the memoirs of marie antoinette-第64章

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had　not　a　　　　　　warmer　friend　than　myself。　　Upon　this　an　ill…looking　man；　making　his　　　　　　way　through　the　crowd；　came　up　to　me　and　said；　rather　roughly；　　　　　　'Well；　if　you　speak　the　truth；　prove　it　by　putting　on　this　red　cap。'　　　　　　'I　consent；'　replied　I。　　One　or　two　of　them　immediately　came　forward　　　　　　and　placed　the　cap　upon　my　hair；　for　it　was　too　small　for　my　head。　　　　　　I　was　convinced；　I　knew　not　why；　that　his　intention　was　merely　to　　　　　　place　the　cap　upon　my　head　for　a　moment；　and　then　to　take　it　off　　　　　　again；　and　I　was　so　completely　taken　up　with　what　was　passing　before　　　　　　me　that　I　did　not　feel　whether　the　cap　did　or　did　not　remain　upon　my　　　　　　hair。　　I　was　so　little　aware　of　it　that　when　I　returned　to　my　room　I　　　　　　knew　only　from　being　told　so　that　it　was　still　there。　　I　was　very　　　　　　much　surprised　to　find　it　upon　my　head；　and　was　the　more　vexed　at　it　　　　　　because　I　might　have　taken　it　off　immediately　without　the　smallest　　　　　　difficulty。　　But　I　am　satisfied　that　if　I　had　hesitated　to　consent　　　　　　to　its　being　placed　upon　my　head　the　drunken　fellow　who　offered　it　　　　　　to　me　would　have　thrust　his　pike　into　my　stomach。〃〃Memoirs　of　　　　　　Bertrand　de　Molleville。〃＇

the　sort　of　standards　which　they　carried　were　symbols　of　the　most　atrocious　barbarity。　　There　was　one　representing　a　gibbet；　to　which　a　dirty　doll　was　suspended；　the　words　〃Marie　Antoinette　a　la　lanterne〃　were　written　beneath　it。　　Another　was　a　board；　to　which　a　bullock's　heart　was　fastened；　with　〃Heart　of　Louis　XVI。〃　　written　round　it。　　And　a　third　showed　the　horn　of　an　ox；　with　an　obscene　inscription。

One　of　the　most　furious　Jacobin　women　who　marched　with　these　wretches　stopped　to　give　vent　to　a　thousand　imprecations　against　the　Queen。　　Her　Majesty　asked　whether　she　had　ever　seen　her。　　She　replied　that　she　had　not。　　Whether　she　had　done　her　any；　personal　wrong？　　Her　answer　was　the　same；　but　she　added：

〃It　is　you　who　have　caused　the　misery　of　the　nation。〃

〃You　have　been　told　so；〃　answered　the　Queen；　〃you　are　deceived。　　As　the　wife　of　the　King　of　France；　and　mother　of　the　Dauphin；　I　am　a　French…　woman；　I　shall　never　see　my　own　country　again；　I　can　be　happy　or　unhappy　only　in　France；　I　was　happy　when　you　loved　me。〃

The　fury　began　to　weep；　asked　her　pardon；　and　said；　〃It　was　because　I　did　not　know　you；　I　see　that　you　are　good。〃

Santerre；　the　monarch　of　the　faubourgs；　made　his　subjects　file　off　as　quickly　as　he　could；　and　it　was　thought　at　the　time　that　he　was　ignorant　of　the　object　of　this　insurrection；　which　was　the　murder　of　the　royal　family。　　However；　it　was　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　before　the　palace　was　completely　cleared。　　Twelve　deputies；　impelled　by　attachment　to　the　King's　person；　ranged　themselves　near　him　at　the　commencement　of　the　insurrection；　but　the　deputation　from　the　Assembly　did　not　reach　the　Tuileries　until　six　in　the　evening；　all　the　doors　of　the　apartments　were　broken。　　The　Queen　pointed　out　to　the　deputies　the　state　of　the　King's　palace；　and　the　disgraceful　manner　in　which　his　asylum　had　been　violated　under　the　very　eyes　of　the　Assembly；　she　saw　that　Merlin　de　Thionville　was　so　much　affected　as　to　shed　tears　while　she　spoke。

〃You　weep；　M。　Merlin；〃　said　she　to　him；　〃at　seeing　the　King　and　his　family　so　cruelly　treated　by　a　people　whom　he　always　wished　to　make　happy。〃

〃True；　Madame；〃　replied　Merlin；　〃I　weep　for　the　misfortunes　of　a　beautiful　and　feeling　woman；　the　mother　of　a　family；　but　do　not　mistake；　not　one　of　my　tears　falls　for　either　King　or　Queen；　I　hate　kings　and　queens；it　is　my　religion。〃

The　Queen　could　not　appreciate　this　madness；　and　saw　all　that　was　to　be　apprehended　by　persons　who　evinced　it。

All　hope　was　gone；　and　nothing　was　thought　of　but　succour　from　abroad。　The　Queen　appealed　to　her　family　and　the　King's　brothers；　her　letters　probably　became　more　pressing；　and　expressed　apprehensions　upon　the　tardiness　of　relief。　　Her　Majesty　read　me　one　to　herself　from　the　Archduchess　Christina；　Gouvernante　of　the　Low　Countries：　she　reproached　the　Queen　for　some　of　her　expressions；　and　told　her　that　those　out　of　France　were　at　least　as　much　alarmed　as　herself　at　the　King's　situation　and　her　own；　but　that　the　manner　of　attempting　to　assist　her　might　either　save　her　or　endanger　her　safety；　and　that　the　members　of　the　coalition　were　bound　to　act　prudently；　entrusted　as　they　were　with　interests　so　dear　to　them。

The　14th　of　July；　1792；　fixed　by　the　constitution　as　the　anniversary　of　the　independence　of　the　nation　drew　near。　　The　King　and　Queen　were　compelled　to　make　their　appearance　on　the　occasion；　aware　that　the　plot　of　the　20th　of　June　had　their　assassination　for　its　object；　they　had　no　doubt　but　that　their　death　was　determined　on　for　the　day　of　this　national　festival。　　The　Queen　was　recommended；　in　order　to　give　the　King's　friends　time　to　defend　him　if　the　attack　should　be　made；　to　guard　him　against　the　first　stroke　of　a　dagger　by　making　him　wear　a　breastplate。　　I　was　directed　to　get　one　made　in　my　apartments：　it　was　composed　of　fifteen　folds　of　Italian　taffety；　and　formed　into　an　under…waistcoat　and　a　wide　belt。　　This　breastplate　was　tried；　it　resisted　all　thrusts　of　the　dagger；　and　several　balls　were　turned　aside　by　it。　　When　it　was　completed　the　difficulty　was　to　let　the　King　try　it　on　without　running　the　risk　of　being　surprised。　　I　wore　the　immense　heavy　waistcoat　as　an　under…　petticoat　for　three　days　without　being　able　to　find　a　favourable　moment。　At　length　the　King　found　an　opportunity　one　morning　to　pull　off　his　coat　in　the　Queen's　chamber　and　try　on　the　breastplate。

The　Queen　was　in　bed；　the　King　pulled　me　gently　by　the　gown；　and　drew　me　as　far　as　he　could　from　the　Queen's　bed；　and　said　to　me；　in　a　very　low　tone　of　voice：　〃It　is　to　satisfy　her　that　I　submit　to　this　inconvenience：　they　will　not　assassinate　me；　their　scheme　is　changed；　they　will　put　me　to　death　another　way。〃　　The　Queen　heard　the　King　whispering　to　me；　and　when　he　was　gone　out　she　asked　me　what　he　had　said。　　I　hesitated　to　answer；　she　insisted　that　I　should；　saying　that　nothing　must　be　concealed　from　her；　and　that　she　was　resigned　upon　every　point。

When　she　was　informed　of　the　King's　remark　she　told　me　she　had　guessed　it；　that　he　had　long　since　observed　to　her　that　all　which　was　going　forward　in　France　was　an　imitation　of　the　revolution　in　England　in　the　time　of　Charles　I。；　and　that　he　was　incessantly　reading　the　history　of　that　unfortunate　monarch　in　order　that　he　might　act　better　than　Charles　had　done　at　a　similar　crisis。　　〃I　begin　to　be　fearful　of　the　King's　being　brought　to　trial；〃　continued　the　Queen；　〃as　to　me；　I　am　a　foreigner；　they　will　assassinate　me。　　What　will　become　of　my　poor　children？〃

These　sad　ejaculations　were　followed　by　a　torrent　of　tears。　　I　wished　to　give　her　an　antispasmodic；　she　refused　it；　saying　that　only　happy　women　could　feel　nervous；　that　the　cruel　situation　to　which　she　was　reduced　rendered　these　remedies　useless。　　In　fact；　the　Queen；　who　during　her　happier　days　was　frequently　attacked　by　hysterical　disorders；　enjoyed　more　uniform　health　when　all　the　faculties　of　her　soul　were　called　forth　to　support　her　physical　strength。

I　had　prepared　a　corset　for　her；　for　the　same　purpose　as　the　King's　under…waistcoat；　without　her　knowledge；　but　she　would　not　make　use　of　it；　all　my　entreaties；　all　my　tears；　were　in　vain。　　〃If　the　factions　assassinate　me；〃　she　replied；　〃it　will　be　a　fortunate　event　for　me；　they　will　deliver　me　from　a　most　painful　existence。〃　　A　few　days　after　the　King　had　tried　on　his　breastplate　I　met　him　on　a　back　staircase。　　I　drew　back　to　let　him　pass。　　He　stopped　and　took　my　hand；　I　wished　to　kiss　his；　he　would　not　suffer　it；　but　drew　me　towards　him　by　the　hand；　and　kissed　both　my　cheeks　without　saying　a　single　word。

The　fear　of　another　attack　upon　the　Tuileries　occasioned　scrupulous　search　among　the　King's　papers

I　burnt　almost　all　those　belonging　to　the　Queen。　　She　put　her　family　letters；　a　great　deal　of　correspondence　which　she　thought　it　necessary　to　preserve　for　the　history　of　the　era　of　the　Revolution；　and　particularly　Barnave's　letters　and　her　answers；　of　which　she　had　copies；　into　a　portfolio；　which　she　entrusted　to　M。　de　J。　　That　gentleman　was　unable　to　save　this　deposit；　and　it　was　burnt。　　The　Queen　left　a　few　papers　in　her　secretaire。　　Among　them　were　instructions　to　Madame　de　Tourzel；　respecting　the　dispositions　of　her　children　and　the　characters　and　abilities　of　the　sub…governesses　under　that　lady's　orders。　　This　paper；　which　the　Queen　drew　up　at　the　time　of　Madame　de　Tourzel's　appointment；　with　several　letters　from　Maria　Theresa；　filled　with　the　best　advice　and　instructions；　was　printed　after　the　10th　of　August　by　order　of　the　Assembly　in　the　collection　of　papers　found　in　the　secretaires　of　the　King　and　Queen。

Her　Majesty　had　still；　without　reckoning　the　income　of　the　month；　one　hundred　and　forty　thousand　francs　in　gold。　　She　was　desirous　of　depositing　the　whole　of　it　with　me；　but　I　advised　her　to　retain　fifteen　hundred　louis；　as　a　sum　of　rather　considerable　amount　might　be　suddenly　necessary　for　her。　　The　King　had　an　immense　quantity　of　papers；　and　unfortunately　conceived　the　idea　of　privately　making；　with　the　assistance　of　a　locksmith　who　had　worked　with　him　above　ten　years；　a　place　of　concealment　in　an　inner　corridor　of　his　apartments。　　The　place　of　concealment；　but　for　the　man's　information；　would　have　been　long　undiscovered？　　The　wall　in　which　it　was　made　was　painted　to　imitate　large　stones；　and　the　opening　was　entirely　concealed　among　the　brown　grooves　which　formed　the　shaded　part　of　these　painted　stones。　　But　even　before　this　locksmith　had　denounced　what　was　afterwards　called　the　iron　closet　to　the　Assembly；　the　Queen　was　aware　that　he　had　talked　of　it　to　some　of　his　friends；　and　that　this　man；　in　whom　the　King　from　long　habit　placed　too　much　confidence；　was　a　Jacobin。　　She　warned　the　King　of　it；　and　prevailed　on　him　to　fill　a　very　large　portfolio　with　all　the　papers　he　was　most　interested　in　preserving；　and　entrust　it　to　me。　　She　entreated　him　in　my　presence　to　leave　nothing　in　this　closet；　and　the　King；　in　order　to　quiet　her；　told　her　that　he　had　left　nothing　there。　　I　would　have　taken　the　portfolio　and　carried　it　to　my　apartment；　but　it　was　too　heavy　for　me　to　lift。　　The　King　said　he　would　carry　it　himself；　I　went　before　to　open　the　doors　for　him。　　When　he　placed　the　portfolio　in　my　inner　closet　he　merely　said；　〃The　Queen　will　tell　you　what　it　contains。〃　Upon　my　return　to　the　Queen　I　put　the　question　to　her；　deeming；　from　what　the　King　had　said；　that　it　was　necessary　I　should　know。　　〃They　are；〃　the　Queen　answered　me；　〃such　documents　as　would　be　most　dangerous　to　the　King　should　they　go　so　far　as　to　proceed　to　a　trial　against　him。　　But　what　he　wishes　me　to　tell　you　is；　that　the　portfolio　contains　a　'proces…verbal'　of　a　cabinet　council；　in　which　the　King　gave　his　opinion　against　the　war。　He　had　it　signed　by　all　the　ministers；　and；　in　case　of　a　trial；　he　trusts　that　this　document　will　be　very　useful　to　him。〃　　I　asked　the　Queen　to　whom　she　thought　I　ought　to　commit　the　portfolio。　　〃To　whom　you　please；〃　answered　she；　〃you　alone　are　answerable　for　it。　　Do　not　quit　the　palace　even　during　your　vacation　months：　there　may　be　circumstances　under　which　it　would　be　very　desirable　t