marie antoinette and her son-第71章

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bread！　I　lived　and　throve　upon　it。　Look　at　me；　and　see　what　such
fare　has　made　of　me！　Look　at　me！　I　am　not　yet　twenty…four　years　old；
and　yet　I　have　the　appearance　of　an　old　woman；　and　I　have　the
feeling　and　the　experience　of　an　old　woman！　Nothing　moves　me　now；
and　the　only　thing　that　lives　and　burns　in　my　heart　is　revenge。
Believe　me；　were　I　in　your　place　I　should　know　how　to　exasperate　the
Austrian；　I　should　succeed　in　drawing　out　her　tears。〃

〃Well；　and　how　would　you　begin？　Really；　I　should　like　to　know　how　to
bring　this　incarnation　of　pride　to　weeping。〃

〃Has　not　she　children？〃　asked　Madame　Simon；　with　a　horrible
calmness。　〃I　would　torture　and　provoke　the　children；　and　that　would
soon　make　the　heart　of　the　woman　humble　and　pliable。　Oh；　she　may
count　herself　happy　that　I　am　not　in　your　place；　and　that　her
children　are　not　under　my　tender　hands。　But　if　it　ever　happens　that
I　can　lay　my　fingers　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　little　wolves；　I　will
give　them　something　that　will　make　them　cry　out；　and　make　the　old
wolf　howl　with　rage。　I　will　show　her　as　little　favor　then　as　she
showed　when　my　poor　mother　and　I　were　begging　for　my　dear　father！　Go
up；　go　up　and　try　at　once。　Plague　the　children；　and　you　will　see
that　that　will　make　the　Austrian　pliable。〃

〃That　is　fine　talk；〃　muttered　Tison；　as　she　went　up　the　staircase；
〃but　she　has　no　children；　while　I　have　a　daughter；　a　dear；　good
daughter。　She　is　not　with　me；　but　with　my　mother　in　Normandy；
because　she　can　be　taken　better　care　of　there　than　here。　It　is
better　for　the　good　child　that　she　has　not　gone　through　these　evil
days　full　of　blood　and　grief　with　us。　But　I　am　always　thinking　of
her；　and　when　one　of　these　two　children　here　looks　up　to　me　so
gravely　with　great；　open　eyes；　it　always　makes　me　think　of　my
Solonge。　She　has　exactly　such　large；　innocent　eyes；　and　that　touches
my　heart　so　that　I　cannot　be　harsh　with　the　children。　They；　of
course；　are　not　at　all　to　blame　for　having　such　bad；　miserable
parents；　who　have　treated　the　people　shamefully；　and　made　them　poor
and　wretched。　No；　they　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　and　I　cannot
be　severe　with　the　children；　for　I　am　always　thinking　of　my　little
Solonge！　I　will　provoke　the　Austrian　woman　as　much　as　I　can；　but　not
the　childrenno；　not　the　children！〃

Meanwhile；　Mistress　Simon　had　taken　her　place　upon　the　chair　near
the　open　door　in　the　porter's　lodge；　and　sat　there　with　her　cold；
immovable　face　staring　into　empty　space　with　her　great　coal…black；
glistening　eyes；　while　her　hands　were　busily　flying；　making　the
polished　knitting…needles　click　against　each　other。

She　was　still　sitting　there；　when　at　last　her　husband　came　down　the
stairs　to　open　the　outer　door　of　the　Temple；　conduct　his　friends
past　the　inner　court；　and　to　bring　back　the　two　officials　who　were
to　keep　guard　during　the　night。

They　passed　the　knitter　with　a　friendly　salutation　and　a　bit　of
pleasantryToulan　stopping　a　moment　to　ask　the　woman　after　her
welfare；　and　to　say　a　few　smooth　words　to　her　about　her　courage　and
her　great　force　of　character。

She　listened　quietly；　let　him　go　on　with　his　talk；　and　when　he　had
ended；　slowly　raised　her　great　eyes　from　her　knitting　to　him。

〃You　are　a　traitor；〃　she　said；　with　coldness；　and　without　any
agitation。　〃Yes；　you　are　a　traitor；　and　you；　too；　will　have　your
turn　at　the　guillotine！〃

Toulan　paled　a　little；　but　collected　himself　immediately；　took　leave
of　the　knitter　with　a　smile；　and　hastened　after　the　officials；　who
were　waiting　for　him　at　the　open　doorthe　two　who　were　to　hold　the
watch　during　the　night　having　already　entered。

Simon　closed　the　door　after　them；　exchanged　a　few　words　with　them；
and　then　went　into　his　lodge　to　join　his　rigid　better　half。

〃This　has　been　a　pleasant　afternoon；　and　it　is　a　great　pity　that　it
is　gone；　for　I　have　had　a　very　good　time。　We　have　played　cards；
sung；　smoked；　and　Toulan　has　made　jokes　and　told　stories；　and　made
much　fun。　I　always　wonder　where　he　gets　so　many　fine　stories；　and　he
tells　them　so　well　that　I　could　hear　him　day　and　night。　Now　that　he
is　gone；　it　seems　tedious　and　dull　enough　here。　Well；　we　must
comfort　ourselves　that　to…morrow　will　come　by　and　by。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　his　wife；　sternly。

〃What　sort　of　a　day　do　you　expect　to…morrow　to　be？〃

〃A　pleasant　day；　my　dear　Heloise；　for　Citizen　Toulan　will　have　the
watch　again。　I　begged　him　so　long；　that　he　at　last　promised　to
exchange　with　Citizen　Pelletan；　whose　turn　regularly　comes　to…
morrow。　Pelletan　is　not　well；　and　it　would　be　very　hard　for　him　to
sit　up　there　all　day；　and；　besides；　he　would　be　dreadfully　stupid。
It　is　a　great　deal　pleasanter　to　have　Toulan　here　with　his　jokes　and
jolly　stories；　and　so　I　begged　him　to　come　and　take　Pelletan's
place。　He　is　going　to　accommodate　me　and　come。〃

His　wife　did　not　answer　a　word；　but　broke　out　in　a　burst　of　shrill；
mocking　laughter；　and　with　her　angry　black　eyes　she　scrutinized　her
husband's　red；　bloated　face；　as　though　she　were　reading　him　through
and　through。

〃What　are　you　laughing　at？〃　he　asked；　angrily。　〃I　would　like　to　be
beyond　hearing　when　you　give　way　in　that　style。　What　are　you
laughing　at？〃

〃Because　I　wonder　at　you；　you　Jack；〃　she　answered　sharply。　〃Because
you　are　determined　to　make　an　ass　of　yourself；　and　let　dust　be
thrown　in　your　eyes；　and　put　yourself　at　the　disposal　of　every　one
who　soaps　you　over　with　smooth　words。〃

〃Come；〃　said　Simon；　〃none　of　that　coarseness！　and　if　you〃

〃Hist！〃　she　answered；　commandingly。　〃I　will　show　you　at　once　that　I
have　told　you　the　truth；　and　that　you　are　making　an　ass　of　yourself；
or　at　least　that　you　are　on　the　point　of　doing　so。　Now；　listen。〃

The　knitter　laid　her　work　aside；　and　had　a　long　conversation　in　a
whisper　with　her　husband。　When　it　ended；　Simon　stood　up　wearing　a
dark　look；　and　walked　slowly　backward　and　forward　in　the　little
room。　Then　he　stopped　and　shook　his　fist　threateningly　at　the　room
above。　〃She　shall　pay　for　this；〃　he　muttered〃　by　God　in　heaven！
she　shall　pay　for　this。　She　is　a　good…for…nothing　seducer！　Even　in
prison　she　does　not　leave　off　coquetting；　and　flirting；　and　turning
the　heads　of　the　men！　It　is　disgraceful；　thoroughly　disgraceful；　and
she　shall　pay　for　it！　I　will　soon　find　means　to　have　my　revenge　on
her！〃

During　the　whole　evening　Mistress　Tison　did　not　leave　her　place
behind　the　glass　door　for　a　moment；　and　at　each　stolen　glance　which
the　queen　cast　thither　she　always　encountered　the　malicious；　glaring
eyes　of　the　keeper；　directed　at　her　with　an　impudent　coolness。

At　last　came　the　hour　of　going　to　bedthe　hour　to　which　the　queen
looked　impatiently　forward。　At　night　she　was　at　least　alone　and
unguarded。　After　the　death　of　the　king；　it　had　been　found
superfluous　to　trouble　the　officials　with　the　wearisome　night…
watches；　and　they　were　satisfied；　after　darkness　had　set　in　and　the
candles　were　lighted；　with　locking　the　three　doors　which　led　to　the
inner　rooms。

Did　Marie　Antoinette　weep　and　moan　at　night；　did　she　talk　with　her
sister；　did　she　walk　disconsolately　up　and　down　her　room？the
republic　granted　her　the　privilege。　She　could；　during　the　night　at
least；　have　a　few　hours　of　freedom　and　of　solitude。

But　during　the　night　Marie　Antoinette　did　not　weep　or　moan；　this
night　her　thoughts　were　not　directed　to　the　sad　past；　but　to　the
future；　for　the　first　ray　of　hope　which　had　fallen　upon　her　path　for
a　long　time　now　encountered　her。

〃To　escape；　to　be　free！〃　she　said；　and　the　shadow　of　a　smile　flitted
over　her　face。　〃Can　you　believe　it？　Do　you　consider　it　possible；
sister？〃

〃I　should　like　to　believe　it；〃　whispered　Elizabeth；　〃but　there　is
something　in　my　heart　that　reminds　me　of　Varennes；　and　I　only　pray
to　God　that　He　would　give　us　strength　to　bear　all　the　ills　they
inflict　upon　us。　We　must；　above　all　things；　keep　our　calmness　and
steadfastness；　and　be　prepared　for　the　worst　as　well　as　the　best。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；　we　must　do　that；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；
collecting　herself。　〃When　one　has　suffered　as　we　have；　it　is　almost
more　difficult　to　hope　for　good　fortune　than　to　prepare　for　new
terrors。　I　will　compel　myself　to　be　calm。　I　will　read　Toulan's　plan；
once　more；　and　will　impress　it　word　for　word　upon　my　memory；　so　as
to　burn　the　dangerous　sheet　as　soon　as　possible。〃

〃And　while　you　are　doing　that　I　will　unwind　the　ball　that　Toulan
brought　us；　and　which　certainly　contains　something　heavy；〃　said　the
princess。

〃What　a　grand；　noble　heart！　what　a　lofty　character　has　our　friend
Toulan！〃　whispered　the　queen。　〃His　courage　is　inexhaustible；　his
fidelity　is　invincible；　and　he　is　entirely　unselfish。　How　often　have
I　implored　him　to　express　one　wish　to　me　that　I　might　gratify；　or　to
allow　me　to　give　him　a　draft　of　some　amount！　He　is　not　to　be　shaken…
…he　wants　nothing；　he　will　take　nothing。　Ah；　Elizabeth；　he　is　the
first　friend；　of　all　who　ever　drew　toward　me；　who　made　no　claims　and
was　contented　with　a　kind　word。　When　I　implored　him　yesterday　to
tell　me　in　what　way　I　could　do　him　a　service；　he　said：　'If　you　want
to　make　me　happy；　regard　me　always　as　your　most　devoted　and　faithful
servant；　and　give　me　a　name　that　you　give　to　no　one　besides。　Call　me
Fidele；　and　if　you　want　to　give　me　another　remembrancer　than　that
which　will　always　live　in　my　heart；　present　me；　as　the　highest　token
of　your　favor；　with　the　little　gold　smelling…bottle　which　I　saw　you
use　in　the　Logograph　box　on　that　dreadful　day。'　I　gave　him　the
trinket　at　once。　He　kneeled　down　in　order　to　receive　it；　and　when　he
kissed　my　hand　his　hot　tears　fell　upon　it。　Ah；　Elizabeth；　no　one　of
those　to　whom　in　the　days　of　our　happiness　I　gave　jewels；　and　to
whom　I　gave　hundreds　of　thousands；　cherished　for　me　so　warm　thanks
as　Toulanno；　as　Fidelefor　the　poor；　insignificant　little
remembrancer。〃

〃God　is　good　and　great；〃　said　the　princess；　who；　while　the　queen　was
speaking；　was　busily　engaged　in　unwinding　the　thread；　〃in　order　that
we　might　not　lose　faith　in　humanity　and　confidence　in　man；　He　sent
us　in　His　mercy　this　noble；　true…hearted　one；　whose　devotion；
disinterestedness；　and　fidelity　were　to　be　our　compensation　for　all
the　sad　and　heart…rending　experiences　which　we　have　endured。　And；
therefore；　for　the　sake　of　this　one　noble　man　let　us　pardon　the　many
from　whom　we　have　received　only　injury；　for　it　says　in　the　Bible
that；　for　the　sake　of　one　righteous　man；　many　sinners　shall　be
forgiven；　and　Toulan　is　a　righteous　man。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　a　righteous　man；　blessings　on　him！〃　whispered　the　queen。
Then　she　took　the　paper　in　her　hand；　and　began　to　read　the　contents
softly；　repeating　every　sentence　to　herself；　and　imprinting　every
one　of　those　hope…bringing　words　upon　her　memory；　and　while　she
read；　her　poor；　crushed　heart　gradually　began　to　beat　with　firmer
confidence；　and　to　embrace　the　possibility　of　realizing　the　plan　of
Toulan　and　finding　freedom　in　flight。

During　this　time　Princess　Elizabeth　had　unwound　the　thread　of　the
ball；　and　brought　to　light　a　little　packet　enveloped　in　paper。

〃Take　it；　my　dear　Antoinette；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　addressed　to　you。〃

Marie　Antoinette　took　it　and　carefully　unfolded　the　paper。　Then　she
uttered　a　low；　carefully…suppressed　cry；　and；　sinkin