marie antoinette and her son-第26章

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upon　it。　Her　hand　lay　within　his；　and　with　a　joyful　and　tender　look
she　gazed　into　the　bold；　noble；　and　good　face　of　the　man　to　whom　she
was　ready　to　devote　her　whole　life。

〃Speak　now；　Louis；　I　will　listen！〃

〃I　want　to　tell　you　of　my　father；　Margaret；〃　said　the　young　man；
with　a　gentle　voice〃　of　my　father；　who　thirsted　and　hungered　for
me；　in　his　efforts　to　feed；　clothe；　and　educate　me。　He　had　been　an
officer　in　the　army；　had　distinguished　himself　in　many　a　battle；　was
decorated；　on　account　of　his　bravery；　with　the　Order　of　St。　Louis；
and　discharged　as　an　invalid。　That　was　a　sad　misfortune　for　my
father；　for　he　was　poor；　and　his　officer's　pay　was　his　only　fortune。
But　nohe　had　a　nobler；　a　fairer　fortunehe　had　a　wife　whom　he
passionately　loved；　a　little　boy　whom　he　adored。　And　now　the　means
of　existence　were　taken　away　from　this　loved　wife；　this　dear　boy；
and　from　him　whose　service　had　been　the　offering　of　his　life　for　his
king　and　country；　the　storming　of　fortifications；　the　defying　of　the
bayonets　of　enemies；　and　who　in　this　service　had　been　so　severely
wounded；　that　his　life　was　saved　only　by　the　amputation　of　his　right
arm。　Had　it　not　been　just　this　right　arm；　he　would　have　been　able　to
do　something　for　himself；　and　to　have　found　some　employment　in　the
government　service。　But　now　he　was　robbed　of　all　hope　of　employment；
now　he　saw　for　himself　and　his　family　only　destruction；　starvation！
But　he　could　not　believe　it　possible；　he　held　it　to　be　impossible
that　the　king　should　allow　his　bold　soldier；　his　knight　of　the　Order
of　St。　Louis；　to　die　of　hunger；　after　becoming　a　cripple　in　his
service。　He　resolved　to　go　to　Paris；　to　declare　his　need　to　the
king；　and　to　implore　the　royal　bounty。　This　journey　was　the　last
hope　of　the　family；　and　my　father　was　just　entering　on　it　when　my
mother　sickened　and　died。　She　was　the　prop；　the　right　arm　of　my
father；　she　was　the　nurse；　the　teacher　of　his　poor　boy；　now　he　had
no　hope　more；　except　in　the　favor　of　the　king　and　in　death。　The　last
valuables　were　sold；　and　father　and　son　journeyed　to　Paris：　an
invalid　whose　bravery　had　cost　him　an　arm；　and　whose　tears　over　a
lost　wife　had　nearly　cost　him　his　eyesight；　and　a　lad　of　twelve
years；　acquainted　only　with　pain　and　want　from　his　birth；　and　in
whose　heart；　notwithstanding；　there　was　an　inextinguishable　germ　of
hope；　spirit；　and　joy。　We　went　on　foot；　and　when　my　shoes　were　torn
with　the　long　march；　my　feet　swollen　and　bloody；　my　father　told　me
to　climb　upon　his　back　and　let　him　carry　me。　I　would　not　allow　it；
Suppressed　my　pain；　and　went　on　till　I　dropped　in　a　swoon。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Margaret；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　〃how　much　you　have
suffered；　and　I　am　learning　it　now　for　the　first　time；　and　you　never
told　me　this　sad　history。〃

〃I　forgot　every　thing　sad　when　I　began　to　love　you；　Margaret；　and　I
did　not　want　to　trouble　you　with　my　stories。　Why　should　we　darken
the　clear　sky　of　the　present　with　the　clouds　of　the　past？　the　future
will　unquestionably　bring　its　own　clouds。　I　tell　you　all　this　now；
in　order　that　you　may　understand　my　feelings。　Now　hear　me　further；
Margaret！　At　last；　after　long…continued　efforts；　we　reached
Versailles；　and　it　seemed　to　us　as　if　all　suffering　and　want　were
taken　away　from　us　when　we　found　ourselves　in　a　dark；　poor　inn；　and
lay　down　on　the　hard　beds。　On　the　next；　my　father　put　on　his
uniform；　decorated　his　breast　with　the　order　of　St。　Louis；　and；　as
the　pain　in　his　eyes　prevented　his　going　alone；　I　had　to　accompany
him。　We　repaired　to　the　palace　and　entered　the　great　gallery　which
the　court　daily　traversed　on　returning　from　mass　in　the　royal
apartments。　My　father；　holding　in　his　hand　the　petition　which　I　had
written　to　his　dictation；　took　his　place　near　the　door　through　which
the　royal　couple　must　pass。　I　stood　near　him　and　looked　with　curious
eyes　at　the　brilliant　throng　which　filled　the　great　hall；　and　at　the
richly…dressed　gentlemen　who　were　present　and　held　petitions　in
their　hands；　in　spite　of　their　cheerful　looks　and　their　fine
clothes。　And　these　gentlemen　crowded　in　front　of　my　father；　shoved
him　to　the　wall；　hid　him　from　the　eye　of　the　king；　who　passed
through　the　hall　at　the　side　of　the　queen；　and　with　a　pleasant　face
received　all　the　petitions　which　were　handed　to　him。　Sadly　we　turned
home；　but　on　the　following　day　we　repaired　to　the　gallery　again；　and
I　had　the　courage　to　crowd　back　some　of　the　elegantly…dressed　men
who　wanted　to　press　before　my　father；　and　to　secure　for　him　a　place
in　the　front　row。　I　was　rewarded　for　my　boldness。　The　king　came；　and
with　a　gracious　smile　took　the　petition　from　the　hand　of　my　father；
and　laid　it　in　the　silver　basket　which　the　almoner　near　him
carried。〃

〃Thank　God；〃　cried　Margaret；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　〃thank　God；　you
were　saved！〃

〃That　we　said　too；　Margaret；　and　that　restored　my　father's　hope　and
made　him　again　happy　and　well。　We　went　the　next　day　to　the　gallery。
The　king　appeared；　the　grand　almoner　announced　the　names　of　those
who　were　to　receive　answers　to　their　petitionsthe　name　of　my
father　was　not　among　them！　But　we　comforted　ourselves　with　the
thought；　it　was　not　possible　to　receive　answers　so　quickly；　and　on
the　next　day　we　went　to　the　gallery　again；　and　so　on　for　fourteen
successive　days；　but　all　in　vain；　the　name　of　my　father　was　never
called。　Still　we　went　every　day　to　the　gallery　and　took　our　old
place　there；　only　the　countenance　of　my　father　was　daily　growing
paler；　his　step　weaker；　and　his　poor　boy　more　trustless　and　weak。　We
had　no　longer　the　means　of　stilling　our　hunger；　we　had　consumed
every　thing；　and　my　father's　cross　of　St。　Louis　was　our　last
possession。　But　that　we　dared　not　part　with；　for　it　was　our　passport
to　the　palace；　it　opened　to　us　the　doors　of　the　great　gallery；　and
there　was　still　one　last　hope。　'We　go　to…morrow　for　the　last　time；'
said　my　father　to　me　on　the　fifteenth　day。　'If　it　should　be　in　vain
on　the　morrow；　then　I　shall　sell　my　cross；　that　you；　Louis；　may　not
need　to　be　hungry　any　more；　and　then　may　God　have　mercy　upon　us！'　So
we　went　the　next　day　to　the　gallery　again。　My　father　was　to…day
paler　than　before；　but　he　held　his　head　erect；　he　fixed　his　eye；
full　of　an　expression　of　defiance　and　scorn；　upon　the　talkative；
laughing　gentlemen　around　him；　who　strutted　in　their　rich　clothes；
and　overlooked　the　poor　chevalier　who　stood　near　them；　despised　and
alone。　In　my　poor　boy's　heart　there　was　a　fearful　rage　against　these
proud；　supercilious　men；　who　thought　themselves　so　grand　because
they　wore　better　clothes；　and　because　they　had　distinguished
acquaintances　and　relations；　and　yet　were　no　more　than　my　fatherno
more　than　suppliants　and　petitioners；　tears　of　anger　and　of　grief
filled　my　eyes；　and　the　depth　of　our　poverty　exasperated　my　soul
against　the　injustice　of　fate。　All　at　once　the　whispering　and
talking　ceased；the　king　and　the　queen　had　entered　the　gallery。　The
king　advanced　to　the　middle　of　the　hall；　the　grand　almoner　called
the　names；　and　the　favored　ones　approached　the　king；　to　receive　from
him　the　fulfilment　of　their　wishes；　or　at　least　keep　their　hope
alive。　Near　him　stood　the　young　queen；　and　while　she　was　converging
with　some　gentlemen　of　the　court；　her　beautiful　eyes　glanced　over　to
us；　and　lingered　upon　the　noble　but　sad　form　of　my　father。　I　had
noticed　that　on　previous　days；　and　every　time　it　seemed　to　me　as　if
a　ray　from　the　sun　had　warmed　my　poor　trembling　heartas　if　new
blossoms　of　hope　were　putting　forth　in　my　soul。　To…day　this
sensation；　when　the　queen　looked　at　us；　was　more　intense　than
before。　My　father　looked　at　the　king　and　whispered　softly；　'I　see
him　to…day　for　the　last　time！'　But　I　saw　only　the　queen；　and　while　I
pressed　the　cold；　moist　hand　of　my　father　to　my　lips；　I　whispered；
'Courage；　dear　father；　courage！　The　queen　has　seen　us。'　She　stopped
short　in　her　conversation　with　the　gentleman　and　advanced　through
the　hall　with　a　quick；　light　step　directly　to　us；　her　large　gray…
blue　eyes　beamed　with　kindness；　a　heavenly　smile　played　around　her
rosy　lips；　her　cheeks　were　flushed　with　feeling；　she　was　simply
dressed；　and　yet　there　floated　around　her　an　atmosphere　of　grace　and
nobleness。　'My　dear　chevalier；'　said　she；　and　her　voice　rang　like
the　sweetest　music；　'my　dear　chevalier；　have　you　given　a　petition　to
the　king？'　'Yes；　madame；'　answered　my　father　trembling；　'fourteen
days　ago　I　presented　a　petition　to　the　king。'　'And　have　you　received
no　answer　yet？'　she　asked　quickly。　'I　see　you　every　day　here　with
the　lad　there；　and　conclude　you　are　still　hoping　for　an　answer。'　'So
it　is；　madame；'　answered　my　father；　'I　expect　an　answer；　that　is　I
expect　a　decision　involving　my　life　or　death。'　'Poor　man！'　said　the
queen；　with　a　tone　of　deep　sympathy。　'Fourteen　days　of　such　waiting
must　be　dreadful！　I　pity　you　sincerely。　Have　you　no　one　to　present
your　claims？'　'Madame；'　answered　my　father；　'I　have　no　one　else　to
present　my　claims　than　this　empty　sleeve　which　lacks　a　right　armno
other　protection　than　the　justice　of　my　cause。'　'Poor　man！'　sighed
the　queen；　'you　must　know　the　world　very　little　if　you　believe　that
this　is　enough。　But；　if　you　allow　me；　I　will　undertake　your
protection；　and　be　your　intercessor　with　the　king。　Tell　me　your　name
and　address。'　My　father　gave　them；　the　queen　listened　attentively
and　smiled　in　friendly　fashion。　'Be　here　to…morrow　at　this　hourI
myself　will　bring　you　the　king's　answer。'　We　left　the　palace　with
new　courage；　with　new　hope。　We　felt　no　longer　that　we　were　tired　and
hungry；　and　heeded　not　the　complaints　of　our　host；　who　declared　that
he　had　no　more　patience；　and　that　he　would　no　longer　give　us　credit
for　the　miserable　chamber　which　we　had。　His　scolding　and　threatening
troubled　us　that　day　no　more。　We　begged　him　to　have　patience　with　us
till　to…morrow。　We　told　him　our　hopes　for　the　future；　and　we
rejoiced　in　our　own　cheerful　expectations。　At　length　the　next　day
arrived；　the　hour　of　the　audience　came；　and　we　repaired　to　the　great
gallery。　My　heart　beat　so　violently　that　I　could　feel　it　upon　my
lips；　and　my　father's　face　was　lighted　up　with　a　glow　of　hope；　his
eye　had　its　old　fire；　his　whole　being　was　filled　with　new　life；　his
carriage　erect　as　in　our　happy　days。　At　last　the　doors　opened　and
the　royal　couple　entered。　'Pray　for　me；　my　son；'　my　father
whispered'pray　for　me　that　my　hopes　be　not　disappointed；　else　I
shall　fall　dead　to　the　earth。'　But　I　could　not　pray；　I　could　not
think。　I　could　only　gaze　at　the　beautiful　young　queen；　who　seemed　to
my　eyes　as　if　beaming　in　a　golden　cloud　surrounded　by　all　the　stars
of　heaven。　The　eyes　of　the　queen　darted　inquiringly　through　the
hall；　at　last　she　caught　mine　and　smiled。　Oh　that　smile！　it　shot
like　a　ray　of　sunlight　through　my　soul；　it　filled　my　whole　being
with　rapture。　I　sank　upon　my　knee；　folded　my　hands；　and　now　I　could
think；　could　pray：　'A　blessing　upon　the　queen！　she　comes　to　save　my
dear　father's　life；　for　she　frees　us　from　our　sufferings。'　The　queen
approached；　so　beautiful；　so　lovely；　with　such　a　beaming　eye。　She
held　a　sealed　paper　in　her　hand　and　gave　it　to　my　father　with　a
gentle　inclination　of　her　head。　'Here；　sir；'　she　said；　'the　king　is
happy　to　be　able　to　reward；　in　the　name　of　France；