marie antoinette and her son-第48章

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Provence；　the　successor　of　his　brother。

The　Count　d'Artois　was　once　the　friend　of　the　queen；　the　only　one　of
the　royal　family　who　wished　her　well；　and　who　defended　her　sometimes
against　the　hatred　of　the　royal　aunts　and　sisters…in…law；　and　the
crafty　brother。　But　while　living　in　Coblentz；　the　Count　d'Artois　had
become　the　embittered　enemy　of　Marie　Antoinette。　He　had　heard　it　so
often　said　on　all　sides　that　the　queen　by　her　levity；　her
extravagance；　and　her　intrigues；　was　the　cause　of　all；　that　she
alone　had　brought　about　the　revolution；　that　he　at　last　believed　it；
and　turned　angrily　against　the　royal　woman；　whose　worst　offence　in
the　eyes　of　the　prince　lay　in　this；　that　she　had　been　the　occasion
of　his　enforced　exile　to　Coblentz。

And　Marie　Antoinette　knew　all　these　intrigues　which　were　forged　by
the　prince　in　Coblentz　against　herselfknew　about　all　the　calumnies
that　were　set　in　circulation　there；　she　read　the　libels　and
pamphlets　which　the　storm…wind　of　revolution　shook　from　the　dry　tree
of　monarchy　like　withered　autumn　leaves；　and　scattered　through　all
France；　that　they　might　be　everywhere　found　and　read。

〃They　will　kill　me；〃　she　would　often　say；　with　a　sigh；　after　reading
these　pamphlets　steeped　with　hate；　and　written　in　blood〃　yes；　they
will　kill　me；　but　with　me　they　will　kill　the　king　and　the　monarchy
too。　The　revolution　will　triumph　over　us　all；　and　hurl　us　all
together　down　into　the　grave。〃

But　still　she　would　make　efforts　to　control　the　revolution　and
restore　the　monarchy　again　out　of　its　humiliations。　The　Emperor
Joseph　II。；　brother　of　the　queen；　once　said　of　himself；　〃I　am　a
royalist；　because　that　is　my　business。〃　Marie　Antoinette　was　a
royalist　not　because　it　was　her　business；　she　was　a　royalist　by
conviction；　a　royalist　in　her　soul；　her　mind；　and　her　inmost　nature。
For　this　she　would　defend　the　monarchy；　for　this　she　would　contend
against　the　revolution；　until　she　should　either　constrain　it　to
terms　or　be　swallowed　up　in　it。

All　her　efforts；　all　her　cares；　were　directed　only　to　this；　to
kindle　in　the　king　the　same　courage　that　animated　her；　to　stir　him
with　the　same　fire　that　burned　in　her　soul。　But　alas！　Louis　XVI。　was
no　doubt　a　good　man　and　a　kind　father；　but　he　was　no　king。　He　had　no
doubt　the　wish　to　restore　the　monarchy；　but　he　lacked　the　requisite
energy　and　strong　will。　Instead　of　controlling　the　revolution　with　a
fiery　spirit；　he　sought　to　conciliate　it　by　concession　and　mild
measures；　and　instead　of　checking　it；　he　himself　went　down　before
it。

But　Marie　Antoinette　could　not　and　would　not　give　up　hope。　As　the
king　would　not　act；　she　would　act　for　him；　as　he　would　not　take　part
in　politics；　she　would　do　so　for　him。　With　glowing　zeal　she　plunged
into　business；　spent　many　hours　each　day　with　the　ministers　and
dependants　of　the　court；　corresponded　with　foreign　lands；　with　her
brother　the　Emperor　Leopold；　and　her　sister；　Queen　Caroline　of
Naples；　wrote　to　them　in　a　cipher　intelligible　only　to　them；　and
sent　the　letters　through　the　hands　of　secret　agents；　imploring　of
them　assistance　and　help　for　the　monarchy。

In　earnest　labor；　in　unrelieved　care　and　business；　the　queen's　days
now　passed；　she　sang；　she　laughed　no　more；　dress　had　no　longer
charms　for　her；　she　had　no　more　conferences　with　Mademoiselle
Bertin；　her　milliner；　her　hairdresser；　M。　Leonard；　had　no　more　calls
upon　his　genius　for　new　coiffures　for　her　fair　hair；　a　simple；　dark
dress；　that　was　the　toilet　of　the　queen；　a　lace　handkerchief　round
the　neck；　and　a　feather　was　her　only　head…dress。

Once　she　had　rejoiced　in　her　beauty；　and　smiled　at　the　flatteries
which　her　mirror　told　her　when　it　reflected　her　face；　now　she　looked
with　indifference　at　her　pale；　worn　face；　with　its　sharp　grave
features；　and　it　awoke　no　wonder　within　her　when　the　mirror　told　her
that　the　queen　of　France；　in　spite　of　her　thirty…six　years；　was　old；
that　the　roses　on　her　cheeks　had　withered；　and　that　care　had　drawn
upon　her　brow　those　lines　which　age　could　not　yet　have　done。　She　did
not　grieve　over　her　lost　beauty；　she　looked　with　complacency　at　that
matron　of　six…and…thirty　years　whose　beautiful　hair　showed　the
traces　of　that　dreadful　night　in　October。　She　had　her　picture
painted；　in　order　to　send　it　to　London；　to　the　truest　of　her
friends；　the　Princess　Lamballe；　and　with　her　own　hands　she　wrote
beneath　it　the　words：　〃Your　sorrows　have　whitened　your　hair。〃

And　yet　in　this　life　full　of　cares；　full　of　work；　full　of　pain　and
humiliationin　these　sad　days　of　trouble　and　resignation；　there
were　single　gleams　of　sunshine；　scattered　moments　of　happiness。

It　was　a　ray　of　sunshine　when　this　sad　winter　in　the　Tuileries　was
past；　and　the　States…General　allowed　the　royal　family　to　go　to　St。
Cloud　and　spend　the　summer　there。　Certainly　it　was　a　new　humiliation
for　the　king　to　receive　permission　to　reside　in　his　own　summer
palace　of　St。　Cloud。　But　the　States…General　called　themselves　the
pillars　of　the　throne；　and　the　king　who　sat　upon　this　shaking　throne
was　very　dependent　upon　its　support。

In　St。　Cloud　there　was　at　least　a　little　freedom；　a　little　solitude
and　stillness。　The　birds　sang　in　the　foliage；　the　sun　lighted　up　the
broad　halls　of　the　palace；　in　which　a　few　faithful　ones　gathered
around　the　queen　and　recalled　at　least　a　touch　of　the　past　happiness
to　her　brow。　In　St。　Cloud　she　was　again　the　queen；　she　held　her
court　there。　But　how　different　was　this　from　the　court　of　former
days。

No　merry　laughter；　no　cheerful　singing　resounded　through　these
spacious　halls；　no　pleasant　ladies；　in　light；　airy；　summer　costume
swept　through　the　fragrant　apartments；　M。　d'Adhemar　no　longer　sits
at　the　spinet；　and　sings　with　his　rich　voice　the　beautiful　arias
from　the　opera　〃Richard　of　the　Lion　Heart；〃　in　which　royalty　had　its
apotheosis；　and　in　which　the　singer　Garat　had　excited　all　Paris　to
the　wildest　demonstrations　of　delight！　And　not　all　Paris；　but
Versailles　as　well；　and　in　Versailles　the　royal　court！

Louis　XVI。　himself　had　been　in　rapture　at　the　aria　which　Garat　sang
with　his　flexible　tenor　voice　in　so　enchanting　a　manner〃Oh；
Richard！　oh；　mon　roi！〃an　aria　which　had　once　procured　him　a
triumph　in　the　very　theatre。　For　when　Garat　began　this　air　with　his
full　voice；　and　every　countenance　was　directed　to　the　box　where　the
royal　family　were　sitting；　the　whole　theatre　rose；　and　the　hundreds
upon　hundreds　present　had　joined　in　the　loud；　jubilant　strains〃Oh；
Richard！　oh；　mon　roi！〃　Louis　XVI。　was　grateful　to　the　spirited
singer；　who；　in　that　stormy　time；　had　the　courage　to　publicly　offer
him　homage；　and　he　had　therefore　acceded　to　the　request　of　the
queen；　that　Garat　should　be　invited　to　the　private　concerts　of　the
queen　at　Versailles；　and　give　her　instruction　on　those　occasions　in
the　art　of　singing。

Marie　Antoinette　thought　of　those　pleasant　days　of　the　past；　as　she
sat　in　the　still；　deserted　music…room；　where　the　instruments　stood
silent　by　the　wallwhere　there　were　no　hands　to　entice　the　cheerful
melodies　from　the　strings；　as　there　had　once　been。

〃I　wish　that　I　had　never　sung　duets　with　Garat；〃　whispered　the　queen
to　herself。　〃The　king　allowed　me；　but　yet　I　ought　not　to　have　done
it。　A　queen　has　no　right　to　be　free；　merry；　and　happy。　A　queen　can
practise　the　fine　arts　only　alone；　and　in　the　silence　of　her　own
apartments。　I　would　I　had　never　sung　with　Garat。〃　＇Footnote：　The
queen's　own　words。See　〃Memoires　de　Madame　de　Campan；〃　vol。　ii。＇

She　sat　down　before　the　spinet　and　opened　it。　Her　fingers　glided
softly　over　the　keys；　and　for　the　first　time；　in　long　months　of
silence；　the　room　resounded　with　the　tones　of　music。

But；　alas！　it　was　no　cheerful　music　which　the　fingers　of　the　queen
drew　from　the　keys；　it　was　only　the　notes　of　pain；　only　cries　of
grief；　and　yet　they　recalled　the　happy　by…gone　timesthose　golden；
blessed　days；　when　the　Queen　of　France　was　the　friend　of　the　arts；
and　when　she　received　her　early　teacher；　the　great　maestro　and
chevalier；　Gluck；　in　Versailles；　when　she　took　sides　for　him　against
the　Italian　maestro　Lully；　and　when　all　Paris　divided　into　two
parties；　the　Gluckists　and　Lullyists；　waging　a　bloodless　war　against
each　other。　Happy　Paris！　At　that　time　the　interests　of　art　alone
busied　all　spirits；　and　the　battle　of　opinions　was　conducted　only
with　the　pen。　Gluck　owed　it　to　the　mighty　influence　of　the　queen
that　his　opera　〃Alcestes〃　was　brought　upon　the　stage；　but　at　its
first　representation　the　Lullyists　gained　the　victory；　and　condemned
it。　In　despair；　Gluck　left　the　opera…house；　driven　by　hisses　into
the　dark　street。　A　friend　followed　him　and　detained　him；　as　he　was
hurrying　away；　and　spoke　in　the　gentlest　tones。　But　Gluck
interrupted　him　with　wild　violence：　〃Oh；　my　friend！〃　cried　he；
falling　on　the　neck　of　him　who　was　expressing　his　kindly　sympathy；
〃'Alcestes'　has　fallen！〃　But　his　friend　pressed　his　hand；　and　said；
〃Fallen？　Yes；　'Alcestes'　has　fallen！　It　has　fallen　from　heaven！〃

The　queen　thought　of　this　as　she　sat　before　the　spinetthought　how
moved　Gluck　was　when　he　related　this　answer　of　his　friend；　and　that
he；　who　had　been　so　kind；　was　the　Duke　d'Adhemar。

She　had　thanked　him　for　this　gracious　word　by　giving　him　her　hand　to
kiss；　and　Adhemar；　kneeling；　had　pressed　his　lips　to　her　hand。　And
that　was　the　same　Baron　Adhemar　who　was　now　at　Coblentz　assisting
the　prince　to　forge　libels　against　herself；　and　who　was　himself　the
author　of　that　shameless　lampoon　which　ridiculed　the　musical　studies
of　the　queen；　and　even　the　duet　which　she　had　sung　with　Garat！

Softly　glided　her　fingers　over　the　keys；　softly　flowed　over　her
pale；　sunken　cheeks　two　great　tearstears　which　she　shed　as　she
thought　of　the　pasttears　full　of　bitterness　and　pain！　But　no；　no；
she　would　not　weep；　she　shook　the　tears　from　her　eyes；　and　struck
the　keys　with　a　more　vigorous　touch。　Away；　away；　those　recollections
of　ingratitude　and　faithlessness！　Art　shall　engage　her　thoughts　in
the　music…room；　and　to　Gluck　and　〃Alcestes〃　the　hour　belongs！

The　queen　struck　the　keys　more　firmly；　and　began　to　play　the　noble
〃Love's　Complaint；〃　of　Gluck's　opera。　Unconsciously　her　lips　opened；
and　with　loud　voice　and　intense　passionate　expression；　she　sang　the
words；　〃Oh；　crudel；　non　posso　in　vere；　tu　lo　sui；　senza　dite！〃

At　the　first　notes　of　this　fine　voice　the　door　in　the　rear　of　the
room　had　lightly　openedthe　one　leading　to　the　gardenand　the
curly　head　of　the　dauphin　was　thrust　in。　Behind　him　were　Madame　de
Tourzel　and　Madame　Elizabeth；　who；　like　the　prince；　were　listening
in　breathless　silence　to　the　singing　of　the　queen。

As　she　ended；　and　when　the　voice　of　Marie　Antoinette　was　choked　in　a
sigh；　the　dauphin　flew　with；　extended　arms　across　the　hall　to　his
mother；　〃Mamma　queen；〃　cried　he；　beaming　with　joy；　〃are　you　singing
again？　I　thought　my　dear　mamma　had　forgotten　how　to　sing。　But　she
has　begun　to　sing　again；　and　we　are　all　happy　once　more。〃

Marie　Antoinette　folded　the　little　fellow　in　her　arms；　and　did　not
contradict　him；　and　nodded　smilingly　to　the　two　ladies；　who　now
approached　and　begged　the　queen's　pardon　for　yielding　to　the
pressing　desires　of　the　dauphin；　and　entering　without　permission。

〃Oh；　mamma；　my　dear　mamma　queen；〃　said　the　pri