marie antoinette and her son-第32章

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middle　of　the　room　like　one　transfixed。

〃It　is　good；　if　the　people　think　so；〃　he　said　then；　recovering
himself。　〃I　am；　like　the　people；　for　open　war。　They　want　my　head；
and　I　want　their　heads。　Why　do　we　not　fire？　A　fixed　policy；　no
quarter　to　the　so…called　freedom　ideas…cannon　well　served！　These
alone　can　save　us！〃

〃His　majesty　the　king　has　come　to　a　different　conclusion！〃　said　the
Duke　de　Liancourt；　bowing　low　before　the　king；　who　stood　calmly　by
with　folded　arms。

〃I　beg　my　brothers；　the　Count　de　Provence　and　the　Count　d'Artois；　to
accompany　me　this　morning　to　the　Assembly　of　States…General；〃　said
the　king；　in　a　firm　tone。

〃I　wish　to　go　thither　in　order　to　announce　to　the　Assembly　my
resolution　to　withdraw　my　troops。　At　the　same　time　I　shall　announce
to　them　my　decided　wish　that　they　may　complete　the　work　of　their
counsels　in　peace；　for　I　have　no　higher　aim　than　through　them　to
learn　the　will　of　the　nation。〃

Count　d'Artois　retreated　a　step　in　amazement。　Upon　his　mobile　face
appeared　the　sharp；　satirical　expression　which　was　peculiar　to　the
character　of　the　prince。　It　was　different　with　Provence；　who；　at　the
king's　words；　quickly　approached　him　to　press　his　hand　in　token　of
cordial　agreement　and　help。

At　this　moment　the　door　of　the　chamber　was　opened；　and　the　queen；
accompanied　by　several　persons；　her　most　intimate　companions；
entered　in　visible　excitement。

〃Does　your　majesty　know　what　has　happened？〃　she　asked；　with　pale
face　and　tearful　eyes；　as　she　violently　grasped　the　king's　hand。

〃It　will　be　all　well　yet；〃　said　the　king；　with　gentle　dignity；　〃it
will　prove　a　help　to　us　that　we　have　nothing　as　yet　to　accuse
ourselves　with。　I　am　resolved　to　go　to…day　to　the　National　Assembly；
and　to　show　it　a　sign　of　my　personal　confidence；　in　announcing　the
withdrawal　of　my　troops　from　Paris　and　Versailles。〃

The　queen　looked　at　her　husband　with　the　greatest　amazement；　then；
like　one　in　a　trance；　she　dropped　his　hand　and　stood　supporting　her
fair　head　upon　her　hand；　with　a　thoughtful；　pained　expression。

〃By　doing　so　your　majesty　will　make　the　revolution　an　irrevocable
fact；〃　she　then　said；　slowly　raising　her　eyes　to　him；　〃and　it
troubles　me；　sire；　that　you　will　again　set　foot　in　an　Assembly
numbering　so　many　dreadful　and　hostile　men；　and　in　which　the
resolution　made　last　month　to　disband　it　ought　to　have　been　carried
into　effect　long　ago。〃

〃Has　the　Assembly；　in　fact；　so　many　dreadful　members？〃　asked　the
king；　with　his　good…natured　smile。　〃Yet　I　see　before　me　here　two
extremely　amiable　members　of　that　Assembly；　and　their　looks　really
give　me　courage　to　appear　there。　There　is　my　old；　true　friend；　the
Duke　de　Liancourt；　and　even　in　the　train　of　your　majesty　there　is
the　valiant　Count　de　la　Marck；　whom　I　heartily　welcome。　May　I　not；
Count　de　la　Marck；　depend　upon　some　favor　with　your　colleagues　in
the　National　Assembly？〃　asked　the　king；　with　an　amiable　expression。

〃Sire；〃　answered　the　count；　in　his　most　perfect　court　manner；　〃in
the　variety　of　persons　constituting　the　Assembly；　I　do　not　know　a
single　one　who　would　be　able　to　close　his　heart　to　the　direct　word
of　the　monarch；　and　such　condescending　grace。　The　nobility；　to　whose
side　I　belong；　would　find　itself　confirmed　thereby　in　its　fidelity；
the　clergy　would　thank　God　for　the　manifestation　of　royal　authority
which　shall　bring　peace；　and　the　Third　Estate　would　have　to　confess
in　its　astonishment　that　safety　comes　only　from　the　monarch's
hands。〃

The　king　smiled　and　nodded　in　friendly　manner　to　the　count。

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　time　is　approaching　for　us　to
go　to　the　Assembly。　Their　royal　highnesses　Count　de　Provence　and
Count　d'Artois　will　accompany　me。　I　commission　the　Duke　de　Liancourt
to　go　before　us　to　the　Salle　des　Menus；　and　to　announce　to　the
Assembly；　directly　after　the　opening　of　the　session；　that　we　shall
appear　there　at　once　in　person。〃

On　this　the　king　dismissed　all　who　were　present。　The　queen　took
tender　leave　of　him；　in　a　manner　indicating　her　excited　feelings。
She　had　never　seen　her　royal　husband　bearing　himself　in　so　decided
and　confident　a　manner；　and　it　almost　awakened　new　confidence　in　her
troubled　breast。　But　at　the　same　moment　all　the　doubts　and　cares
returned；　and　sadly；　with　drooping　head；　the　queen　withdrew。

In　the　mean　time；　close　upon　the　opening　of　the　National　Assembly
that　morning；　stormy　debates　had　begun　about　the　new　steps　which
they　were　going　to　take　with　the　monarch。

Count　Mirabeau　had　just　been　breaking　out　into　an　anathema　in
flaming　words　about　the　holiday　which　the　king　had　given　to　the　new
regiments；　when　the　Duke　de　Liancourt；　who　that　moment　entered　the
hall；　advanced　to　the　speaker's　desk　and　announced　that　the　king　was
just　on　the　point　of　coming　to　the　Assembly。　The　greatest　amazement；
followed　immediately　by　intense　disquiet；　was　expressed　on　all　sides
at　hearing　this。　Men　sprang　up　from　their　places　and　formed
scattered　groups　to　talk　over　this　unexpected　circumstance　and　come
to　an　understanding　in　advance。　They　spoke　in　loud；　angry　words
about　the　reception　which　should　be　given　to　the　king　in　the
National　Assembly；　when　Mirabeau　sprang　upon　the　tribune；　and；　with
his　voice　towering　above　every　other　sound；　cried　that　〃mere　silent
respect　should　be　the　only　reception　that　we　give　to　the　monarch。　In
a　moment　of　universal　grief；　silence　is　the　true　lesson　of　kings。〃
＇Footnote：　Mirabeau's　own　words。See　〃Memoires　du　Comte　de
Mirabeau；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　301。＇

A　resounding　bravo　accompanied　these　words；　which　appeared　to
produce　the　deepest　impression　upon　all　parties　in　the　Assembly。

Before　the　room　was　silent；　the　king；　accompanied　by　his　brothers；
but　with　no　other　retinue　besides；　entered　the　hall。　Notwithstanding
all　the　plans　and　efforts　which　had　been　made；　his　appearance　at
this　moment　wrought　so　powerfully　that；　as　soon　as　they　saw　him；　the
cry　〃Long　live　the　king！〃　was　taken　up　and　repeated　so　often　as　to
make　the　arched　ceiling　ring。

The　king　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　Assembly；　bearing　himself
modestly　and　with　uncovered　head。　He　did　not　make　use　of　an　arm…
chair　which　was　placed　for　him；　but　remained　standing；　as；　without
any　ceremony；　he　began　to　address　the　Assembly　with　truly
patriarchal　dignity。　When　at　the　very　outset　he　said　that　as　the
chief　of　the　nation；　as　he　called　himself；　he　had　come　with
confidence　to　meet　the　nation's　representatives；　to　testify　his
grief　for　what　had　happened；　and　to　consult　them　respecting　the　re…
establishing　of　peace　and　order；　a　pacified　expression　appeared　upon
almost　all　faces。

With　gentle　and　almost　humble　bearing　the　king　then　entered　upon　the
suspicions　that　had　been　breathed；　that　the　persons　of　the　deputies
were　not　safe。　With　the　tone　of　an　honest　burgher　he　referred　to　his
own　〃well…known　character；〃　which　made　it　superfluous　for　him　to
dismiss　such　a　suspicion。　〃Ah！〃　he　cried；　〃it　is　I　who　have　trusted
myself　to　you！　Help　me　in　these　painful　circumstances　to　strengthen
the　welfare　of　the　state。　I　expect　it　of　the　National　Assembly。〃

Then　with　a　tone　of　touching　kindness　he　said：　〃Counting　upon　the
love　and　fidelity　of　my　subjects；　I　have　given　orders　to　the　troops
to　withdraw　from　Paris　and　Versailles。　At　the　same　time　I　commission
and　empower　you　to　convey　these　my　orders　to　the　capital。〃

The　king　now　closed　his　address；　which　had　been　interrupted　by
frequent　expressions　of　delight　and　enthusiasm；　but　which　was
received　at　the　close　with　a　thunder　of　universal　applause。　After
the　Archbishop　of　Brienne　had　expressed　the　thanks　of　the　Assembly
in　a　few　words；　the　king　prepared　to　leave　the　hall。　At　that　instant
all　present　rose　in　order　to　follow　the　king's　steps。　Silently　the
whole　National　Assembly　became　the　retinue　of　the　king；　and
accompanied　him　to　the　street。

The　king　wished　to　return　on　foot　to　the　palace。　Behind　him　walked
the　National　Assembly　in　delighted；　joyful　ranks。　The　startling
importance　of　the　occasion　seemed　to　have　overpowered　the　most
hostile　and　the　most　alienated　An　immense　crowd　of　people；　which　had
gathered　before　the　door　of　the　hall；　seeing　the　king　suddenly
reappear　in　the　midst　of　the　whole　National　Assembly；　broke　into
jubilant　cries　of　delight。　The　shouts；　〃Long　live　the　king！　Long
live　the　nation！〃　blended　in　a　harmonious　concord　which　rang　far　and
wide。　Upon　the　Place　d'Armes　were　standing　the　gardes　du　corps；　both
the　Swiss　and　the　French；　with　their　arms　in　their　hands。　But　they；
too；　were　infected　with　the　universal　gladness；　as　they　saw　the
procession；　whose　like　had　never　been　seen　before；　move　on。

The　cries　which　to…day　solemnized　the　happy　reconciliation　of　the
king　and　the　people　now　were　united　with　the　discordant　clang　of
trumpets　and　the　rattle　of　drums　on　all　sides。

Upon　the　great　balcony　of　the　palace　at　Versailles　stood　the　queen；
awaiting　the　return　of　the　king。　The　thousands　of　voices　raised　in
behalf　of　Louis　XVI。　and　the　nation　had　drawn　Marie　Antoinette　to
the　balcony；　after　remaining　in　her　own　room　with　thoughts　full　of
evil　forebodings。　She　held　the　dauphin　in　her　arms；　and　led　her
little　daughter。　Her　eyes；　from　which　the　heavy　veils　of　sadness
were　now　withdrawn；　cast　joyful　glances　over　the　immense；　shouting
crowds　of　people　approaching　the　palace；　at　whose　head　she　joyfully
recognized　her　husband；　the　king；　wearing　an　expression　of
cheerfulness　which　for　a　time　she　had　not　seen　on　his　face。

When　the　king　caught　sight　of　his　wife；　he　hastened　to　remove　his
hat　and　salute　her。　But　few　of　the　deputies　followed　the　royal
example；　and　silently；　without　any　salutation；　without　any　cries　of
acclamation；　they　looked　up　at　the　queen。　Marie　Antoinette　turned
pale；　and　stepped　hack　with　her　children　into　the　hall。

〃It　is　all　over；〃　she　said；　with　a　gush　of　tears；　〃it　is　all　over
with　my　hopes。　The　Queen　of　France　is　still　to　be　the　poorest　and
most　unhappy　woman　in　France；　for　she　is　not　loved；　she　is
despised。〃

Two　soft　young　arms　were　laid　around　her　neck；　and　with　a　face　full
of　sorrow；　and　with　tears　in　his　great　blue　eyes；　the　dauphin　looked
up　to　the　disturbed　countenance　of　his　mother。

〃Mamma　queen；〃　he　whispered；　pressing　fondly　up　to　her；　〃mamma
queen；　I　love　you　and　everybody　loves　you；　and　my　dear　brother　in
heaven　prays　for　you。〃

With　a　loud　cry　of　pain；　that　escaped　her　against　her　will；　the
queen　pressed　her　son　to　her　heart　and　covered　his　head　with　her
kisses。

〃Love　me；　my　son；　love　me；〃　she　whispered；　choking；　〃and　may　thy
brother　in　heaven　pray　for　me　that　I　may　soon　be　released　from　the
pains　which　I　suffer！〃

But　as　she　heard　now　the　voice　of　the　king　without；　taking　leave　of
his　retinue　with　friendly　words；　Marie　Antoinette　hastily　dried　her
tears；　and　putting　down　the　dauphin；　whispered　to　him；　〃Do　not　tell
papa　that　I　have　been　crying；〃　and　in　her　wonted　lofty　bearing；　with
a　smile　upon　her　trembling　lips；　she　went　to　meet　her　husband。

As　it　grew　late　and　dark　in　the　evening；　several　baggage…wagons
heavily　laden　and　tightly　closed　moved　noiselessly　and　hastily　from
the　inner　courts　of　the　palace；　and　took　the　direction　toward　the
country。　In　these　carriages　were　the　Count　d'Artois；　the　Duke