marie antoinette and her son-第53章

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back　from　Varennes；　where　they　were　identified　and　detained。　Now
they　were　returning；　no　longer　the　masters；　but　the　prisoners　of　the
French　nation！　The　National　Assembly　had　passed　a　decree；　whose
first　article　was：　〃The　king　is　temporarily　set　aside　from　the
functions　of　royalty；〃　and　whose　second　and　third　articles　were；
〃that　so　soon　as　the　king　and　his　family　shall　be　brought　back　to
the　Tuileries；　a　provisional　watch　shall　be　set　over　him；　as　well　as
over　the　queen　and　the　dauphin；　which；　under　the　command　of　the
general…in…chief　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris；　shall　be
responsible　for　their　safety　and　for　their　detention。〃

The　king　and　the　queen　returned　to　Paris　as　prisoners；　and　Lafayette
was　their　jailer。　The　master　of　France；　the　many…headed　King　of　the
French　nation；　was　the　National　Assembly。

Sad；　dreadful　days　of　humiliation；　of　resignation；　of　perils　and
anxieties；　now　followed　for　the　royal　family；　the　prisoners　of　the
Tuileries；　who　were　watched　day　and　night　by　spying　eyes；　and　whose
doors　must　remain　open　day　and　night；　in　order　that　officers　on
guard　might　look　without　hindrance　into　the　apartments　in　which　the
prisoners　of　the　French　nation　lived。

During　the　first　week　after　the　sad　return；　the　spirit　of　the　queen
seemed　to　be　broken；　her　energies　to　be　impaired　forever。　She　had　no
more　hope；　no　more　fear；　she　threw　out　no　new　plans　for　escaping；
she　neither　worked　nor　wrote。　She　only　sat　still　and　sad　for　hours；
and　before　her　eyes　passed　the　dreadful　pictures　of　the　time　just
gone　by；　presenting　themselves　with　dreadful　vividness；　and　in　the
recollection　anguishing　her　spirit。　She　recalled　the　excitement　and
anxiety　of　the　day　which　preceded　the　flight。　She　saw　herself；　as
with　trembling　hands　she　put　on　the　garments　of　one　of　her　waiting…
maids；　and　then　disguised　the　dauphin　in　girl's　clothes；　she　heard
the　boy　asking　anew；　with　his　pleasant　smile：　〃Are　we　going　to　play
theatre；　mamma　queen？〃　Then　she　saw　herself　on　the　street　alone；
waiting　without　any　protection　or　company　for　the　carriage　which　was
to　take　her　up；　after　taking　up　at　another　place　the　king　and　the
two　children。　She　recalled　the　drive　in　the　dark　night；　the　heat　in
the　close；　heavy　carriage；　the　dreadful　alarm　when　suddenly；　after　a
twelve　hours'　drive；　the　carriage　broke；　and　all　dismounted　to　climb
the　hill　to　the　village　which　lay　before　them；　and　where　they　had　to
wait　till　the　carriage　could　be　repaired。　Then　the　journey　on；　the
delay　in　Varennea；　the　cry；　〃They　are　recognized。〃　Then　the
confusion；　the　march；　the　anguish　of　the　hours　following；　and
finally　that　last　hour　of　hope　when；　in　the　poor　chamber　of　the
shopkeeper　Sauce；　his　wife　standing　near　the　bed　on　which　the　little
prince　slept；　she　conjured　his　wife　to　save　the　king　and　find　him　a
hiding…place。　Then　she　heard　again　before　her　ears　the　woman's　hard
voice　answering　her：

〃Madame；　it　cannot　be；　I　love　my　husband；　too；　and　I　also　have
children；　but　my　husband　were　lost　if　I　saved　yours。〃　Then　she　heard
afresh　the　cries；　the　march；　saw　the　arrival　of　the　Paris　regiments
and　the　deputies　whom　the　National　Assembly　sent　to　conduct　the
royal　refugees　back　to　Paris。　Then　she　recalled　the　drive　back；
crowded　into　the　carriage　with　the　deputies；　and　the　ribald　populace
roaring　around。　As　she　thought　of　all　these　things；　a　shudder　ran
through　the　form　of　the　unhappy　queen；　and　tears　streamed
unrestrainedly　from　her　eyes。

But　gradually　she　gained　her　composure　and　spirit；　and　even　the
daily　humiliation　and　trials　which　she　encountered　awakened　in　her
the　fire　and　defiance　of　her　earlier　days。

The　king　and　the　queen　were；　after　their　return　from　Varennes；　the
prisoners　of　their　own　people；　and　the　Tuileries　formed　the　prison
in　which　with　never…sleeping　cruelty　the　people　watched　their　royal
captives。

The　chiefs　of　the　battalions　constituting　the　National　Guard　took
turns　in　sentry　duty　over　the　royal　couple。　They　had　received　the
rigid　order　to　constantly　watch　the　royal　family；　and　not　to　leave
them　for　a　moment　alone。　Even　the　sleeping…room　of　the　queen　was　not
closed　to　the　espionage　of　the　guards；　the　door　to　the　drawing…room
close　by　had　always　to　be　open；　and　in　this　drawing…room　was　the
officer　of　the　guard。　Even　in　the　night；　while　the　queen　lay　in　her
bed；　this　door　remained　open；　and　the　officer；　sitting　in　an　arm…
chair　directly　opposite　to　the　door；　kept　his　eyes　directed　to　the
bed　in　which　the　queen　sought　to　sleep；　and　wrestled　with　the　pains
and　fear　which　she　was　too　proud　to　show　to　her　persecutors。　The
queen　had　stooped　to　make　but　one　request；　she　had　asked　that　at
least　in　the　morning；　when　she　arose　and　dressed；　she　might　close
the　doors　of　her　sleeping…room；　and　they　had　been　magnanimous　enough
to　comply　with　her　wish。＇Footnote：　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃
par　Edmondet　Jules　de　Goneourt；　p。　861。＇

But　Queen　Marie　Antoinette　had　met　all　these　humiliations；　these
disenchantments；　and　trials；　full　of　hope　of　a　change　in　her
fortune。　Her　proud　soul　was　still　unbroken；　her　belief　in　the
victory　of　monarchy　under　the　favor　of　God　animated　her　heart　with　a
last　ray　of　hope；　and　sustained　her　amid　all　her　misfortune。　She
still　would　contend　with　her　enemies　for　the　love　of　this　people；　of
whom　she　hoped　that；　led　astray　by　Jacobins　and　agitators；　they
would　at　last　confess　their　error；　respect　the　voice　of　their　king
and　queen；　and　return　to　love　and　regretfulness。　And　Marie
Antoinette　would　sustain　herself　in　view　of　the　great　day　when　the
people's　love　should　be　given　back；　she　would　seek　to　bring　that　day
back；　and　reconcile　the　people　to　the　throne。　On　this　account　she
would　show　the　people　that　she　cherished　no　fear　of　them；　that　she
would　intrust　herself　with　perfect　confidence　to　them；　and　greet
them　with　her　smiles　and　all　the　favor　of　former　days。　She　would
make　one　more　attempt　to　regain　her　old　popularity；　and　reawaken　in
their　cold　hearts　the　love　which　the　people　had　once　displayed　to
her　by　their　loud　acclamations。　She　found　power　in　herself　to　let
her　tears　flow；　not　visibly；　but　within　her　heart；　to　disguise　with
her　smile　the　pain　of　her　soul；　and　so　she　resolved　to　wear　a
cheerful　and　pleasant　face；　and　appear　again　publicly　in　the
theatre；　as　well　as　in　open　carriage…drives　through　the　city。

They　were　then　giving　in　the　great　opera…house　Gluck's　〃Alceste；〃
the　favorite　opera　of　the　queenthe　opera　in　which　a　few　years
before　she　had　received　so　splendid　a　triumph；　in　which　the　public
loudly　encored；　〃Chantons；　celebrons　notre　reine！〃　which　the　choir
had　sung　upon　the　stage；　and；　standing　with　faces　turned　toward　the
royal　box；　had　mingled　their　voices　with　those　of　the　singers；　and
repeated　in　a　general　chorus；　〃Chantons；　celebrons　notre　reine！〃

〃I　will　try　whether　the　public　remembers　that　evening；〃　said　Marie
Antoinette；　with　a　faint　smile；　to　Mademoiselle　de　Bugois；　the　only
lady　who　had　been　permitted　to　remain　with　her；　〃I　will　go　this
evening　to　the　opera；　the　public　shall　at　least　see　that　I　intrust
myself　with　confidence　to　it；　and　that　I　have　not　changed；　however
much　may　have　been　changed　around。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Bugois　looked　with　deep　sadness　at　the　pale　face　of
the　queen；　that　would　show　the　public　that　she　had　not　altered；　and
upon　which；　once　so　fair　and　bright；　grief　had　recorded　its
ineradicable　characters；　and　almost　extinguished　its　old　beauty。
Deeply　moved；　the　waiting…lady　turned　away　in　order　not　to　let　the
tears　be　seen　which；　against　her　will；　streamed　from　her　eyes。

But　Marie　Antoinette　had　seen　them　nevertheless。　With　a　sad　smile
she　laid　her　hand　upon　the　shoulder　of　the　lady…in…waiting。　〃Ah！〃
said　she；　mildly；　〃do　not　conceal　your　tears。　You　are　much　happier
than　I；　for　you　can　shed　tears；　mine　have　been　flowing　almost　two
years　in　silence；　and　I　have　had　to　swallow　them！　＇Footnote：　Marie
Antoinette's　own　words。See　Goncourt；　p。　264。＇

〃But　I　will　not　weep　this　evening；〃　she　continued；　〃I　will　meet
these　Parisians　at　least　in　composure。　Yes；　I　will　do　more；　I　will
try　to　smile　to　them。　They　hate　me　now；　but　perhaps　they　will
remember　then　that　once　they　truly　loved　me。　There　is　a　trace　of
magnanimity　in　the　people；　and　my　confidence　will　perhaps　touch　it。
Be　quick；　and　make　my　toilet。　I　will　be　fair　to…day。　I　will　adorn
myself　for　the　Parisians。　They　will　not　be　my　enemies　alone　who　will
be　at　the　theatre；　some　of　my　friends　will　be　there；　and　they　at
least　will　be　glad　to　see　me。　Quick；　mademoiselle；　let　us　begin　my
toilet。〃

And　with　a　liveliness　and　a　zeal　which；　in　her　threatened　situation；
had　something　touching　in　it；　Marie　Antoinette　arrayed　herself　for
the　public；　for　the　good　Parisians。

The　news　that　the　queen　was　to　appear　that　evening　at　the　theatre
had　quickly　run　through　all　Paris；　the　officer　on　duty　told　it　at
his　relief　to　some　of　the　guards；　they　to　those　whom　they　met；　and
it　spread　like　wildfire。　It　was　therefore　very　natural　that；　long
before　the　curtain　was　raised；　the　great　opera…house　was　completely
filled；　parquette；　boxes；　and　parterre；　with　a　passionately…excited
throng。　The　friends　of　the　queen　went　in　order　to　give　her　a　long…
looked…for　triumph；　her　enemiesand　these　the　poor　queen　had　in
overwhelming　numbersto　fling　their　hate；　their　malice；　their
scorn；　into　the　face　of　Marie　Antoinette。

And　enemies　of　the　queen　had　taken　places　for　themselves　in　every
part　of　the　great　house。　They　even　sat　in　the　boxes　of　the　first
rank；　on　those　velvet…cushioned　chairs　which　had　formerly　been
occupied　exclusively　by　the　enthusiastic　admirers　of　the　court；　the
ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　aristocracy。　But　now　the　aristocracy　did
not　dare　to　sit　there。　The　most　of　them；　friends　of　the　queen；　had
fled；　giving　way　before　her　enemies　and　persecutors；　and　in　the
boxes　where　they　once　sat；　now　were　the　chief　members　of　the
National　Assembly；　together　with　the　leading　orators　of　the　clubs；
and　the　societies　of　Jacobins。

To　the　box　above；　where　the　people　had　once　been　accustomed　to　see
Princess　Lamballe；　the　eyes　of　the　public　were　directed　again　and
again。　Marie　Antoinette　had　been　compelled　to　send　away　this　last　of
her　friends　to　London；　to　have　a　conference　with　Pitt。　Instead　of
the　fair　locks　of　the　princess；　was　now　to　be　seen　the　head　of　a
man；　who；　resting　both　arms　on　the　velvet　lining　of　the　box；　was
gazing　down　with　malicious　looks　into　the　surging　masses　of　the
parterre。　This　man　was　Marat；　once　the　veterinary　of　the　Count
d'Artois；　now　the　greatest　and　most　formidable　orator　of　the　wild
Jacobins。

He　too　had　come　to　see　the　hated　she…wolf；　as　he　had　lately　called
the　queen　in　his　〃Ami　du　Peuple；〃　and；　to　prepare　for　her　a　public
insult；　sat　drunk　with　vanity　in　the　splendid　box　of　the　Princess
Lamballe；　his　friends　and　confidants　were　in　the　theatre；　among　them
Santerre　the　brewer；　and　Simon　the　cobbler；　often　looking　up　at
Marat；　waiting　for　the　promised　motion　which　should　be　his　signal
for　the　great　demonstration。

At　length　the　time　arrived　for　the　opera　to　begin；　and；　although　the
queen　had　not　come；　the　director　of　the　orchestra　did　not　venture　to
detain　the　audience　even　for　a　few　minutes。　He　went　to　his