marie antoinette and her son-第74章

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and　we　are　excluded　from　the　new　ward　committee　that　is　forming　to…
day。〃

〃And　is　that　all？〃　asked　Toulan；　calmly。　〃Is　that　all　the　bad　news
that　you　bring？　Then　the　projected　flight　is　not　discovered；　is　it？
Nothing　positive　is　known　against　us？　Nothing　more　is　known　than　the
silly　and　unfounded　denunciations　of　two　old　women？〃

〃For　God's　sake；　do　not　use　such　idle　words　as　these！〃　replied
Lepitre。　〃We　are　suspected；　our　names　are　stricken　from　the　ward
list。　Is　not　that　itself　a　charge　against　us？　And　are　not　those　who
come　under　suspicion　always　condemned？　Do　not　laugh；　Toulan；　and
shake　your　head！

Believe　me；　we　are　lost　if　we　do　not　flee；　if　we　do　not　leave　Paris
on　the　spot　and　conceal　ourselves　somewhere。　I　am　firmly　resolved　on
this；　and　in　an　hour　I　shall　have　started；　disguised　as　a　sans…
culotte。　Follow　my　example；　my　friend。　Do　not　throw　away　your　life
foolhardily。　Follow　me！〃

〃No；〃　said　Toulan；　〃I　shall　stay。　I　have　sworn　to　devote　my　life　to
the　service　of　the　queen；　and　I　shall　fulfil　my　oath　so　long　as
breath　remains　in　my　body。　I　must　not　go　away　from　here　so　long　as
there　is　a　possibility　of　assisting　her。　If　flight　is　impracticable
to…day；　it　may　be　effected　at　some　more　favorable　time；　and　I　must
hold　myself　in　readiness　for　it。〃

〃But　they　will　take　you；　I　tell　you；〃　said　Lepitre；　with　a　downcast
air。　〃You　will　do　no　good　to　the　queen；　and　only　bring　yourself　to
harm。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense！　they　will　not　catch　me　so　soon；〃　said　Toulan；
confidently。　〃Fortune　always　favors　the　bold；　and　I　will　show　you
that　I　am　brave。　Go；　my　friend；　save　yourself；　and　may　God　give　you
long　life　and　a　contented　heart！　Farewell；　and　be　careful　that　they
do　not　discover　you！〃

〃You　are　angry　with　me；　Toulan；〃　said　Lepitre。　〃You　consider　me
cowardly。　But　I　tell　you；　you　are　foolhardy；　and　your　folly　will
plunge　you　into　destruction。〃

〃I　am　not　angry　with　you；　Lepitre；　and　you　shall　not　be　with　me。
Every　one　must　do　as　best　he　can；　and　as　his　heart　and　his　head
dictate　to　him。　One　is　not　the　better　for　this；　and　another　the
worse。　Farewell；　my　friend！　Take　care　for　your　own　safety；　for　it　is
well　that　some　faithful　ones　should　still　remain　to　serve　the　queen；
and　I　know　that　you　will　serve　her　when　she　needs　your　help。〃

〃Then　give　me　your　hand　in　parting；　my　friend。　And　if　at　last　you
come　to　the　conclusion　to　flee；　come　to　Normandy；　and　in　the　village
of　Lerne；　near　Dieppe；　you　will　find　me；　and　my　father　will　receive
you；　and　you　shall　be　treated　as　if　you　were　my　brother。〃

〃Thanks；　my　friend；　thanks！　One　last　shake　of　the　hand。　There！　Now
you　are　away；　and　I　remain　here。〃

Toulan　went　out　into　the　street；　walked　along　with　a　cheerful　face；
and　repaired　at　once　to　the　hall　where　the　Committee　of　Safety　were
sitting。

〃Citizens　and　brothers；〃　he　said；　in　aloud；　bold　voice；　〃I　have　just
been　informed　that　I　have　been　brought　under　suspicion　and
denounced。　Friends　have　warned　me　to　betake　to　flight。　But　I　am　no
coward；　I　have　no　bad　conscience；　and　therefore　do　not　fly；　but　come
here　and　ask　you　is　this　true？　Is　it　possible　that　you　regard　me　as
no　patriot；　and　as　a　traitor？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　President　Hobart；　with　a　harsh；　hard　voice；　〃you　are
under　suspicion；　and　we　mistrust　you。　This　shameful　seducer；　this
she…wolf　Marie　Antoinette　has　cast　her　foxy　eyes　upon　you；　and　would
doubtless　succeed　if　you　are　often　with　her。　We　have　therefore　once
for　all　taken　your　name　from　the　list　of　the　official　guards　in　the
Temple；　and　you　will　no　longer　be　exposed　to　the　wiles　of　the
Austrian　woman。　But　besides　this；　as　the　second　denunciation　has
been　made　against　you　to…day；　and　as　it　is　asserted　that　you　are　in
relations　with　aristocrats　and　suspected　persons；　we　have　considered
it　expedient；　in　view　of　the　common　safety；　to　issue　a　warrant　for
your　apprehension。　An　officer　has　just　gone　with　two　soldiers　to
your　house；　to　arrest　you　and　bring　you　hither。　You　have　simply
anticipated　the　course　of　law　by　surrendering　yourself。　Officer；
soldiers；　here！〃

The　persons　summoned　appeared；　and　put　Toulan　under　arrest；
preparatory　to　taking　him　to　prison。

〃It　is　well；〃　said　Toulan；　with　a　noble　calmness。　〃I　know　that　the
time　will　come　when　you　will　regret　having　so　abused　a　true　patriot；
and　I　hope；　for　the　peace　of　your　consciences；　that　there　will　be　a
time　then　to　undo　the　evil　which　you　are　doing　to　me　to…day；　and
that　my　head　will　then　be　on　my　shoulders；　that　my　lips　may　be　able
to　testify　to　you　what　my　heart　now　dictates；　that　I　forgive　you！
You　are　in　error　about　me；　yet　I　know　that　you　are　acting　not　out　of
enmity　to　me；　but　for　the　weal　of　the　country；　and　out　of　love　for
the　great；　united　republic。　As　the　true　and　tenderly　loving　son　of
this　noble；　exalted　mother；　I　forgive　you　for　giving　ear　to　my
unrighteous　accusers；　and；　even　if　you　shed　my　innocent　blood；　my
dying　wish　will　be　a　blessing　on　the　republic。〃

〃Those　are　noble　and　excellent　words；〃　said　Hobart；　coldly。　〃But　if
deeds　speak　in　antagonism　to　words；　we　cannot　let　the　latter　beguile
us　out　of　our　sense；　but　we　must　give　heed　to　justice。〃

〃That　is　the　one　only　thing　that　I　ask；〃　cried　Toulan；　brightly。
〃Let　justice　be　done；　my　brothers；　and　I　shall　very　soon　he　free；
and　shall　come　out　from　an　investigation　like　a　spotless　lamb。　I
make　no　resistance。　Come；　my　friends；　take　me　to　prison！　I　only　ask
for　permission　to　be　escorted　first　to　my　house；　to　procure　a　few
articles　of　clothing　to　use　during　my　imprisonment。　But　I　urge
pressingly　that　my　articles　may　be　sealed　up　in　my　presence。　For
when　the　man　of　the　house　is　not　at　home；　it　fares　badly　with　the
safety　of　his　property；　and　I　shall　be　able　to　feel　at　ease　only
when　the　seal　of　the　republic　is　upon　my　possessions。　I　beg　you
therefore　to　allow　my　paper　and　valuables　to　be　sealed　in　my
presence。　You　will　thus　be　sure　that　my　wife　and　my　friends　have　not
removed　any　thing　which　might　be　used　against　me；　and　my　innocence
will　shine　out　the　more　clearly。　I　beg　you　therefore　to　comply　with
my　wish。〃

The　members　of　the　committee　consulted　with　one　another　in　low
tones；　and　the　chairman　then　announced　to　Toulan　that　his　wish　would
be　complied　with；　and　that　an　escort　of　soldiers　might　accompany　him
to　his　house；　to　allow　him　to　procure　linen　and　clothing；　and　to
seal　his　effects　and　papers　in　their　presence。

Toulan　thanked　them　with　cheerful　looks；　and　went　out　into　the
street　between　the　two　guards。　As　they　were　on　the　way　to　his　house；
he　talked　easily　with　them；　laughed　and　joked；　but　in　his　own
thoughts　he　said　to　himself；　〃You　are　lost！　hopelessly　lost；　if　you
do　not　escape　now。　You　are　the　prey　of　the　guillotine；　if　the　gates
of　the　prison　once　close　upon　you；　therefore　escape；　escape　or　die。〃
While　he　was　thus　laughing　and　talking　with　the　soldiers；　and
meanwhile　thinking　such　solemn　thoughts；　his　sharp　black　eyes　were
glancing　in　all　directions；　looking　for　a　friend　who　might　assist
him　out　of　his　trouble。　And　fortune　sent　him　such　a　friend！Ricard；
Ionian's　most　trusted　counsellor；　the　abettor　of　his　plans。　Toulan
called　him　with　an　animated　face；　and　in　loud　tones　told　him　that　he
had　been　denounced；　and　therefore　arrested；　and　that　he　was　only
allowed　to　go　to　his　house　to　procure　some　clothing。

〃Come　along；　Ricard；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　going　to　put　my　effects
under　seal；　and　you　have　some　papers　and　books　on　my　writing…table。
Come　along；　and　take　possession　of　your　own　things；　so　that　they　may
not　be　sealed　up　as　mine。〃

Ricard　nodded　assent；　and　a　significant　look　told　Toulan　that　his
friend　understood　him；　and　that　his　meaning　was；　that　Ricard　should
take　possession　of　papers　that　might　bring　Toulan　under　suspicion。
Continuing　their　walk；　they　spoke　of　indifferent　matters；　and　at
last　reached　Toulan's　house。　Marguerite　met　them　with　calm　bearing。
She　knew　that　every　cry；　every　expression　of　anxiety　and　trouble；
would　only　imperil　the　condition　of　her　husband；　and　her　love　gave
her　power　to　master　herself。

〃Ah！　are　you　there；　husband？〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；　how　hard　to
her　no　one　knew。　〃You　are　bringing　a　great　deal　of　company。〃

〃Yes；　Marguerite；〃　said　Toulan；　with　a　smile；　〃and　I　am　going　to
keep　on　with　this　pleasant　company　to　prison。〃

〃Oh！〃　she　cried；　laughing；　〃that　is　a　good　joke！　Toulan；　the　best　of
patriots；　in　prison！　Come；　you　ought　not　to　joke　about　serious
matters。〃

〃It　is　no　joke；〃　said　one　of　the　guards；　solemnly。　〃Citizen　Toulan
is　arrested；　and　is　here　only　to　procure　some　articles　of　clothing；
and　have　his　effects　put　under　seal。〃

〃And　to　give　back　to　his　friend　Ricard　the　books　and　papers　that
belong　to　him；〃　said　Toulan。　〃Come；　let　us　go　into　my　study；
friends。〃

〃There　are　my　books　and　papers；〃　cried　Ricard；　as　they　went　into　the
next　room。　He　sprang　forward　to　the　writing…table；　seized　all　the
papers　lying　upon　it；　and　tried　to　thrust　them　into　his　coat…pocket。
But　the　two　soldiers　checked　him；　and　undertook　to　resist　his
movement。　Ricard　protested；　a　loud　exchange　of　words　took　placein
which　Marguerite　had　her　shareinsisting　that　all　the　papers　on　the
table　belonged　to　Ricard；　and　she　should　like　to　see　the　man　who
could　have　the　impudence　to　prevent　his　taking　them。

Louder　and　louder　grew　the　contention；　and　when　Ricard　was
endeavoring　again　to　put　the　papers　into　his　pocket；　the　two
soldiers　rushed　at　him　to　prevent　it。　Marguerite　tried　to　come　to
his　assistance；　and　in　the　effort；　overthrew　a　little　table　which
stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　on　which　was　a　water…bottle　and
some　glasses。　The　table　came　down；　a　rattle　of　broken　glass
followed；　and　amid　the　noise　and　outcries；　the　controversy　and
violence；　no　one　paid　attention　to　Toulan；　no　one　saw　the　little
secret　door　quietly　open；　and　Toulan　glide　from　view。

The　soldiers　did　not　notice　this　movement；　but　Marguerite　and　Ricard
understood　it　well；　and　went　on　all　the　more　eagerly　with　their
cries　and　contentions；　to　give　Toulan　time　to　escape　by　the　secret
passage。

And　they　were　successful。　When　the　two　guards　had；　after　long
searching；　discovered　the　secret　door　through　which　the　escape　had
been　effected；　and　had　rushed　down　the　hidden　stairway；　not　a　trace
of　him　was　to　be　seen。

Toulan　was　free！　Unhindered；　he　hastened　to　the　little　attic；　which
he　had；　some　time　before；　hired　in　the　house　adjacent　to　the　Temple；
put　on　a　suit　of　clothes　which　he　had　prepared　there；　and　remained
concealed　the　whole　day。

As　Marie　Antoinette　lay　sleepless　upon　her　bed　in　the　night　that
followed　this　vain　attempt　at　flight；　and　was　torturing　herself　with
anxious　doubts　whether　Fidele　had　fallen　a　victim　to　his　devotion；
suddenly　the　tones　of　a　huntsman's　horn　broke　the　silence；　Marie
Antoinette　raised　herself　up　and　listened。　Princess　Elizabeth　had
done　the　same；　and　with　suspended　breath　they　both　listened　to　the
long…drawn　and　plaintive　tones　which　softly　floated　in　to　them　on
the　wings　of　the　night。　A　smile　of　satisfaction　flitted　over　their
pale；　sad　faces；　and　a　deep　sigh　escaped　from　their　heavy　hearts。

〃Thank　God！　he　is　saved；〃　whispered　Marie　Antoinette。

〃Is　not　that　the　melody　that　was　to　tell　us　that　our　friend　is　in
the　neighborhoo