marie antoinette and her son-第22章

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expected；〃　answered　the　president；　solemnly。

〃You　said　that　you　wanted　proof　that　that　was　not　the　queen　who　gave
the　rendezvous　to　the　cardinal　in　Versailles；　that　the　promissory
note　was　not　subscribed　by　the　queen；　and　that　the　letters　to　the
cardinal　were　not　written　by　her。　If　the　proof　of　this　were　to　be
displayed　to　you；　it　would　be　right　to　accuse　you　of　high…treason。
We　have　already　exhibited　the　proof　that　it　was　not　Queen　Marie
Antoinette　who　made　an　appointment　with　the　cardinal　in　Versailles；
but　that　it　was　the　comedy　planned　and　brought　out　by　yourself；　with
which　you　deceived　the　cardinal；　and　made　him　believe　that　he　was
going　to　buy　the　necklace　of　which　you　intended　to　rob　him。　It　only
remains　to　show　you　that　the　subscription　of　the　queen　and　the
letters　to　the　cardinal　were　forged　by　you。〃

〃And　certainly；〃　cried　the　countess；　〃I　am　very　curious　to　have　you
exhibit　the　proofs　of　this！〃

〃That　is　a　very　simple　matter；〃　answered　the　president；　calmly。　〃We
confront　you　with　him　who　at　your　direction　imitated　the　handwriting
of　the　queen　and　wrote　the　letters。　Officer；　summon　the　last
witness！〃

The　officer　threw　open　the　door　which　led　to　the　next　room。　A
breathless　silence　prevailed　in　the　great　hall；　every　one　was
intensely　eager　to　see　this　last　witness　who　was　to　uncover　the　web
of　frauds　of　the　countess's　spinning。　The　great　burning　eyes　of　the
accused；　too；　were　turned　to　this　door；　and　her　compressed　lips　and
her　piercing　glance　disclosed　a　little　of　the　anxiety　of　her　soul；
although　her　bearing　and　manner　were　still　impudent　and　scornful。

And　now　the　door　opened；　and　a　cry　of　amazement　and　rage　broke　from
the　lips　of　the　countess。

〃Retaux　de　Vilette；〃　cried　she　madly；　doubling　up　her　little　hands
into　fists　and　extending　them　toward　the　man　who　now　entered　the
hall。　〃Shameful；　shameful！　He　has　turned　against　me！〃

And　losing　for　a　moment　her　composure；　she　sank　back　upon　the　seat
from　which　she　had　risen　in　her　fright。　A　deathly　paleness　covered
her　cheeks；　and；　almost　swooning；　she　rested　her　head　on　the　back　of
the　chair。

〃You　now　see　that　God　is　just；〃　said　the　president；　after　a　brief
pause。　〃Your　own　conscience　testifies　against　you　and　compels　you　to
confess　yourself　guilty。〃

She　sprang　up　and　compelled　herself　to　resume　her　self…possessed
manner；　and　to　appear　cool　and　defiant　as　before。

〃No！〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　confess　myself　guilty；　and　I　have　no
reason　to！　My　heart　only　shuddered　when　I　saw　this　man　enter；　whom　I
have　saved　from　hunger；　overwhelmed　with　kindness；　and　whom　my
enemies　have　now　brought　up　to　make　him　testify　against　me！　But　it
is　overI　am　now　ready　to　see　new　lies；　new　infamies　heaped　upon
me：　M。　Retaux　de　Vilette　may　now　speak　on；　his　calumnies　will　only
drop　from　the　undented　mail　of　my　conscience！〃

And　with　possessed　bearing　and　an　air　of　proud　scorn；　Countess
Lamotte　looked　at　the　man　who；　bowing　and　trembling；　advanced　by　the
side　of　the　officer　to　the　green　table；　and　sedulously　shunned
meeting　the　eyes　of　Lamotte；　which　rested　on　him　like　two　fiery
daggers。

The　president　propounded　the　usual　questions　as　to　name　and　rank。　He
answered　that　his　name　was　Retaux　de　Vilette；　and　that　he　was
steward　and　secretary　of　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois。　On　further
questioning；　he　declared　that　after　the　count　and　the　countess　had
been　arrested　he　had　fled；　and　had　gone　to　Geneva　in　order　to　await
the　end　of　the　trial。　But　as　it　lingered　so　long；　he　had　attempted
to　escape　to　England；　but　had　been　arrested。

〃Why　do　you　wish　to　escape？〃　asked　the　attorney…general。

〃Because　I　feared　being　involved　in　the　affairs　of　the　Countess
Lamotte；〃　answered　Retaux　de　Vilette；　in　low　tones。

〃Say　rather　you　knew　that　you　would　be　involved　with　them。　You　have
at　a　previous　examination　deposed　circumstantially；　and　you　cannot
take　back　what　you　testified　then；　for　your　denial　would　be　of　no
avail。　Answer；　therefore：　What　have　you　done？　Why　were　you　afraid　of
being　involved　in　the　trial　of　Countess　Lamotte？〃

〃Because　I　had　done　a　great　wrong；〃　answered　Retaux；　with　vehemence。
〃Because　I　had　allowed　myself　to　be　led　astray　by　the　promises；　the
seductive　arts；　the　deceptions　of　the　countess。　I　was　poor；　I　lived
unseen　and　unnoticed；　and　I　wished　to　be　rich；　honored；　and
distinguished。　The　countess　promised　me　all　this。　She　would　persuade
the　cardinal　to　advance　me　to　honor；　she　would　introduce　me　to　the
court；　and　through　her　means　I　should　become　rich　and　sought　after。
I　believed　all　this；　and　like　her　devoted　slave　I　did　all　that　she
asked　of　me。〃

〃Slavish　soul！〃　cried　the　countess；　with　an　expression　of
unspeakable　scorn。

〃What　did　the　countess　desire　of　you？〃　asked　the　president。　〃What
did　you　do　in　her　service？〃

〃I　wrote　the　letters　which　were　intended　for　the　cardinal；〃　answered
Retaux　de　Vilette。　〃The　countess　composed　them；　and　I　wrote　them　in
the　handwriting　of　the　queen。〃

〃How　did　you　know　her　handwriting？〃

〃The　countess　gave　me　a　book　in　which　a　letter　of　the　queen's　was
printed　in　exact　imitation　of　her　hand。　I　copied　the　letters　as
nearly　as　I　could；　and　so　worked　out　my　sentences。〃

〃He　lies；　he　lies！〃　cried　the　countess；　with　a　fierce　gesture。

〃And　how　was　it　with　the　promissory　note　to　the　jewellers；　Bohmer
and　Bassenge？　Do　you　know　about　that？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Retaux；　with　a　sigh；　〃I　do　know　about　it；　for　I
wrote　it　at　the　direction　of　the　countess；　and　added　the　signature。〃

〃Had　you　a　copy？〃

〃Yes；　the　signature　of　the　fac…simile。〃

〃In　the　printed　letter　was　there　the　subscription　which　you
inserted？〃

〃No；　there　was　only　the　name　'Marie　Antoinette；'　nothing　further；
but　the　countess　thought　that　this　was　only　a　confidential　way　of
writing　her　name；　as　a　daughter　might　use　it　in　a　letter　to　a　mother
（it　was　a　letter　written　by　the　queen　to　her　mother）；　but　that　in　a
document　of　a　more　business…like　character　there　must　be　an　official
signature。　We　had　a　long　discussion　about　it；　which　resulted　in　our
coming　to　the　conclusion　that　the　proper　form　would　be　'Marie
Antoinette　of　France。'　So　I　practised　this　several　times；　and
finally　wrote　it　on　the　promissory　note。〃

〃He　lies！〃　cried　the　countess；　stamping　on　the　floor。　〃He　is　a　born
liar　and　slanderer。〃

〃I　am　prepared　to　show　the　proof　at　once　that　I　speak　the　truth；〃
said　Retaux　de　Vilette。　〃If　you　will　give　me　writing…materials　I
will　write　the　signature　of　the　queen　in　the　manner　in　which　it　is
written　on　the　promissory　note。〃

The　president　gave　the　order　for　the　requisite　articles　to　be
brought　and　laid　on　a　side…table。　Retaux　took　the　pen；　and　with　a
rapid　hand　wrote　some　words；　which　he　gave　to　the　officer　to　be
carried　to　the　president。

The　latter　took　the　paper　and　compared　it　with　the　words　which　were
written　on　the　promissory　note。　He　then　passed　the　two　to　the
attorney…general；　and　he　to　the　judge　next　to　him。　The　papers　passed
from　hand　to　hand；　and；　after　they　came　back　to　the　president　again；
he　rose　from　his　seat：

〃I　believe　that　the　characters　on　this　paper　precisely　accord　with
those　on　the　note。　The　witness　has　given　what　seems　to　me
irrefutable　testimony　that　he　was　the　writer　of　that　signature；　as
well　as　of　the　letters　to　the　cardinal。　He　was　the　culpable
instrument　of　the　criminal　Lamotte…Valois。　Those　of　the　judges　who
are　of　my　opinion　will　rise。〃

The　judges　arose　as　one　man。

The　countess　uttered　a　loud　cry　and　fell；　seized　with　fearful
spasms；　to　the　ground。

〃I　declare　the　investigation　and　hearings　ended；〃　said　the
president；　covering　his　head。　〃Let　the　accused　and　the　witnesses　be
removed；　and　the　spectators'　tribune　be　vacated。　We　will　adjourn　to
the　council…room　to　prepare　the　sentence；　which　will　be　given　to…
morrow。〃




BOOK　II。


CHAPTER　VII。

THE　BAD　OMEN


The　day　was　drawing　to　a　close。　That　endlessly　long　day；　that　31st
of　August；　1786；　was　coming　to　a　conclusion。　All　Paris　had　awaited
it　with　breathless　excitement；　with　feverish　impatience。　No　one　had
been　able　to　attend　to　his　business。　The　stores　were　closed；　the
workshops　of　the　artisans　were　empty；　even　in　the　restaurants　and
cafes　all　was　still；　the　cooks　had　nothing　to　do；　and　let　the　fire
go　out；　for　it　seemed　as　if　all　Paris　had　lost　its　appetiteas　if
nobody　had　time　to　eat。

And　in　truth；　on　this　day；　Paris　had　no　hunger　for　food　that　could
satisfy　the　body。　The　city　was　hungry　only　for　news；　it　longed　for
food　which　would　satisfy　its　curiosity。　And　the　news　which　would
appease　its　craving　was　to　come　from　the　court…room　of　the　prison！
It　was　to　that　quarter　that　Paris　looked　for　the　stilling　of　its
hunger；　the　satisfying　of　its　desires。

The　judges　were　assembled　in　the　hall　of　the　prison　to　pronounce　the
decisive　sentence　in　the　necklace　trial；　and　to　announce　to　all
France；　yes；　all　Europe；　whether　the　Queen　of　France　was　innocent　in
the　eyes　of　God　and　His　representatives　on　earth；　or　whether　a　shade
of　suspicion　was　thenceforth　to　rest　upon　that　lofty　brow！

At　a　very　early　hour　of　the　morning；　half…past　five；　the　judges　of
the　high　court　of　Parliament；　forty…nine　in　number；　gathered　at　the
council…room　in　order　to　pronounce　sentence。　At　the　same　early　hour；
an　immense；　closely…thronged　crowd　gathered　in　the　broad　square　in
front　of　the　prison；　and　gazed　in　breathless　expectation　at　the
great　gate　of　the　building；　hoping　every　minute　that　the　judges
would　come　out；　and　that　they　should　learn　the　sentence。

But　the　day　wore　on；　and　still　the　gates　remained　shut；　no　news　came
from　the　council…room　to　enlighten　the　curiosity　of　the　crowd　that
filled　the　square　and　the　adjacent　streets。

Here　and　there　the　people　began　to　complain；　and　loud　voices　were
heard　grumbling　at　the　protracted　delay；　the　long　deliberations　of
the　judges。　Here　and　there　faces　were　seen　full　of　scornful
defiance；　full　of　laughing　malice；　working　their　way　through　the
crowd；　and　now　and　then　dropping　stinging　words；　which　provoked　to
still　greater　impatience。　All　the　orators　of　the　clubs　and　of　the
secret　societies　were　there　among　the　crowd；　all　the　secret　and　open
enemies　of　the　queen　had　sent　their　instruments　thither　to　work　upon
the　people　with　poisonous　words　and　mocking　observations；　and　to
turn　public　opinion　in　advance　against　the　queen；　even　in　case　the
judges　did　not　condemn　her；　that　is；　if　they　did　not　declare　the
cardinal　innocent　of　conspiracy　against　the　sovereign；　and　contempt
of　the　majesty　of　the　queen。

It　was　known　that　in　his　resume；　the　attorney…general　had　alluded　to
the　punishment　of　the　cardinal。　That　was　the　only　news　which　had
worked　its　way　out　of　the　court…room。　Some　favored　journalist；　or
some　friend　of　the　queen；　had　heard　this；　it　spread　like　the　wind
all　over　Paris；　and　in　thousands　upon　thousands　of　copies　the　words
of　the　attorney…general　were　distributed。

His　address　purported　to　run　as　follows：　that　〃Cardinal　de　Rohan　is
indicted　on　the　accusation；　and　must　answer　the　Parliament　and　the
attorney…general　respecting　the　following　charges：　of　audaciously
mixing　himself　up　with　the　affairs　of　the　necklace；　and　still　more
audaciously　in　supposing　that　the　queen　would　make　an　appointment
with