marie antoinette and her son-第73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！



No　laughter　resounded　in　the　desolate　room；　scantily　lighted　with
the　dim　taperno　laughter　as　the　queen　and　the　princess　put　on
their　strange；　fearful　attire。　It　was　no　masquerade；　but　a　dreadful；
horrible　reality；　and　as　they　looked　at　each　other　wearing　the
costume　of　revolutionists；　tears　started　from　the　eyes　of　the　queen；
the　princess　folded　her　hands　and　prayed；　and　she　too　could　not　keep
back　the　drops　that　slowly　coursed　over　her　cheeks。

The　lilies　of　France　are　faded　and　torn　from　the　ground！　From　the
palace　of　the　Tuileries　waved　the　tri…color　of　the　republic；　and　in
the　palace　of　the　former　Knights　Templars　is　a　pale；　sad　woman；　with
gray　hair　and　sunken　eyes；　a　broken　heart；　and　a　bowed　form。　This
pale；　sad　shadow　of　the　past　is　Marie　Antoinette；　once　the　Queen　of
France；　the　renowned　beauty；　the　first　woman　in　a　great　kingdom；　now
the　widow　of　an　executed　man；　she　herself　probably　with　one　foot

No；　no；　she　will　be　saved！　God　has　sent　her　a　deliverer；　a　friend；
and　this　friend；　this　helper　in　her　need；　has　made　every　thing　ready
for　her　flight。




CHAPTER　XXIII。

THE　SEPARATION。


Slowly　and　heavily　the　hours　of　the　next　day　rolled　on。　Where　was
Toulan？　Why　did　he　not　come？　The　queen　waited　for　him　the　whole　of
that　long；　dreadful　day　in　feverish　expectation。　She　listened　to
every　sound；　to　every　approaching　step；　to　every　voice　that　echoed
in　the　corridor。　At　noon　Toulan　had　purposed　to　come　to　take　his
post　as　guard。　At　six；　when　the　time　of　lighting　the　lamps　should
arrive；　the　disguises　were　to　be　put　on。　At　seven　the　carefully　and
skilfully…planned　flight　was　to　be　made。

The　clock　in　the　tower　of　the　Temple　had　already　struck　four。　Toulan
had　not　yet　come；　and　the　guards　of　the　day　had　not　yet　been
relieved。　They　had　had　a　little　leisure　at　noon　for　dinner；　and
during　the　interim　Simon　and　Tison　were　on　guard；　and　had　kept　the
queen　on　the　rack　with　their　mockery　and　their　abusive　words。　In
order　to　avoid　the　language　and　the　looks　of　these　men；　she　had　fled
into　the　children's　room；　to　whom　the　princess；　in　her　trustful
calmness　and　unshaken　equanimity；　was　assigning　them　lessons。　Marie
Antoinette　wanted　to　find　protection　here　from　the　dreadful　anxiety
that　tortured　her；　as　well　as　from　the　ribald　jests　and　scurrility
of　her　keepers。　But　Mistress　Tison　was　there；　standing　near　the
glass　window；　gazing　in　with　a　malicious　grin；　and　working　in　her
wonted；　quick　way　upon　the　long　stocking；　and　knitting；　knitting；　so
that　you　could　hear　the　needles　click　together。

The　queen　could　not　give　way　to　a　word　or　a　look。　That　would　have
created　suspicion；　and　would；　perhaps；　have　caused　an　examination　to
be　made。　She　had　to　bear　all　in　silence；　she　had　to　appear
indifferent　and　calm；　she　had　to　give　pleasant　answers　to　the
dauphin's　innocent　questions；　and　even　compel　a　smile　to　her　lips
when　the　child；　reading　in　her　looks；　by　the　instinct　of　love；　her
great　excitement；　tried　to　cheer　her　up　with　pleasant　words。

It　struck　five；　and　still　Toulan　did　not　come。　A　chill　crept　over
her　heart；　and　in　the　horror　which　filled　her　she　first　became
conscious　how　much　love　of　life　still　survived　in　her；　and　how
intensely　she　had　hoped　to　find　a　possibility　of　escape。

Only　one　last　hour　of　hope　left！　If　it　should　strike　six；　and　he
should　not　come；　all　would　be　lost！　The　doors　of　her　prison　would　be
closed　forevernever　opening　again　excepting　to　allow　Marie
Antoinette　to　pass　to　the　guillotine。

Mistress　Tison　had　gone；　and　her　cold；　mocking　face　was　no　longer
visible　behind　the　glass　door。　The　guards　in　the　anteroom　had　also
gone；　and　had　closed　the　doors　behind　them。　The　queen　was；
therefore；　safe　from　being　watched　at　least！　She　could　fall　upon　her
knees；　she　could　raise　her　hands　to　God　and　wrestle　with　Him　in
speechless　prayer　for　pity　and　deliverance。　She　could　call　her
children　to　herself；　and　press　them　to　her　heart；　and　whisper　to
them　that　they　must　be　composed　if　they　should　see　something
strange；　and　not　wonder　if　they　should　have　to　put　on　clothing　that
they　were　not　accustomed　to。

〃Mamma；〃　asked　the　dauphin；　in　a　whisper；　〃are　we　going　to　Varennes
again？〃

The　queen　shuddered　in　her　inmost　soul　at　this　question；　and　hid　her
quivering　face　on　the　faithful　breast　of　the　princess。

〃Oh；　sister；　I　am　suffocating　with　anxiety；〃　she　said。　〃I　feel　that
this　hour　is　to　decide　the　lives　of　us　all；　and　it　seems　to　me　as　if
Death　were　already　stretching　out　his　cold　hand　toward　me。　We　are
lost；　and　my　son；　my　unhappy　son；　will　never　wear　any　other　than　the
martyr's　crown；　and〃

The　queen　was　silent；　for　just　then　the　tower…clock　began　to　strike；
slowly；　peacefully；　the　hour　of　six！　The　critical　moment！　The
lamplight　must　come　now！　If　it　were　Toulan；　they　might　be　saved。
Some　unforeseen　occurrence　might　have　prevented　his　coming　before；
he　might　have　borrowed　the　suit　of　the　bribed　lamplighter　in　order
to　come　to　them。　There　was　hope　stillone　last；　pale　ray　of　hope！

Steps　upon　the　corridor！　Voices　that　are　audible！

The　queen；　breathless；　with　both　hands　laid　upon　her　heart；　which
was　one　instant　still；　and　then　beat　with　redoubled　rapidity；
listened　with　strained　attention　to　the　opening　of　the　door　of　the
anteroom。　Princess　Elizabeth　approached　her；　and　laid　her　hand　on
the　queen's　shoulder。　The　two　children；　terrified　by　some　cause
which　they　could　not　comprehend；　clung　to　the　hand　and　the　body　of
their　mother；　and　gazed　anxiously　at　the　door。

The　steps　came　nearer；　the　voices　became　louder。　The　door　of　the
anteroom　is　openedand　there　is　the　lamp…lighter。　But　it　is　not
Toulanno；　not　Toulan！　It　is　the　man　who　comes　every　day；　and　the
two　children；　are　with　him　as　usual。

A　heavy　sigh　escaped　from　the　lips　of　the　queen；　and；　throwing　her
arms　around　the　dauphin　with　a　convulsive　motion；　she　murmured：

〃My　son；　oh；　my　dear　son！　May　God　take　my　life　if　He　will　but　spare
thine！〃

Where　was　Toulan？　Where　had　he　been　all　this　dreadful　day？　〃Where
was　Fidele　the　brave；　the　indefatigable？

On　the　morning　of　the　day　appointed　for　the　flight；　he　left　his
house；　taking　a　solemn　leave　of　his　Marguerite。　At　this　parting　hour
he　told　her　for　the　first　time　that　he　was　going　to　enter　upon　the
great　and　exalted　undertaking　of　freeing　the　queen　and　her　children；
or　of　dying　for　them。　His　true；　brave　young　wife　had　suppressed　her
tears　and　her　sighs　to　give　him　her　blessing；　and　to　tell　him　that
she　would　pray　for　him；　and　that　if　he　should　perish　in　the　service
of　the　queen；　she　would　die　too；　in　order　to　be　united　with　him
above。

Toulan　kissed　the　beaming　eyes　of　his　Marguerite　with　deep　fooling；
thanked　her　for　her　true…hearted　resignation；　and　told　her　that　he
had　never　loved　her　so　much　as　in　this　hour　when　he　was　leaving　her
to　meet　his　death；　it　might　be；　in　the　service　of　another　lady。

〃At　this　hour　of　parting；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　give　you　the　dearest　and
most　sacred　thing　that　I　possess。　Take　this　little　gold　smelling…
bottle。　The　queen　gave　it　to　me；　and　upon　the　bit　of　paper　that　lies
within　it　Marie　Antoinette　wrote　with　her　own　hand；　'Remembrancer
for　Fidele。'

Fiddle　is　the　title　of　honor　which　my　queen　has　given　me　for　the
little　service　which　I　have　been　able　to　do　for　her。　I　leave　this
little　gift　for　you　as　that　which；　next　to　your　love；　is　the　most
sacred　and　precious　thing　to　me　on　earth。　If　I　die；　preserve　it　for
our　son；　and　give　it　to　him　on　the　day　when　he　reaches　his　majority。
Tell　him　of　the　time　when　I　made　this　bequest　to　him；　in　the　hope
that　he　would　make　himself　worthy　of　it；　and　live　and　die　as　a　brave
son　of　his　country；　a　faithful　subject　and　servant　of　his　king；　who；
God　willing；　will　be　the　son　of　Marie　Antoinette。　Tell　him　of　his
father；　say　to　him　that　I　dearly　loved　you　and　him；　but　that　I　had
devoted　my　life　to　the　service　of　the　queen；　and　that　I　gave　it
freely　and　gladly；　in　conformity　with　my　oath。　I　have　not　told　you
about　these　things　before；　dear　Margueritenot　because　I　doubted
your　fidelity；　but　because　I　did　not　want　you　to　have　to　bear　the
dreadful　burden　of　expectation；　and　because　I　did　not　want　to
trouble　your　noble　soul　with　these　things。　And　now　I　only　tell　you
this　much：　I　am　going　away　to　try　to　save　the　queen。　If　I　succeed；　I
shall　come　back　for　a　moment　this　evening　at　ten　o'clock。　If　I
remain　away；　if　you　hear　nothing　from　me　during　the　whole　night；
then〃

〃Then　what？〃　asked　Marguerite；　throwing　her　arms　around　him；　and
looking　into　his　face　anxiously。　〃Say；　what　then？〃

〃Then　I　shall　have　died；〃　he　said；　softly；　〃and　our　child　will　be　an
orphan！　Do　not　weep；　Marguerite！　Be　strong　and　brave；　show　a
cheerful　face　to　our　neighbors；　our　friends；　and　the　spies！　But
observe　every　thing！　Listen　to　every　thing！　Keep　the　outer　door　open
all　the　time；　that　I　may　be　able　to　slip　in　at　any　moment。　Have　the
little　secret　door　in　my　room　open　too；　and　the　passageway　down　into
the　cellar　always　free；　that　I　may　slip　down　there　if　need　be。　Be
ready　to　receive　me　at　any　time；　to　hide　me；　and；　it　may　possibly
be；　others　who　may　come　with　me！〃

〃I　shall　expect　you　day　and　night；〃　she　whispered；　〃so　long　as　I
live！〃

〃And　now；　Marguerite；〃　he　said；　pressing　her　tenderly　to　his　heart；
〃one　last　kiss！　Let　me　kiss　your　eyes；　your　beautiful　dear　eyes；
which　have　always　glanced　with　looks　of　love；　and　which　have　always
given　me　new　inspiration。　Farewell；　my　dear　wife；　and　God　bless　you
for　your　love　and　fidelity！〃

〃Do　not　go；　my　precious　one！　Come　once　more　to　the　cradle　of　our　boy
and　give　him　a　parting　kiss！〃

〃No；　Marguerite；　that　would　unman　me；　and　to…day　I　must　be　strong
and　master　of　myself。　Farewell；　I　am　going　to　the　Temple！〃

And；　without　looking　at　his　wife　again；　he　hurried　out　into　the
street；　and　turned　his　steps　toward　his　destination。　But　just　as　he
was　turning　the　very　next　corner　Lepitre　met　him；　pale；　and
displaying　great　excitement　in　his　face。

〃Thank　God！〃　he　said；　〃thank　God　that　I　have　found　you。　I　wanted　to
hasten　to　you。　We　must　flee　directlyall　is　discovered。　Immediate
flight　alone　can　save　us！〃

〃What　is　discovered？〃　asked　Toulan。　〃Speak；　Lepitre；　what　is
discovered？〃

〃For　God's　sake；　let　us　not　be　standing　here　on　the　streets！〃
ejaculated　Lepitre。　〃They　have　certainly　sent　out　the　constables　to
arrest　us。　Let　us　go　into　this　house　here；　it　contains　a　passage
through　to　the　next　street。　Now；　listen！　We　are　reported。　Simon's
wife　has　carried　our　names　to　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety　as
suspicious　persons。　Tison's　wife　has　given　out　that　the　queen　and
her　sister…in…law　have　won　us　both　over；　and　that　through　our　means
she　is　kept　informed　about　every　thing　that　happens。　The　carpet…
manufacturer；　Arnault；　has　just　been　publicly　denouncing　us　both；
saying　that　Simon's　wife　has　reported　to　him　that　we　both　have
conducted　conversation　with　the　prisoners　in　low　tones　of　voice；　and
have　thereby　been　the　means　of　conveying　some　kind　of　cheering
information　to　the　queen。　＇Footnote：　Literally　reproduced　here。See
Concourt；　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　290。＇　On　that；　our
names　were　stricken　from　the　list　of　official　guards　at　the　Temple；
and　we　are　excluded　from　the　new　ward　c