marie antoinette and her son-第15章

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queen；　there　are　no　subjects！　You　yourself　have　said　it；　and　I　at
least　will　hold　to　your　words；　even　if　you　yourself　do　not。　Let　us
play　billiards；　madame。　I　am　at　your　service。〃

And　while　the　Duke　de　Coigny　said　this；　he　seized　with　an　angry
movement　the　billiard…cue　of　the　queen。　It　was　a　present　which　Marie
Antoinette　had　received　from　her　brother；　the　Emperor　Joseph。　It　was
made　of　a　single　rhinoceros　skin；　and　was　adorned　with　golden　knobs。
The　king　had　a　great　regard　for　it；　and　no　one　before　had　ever
ventured　to　use　it　excepting　her　alone。

〃Give　it　to　me；　Coigny；〃　said　she；　earnestly。　〃You　deceive　yourself；
that　is　not　your　billiard…cue；　that　is　mine。〃

〃Madame；〃　cried　he；　angrily；　〃what　is　mine　is　taken　from　me；　and　why
should　I　not　take　what　is　not　mine？　It　seems　as　if　this　were　the
latest　fashion；　to　do　what　one　pleases　with　the　property　of　others；
I　shall　hasten　to　have　a　share　in　this　fashion；　even　were　it　only　to
show　that　I　have　learned　something　from　your　majesty。　Let　us　begin。〃

Trembling　with　anger　and　excitement；　he　took　two　balls；　laid　them　in
the　middle　of　the　table；　and　gave　the　stroke。　But　it　was　so
passionately　given；　and　in　such　rage；　that　the　cue　glided　by　the
balls　and　struck　so　strongly　against　the　raised　rim　of　the　table
that　it　broke。

The　queen　uttered　an　exclamation　of　indignation；　and；　raising　the
hand；　pointed　with　a　commanding　gesture　to　the　door。

〃My　Lord　Duke　de　Coigny；〃　said　she；　proudly；　〃I　release　you　from　the
duty　of　ever　coming　again　to　Trianon。　You　are　dismissed。〃

The　duke；　trembling　with　anger；　muttering　a　few　unintelligible
words；　made　a　slight；　careless　obeisance　to　the　queen；　and　left　the
billiard…hall　with　a　quick　step。＇Footnote：　This　scene　is　historical。
See　〃Memoires　de　Madame　de　Campan；〃　vol。　ii。＇

Marie　Antoinette　looked　after　him　with　a　long　and　pained　look。　Then；
with　a　deep　sigh；　she　took　up　the　bits　of　the　broken　cue　and　went
into　her　little　porcelain　cabinet；　in　order　to　gain　rest　and　self…
command　in　solitude　and　stillness。

Reaching　that　place；　and　now　sure　that　no　one　could　observe　her；
Marie　Antoinette　sank　with　a　deep　sigh　into　an　arm…chair；　and　the
long…restrained　tears　started　from　her　eyes。

〃Oh；〃　sighed　she；　sadly；　〃they　will　destroy　every　thing　I　have；
every　thingmy　confidence；　my　spirit；　my　heart　itself。　They　will
leave　me　nothing　but　pain　and　misfortune；　and　not　one　of　them　whom　I
till　now　have　held　to　be　my　friends；　will　share　it　with　me。〃




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　TRIAL。


For　a　whole　year　the　preparation　for　the　trial　had　lasted；　and　to…
day；　the　31st　of　August；　1786；　the　matter　would　be　decided。　The
friends　and　relatives　of　the　cardinal　had　had　time　to　manipulate　not
only　public　opinion；　but　also　to　win　over　the　judges；　the　members　of
Parliament；　to　the　cause　of　the　cardinal；　and　to　prejudice　them
against　the　queen。　All　the　enemies　of　Marie　Antoinette；　the
legitimists　even；　who　saw　their　old　rights　of　nobility　encroached
upon　by　the　preference　given　to　the　Polignacs　and　other　families
which　had　sprung　from　obscurity；　the　party　of　the　royal　princes　and
princesses；　whom　Marie　Antoinette　had　always　offended；　first　because
she　was　an　Austrian；　and　later　because　she　had　allowed　herself　to
win　the　love　of　the　king；　the　men　of　the　agitation　and　freedom
party；　who　thundered　in　their　clubs　against　the　realm；　and　held　it
to　be　their　sacred　duty　to　destroy　the　nimbus　which；　had　hitherto
enveloped　the　throne；　and　to　show　to　the　hungering　people　that　the
queen　who　lived　in　luxury　was　nothing　more　than　a　light…minded；
voluptuous　woman；all　these　enemies　of　the　queen　had　had　time　to
gain　over　public　opinion　and　the　judges。　The　trial　had　been　a
welcome　opportunity　to　all　to　give　free　play　to　their　revenge；　their
indignation；　and　their　hate。　The　family　of　the　cardinal；　sorely
touched　by　the　degradation　which　had　come　upon　them　all　in　their
head；　would；　at　the　least；　see　the　queen　compromised　with　the
cardinal；　and　if　the　latter　should　really　come　out　from　the　trial　as
the　deceived　and　duped　one；　Marie　Antoinette　should；　nevertheless；
share　in　the　stain。

The　Rohan　family　and　their　friends　set　therefore　all　means　in
motion；　in　order　to　win　over　public　opinion　and　the　judges。　To　this
end　they　visited　the　members　of　Parliament；　brought　presents　to
those　of　them　who　were　willing　to　receive　them；　made　use　of
mercenary　authors　to　hurl　libellous　pamphlets　at　the　queen；
published　brochures　which；　in　dignified　language；　defended　the
cardinal　in　advance；　and　exhibited　him　as　the　victim　of　his　devotion
and　love　to　the　royal　family。　Everybody　read　these　pamphlets；　and
when　at　last　the　day　of　decision　came；　public　opinion　had　already
declared　itself　in　favor　of　the　cardinal　and　against　the　queen。

On　the　31st　of　August；　1786；　as　already　said；　the　trial　so　long　in
preparation　was　to　be　decided。　The　night　before；　the　cardinal　had
been　transferred　from　the　Bastile　to　the　prison；　as　had　also　the
other　prisoners　who　were　involved　in　the　case。

At　early　dawn　the　whole　square　before　the　prison　was　full　of　men；
and　the　dependants　of　Rohan　and　the　Agitators　of　Freedom；　as　Marat
and　his　companions　called　themselves；　were　active　here　as　ever　to
turn　the　feeling　of　the　people　against　the　queen。

In　the　court…house；　on　the　other　side　of　the　great　square；
meanwhile；　the　great　drama　of　the　trial　had　begun。　The　members　of
Parliament；　the　judges　in　the　case；　sat　in　their　flowing　black
garments；　in　long　rows　before　the　green　table；　and　their　serious；
sad　faces　and　sympathetic　looks　were　all　directed　toward　the
cardinal；　Louis　de　Rohan。　But　in　spite　of　the　danger　of　the
situation；　the　noble　face　of　the　cardinal　was　completely
undisturbed；　and　his　bearing　princely。　He　appeared　in　his　full
priestly　array；　substituting　in　place　of　the　purple…red　under…
garment　one　of　violet；　as　cardinals　do　when　they　appear　in　mourning。
Over　this　he　wore　the　short　red　cloak；　and　displayed　all　his　orders；
the　red　stockings；　the　silk　shoes　with　jewelled　buckles；　completed
his　array。　While　entering；　he　raised　his　hands　and　gave　his　priestly
blessing　to　those　who　should　judge　him；　and　perhaps　condemn　him。　He
then；　in　simple　and　dignified　words；　spoke　as　follows：

A　relative　of　his；　Madame　de　Boulainvillier；　had；　three　years
before；　brought　a　young　woman　to　him；　and　requested　him　to　maintain
her。　She　was　of　the　most　exalted　lineage；　the　last　in　descent　from
the　earlier　kings　of　France；　of　the　family　of　Valois。　She　called
herself　the　Countess　of　Lamotte…Valois；　her　husband；　the　Count
Lamotte；　was　the　royal　sub…lieutenant　in　some　little　garrison　city；
and　his　salary　was　not　able　to　support　them　except　meagrely。　The
young　lady　was　beautiful；　intellectual；　of　noble　manners；　and　it　was
natural　that　the　cardinal　should　interest　himself　in　behalf　of　the
unfortunate　daughter　of　the　kings　of　France。　He　supported　her　for　a
while；　and　after　many　exertions　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　pension　of
fifteen　hundred　francs　from　King　Louis　XVI。；　in　behalf　of　the　last
descendant　of　the　Valois　family。　Upon　this　the　countess　went　herself
to　Versailles；　in　order　to　render　thanks　in　person　for　this　favor。
She　returned　the　next　day　to　Paris；　beaming　with　joy；　and　told　the
cardinal　that　she　had　not　only　been　received　by　the　queen；　but　that
Marie　Antoinette　had　been　exceedingly　gracious　to　her；　and　had
requested　her　to　visit　her　often。　From　this　day　on；　the　countess　had
naturally　gained　new　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　cardinal；　for　she
often　went　to　Versailles；　and　from　the　accounts　of　her　visits　there；
when　she　returned；　it　was　clear　that　she　stood　in　high　favor　with
the　queen。　But　now；　unfortunately；　the　cardinal　found　himself　in
precisely　the　opposite　situation。　He　stood　in　extreme　disfavor　with
the　queen。　She　never　condescended　to　bestow　a　glance　upon　him；　nor　a
word。　The　cardinal　was　for　a　long　time　inconsolable　on　account　of
this；　and　sought　in　vain　to　regain　the　favor　of　the　queen。　This　he
intrusted　with　the　deepest　confidence　to　the　Countess　Lamotte…
Valois；　and　she；　full　of　friendly　zeal；　had　undertaken　to　speak　to
the　queen　in　his　behalf。　Some　days　later　she　told　the　cardinal　that
she　had　fulfilled　her　promise；　she　had　painted　his　sadness　in　such
moving　words　that　the　queen　appeared　to　be　very　much　affected；　and
had　told　the　countess　that　she　would　pardon　all；　if　the　cardinal
would　send　her　in　writing　an　apology　for　the　mortifications　which　he
had　inflicted　upon　herself　and　her　mother　Maria　Theresa。　The
cardinal；　of　course；　joyfully　consented　to　this。　He　sent　to　the
countess　a　document　in　which　he　humbly　begged　pardon　for　asking　the
Empress　Maria　Theresa；　years　before；　when　Marie　Antoinette　was　yet
Dauphiness　of　France；　and　he；　the　cardinal；　was　French　ambassador　in
Vienna；　to　chide　her　daughter　on　account　of　her　light　and　haughty
behavior；　and　to　charge　herself　with　seeing　it　bettered。　This　was
the　only　offence　against　the　queen　of　which　he　felt　himself　guilty；
and　for　this　he　humbly　implored　forgiveness。　He　had；　at　the　same
time；　begged　the　queen　for　an　audience；　that　he　might　pay　his
respects　to　her；　and　on　bended　knee　ask　her　pardon。　Some　days　after；
the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　had　handed　him　a　paper；　written　with　the
queen's　hand；　as　an　answer　to　his　letter。

The　president　here　interrupted　the　cardinal：　〃Are　you　still　in
possession　of　this　document；　your　eminence？〃

The　cardinal　bowed。　〃I　have　always；　since　I　had　the　fortune　to
receive　them；　carried　with　me　the　dear；　and　to　me　invaluable；
letters　of　the　queen。　On　the　day　when　I　was　arrested　in　Versailles；
they　lay　in　my　breast　coat…pocket。　It　was　my　fortune；　and　the
misfortune　of　those　who；　after　I　had　been　carried　to　the　Bastile；
burst　into　my　palace；　sealed　my　papers；　and　at　once　burned　what
displeased　them。　In　this　way　these　letters　escaped　the　auto…da…fe。
Here　is　the　first　letter　of　the　queen。〃

He　drew　a　pocket…book　from　his　robe；　took　from　it　a　small　folded
paper；　and　laid　it　upon　the　table　before　the　president。

The　president　opened　it　and　read：　〃I　have　received　your　brief；　and
am　delighted　to　find　you　no　longer　culpable；　in　the　mean　while；　I　am
sorry　not　to　be　able　to　give　you　the　audience　which　you　ask。　As
soon；　however；　as　circumstances　allow　me；　I　shall　inform　you；　till
then；　silence。　Marie　Antoinette　of　France。〃　＇Footnote：　Goncourt。
〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　143。＇

A　murmur　of　astonishment　arose　among　the　judges　after　this　reading；
and　all　looks　were　directed　with　deep　sympathy　to　the　cardinal；　who；
with　a　quiet；　modest　bearing；　stood　over　against　them。　The　glances
of　the　president　of　the　high　court；　directed　themselves；　after　he
had　read　the　letter　and　laid　it　upon　the　green　table；　to　the　great
dignitary　of　the　Church；　and　then　he　seemed　to　notice　for　the　first
time　that　the　cardinal；　a　prince　and　grand　almoner　of　the　King　of
Prance；　was　standing　like　a　common　criminal。

〃Give　the　lord　cardinal　an　arm…chair；〃　he　ordered；　with　a　loud
voice；　and　one　of　the　guards　ran　to　bring　one　of　the　broad；
comfortable　chairs　of　the　judges；　which　was　just　then　unoccupied；
and　carried　it　to　the　cardinal。

Prince　Rohan　thanked　the　judges　with　a　slight　inclination　of　his
proud　head；　and　sank　into　the　arm…chair。