marie antoinette and her son-第77章

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masses　had　congregated；　and　the　whole　Place　de　la　Revolution　（now
the　Place　de　la　Concorde）　was　filled　with　a　dark；　surging　crowd。

And　now　the　drums　of　the　guards　stationed　before　the　Conciergerie
began　to　beat。　The　great　white　horse；　（which　drew　the　car　in　which
the　queen　sat；　side　by　side　with　the　priest；　and　facing　backward；）
was　driven　forward　by　a　man　who　was　upon　his　back。　Behind　Marie
Antoinette　were　Samson　and　his　assistants。

The　queen　was　pale；　all　the　blood　had　left　her　cheeks　and　lips；　but
her　eyes　were　red！　Poor　queen；　she　bore　even　then　the　marks　of　much
weeping！　But　she　could　shed　no　tears　then！　Not　a　single　one　obscured
her　eye　as　her　look　ranged；　gravely　and　calmly；　over　the　mass；　up
the　houses　to　the　very　roofs；　then　slowly　down；　and　then　away　over
the　boundless　sea　of　human　faces。

Her　face　was　as　cold　and　grave　as　her　eyes；　her　lips　were　firmly
compressed；　not　a　quiver　betrayed　whether　she　was　suffering；　and
whether　she　shrank　from　the　thousand　and　ten　thousand　scornful　and
curious　looks　which　were　fixed　upon　her。　And　yet　Marie　Antoinette
saw　it　all！　She　saw　a　woman　raise　a　child；　she　saw　the　child　throw
her　a　kiss　with　its　little　hand！　At　that　the　queen　gave　way　for　an
instant；　her　lips　quivered；　her　eyes　were　darkened　with　a　tear！　This
solitary　sign　of　human　sympathy　reanimated　the　heart　of　the　queen；
and　gave　her　a　little　fresh　life。

But　the　people　took　good　care　that　Marie　Antoinette　should　not　carry
this　one　drop　of　comfort　to　the　end　of　her　journey。　The　populace
thronged　around　the　car；　howled；　groaned；　sang　ribald　songs；　clapped
their　hands；　and　pointed　their　fingers　in　derision　at　Madame　Veto。

The　queen；　however；　remained　calm；　her　gaze　wandering　coldly　over
the　vast　multitude；　only　once　did　her　eye　flash　on　the　route。　It　was
as　she　passed　the　Palais　Royal；　where　Philippe　Egalite；　once　the
Duke　d'Orleans；　lived；　and　read　the　inscription　which　he　had　caused
to　be　placed　over　the　main　entrance　of　the　palace。

At　noon　the　car　reached　its　destination。　It　came　to　a　halt　at　the
foot　of　the　scaffold；　Marie　Antoinette　dismounted；　and　then　walked
slowly　and　with　erect　head　up　the　steps。

Not　once　during　her　dreadful　ride　had　her　lips　opened；　not　a
complaint　had　escaped　her；　not　a　farewell　had　she　spoken。　The　only
adieu　which　she　had　to　give　on　earth　was　a　lookone　long；　sad　look…
…directed　toward　the　Tuileries；　and　as　she　gazed　at　the　great　pile
her　cheeks　grew　paler；　and　a　deep　sigh　escaped　from　her　lips。

Then　she　placed　her　head　under　the　guillotine；a　momentary；
breathless　silence　followed。

Samson　lifted　up　the　pale　head　that　had　once　belonged　to　the　Queen
of　France；　and　the　people　greeted　the　sight　with　the　cry；　〃Long　live
the　republic！〃

That　same　evening　one　of　the　officials　of　the　republic　made　up　an
account；　now　preserved　in　the　Imperial　Library　of　Paris；　and　which
must　move　even　the　historian　himself　to　tears。　It　runs　as　follows：
〃Cost　of　interments；　conducted　by　Joly；　sexton　of　Madelaine　de　la
Ville　l'Eveque；　of　persons　condemned　by　the　Tribunal　of　the
Committee　of　Safety；　to　wit；　No。　1　。　。　。　。〃　Then　follow　twenty…four
names　and　numbers；　and　then　〃No。　25。　Widow　Capet：

For　the　coffin；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。6　francs。
For　digging　the　grave；。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　25　francs。〃

Beneath　are　the　words；　〃Seen　and　approved　by　me；　President　of　the
Revolutionary　Tribunal；　that　Joly；　sexton　of　the　Madelaine；　receive
the　sum　of　two　hundred　and　sixty…four　francs　from　the　National
Treasury；　Paris；　llth　Brumaire。　Year　II。　of　the　French　Republic。
Herman；　President。〃

The　interment　of　the　Queen　of　France　did　not　cost　the　republic　more
than　thirty…one　francs；　or　six　American　dollars。




CHAPTER　　XXV。

KING　LOUIS　THE　SEVENTEENTH。


The　〃one　and　indivisible　republic〃　bad　gained　the　victory　over　the
lilies　of　France。　In　their　dark　and　unknown　graves；　in　the　Madelaine
churchyard；　King　Louis　XVI。　and　Marie　Antoinette　slept　their　last
sleep。　The　monarchy　had　perished　on　the　guillotine；　and　the
republicans；　the　preachers　of　liberty；　equality；　and　fraternity；
repeated　triumphantly：　〃Royalty　is　forever　extinguished；　and　the
glorious　republic　is　the　rising　sun　which　is　to　bring　eternal
deliverance　to　France。〃

But；　in　spite　of　this　jubilant　cry；　the　foreheads　of　the　republican
leaders　darkened；　and　a　peculiar　solicitude　took　possession　of　their
hearts　when　their　eyes　fell　upon　the　Templethat　great；　dismal
building；　that　threw　its　dark　shadows　over　the　sunny　path　of　the
republic。　Was　it　regret　that　darkened　the　brows　of　the　regicides　as
they　looked　upon　this　building；　which　had　been　the　sad　prison　of　the
king　and　queen？　Those　hearts　of　bronze　knew　no　regret；　and　when　the
heroes　of　the　revolution　crossed　the　Place　de　la　Guillotine；　on
which　the　royal　victims　had　perished；　their　eyes　flashed　more
proudly；　and　did　not　fall　even　when　they　passed　by　the　Madelaine
churchyard。

No；　it　was　not　the　recollection　of　the　deed　that　saddened　the　brows
of　the　potentates　of　the　republic　when　they　looked　at　the　dismal
Temple；　but　the　recollection　of　him　who　was　not　yet　dead；　but　who
was　still　living　as　a　captive　in　the　gloomy　state…prison　of　the
republic。

This　prisoner　was　indeed　only　a　child　of　eight　years；　but　the
legitimistsand　there　were　many　of　them　still　in　the　country
called　him　the　King　of　France；　and　priests　in　loyal　Vendee；　when
they　had　finished　the　daily　mass　for　the　murdered　king；　prayed　to
God；　with　uplifted　hands；　for　grace　and　deliverance　for　the　young
captive　at　the　Temple；　the　young　king；　Louis　XVII。

〃Le　roi　est　mortVive　le　roi！〃

There　were；　it　must　be　confessed；　among　the　royalists　and
legitimists　many　who　thought　of　the　young　prisoner　with　bitterness
and　anger；　and　who　accused　and　blamed　him　as　the　calumniator　of　his
mother！　As　if　the　child　knew　what　he　was　doing　when；　at　the　command
of　his　tormentor　Simon；　he　wrote　with　trembling　hand　his　name　upon
the　paper　which　was　laid　before　him　in　the　open　court。　As　if　the
poor　innocent　boy　knew　what　meaning　the　dreadful　questions　had；
which　the　merciless　judges　put　to　him；　and　which　he　answered　with
no；　or　with　yes；　according　as　his　scrutinizing　looks　were　able　to
make　out　the　fitting　answer　on　the　hard　face　of　Simon；　who　stood
near　him。　For　the　unhappy　lad　had　already　learned　to　read　the　face
of　the　turnkey；　and　knew　very　well　that　every　wrinkle　of　the
forehead　which　was　caused　by　him　must　be　atoned　for　with　dreadful
sufferings；　abuses；　and　blows。

The　poor　boy　was　afraid　of　the　heavy　fist　that　came　down　like　an
iron　club　upon　his　back　and　even　on　his　face；　when　he　said　any　thing
or　did　any　thing　that　displeased　Simon　or　his　wife；　and　therefore　he
sought　to　escape　this　cruel　treatment；　confirming　with　his　yes　and
no　what　Simon　told　the　judges；　and　what　the　child　in　his　innocence
did　not　understand！　And　therefore　he　subscribed　the　paper　without
reluctance　in　which　he　unconsciously　gave　evidence　that　disgraced
his　mother。

With　this　testimony　they　ventured　to　accuse　Marie　Antoinette　of
infamy；　but　the　queen　gave　it　no　other　answer　than　scornful　silence
and　a　proud　and　dignified　look；　before　which　the　judges　cast　down
their　eyes　in　shame。　Then　after　a　pause　they　repeated　their
question；　and　demanded　an　answer。

Marie　Antoinette　turned　her　proud　and　yet　gentle　glance　to　the　women
who　had　taken　possession　in　dense　masses　of　the　spectators'　gallery；
and　who　breathlessly　awaited　the　answer　of　the　queen。

〃I　appeal　to　all　mothers　present；〃　she　said；　with　her　sad；　sonorous
voice〃　I　ask　whether　they　hold　such　a　crime　to　be　possible。〃

No　one　gave　audible　reply；　but　a　murmur　passed　through　the　ranks　of
the　spectators；　and　the　sharp　ear　of　the　judges　understood　very　well
the　meaning　of　this　sound；　this　language　of　sympathy；　and　it　seemed
to　them　wiser　to　let　the　accusation　fall　rather　than　rouse　up　the
compassion　of　the　mothers　still　more　in　behalf　of　the　queen。　Her
condemnation　was　an　event　fixed　upon；　the　〃guilty〃　had　been　spoken
in　the　hearts　of　the　judges　long　before　it　came　to　their　lips；　and
brought　the　queen　to　the　guillotine。

Marie　Antoinette　referred　to　this　dreadful　charge　in　the　letter
which　she　wrote　to　her　sister…in…law　Elizabeth　in　the　night　before
her　execution；　a　letter　which　was　at　the　same　time　her　testament　and
her　farewell　to　life。

〃May　my　son；〃　she　wrote；　〃never　forget　the　last　words　of　his　father！
I　repeat　them　to　him　here　expressly：　'May　he　never　seek　to　avenge
our　death！'　And　now　I　have　to　speak　of　a　matter　which　surely　grieves
my　heart；　I　know　what　trouble　this　child　must　have　occasioned　you。
Forgive　him；　my　dear　sister；　think　how　young　he　is；　and　how　easy　it
is　to　induce　a　child　to　say　what　people　want　to　have　him　say；　and
what　he　does　not　understand。　The　day　will　come；　I　hope；　when　he
shall　better　comprehend　the　high　value　of　your　goodness　and
tenderness　to　both　of　my　children。〃　＇Footnote：　Beauchesne；　〃Louis
XVII。；　sa　Vie；　son　Agonie；〃　etc。；　vol。　i。　。；　p。　150；　facsimile　of
Marie　Antoinette's　letter。＇*

At　the　same　hour　when　Marie　Antoinette　was　writing　this；　there　was　a
dispute　between　Simon　and　his　wife；　who　had　been　ordered　by　the
Convention　to　watch　that　night；　in　order　that　the　enraged
legitimists　might　not　make　an　effort　to　abduct　the　son　of　the　queen。
They　were　contending　whether　the　execution　would　really　occur　the
next　day。　Simon；　in　a　jubilant　tone；　declared　his　conviction　that　it
would；　while　his　wife　doubted。　〃She　is　still　handsome；〃　she　said；
gloomily；　〃she　knows　how　to　talk　well；　and　she　will　be　able　to　move
her　judges；　for　her　judges　are　men。〃

〃But　Justice　is　a　woman；　and　she　is　unshakable；〃　cried　Simon
emphatically；　and　as　his　wife　continued　to　contradict；　Simon
proposed　a　bet。　The　wager　was；　that　if　the　Queen　of　France　should　be
guillotined　the　next　noon；　the　one　who　lost　should　furnish　brandy
and　cakes　the　next　evening　for　a　jollification。

The　next　morning　Simon　repaired　with　the　little　prisoner　to　the
platform　of　the　tower；　from　which　there　was　a　free　lookout　over　the
streets；　and　where　they　could　plainly　see　what　was　going　on　below。

His　wife　meanwhile　had　left　the　Temple　at　early　dawn　with　her
dreadful　knitting…work。　〃I　must　be　on　the　spot　early　if　I　want　a
good　place　to…day；〃　she　said；　〃and　it　would　be　a　real　misfortune　for
me；　if　I　should　not　see　the　miserable　head　of　the　she…wolf　drop；　and
not　make　a　double　stitch　in　my　stocking。〃

〃But　you　forget；　Jeanne　Marie；〃　said　Simon；　with　a　grin；　〃you　forget
that　you　lose　your　bet　if　you　make　the　mark　in　your　stocking。〃

〃I　would　rather　lose　all　the　bets　that　were　ever　made　than　not　make
the　mark　in　my　stocking；〃　cried　the　knitter；　grimly。　〃I　would　rather
lose　my　wedding…dress　and　my　marriage…ring　than　win　this　bet。　Go　up
to　the　platform　with　the　young　wolf；　and　wait　for　me　there。　As　soon
as　I　have　made　the　mark　in　my　stocking；　I　will　run　home　and　show　it
to　you。〃

〃It　is　too　bad　that　I　cannot　go　with　you；〃　said　Simon；　sighing。　〃I
wish　I　had　never　undertaken　the　business　of　bringing　up　the　little
Capet。　It　is　hateful　work；　for　I　can　never　leave　the　Temple；　and　I
am　just　as　much　a　prisoner　as　he　is。〃

〃The　republic　has　done　you　a　great　honor；〃　said　the　knitter；
solemnly。　〃She　has　confidence　that　y