marie antoinette and her son-第66章

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A　shudder　passed　through　the　hearts　of　the　men　in　the　next　room；
they　drew　back　from　the　door　with　pale　faces。　It　seemed　to　them　as
if　they　had　heard　the　voice　of　an　angel；　and　a　feeling　of
inexpressible　pain　and　regret　passed　through　their　souls。

Within　the　king's　room　all　now　was　still；　and　the　abbe　in　the
cabinet　heard　only　the　gentle　murmuring　of　their　prayers；　and　the
suppressed　weeping　and　sobs。

At　last　the　king　spoke。　〃Now；　go；　my　dear　ones。　I　must　be　alone。　I
need　to　rest　and　collect　myself。〃

A　loud　wail　was　the　answer。　After　some　minutes；　Clery　opened　the
glass　door；　and　the　royal　family　were　brought　into　the　view　of　the
officials　once　more。　The　queen　was　clinging　to　the　right　arm　of
Louis；　they　each　gave　a　hand　to　the　dauphin。　Theresa　had　flung　her
arms　around　the　king's　body；　his　sister　Elizabeth　clung　to　his　left
arm。　They　thus　moved　forward　a　few　steps　toward　the　door；　amid　loud
cries　of　grief　and　heart…breaking　sobs。

〃I　promise　you；〃　said　Louis；　〃to　see　you　once　more　tomorrow　morning；
at　eight　o'clock。〃

〃At　eight！　Why　not　at　seven？〃　asked　the　queen；　with　a　foreboding
tone。

〃Well；　then；〃　answered　the　king；　gently；　〃at　seven。　Farewell；
farewell！〃

The　depth　of　sadness　in　his　utterance　with　which　he　spoke　the　last
parting　word；　doubled　the　tears　and　sobs　of　the　weeping　family。　The
daughter　fell　in　a　swoon　at　the　feet　of　her　father；　and　Clery；
assisted　by　the　Princess　Elizabeth；　raised　her　up。

〃Papa；　my　dear　papa；〃　cried　the　dauphin；　nestling　up　closely　to　his
father；　〃let　us　stay　with　you。〃

The　queen　said　not　a　word。　With　pale　face　and　with　widely…opened
eyes　she　looked　fixedly　at　the　king；　as　though　she　wanted　to　impress
his　countenance　on　her　heart。

〃Farewell；　farewell！〃　cried　the　king；　once　more；　and　he　turned
quickly　around　and　hurried　into　the　next　room。

A　single　cry　of　grief　and　horror　issued　from　all　lips。　The　two
children；　soon　to　be　orphans；　then　clung　closely　to　their　mother；
who　threw　herself；　overmastered　by　her　sobbing；　on　the　neck　of　her
sister…in…law。

〃Forward！　The　Capet　family　will　return　to　their　own　apartments！〃
cried　one　of　the　officials。

Marie　Antoinette　raised　herself　up；　her　eye　flashed；　and　with　a
voice　full　of　anger；　she　cried：　〃You　are　hangmen　and　traitors！〃
＇Footnote：　Beauchesne；　vol。　1。；　p。　49。＇

The　king　had　withdrawn　to　his　cabinet；　where　the　priest；　Abbe
Edgewarth　de　Firmont；　addressed　him　with　comforting　words。　His
earnest　request　had　been　granted；　to　give　the　king　the　sacrament
before　his　death。　The　service　was　to　take　place　very　early　the　next
morning；　so　ran　the　decision　of　the　authorities；　and　at　seven　the
king　was　to　be　taken　to　execution。

Louis　received　the　first　part　of　this　communication　joyfully；　the
second　part　with　complete　calmness。

〃As　I　must　rise　so　early；〃　he　said　to　his　valet　Clery；　〃I　must
retire　early。　This　day　has　been　a　very　trying　one　for　me；　and　I　need
rest；　so　as　not　to　be　weak　to…morrow。〃　He　was　then　undressed　by　the
servant；　and　lay　down。　When　Clery　came　at　five　the　next　morning　to
dress　him；　he　found　the　king　still　asleep；　and　they　must　have　been
pleasant　dreams　which　were　passing　before　him；　for　a　smile　was
playing　on　his　lips。

The　king　was　dressed；　and　the　priest　gave　him　the　sacrament；　the
vessels　used　having　been　taken　from　the　neighboring　Capuchin　church
of　Marais。　An　old　chest　of　drawers　was　converted　by　Clery　into　an
altar；　two　ordinary　candlesticks　stood　on　each　side　of　the　cup；　and
in　them　two　tallow　candles　burned；　instead　of　wax。　Before　this　altar
kneeled　King　Louis　XVI。；　lost　in　thought　and　prayer；　and　wearing　a
calm；　peaceful　face。

The　priest　read　the　mass；　Clery　responded　as　sacristan；　and　even
while　the　king　was　receiving　the　elements；　the　sound　of　the　drums
and　trumpets　was　heard　without；　which　awakened　Paris　that　morning
and　told　the　city　that　the　King　of　France　was　being　led　to　his
execution。　Cannon　were　rattling　through　the　streets；　and　National
Guardsmen　were　hurrying　on　foot　and　on　horse　along　the　whole　of　the
way　that　led　from　the　Temple　to　the　Place　de　la　Concorde。　A　rank　of
men；　four　deep　and　standing　close　to　one　another；　armed　with　pikes
and　other　weapons；　guarded　both　sides　of　the　street；　and　made　it
impossible　for　those　who　wanted　to　liberate　the　king　during　the
ride；　to　come　near　to　him。　The　authorities　knew　that　one　of　the
bravest　and　most　determined　partisans　of　the　king　had　arrived　in
Paris；　and　that　he；　in　conjunction　with　a　number　of　young　and　brave…
spirited　men；　had　resolved　on　rescuing　the　king　at　any　cost；　during
his　ride　to　the　place　of　execution。　The　utmost　precautions　had　been
taken　to　render　this　impossible。　Through　the　dense　ranks　of　the
National　Guard；　which　to…day　was　composed　of　mere　sans…culottes；　the
raging；　bloodthirsty　men　of　the　suburbs　drove　the　carriage　in　which
was　the　king；　followed　and　escorted　by　National　Guardsmen　on
horseback。　The　windows　were　all　closed　and　the　curtains　drawn　in　the
houses　by　which　the　procession　passed；　but　behind　those　curtained
windows　it　is　probable　that　people　were　upon　their　knees　praying　for
the　unhappy　man　who　was　now　on　his　way　to　the　scaffold；　and　who　was
once　King　of　France。

All　at　once　there　arose　a　movement　in　this　dreadful　hedge　of　armed
men；　through　which　the　carriage　was　passing。　Two　young　men　cried：
〃To　us；　Frenchmento　us；　all　who　want　to　save　the　king！〃

But　the　cry　found　no　response。　Every　one　looked　horrified　at　his
neighbor；　and　believed　he　saw　in　him　a　spy　or　a　murderer；　fear
benumbed　all　their　souls；　and　the　silence　of　death　reigned　around。

The　two　young　men　wanted　to　flee；　to　escape　into　a　house　close　by。
But　the　door　was　closed；　and　before　the　very　door　they　were　cut　down
and　hewn　in　pieces　by　the　exasperated　sans…culottes。

The　carriage　of　the　king　rolled　on；　and　Louis　paid　no　more　attention
to　objects　around　him；　in　the　prayer…book　which　he　carried　in　his
hands　he　read　the　petitions　for　the　dying；　and　the　abbe　prayed　with
him。

The　coachman　halted　at　the　foot　of　the　scaffold；　and　the　king
dismounted。　A　forest　of　pikes　surrounded　the　spot。　The　drummers　beat
loudly；　but　the　king　cried　with　a　loud　voice；　〃Silence！〃　and　the
noise　ceased。　On　that；　Santerre　sprang　forward　and　commanded　them　to
commence　beating　their　drums　again；　and　they　obeyed　him。　The　king
took　off　his　upper　garments；　and　the　executioners　approached　to　cut
off　his　hair。　He　quietly　let　this　be　done；　but　when　they　wanted　to
tie　his　hands；　his　eyes　flashed　with　anger；　and　with　a　firm　voice　he
refused　to　allow　them　to　do　so。

〃Sire；〃　said　the　priest；　〃I　see　in　this　new　insult　only　a　fresh
point　of　resemblance　between　your　majesty　and　our　Saviour；　who　will
be　your　recompense　and　your　strength。〃

Louis　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　with　an　indescribable　expression　of
grief　and　resignation。　〃Truly；〃　he　said；　〃only　my　recollection　of
Him　and　His　example　can　enable　me　to　endure　this　new　degradation。〃

He　gave　his　hands　to　the　executioner；　to　let　them　be　bound。　Then
resting　on　the　arm　of　the　abbe；　he　ascended　the　steps　of　the
scaffold。　The　twenty　drummers；　who　stood　around　the　staging；　beat
their　drums；　but　the　king；　advancing　to　the　very　verge　of　the
scaffold；　commanded　them　with　a　loud　voice　to　be　silent；　and　the
noise　ceased。

In　a　tone　which　was　audible　across　the　whole　square；　and　which　made
every　word　intelligible；　the　king　said：　〃I　die　innocent　of　all　the
charges　which　are　brought　against　me。　I　forgive　those　who　have
caused　my　death；　and　I　pray　God　that　the　blood　which　you　spill　this
day　may　never　come　back　upon　the　head　of　France。　And　you；　unhappy
people〃

〃Do　not　let　him　go　on　talking　this　way；〃　cried　Santerre's　commanding
voice；　interrupting　the　king；　then　turning　to　Louis　he　said；　in　an
angry　tone；　〃I　brought　you　here　not　to　make　speeches；　but　to　die！〃

The　drums　beat；　the　executioners　seized　the　king　and　bent　him　down。
The　priest　stooped　over　him　and　murmured　some　words　which　only　God
heard；　but　which　a　tradition　full　of　admiration　and　sympathy　has
transposed　into　the　immortal　and　popular　formula　which　is　truer　than
truth　and　more　historical　than　history：　〃Son　of　St。　Louis；　ascend　to
Heaven！〃

The　drums　beat；　a　glistening　object　passed　through　the　air；　a　stroke
was　heard；　and　blood　spirted　up。　The　King　of　France　was　dead；　and
Samson　the　executioner　lifted　up　the　head；　which　had　once　borne　a
crown；　to　show　it　to　the　people。

A　dreadful　silence　followed　for　an　instant；　then　the　populace　broke
in　masses　through　the　rows　of　soldiers；　and　rushed　to　the　scaffold；
in　order　to　bear　away　some　remembrances　of　this　ever…memorable
event。　The　clothes　of　the　king　were　torn　to　rags　and　distributed；
and　they　even　gave　the　executioner　some　gold　in　exchange　for　locks
of　hair　from　the　bleeding　head。　An　Englishman　gave　a　child　fifteen
louis　d'or　for　dipping　his　handkerchief　in　the　blood　which　flowed
from　the　scaffold。　Another　paid　thirty　louis　d'or　for　the　peruke　of
the　king。　＇Footnote：　These　details　I　take　from　the　〃Vossische
Zeitung；〃　which；　in　its　issue　of　the　5th　of　February；　1798；　contains
a　full　report　of　the　execution　of　King　Louis　XVI。；　and　also
announces　that　the　court　of　Prussia　will　testify　its　grief　at　the
unmerited　fate　by　wearing　mourning　for　a　period　of　four　weeks。　The
author　of　this　work　possesses　a　copy　of　the　〃　Vossische　Zeitung　〃　of
that　date；　in　small　quarto　form；　printed　on　thick；　gray　paper。　In
the　same　number　of　the　journal　is　a　fable　by　Hermann　Pfeffel；　which
runs　in　the　following　strain：


First　moral；　then　political　freedom。

A　fable；　by　Hermann　Pfeffel。　Zeus　and　the　Tigers。

To　Zeus　there　came　one　day
A　deputation　of　tigers。　〃Mighty　potentate；〃
Thus　spoke　their　Cicero　before　the　monarch's　throne；
〃The　noble　nation　of　tigers；
Has　long　been　wearied　with　the　lion's　choice　as　king。
Does　not　Nature　give　us　an　equal　claim　with　his？
Therefore；　O　Zeus；　declare　my　race
To　be　a　people　of　free　citizens！〃
〃No；〃　said　the　god　of　gods；　〃it　cannot　be；
You　are　deceivers；　thieves；　and　murderers；
Only　a　good　people　merits　being　free。〃
＇Footnote：　〃Marie　Antoinette　et　sa　Famine；〃　par　Lescure；　p。　648。＇


On　the　evening　of　the　same　day；　the　executioner　Samson；　shocked　at
the　terrible　deed　which　he　had　done；　went　to　a　priest；　paid　for
masses　to　be　said　for　the　repose　of　the　king；　then　laid　down　his
office；　retired　into　solitude；　and　died　in　six　months。　His　son　was
his　successor　in　his　ghostly　office；　and；　in　a　pious　manner；　he
continued　what　his　father　began。　The　masses　for　the　king；　instituted
by　the　two　Samsons；　continued　to　be　read　till　the　year　1840。

On　the　morrow　which　followed　this　dreadful　day；　the　〃Widow　Capet〃
requested　the　authorities　to　provide　for　herself　and　her　family　a
suite　of　mourning　of　the　simplest　kind。

The　republic　was　magnanimous　enough　to　comply　with　this　request。




CHAPTER　XXI。

TOULAN。


The　citizen　Toulan　is　on　guard　again　at　the　Temple；　and　this　time
with　his　friend　Lepitre。　He　is　so　trustworthy　and　blameless　a
republican；　and　so　zealous　a　citizen；　that　the　republic　gives　him
unconditional　confidence。　The　republic　had　appointed　him　as　chief　of
the　bureau　for　the　control　of　the　effects　of　emigres。　Toulan　is；
besides；　a　member　of　the　Convention；　and　it　i