marie antoinette and her son-第55章

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words　to　me？　She　wanted　to　give　me　a　triumph；　and　yet　she　has
brought　me　a　new　humiliation。〃　Suddenly　she　shrank　back　and　raised
her　head。　She　had　caught　the　first　tones　of　that　sharp；　mocking
voice；　which　had　already　pierced　her　heart；　the　voice　of　that　evil
demon　who　now　occupied　the　place　of　the　good　Princess　Lamballe。

The　voice　cried：　〃The　people　of　Paris　are　right。　We　want　no　queen！
And　more　than　all　other　things；　no　mistress！　Only　slaves　acknowledge
masters　over　them。　If　the　Dugazont　ventures　to　sing　again；　'I　love
my　queen；　I　love　my　mistress；'　she　will　be　punished　as　slaves　are
punishedthat　is；　she　will　be　flogged！〃

〃Bravo；　Marat；　bravo！〃　roared　Santerre；　with　his　savage　rabble。
〃Bravo；　Marat；　bravo！〃　cried　his　friends　in　the　boxes；　〃she　shall　be
flogged！〃

Marat　bowed　on　all　sides；　and　turned　his　eyes；　gleaming　with　scorn
and　hatred；　toward　the　royal　box；　and　menaced　it　with　his　clinched
fists。

〃But　not　alone　shall　the　singer　be　flogged；〃　cried　he；　with　a　voice
louder　and　sharper　than　before〃no；　not　alone　shall　the　singer　be
flogged；　but　greater　punishment　have　they　deserved　who　urge　on　to
such　deeds。　If　the　Austrian　woman　comes　here　again　to　turn　the　heads
of　sympathizing　souls　with　her　martyr　looks；　if　she　undertakes　again
to　move　us　with　her　tears　and　her　face；　we　will　serve　her　as　she
deserves；　we　will　go　whip　in　hand　into　her　box！〃　＇Footnote：
Goneourt's　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　365。＇

The　queen　rose　from　her　chair　like　an　exasperated　lioness；　and
advanced　to　the　front　of　the　box。　Standing　erect；　with　flaming　looks
of　anger；　with　cheeks　like　purple；　she　confronted　them　therethe
true　heir　of　the　Caesars；　the　courageous　daughter　of　Maria　Theresa
and　had　already　opened　her　lips　to　speak　and　overwhelm　the　traitor
with　her　wrath；　when　another　voice　was　heard　giving　answer　to　Marat。

It　cried：　〃Be　silent；　Marat；　be　silent。　Whoever　dares　to　insult　a
woman；　be　she　queen　or　beggar；　dishonors　himself；　his　mother；　his
wife；　and　his　daughter。　I　call　on　you　all；　I　call　on　the　whole
public；　to　take　the　part　of　a　defenceless　woman；　whom　Marat　ventures
to　mortally　insult。

You　all　have　mothers　and　wives；　you　may；　perhaps；　some　day　have
daughters。　Defend　the　honor　of　woman！　Do　not　permit　it　to　be
degraded　in　your　presence。　Marat　has　insulted　a　woman；　we　owe　her
satisfaction　for　it。　Join　with　me　in　the　cry；　'Long　live　the　queen！
Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！'〃

And　the　public；　carried　away　with　the　enthusiasm　of　this　young；
handsome　man；　who　had　risen　in　his　box；　and　whose　slender；　proud
figure　towered　above　allthe　public　broke　into　one　united　stirring
cry：　〃Long　live　the　queen！　Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！〃

Marat；　trembling　with　rage；　his　countenance　suffused　with　a　livid
paleness；　sank　back　in　his　chair。

〃I　knew　very　well　that　Barnave　was　a　traitor；〃　he　whispered。　〃I
shall　remember　this　moment；　and　Barnave　shall　one　day　atone　for　it
with　his　head。〃

〃Barnave；　it　is　Barnave；〃　whispered　the　queen　to　herself。　〃He　has
rescued　me　from　great　danger；　for　I　was　on　the　point　of　being
carried　away　by　my　wrath；　and　answering　the　monster　there　as　he
deserves。〃

〃Long　live　the　queen！　Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！〃　shouted　the
public。

Marie　Antoinette　bowed　and　greeted　the　audience　on　all　sides　with　a
sad　smile；　but　not　one　look　did　she　cast　to　the　box　where　Barnave
sat；　with　not　one　smile　did　she　thank　him　for　the　service　he　had
done　her。　For　the　queen　knew　well　that　her　favor　brought　misfortune
to　those　who　shared　it；　that　he　on　whom　she　bestowed　a　smile　was　the
object　of　the　people's　suspicion。

The　public　continued　to　shout　her　name；　but　the　queen　felt　herself
exhausted；　and　drawing　back　from　the　front　of　the　box；　she　beckoned
to　her　companion。　〃Come；〃　she　whispered；　〃let　us　go　while　the　public
are　calling　'Long　live　Marie　Antoinette！'　Who　knows　whether　they
will　not　be　shouting　in　another　minute；　'Away　with　the　queen！　we
want　no　queen！'　It　pains　my　ear　so　to　hear　that；　so　let　us　go。〃

And　while　the　public　were　yet　crying；　Marie　Antoinette　left　the　box
and　passed　out　into　the　corridor；　followed　by　Mademoiselle　Bugois
and　the　two　officers　in　attendance。　But　the　corridor　which　the　queen
had　to　pass；　the　staircase　which　she　had　to　descend　in　order　to
reach　her　carriage；　were　both　occupied　by　a　dense　throng。　With　the
swiftness　of　the　wind　the　news　had　spread　through　Paris　that　the
queen　was　going　to　visit　the　opera　that　evening；　and　that　her　visit
would　not　take　place　without　witnessing　some　extraordinary　outbreak。

The　royalists　had　hastened　thither；　to　salute　the　queen；　and　at
least　to　see　her　on　the　way。　The　curious；　the　idle；　and　the　hostile…
minded　had　come　to　see　what　should　take　place；　and　to　shout　as　the
majority　might　shout。　The　great　opera…house　had　therefore　not
accommodated　half　who　wanted　to　be　present；　and　all　those　who　had
been　refused　admittance　had　taken　their　station　on　the　stairway　and
the　corridor；　or　before　the　main　entrance。　And　it　was　natural　that
those　who　stood　before　the　door　should；　by　their　merely　being　there；
excite　the　curiosity　of　passers…by；　so　that　these；　too；　stood　still；
to　see　what　was　going　on；　and　all　pressed　forward　to　the　staircase
to　see　every　thing　and　to　hear　every　thing。

But　the　civil　war　which　was　raging　within　the　theatre　had　given　rise
'to　battles　outside　as　well；　the　same　cries　which　had　resounded
within；　pealed　along　the　path　of　the　queen。　She　could　only　advance
slowly；　closer　and　closer　thronged　the　crowd；　louder　and　louder
roared　around　Marie　Antoinette　the　various　battle…cries　of　the
parties；　〃Long　live　the　queen！〃　〃Long　live　the　National　Assembly！
Down　with　the　queen！〃

Marie　Antoinette　appeared　to　hear　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　of
these　cries。　With　proudly　erected　head；　and　calm；　grave　looks；　she
walked　forward；　untroubled　about　the　crowd；　which　the　National　Guard
before　her　could　only　break　through　by　a　recourse　to　threats　and
violence；　in　order　to　make　a　passage　for　the　queen。

At　last　the　difficult　task　was　done；　at　last　she　had　reached　her
carriage；　and　could　rest　upon　its　cushions；　and；　unobserved　by
spying　looks；　could　give　way　to　her　grief　and　her　tears。　But　alas！
this　consolation　continued　only　for　a　short　time。　The　carriage　soon
stopped；　the　Tuileries；　that　sad；　silent　prison　of　the　royal　family；
was　soon　reached；　and　Marie　Antoinette　quickly　dried　her　tears；　and
compelled　herself　to　appear　calm。

〃Do　not　weep　more；　Bugois；〃　she　whispered。　〃We　will　not　give　our
enemies　the　triumph　of　seeing　that　they　have　forced　tears　from　us。
Try　to　be　cheerful；　and　tell　no　one　of　the　insults　of　this　evening。〃

The　carriage　door　was　opened；　the　queen　dismounted；　and；　surrounded
by　National　Guards　and　officers；　returned　to　her　apartments。

No　one　bade　her　welcome；　no　one　received　her　as　becomes　a　queen。　A
few　of　the　servants　only　stood　in　the　outer　room；　but　Marie
Antoinette　had　no　looks　for　them。　She　had　been　compelled　as　a
constitutional　queen　ought；　to　dismiss　her　own　tried　and　faithful
servants；　her　household　had　been　reorganized；　and　she　knew　very　well
that　these　new　menials　were　her　enemies；　and　served　as　spies　for　the
National　Assembly。　The　queen　therefore　passed　them　without　greeting；
and　entered　her　sitting…room。

But　even　here　she　was　not　alone；　the　door　of　the　ante…room　was　open；
and　there　sat　the　officer　of　the　National　Guard；　whose　duty　of　the
day　it　was　to　watch　her。

Marie　Antoinette　had　no　longer　the　right　of　being　alone　with　her
grief；　no　longer　the　right　of　being　alone　with　her　husband。　The
little　corridor　which　ran　from　the　apartments　of　the　queen　to　those
of　the　king；　was　always　closed　and　guarded。　When　the　king　came　to
visit　his　wife；　the　guard　came　too　and　remained；　hearing　every　word
and　standing　at　the　door　till　the　king　retired。　In　like　manner；　both
entrances　to　the　apartments　of　the　queen　were　always　watched；　for
before　the　one　sat　an　officer　appointed　by　the　National　Assembly；
and　before　the　other　a　member　of　the　National　Guard　stood　as　sentry。

With　a　deep　sigh　the　queen　entered　her　sleeping…room。　The　officer
sat　before　the　open　door　of　the　adjacent　room；　and　looked　sternly
and　coldly　in。　For　an　instant　an　expression　of　anger　flitted　over
the　face　of　the　queen；　and　her　lips　quivered　as　though　she　wanted　to
speak　a　hasty　word。　But　she　suppressed　it；　and　withdrew　behind　the
great　screen；　in　order　to　be　disrobed　by　her　two　waiting…maids　and
be　arrayed　in　her　night…dress。

Then　she　dismissed　the　maids；　and　coming　out　from　behind　the　screen；
she　said；　loudly　enough　to　be　heard　by　the　officer：　〃I　am　weary；　I
will　sleep。〃

At　once　he　arose；　and　turning　to　the　two　guards；　who　stood　at　the
door　of　the　anteroom；　said：

〃The　queen　is　retiring；　and　the　watch　in　the　black　corridor　can
withdraw。　The　National　Assembly　has　given　command　to　lighten　the
service　of　the　National　Guard；　by　withdrawing　as　much　of　the　force
as　possible。　As　long　as　the　queen　is　lying　in　bed；　two　eyes　are
enough　to　watch　her；　and　they　shall　watch　her　well！〃

The　soldiers　left　the　anteroom；　and　the　officer　returned　to　the
entrance　of　the　sleeping…room。　He　did　not；　however；　sit　down　in　the
easy…chair　before　the　door；　but　walked　directly　into　the　chamber　of
the　queen。

Marie　Antoinette　trembled　and　reached　out　her　hand　for　the　bell
which　stood　by　her　on　the　table。

〃Be　still；　for　God's　sake；　be　still！〃　whispered　the　officer。　〃Make
no　noise；　your　majesty。　Look　at　my　face。〃　And；　kneeling　before　the
queen；　he　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　her　with　an　expression
almost　of　supplication。　〃I　am　Toulan；〃　he　whispered；　〃the　faithful
servant　of　my　queen。　Will　your　majesty　have　the　goodness　to　recall
me？　Here　is　a　letter　from　my　patroness；　Madame　de　Campan；　who　speaks
well　for　me。　Will　your　majesty　read　it？〃

The　queen　ran　over　the　paper　quickly　and　turned　with　a　gentle　smile
to　the　officer；　who　was　still　kneeling　before　her；　and　who；　in　all
her　humiliation　and　misfortune；　still　paid　her　the　homage　due　to
majesty。

〃Stand　up；　sir；〃　she　said；　mildly。　〃The　throne　lies　in　dust；　and　my
crown　is　so　sadly　broken；　that　it　is　no　longer　worth　the　trouble　to
kneel　before　it。〃

〃Madame；　I　see　two　crowns　upon　your　noble　head；〃　whispered　Toulan
〃the　crown　of　the　queen；　and　the　crown　of　misfortune。　To　these　two
crowns　I　dedicate　my　service　and　my　fidelity；　and　for　them　I　am
prepared　to　die。　It　is　true；　I　can　do　but　little　for　your　majesty；
but　that　little　shall　be　faithfully　done。　Thanks　to　my　bitter　hatred
of　royalty；　and　my　rampant　Jacobinism；　I　have　carried　matters　so
far；　that　I　have　been　put　upon　the　list　of　officers　to　keep　watch；
and；　therefore；　once　every　week　I　shall　keep　guard　before　your
majesty's　sleeping…room。〃

〃And　will　you　do　me　the　favor　to　so　put　your　chair　that　I　shall　not
see　youthat　during　the　night　I　may　not　always　have　the　feeling　of
being　watched？〃　asked　the　queen；　in　supplicant　tones。

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　Toulan；　moved。　〃I　will　remain　in　my　chair；
but　your　majesty　will　prefer；　perhaps；　to　turn　the　night　into　day；
and　remain　up；　as　during　my　nights　you　will　not　be　disturbed。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　joyfully。

〃I　mean；　that；　as　during　the　day　your　majesty　can　never　spea