marie antoinette and her son-第13章

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〃Certainly　it　was　better；〃　cried　the　mob。　〃The　lord　cardinal　is　a
noble　man。　Long　live　Cardinal　de　Rohan！〃

〃Perish　the　Austrian；　perish　the　jewelled　queen！〃　cried　the　cobbler
Simon；　who　was　standing　amid　the　crowd；　and　a　hundred　voices
muttered　after　him；　〃Perish　the　Austrian！〃

〃Listen；　my　dear　people　of　Paris；　you　good　natured　lambs；　whose　wool
is　plucked　off　that　the　Austrian　woman　may　have　a　softer　bed；〃　cried
a　shrieking　voice；　〃hear　what　has　occurred　to…day。　I　can　tell　you
accurately；　for　I　have　just　come　from　Parliament；　and　a　good　friend
of　mine　has　copied　for　me　the　address　with　which　the　king　is　going
to　open　the　session　today。〃

〃Read　it　to　us；〃　cried　the　crowd。　〃Keep　quiet　there！　keep　still
there！　We　want　to　hear　the　address。　Read　it　to　us。〃

〃I　will　do　it　gladly；　but　you　will　not　be　able　to　understand　me；〃
shrieked　the　voice。　〃I　am　only　little　in　comparison　with　you；　as
every　one　is　little　who　opposes　himself　to　the　highest　majesty　of
the　earth；　the　people。〃

〃Hear　that；〃　cried　one　of　those　who　stood　nearest　to　those　a　little
farther　away　〃　hear　that；　he　calls　us　majesties！　He　seems　to　be　an
excellent　gentleman；　and　he　does　not　look　down　upon　us。〃

〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　wise　man　looking　down　upon　the　prince　royal；
who　is　young；　fair；　and　strong？〃　asked　the　barking　voice。

〃He　is　right；　we　cannot　understand　him；〃　cried　those　who　stood
farthest　away；　pressing　forward。　〃What　did　he　say？　He　must　repeat
his　words。　Lift　him　up　so　that　we　all　may　hear　him。〃

A　broad　shouldered；　gigantic　citizen；　in　good　clothing；　and　with　an
open；　spirited　countenance；　and　a　bold；　defiant　bearing；　pressed
through　the　crowd　to　the　neighborhood　of　the　speaker。

〃Come；　little　man；〃　cried　he；　〃I　will　raise　you　up　on　my　shoulder；
and；　but　see；　it　is　our　friend　Marat；　the　little　man；　but　the　great
doctor！〃

〃And　you　truly；　you　are　my　friend　Santerre；　the　great　man　and　the
greatest　of　doctors。　For　the　beer　which　you　get　from　his　brewery　is
a　better　medicine　for　the　people　than　all　my　electuaries　can　be。　And
you；　my　worthy　friend　of　the　hop…pole；　will　you　condescend　to　take
the　ugly　monkey　Marat　on　your　shoulders；　that　he　may　tell　the　people
the　great　news　of　the　day？〃

Instead　of　answering；　the　brewer　Santerre　seized　the　little　crooked
man　by　both　arms；　swung　him　up　with　giant　strength；　and　set　him　on
his　shoulders。

The　people；　delighted　with　the　dexterity　and　strength　of　the
herculean　man；　broke　into　a　loud　cheer；　and　applauded　the　brewer；
whom　all　knew；　and　who　was　a　popular　personage　in　the　city。　But
Marat；　too；　the　horse…doctor　of　the　Count　d'Artois；　as　he　called
himself　derisively；　the　doctor　of　poverty　and　misfortune；　as　his
flatterers　termed　himMarat；　too；　was　known　to　many　in　the　throng；
and　after　Santerre　had　been　applauded；　they　saluted　Marat　with　a
loud　vivat；　and　with　boisterous　clapping　of　hands。

He　turned　his　distorted；　ugly　visage　toward　the　Tuileries；　whose
massive　proportions　towered　up　above　the　lofty　trees　of　the　gardens；
and　with　a　threatening　gesture　shook　his　fist　at　the　royal　palace。

〃Have　you　heard　it；　you　proud　gods　of　the　earth？　Have　you　heard　the
sacred　thunder　mutterings　of　majesty？　Are　you　not　startled　from　the
sleep　of　your　vice；　and　compelled　to　fall　upon　your　knees　and　pray；
as　poor　sinners　do　before　their　judgment？　But　no。　You　do　not　see　and
you　do　not　hear。　Your　ears　are　deaf　and　your　hearts　are　sealed！
Behind　the　lofty　walls　of　Versailles；　which　a　most　vicious　king
erected　for　his　menus　plaisirs；　there　you　indulge　in　your　lusts；　and
shut　out　the　voice　of　truth；　which　would　speak　to　you　here　in　Paris
from　the　hallowed　lips　of　the　people。〃

〃Long　live　Marat！〃　cried　the　cobbler　Simon；　who；　drawn　by　the
shouting；　had　left　the　Franciscan；　and　joined　the　throng　in　whose
midst　stood　Santerre；　with　Marat　on　his　shoulders。　〃Long　live　the
great　friend　of　the　people！　Long　live　Marat！〃

〃Long　live　Marat！〃　cried　and　muttered　the　people。　〃Marat　heals　the
people　when　the　gentry　have　made　them　sick；　and　taken　the　very
marrow　from　their　bones。　Marat　is　no　'gentleman。'　Marat　does　not
look　down　upon　the　people！〃

〃My　friends；　I　repeat　to　you　what　I　said　before；〃　shrieked　Marat。
〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　wise　man　looking　down　upon　the　crown　prince；
and　thinking　more　of　the　king；　who　is　old；　unnerved　by　his　vices；
and　blase！　You；　the　people；　you　are　the　crown　prince　of　France；　and
if　you；　at　last；　in　your　righteous　and　noble　indignation；　tread　the
tyrant　under　your　feet；　then　the　young　prince；　the　people；　will　rule
over　France；　and　the　beautiful　words　of　the　Bible　will　be　fulfilled：
'There　shall　be　one　fold　and　one　shepherd。'　I　have　taken　this
improvised　throne　on　the　shoulders　of　a　noble　citizen　only　to　tell
you　of　an　impropriety　which　the　Queen　of　France　has　committed；　and
of　the　new　usurpation　with　which　she　treads　our　laws　under　her　feet；
not　tired　out　with　opera…house　balls　and　promenades　by　night。　I　will
read　you　the　address　which　the　king　sent　to　Parliament　to…day；　and
with　which　the　hearing　of　Cardinal　de　Rohan's　case　is　to　begin。　Will
the　people　hear　it？〃

〃Yes；　we　will　hear　it；〃　was　the　cry　from　all　sides。　〃Read　us　the
address。〃

Marat　drew　a　dirty　piece　of　paper　from　his　pocket；　and　began　to　read
with　a　loud；　barking　voice：

〃Louis；　by　the　grace　of　God；　King　of　France　and　Navarre；　to　our　dear
and　faithful　counsellors；　members　of　the　court　of　our　Parliament；
greeting：

〃It　has　come　to　our　knowledge　that　parties　named　Bohmer　and　Bassenge
have；　without　the　knowledge　of　the　queen；　our　much…loved　consort　and
spouse；　sold　a　diamond　necklace；　valued　at　one　million　six　hundred
thousand　francs；　to　Cardinal　de　Rohan；　who　stated　to　them　that　he
was　acting　in　the　matter　under　the　queen's　instructions。　Papers　were
laid　before　them　which　they　considered　as　approved　and　subscribed　by
the　queen。　After　the　said　Bohmer　and　Bassenge　had　delivered　the　said
necklace　to　the　said　cardinal；　and　had　not　received　the　first
payment；　they　applied　to　the　queen　herself。　We　have　beheld；　not
without　righteous　indignation；　the　eminent　name；　which　in　many　ways
is　so　dear　to　us；　lightly　spoken　of；　and　denied　the　respect　which　is
due　to　the　royal　majesty。　We　have　thought　that　it　pertains　to　the
jurisdiction　of　our　court　to　give　a　hearing　to　the　said　cardinal；
and　in　view　of　the　declaration　which　he　has　made　before　us；　that　he
was　deceived　by　a　woman　named　Lamotte…Valois；　we　have　held　it
necessary　to　secure　his　person；　as　well　as　that　of　Madame　Valois；　in
order　to　bring　all　the　parties　to　light　who　have　been　the
instigators　or　abettors　of　such　a　plot。　It　is　our　will；　therefore；
that　that　matter　come　before　the　high　court　of　Parliament；　and　that
it　be　duly　tried　and　judgment　given。〃

〃There　you　have　this　fine　message；〃　cried　Marat；　〃there　you　have　the
web　of　his；　which　this　Austrian　woman　has　woven　around　us。　For　it　is
she　who　has　sent　this　message　to　Parliament。　You　know　well　that　we
have　no　longer　a　King　of　France；　but　that　all　France　is　only　the
Trianon　of　the　Austrian。　It　stands　on　all　our　houses；　written　over
all　the　doors　of　government　buildings；　'De　par　la　reine！'　The
Austrian　woman　is　the　Queen　of　France；　and　the　good…natured　king
only　writes　what　she　dictates　to　him。　She　says　in　this　paper　that
these　precautions　have　been　taken　in　order　that　she　may　learn　who
are　the　persons　who　have　joined　in　the　attack　upon　her　distinguished
and　much…loved　person。　Who；　then；　is　the　abettor　of　Madame　Valois？
Who　has　received　the　diamonds　from　the　cardinal；　through　the
instrumentality　of　Madame　Valois？　I　assert；　it　is　the　queen　who　has
done　it。　She　received　the　jewels；　and　now　she　denies　the　whole
story。　And　now　this　woman　Lamotte…Valois　must　draw　the　hot　chestnuts
out　from　the　ashes。　You　know　this；　so　it　always　is！　Kings　may　go
unpunished；　they　always　have　a　bete　de　souffrance；　which　has　to　bear
their　burdens。　But　now　that　a　cardinal；　the　grand　almoner　of　France；
is　compelled　to　become　the　bete　de　souffrance　for　this　Austrian
woman；　must　show　you；　my　friends；　that　her　arrogance　has　reached　its
highest　point。　She　has　trodden　modesty　and　morals　under　foot；　and
now　she　will　tread　the　Church　under　foot　also。〃

〃Be　still！〃　was　the　cry　on　all　sides。　〃The　carbineers　and　gendarmes
are　coming。　Be　still；　Marat；　be　still！　You　must　not　be　arrested。　We
do　not　want　all　our　friends　to　be　taken　to　the　Bastile。〃

And　really　just　at　that　instant；　at　the　entrance　of　the　street　that
led　to　the　square　on　the　side　of　the　Tuileries；　appeared　a　division
of　carbineers；　advancing　at　great　speed。

Marat　jumped　with　the　speed　of　a　cat　down　from　the　huge　form　of　the
brewer。　The　crowd　opened　and　made　way　for　him；　and　before　the
carbineers　had　approached；　Marat　had　disappeared。

With　this　day　began　the　investigations　respecting　the　necklace　which
Messrs。　Bohmer　and　Bassenge　had　wanted　to　sell　the　queen　through　the
agency　of　Cardinal　Bohan。　The　latter　was　still　a　prisoner　in　the
Bastile。　He　was　treated　with　all　the　respect　due　to　his　rank。　He　had
a　whole　suite　of　apartments　assigned　to　him；　he　was　allowed　to
retain　the　service　of　both　his　chamberlains；　and　at　times　was
permitted　to　see　and　converse　with　his　relatives；　although；　it　is
true；　in　the　presence　of　the　governor　of　the　Bastile。　But　Foulon　was
a　very　pious　Catholic；　and　kept　a　respectful　distance　from　the　lord
cardinal；　who　never　failed　on　such　occasions　to　give　him　his
blessing。　In　the　many　hearings　which　the　cardinal　had　to　undergo；
the　president　of　the　committee　of　investigation　treated　him　with
extreme　consideration；　and　if　the　cardinal　felt　himself　wearied；　the
sitting　was　postponed　till　another　day。　Moreover；　at　these　hearings
the　defender　of　the　cardinal　could　take　part；　in　order　to　summon
those　witnesses　or　accused　persons　who　could　contribute　to　the
release　of　the　cardinal；　and　show　that　he　had　been　the　victim　of　a
deeply…laid　plot；　and　had　committed　no　other　wrong　than　that　of
being　too　zealous　in　the　service　of　the　queen。

News　spread　abroad　of　numerous　arrests　occurring　in　Paris。　It　had
been　known　from　the　royal　decree　that　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois
had　likewise　been　arrested　and　imprisoned　in　the　Bastile；　but　people
were　anxious　to　learn　decisively　whether　Count　Cagliostro；　the
wonder…doctor；　had　been　seized。　The　story　ran　that　a　young　woman　in
Brussels；　who　had　been　involved　in　the　affair；　and　who　had　an
extraordinary　resemblance　to　the　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　had　been
arrested；　and　brought　to　Paris　for　confinement　in　the　Bastile。

All　Paris；　all　France　watched　this　contest　with　eager　interest；
which；　after　many　months；　was　still　far　from　a　conclusion；　and
respecting　which　so　much　could　be　said。

The　friends　of　the　queen　asserted　that　her　majesty　was　completely
innocent；　that　she　had　never　spoken　to　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois；
and　only　once　through　her　chamberlain。　Weber　had　never　sent　her　any
assistance。　But　these　friends　of　the　queen　were　not　numerous；　and
their　number　diminished　every　day。

The　king　had　seen　the　necessity　of　making　great　reductions　in　the
cost　of　maintaining　his　establishment；　and　in　the　government　of　the
realm。　France　had　had　during　the　last　years　poor　harvests。　The
people　were　suffering　from　a　want　of　the　ba