marie antoinette and her son-第27章

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gentle　inclination　of　her　head。　'Here；　sir；'　she　said；　'the　king　is
happy　to　be　able　to　reward；　in　the　name　of　France；　one　of　his　best
officers。　The　king　grants　you　a　yearly　pension　of　three　hundred
louis…d'or；　and　I　wish　for　you　and　your　son　that　you　may　live　yet
many　years　to　enjoy　happiness　and　health。　Go　at　once　with　this　paper
to　the　treasury；　and　you　will　receive　the　first　quarterly　payment。'
Then；　when　she　saw　that　my　father　was　almost　swooning；　she　summoned
with　a　loud　voice　some　gentlemen　of　the　court；　and　commanded　them　to
take　care　of　my　father；　to　take　him　out　into　the　fresh　air；　and　to
arrange　that　he　be　sent　home　in　a　carriage。　Now　all　these　fine
gentlemen　were　busy　in　helping　us。　Every　one　vied　with　the　others　in
being　friendly　to　us；　and　the　poor　neglected　invalid　who　had　been
crowded　to　the　wall；　the　overlooked　officer　Toulan；　was　now　an
object　of　universal　care　and　attention。　We　rode　home　to　our　inn　in　a
royal　carriage；　and　the　host　did　not　grumble　any　longer；　he　was
anxious　to　procure　us　food；　and　very　active　in　caring　for　all　our
needs。　The　queen　had　saved　us　from　misfortune；　the　queen　had　made　us
happy　and　well　to　do。〃

〃A　blessing　upon　the　dear　head　of　our　queen！〃　cried　Margaret；
raising　her　folded　hands　to　heaven。　〃Now　I　shall　doubly　love　her；
for　she　is　the　benefactor　of　him　I　love。　Oh；　why　have　you　waited
until　now　before　telling　me　this　beautiful；　touching　story？　Why　have
I　not　enjoyed　it　before？　But　I　thank　you　from　my　heart　for　the　good
which　it　has　done　me。〃

〃My　dear　one；〃　answered　Toulan；　gravely；　〃there　are　experiences　in
the　human　soul　that　one　may　reveal　only　in　the　most　momentous　epochs
of　lifejust　as　in　the　Jewish　temple　the　Holy　of　Holies　was
revealed　only　on　the　chief　feast…days。　Such　a　time；　my　dear　one；　is
to…day；　and　I　withdraw　all　veils　from　my　heart；　and　let　you　see　and
know　what；　besides　you；　only　God　sees　and　knows。　Since　that　day　when
I　returned　with　my　father　from　the　palace；　and　when　the　queen　had
made　us　happy　againsince　that　day　my　whole　soul　has　belonged　to
the　queen。　I　thanked　her　for　all；　for　the　contentment　of　my　father；
for　every　cheerful　hour　which　we　spent　together；　and　all　the
knowledge　I　have　gained；　all　the　studies　I　have　attempted；　I　owe　to
the　beautiful；　noble　Marie　Antoinette。　We　went　to　our　home；　and　I
entered　the　high…school　in　order　to　fit　myself　to　be　a　merchant；　a
bookseller。　My　father　had　enjoined　upon　me　riot　to　choose　a
soldier's　lot。　The　sad　experience　of　his　invalid　life　hung　over　him
like　a　dark　cloud；　and　he　did　not　wish　that　I　should　ever　enter　into
the　same。　'Be　an　independent；　free　man；'　said　he　to　me。　'Learn　to
depend　on　your　own　strength　and　your　own　will　alone。　Use　the　powers
of　your　mind；　become　a　soldier　of　labor；　and　so　serve　your　country。
I　know；　indeed；　that　if　the　hour　of　danger　ever　comes；　you　will　be　a
true；　bold　soldier　for　your　queen；　and　fight　for　her　till　your　last
breath。'　I　had　to　promise　him　on　his　death…bed　that　I　would　so　do。
Even　then　he　saw　the　dark　and　dangerous　days　approach；　which　have
now　broken　upon　the　realmeven　then　he　heard　the　muttering　of　the
tempest　which　now　so　inevitably　is　approaching；　and　often　when　I
went　home　to　his　silent　chamber　I　found　him　reading；　with　tears　in
his　eyes；　the　pamphlets　and　journals　which　had　come　from　Paris　to　us
at　Rouen；　and　which　seemed　to　us　like　the　storm…birds　announcing　the
tempest。　'The　queen　is　so　good；　so　innocent；'　he　would　sigh；　'and
they　make　her　goodness　a　crime　and　her　innocence　they　make　guilt！
She　is　like　a　lamb；　surrounded　by　tigers；　that　plays　thoughtlessly
with　the　flowers；　and　does　not　know　the　poison　that　lurks　beneath
them。　Swear　to　me；　Louis；　that　you　will　seek；　if　God　gives　you　the
power；　to　free　the　lamb　from　the　bloodthirsty　tigers。　Swear　to　me
that　your　whole　life　shall　be　devoted　to　her　service。'　And　I　did
swear　it；　Margaret；　not　merely　to　my　dear　father；　but　to　myself　as
well。　Every　day　I　have　repeated；　'To　Queen　Marie　Antoinette　belongs
my　life；　for　every　thing　that　makes　life　valuable　I　owe　to　her。'
〃When　my　father　died；　I　left　Rouen　and　removed　to　Paris；　there　to
pursue　my　business　as　a　bookseller。　My　suspicions　told　me　that　the
time　would　soon　come　when　the　friends　of　the　queen　must　rally　around
her；　and　must　perhaps　put　a　mask　over　their　faces；　in　order　to
sustain　themselves　until　the　days　of　real　danger。　That　time　has　now
come；　Margaret；　the　queen　is　in　danger！　The　tigers　have　surrounded
the　lamb；　and　it　cannot　escape。　Enemies　everywhere；　wherever　you
look！enemies　even　in　the　palace　itself。　The　Count　de　Provence；　her
own　brother…in…law；　has　for　years　persecuted　her　with　his　epigrams；
because　he　cannot　forgive　it　in　her　that　the　king　pays　more
attention　to　her　counsels　than　he　does　to　those　of　his　brother；　who
hates　the　Austrian。　The　Count　d'Artois；　formerly　the　only　friend　of
Marie　Antoinette　in　the　royal　family；　deserted　her　when　the　queen
took　ground　against　the　view　of　the　king's　brothers　in　favor　of　the
double　representation　of　the　Third　Estate；　and　persuaded　her　husband
to　comply　with　the　wishes　of　the　nation　and　call　together　the
States…General。　He　has　gone　over　to　the　camp　of　her　enemies；　and
rages　against　the　queen；　because　she　is　inclined　to　favor　the　wishes
of　the　people。　And　yet　this　very　people　is　turned　against　her；　does
not　believe　in　the　love；　but　only　in　the　hate　of　the　queen；　and　all
parties　are　agreed　in　keeping　the　people　in　this　faith。　The　Duke
d'Orleans　revenges　himself　upon　the　innocent　and　pure　queen　for　the
scorn　which　she　displays　to　this　infamous　prince。　The　aunts　of　the
queen　revenge　themselves　for　the　obscure　position　to　which　fate　has
consigned　them；　they　having　to　play　the　second　part　at　the　brilliant
court　of　Versailles；　and　be　thrown　into　the　shade　by　Marie
Antoinette。　The　whole　courtall　these　jealous；　envious　ladies
revenge　themselves　for　the　favor　which　the　queen　has　shown　to　the
Polignacs。　They　have　undermined　her　good　name；　they　have　fought
against　her　with　the　poisoned　arrows　of　denunciation；　calumny；
pamphlets；　and　libels。　Every　thing　bad　that　has　happened　has　been
ascribed　to　her。　She　has　been　held　responsible　for　every　evil　that
has　happened　to　the　nation。

The　queen　is　accountable　for　the　financial　troubles　that　have　broken
over　us；　and　since　the　ministry　have　declared　the　state　bankrupt；
Parisians　call　the　queen　Madame　Deficit。　Curses　follow　her　when　she
drives　out；　and　even　when　she　enters　the　theatre。　Even　in　her　own
gardens　of　St。　Cloud　and　Trianon　men　dare　to　insult　the　queen　as　she
passes　by。　In　all　the　clubs　of　Paris　they　thunder　at　the　queen；　and
call　her　the　destruction　of　Prance。　The　downfall　of　Marie　Antoinette
is　resolved　upon　by　her　enemies；　and　the　time　has　come　when　her
friends　must　be　active　for　her。　The　time　has　come　for　me　to　pay　the
vow　which　I　made　to　my　dying　father　and　to　myself。　God　has　blessed
my　efforts　and　crowned　my　industry　and　activity　with　success。　I　have
reached　an　independent　position。　The　confidence　of　my　fellow…
citizens　has　made　me　a　councillor。　I　have　accepted　the　position；　not
out　of　vanity　or　ambition；　but　because　it　will　give　me　opportunity
to　serve　the　queen。　I　wear　a　mask　before　my　face。　I　belong　to　the
democrats　and　agitators。　I　appear　to　the　world　as　an　enemy　of　the
queen；　in　order　to　be　able　to　do　her　some　secret　service　as　a
friend；　for　I　say　to　you；　and　repeat　it　before　God；　to　the　queen
belong　my　whole　life；　my　whole　being；　and　thought。　I　love　you；
Margaret！　Every　thing　which　can　make　my　life　happy　will　come　from
you；　and　yet　I　shall　be　ready　every　hour　to　leave　youto　see　my
happiness　go　to　ruin　without　a　complaint；　without　a　sigh；　if　I　can
be　of　service　to　the　queen。　You　my　heart　loves；　her　my　soul　adores。
Wherever　I　shall　be；　Margaret；　if　the　call　of　the　queen　comes　to　me；
I　shall　follow　it；　even　if　I　know　that　death　lurks　at　the　door
behind　which　the　queen　awaits　me。　We　stand　before　a　dark　and
tempestuous　time；　and　our　country　is　to　be　torn　with　fearful　strife。
All　passions　are　unfettered；　all　want　to　fight　for　freedom；　and
against　the　chains　with　which　the　royal　government　has　held　them
bound。　An　abyss　has　opened　between　the　crown　and　the　nation；　and　the
States…General　and　the　Third　Estate　will　not　close　it；　but　only
widen　it。　I　tell　you；　Margaret；　dark　days　are　approaching；　I　see
them　coming；　and　I　cannot；　for　your　sake；　withdraw　from　them；　for　I
am　the　soldier　of　the　queen。　I　must　keep　guard　before　her　door；　and；
if　I　cannot　save　her；　I　must　die　in　her　service。　Know　this；
Margaret；　but　know；　too；　that　I　love　you。　Let　me　repeat；　that　from
you　alone　all　fortune　and　happiness　can　come　to　me；　and　then　do　you
decide。　Will　you；　after　all　that　I　have　told　you；　still　accept　my
hand；　which　I　offer　you　in　tenderest　affection？　Will　you　be　my　wife；
knowing　that　my　life　belongs　not　to　you　alone；　but　still　more　to
another？　Will　you　share　with　me　the　dangers　of　a　stormy　time；　of　an
inevitable　future　with　me；　and　devote　yourself　with；　me　to　the
service　of　the　queen？　Examine　yourself；　Margaret；　before　you　answer。
Do　not　forget　your　great　and　noble　heart；　consider　that　it　is　a　vast
sacrifice　to　devote　your　life　to　a　man　who　is　prepared　every　hour　to
give　his　life　for　another　womanto　leave　the　one　he　loves；　and　to
go　to　his　death　in　defence　of　his　queen。　Prove　your　heart；　and；　if
you　find　that　the　sacrifice　is　too　great；　turn　your　face　away　from
me；　and　I　will　quickly　go　my　waywill　not　complain；　will　think　that
it　happens　rightly；　will　love　you　my　whole　life　long；　and　thank　you
for　the　pleasant　hours　which　your　love　has　granted　to　me。〃

He　had　dropped　from　the　divan　upon　his　knee；　and　looked　up　to　her
with　supplicating　and　anxious　eyes。　But　Margaret　did　not　turn　her
face　away　from　him。　A　heavenly　smile　played　over　her　features；　her
eye　beamed　with　love　and　emotion。　And　as　her　glance　sank　deep　into
the　heart　of　her　lover；　he　caught　the　look　as　if　it　had　been　a　ray
of　sunlight。　She　laid　her　arms　upon　his　shoulders；　and　pressing　his
head　to　her　bosom；　she　bowed　over　him　and　kissed　his　black；　curly
hair。

〃Ah！　I　love　you；　Louis；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　am　ready　to　devote　my
life　to　you；　to　share　your　dangers　with　you；　and　in　all　contests　to
stand　by　your　side。　Soldier　of　the　queen；　in　me　you　shall　always
have　a　comrade。　With　you　I　will　fight　for　her；　with　you　die　for　her；
if　it　must　be。　We　will　have　a　common　love　for　her；　we　will　serve　her
in　common；　and　with　fidelity　and　love　thank　her　for　the　good　which
she　has　done　to　you　and　your　father。〃

〃Blessings　upon　you；　Margaret！〃　cried　Toulan；　as　breaking　into　tears
he　rested　his　head　upon　the　knee　of　his　affianced。　〃Blessings　on
you；　angel　of　my　love　and　happiness！〃　Then　he　sprang　up；　and；
drawing　the　young　girl　within　his　arms；　he　impressed　a　glowing　kiss
upon　her　lips。

〃That　is　my　betrothal　kiss；　Margaret；　now　you　are　mine；　in　this　hour
our　souls　are　united　in　never…ending　love　and　faithfulness。　Nothing
can　separate　us　after　this；　for　we　journey　hand　in　hand　upon　the
same　road；　we　have　the　same　great　and　hallowed　goal！　Now　come；　my
love；　let　us　take　our　place　before　the　altar　of　God；　and　testify
with　an　oath　to　the　love　which　we　cherish　toward　our　queen！〃

He　offered　her　his　arm；　and；　b