marie antoinette and her son-第79章

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twisted；　turned　into　ridicule；　and　made　the　cause　of　chastisement；
he　was　entirely　silent；　and　only　with　the　greatest　pains　could　a
word　be　drawn　from　him。

This　silence　exasperated　Simon；　and　made　him　furiously　command　the
boy　to　sing；　laugh；　and　be　merry。　At　other　times　he　would　order
Louis　to　be　silent　and　motionless　for　hours；　and　to　have　nothing　to
do　with　the　bird…cage；　which　was　on　the　table；　and　which　was　the
only　thing　left　that　the　little　fellow　could　enjoy。

This　cage　held　a　number　of　birds；　and　a　piece　of　mechanism；　an
automaton　in　the　form　of　a　bird；　which　ate　like　a　living　creature；
drank；　hopped　from　one　bar　to　another；　opened　his　bill；　and　sang　the
air　which　was　so　popular　before　the　revolution；　〃Oh；　Richard！　oh；　my
king！〃

This　article　had　been　found　among　the　royal　apparel；　and　a
compassion　ate　official　guard　had　told　Simon　about　it；　and　induced
him　to　apply　to　the　authorities　in　charge　of　the　Temple　and　ask　for
it　for　the　little　Capet。

Simon；　who；　as　well　as　his　wife；　could　no　more　leave　the　building
than　their　prisoner　could；　took　this　solitary；　confined　life　very
seriously；　and　longed　for　some　way　to　mitigate　the　tedium。　He
therefore　availed　himself　gladly　of　the　official's　proposition；　and
asked　for　the　automaton；　which　was　granted　by　the　authorities。　The
boy　was　delighted　with　the　toy　at　first；　and　a　pleased　smile　flitted
over　his　face。　But　he　soon　became　tired　of　playing　with　the　thing
and　paid　no　attention　to　it。

〃Does　not　your　bird　please　you　any　longer？〃　asked　Miller；　the
official；　as　he　came　one　day　to　inspect　the　Temple。　〃Do　you　have　no
more　sport　with　your　canary？〃

The　boy　shook　his　head；　and　as　Simon　was　in　the　next　room　and　so
could　not　strike　him；　he　ventured　to　speak。

〃It　is　no　bird；〃　he　answered　softly　and　quickly。　〃But　I　should　like
to　have　a　bird。〃

The　good　inspector　nodded　to　the　boy；　and　then　went　out　to　have　a
long　talk　with　Simon；　and　so　to　avert　any　suspicion　of　being　too
familiar　with；　or　too　fond　of；　the　prince。　But　after　leaving　the
Temple　he　went　to　his　friends　and　acquaintances；　and　told　them；　with
tears　in　his　eyes；　about　the　little　prisoner　in　the　Temple；　the
〃dauphin；〃　as　the　royalists　used　always　to　call　him　beneath　their
breath；　and　how　he　wanted　a　living　bird。　Every　one　was　glad　to　have
an　opportunity　of　gratifying　the　wish　of　the　dauphin；　and　on　the
next　day　Miller　brought　the　prince　a　cage；　in　which　were　fourteen
real　canaries。

〃Ah！　those　are　real　birds；〃　cried　the　child；　as　he　took　them　one
after　the　other　and　kissed　them。　The　playing　of　the　birds；　which　all
lived　in　one　great　cage；　together　with　the　automaton；　was　now　the
only　pleasure　of　the　boy。　He　began　to　tame　them；　and　among　the
little　feathered　flock　he　found　one　to　which　he　was　especially
drawn；　because　he　was　more　quiet　than　the　others；　allowed　itself　to
be　easily　caught；　sat　still　on　the　finger　of　the　prince；　and；
turning　his　little　black　eyes　to　the　boy；　warbled　a　little；　sweet
melody。　At　such　moments　the　countenance　of　the　boy　beamed　as　it　had
done　in　the　days　of　his　happiness；　his　cheeks　flushed　with　color；
and　out　of　his　large　blue　eyes；　which　rested　with　inexpressible
tenderness　upon　the　bird；　there　issued　the　rays　of　intelligence　and
sensibility。　He　had　now　something　to　love；　something　to　which　all
his　gentle　sympathies　could　flow　out；　which　hitherto　had　all　been
suppressed　beneath　the　harsh　treatment　of　his　keepers。

He　was　no　longer　alone；　he　was　no　longer　joyless！　His　little　friend
was　there　in　the　great　cage　among　the　twittering　companions　who　were
indifferent　to　the　little　prince。　In　order　to　know　him　at　first
sight；　and　always　to　be　able　to　recognize　him；　Louis　took　the　rose…
colored　ribbon　from　the　neck　of　the　automaton；　and　tied　it　around
the　neck　of　his　darling。　The　bird　sang　merrily　at　this；　and　seemed
to　be　as　well　pleased　with　the　decoration　as　if　it　had　been　an　order
which　King　Louis　of　France　was　hanging　around　the　neck　of　a　favorite
courtier。

It　was　a　fortunate　thing　for　the　boy　that　Simon　himself　was　fond　of
birds；　else　the　objections　of　his　wife　would　soon　have　robbed　the
little　fellow　of　his　last　remaining　comfort。　It　was　for　the　keeper　a
little　source　of　amusement；　an　interruption　in　the　dreadful　monotony
of　his　life。　The　birds　were　allowed　to　stay　therefore；　and　their
singing　and　twittering　animated　a　little　the　dark；　silent　rooms；　and
reminded　him　of　the　spring；　the　fresh　air；　the　green　trees！

But　very　soon　this　source　of　comfort　and　cheer　was　to　be　banished
from　the　dismal　place！　On　the　19th　of　December；　1793；　the　inspectors
of　the　Temple　made　their　rounds。　Just　at　the　moment　when　they
entered　the　room　of　the　little　Louis　Capet；　the　automaton　began　to
sing　with　his　loud；　penetrating　voice；　〃Oh！　Richard；　oh　my　king！〃

The　officials　came　to　a　halt　upon　the　threshold；　as　though　petrified
at　this　unheard…of　license；　and　fixed　their　cold；　angry　looks　now
upon　the　bird…；　now　upon　the　boy；　who　was　sitting　upon　his　rush…
chair　before　the　cage；　looking　at　the　birds　with　beaming　eyes。

A　second　time　the　automaton　began　the　unfortunate　air；　and　the
exasperated　inspectors　strode　up　to　the　cage。　〃What　does　this　mean？〃
asked　one　of　them。　〃How　does　any　one　dare　to　keep　up；　in　the
glorious　republic；　such　worthless　reminders　of　the　cursed　monarchy。〃

〃Only　see；〃　cried　another〃see　the　order　that　one　of　the　birds　is
wearing。　It　is　plain　that　the　old　passion　of　royalty　still　lurks
here；　for　even　here　ribbons　are　given　away　as　signs　of　distinction。
The　republic　forbids　such　things；　and　we　will　not　suffer　such
infamy。〃

The　inspector　put　his　hand　into　the　cage；　seized　the　little　canary…
bird　with　the　red　ribbon；　and　squeezed　him　so　closely　that　the　poor
little　creature　gave　one　faint　chirp　and　died。　The　man　drew　him　out；
and　hurled　him　against　the　wall　of　the　room。

The　little　boy　said　not　a　word；　he　uttered　not　a　complaint；　he　gazed
with　widely…opened　eyes　at　his　dead　favorite；　and　two　great　tears
slowly　trickled　down　his　pale　cheeks。

The　next　day　the　inspectors　gave　a　report　of　this　occurrence；
couched　in　terms　of　worthy　indignation；　and　all　hearts　were　stirred
with　righteous　anger　at　the　story　of　the　automaton　that　sang　the
royal　aria；　and　of　the　living　bird　that　wore　the　badge　of　an　order
about　its　neck。　They　were　convinced　that　the　secret　royalists　were
connected　with　this　thing；　and　it　was　registered　in　the　communal
acts　as　〃the　conspiracy　of　the　canary…bird。〃

The　little　winged　conspirators；　the　automaton　as　well　as　the　living
birds；　were　of　course　instantly　removed　from　the　Temple；　and　Simon
had　the　double　vexation　of　receiving　a　reprimand　from　the
authorities；　and　then　the　losing　his　little　merry　companions　from
the　prison。　It　was　all　the　fault　of　this　little；　good…for…nothing
boy；　who　knew　how　to　make　long　faces；　and　allowed　himself　to　waken
and　disturb　his　master　in　the　night　by　his　crying　and　sobbing。

〃The　worthless　viper　has　spoiled　my　sleep　for　me；〃　growled　Simon　the
next　morning。　〃My　head　is　as　heavy　as　a　bomb；　and　I　shall　have　to
take　a　foot…bath；　to　draw　the　blood　away　from　my　ears。〃

Jeanne　Marie　silently　carried　her　husband　the　leaden　foot…bath；　with
the　steaming　water；　and　then　drew　back　into　the　corner；　in　whose
dismal　shadow　she　often　sat　for　hours；　gazing　idly　at　her　〃calendar
of　the　revolution；〃　the　long　stocking；　on　which　traces　of　the　blood
of　the　queen　were　still　visible。

Meanwhile；　Simon　took　his　foot…bath；　and　while　he　did　so；　his
wicked；　malicious　eyes　now　fell　upon　his　wife；　who　had　once　been　so
cheerful　and　resolute；　and　who　now　had　grown　so　sad　and　broken；　now
upon　the　boy；　who；　since　yesterday；　when　his　canaries　had　been　taken
from　him；　had　spoken　not　a　word；　or　made　a　sound；　and　who　sat
motionless　upon　the　rush…chair；　folding　his　hands　in　his　lap；　and
gazing　at　the　place　where　his　dead　bird　lay　yesterday。

〃This　life　would　make　one　crazy；〃　growled　Simon；　with　the　tone　of　a
hyena。　〃Capet；〃　he　cried　aloud；　〃take　the　towel　and　warm　it　at　the
chimney…fire；　so　as　to　wipe　my　feet。〃

Louis　rose　slowly　from　his　chair；　took　the　towel　and　crept　to　the
chimney…fire　to　spread　it　out　and　warm　it；　but　the　glow　of　the　coals
burned　his　little　thin　hands　so　badly；　that　he　let　the　cloth　fall
into　the　fire；　and　before　the　trembling；　frightened　child　had　time
to　draw　it　back；　the　towel　had　kindled　and　was　burning　brightly。

Simon　uttered　a　howl　of　rage；　and；　as　with　his　feet　in　the　water　he
was　not　able　to　reach　the　boy；　he　heaped　curses　and　abuse　upon　him；
and　not　alone　on　him；　but　on　his　father　and　mother；　till　his　voice
was　hoarse；　and　he　was　exhausted　with　this　outpouring　of　his　wrath。

Deceived　by　the　quiet　which　followed；　little　Louis　took　another
towel；　warmed　it　carefully　at　the　chimney；　and　then　cautiously
approached　his　master；　to　wipe　his　feet。　Simon　extended　them　to　the
boy　and　let　himself　he　served　as　if　by　a　little　slave；　but　just　as
soon　as　his　feet　were　dry　he　kicked　the　boy's　head　with　such　force
that　without　a　cry　Louis　fell　down；　striking　his　head　violently　on
the　floor。　Perhaps　it　was　this　pitiful　spectacle　that　exasperated
the　cobbler　still　more。　He　beat　the　unconscious　boy；　roused　him　with
kicks　and　with　the　noise　of　his　curses；　raised　his　clinched　fists
and　swore　that　he　would　now　dash　the　viper　in　pieces；　when　he
suddenly　felt　his　hands　grasped　as　in　iron　clamps；　and　to　his
boundless　astonishment　saw　before　him　the　pale；　grim　face　of　his
wife；　who　had　come　out　from　her　corner　and　fixed　her　black；
glistening　eyes　upon　him；　while　she　held　his　hands　firmly。

〃What　is　it；　Jeanne　Marie？〃　said　Simon；　surprised！　〃why　are　you
holding　me　so？〃

〃Because　I　do　not　want　you　to　beat　him　to　death；〃　she　said；　with　a
hoarse；　rough　voice。

He　broke　out　into　loud　laughter。　〃I　really　believe　that　the　knitter
of　the　guillotine　has　pity　on　the　son　of　the　she…wolf。〃

A　convulsive　quiver　passed　through　her　whole　frame。　A　singular；
gurgling　sound　came　from　her　chest；　she　put　both　her　hands　to　her
neck　and　tore　the　little　kerchief　off；　as　if　it　were　tied　tight
enough　to　strangle　her。

〃No；〃　she　said；　in　a　suppressed　tone；　〃no　compassion　on　the　wolf's
brood！　But　if　you　beat　him　to　death；　they　will　have　to　bring　you　to
the　guillotine；　that　it　may　not　appear　as　if　they　had　ordered　you　to
kill　the　little　Capet。〃

〃True；〃　said　Simon；　〃you　are　right；　and　I　thank　you；　Jeanne　Marie；
that　you　may　remind　me　of　it。　It　shows　that　you　love　me　still；
although　you　are　always　so　quiet。　Yes；　yes；　I　will　be　more　careful；
I　will　take　care　to　beat　the　little　serpent　only　so　much　that　it　may
not　bite；　but　cannot　die。〃

Jeanne　Marie　made　no　reply；　but　sat　down　in　the　corner　again；　and
took　up　her　stocking；　without　touching　the　needles；　however；　and
going　on　with　her　work。

〃Get　up；　you　cursed　snake！〃　growled　Simon；　〃get　up　and　go　out　of　my
sight；　and　do　not　stir　me　up　again。〃

The　child　rose　slowly　from　the　floor；　crept　to　the　wash…basin　and
with　his　trembling；　bruised　hands　wiped　away　the　blood　that　was
flowing　out　of　his　nose　and　mouth。　A　loud；　gurgling　sound　came　from
the　corner　where　Jeanne　Marie　sat。　It　seemed　half　like　a　cry；　half
like　a　sob。　When　Simon　looked　around；　his　wife　lay　pale　and
motionless　on　t