marie antoinette and her son-第76章

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this　blood；　which　gave　back　even　to　the　tame　their　natural　wildness。
The　sun　shone　down　upon　the　scaffold；　that　rose　like　a　threatening
monster　upon　the　Place　de　la　Revolution；　and　upon　the　dreadful　axe
which　daily　severed　so　many　noble　forms；　and　then　rose　from　the
block　glittering　and　menacing。

The　sun　shone　on　that　day；　too；　when　Marie　Antoinette　ascended　the
scaffold；　as　her　husband　had　done　before；　and　so　passed　to　her　rest；
from　all　the　pains　and　humiliations　of　her　last　years。

That　day　was　the　16th　of　October；　1793。　For　four　months　Marie
Antoinette　looked　forward　to　it　as　to　a　joyful　deliverance。　It　was
four　months　from　the　time　when　she　was　transferred　from　the　Temple
to　the　prison；　and　she　knew　that　those　who　were　confined　in　the
latter　place　only　left　it　to　gain　the　freedom；　not　that　man　gives；
but　which　God　grants　to　the　sufferingthe　freedom　of　death！

Marie　Antoinette　longed　for　the　deliverance。　How　far　behind　her　now
lay　the　days　of　her　happy；　joyous　youth！　how　long　ago　the　time　when
the　tall；　grave　woman；　her　face　full　of　pride　and　yet　of
resignation；　had　been　charming　Marie　Antoinette；　the　very
impersonation　of　beauty；　youth；　and　love；　carrying　out　in　Trianon
the　idyl　of　romantic　country　lifein　the　excess　of　her　gayety　going
disguised　to　the　public　opera…house　ball；　believing　herself　so　safe
amid　the　French　people　that　she　could　dispense　with　the　protection
of　etiquettehailed　with　an　enthusiastic　admiration　then；　as　she
was　now　saluted　with　the　savage　shouts　of　the　enraged　people！

No；　the　former　queen；　Marie　Antoinette；　who；　in　the　gilded　saloons
of　Versailles　and　in　the　Tuileries；　had　received　the　homage　of　all
France；　and　with　a　smiling　face　and　perfect　grace　of　manner
acknowledged　all　the　tribute　that　was　brought　to　her；　had　no　longer
any　resemblance　to　the　widow　of　Louis　Capet；　sitting　before　the
revolutionary　tribunal；　and　giving　earnest　answers　to　the　questions
which　were　put　to　her。　She　arranged　her　toilet　that　daybut　how
different　was　the　toilet　of　the　Widow　Capet　from　that　which　Queen
Marie　Antoinette　had　once　displayed！　At　that　earlier　time；　she；　the
easy；　light…hearted　daughter　of　fortune；　had　shut　herself　up　for
hours　with　her　intimate　companion；　Madame　Berthier；　the　royal
milliner；　planning　a　new　ball…dress；　or　a　new　fichu；　or　her　Leonard
would　lavish　all　the　resources　of　his　fancy　and　his　art　inventing
new　styles　of　head…dress；　now　decorating　the　beautiful　head　of　the
queen　with　towering　masses　of　auburn　hair；　now　braiding　it　so　as　to
make　it　enfold　little　war…ships；　the　sails　of　which　were　finely
woven　from　her　own　locks；　now　laying　out　a　garden　filled　with　fruits
and　flowers；　butterflies　and　birds　of　paradise。

The　〃Widow　Capet〃　needed　no　milliner　and　no　hairdresser　in　making
her　toilet。　Her　tall；　slender　figure　was　enveloped　with　the　black
woollen　dress　which　the　republic　had　given　her　at　her　request；　that
she　might　commemorate　her　deceased　husband。　Her　neck　and　shoulders；
which　had　once　been　the　admiration　of　France；　was　now　concealed　by　a
white　muslin　kerchief；　which　her　keeper　Bault　had　given　her　out　of
sympathy。　Her　hair　was　uncovered；　and　fell　in　long；　natural　locks　on
both　sides　of　her　pale；　transparent　face。　Her　hair　needed　no　powder
now；　the　long；　sleepless　nights　and　the　sorrowful　days　have　whitened
it　more　than　any　powder　could　do；　and　the　widow　of　Louis　Capet；
though　but　thirty…eight　years　old；　had　the　gray　locks　of　a　woman　of
seventy。

In　this　toilet　Marie　Antoinette　appeared　before　the　revolutionary
tribunal；　from　the　6th　to　the　13th　of　October。　Nothing　royal　was
left　about　her　but　her　look　and　her　proud　bearing。

The　people；　pressing　in　dense　masses　into　the　spectators'　seats；　did
not　weary　of　seeing　the　queen　in　her　humiliation　and　in　her
mourning…robe；　and　constantly　demanded　that　Marie　Antoinette　should
rise　from　the　woven　rush　chair　on　which　she　was　sitting；　that　she
should　allow　herself　to　be　stared　at　by　this　throng；　brought　there
not　out　of　compassion；　but　curiosity。

Once；　as　she　rose　in　reply　to　the　demand　of　the　public；　she　was
heard　to　whisper；　as　to　herself：　〃Ah；　will　this　people　not　soon　be
satisfied　with　my　sufferings？〃　＇Footnote：　Marie　Antoinette's　　own
words。See　Goncourt；　〃Histoire　de　Marie　Antoinette；〃　p。　404。＇　At
another　time；　her　pale；　dry　lips　murmured；　〃I　am　thirsty！〃　but　no
one　around　her　dared　to　have　compassion　on　this　cry　of　distress；
every　one　looked　perplexed　at　the　others；　and　no　one　dared　give　her
a　glass　of　water。　At　last　one　of　the　gens　d'armes　ventured　to　do　it；
and　Marie　Antoinette　thanked　him　with　a　look　that　brought　tears　into
his　eyes；　and　that　perhaps　caused　him　to　fall　on　the　morrow　under
the　guillotine　as　a　traitor。

The　gens　d'armes　who　guarded　the　queen；　they　alone　had　the　courage
to　show　her　compassion。　One　night；　when　she　was　conducted　from　the
session…room　to　her　prison；　Marie　Antoinette　felt　herself　so
exhausted；　so　overcome；　that　she　murmured　to　herself；　as　she
staggered　on；　〃I　cannot　see；　I　cannot　walk　any　farther。〃　＇Footnote：
Goncourt；　p。416＇　The　guard　who　was　walking　by　her　side　gave　her　his
arm；　and；　supported　by　him；　Marie　Antoinette　reeled　up　the　stone
steps　that　led　to　her　prison。

At　last；　in　the　night　intervening　between　the　14th　and　15th　of
October；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　her　sentence　was
pronounced〃Death！　execution　by　the　guillotine！〃

Marie　Antoinette　received　it　with　unshakable　calmness；　while　the
tumult　of　the　excited　mob　was　hushed　as　by　magic；　and　while　many
faces　even　of　the　exasperated　fish…wives　grew　pale！

Marie　Antoinette　remained　calm；　gravely　and　coldly　she　rose　from　her
seat；　and　with　her　own　hands　opened　the　balustrade　in　order　to　leave
the　hall　to　return　to　her　prison！

Finally；　on　the　morning　of　the　16th　of　October；　her　sufferings　were
allowed　to　end；　and　she　was　permitted　to　take　refuge　in　the　grave。
It　almost　made　her　joyful；　she　had　suffered　so　much；　that　to　die　was
for　her　really　blessedness。

She　employed　the　still　hours　of　the　night　before　her　death　in
writing　to　her　sister…in…law；　Madame　Elizabeth；　and　her　letter　was
at　the　same　time　her　testament。　But　the　widow　of　Louis　Capet　had　no
riches；　no　treasures　to　convey。　She　had　nothing　more　that　she　could
call　her　own　but　her　love；　her　tears；　and　her　farewell　greetings。
These　she　left　to　all　who　had　loved　her。　She　sent　a　special　word　to
her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　bade　them　farewell。

〃I　had　friends；〃　she　says；　〃and　the　thought　that　I　am　to　be　forever
separated　from　them；　and　their　sorrow　for　me；　is　the　most　painful
thing　in　this　hour；　they　shall　at　least　know　that　I　thought　of　them
to　the　last　moment。〃

After　Marie　Antoinette　had　ended　this　letter；　whose　writing　was　here
and　there　blotted　with　her　tears；　she　turned　her　thoughts　to　the
last　remembrances　she　could　leave　to　her　childrena　remembrance
which　should　not　be　profaned　by　the　hand　of　the　executioner。　This
was　her　long　hair；　whose　silver　locks；　the　only　ornament　that
remained　to　her；　was　at　the　same　time　the　sad　record　of　her　sorrows。

Marie　Antoinette；　with　her　own　hands；　despoiled　herself　of　this
ornament；　and　cut　off　her　long　back…hair；　that　it　might　be　a　last
gift　to　her　children；　her　relations；　and　friends。　Then；　after　a
period　of　meditation；　she　prepared　herself　for　the　last　great
ceremony　of　her　careerher　death。　She　felt　herself　exhausted；　worn
out；　and　recognized　her　need　of　some　physical　support　during　the
hard　way　which　lay　before　her。　She　asked　for　nourishment；　and　ate
with　some　relish　the　wing　of　a　fowl　that　was　brought　to　her。　After
that　she　made　her　toiletthe　toilet　of　death！

At　the　request　of　the　queen；　the　wife　of　the　turnkey　gave　her　one　of
her　own　chemises；　and　Marie　Antoinette　put　it　on。　Then　she　arrayed
herself　in　the　same　garments　which　she　had　worn　at　her　trial；　with
this　single　changethat　over　the　black　woollen　dress；　which　she　had
often　mended　with　her　own　hand；　she　now　wore　a　cloak　of　white　pique；
Around　her　neck　she　tied　a　simple　kerchief　of　white　muslin；　and　as
she　would　not　be　allowed　to　ascend　the　scaffold　with　uncovered　head；
she　put　on　a　plain　linen　cap；　such　as　was　in　general　use　among　the
people。　Black　stockings　covered　her　feet；　and　over　these　were　shoes
of　black　woollen　stuff。

Her　toilet　was　at　last　ended；　she　was　done　with　all　earthly　things！
Ready　to　meet　her　death；　she　lay　down　on　her　bed　and　slept。

She　was　still　sleeping　when　it　was　announced　to　her　that　a　priest
was　there；　ready　to　meet　her；　if　she　wanted　to　confess。　But　Marie
Antoinette　had　already　unveiled　her　heart　before　God：　she　wanted
none　of　those　priests　of　reason　whom　the　republic　had　appointed
after　it　had　banished　or　guillotined　the　priests　of　the　Church。

〃As　I　am　not　mistress　of　my　own　will；〃　she　had　written　to　her　sister
Elizabeth；　〃I　shall　have　to　submit　if　a　priest　is　brought　to　me；　but
I　solemnly　declare　that　I　will　not　speak　a　word　to　him；　and　that　I
shall　treat　him　as　a　person　with　whom　I　wish　to　have　no　relations。〃

And　Marie　Antoinette　kept　her　word；　she　did　not　refuse　to　allow
Geroid　to　enter；　but　when　he　asked　her　if　she　wished　to　receive　the
consolations　of　religion　from　him；　she　declined。

Then；　in　order　to　warm　her　feet；　which　were　cold；　she　walked　up　and
down　her　little　room。　As　it　struck　seven　the　door　opened。　It　was
Samson；　the　public　executioner；　who　entered！

A　slight　thrill　passed　through　the　form　of　the　queen。

〃You　have　come　very　early；　sir；　could　you　not　delay　a　little？〃　When
Samson　denied　her　request；　Marie　Antoinette　put　on　her　calm；　cold
manner。　She　drank；　without　resistance；　a　cup　of　chocolate　which　was
brought　to　her；　she　remained　possessed；　and　wore　her　wonted　air　of
dignity　as　they　bound　her　hands　behind　her　with　thick　cords。

At　eleven　o'clock　she　left　her　room；　passed　through　the　corridor；
and　ascended　the　car；　which　was　waiting　for　her　before　the　prison
door。　No　one　accompanied　her；　no　one　bade　her　a　last　farewell；　not　a
look　of　pity　or　compassion　was　bestowed　upon　her　by　her　keepers。

Alone；　between　the　rows　of　gens　d'armes　that　were　placed　along　the
sides　of　the　corridor；　the　queen　advanced；　Samson　walking　behind
her；　carrying　the　end　of　the　rope　with　which　the　queen's　hands　were
bound；　and　behind　him　his　two　assistants　and　the　priest。　This　is　the
retinue　of　the　queen；　the　daughter　of　an　emperor；　on　the　way　to　her
execution！

It　may　be；　that　at　this　hour　thousands　are　on　their　knees；　offering
their　fervent　prayers　to　God　in　behalf　of　Marie　Antoinette；　whom；　in
their　hearts；　they　continued　to　call　〃the　queen；〃　it　may　be　that
thousands　are　pouring　out　tears　of　compassion　for　her　who　now　mounts
the　wretched　car；　and　sits　down　on　the　board　which　is　bound　by　ropes
to　the　sides　of　the　vehicle。　But　those　who　are　praying　and　weeping
have　withdrawn　to　the　solitude　of　their　own　apartments；　and　only　God
can　see　their　tears　and　hear　their　cries。　The　eyes　which　witnessed
the　queen　in　this　last　drive　were　not　allowed　to　shed　a　tear；　the
words　which　followed　her　on　her　last　way　could　express　no
compassion。

All　Paris　knew　the　hour　of　the　execution；　and　the　people　were　ready
to　witness　it。　On　the　streets；　at　the　windows；　on　the　roofs；　immense
masses　had　congregated；　and　the　whole　Pla