the memoirs of marie antoinette-第80章

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ks　that　had　been　his　youthful　glory　and　his　mother's　pride。　　This　worthy　pair　stripped　him　of　the　mourning　he　wore　for　his　father；　and　as　they　did　so；　they　called　it　'playing　at　the　game　of　the　spoiled　king。'　　They　alternately　induced　him　to　commit　excesses；　and　then　half　starved　him。　　They　beat　him　mercilessly；　nor　was　the　treatment　by　night　less　brutal　than　that　by　day。　As　soon　as　the　weary　boy　had　sunk　into　his　first　profound　sleep；　they　would　loudly　call　him　by　name；　'Capet！　　Capet！'　Startled；　nervous；　bathed　in　perspiration；　or　sometimes　trembling　with　cold；　he　would　spring　up；　rush　through　the　dark；　and　present　himself　at　Simon's　bedside；　murmuring；　tremblingly；　'I　am　here；　citizen。''Come　nearer；　let　me　feel　you。'　He　would　approach　the　bed　as　he　was　ordered；　although　he　knew　the　treatment　that　awaited　him。　　Simon　would　buffet　him　on　the　head；　or　kick　him　away；　adding　the　remark；　'Get　to　bed　again；　wolfs　cub；　I　only　wanted　to　know　that　you　were　safe。'　　On　one　of　these　occasions；　when　the　child　had　fallen　half　stunned　upon　his　own　miserable　couch；　and　lay　there　groaning　and　faint　with　pain；　Simon　roared　out　with　a　laugh；　'Suppose　you　were　king；　Capet；　what　would　you　do　to　me？'　The　child　thought　of　his　father's　dying　words；　and　said；　'I　would　forgive　you。'〃'＇THIERS＇

The　change　in　the　young　Prince's　mode　of　life；　and　the　cruelties　and　caprices　to　which　he　was　subjected；　soon　made　him　fall　ill；　says　his　sister。　　〃Simon　forced　him　to　eat　to　excess；　and　to　drink　large　quantities　of　wine；　which　he　detested　。　　。　　。　　。　　He　grew　extremely　fat　without　increasing　in　height　or　strength。〃　　His　aunt　and　sister；　deprived　of　the　pleasure　of　tending　him；　had　the　pain　of　hearing　his　childish　voice　raised　in　the　abominable　songs　his　gaolers　taught　him。　　The　brutality　of　Simon　〃depraved　at　once　the　body　and　soul　of　his　pupil。　　He　called　him　the　young　wolf　of　the　Temple。　　He　treated　him　as　the　young　of　wild　animals　are　treated　when　taken　from　the　mother　and　reduced　to　captivity；at　once　intimidated　by　blows　and　enervated　by　taming。　　He　punished　for　sensibility；　he　rewarded　meanness；　he　encouraged　vice；　he　made　the　child　wait　on　him　at　table；　sometimes　striking　him　on　the　face　with　a　knotted　towel；　sometimes　raising　the　poker　and　threatening　to　strike　him　with　it。〃

　　　　　＇Simon　left　the　Temple　to　become　a　municipal　officer。　　He　was　　　　　　involved　in　the　overthrow　of　Robespierre；　and　guillotined　the　day　　　　　　after　him；　29th　July；　1794。＇

Yet　when　Simon　was　removed　the　poor　young　Prince's　condition　became　even　worse。　　His　horrible　loneliness　induced　an　apathetic　stupor　to　which　any　suffering　would　have　been　preferable。　　〃He　passed　his　days　without　any　kind　of　occupation；　they　did　not　allow　him　light　in　the　evening。　　His　keepers　never　approached　him　but　to　give　him　food；〃　and　on　the　rare　occasions　when　they　took　him　to　the　platform　of　the　Tower；　he　was　unable　or　unwilling　to　move　about。　　When；　in　November；　1794；　a　commissary　named　Gomin　arrived　at　the　Temple；　disposed　to　treat　the　little　prisoner　with　kindness；　it　was　too　late。　　〃He　took　extreme　care　of　my　brother；〃　says　Madame　Royale。　　〃For　a　long　time　the　unhappy　child　had　been　shut　up　in　darkness；　and　he　was　dying　of　fright。　　He　was　very　grateful　for　the　attentions　of　Gomin；　and　became　much　attached　to　him。〃　　But　his　physical　condition　was　alarming；　and；　owing　to　Gomin's　representations；　a　commission　was　instituted　to　examine　him。　　〃The　commissioners　appointed　were　Harmond；　Mathieu；　and　Reverchon；　who　visited　'Louis　Charles；'　as　he　was　now　called；　in　the　month　of　February；　1795。　　They　found　the　young　Prince　seated　at　a　square　deal　table；　at　which　he　was　playing　with　some　dirty　cards；　making　card　houses　and　the　like；the　materials　having　been　furnished　him；　probably；　that　they　might　figure　in　the　report　as　evidences　of　indulgence。　　He　did　not　look　up　from　the　table　as　the　commissioners　entered。　　He　was　in　a　slate…coloured　dress；　bareheaded；　the　room　was　reported　as　clean；　the　bed　in　good　condition；　the　linen　fresh；　his　clothes　were　also　reported　as　new；　but；　in　spite　of　all　these　assertions；　it　is　well　known　that　his　bed　had　not　been　made　for　months；　that　he　had　not　left　his　room；　nor　was　permitted　to　leave　it；　for　any　purpose　whatever；　that　it　was　consequently　uninhabitable；　and　that　he　was　covered　with　vermin　and　with　sores。　　The　swellings　at　his　knees　alone　were　sufficient　to　disable　him　from　walking。　　One　of　the　commissioners　approached　the　young　Prince　respectfully。　　The　latter　did　not　raise　his　head。　　Harmond　in　a　kind　voice　begged　him　to　speak　to　them。　　The　eyes　of　the　boy　remained　fixed　on　the　table　before　him。　　They　told　him　of　the　kindly　intentions　of　the　Government；　of　their　hopes　that　he　would　yet　be　happy；　and　their　desire　that　he　would　speak　unreservedly　to　the　medical　man　that　was　to　visit　him。　　He　seemed　to　listen　with　profound　attention；　but　not　a　single　word　passed　his　lips。　　It　was　an　heroic　principle　that　impelled　that　poor　young　heart　to　maintain　the　silence　of　a　mute　in　presence　of　these　men。　　He　remembered　too　well　the　days　when　three　other　commissaries　waited　on　him；　regaled　him　with　pastry　and　wine；　and　obtained　from　him　that　hellish　accusation　against　the　mother　that　he　loved。　　He　had　learnt　by　some　means　the　import　of　the　act；　so　far　as　it　was　an　injury　to　his　mother。　　He　now　dreaded　seeing　again　three　commissaries；　hearing　again　kind　words；　and　being　treated　again　with　fine　promises。　　Dumb　as　death　itself　he　sat　before　them；　and　remained　motionless　as　stone；　and　as　mute。〃　＇THIERS＇

His　disease　now　made　rapid　progress；　and　Gomin　and　Lasne；　superintendents　of　the　Temple；　thinking　it　necessary　to　inform　the　Government　of　the　melancholy　condition　of　their　prisoner；　wrote　on　the　register：　〃Little　Capet　is　unwell。〃　　No　notice　was　taken　of　this　account；　which　was　renewed　next　day　in　more　urgent　terms：　〃Little　Capet　is　dangerously　ill。〃　　Still　there　was　no　word　from　beyond　the　walls。　　〃We　must　knock　harder；〃　said　the　keepers　to　each　other；　and　they　added；　〃It　is　feared　he　will　not　live；〃　to　the　words　〃dangerously　ill。〃　　At　length；　on　Wednesday；　6th　May；　1795；　three　days　after　the　first　report；　the　authorities　appointed　M。　Desault　to　give　the　invalid　the　assistance　of　his　art。　　After　having　written　down　his　name　on　the　register　he　was　admitted　to　see　the　Prince。　He　made　a　long　and　very　attentive　examination　of　the　unfortunate　child；　asked　him　many　questions　without　being　able　to　obtain　an　answer；　and　contented　himself　with　prescribing　a　decoction　of　hops；　to　be　taken　by　spoonfuls　every　half…hour；　from　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　till　eight　in　the　evening。　　On　the　first　day　the　Prince　steadily　refused　to　take　it。　In　vain　Gomin　several　times　drank　off　a　glass　of　the　potion　in　his　presence；　his　example　proved　as　ineffectual　as　his　words。　　Next　day　Lasne　renewed　his　solicitations。　　〃Monsieur　knows　very　well　that　I　desire　nothing　but　the　good　of　his　health；　and　he　distresses　me　deeply　by　thus　refusing　to　take　what　might　contribute　to　it。　　I　entreat　him　as　a　favour　not　to　give　me　this　cause　of　grief。〃　　And　as　Lasne；　while　speaking；　began　to　taste　the　potion　in　a　glass；　the　child　took　what　he　offered　him　out　of　his　hands。　　〃You　have；　then；　taken　an　oath　that　I　should　drink　it；〃　said　he；　firmly；　〃well；　give　it　me；　I　will　drink　it。〃　　From　that　moment　he　conformed　with　docility　to　whatever　was　required　of　him；　but　the　policy　of　the　Commune　had　attained　its　object；　help　had　been　withheld　till　it　was　almost　a　mockery　to　supply　it。

The　Prince's　weakness　was　excessive；　his　keepers　could　scarcely　drag　him　to　the；　top　of　the　Tower；　walking　hurt　his　tender　feet；　and　at　every　step　he　stopped　to　press　the　arm　of　Lasne　with　both　hands　upon　his　breast。　　At　last　he　suffered　so　much　that　it　was　no　longer　possible　for　him　to　walk；　and　his　keeper　carried　him　about；　sometimes　on　the　platform；　and　sometimes　in　the　little　tower；　where　the　royal　family　had　lived　at　first。　But　the　slight　improvement　to　his　health　occasioned　by　the　change　of　air　scarcely　compensated　for　the　pain　which　his　fatigue　gave　him。　　On　the　battlement　of　the　platform　nearest　the　left　turret；　the　rain　had；　by　perseverance　through　ages；　hollowed　out　a　kind　of　basin。　　The　water　that　fell　remained　there　for　several　days；　and　as；　during　the　spring　of　1795；　storms　were　of　frequent　occurrence；　this　little　sheet　of　water　was　kept　constantly　supplied。　　Whenever　the　child　was　brought　out　upon　the　platform；　he　saw　a　little　troop　of　sparrows；　which　used　to　come　to　drink　and　bathe　in　this　reservoir。　　At　first　they　flew　away　at　his　approach；　but　from　being　accustomed　to　see　him　walking　quietly　there　every　day；　they　at　last　grew　more　familiar；　and　did　not　spread　their　wings　for　flight　till　he　came　up　close　to　them。　　They　were　always　the　same；　he　knew　them　by　sight；　and　perhaps　like　himself　they　were　inhabitants　of　that　ancient　pile。　　He　called　them　his　birds；　and　his　first　action；　when　the　door　into　the　terrace　was　opened；　was　to　look　towards　that　side；　and　the　sparrows　were　always　there。　　He　delighted　in　their　chirping；　and　he　must　have　envied　them　their　wings。

Though　so　little　could　be　done　to　alleviate　his　sufferings；　a　moral　improvement　was　taking　place　in　him。　　He　was　touched　by　the　lively　interest　displayed　by　his　physician；　who　never　failed　to　visit　him　at　nine　o'clock　every　morning。　　He　seemed　pleased　with　the　attention　paid　him；　and　ended　by　placing　entire　confidence　in　M。　Desault。　　Gratitude　loosened　his　tongue；　brutality　and　insult　had　failed　to　extort　a　murmur；　but　kind　treatment　restored　his　speech　he　had　no　words　for　anger；　but　he　found　them　to　express　his　thanks。　　M。　Desault　prolonged　his　visits　as　long　as　the　officers　of　the　municipality　would　permit。　　When　they　announced　the　close　of　the　visit；　the　child；　unwilling　to　beg　them　to　allow　a　longer　time；　held　back　M。　Desault　by　the　skirt　of　his　coat。　Suddenly　M。　Desault's　visits　ceased。　　Several　days　passed　and　nothing　was　heard　of　him。　　The　keepers　wondered　at　his　absence；　and　the　poor　little　invalid　was　much　distressed　at　it。　　The　commissary　on　duty　（M。　Benoist）　suggested　that　it　would　be　proper　to　send　to　the　physician's　house　to　make　inquiries　as　to　the　cause　of　so　long　an　absence。　　Gomin　and　Larne　had　not　yet　ventured　to　follow　this　advice；　when　next　day　M。　Benoist　was　relieved　by　M。　Bidault；　who；　hearing　M。　Desault's　name　mentioned　as　he　came　in；　immediately　said；　〃You　must　not　expect　to　see　him　any　more；　he　died　yesterday。〃

M。　Pelletan；　head　surgeon　of　the　Grand　Hospice　de　l'Humanite；　was　next　directed　to　attend　the　prisoner；　and　in　June　he　found　him　in　so　alarming　a　state　that　he　at　once　asked　for　a　coadjutor；　fearing　to　undertake　the　responsibility　alone。　　The　physiciansent　for　form's　sake　to　attend　the　dying　child；　as　an　advocate　is　given　by　law　to　a　criminal　condemned　beforehandblamed　the　officers　of　the　municipality　for　not　having　removed　the　blind；　which　obstructed　the　light；　and　the　numerous　bolts；　the　noise　of　which　never　failed　to　remind　the　victim　bf　his　captivity。　That　sound；　which　always　caused　him　an　involuntary　shudder；　disturbed　him　in　the　last　mournful　scene　of　his　unparalleled　tortures。　　M。　Pelletan　said　authoritatively　to　the　municipal　on　duty；　〃If　you　will　not　take　these　bolts　and　casings　away　at　once；　at　least　you　can　make　no　objection　to　our　carrying　the　child　int