marie antoinette and her son-第31章

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〃Without　you；　my　dear　one；　my　life　were　a　desert；　without　you；　the
King　of　France　were　the　poorest　man　in　the　whole　land！〃

He　smiled　sadly　at　her。　〃And　with　me　he　will　perhaps　be　the　most
unfortunate　one；〃　she　whispered　softly；　as　if　to　herself。

〃Never　unfortunate；　if　you　are　with　me；　and　if　you　love　me；〃　cried
the　king；　warmly。　〃Weep　no　more；　we　must　overcome　our　grief；　and
comfort　ourselves　with　what　remains。　I　say　to　you　once　more：　the
dauphin　is　dead；　long　live　the　dauphin！〃

〃Papa　king；〃　said　the　boy；　quickly；　〃you　say　the　dauphin　is　dead；
and　has　left　us。　Has　he　taken　every　thing　away　with　him　that　belongs
to　him？〃

〃No；　my　son；　he　has　left　every　thing。　You　are　now　the　dauphin；　and
some　time　will　be　King　of　France；　for　you　are　the　heir　of　your
brother。〃

〃What　does　that　mean；　his　heir？〃　asked　the　child。

〃It　means；〃　answered　the　king；　〃that　to　you　belong　now　the　titles
and　honors　of　your　brother。〃

〃Nothing　but　that？〃　asked　the　prince；　timidly。　〃I　do　not　want　his
titles　and　honors。〃

〃You　are　the　heir　to　the　throne；　you　have　now　the　title　of　Dauphin
of　France。〃

The　little　one　timidly　grasped　the　hand　of　his　mother；　and　lifted
his　great　blue　eyes　supplicatingly　to　her。

〃Mamma　queen；〃　he　whispered；　〃do　you　not　think　the　title　of　Duke　de
Normandy　sounds　just　as　well；　or　will　you　love　me　more；　if　I　am
called　Dauphin　of　France？〃

〃No；　my　son；〃　answered　the　queen；　〃I　shall　not　love　you　better；　and
I　should　be　very　happy　if　you　were　now　the　Duke　de　Normandy。〃

〃Then；　mamma；〃　cried　the　boy；　eagerly；　〃I　am　not　at　all　glad　to
receive　this　new　title。　But　I　should　like　to　know　whether　I　have
received　any　thing　else　from　my　dear　sick　brother。〃

〃Any　thing　else？〃　asked　the　king　in　amazement；　〃what　would　you
desire；　my　child？〃

The　little　prince　cast　down　his　eyes。　〃I　should　not　like　to　tell；
papa。　But　if　it　is　true　that　the　dauphin　has　left　us　and　is　not
coming　back　again；　and　yet　has　not　taken　away　every　thing　which
belongs　to　him；　there　is　something　which　I　should　very　much　like　to
have；　and　which　would　please　me　more　than　that　I　am　now　the
dauphin。〃

The　king　turned　his　face　inquiringly　to　the　queen。　〃Do　you
understand；　Marie；　what　he　wants　to　say？〃　he　whispered。

〃I　think　I　can　guess；〃　answered　Marie　Antoinette　softly；　and　she
walked　quickly　across　the　room；　opened　the　door　of　the　adjoining
apartment；　and　whispered　a　few　words　to　the　page　who　was　there。　Then
she　returned　to　the　king；　but　while　doing　so　she　stepped　upon　the
bouquet　which　had　fallen　out　of　the　boy's　hands　when　his　father
lifted　him　up。

〃Oh；　my　pretty　violets；　my　pretty　roses；〃　cried　the　prince；　sadly；
and　his　face　put　on　a　sorrowful　expression。　But　he　quickly
brightened；　and；　looking　up　at　the　queen；　he　said；　smiling；　〃Mamma
queen；　I　wish　you　always　walked　on　flowers　which　I　have　planted　and
plucked　for　you！〃

At　this　moment　the　door　softly　opened；　and　a　little　black　dog
stepped　in；　and　ran　forward；　whining；　directly　up　to　the　prince。

〃Moufflet；〃　cried　the　child；　falling　upon　his　knee；　〃Moufflet！〃

The　little　dog；　with　its　long；　curly　locks　of　hair；　put　its　fore…
paws　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　boy　and　eagerly　and　tenderly　licked
his　laughing；　rosy　face。

〃Now；　my　Louis；〃　asked　the　queen；　〃have　I　guessed　right？wasn't　it
the　doggy　that　you　wanted　so　much？〃

〃Mamma　queen　has　guessed　it；〃　cried　the　boy　joyfully；　putting　his
arms　around　the　neck　of　the　dog。　〃Does　Moufflet　belong　to　my
inheritance　too？　Do　I　receive　him；　since　my　brother　has　left　him
behind？〃

〃Yes；　my　son；　the　little　dog　belongs　to　your　inheritance；〃　answered
the　king；　with　a　sad　smile。

The　child　shouted　with　pleasure；　and　pressed　the　dog　close　to　his
breast。　〃Moufflet　is　mine！〃　he　cried；　glowing　with　joy；　〃Moufflet　is
my　inheritance！〃

The　queen　slowly　raised　to　heaven　her　eyes；　red　with　weeping。　〃Oh；
the　innocence　of　childhood；　the　happiness　of　childhood！〃　said　she；
softly；　〃why　do　they　not　go　with　us　through　life？　why　must　we　tread
them　under　feet　like　the　violets　arid　roses　of　my　son？　A　kingdom
falls　to　him　as　his　portion；　and　yet　he　takes　pleasure　in　the　little
dog　which　only　licks　his　hands！　Love　is　the　fairest　inheritance；　for
love　remains　with　us　till　death！〃




CHAPTER　XI。

KING　LOUIS　THE　SIXTEENTH。


The　14th　of　July　had　broken　upon　Paris　with　its　fearful　events。　The
revolution　had　for　the　first　time　opened　the　crater；　after
subterranean　thunder　had　long　been　heard；　and　after　the　ground　of
Paris　had　long　been　shaken。　The　glowing　lava…streams　of　intense
excitement；　popular　risings；　and　murder；　had　broken　out　and　flooded
all　Paris；　and　before　them　judgment；　discretion；　and　truth　even；　had
taken　flight。

The　people　had　stormed　the　Bastile　with　arms；　killed　the　governor；
and　for　the　first　time　the　dreadful　cry　〃To　the　lamp…post！〃　was
heard　in　the　streets　of　Paris；　for　the　first　time　the　iron　arms　of
the　lamp…posts　had　been　transformed　to　gallows；　on　which　those　were
suspended　whom　the　people　had　declared　guilty。

Meanwhile　the　lava…streams　of　revolution　had　not　yet　flowed　out　as
far　as　Versailles。

On　the　evening　of　the　14th　of　July；　peace　and　silence　had　settled
early　upon　the　palace；　after　a　whole　day　spent　in　the　apartments　of
the　king　and　queen　with　the　greatest　anxiety；　and　after　resolution
had　followed　resolution　in　the　efforts　to　come　to　a　decision。

Marie　Antoinette　had　early　withdrawn　to　her　rooms。　The　king；　too；
had　retired　to　rest；　and　had　already　fallen　into　a　deep　slumber　upon
his　bed。　He　had　only　slept　a　few　hours；　however；　when　he　heard
something　moving　near　his　bed；　with　the　evident　intention　of
awakening　him。　The　king　recognized　his　valet；　who；　with　signs　of　the
greatest　alarm　in　his　face；　announced　the　Duke　de　Liancourt；　grand
maitre　de　la　garde…robe　of　his　majesty；　who　was　in　the　antechamber；
and　who　pressingly　urged　an　immediate　audience　with　the　king。　Louis
trembled　an　instant；　and　tried　to　think　what　to　do。　Then　he　rose
from　his　bed　with　a　quick　and　energetic　motion；　and　ordered　the
valet　to　dress　him　at　once。　After　this　had　been　done　with　the　utmost
rapidity；　the　king　ordered　that　the　Duke　de　Liancourt　should　be
summoned　to　the　adjacent　apartment；　when　he　would　receive　him。

As　the　king　went　out　in　the　greatest　excitement；　he　saw　the　duke；
whose　devotion　to　the　person　of　the　king　was　well　known；　standing
before　him　with　pale；　distorted　countenance　and　trembling　limbs。

〃What　has　happened；　my　friend？〃　asked　the　king；　in　breathless　haste。

〃Sire；〃　answered　the　Duke　de　Liancourt；　with　suppressed　voice；　〃in
the　discharge　of　my　office；　which　permits　the　closest　approach　to
your　majesty；　I　have　undertaken　to　bring　you　tidings　which　are　now
so　confirmed；　and　which　are　so　important　and　dreadful；　that　it　would
be　a　folly　to　try　to　keep　what　has　happened　longer　from　your
knowledge。〃

〃You　speak　of　the　occurrences　in　the　capital？〃　asked　the　king；
slightly　drawing　back。

〃I　have　been　told　that　your　majesty　has　not　yet　been　informed；〃
continued　the　duke；　〃and　yet　in　the　course　of　yesterday　the　most
dreadful　events　occurred　in　Paris。　The　head　of　the　army　had　not
ventured　to　send　your　majesty　and　the　cabinet　any　report。　It　was
known　yesterday　in　Versailles　at　nightfall　that　the　people；　with；
arms　in　their　hands；　had　stormed　and　destroyed　the　Bastile。　I　have
just　received　a　courier　from　Paris；　and　these　tidings　are　confirmed
with　the　most　horrible　particularity。　Sire；　I　held　it　my　duty　as　a
faithful　servant　of　the　crown　to　break　the　silence　which　has
hitherto　hindered　your　majesty　from　seeing　clearly　and　acting
accordingly。　In　Paris；　not　only　has　the　Bastile　been　stormed　by　the
people；　but　truly　dreadful　crimes　and　murders　have　taken　place。　The
bloody　heads　of　Delaunay　and　Flesselles　were　carried　on　pikes
through　the　city　by　wild　crowds　of　people。　A　part　of　the
fortifications　of　the　Bastile　have　been　levelled。　Several　of　the
invalides；　who　were　guarding　the　fort；　have　been　found　suspended
from　the　lantern…posts。　A　want　of　fidelity　has　begun　to　appear　in
the　other　regiments。　The　armed　people　now　arrayed　in　the　streets　of
Paris　are　estimated　at　two　hundred　thousand　men。　They　fear　this　very
night　a　rising　of　the　whole　population　of　the　city。〃

The　king　had　listened　standing；　as　in　a　sad　dream。　His　face　had
become　pale；　but　his　bearing　was　unchanged。

〃There　is　then　a　revolt！〃　said　Louis　XVI。；　after　a　pause；　as　if
suddenly　awakening　from　deep　thought。

〃No；　sire；〃　answered　the　duke；　earnestly；　〃it　is　a　revolution。〃

〃The　queen　was　right；〃　said　the　monarch；　softly；　to　himself；　〃and
now　rivers　of　blood　would　be　necessary　to　hide　the　ruin　that　has
grown　so　great。　But　my　resolution　is　taken；　the　blood　of　the　French
shall　not　be　poured　out。〃

〃Sire；〃　cried　Liancourt；　with　a　solemn　gesture；　〃the　safety　of
France　and　of　the　royal　family　lies　in　this　expression　of　your
majesty。　I　ought　to　be　and　I　must　be　plain…spoken　this　hour。　The
greatest　danger　lies　in　your　majesty's　following　the　faithless
counsels　of　your　ministers。　How　I　bless　this　hour　which　is　granted
me　to　stand　face　to　face　with　your　majesty；　and　dare　to　address
myself　to　your　own　judgment　and　to　your　heart！　Sire；　the　spirit　of
the　infatuated　capital　will　make　rapid　and　monstrous　steps　forward。
I　conjure　you　make　your　appearance　in　the　National　Assembly　to…day；
and　utter　there　the　word　of　peace。　Your　appearance　will　work
wonders；　it　will　disarm　the　parties　and　make　this　body　of　men　the
truest　allies　of　the　crown。〃

The　king　looked　at　him　with　a　long；　penetrating　glance。　The　youthful
fire　in　which　the　noble　duke　had　spoken　appeared　to　move　the　king。
He　extended　his　hand　and　pressed　the　duke's　in　his　own。　Then　he　said
softly：　〃You　are　yourself　one　of　the　most　influential　members　of
this　National　Assembly；　my　lord　duke。　Can　you　give　me　your　personal
word　that　my　appearance　there　will　be　viewed　as　indicating　the
interest　of　the　crown　in　the　welfare　of　France？〃

At　this　moment　the　first　glow　of　the　morning　entered　the　apartment；
and　overpowered　the　pale　candle…light　which　till　then　had
illuminated　the　room。

〃The　Assembly　longs　every　day　and　every　hour　for　the　conciliatory
words　of　your　majesty；〃　cried　Liancourt。　〃The　doubts　and　disquiet
into　which　the　National　Assembly　is　falling　more　and　more　every　day
are　not　to　be　dispelled　in　any　other　way　than　by　the　appearance　of
your　majesty's　gracious　face。　I　beseech　you　to　appear　to…day　at　the
National　Assembly。　The　service　of　to…day；　which　begins　in　a　few
hours；　may　take　the　most　unfortunate　turn；　if　you；　sire；　do　not　take
this　saving　step。〃

Just　then　the　door　opened；　and　Monsieur；　together　with　Count
d'Artois；　entered。　Both　brothers　of　the　king　appeared　to　be　in　the
greatest　excitement。　From　their　appearance　and　gestures　it　could　be
inferred　that　the　news　brought　by　the　Duke　de　Liancourt　had　reached
the　palace　of　Versailles。

Liancourt　at　once　approached　the　Count　d'Artois；　and　said　to　him　in
decisive　tones：

〃Prince；　your　head　is　threatened　by　the　people。　I　have　with　my　own
eyes　seen　the　poster　which　announces　this　fearful　proscription。〃

The　prince　uttered　a　cry　of　terror　at　these　words；　and　stood　in　the
middle　of　the　room　like　one　transfixed。

〃It　is　good；　if　the　people