marie antoinette and her son-第18章

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the　realm！〃

All　the　spectators　repeated　the　cry；　and；　while　the　words　yet　rang；
the　cardinal；　followed　by　the　officers　who　were　to　take　him　to　the
Bastile；　had　left　the　hall。

〃Guards！〃　cried　President　de　L'Aigre；　with　a　loud　voice；　〃bring　in
the　accused；　the　Countess　de　Lamotte…Valois！〃

All　eyes　directed　themselves　to　the　door　which　the　guards　now
opened；　and　through　which　the　accused　was　to　enter。

Upon　the　threshold　of　this　door　appeared　now　a　lady　of　slim；
graceful　form；　in　a　toilet　of　the　greatest　elegance；　her　head
decorated　with　feathers；　flowers；　and　lace；　her　cheeks　highly
painted；　and　her　fine　ruby　lips　encircled　by　a　pert；　and　at　the　same
time　a　mocking　smile；　which　displayed　two　rows　of　the　finest　teeth。
With　this　smile　upon　her　lips　she　moved　forward　with　a　light　and
spirited　step；　turning　her　great　blazing　black　eyes　with　proud；
inquisitive　looks　now　to　the　stern　semicircle　of　judges　and　now　to
the　tribune；　whose　occupants　had　not　been　able　to　suppress　a
movement　of　indignation　and　a　subdued　hiss。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　she；　with　a　clear；　distinct　voice；　in　which　not
the　faintest　quiver；　not　the　least　excitement　was　apparent〃
gentlemen；　are　we　here　in　a　theatre；　where　the　players　who　tread　the
boards　are　received　with　audible　signs　of　approval　or　of　disfavor？〃

The　president；　to　whom　her　dark　eyes　were　directed；　deigned　to　give
no　answer；　but　turned　with　an　expressive　gesture　to　the　officer　who
stood　behind　the　accused。

He　understood　this　sign；　and　brought　from　the　corner　of　the　hall　a
wooden　seat　of　rough；　clumsy　form；　to　whose　high　back　of　unpolished
dirty　wood　two　short　iron　chains　were　attached。

This　seat　he　placed　near　the　handsome；　gaudily…dressed　countess　with
her　air　of　assurance　and　self…confidence；　and　pointed　to　it　with　a
commanding　gesture。

〃Be　seated；〃　he　said；　with　a　loud；　lordly　tore。　She　shrugged　her
shoulders；　and　looked　at　the　offered　seat　with　an　expression　of
indignation。　〃How！〃　she　cried；　〃who　dares　offer　me　the　chair　of
criminals　to　sit　in？〃

〃Be　seated；〃　replied　the　officer。　〃The　seat　of　the　accused　is　ready
for　you；　and　the　chains　upon　it　are　for　those　who　are　not　inclined
to　take　it。〃

A　cry　of　anger　escaped　from　her　lips；　and　her　eyes　flashed　an
annihilating　glance　upon　the　venturesome　officer；　but　he　did　not
appear　to　be　in　the　least　affected　by　the　lightning　from　her　eyes；
but　met　it　with　perfect　tranquillity。

〃If　you　do　not　take　it　of　yourself；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　be
compelled　to　summon　the　police；　we　shall　then　compel　you　to　take　the
seat；　and　in　order　to　prevent　your　rising；　the　chains　will　be　bound
around　your　arms。〃

The　countess　answered　only　with　an　exclamation　of　anger；　and　fixed
her　inquiring　looks　upon　the　judges；　the　accusers；　the　defenders；
and　then　again　upon　the　spectators。　Everywhere　she　encountered　only
a　threatening　mien　and　suspicious　looks；　nowhere　an　expression　of
sympathy。　But　it　was　just　this　which　seemed　to　give　her　courage　and
to　steel　her　strength。　She　raised　her　head　proudly；　forced　the　smile
again　upon　her　lips；　and　took　her　seat　upon　the　chair　with　a　grace
and　dignity　as　if　she　were　in　a　brilliant　saloon；　and　was　taking　her
seat　upon　an　elegant　sofa。　The　president　of　the　court　now　turned　his
grave；　rigid　face　to　the　countess；　and　asked：　〃Who　are　you；　madame？
What　is　your　name；　and　how　old　are　you？〃

The　countess　gave　way　to　a　loud；　melodious　laugh。　〃My　lord
president；〃　answered　she；　〃it　is　very　clear　that　you　are　not　much
accustomed　to　deal　with　ladies；　or　else　you　would　not　take　the
liberty　of　asking　a　lady；　like　myself　in　her　prime；　after　her　age。　I
will　pardon　you　this　breach　of　etiquette；　and　I　will　magnanimously
pretend　not　to　have　heard　that　question；　in　order　to　answer　the
others。　You　wish　to　know　my　name？　I　am　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois
of　France；　the　latest　descendant　of　the　former　Kings　of　Prance；　and
if　in　this　unhappy　land；　which　is　trodden　to　the　dust　by　a　stupid
king　and　a　dissolute　queen；　right　and　justice　still　prevailed；　I
should　sit　on　the　throne　of　France；　and　the　coquette　who　now
occupies　it　would　be　sitting　here　in　this　criminal's　chair；　to
justify　herself　for　the　theft　which　she　has　committed；　for　it　is
Marie　Antoinette　who　possesses　the　diamonds　of　the　jeweller　Bohmer；
not　I。〃

At　the　spectators'　tribune　a　gentle　bravo　was　heard　at　these　words；
and　this　daring　calumny　upon　the　queen　found　no　reproval　even　from
the　judges'　bench。

〃Madame；〃　said　L'Aigre；　after　a　short　pause；　〃instead　of　simply
answering　my　questions　you　reply　with　a　high…sounding　speech；　which
contains　an　untruth；　for　it　is　not　true　that　you　can　lay　any　claim
to　the　throne　of　France。　The　descendants　of　bastards　have　claims
neither　to　the　name　nor　the　rank　of　their　fathers。　Since；　in　respect
to　your　name　and　rank；　you　have　answered　with　an　untruth；　I　will
tell　you　who　and　what　you　are。　Your　father　was　a　poor　peasant　in　the
village　of　Auteuil。　He　called　himself　Valois；　and　the　clergyman　of
the　village　one　day　told　the　wife　of　the　proprietor　of　Auteuil；
Madame　de　Boulainvillier；　that　the　peasant　of　Valois　was　in
possession　of　family　papers；　according　to　which　it　was
unquestionable　that　he　was　an　illegitimate　descendant　of　the　old
royal　family。

The　good　priest　at　the　same　time　recommended　the　poor；　hungry
children　of　the　day…laborer　Valois　to　the　kindness　of　Madame　de
Boulainvillier；　and　the　old　lady　hastened　to　comply　with　this
recommendation。　She　had　the　daughter　of　Valois　called　to　her　to　ask
her　how　she　could　assist　her　in　her　misery。〃

〃Say　rather　to　gain　for　herself　the　credit　that　she　had　shown
kindnesses　to　the　descendants　of　the　Kings　of　France；〃　interrupted
the　countess；　quickly。

〃This　would　have　been　a　sorry　credit；〃　replied　President　L'Aigre。
〃The　Valois　family　had　for　a　long　time　been　extinct；　and　the　last
man　of　that　name　who　is　known；　was　detected　in　counterfeiting；
sentenced；　and　executed。　Your　grandfather　was　an　illegitimate　son　of
the　counterfeiter　Valois。　That　is　the　sum　total　of　your　relation　to
the　royal　family　of　France。　It　is　possible　that　upon　this　very　chair
on　which　you　now　sit；　accused　of　this　act　of　deception；　your　natural
great…grandfather　once　sat；　accused　like　you　of　an　act　of　deception；
in　order；　after　conviction　of　his　crime；　to　be　punished　according　to
the　laws　of　France。〃

The　countess　made　a　motion　as　if　she　wanted　to　rise　from　the
unfortunate　seat；　but　instantly　the　heavy　hand　of　the　officer　was
laid　upon　her　shoulder；　and　his　threatening　voice　said；　〃Sit　still；
or　I　put　on　the　chains！〃

The　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　of　France　sank　back　with　a　loud　sob　upon
the　chair；　and　for　the　first　time　a　death…like　paleness　diffused
itself　over　her　hitherto　rosy　cheeks。

〃So　Madame　de　Boulainvillier　had　the　children　of　the　day…laborer
Valois　called；〃　continued　the　president；　with　his　imperturbable
self…possession。　〃The　oldest　daughter；　a　girl　of　twelve　years；
pleased　her　in　consequence　of　her　lively　nature　and　her　attractive
exterior。　She　took　her　to　herself；　she　gave　her　an　excellent
education；　she　was　resolved　to　provide　for　her　whole　future；　when
one　day　the　young　Valois　disappeared　from　the　chateau　of　Madame　de
Boulainvillier。　She　had　eloped　with　the　sub…lieutenant；　Count
Lamotte；　and　announced　to　her　benefactress；　in　a　letter　which　she
left　behind；　that　she　was　escaping　from　the　slavery　in　which　she　had
hitherto　lived；　and　that　she　left　her　curse　to　those　who　wanted　to
hinder　her　marrying　the　man　of　her　choice。　But　in　order　to
accomplish　her　marriage；　she　confessed　that　she　had　found　it
necessary　to　rob　the　casket　of　Madame　de　Boulainvillier；　and　that
out　of　this　money　she　should　defray　her　expenses。　It　was　a　sum　of
twenty　thousand　francs　which　the　fugitive　had　robbed　from　her
benefactress。〃

〃I　take　the　liberty　of　remarking　to　you；　Mr。　President；　that　you　are
there　making　use　of　a　totally　false　expression；〃　interrupted　the
countess。　〃It　cannot　be　said　that　I　robbed　this　sum。　It　was　the
dowry　which　Madame　de　Boulainvillier　had　promised　to　give　me　in　case
of　my　marriage；　and　I　only　took　what　was　my　own；　as　I　was　upon　the
point　of　marrying。　Madame　de　Boulainvillier　herself　justified　me　in
taking　this　sum；　for　she　never　asked　me　to　return　it　or　filed　an
accusation　against　me。〃

〃Because　she　wanted　to　prevent　the　matter　becoming　town…talk；〃
remarked　the　president；　quietly。　〃Madame　de　Boulainvillier　held　her
peace；　and　relinquished　punishment　to　the　righteous　Judge　who　lives
above　the　stars。〃

〃And　who　surely　has　not　descended　from　the　stars　to　assume　the
president's　chair　of　this　court；〃　cried　Lamotte；　with　a　mocking
laugh。

President　L'Aigre；　without　heeding　the　interruption；　continued：

〃The　daughter　of　the　laborer　Valois　married　the　sub…lieutenant
Lamotte；　who　lived　in　a　little　garrison　city　of　the　province；　and
sought　to　increase　his　meagre　salary　by　many　ingenious　devices。　He
not　merely　gave　instruction　in　fencing　and　riding；　but　he　was　also　a
very　skilful　card…playerso　skilful；　that　fortune　almost　always
accompanied　him。〃

〃My　lord；〃　cried　the　countess；　springing　up；〃　you　seem　to　want　to
hint　that　Count　Lamotte　played　a　false　game。　You　surely　would　not
venture　to　say　this　if　the　count　were　free；　for　he　would　challenge
you　for　this　insult；　and　it　is　well　known　that　his　stroke　is　fatal
to　those　who　stand　in　the　way　of　his　dagger。〃

〃I　hint　at　nothing；　and　I　merely　call　things　by　their　right　names；〃
replied　the　president；　smiling。　〃In　consequence　of　strong　suspicions
of　false　play；　Count　Lamotte　was　driven　out　of　his　regiment；　and　as
the　young　pair　had　in　the　meantime　consumed　the　stolen　wedding…
money；　they　must　discover　some　new　way　of　making　a　living。　The　young
husband　repaired　to　the　south　of　France　to　continue　his　card…
playing；　the　young　wife；　having　for　her　fortune　her　youth　and　the
splendor　of　her　name；　repaired　to　Paris；　both　resolved　de　corriger
la　fortune　wherever　and　however　they　could。　〃This；　madame；〃
continued　the　president；　after　a　pause；　〃this　is　the　true　answer　to
my　question；　how　you　are　called；　and　who　you　are。〃

〃The　answer　is；　however；　not　yet　quite　satisfactory；〃　replied
Lamotte；　in　an　impudent　tone。　〃You　have　forgotten　to　add　that　I　am
the　friend　of　the　cardinal；　Prince　Louis　de　Rohan；　the　confidante
and　friend　of　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　and　that　both　now　want　to　do
me　the　honor　to　make　me　their　bete　de　souffrance；　and　to　let　me
suffer　for　what　they　have　done　and　are　guilty　of。　My　whole　crime
lies　in　this；　that　I　helped　the　Queen　of　France　gain　the　jewels　for
which　her　idle　and　trivial　soul　longed；　that　I　helped　the　amorous
and　light…minded　cardinal　approach　the　object　of　his　love；　and
procured　for　him　an　interview　with　the　queen。　That　is　all　that　can
be　charged　upon　me；　I　procured　for　the　queen　the　fine　necklace　of
Messrs。　Bohmer　and　Bassenge；　I　gave　the　cardinal；　as　the　price　of　a
part　of　the　necklace；　a　tender　tete…a…tete　with　the　queen。　The
cardinal　will　not　deny　that　in　the　garden　of　Versailles　he　had　a
rendezvous　with　the　queen；　that　he　kissed　her　hand　and　received　a
rose　from　her；　and　the　queen　will　be　compelled　to　confess　in　the　end
that　the　necklace　is　in　her　possession。　What　blame　can　be　laid　on　me
for　this？〃