the memoirs of marie antoinette-第66章

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　crowd　of　people　which　collected　upon　the　terrace　warned　him　of　his　imprudence；　and　the　danger　which　he　ran。　　He　immediately　pulled　off　his　shoes；　took　out　his　handkerchief；　and　wiped　the　dust　from　their　soles。　　The　people　cried　out；　〃Bravo！　　the　good　citizen　for　ever！〃　　He　was　carried　off　in　triumph。　　The　shutting　up　of　the　Tuileries　did　not　enable　the　Queen　and　her　children　to　walk　in　the　garden。　　The　people　on　the　terrace　sent　forth　dreadful　shouts；　and　she　was　twice　compelled　to　return　to　her　apartments。

In　the　early　part　of　August　many　zealous　persons　offered　the　King　money；　he　refused　considerable　sums；　being　unwilling　to　injure　the　fortunes　of　individuals。　　M。　de　la　Ferte；　intendant　of　the　'menus　plaisirs'；　brought　me　a　thousand　louis；　requesting　me　to　lay　them　at　the　feet　of　the　Queen。　He　thought　she　could　not　have　too　much　money　at　so　perilous　a　time；　and　that　every　good　Frenchman　should　hasten　to　place　all　his　ready　money　in　her　hands。　　She　refused　this　sum；　and　others　of　much　greater　amount　which　were　offered　to　her。

　　　　　＇M。　Auguie；　my　brother…in…law；　receiver…general　of　the　finances；　　　　　　offered　her；　through　his　wife；　a　portfolio　containing　one　hundred　　　　　　thousand　crowns　in　paper　money。　　On　this　occasion　the　Queen　said　the　　　　　　most　affecting　things　to　my　sister；　expressive　of　her　happiness　at　　　　　　having　contributed　to　the　fortunes　of　such　faithful　subjects　as　　　　　　herself　and　her　husband；　but　declined　her　offer。MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

However；　a　few　days　afterwards；　she　told　me　she　would　accept　M。　de　la　Ferte's　twenty…four　thousand　francs；　because　they　would　make　up　a　sum　which　the　King　had　to　expend。　　She　therefore　directed；　me　to　go　and　receive　those　twenty…four　thousand　francs；　to　add　them　to　the　one　hundred　thousand　francs　she　had　placed　in　my　hands；　and　to　change　the　whole　into　assignats　to　increase　their　amount。　　Her　orders　were　executed；　and　the　assignats　were　delivered　to　the　King。　　The　Queen　informed　me　that　Madame　Elisabeth　had　found　a　well…meaning　man　who　had　engaged　to　gain　over　Petion　by　the　bribe　of　a　large　sum　of　money；　and　that　deputy　would；　by　a　preconcerted　signal；　inform　the　King　of　the　success　of　the　project。　　His　Majesty　soon　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing　Petion；　and　on　the　Queen　asking　him　before　me　if　he　was　satisfied　with　him；　the　King　replied；　〃Neither　more　nor　less　satisfied　than　usual；　he　did　not　make　the　concerted　signal；　and　I　believe　I　have　been　cheated。〃　　The　Queen　then　condescended　to　explain　the　whole　of　the　enigma　to　me。　　〃Petion；〃　said　she；　〃was；　while　talking　to　the　King；　to　have　kept　his　finger　fixed　upon　his　right　eye　for　at　least　two　seconds。〃〃He　did　not　even　put　his　hand　up　to　his　chin；〃　said　the　King；　〃after　all；　it　is　but　so　much　money　stolen：　the　thief　will　not　boast　of　it；　and　the　affair　will　remain　a　secret。　　Let　us　talk　of　something　else。〃　　He　turned　to　me　and　said；　〃Your　father　was　an　intimate　friend　of　Mandat；　who　now　commands　the　National　Guard；　describe　him　to　me；　what　ought　I　to　expect　from　him？〃　　I　answered　that　he　was　one　of　his　Majesty's　most　faithful　subjects；　but　that　with　a　great　deal　of　loyalty　he　possessed　very　little　sense；　and　that　he　was　involved　in　the　constitutional　vortex。　　〃I　understand；〃　said　the　King；　〃he　is　a　man　who　would　defend　my　palace　and　my　person；　because　that　is　enjoined　by　the　constitution　which　he　has　sworn　to　support；　but　who　would　fight　against　the　party　in　favour　of　sovereign　authority；　it　is　well　to　know　this　with　certainty。〃

On　the　next　day　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　sent　for　me　very　early　in　the　morning。　　I　found　her　on　a　sofa　facing　a　window　that　looked　upon　the　Pont　Royal。　　She　then　occupied　that　apartment　of　the　Pavilion　of　Flora　which　was　on　a　level　with　that　of　the　Queen。　　She　desired　me　to　sit　down　by　her。　　Her　Highness　had　a　writing…desk　upon　her　knees。　　〃You　have　had　many　enemies；〃　said　she；　〃attempts　have　been　made　to　deprive　you　of　the　Queen's　favour；　they　have　been　far　from　successful。　　Do　you　know　that　even　I　myself；　not　being　so　well　acquainted　with　you　as　the　Queen；　was　rendered　suspicious　of　you；　and　that　upon　the　arrival　of　the　Court　at　the　Tuileries　I　gave　you　a　companion　to　be　a　spy　upon　you；　and　that　I　had　another　belonging　to　the　police　placed　at　your　door！　　I　was　assured　that　you　received　five　or　six　of　the　most　virulent　deputies　of　the　Tiers　Etat；　but　it　was　that　wardrobe　woman　whose　rooms　were　above　you。

〃In　short；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃persons　of　integrity　have　nothing　to　fear　from　the　evil…disposed　when　they　belong　to　so　upright　a　prince　as　the　King。　　As　to　the　Queen；　she　knows　you；　and　has　loved　you　ever　since　she　came　into　France。　　You　shall　judge　of　the　King's　opinion　of　you：　it　was　yesterday　evening　decided　in　the　family　circle　that；　at　a　time　when　the　Tuileries　is　likely　to　be　attacked；　it　was　necessary　to　have　the　most　faithful　account　of　the　opinions　and　conduct　of　all　the　individuals　composing　the　Queen's　service。　　The　King　takes　the　same　precaution　on　his　part　respecting　all　who　are　about　him。　　He　said　there　was　with　him　a　person　of　great　integrity；　to　whom　he　would　commit　this　inquiry；　and　that；　with　regard　to　the　Queen's　household；　you　must　be　spoken　to；　that　he　had　long　studied　your　character；　and　that　he　esteemed　your　veracity。〃

The　Princess　had　a　list　of　the　names　of　all　who　belonged　to　the　Queen's　chamber　on　her　desk。　　She　asked　me　for　information　respecting　each　individual。　　I　was　fortunate　in　having　none　but　the　most　favourable　information　to　give。　　I　had　to　speak　of　my　avowed　enemy　in　the　Queen's　chamber；　of　her　who　most　wished　that　I　should　be　responsible　for　my　brother's　political　opinions。　　The　Princess；　as　the　head　of　the　chamber；　could　not　be　ignorant　of　this　circumstance；　but　as　the　person　in　question；　who　idolised　the　King　and　Queen；　would　not　have　hesitated　to　sacrifice　her　life　in　order　to　save　theirs；　and　as　possibly　her　attachment　to　them；　united　to　considerable　narrowness　of　intellect　and　a　limited　education；　contributed　to　her　jealousy　of　me；　I　spoke　of　her　in　the　highest　terms。

The　Princess　wrote　as　I　dictated；　and　occasionally　looked　at　me　with　astonishment。　　When　I　had　done　I　entreated　her　to　write　in　the　margin　that　the　lady　alluded　to　was　my　declared　enemy。　　She　embraced　me；　saying；　〃Ah！　do　not　write　it！　　we　should　not　record　an　unhappy　circumstance　which　ought　to　be　forgotten。〃　　We　came　to　a　man　of　genius　who　was　much　attached　to　the　Queen；　and　I　described　him　as　a　man　born　solely　to　contradict；　showing　himself　an　aristocrat　with　democrats；　and　a　democrat　among　aristocrats；　but　still　a　man　of　probity；　and　well　disposed　to　his　sovereign。　　The　Princess　said　she　knew　many　persons　of　that　disposition；　and　that　she　was　delighted　I　had　nothing　to　say　against　this　man；　because　she　herself　had　placed　him　about　the　Queen。

The　whole　of　her　Majesty's　chamber；　which　consisted　entirely　of　persons　of　fidelity；　gave　throughout　all　the　dreadful　convulsions　of　the　Revolution　proofs　of　the　greatest　prudence　and　self…devotion。　　The　same　cannot　be　said　of　the　antechambers。　　With　the　exception　of　three　or　four；　all　the　servants　of　that　class　were　outrageous　Jacobins；　and　I　saw　on　those　occasions　the　necessity　of　composing　the　private　household　of　princes　of　persons　completely　separated　from　the　class　of　the　people。

The　situation　of　the　royal　family　was　so　unbearable　during　the　months　which　immediately　preceded　the　10th　of　August　that　the　Queen　longed　for　the　crisis；　whatever　might　be　its　issue。　　She　frequently　said　that　a　long　confinement　in　a　tower　by　the　seaside　would　seem　to　her　less　intolerable　than　those　feuds　in　which　the　weakness　of　her　party　daily　threatened　an　inevitable　catastrophe。

　　　　　＇A　few　days　before　the　10th　of　August　the　squabbles　between　the　　　　　　royalists　and　the　Jacobins；　and　between　the　Jacobins　and　the　　　　　　constitutionalists；　increased　in　warmth；　among　the　latter　those　men　　　　　　who　defended　the　principles　they　professed　with　the　greatest　talent；　　　　　　courage；　and　constancy　were　at　the　same　time　the　most　exposed　to　　　　　　danger。　　Montjoie　says：　〃The　question　of　dethronement　was　discussed　　　　　　with　a　degree　of　frenzy　in　the　Assembly。　　Such　of　the　deputies　as　　　　　　voted　against　it　were　abused；　ill　treated；　and　surrounded　by　　　　　　assassins。　　They　had　a　battle　to　fight　at　every　step　they　took；　and　　　　　　at　length　they　did　not　dare　to　sleep　in　their　own　houses。　　Of　this　　　　　　number　were　Regnault　de　Beaucaron；　Froudiere；　Girardin；　and　　　　　　Vaublanc。　　Girardin　complained　of　having　been　struck　in　one　of　the　　　　　　lobbies　of　the　Assembly。　　A　voice　cried　out　to　him；　'Say　where　were　　　　　　you　struck。'　　'Where？'　replied　Girardin；　'what　a　question！　　Behind。　　　　　　Do　assassins　ever　strike　otherwise？〃＇

Not　only　were　their　Majesties　prevented　from　breathing　the　open　air；　but　they　were　also　insulted　at　the　very　foot　of　the　altar。　　The　Sunday　before　the　last　day　of　the　monarchy；　while　the　royal　family　went　through　the　gallery　to　the　chapel；　half　the　soldiers　of　the　National　Guard　exclaimed；　〃Long　live　the　King！〃　and　the　other　half；　〃No；　no　King！　　Down　with　the　veto！〃　and　on　that　day　at　vespers　the　choristers　preconcerted　to　use　loud　and　threatening　emphasis　when　chanting　the　words；　〃Deposuit　potentes　de　sede；〃　in　the　〃Magnificat。〃　　Incensed　at　such　an　irreverent　proceeding；　the　royalists　in　their　turn　thrice　exclaimed；　〃Et　reginam；〃　after　the　〃Domine　salvum　fac　regem。〃　　The　tumult　during　the　whole　time　of　divine　service　was　excessive。

At　length　the　terrible　night　of　the　10th　of　August；　1792；　arrived。　　On　the　preceding　evening　Potion　went　to　the　Assembly　and　informed　it　that　preparations　were　making　for　an　insurrection　on　the　following　day；　that　the　tocsin　would　sound　at　midnight；　and　that　he　feared　he　had　not　sufficient　means　for　resisting　the　attack　which　was　about　to　take　place。　Upon　this　information　the　Assembly　passed　to　the　order　of　the　day。　Petion；　however；　gave　an　order　for　repelling　force　by　force。

　　　　　＇Petion　was　the　Mayor　of　Paris；　and　Mandat　on　this　day　was　　　　　　commandant　of　the　National　Guard。　　Mandat　was　assassinated　that　　　　　　night。　〃Thiers；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　260。＇

M。　Mandat　was　armed　with　this　order；　and；　finding　his　fidelity　to　the　King's　person　supported　by　what　he　considered　the　law　of　the　State；　he　conducted　himself　in　all　his　operations　with　the　greatest　energy。　　On　the　evening　of　the　9th　I　was　present　at　the　King's　supper。　　While　his　Majesty　was　giving　me　various　orders　we　heard　a　great　noise　at　the　door　of　the　apartment。　　I　went　to　see　what　was　the　cause　of　it；　and　found　the　two　sentinels　fighting。　　One　said；　speaking　of　the　King；　that　he　was　hearty　in　the　cause　of　the　constitution；　and　would　defend　it　at　the　peril　of　his　life；　the　other　maintained　that　he　was　an　encumbrance　to　the　only　constitution　suitable　to　a　free　people。　　They　were　almost　ready　to　cut　one　another's　throats。　　I　returned　with　a　countenance　which　betrayed　my　emotion。　　The　King　desired　to　know　what　was　going　forward　at　his　door；　I　could　not　conceal　it　from　him。　　The　Queen　said　she　was　not　at　all　surprised　at　it；　and　that　more　than　half　the　guard　belonged　to　the　Jacobin　party。

The　tocsin　sounded　at　midnight。　　The　Swiss　were　drawn　up　like　walls；　and　in　the　midst　of　their　soldierlike　silence；　which　formed　a　striking　contrast　with　the　perpetual　din　of　the　town　guard；　the　King　informed　M。　d