marie antoinette and her son-第56章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃I　mean；　that；　as　during　the　day　your　majesty　can　never　speak　with
the　king　without　witnesses；　we　must　call　the　night　to　our
assistance；　if　you　wish　to　speak　confidentially　to　his　majesty。　Your
majesty　has　heard；　that　during　the　night　the　watch　is　withdrawn　from
the　corridor；　and　your　majesty　is　free　to　leave　your　room　and　go　to
the　chamber　of　the　king。〃

A　flash　of　joy　passed　over　the　countenance　of　the　queen。　〃I　thank
you；　sirI　thank　you　to…day　as　a　wife；　perhaps　the　day　may　come
when　I　can　thank　you　as　a　queen；　I　accept　your　magnanimous　kindness。
Yes；　I　will　turn　the　night　into　day；　and；　thanks　to　you；　I　shall　be
able　to　spend　several　hours　undisturbed　with　my　husband　and　my
children。　And　do　you　say　that　you　shall　be　here　quite　often？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　I　shall　be　here　once　every　week　at　your
majesty's　order。〃

〃Oh！　I　have　lost　the　habit　of　ordering；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with
a　pained　look。　〃You　see　that　the　Queen　of　France　is　powerless；　but
she　is　not　wholly　unfortunate；　for　she　has　friends　still。　You　belong
to　these　friends；　sir；　and　that　we　may　both　retain　the　memory　of
this　day；　I　will　always　call　you　my　faithful　one。〃

No；　the　queen　is　not　wholly　unfortunate；　she　has　friends　who　are
ready；　with　her；　to　suffer；　with　her；　if　it　must　be；　to　die。　The
Polignacs　are　gone；　but　Princess　Lamballe；　whom　the　queen　had　sent
to　London；　to　negotiate　with　Pitt；　has　returned；　in　spite　of　the
warnings　and　pleadings　of　the　queen。　Marie　Antoinette；　when　she
learned　that　the　princess　was　on　the　point　of　leaving　England；　had
written　to　her：　〃Do　not　come　back　at　a　moment　so　critical。　You　would
have　to　weep　too　much　for　us。　I　feel　deeply；　believe　me；　how　good
you　are；　and　what　a　true　friend　you　are。　But；　with　all　my　love；　I
enjoin　you　not　to　come　here。　Believe　me；　my　tender　friendship　for
you　will　cease　only　with　death。〃

The　warning　of　her　royal　friend　had；　meanwhile；　not　restrained
Princess　Lamballe　from　doing　what　friendship　commanded。　She　had
returned　to　France；　and　Marie　Antoinette　had；　at　least；　the　comfort
of　having　a　tender　friend　at　her　side。

No；　the　queen　was　not　wholly　unfortunate。　Besides　this　friend；　she
had　her　children；　tooher　sweet；　blooming　little　daughter；　and　the
dauphin；　the　pride　and　joy　of　her　heart。

The　dauphin　had　no　suspicion　of　the　woes　and　misfortunes　which　were
threatening　them。　Like　flowers　that　grow　luxuriantly　and　blossom
upon　graves；　so　grew　and　blossomed　this　beautiful　boy　in　the
Tuileries；　which　was　nothing　more　than　the　grave　of　the　old　kingly
glory。　But　the　dauphin　was　like　sunshine　in　this　dark；　sad　palace；
and　Marie　Antoinette's　countenance　lightened　when　her　eye　fell　upon
her　son；　looking　up　to　her　with　his　tender；　beaming　face。　From　the
fresh；　merry　smile　of　her　darling；　she　herself　learned　to　smile
again；　and　be　happy。

Gradually；　after　the　first　rage　of　the　people　was　appeased；　the
chains　with　which　she　was　bound　were　relaxed。　The　royal　family　was
at　least　permitted　to　leave　the　close；　hot　rooms；　and　go　down　into
the　gardens；　although　still　watched　and　accompanied　by　the　National
Guard。　They　were　permitted　to　close　the　doors　of　their　rooms　again；
although　armed　sentries　still　stood　before　them。

There　were　even　some　weeks　and　months　in　this　year　1791；　when　it
appeared　as　if　the　exasperated　spirits　would　be　pacified；　and　the
throne　be　reestablished　with　a　portion　of　its　old　dignity。　The　king
had；　in　a　certain　manner；　received　forgiveness　from　the　National
Assembly；　while　accepting　the　constitution　and　swearingas　indeed
he　could　but　swear；　all　power　having　been　taken　from　him；　and　he
being　a　mere　lay…figurethat　would　control　all　his　actions；　and
govern　according　to　the　expressed　will　of　the　National　Assembly。

But　the　king；　in　order　to　make　peace　with　his　people；　had　even　made
this　sacrifice；　and　accepted　the　constitution。　The　people　seemed
grateful　to　him　for　this；　and　appeared　to　be　willing　to　return　to
more　friendly　relations。　The　queen　was　no　longer　insulted　with
contemptuous　cries　when　she　appeared　in　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries；
or　in　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　and　it　even　began　to　be　the　fashion　to
speak　about　the　dauphin　as　a　miracle　of　loveliness　and　beauty；　and
to　go　to　the　Tuileries　to　see　him　working　in　his　garden。

This　garden　of　the　dauphin　was　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　the
palace；　at　the　end　of　the　terrace　on　the　river…side；　it　was
surrounded　with　a　high　wire　fence；　and　close　by　stood　the　little
pavilion　where　dwelt　Abbe　Davout；　the　teacher　of　the　dauphin。　The
dauphin　had　had　in　Versailles　a　little　garden　of　his　own；　which　he
himself　worked；　planted；　and　digged；　and　from　whose　flowers　he
picked　a　bouquet　every　morning；　to　bring　it　with　beaming　countenance
to　his　mamma　queen。

For　this　painfully…missed　garden　of　Versailles；　the　little　garden　on
the　terrace　had　to　compensate。　The　child　was　delighted　with　it；　and
every　morning；　when　his　study…hours　were　over；　the　dauphin　hastened
to　his　little　parterre；　to　dig　and　to　water　his　flowers。　The　garden
has；　since　that　day；　much　changed；　it　is　enlarged；　laid　out　on　a
different　plan；　and　surrounded　with　a　higher　fence；　but　it　still
remains　the　garden　of　the　Dauphin　Louis　Charles；　the　same　garden
that　Napoleon　subsequently　gave　to　the　little　King　of　Borne；　the
same　that　Charles　X。　gave　to　the　Duke　de　Bordeaux；　and　that　Louis
Philippe　gave　to　the　Count　de　Paris。　How　many　recollections　cluster
around　this　little　bit　of　earth；　which　has　always　been　prematurely
left　by　its　young　possessors！　One　died　in　prison　scarcely　ten　years
old；　another；　hurried　away　by　the　tempest；　still　younger；　into　a
foreign　land；　only　lived　to　hear　the　name　of　his　father；　and　see　his
dagger　before　he　died。　The　third　and　fourth　were　hurled　out　by　the
storm…wind　like　the　first　two；　and　still　wear　the　mantle　of　exile　in
Austria　and　England。　And　many　as　are　the　tears　with　which　these
children　regard　their　own　fate；　there　must　be　many　which　they　must
bestow　upon　the　fate　of　their　fathers。　One　died　upon　the　scaffold；
another　from　the　knife　of　an　assassin；　a　third　from　a　fall　upon　the
pavement　of　a　highway；　and　the　last；　the　greatest　of　them　all；　was
bound；　like　Prometheus；　to　a　rock；　and　fed　on　bitter　recollections
till　he　met　his　death。

This　little　garden；　on　the　river…side　terrace　of　the　Tuileries　park；
which　has　come　to　have　a　world…wide　interest；　was　then　the　Eldorado
of　the　little　Dauphin　of　Prance；　and　to　see　him　behind　the　fence　was
the　delight　of　the　Parisians　who　used　to　visit　there；　and　long　for
the　moment　when　the　glance　of　his　blue　eye　fell　upon　them；　and　for
some　days　and　months　had　again　become　enthusiastic　royalists。

When　the　prince　went　into　his　little　garden；　he　was　usually
accompanied　by　a　detachment　of　the　National　Guard；　who　were　on　duty
in　the　Tuileries；　and　the　dauphin；　who　was　now　receiving　instruction
in　the　use　of　weapons；　generally　wore　himself　the　uniform　of　a
member　of　the　National　Guard。　The　Parisians　were　delighted　with　this
little　guard　of　six　years。　His　picture　hung　in　all　stores；　it　was
painted　on　fans　and　rings；　and　it　was　the　fashion；　among　the　most
elegant　ladies　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　and　among　the　market…
women　as　well；　to　decorate　themselves　with　the　likeness　of　the
dauphin。　How　his　brow　beamed；　how　his　eye　brightened；　when；
accompanied　by　his　escort；　of　which　he　was　proud；　he　entered　his
garden！　When　the　retinue　was　not　large；　the　prince　took　his　place　in
the　ranks。　One　day；　when　all　the　National　Guards　on　duty　were　very
desirous　of　accompanying　him；　several　of　them　were　compelled　to
stand　outside　of　the　garden。　〃Pardon　me；　gentlemen；〃　said　the
dauphin；　〃it　is　a　great　pity　that　my　garden　is　so　small　that　it
deprives　me　of　the　pleasure　of　receiving　you　all。〃　Then　he　hastened
to　give　flowers　to　every　one　who　was　near　the　fence；　and　received
their　thanks　with　great　pleasure。

The　enthusiasm　for　the　dauphin　was　so　great；　that　the　boys　of　Paris
envied　their　elders　the　honor　of　being　in　his　service；　and　longed　to
become　soldiers；　that　they　might　be　in　his　retinue。　There　was；　in
fact；　a　regiment　of　boys　formed；　which　took　the　name　of　the
Dauphin's　Regiment。　The　citizens　of　Paris　were　anxious　to　enroll　the
names　of　their　sons　in　the　lists　of　this　regiment；　and　to　pay　the
expenses　of　an　equipment。　And　when　this　miniature　regiment　was
formed；　with　the　king's　permission；　it　marched　to　the　Tuileries；　in
order　to　parade　before　the　dauphin。

The　prince　was　delighted　with　the　little　regiment；　and　invited　its
officers　to　visit　his　garden；　that　they　might　see　his　flowers；　his
finest　treasures。　〃Would　you　do　us　the　pleasure　to　be　the　colonel　of
our　regiment？〃　one　of　the　officers　asked　the　dauphin。

〃Oh！　certainly；〃　he　answered。

〃Then　you　must　give　up　getting　flowers　and　bouquets　for　your　mamma！〃
said　one　of　the　boys。

〃Oh！〃　answered　the　dauphin；　with　a　smile；　〃that　will　not　hinder　my
taking　care　of　my　flowers。　Many　of　these　gentlemen　have　little
gardens；　too；　as　they　have　told　me。　Very　well；　they　can　follow　the
example　of　their　colonel；　and　love　the　queen；　and　then　mamma　will
receive　whole　regiments　of　flowers　every　day。〃

The　majority　of　this　regiment　consisted；　at　the　outset；　of　children
of　the　highest　ranks　of　society；　and　it　was　therefore　natural　that
they；　practiced　in　the　most　finished　courtesy；　should　pay　some
deference　to　their　young　colonel。

But　they　were　expressly　forbidden　showing　any　thing　of　this　feeling
toward　their　comrade。　〃For；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　want　him　to　have
companions　who　will　stimulate　his　ambition；　but　I　do　not　want　him　to
have　flatterers；　who　shall　lead　him　to　live　to　himself　alone。〃　Soon
the　number　of　little　soldiers　increased；　for　every　family　longed　for
the　honor　of　having　its　sons　in　the　regiment　of　the　royal　dauphin。
The　people　used　always　to　throng　in　great　masses　when　this　regiment
went　through　its　exercises　in　the　Place　de　la　Carrousel。　It　was　a
miniature　representation　of　the　French　guards；　with　their　three…
cornered　hats　and　white　jackets；　and　nothing　could　be　more　charming
than　this　regiment　of　blooming　boys　in　their　tasteful　uniforms；　and
their　little　chief；　the　dauphin；　looking　at　his　regiment　with
beaming　eyes　and　smiling　lips。

The　enthusiasm　of　the　little　soldiers　of　the　Royal　Dauphin　Regiment
for　their　colonel　was　so　great；　that　they　longed　to　give　him　a　proof
of　their　love。　One　day　the　officers　of　the　regiment　came　into　the
Tuileries　and　begged　the　king's　permission　to　make　a　present　to　the
dauphin；　in　the　name　of　the　whole　regiment。　The　king　gladly　acceded
to　their　request；　and　he　himself　conducted　the　little　officers
into　the　reception…room；　where　was　the　dauphin；　standing　at　the　side
of　his　mother。

The　little　colonel　hastened　to　greet　them。　〃Welcome；　my　comrades；
welcome！〃　cried　he；　extending　his　hand　to　them。　〃My　mamma　queen
tells　me　that　you　have　brought　me　something　which　will　give　me
pleasure。　But　it　gives　me　pleasure　to　see　you；　and　nothing　more　is
needed。〃

〃But；　colonel；　you　will　not　refuse　our　present？〃

〃Oh；　certainly　not；　for　my　papa　king　says　that　a　colonel　is　not
forbidden　taking　a　gift　from　his　regiment。　What　is　it？〃

〃Colonel；　we　bring　you　a　set　of　dominoes；〃　said　a　little　officer；
named　Palloy；　wh