marie antoinette and her son-第43章

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her　bearing；　in　every　look；　in　every　gesture。　With　commanding
dignity　she　allowed　the　deputation　to　approach　her；　and　to　speak
with　her。　She　listened　with　calm　attention　to　the　words　of　the
speaker；　who；　in　the　name　of　the　court；　gave　utterance　to　the　deep
horror　with　which　the　treasonable　actions　of　the　day　before　had
filled　him。　He　then　humbly　begged　the　queen　to　give　such　names　of
the　rioters　as　might　be　known　to　her；　that　they　might　be　arrested；
but　Marie　Antoinette　interrupted　him　in　his　address。

〃No；　sir；〃　she　cried；　〃no；　never　will　I　be　an　informer　against　the
subjects　of　the　king。〃　＇Footnote：　Marie　Antoinette's　own　words。See
Goncourt；　〃Marie　Antoinette；〃　pp。　196；　197。＇

The　speaker　bowed　respectfully。　〃Then　let　me　at　least　beg　of　you；　in
the　name　of　the　High…Court　of　the　Chatelet；　to　give　us　your　order　to
bring　the　guilty　parties　to　trial；　for　without　such　a　charge　we
cannot　prosecute　the　criminals　who　have　been　engaged　in　these　acts。〃

〃Nor　do　I　wish　you　to　bring　any　one　to　trial；〃　cried　the　queen；　with
dignity。　〃I　have　seen　all；　known　all；　and　forgotten　all！　Go；
gentlemen；　go！　My　heart　knows　no　vengeance；　it　has　forgiven　all
those　who　have　wounded　me。　Go！〃　＇Footnote：　Ibid＇

With　a　commanding　gesture　of　her　hand；　and　a　gentle　nod　of　her　head；
she　dismissed　the　deputation；　who　silently　withdrew。

〃Marie；〃　said　the　king；　grasping　the　hand　of　his　wife　with　unwonted
eagerness；　and　pressing　it　tenderly　to　his　lips；　〃Marie；　I　thank　you
in　the　name　of　all　my　subjects。　You　have　acted　this　hour　not　only　as
a　queen；　but　as　the　mother　of　my　people。〃

〃Ah；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　with　a　sad　smile；　〃only　that　the
children　will　not　believe　in　the　love　of　their　motheronly　that
your　subjects　do　not　consider　me　their　mother；　but　their　enemy。〃

〃They　have　been　misguided；〃　said　the　king。　〃Evil…minded　men　have
deceived　them；　but　I　hope　we　shall　succeed　in　bringing　the　people
back　from　their　error。〃

〃Sire；〃　sighed　Marie　Antoinette；　〃I　hope　for　nothing　more；　but；〃
added　she；　with　still　firmer　voice；　〃I　also　fear　nothing　more。　The
worst　may　break　over　meit　shall　find　me　armed！〃

The　side…door　now　opened；　and　Madame　de　Campan　entered。

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　she；　bowing　low；　〃a　great　number　of　ladies　from
the　Faubourg　St。　Germain　are　in　the　small　reception…room。　They　wish
to　testily　their　devotion　to　your　majesty。〃

〃I　will　receive　them　at　once；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　with　an
almost　joyful　tone。　〃Ah；　only　see；　husband；　the　consolations　which
misfortune　brings。　These　ladies　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain　formerly
cut　me；　they　could　not　forget　that　I　was　an　Austrian。　To…day　they
feel　that　I　am　the　Queen　of　France；　and　that　I　belong　to　them。
Pardon　me；　sire；　for　leaving　you。〃

She　hastened　away　with　a　rapid　step。　The　king　looked　after　her　with
an　expression　of　pain。　〃Poor　queen；〃　he　whispered　to　himself；　〃how
much　she　is　misjudged；　how　wrongly　she　is　calumniated！　And　I　cannot
change　it；　and　must　let　it　be。〃

He　sank　with　a　deep　sigh；　which　seemed　much　like　a　groan；　into　an
arm…chair；　and　was　lost　in　painful　recollections。　A　gentle　touch　on
his　hand；　which　rested　on　the　side…arm　of　the　chair；　restored　him　to
consciousness。　Before　him　stood　the　dauphin；　and　looked　gravely　and
thoughtfully　out　of　his　large　blue　eyes　up　into　his　father's　face。

〃Ah；　is　it　you；　my　little　Louis　Charles？〃　said　the　king；　nodding　to
him。　〃What　do　you　want　of　me；　my　child？〃

〃Papa　king；〃　answered　the　boy；　timidly；　〃I　should　like　to　ask　you
somethingsomething　really　serious！〃

〃Something　really　serious！〃　replied　the　king。　〃Well；　what　is　it？　Let
me　hear！〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　the　dauphin；　with　a　weighty　and　thoughtful　air；
〃sire；　Madame　de　Tourzel　has　always　told　me　that　I　must　love　the
people　of　France　very　much；　and　treat　every　one　very　friendly；
because　the　people　of　France　love　my　papa　and　my　mamma　so　much；　and
I　ought　to　be　very　grateful　for　it。　How　comes　it　then；　sire；　that
the　French　people　are　now　so　bad　to　you；　and　that　they　do　not　love
mamma　any　longer？　What　have　you　both　done　to　make　the　people　so
angry；　because　I　have　been　told　that　the　people　are　subject　to　your
majesty；　and　that　they　owe　you　obedience　and　respect？　But　they　were
not　obedient　yesterday；　and　not　at　all　respectful；　your　subjects；
were　they？　How　is　this；　papa？〃

The　king　drew　the　little　prince　to　his　knee；　and　put　his　arm　around
the　slight　form　of　the　boy。　〃I　will　explain　it　to　you；　my　son；〃　he
said；　〃and　listen　carefully　to　what　I　say　to　you。〃

〃I　will；　sire；〃　answered　the　boy　eagerly；　〃I　at　least　am　an　obedient
subject　of　my　king；　for　the　Abbe　Davout　has　told　me　that　I　am
nothing　but　a　subject　of　your　majesty；　and　that；　as　a　son　and　a
subject；　I　must　give　a　good　example　to　the　French　people；　how　to
love　and　obey　the　king。　And　I　love　you　very　much；　papa；　and　I　am
just　as　obedient　as　I　can　be。　But　it　seems　as　though　my　good　example
had　made　no　difference　with　the　other　subjects。　How　comes　that
about；　papa　king？〃

〃My　son；〃　answered　Louis；　〃that　comes　because　there　are　bad　men　who
have　told　the　people　that　I　do　not　love　them。　We　have　had　to　have
great　wars；　and　wars　cost　a　deal　of　money。　And　so　I　asked　money　of
my　peoplejust　as　my　ancestors　always　did。〃

〃But；　papa；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　〃why　did　you　do　that？　Why　did　you
not　take　my　purse；　and　pay　out　of　that？　You　know　that　I　receive
every　day　my　purse　all　filled　with　new　francs；　andbut　then；〃　he
interrupted　himself；　〃there　would　be　nothing　left　for　the　poor
children；　to　whom　I　always　give　money　on　my　walks。　And；　oh！　there
are　so　many　poor　children；　so　very　many；　that　my　purse　is　empty
every　day；　when　I　return　from　my　walk；　and　yet　I　give　to　each　child
only　one　poor　franc…piece。　So　your　people　have　money；　more　money
than　you　yourself？〃

〃My　child；　kings　receive　all　that　they　have　from　their　people；　but
they　give　it　all　back　to　the　people　again；　the　king　is　the　one
appointed　by　God　to　govern　his　people；　and　the　people　owe　respect
and　obedience　to　the　king；　and　have　to　pay　taxes　to　him。　And　so；　if
he　needs　money；　he　is　justified　in　asking　his　subjects　for　it；　and
so　does　what　is　called　'laying　taxes'　upon　them。　Do　you　understand
me？〃

〃Oh！　yes；　papa；〃　cried　the　child；　who　had　listened　with　open　eyes
and　breathless　attention；　〃I　understand　all　very　well。　But　I　don't
like　it。　It　seems　to　me　that　if　a　man　is　king；　every　thing　belongs
to　him；　and　that　the　king　ought　to　have　all　the　money　so　as　to　give
it　to　the　people。　They　ought　to　ask　HIM；　and　not　he　THEM！〃

〃In　former　and　more　happy　times　it　was　so；〃　said　the　king；　with　a
sigh。　〃But　many　kings　have　misused　their　power　and　authority；　and
now　the　king　cannot　pay　out　money　unless　the　people　understand　all
about　it　and　consent！〃

〃Have　you　given　out　money；　papa；　without　asking　the　people's　leave？
Was　that　the　reason　they　came　to　Versailles　yesterday；　and　were　so
wicked；　ah！　so　very　wicked？　For　those　bad　men…they　were　the　people；
were　they　not？〃

〃No；　my　son；〃　answered　Louis；　〃I　hope　they　were　not　the　people。　The
people　cannot　come　to　me　in　such　great　masses；　they　must　have　their
representatives。　The　representatives　of　the　people　I　have　myself
called　to　me；　they　are　the　States…General；　which　I　assembled　at
Versailles。　I　asked　of　them　money　for　the　outlays　which　I　had　to
make　for　the　people；　but　they　asked　things　of　me　that　I　could　not
grant；　either　for　my　own　sake；　or　for　yours；　my　son；　who　are　some
day　to　be　my　successor。　Then　wicked　men　came　and　stirred　up　the
people；　and　told　them　that　I　did　not　love　the　people　any　more；　and
that　I　wanted　to　trouble　my　subjects。　And　the　poor　people　have
believed　what　these　evil　advisers　and　slanderers　have　told　them；　and
have　been　led　astray　into　making　the　riot　against　me。　But　every
thing　will　come　out　right　again；　and　my　subjects　will　see　that　I
love　them；　and　am　ready　to　share　every　thing　with　them。　That　is　the
reason　I　have　come　to　Paris；　to　live　here　among　my　people。　It　is
certainly　not　so　pleasant　as　in　Versailles；　our　rooms　are　not　so
fine　and　convenient；　and　we　do　not　have　the　beautiful　gardens　here
that　we　had　there。　But　we　must　learn　to　be　contented　here；　and　put
up　with　what　we　have。　We　must　remember　that　there　is　no　one　in　Paris
better　than　we；　and　that　the　Parisians　must　acknowledge　that　the
king　loves　them；　for　he　has　given　up　his　beautiful　Versailles；　in
order　to　live　with　them；　and　share　all　their　need；　and　all　the
disagreeable　things　which　they　have　to　bear。〃

〃Papa　king；　I　have　understood　every　thing；　and　I　am　very　much
ashamed　that　I　have　complained　before。　I　promise　you；　sire；〃　he
continued；　with　earnest　mien；　and　laying　his　hand　upon　his　breast；
〃yes；　sire；　I　promise　you；　that　I　will　take　pains　to　give　the　people
a　good　example；　and　to　be　really　good　and　kind。　I　will　never
complain　again　that　we　are　living　in　Paris；　and　I　will　take　pains　to
be　happy　and　contented　here。〃

And　the　dauphin　kept　his　word。　He　took　pains　to　be　contented；　he
said　not　another　word　about　the　old　pleasant　life　at　Versailles；　but
appeared　to　have　forgotten　all　about　ever　having　been　anywhere　but
in　this　great；　desolate　palace；　with　its　halls　filled　with　faded
tapestry；　stately；　solemn　furniture；　their　golden　adornments　having
grown　dim；　and　their　upholstery　hard；　he　seemed　never　to　have　known
any　garden　but　this；　only　one　little　corner　of　which　was　set　apart
for　the　royal　family；　and　through　the　iron　gate　of　which　threatening
words　were　often　heard；　and　spiteful　faces　seen。

One　day；　when　the　dauphin　heard　such　words；　and　saw　such　faces
beyond　the　paling；　he　shrank　back；　and　ran　to　his　mother；　earnestly
imploring　her　with　trembling　voice　to　leave　the　garden；　and　go　into
the　palace。　But　Marie　Antoinette　led　him　farther　into　the　garden；
instead　of　complying　with　his　wish。　In　the　little　pavilion　which
stood　at　the　corner　of　the　enclosure　on　the　side　of　the　quay；　she
sat　down；　and　lifting　her　boy　up　in　her　arms；　set　him　before　her　on
the　marble　table；　wiped　away　his　tears　with　her　handkerchief；　and
tenderly　implored　him　not　to　weep　or　feel　badly　any　more。

〃If　you　weep；　my　child；〃　she　said；　sadly；　as　the　dauphin　could　not
control　his　tears；　〃if　you　weep；　I　shall　have　no　courage　left；　and
it　will　be　as　dark　and　dreary　to　me　as　if　the　sun　had　gone　down。　If
you　weep；　I　should　want　to　weep　with　you；　and　you　see；　my　son；　that
it　would　not　be　becoming　for　a　queen　to　weep。　The　wicked　people；　who
want　to　hurt　our　feelings；　they　find　pleasure　in　it；　and　therefore
we　must　be　altogether　too　proud　to　let　them　see　what　we　suffer。　I
have　this　pride；　but　when　I　see　you　suffer　it　takes　away　all　my
strength。　You　remember　our　ride　from　Versailles　here；　my　son？　How
the　bad　men　who　surrounded　us；　mocked　at　me　and　said　foul　things　to
me！　I　was　cold　and　calm；　but　I　could　not　help　weeping；　my　child；
when　you　complained　of　being　hungry。〃

〃Mamma；〃　cried　the　child；　with　flashing　eyes；　〃I　will　never　complain
again；　and　the　bad　men　shall　never　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　me
weep。〃

〃But　good　men；　my　child；　you　must　always　treat　kindly；　and　behave
very　prettily　to　them。〃

〃I　will　do　so；〃　answered　the　dauphin；　thoughtfully。　〃But；　mamma
queen；　tell　me　who　the　good　men　are！〃

〃You　must　believe；　Louis；　that　all　men　are　good；　a