marie antoinette and her son-第60章

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conscience　does　not　fear。　Feel；〃　he　said；　taking　the　hand　of　the
grenadier　who　stood　at　his　side；　〃lay　your　hand　upon　my　heart；　and
tell　this　man　whether　it　beats　faster。〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　words。
The　grenadier's　name　whose　hand　the　king　took；　was　Lalanne。　Later；
in　the　second　year　of　〃the　one　and　indivisible　republic；〃　he　was
condemned　to　die　by　the　guillotine；　because；　as　stated　in　the
sentence；　he　showed　himself　on　the　30th　of　June；　1798；　as　a　common
servant　of　tyranny；　and　boasted　to　other　citizens　that　Capet　took
his　hand；　laid　it　upon　his　heart；　and　said：　〃Feel；　my　friend；
whether　it　beats　quicker。〃See　Hue；　〃Dernieres　Annees　de　Louis
Seize；〃　p。　180。＇

Petion　now　turned　to　the　people　and　commanded　them　to　withdraw。
〃Fellow…citizens；〃　said　he；　〃you　began　this　day　wisely　and　worthily；
you　have　proved　that　you　are　free。　End　the　day　as　you　began　it。
Separate　peaceably；　do　as　I　do；　return　to　your　houses；　and　go　to
bed！〃　The　multitude；　flattered　by　Petion's　praises；　began　to
withdraw；　and　the　National　Guards　escorted　the　king　into　the　great
council…chamber；　where　a　deputation　of　the　National　Assembly　had　met
to　pay　their　respects　to　the　king。

〃Where　is　the　queen；　where　are　the　children？〃　cried　the　king；　as；
exhausted；　he　sank　into　a　chair。

His　gentlemen　hastened　out　to　bring　them；　and　soon　the　queen　and　the
children　came　in。　With　extended　arms　Marie　Antoinette　hastened　to
her　husband；　and　they　remained　a　long　time　locked　in　their　embrace。

〃Papa　king；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　〃give　me　a　kiss；　too！　I　have
deserved　it；　for　I　was　brave　and　did　not　cry　when　the　people　put　the
red　cap　on　my　head。〃

The　king　stooped　down　to　the　child　and　kissed　his　golden　hair；　and
then　pressed　his　little　daughter；　who　was　nestling　up　to　him；　to　his
heart。

The　deputies　stood　with　curious　looks　around　the　group；　to　whom　it
was　not　granted；　even　after　such　a　fearful　day　and　such　imminent
peril；　to　embrace　each　other；　and　thank　God　for　their　preservation；
without　witnesses。

〃Confess；　madame；〃　said　one　of　the　deputies　to　Marie　Antoinette；　in
a　confidential　tone；　〃confess　that　you　have　experienced　great
anxiety。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　〃I　have　not　been　anxious；　but　I　have
suffered　severely；　because　I　was　separated　from　the　king　at　a　moment
when　his　life　was　threatened。　I　had　at　least　my　children　with　me；
and　so　could　discharge　one　of　my　duties。〃

〃I　will　not　excuse　every　thing　that　took　place　to…day；〃　said　the
deputy；　with　a　shrug。　〃But　confess　at　least；　madame；　that　the　people
conducted　themselves　very　well。〃

〃Sir；　the　king　and　I　are　convinced　of　the　natural　good…nature　of　the
people；　they　are　only　bad　when　they　are　led　astray。〃

Some　other　deputies　approached　the　dauphin；　and　directed　various
questions　to　him；　in　order　to　convince　themselves　about　his
precocious　understanding　that　was　so　much　talked　about。

One　of　the　gentlemen；　speaking　of　the　day　that　had　gone　by；　compared
it　with　St。　Bartholomew's　night。

〃The　comparison　does　not　hold；〃　cried　another：　〃here　is　no　Charles
the　Ninth。〃

〃And　no　Catherine　de　Medicis　either；〃　said　the　dauphin；　quickly；
pressing　the　hand　of　the　queen　to　his　lips。

〃Oh！　see　the　little　scholar；〃　cried　the　by…standers。　〃Let　us　see
whether　he　knows　as　much　about　geography　as　about　history！〃

And　all　pressed　up　to　him；　to　put　questions　to　him　about　the
situation　and　boundaries　of　France；　and　about　the　division　of　the
French　territory　into　departments　and　districts。　The　prince　answered
all　these　questions　quickly　and　correctly。　After　every　answer　he
cast　an　inquiring　glance　at　the　queen；　and　when　he　read　in　her　looks
that　his　answer　had　been　correct；　his　eyes　brightened；　and　his
cheeks　glowed　with　pleasure。

〃Our　dauphin　is　really　very　learned；〃　cried　one　of　the　deputies。　〃I
should　like　to　know　whether　he　has　paid　any　attention　yet　to　the
arts。　Do　you　love　music；　my　little　prince？〃

〃Ah；　sir；〃　answered　the　dauphin；　eagerly；　〃whoever　has　heard　mamma
sing　and　play；　must　love　music！〃

〃Do　you　sing　too；　prince？〃

The　dauphin　raised　his　eyes　to　his　mother。　〃Mamma；〃　he　asked；　〃shall
I　sing　the　prayer　of　this　morning？〃

Marie　Antoinette　nodded。　〃Sing　it；　my　son；　for　perhaps　God　heard　it
this　morning；　and　has　graciously　answered　it。〃

The　dauphin　sank　upon　his　knees；　and　folding　his　hands；　he　raised
his　head　and　turned　his　blue　eyes　toward　heaven；　and；　with　a　sweet
voice　and　a　mild；　smiling　look；　he　sang　these　words：

〃Ciel；　entends　la　priere　Qu'ici　je　fais；　Conserve　un　si　boil　pere　A
ses　sujets。〃　＇Footnote：　See　Beauchesne；　vol。　i。；　p。　146。　This　scene
is　historical。　Sees　Hue；　〃Dernioree　Anneesde　Louis　XVI。〃　This　prayer
is　from　the　opera　so　much　admired　at　that　time；　〃Peter　the　Great〃　〃O
Heaven；　accept　the　prayer；　I　offer　here；　Unto　his　subjects　spare　My
father　dear。〃＇

A　deep；　solemn　silence　reigned　while　the　dauphin's　voice　rang
through　the　room。　The　faces　of　the　deputies；　hitherto　defiant　and
severe；　softened；　deeply　moved。　They　all　looked　at　the　beautiful
boy；　who　was　still　on　his　knees；　his　countenance　beaming；　and　with　a
smile　upon　it　like　the　face　of　one　in　a　blissful　dream。　No　one
ventured　to　break　the　silence。　The　king；　whose　arm　was　thrown　around
the　neck　of　his　daughter；　looked　affectionately　at　the　dauphin；
Madame　Elizabeth　had　folded　her　hands；　and　was　praying；　but　Marie
Antoinette；　no　longer　able　to　control　her　deep　emotion；　covered　her
face　with　her　hands；　and　wept　in　silence。

From　this　day　the　life　of　the　royal　family　was　one　of　constant
excitementan　incessant；　feverish　expectation　of　coming　evil。　The
king　bore　it　all　with　an　uncomplaining　resignation；　no　one　drew　from
him　a　complaint；　no　one　a　reproach。　But　the　thought　never　seemed　to
occur　to　him　that　perhaps　even　yet　safety　might　be　attained　by
energy；　by　spirit；　or　even　by　flight。

He　had　surrendered　all；　he　was　ready　to　suffer　as　a　Christian
instead　of　rising　as　a　king；　and　preferred　to　fall　in　honorable
battle　rather　than　to　live　despised。

Marie　Antoinette　had　given　up　her　efforts　to　inspire　her　husband
with　her　own　energetic　will。　She　knew　that　all　was　in　vain；　and　had
accepted　her　fate。　Since　she　could　not　live　as　a　queen；　she　would　at
least　die　as　one。　She　made　her　preparations　for　this　calmly　and　with
characteristic　decision。　〃They　will　kill　me；　I　know；〃　she　said　to
her　maids。　〃I　have　only　one　duty　left　me；　to　prepare　myself　to　die！〃

She　lost　her　accustomed　spirit；　wept　much；　and　exhibited　a　great
deal　of　feeling。　Yet　she　still　stood　guard　over　the　shattered　throne
like　a　resolute　sentinel；　and　looked　around　with　sharp　and　searching
glances；　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　enemy；　and　to　be　ready　for　his　nearer
approach。

She　still　continued　to　receive　news　about　every　thing　that
transpired　in　Paris；　every　thing　that　was　resolved　upon　in　the
National　Assembly　and　discussed　in　the　clubs；　and　had　the　libels　and
pamphlets　which　were　directed　at　her　all　sent　to　her。　Marie
Antoinette　understood　the　condition　of　the　capital　and　the　feeling
of　the　people　better　than　did　the　king　（who　often　sat　for　hours；　and
at　times　whole　days；　silent　and　unoccupied）　better　even　than　did　the
ministers。　She　received　every　morning　the　reports　of　the　emissaries；
followed　the　intrigues　of　the　conspirators；　and　was　acquainted　with
the　secret　assemblies　which　Marat　called　together；　and　the　alliances
of　the　clubs。　She　knew　about　the　calling　together　of　the　forty…eight
sections　of　the　Paris　〃fraternity〃　in　one　general　convention。　She
knew　that　Potion；　Danton；　and　Manuel；　three　raving　republicans；　were
at　the　head；　and　that　their　emissaries　were　empowered　to　stir　up　the
suburbs　of　the　city。　She　knew；　too；　that　the　monsters　from
Marseilles；　who　had　been　active　on　the　20th　of　June；　were　boasting
that　they　were　going　to　repeat　the　deeds　of　that　day　on　a　greater
scale。

Nor　was　it　unknown　to　her　that　more　than　half　the　deputies　in　the
National　Assembly　belonged　to　the　Jacobin　party；　and　that　they　were
looking　for　an　opportunity　to　strike　a　fresh　blow　at　royalty。　Very
often；　when　at　dead　of　night　Marie　Antoinette　heard　the　noisy　chorus
of　the　rioters　from　Marseilles　singing　beneath　her　windows；

〃Allons；　enfants　de　la　patrie；〃　or　the　Parisians　chanting　the　〃Qa
ira；　fa　ira！〃　she　sprang　from　her　bed　（she　now　never　disrobed
herself　on　retiring）；　hurried　to　the　beds　of　her　children　to　see
that　they　were　not　in　danger；　or　called　her　maids　and　commanded　them
to　light　the　candles；　that　they　might　at　least　see　the　danger　which
threatened。

At　last；　on　the　night　of　the　9th　of　August；　the　long…feared　terror
arrived。

A　gun　fired　in　the　court　of　the　Tuileries　announced　its　advent。
Marie　Antoinette　sprang　from　her　bed；　and　sent　her　waiting…maid　to
the　king　to　waken　him。　The　king　had　already　risen；　his　ministers　and
a　few　tried　friends　were　now　with　him。　The　queen　wakened　her
children；　and　assisted　in　dressing　them。　She　then　went　with　the
little　ones　to　the　king；　who　received　them　with　an　affectionate
greeting。　At　length　a　blast　of　trumpets　announced　that　the　movement
had　become　general；　the　thunder　of　cannon　and　the　peals　of　bells
awakened　the　sleeping　city。

The　royal　family；　crowded　close　together；　silently　awaited　the
stalking　of　the　republic　into　the　halls　of　the　king's　palace；　or　the
saving　of　the　monarchy　by　the　grace　of　God　and　the　bravery　of　their
faithful　friends。　For　even　then　monarchy　had　those　who　were　true　to
it；　and　while　the　trumpet…blasts　continued　and　the　bells　to　ring；　to
awaken　republicans　to　the　struggle；　the　sounds　were　at　the　same　time
the　battle…cry　of　the　royalists；　and　told　them；　that　the　king　was　in
danger　and　needed　their　help。

About　two　hundred　noblemen　had　remained　in　Paris；　and　had　not
followed　the　royal　princes　to　Coblentz　to　take　arms　against　their
own　country。　They　had　remained　in　Paris；　in　order　to　defend　the
monarchy　to　the　last　drop　of　their　blood；　and　at　least　to　be　near
the　throne；　if　they　were　not　able　to　hold　it　up　longer。　In　order　not
to　be　suspected；　they　carried　no　arms；　and　yet　it　was　known　that
beneath　the　silk　vest　of　the　cavalier　they　concealed　the　dagger　of
the　soldier；　and　they　received　in　consequence　the　appellation　of
〃Chevaliers　of　the　Dagger。〃

At　the　first　notes　of　the　trumpet　the　nobility　had　hurried　on　the
night　of　the　10th　of　August　to　the　Tuileries；　which　were　already
filled　with　grenadiers；　Swiss　guards；　and　volunteers　of　every　rank；
who　had　hastened　thither　to　protect　the　royal　family。　All　the
staircases；　all　the　corridors　and　rooms；　were　occupied　by　them。

The　〃Chevaliers　of　the　Dagger〃　marched　in　solemn　procession　by　them
all　to　the　grand　reception…room；　where　were　the　king；　the　queen；　and
the　children。　With　respectful　mien　they　approached　the　royal　pair；
imploring　the　king's　permission　to　die　for　him；　and　beseeching　the
queen　to　touch　their　weapons；　in　order　to　make　them　victorious；　and
to　allow　them　to　kiss　the　royal　hand；　in　order　to　sweeten　death　for
them。　There　were　cries　of　enthusiasm　and　loyalty　on　all　sides；　〃Long
live　the　king　of　our　fathers！〃　cried　the　young　people。　〃Long　live
the　king　of　our　children！〃　cried　the　old　men；　taking　the　dauphin　in
their　arms　and　raising　him　above　their　heads；　as　if　he　were　the
living　banner　in　whose　defence