marie antoinette and her son-第16章

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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。　The　accused　and　the　judges
now　sat　on　the　same　seats；　and　one　would　almost　have　suspected　that
the　cardinal；　in　his　magnificent　costume；　with　his　noble；　lofty
bearing；　his　peaceful；　passionless　face；　and　sitting　in　his　arm…
chair；　alone　and　separated　from　all　others；　was　himself　the　judge　of
those　who；　in　their　dark　garments　and　troubled　and　oppressed
spirits；　and　restless　mien；　were　sitting　opposite　him。

〃Will　your　eminence　have　the　goodness　to　proceed？〃　humbly　asked　the
president　of　the　court；　after　a　pause。　The　cardinal　nodded　as　the
sign　of　assent；　and　continued　his　narrative。

This　letter　of　the　queen　naturally　filled　him　with　great　delight；
particularly　as　he　had　a　personal　interview　with　her　majesty　in
prospect；　and　he　had　implored　the　Countess　Valois　all　the　more　to
procure　this　meeting；　because；　in　spite　of　the　forgiveness　which　the
queen　had　given　to　the　cardinal；　she　continued　on　all　occasions；
where　he　had　the　happiness　to　be　in　her　presence；　to　treat　him　with
extreme　disdain。　On　one　Sunday；　when　he　was　reading　mass　before
their　majesties；　he　took　the　liberty　to　enter　the　audience…room　and
to　address　the　queen。　Marie　Antoinette　bestowed　upon　him　only　an
annihilating　look　of　anger　and　scorn；　and　turned　her　back　upon　him；
saying；　at　the　same　time；　with　a　loud　voice；　to　the　Duchess　of
Polignac：　〃What　a　shameless　act！　These　people　believe　they　may　do
any　thing　if　they　wear　the　purple。　They　believe　they　may　rank　with
kings；　and　even　address　them。〃

These　proud　and　cutting　words　had　naturally　deeply　wounded　the
cardinal；　and；　for　the　first　time；　the　doubt　was　suggested　to　him
whether；　in　the　end；　all　the　communications　of　the　Countess　Valois；
even　the　letter　of　the　queen；　might　not　prove　to　be　false；　for　it
appeared　to　him　impossible　that　the　queen　could　be　secretly；
favorably　inclined　to　a　man　whom　she　openly　scorned。　In　his　anger　he
said　so　to　the　Countess　Lamotte；　and　told　her　that　he　should　hold
all　that　she　had　brought　him　from　the　queen　to　be　false；　unless；
within　a　very　short　time；　she　could　procure　what　he　had　so　long　and
so　urgently　besought；　namely；　an　audience　with　the　queen。　He　desired
this　audience　as　a　proof　that　Marie　Antoinette　was　really　changed；
and；　at　the　same　time；　as　a　proof　that　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois
had　told　him　the　truth。　The　countess　laughed　at　his　distrust；　and
promised　to　try　all　the　arts　of　address　with　the　queen；　in　order　to
gain　for　the　cardinal　the　desired　audience。　The　latter；　who　thought
he　recognized　in　the　beautiful　and　expressive　countenance　of　the
lady　innocence　and　honorableness；　now　regretted　his　hasty　words；　and
said　to　Madame　Lamotte；　that　in　case　the　queen　would　really　grant
him　a　private　audience；　he　would　give　her　（the　countess）　fifty
thousand　francs　as　a　sign　of　his　gratitude。

A　murmur　of　applause　and　of　astonishment　rose　at　these　words　from
the　spectators；　comprising　some　of　the　greatest　noble　families　of
France；　the　Rohans；　the　Guemenes；　the　Count　de　Vergennes；　and　all
the　most　powerful　enemies　of　the　queen；　who　had　taken　advantage　of
this　occasion　in　order　to　avenge　themselves　on　the　Austrian；　who　had
dared　to　choose　her　friends　and　select　her　society；　not　in
accordance　with　lineage；　but　as　her　own　pleasure　dictated。

The　president　of　the　court　did　not　consider　this　murmur　of　applause
marked　enough　to　be　reprimanded；　and　let　it　be　continued。

〃And　did　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　procure　for　you　this　audience？〃
he　then　asked。

Prince　Rohan　was　silent　a　moment；　his　face　grew　pale；　his　features
assumed　for　the　first　time　a　troubled　expression；　and　the　painful
struggles　which　disturbed　his　soul　could　be　seen　working　within　him。

〃May　it　please　this　noble　court；〃　he　replied；　after　a　pause；　with
feeling；　trembling　voice；　〃I　feel　at　this　moment　that；　beneath　the
robe　of　the　priest；　the　heart　of　the　man　beats　yet。　It　is；　however；
for　every　man　a　wrong；　an　unpardonable　wrong；　to　disclose　the
confidence　of　a　lady；　and　to　reveal　to　the　open　light　of　day　the
favors　which　have　been　granted　by　her。　But　I　must　take　this　crime
upon　myself；　because　I　have　to　defend　the　honor　of　a　priest；　even　of
a　dignitary　in　the　Church；　and　also　because　I　do　not　dare　to　suffer
my　purple　to　be　soiled　with　even　the　suspicion　of　a　lie；　or　an　act
of　falsehood。　It　may　beand　I　fear　it　even　myselfit　may　be；　that
in　this　matter；　I　myself　was　the　deceived　one；　but　I　dare　not　bring
suspicion　upon　my　tiara　that　I　was　the　deceiver；　and；　therefore；　I
have　to　meet　the　stern　necessity　of　disclosing　the　secret　of　a　lady
and　a　queen。〃

〃Besides　this；〃　said　the　president；　solemnly〃besides　this；　your
eminence　may　graciously　consider；　in　presence　of　the　authority　given
you　by　God；　all　the　tender　thoughts　of　the　cardinal　must　be　silent。
The　duty　of　a　dignitary　of　the　Church　commands　you　to　go　before　all
other　men　in　setting　them　a　noble　example；　and　one　worthy　of
imitation。　It　is　your　sacred　duty；　in　accordance　with　the　demands　of
truth；　to　give　the　most　detailed　information　regarding　every　thing
that　concerns　this　affair；　and　your　eminence　will　have　the　goodness
to　remember　that　we　are　the　secular　priests　of　God；　before　whom
every　accused　person　must　confess　the　whole　truth　with　a　perfect
conscience。〃

〃I　thank　you；　Mr。　President；〃　said　the　cardinal；　with　so　gentle　and
tremulous　a　voice；　that　you　might　hear　after　it　a　faint　sob　from
some　deeply…veiled　ladies　who　sat　on　the　spectators'　seats；　and　so
that　even　the　eyes　of　President　de　l'Aigro　filled　with　tears〃　I
thank　you；　Mr。　President；〃　repeated　the　cardinal；　breathing　more
freely。　〃You　take　a　heavy　burden　from　my　heart；　and　your　wisdom
instructs　me　as　to　my　own　duty。〃

The　president　blushed　with　pleasure　at　the　high　praises　of　the
cardinal。

〃And　now；〃　he　said；　〃I　take　the　liberty　of　repeating　my　question；
did　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　succeed　in　procuring　for　your
eminence　a　secret　audience　with　the　queen？〃

〃She　did；〃　replied　the　cardinal；　〃she　did　procure　an　interview　for
me。〃

And　compelling　himself　to　a　quiet　manner；　he　went　on　with　his　story：
The　Countess　de　Valois　came　to　him　after　two　days　with　a　joyful
countenance；　and　brought　to　him　the　request　to　accompany　the
Countess　Valois　two　days　after　to　Versailles；　where；　in　the　garden；
in　a　place　indicated　by　the　countess；　the　meeting　of　the　queen　and
the　cardinal　should　take　place。　The　cardinal　was　to　put　on　the
simple；　unpretending　dress　of　a　citizen　of　Paris；　a　blue　cloth　coat；
a　round　hat；　and　high　leather　boots。　The　cardinal；　full　of
inexpressible　delight　at　this；　could；　notwithstanding；　scarcely
believe　that　the　queen　would　show　him　this　intoxicating　mark　of　her
favor；　upon　which　the　Countess　Valois；　laughing；　showed　him　a　letter
of　the　queen；　directed　to　her；　on　gold…bordered　paper；　and　signed
like　the　note　which　he　had　received　before〃　Marie　Antoinette　of
France。〃　In　this　note　the　queen　requested　her　dear　friend　to　go
carefully　to　work　to　warn　the　cardinal　to　speak　softly　during　the
interview；　because　there　were　ears　lurking　in　the　neighborhood；　and
not　to　come　out　from　the　thicket　till　the　queen　should　give　a　sign。

After　reading　this　letter；　the　cardinal　had　no　more　doubts；　but
surrendered　himself　completely　to　his　joy；　his　impatience；　and
longed　for　the　appointed　hour　to　arrive。　At　last　this　hour　came；
and；　in　company　with　the　countess；　the　cardinal；　arrayed　in　the
appointed　dress；　repaired　in　a　simple　hired　carriage　to　Versailles。
The　countess　led　him　to　the　terrace　of　the　palace；　where　she
directed　the　cardinal　to　hide　behind　a　clump　of　laurel…trees；　and
then　left　him；　in　order　to　inform　the　queen；　who　walked　every
evening　in　the　park；　in　company　with　the　Count　and　Countess
d'Artois；　of　the　presence　of　the　cardinal；　and　to　conduct　her　to
him。　The　latter　now　remained　alone；　and；　with　loud…beating　heart；
listened　to　every　sound；　and；　moving　gently　around；　looked　down　the
long　alley　which　ran　between　the　two　fountains；　in　order　to　catch
sight　of　the　approach　of　the　queen。　It　was　a　delightful　evening；　the
full　moon　shone　in　golden　clearness　from　the　deep…blue　sky；　and
illuminated　all　the　objects　in　the　neighborhood　with　a　light　like
that　of　day。　It　now　disclosed　a　tall；　noble　figure；　clad　in　a　dark…
red　robe；　and　with　large　blue　pins　in　her　hair；　hurrying　to　the
terrace；　and　followed　by　the　Countess　Valois。

To　the　present　moment　the　cardinal　had　slightly　doubted　as　to　his
unmeasurable　good　fortunenow　he　doubted　no　more。　It　was　the　queen；
Marie　Antoinette；　who　was　approaching。　She　wore　the　same　dress；　the
same　coiffure　which　she　had　worn　the　last　Sunday；　when　after　the
mass　he　had　gone　to　Versailles　to　drive。

Yes；　it　was　the　queen；　who　was　hurrying　across　the　terrace；　and
approaching　the　thicket　behind　which　the　cardinal　was　standing。

〃Come；〃　whispered　she；　softly；　and　the　cardinal　quickly　emerged　from
the　shade；　sank　upon　his　knee　before　the　queen；　and　eagerly　pressed
the　fair　hand　which　she　extended　to　him　to　his　lips。　〃Your
eminence；〃　whispered　the　queen　to　him；　〃I　can　unfortunately　spend
only　a　moment　here。　I　cherish　nothing　against　you；　and　shall　soon
show　you　marks　of　my　highest　favor。　Meantime；　accept　this　token　of
my　grace。〃　And　Marie　Antoinette　took　a　rose　from　her　bosom　and　gave
it　to　the　cardinal。　〃Accept；　also；　this　remembrancer；〃　whispered　the
queen；　again　placing　a　little　case　in　his　hand。　〃It　is　my　portrait。
Look　often　at　it；　and　never　doubt　me；　I〃

At　this　moment　the　Countess　Valois；　who　had　been　waiting　at　some
distance；　hastily　came　up。

〃Some　one　is　coming；〃　whispered　she；　〃for　God's　sake；　your　majesty；
fly！〃

Voices　were　audible　in　the　distance；　and　soon　they　approached。　The
queen　grasped　the　hand　of　the　Countess　Lamotte。

〃Come；　my　friend；〃　said　she。　〃Farewell；　cardinal；　au　revoir！〃

Full　of　joy　at　the　high　good　fortune　which　had　fallen　to　him；　and　at
the　same　time　saddened　at　the　abrupt　departure　of　the　queen；　the
cardinal　turned　back　to　Paris。　On　the　next　day　the　Countess　Valois
brought　a　billet　from　the　queen；　in　which　she　deeply　regretted　that
their　interview　yesterday　had　been　so　brief；　and　promising　a　speedy
appointment　again。　Some　days　after　this　occurrence；　which　constantly
occupied　the　mind　of　the　cardinal；　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　Alsace；
to　celebrate　a　church　festival。　On　the　very　next　day；　however；　came
the　husband　of　the　countess；　Count　Lamotte；　sent　as　a　courier　by　the
countess。　He　handed　the　cardinal　a　letter　from　the　queen；　short　and
full　of　secrecy；　like　the　earlier　ones。

〃The　moment；〃　wrote　the　queen〃　the　moment　which　I　desired　is　not
yet　come。　But　I　beg　you　to　return　at　once　to　Paris；　because　I　am　in
a　secret　affair；　which　concerns　me　personally；　and　which　I　shall
intrust　to　you　alone；　and　in　which　I　need　your　assistance。　The
Countess　Lamotte…Valois　will　give　you　the　key　to　this　riddle。〃

As　if　on　the　wings　of　birds；　the　cardinal　returned　to　Paris；　and　at
once　repaired　to　the　little　palace　which　the　countess　had　purchased
with　the　fruits　of　his　liberality。　Here　he　learned　of　her　the　reason
of　his　being　sent　for。　The　matter　in　question　was　the