marie antoinette and her son-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


queen。　I　should　have　liked　to　see　my　dear　George　wearing　epaulets；
and　it　must　have　tremendously　pleased　my　boy　to　have　come　into　the
world　the　child　of　a　captain。〃

〃Did　you　tell　that　to　the　lady？〃

〃Certainly　I　told　her；　and　she　promised　me　that　the　queen　would
undoubtedly　do　me　the　favor；　provided　that　I　would　do　every　thing
that　she　bade　me　do　in　the　name　of　the　queen。　She　told　me；　then；
that　the　queen　had　ordered　her　to　seek　a　person　suitable　to　play　a
part　in　a　little　comedy；　which　she　was　privately　preparing；　that　I
was　just　the　person　to　play　this　part；　and　if　I　would　do　it　well　and
tell　nobody　in　the　world；　not　even　George；　when　he　should　come　home
from　Brussels；　she　would　not　only　give　me　her　help　in　the　future；
but　pay　me　fifteen　thousand　francs　for　my　assistance。　I　consented
with　great　joy；　of　course；　for　fifteen　thousand　francs　was　a
magnificent　dowry　for　a　marriage；　and　I　was　very　happy　in　being　able
to　earn　so　much　without　having　to　work　very　hard　for　it。〃

〃But　did　it　not　occur　to　you　that　that　was　a　dangerous　game　that
they　wanted　yon　to　play；　and　for　which　they　were　going　to　pay　such　a
high　sum？〃

〃I　did　have　such　thoughts　once　in　a　while；　but　I　suppressed　them
soon；　so　as　not　to　be　troubled　about　my　good　fortune；　and　besides
that；　the　countess　assured　me　that　every　thing　was　done　at　the
command　of　the　queen；　and　that　it　was　the　queen　who　was　going　to　pay
the　fifteen　thousand　francs。　That　quieted　me　completely；　for　as　an
obedient　and　true　subject　it　was　my　duty　to　obey　the　queen；　and　show
devotion　to　her　in　all　things；　more　particularly　when　she　was　going
to　pay　so　magnificently。　Meantime；　I　comforted　myself　that　it　could
be　nothing　bad　and　criminal　that　the　queen　could　order　done；　and　the
countess　assured　me　that　too；　and　told　me　that　every　thing　I　had　to
do　was　to　represent　another　person；　and　to　make　a　lover　believe　that
he　was　with　his　love；　which　would；　of　course；　please　him　immensely；
and　make　him　very　happy。　Besides；　I　did　not　think　it　any　sin　to　do
my　part　toward　making　an　unfortunate　lover　have　happy　thoughts。　I
was　very　much　pleased　with　this　part；　and　made　my　plan　to　speak　to
him　in　very　tender　and　loving　tones。〃

〃But　were　you　not　curious　to　know　for　whom　you　were　playing　this
part；　and　what　lady　you　had　to　represent？〃

〃I　should　certainly　have　liked　very　much　to　know；　but　the　countess
forbade　me　to　ask；　and　told　me　that　I　must　suppress　my　curiosity；
and；　on　the　other　hand；　make　an　effort　to　notice　nothing　at　all；
else　I　should　receive　only　half　of　the　money；　and；　besides；　if　they
noticed　that　I　knew　what　I　was　doing；　I　might　be　sent　to　the
Bastile。　I　was　still　upon　that；　and　did　not　trouble　myself　about　any
thing　further；　and　asked　nothing　more；　and　only　thought　of　learning
my　lesson　well；　that　I　might　get　the　fifteen　thousand　francs　for　my
marriage　portion。〃

〃So　they　gave　you　a　lesson　to　learn？〃

〃Yes；　the　countess；　and　the　gentleman　who　brought　her　to　me；　came
twice　to　me；　and　taught　me　how　I　ought　to　walk；　how　to　hold　my　head；
to　nod；　and　reach　my　hand　to　kiss。　After　teaching　me　this；　they　came
one　day　and　carried　me　in　a　splendid　coach　to　the　house　of　the
countess。　There　I　dined　with　them；　and　then　we　drove　to　Versailles。
They　walked　with　me　in　the　park；　and　at　a　place　near　the　pavilion
they　stood　still；　and　said　to　me：　'Here　is　where　you　will　play　your
little　comedy　to…morrow；　this　is　the　spot　which　the　queen　has
herself　appointed；　and　every　thing　which　takes　place　is　at　the
express　command　of　her　majesty。'　That　entirely　quieted　me；　arid　I
turned　back　to　Paris　overjoyed；　in　company　with　the　countess　and　her
companion。　They　kept　me　that　night　in　their　beautiful　home；　and　on
the　next　day　we　drove　again　to　Versailles；　where　the　countess　had　a
small　suite　of　apartments。　She　herself　dressed　me；　and　condescended
to　help　me　like　a　waiting…maid。〃

〃What　kind　of　a　suit　did　she　put　upon　you？〃

〃Exactly　such　a　one　as　I　am　wearing　to…day；　only　when　we　were　ready；
and　it　had　begun　to　grow　dark；　the　countess　laid　a　white　mantle　over
me；　and　covered　my　head　with　a　cap。　Then　she　drove　me　into　the　park；
gave　me　a　letter；　and　said：　'You　will　give　this　letter　to　a
gentleman　who　will　meet　us。'　We　went　in　silence　through　the　paths
and　alleys　of　the　park；　and　I　confess　that　my　heart　beat　right
anxiously；　and　that　I　had　to　think　a　great　deal　upon　the　fifteen
thousand　francs；　in　order　to　keep　my　courage　up。〃

〃Did　you　go　with　the　countess　alone；　or　was　some　one　else　with　you？〃

〃The　gentleman　who　first　made　my　acquaintance；　and　who　was；　as　I
believe；　the　husband　of　the　countess；　accompanied　us。　After　we　had
walked　about　for　a　while；　he　stopped　and　said：　'Now　you　must　walk
alone；　I　shall；　however；　be　there　at　the　right　time　to　make　a　noise；
and　to　put　the　amorous　lover　to　flight。'　Then　he　stepped　into　the
thicket；　and　we　were　alone。　On　this　the　countess　gave　me　a　rose；　and
said：　'You　will　give　this　rose　with　the　letter　to　the　person；　and
say　nothing　more　than　this。　You　know　what　that　signifies。'　The
countess　made　me　repeat　that　three　times；　and　then　said：　'You　need
not　add　a　single　word　to　that。　The　queen　herself　has　selected　these
words；　and　she　will　hear　whether　you　repeat　them　correctly；　for　she
will　stand　behind　you；　and　be　a　spectator　of　the　whole　scene。'　On
this　the　countess　withdrew；　leading　me　into　a　thicket；　and　soon　the
gentleman　came；　and　I　came　out　of　the　place　of　my　concealment。　After
he　had　made　me　some　very　deep　reverences；　I　handed　him　the　rose　and
the　letter；　and　repeated　the　very　words　the　countess　had　taught　me。
The　gentleman　sank　upon　his　knee；　and　kissed　the　hand　which　I
extended　with　the　rose。　At　this　moment　we　heard　a　noise；　as　if　of
men's　steps　approaching；　and　the　countess　came　running　up。　'For
God's　sake！'　she　cried；　'we　are　watched！　Quick；　quick；　come！'　and
she　drew　me　hurriedly　away。　We　left　the　garden；　and　returned　to　the
dwelling　of　the　countess；　and　there　I　remained　alone；　for　the
countess　and　her　husband　said；　laughing；　that　they　must　go　and
console　the　old　gentleman　for　having　so　short　a　rendezvous；　and　for
being　so　quickly　disturbed。　I　asked　whether　I　had　done　my　part　well；
and　the　countess　said　that　the　queen　was　very　well　satisfied　with
methat　she　had　stood　in　the　thicket；　and　had　observed　all。　Early
next　morning　we　rode　back　to　Paris；　and　when　we　had　arrived　at　their
hotel；　the　countess　paid　me　the　fifteen　thousand　francs　all
correctly；　but　she　made　this　condition；　that　I　must　go　to　see　my
George　as　soon　as　possible；　and　that　till　I　should　go；　I　must　remain
in　a　little　room　in　her　house。　I　wrote　at　once　to　George　and
announced　my　coming；　and　the　time　seemed　endless　till　I　received　his
answer；　although　the　countess　paid　a　great　deal　of　attention　to　me；
and　always　invited　me　to　her　petits　soupers；　where　we　had　a　right
merry　time。　As　soon　as　the　answer　had　come　from　my　George；　who　wrote
me　that　he　was　expecting　me；　I　took　my　departure　in　an　elegant　post…
carriage；　like　a　lady；　for　the　countess　was　not　willing　that　I
should　travel　in　a　diligence；　and　her　husband　had　paid　in　advance
for　all　relays　of　horses　as　far　as　Brussels；　so　that　I　had　a　very
agreeable；　comfortable　ride。　And　this；　I　think；　is　all　that　I　have
to　relate；　and　my　son　will　not　have　an　unquiet　night；　for　I　have
kept　my　word；　and　told　every　thing　truthfully。〃

〃You　have　nothing　to　add　to　this？〃

〃What　could　I　add　to　this？〃　asked　Oliva；　sighing。　〃You　know　as　well
as　I　the　end　of　my　history。　You　know；　that　a　fortnight　after　that
little　scene　at　Versailles；　I　was　arrested　by　police　agents　in
Brussels；　and　brought　to　Paris。　You　know；　also；　that　I　swore　to　take
my　life　if　my　dear　George　were　not　allowed　to　visit　me　daily　in
prison。　You　know　that　my　dear　child　was　born　in　prison；　and　that　it
is　now　half　a　year　old；　while　his　poor　mother　is　accused；　and　not
yet　gained　her　freedom。　You　know　that　all！　What　have　I　that　I　could
add　to　this？　I　beg　you；　let　me　go　and　return　to　my　child；　for　my
little　George　is　certainly　awake；　and　his　father　does　not　know　how
to　quiet　him　when　he　cries。〃

〃You　may　go　to　your　child；〃　said　the　president；　with　a　gentle　smile。
〃Officer；　conduct　Madame　Oliva　back　to　the　witness…room。〃

Madame　Oliva　expressed　her　thanks　for　this　by　throwing　a　kiss　of　the
hand　to　the　president　and　the　judges；　and　then　hastily　followed　the
officer；　who　opened　the　door　of　the　adjoining　room。　As　it　swung
back；　a　loud　cry　of　a　child　was　heard；　and　Madame　Oliva；　who　was
standing　upon　the　threshold；　turned　her　fair　face　back　to　the
president　with　a　triumphant　expression；　and　smiled。

〃Did　I　not　tell　you　so？〃　she　cried。　〃My　son　is　calling；　for　he　is
longing　for　me。　I　am　coming；　my　little　George；　I　am　coming！〃

She　sprang　forward；　and　the　door　closed　behind　her。

〃You　have　heard　the　statements　of　the　witness；〃　said　the　president；
addressing　Countess　Lamotte。　〃You　see　now　that　we　have　the　proof　of
the　ignominious　and　treacherous　intrigues　which　you　have　conducted。
Will　you；　in　the　face　of　such　proofs；　still　endeavor　to　deny　the
facts　which　have　been　given　in　evidence？〃

〃I　have　seen　neither　proofs　nor　facts；〃　answered　Lamotte；
scornfully。　〃I　have　only　been　amazed　at　the　self…possession　with
which　the　queen　goes　through　her　part；　and　wondered　how　far　her
light…mindedness　will　carry　her。　She　is　truly　an　adroit　player；　and
she　has　played　the　part　of　Madame　Oliva　so　well；　that　not　a　motion
nor　a　tone　would　have　betrayed　the　queen。〃

〃How；　madame？〃　asked　the　president；　in　amazement。

〃Do　you　pretend　to　assert　that　this　witness；　who　has　just　left　the
hall；　is　not　Madame　Oliva；　but　another　person？　Do　you　not　know　that
this　witness；　this　living　portrait　of　the　queen；　has　for　ten　months
been　detained　at　the　Bastile；　and　that　no　change　in　the　person　is
possible？〃

〃I　only　know　that　the　queen　has　played　her　part　well；〃　said　Lamotte；
shrugging　her　shoulders。　〃She　has　even　gone　so　far；　in　her　desire　to
show　a　difference　between　Madame　Oliva　and　the　queen；　as　to　make　a
very　great　sacrifice；　and　to　disclose　a　secret　of　her　beauty。　She
has　laid　aside　her　fine　false　teeth；　and　let　us　see　her　natural
ones；　in　order　that　we　may　see　a　difference　between　the　queen　and
Madame　Oliva。　Confess　only；　gentlemen；　that　it　is　a　rare　and　comical
sight　to　have　a　queen　so　like　a　courtesan；　that　you　can　only
distinguish　the　one　from　the　other　by　the　teeth。〃

And　the　countess　broke　out　into　scornful　laughter；　which　found　a
loud　echo　in　some　of　the　veiled　ladies　in　the　tribune。

〃Moderate　your　pleasantry；　madame；〃　commanded　the　president。
〃Remember　that　you　are　in　a　grave　and　perilous　situation；　and　that
justice　hangs　over　you　like　the　sword　of　Damocles。　You　have　already
invoked　your　fate；　in　calling　God　to　witness　that　the　innocent　shall
not　suffer　for　the　guilty；　and　now　this　word　is　fulfilled　in
yourself。　The　whole　edifice　of　your　lies　and　intrigues　crumbles　over
you；　and　will　cover　your　head　with　the　dust　of　eternal　infamy。〃

〃I　experience　nothing　of　it　yet；　God　be　thanked；〃　cried　Lamotte；
shrugging　her　shoulders。

〃You　will　be　punished　for　these　shameless　deeds　sooner　than　you
expected；〃　answered　the　president；　solemnly。

〃You　said　that　you　wanted　proof　that　that　was　not　the　quee