she　could　never　meet　a　school　of　young　ladies　passing　through　the　streets　without　feeling　ambitious　of　the　situation　and　authority　of　their　mistress。　　Her　abode　at　Court　had　diverted　but　not　altered　her　inclinations。　　〃A　month　after　the　fall　of　Robespierre；〃　she　says；　〃I　considered　as　to　the　means　of　providing　for　myself；　for　a　mother　seventy　years　of　age；　my　sick　husband；　my　child　nine　years　old；　and　part　of　my　ruined　family。　　I　now　possessed　nothing　in　the　world　but　an　assignat　of　five　hundred　francs。　I　had　become　responsible　for　my　husband's　debts；　to　the　amount　of　thirty　thousand　francs。　　I　chose　St。　Germain　to　set　up　a　boarding…school；　for　that　town　did　not　remind　me；　as　Versailles　did；　both　of　happy　times　and　of　the　misfortunes　of　France。　　I　took　with　me　a　nun　of　l'Enfant…Jesus；　to　give　an　unquestionable　pledge　of　my　religious　principles。　　The　school　of　St。　Germain　was　the　first　in　which　the　opening　of　an　oratory　was　ventured　on。　　The　Directory　was　displeased　at　it；　and　ordered　it　to　be　immediately　shut　up；　and　some　time　after　commissioners　were　sent　to　desire　that　the　reading　of　the　Scriptures　should　be　suppressed　in　my　school。　　I　inquired　what　books　were　to　be　substituted　in　their　stead。　　After　some　minutes'　conversation；　they　observed：　'Citizeness；　you　are　arguing　after　the　old　fashion；　no　reflections。　　The　nation　commands；　we　must　have　obedience；　and　no　reasoning。'　　Not　having　the　means　of　printing　my　prospectus；　I　wrote　a　hundred　copies　of　it；　and　sent　them　to　the　persons　of　my　acquaintance　who　had　survived　the　dreadful　commotions。　　At　the　year's　end　I　had　sixty　pupils；　soon　afterwards　a　hundred。　　I　bought　furniture　and　paid　my　debts。〃

The　rapid　success　of　the　establishment　at　St。　Germain　was　undoubtedly　owing　to　the　talents；　experience；　and　excellent　principles　of　Madame　Campan；　seconded　by　public　opinion。　　All　property　had　changed　hands；　all　ranks　found　themselves　confusedly　jumbled　by　the　shock　of　the　Revolution：　the　grand　seigneur　dined　at　the　table　of　the　opulent　contractor；　and　the　witty　and　elegant　marquise　was　present　at　the　ball　by　the　side　of　the　clumsy　peasant　lately　grown　rich。　　In　the　absence　of　the　ancient　distinctions；　elegant　manners　and　polished　language　now　formed　a　kind　of　aristocracy。　　The　house　of　St。　Germain；　conducted　by　a　lady　who　possessed　the　deportment　and　the　habits　of　the　best　society；　was　not　only　a　school　of　knowledge；　but　a　school　of　the　world。

〃A　friend　of　Madame　de　Beauharnais；〃　continues　Madame　Campan；　〃brought　me　her　daughter　Hortense　de　Beauharnais；　and　her　niece　Emilie　de　Beauharnais。　　Six　months　afterwards　she　came　to　inform　me　of　her　marriage　with　a　Corsican　gentleman；　who　had　been　brought　up　in　the　military　school；　and　was　then　a　general。　　I　was　requested　to　communicate　this　information　to　her　daughter；　who　long　lamented　her　mother's　change　of　name。　　I　was　also　desired　to　watch　over　the　education　of　little　Eugene　de　Beauharnais；　who　was　placed　at　St。　Germain；　in　the　same　school　with　my　son。

〃A　great　intimacy　sprang　up　between　my　nieces　and　these　young　people。　Madame　de　Beauharnaias　set　out　for　Italy；　and　left　her　children　with　me。　On　her　return；　after　the　conquests　of　Bonaparte；　that　general；　much　pleased　with　the　improvement　of　his　stepdaughter；　invited　me　to　dine　at　Malmaison；　and　attended　two　representations　of　'Esther'　at　my　school。〃

He　also　showed　his　appreciation　of　her　talents　by　sending　his　sister　Caroline　to　St。　Germain。　　Shortly　before　Caroline's　marriage　to　Murat；　and　while　she　was　yet　at　St。　Germain；　Napoleon　observed　to　Madame　Campan：　〃I　do　not　like　those　love　matches　between　young　people　whose　brains　are　excited　by　the　flames　of　the　imagination。　　I　had　other　views　for　my　sister。　　Who　knows　what　high　alliance　I　might　have　procured　for　her！　　She　is　thoughtless；　and　does　not　form　a　just　notion　of　my　situation。　　The　time　will　come　when；　perhaps；　sovereigns　might　dispute　for　her　hand。　　She　is　about　to　marry　a　brave　man；　but　in　my　situation　that　is　not　enough。　Fate　should　be　left　to　fulfil　her　decrees。〃


　　　　　＇Madame　Murat　one　day　said　to　Madame　Campan：　〃I　am　astonished　that　　　　　　you　are　not　more　awed　in　our　presence；　you　speak　to　us　with　as　much　　　　　　familiarity　as　when　we　were　your　pupils！〃〃The　best　thing　you　can　　　　　　do；〃　replied　Madame　Campan；　〃is　to　forget　your　titles　when　you　are　　　　　　with　me；　for　I　can　never　be　afraid　of　queens　whom　I　have　held　under　　　　　　the　rod。〃＇

Madame　Campan　dined　at　the　Tuileries　in　company　with　the　Pope's　nuncio；　at　the　period　when　the　Concordat　was　in　agitation。　　During　dinner　the　First　Consul　astonished　her　by　the　able　manner　in　which　he　conversed　on　the　subject　under　discussion。　　She　said　he　argued　so　logically　that　his　talent　quite　amazed　her。　　During　the　consulate　Napoleon　one　day　said　to　her；　〃If　ever　I　establish　a　republic　of　women；　I　shall　make　you　First　Consul。〃

Napoleon's　views　as　to　〃woman's　mission〃　are　now　well　known。　　Madame　Campan　said　that　she　heard　from　him　that　when　he　founded　the　convent　of　the　Sisters　of　la　Charite　he　was　urgently　solicited　to　permit　perpetual　vows。　　He；　however；　refused　to　do　so；　on　the　ground　that　tastes　may　change；　and　that　he　did　not　see　the　necessity　of　excluding　from　the　world　women　who　might　some　time　or　other　return　to　it；　and　become　useful　members　of　society。　　〃Nunneries；〃　he　added；　〃assail　the　very　roots　of　population。　　It　is　impossible　to　calculate　the　loss　which　a　nation　sustains　in　having　ten　thousand　women　shut　up　in　cloisters。　　War　does　but　little　mischief；　for　the　number　of　males　is　at　least　one…twenty…fifth　greater　than　that　of　females。　　Women　may；　if　they　please；　be　allowed　to　make　perpetual　vows　at　fifty　years　of　age；　for　then　their　task　is　fulfilled。〃

Napoleon　once　said　to　Madame　Campan；　〃The　old　systems　of　education　were　good　for　nothing；　what　do　young　women　stand　in　need　of；　to　be　well　brought　up　in　France？〃〃Of　mothers；〃　answered　Madame　Campan。　　〃It　is　well　said；〃　replied　Napoleon。　　〃Well；　madame；　let　the　French　be　indebted　to　you　for　bringing　up　mothers　for　their　children。〃〃Napoleon　one　day　interrupted　Madame　de　Stael　in　the　midst　of　a　profound　political　argument　to　ask　her　whether　she　had　nursed　her　children。〃

Never　had　the　establishment　at　St。　Germain　been　in　a　more　flourishing　condition　than　in　1802…3。　　What　more　could　Madame　Campan　wish？　　For　ten　years　absolute　in　her　own　house；　she　seemed　also　safe　from　the　caprice　of　power。　　But　the　man　who　then　disposed　of　the　fate　of　France　and　Europe　was　soon　to　determine　otherwise。

After　the　battle　of　Austerlitz　the　State　undertook　to　bring　up；　at　the　public　expense；　the　sisters；　daughters；　or　nieces　of　those　who　were　decorated　with　the　Cross　of　Honour。　　The　children　of　the　warriors　killed　or　wounded　in　glorious　battle　were　to　find　paternal　care　in　the　ancient　abodes　of　the　Montmorencys　and　the　Condes。　　Accustomed　to　concentrate　around　him　all　superior　talents；　fearless　himself　of　superiority；　Napoleon　sought　for　a　person　qualified　by　experience　and　abilities　to　conduct　the　institution　of　Ecouen；　he　selected　Madame　Campan。

Comte　de　Lacepede；　the　pupil；　friend；　and　rival　of　Buffon；　then　Grand　Chancellor　of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　assisted　her　with　his　enlightened　advice。　　Napoleon；　who　could　descend　with　ease　from　the　highest　political　subjects　to　the　examination　of　the　most　minute　details；　who　was　as　much　at　home　in　inspecting　a　boarding…school　for　young　ladies　as　in　reviewing　the　grenadiers　of　his　guard；　whom　it　was　impossible　to　deceive；　and　who　was　not　unwilling　to　find　fault　when　he　visited　the　establishment　at　Ecouen；was　forced　to　say；　〃It　is　all　right。〃

　　　　　＇Napoleon　wished　to　be　informed　of　every　particular　of　the　　　　　　furniture；　government；　and　order　of　the　house；　the　instruction　and　　　　　　education　of　the　pupils。　　The　internal　regulations　were　submitted　to　　　　　　him。　　One　of　the　intended　rules；　drawn　up　by　Madame　Campan；　proposed　　　　　　that　the　children　should　hear　mass　on　Sundays　and　Thursdays。　　　　　　Napoleon　himself　wrote　on　the　margin；　〃every　day。〃＇

〃In　the　summer　of　1811；〃　relates　Madame　Campan；　〃Napoleon；　accompanied　by　Marie　Louise　and　several　personages　of　distinction；　visited　the　establishment　at　Ecouen。　　After　inspecting　the　chapel　and　the　refectories；　Napoleon　desired　that　the　three　principal　pupils　might　be　presented　to　him。　　'Sire；'　said　I；　'I　cannot　select　three；　I　must　present　six。'　　He　turned　on　his　heel　and　repaired　to　the　platform；　where；　after　seeing　all　the　classes　assembled；　he　repeated　his　demand。　　'Sire；'　said　I；　'I　beg　leave　to　inform　your　Majesty　that　I　should　commit　an　injustice　towards　several　other　pupils　who　are　as　far　advanced　as　those　whom　I　might　have　the　honour　to　present　to　you。'

〃Berthier　and　others　intimated　to　me；　in　a　low　tone　of　voice；　that　I　should　get　into　disgrace　by　my　noncompliance。　　Napoleon　looked　over　the　whole　of　the　house；　entered　into　the　most　trivial　details；　and　after　addressing　questions　to　several　of　the　pupils：　'Well；　madame；'　said　he；　'I　am　satisfied；　show　me　your　six　best　pupils。'〃　　Madame　Campan　presented　them　to　him；　a