marie antoinette and her son-第90章

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Master　Simon　has　done　to　me；　for　my　papa　and　my　mamma　wished　me　to。〃

Jeanne　Marie　let　her　head　sink　lower；　and　pressed　her　hands　firmly
against　her　lips　to　repress　the　outcries　which　her　remorseful
conscience　prompted。　Simon　seemed　to　understand　nothing　of　this　soft
whispering；　he　was　busily　engaged　in　packing　up　his　things；　and　no
one　saw　him　hastily　draw　his　hand　over　his　eyes；　as　if　he　wanted　to
wipe　away　the　dust　which　suddenly　prevented　his　seeing。

Gradually　it　grew　still　in　the　gloomy　room。　The　whispering　in　the
basket　ceased。　Jeanne　Marie　had　retired　to　her　bed；　and　had　wept
herself　to　sleep。　Upon　the　mattress　lay　the　sick；　sobbing　child；　the
substitute　of　King　Louis　XVII。；　who　was　in　the　basket。

Simon　was　the　only　one　who　was　awake；　and　there　must　have　been
dismal　thoughts　that　busied　him。　He　sat　upon　the　stool　near　the
candle；　which　was　nearly　burned　out；　his　forehead　was　corrugated　and
clouded；　his　lips　were　closely　pressed　together；　and　the　little；
flashing　eyes　looked　out　into　the　empty　space　full　of　anger　and
threatenings。

〃It　must　be；〃　he　muttered　at　last；　〃it　must　be。　I　should　otherwise
not　have　a　moment's　peace；　and　always　feel　the　knife　at　my　throat。
One　of　us　must　be　away　from　here；　in　order　that　he　may　disclose　the
other。　I　will　not　be　that　one；　it　must　be　Toulan。〃

He　stood　up　with　the　air　of　one　who　had　made　a　fixed；　unchangeable
resolve；　and　stretched　his　bony；　crooked　limbs。　Then　he　threw　one
last　look　at　the　stranger…child；　that　lay　moaning　and　groaning　on
his　mattress；　fell　upon　his　bed；　and　soon　his　long…drawn；　sonorous
breathing　disclosed　the　fact　that　Master　Simon　was　asleep。

On　the　next　morning　there　reigned　in　the　lower　stories　of　the　Temple
a　busy；　stirring　life。　Master　Simon　was　preparing　to　move；　and　all
his　household　goods　were　set　out　in　the　court；　in　order　to　be
transferred　to　the　wagon　that　Commissioner　Toulan　had　ordered。　Close
to　the　wagon　stood　one　of　the　officials　of　the　Public　Safety；　and
examined　every　article　of　furniture　that　was　put　into　it；　opening
even　the　bandboxes　and　pillows　to　look　into　them。　Not；　as　he　said；
the　Welfare　Committee　doubted　the　honesty　of　the　faithful　and
zealous　servant　of　the　republic；　but　only　to　satisfy　the　forms；　and
to　comply　with　the　laws；　which　demanded　that　the　authorities　should
have　a　watchful　eye　on　every　thing　that　was　at　all　connected　with
the　family　of　the　tyrants。

〃And　you　will　do　me　a　great　pleasure　if　you　will　examine　every　thing
with　the　utmost　care。　In　the　republic　we　are　all　alike；　and　I　do　not
see　why　I　should　not　be　served　to…day　as　another　would　be　on　the
morrow。　You　know；　probably；　that　I　have　been　appointed　collector　at
Porte　Macon；　and　after　to…morrow　I　shall　have　to　inspect　the　goods
of　other　people。　It　is　all　fair　that　I　should　have　my　turn　to…day。
Besides；　you　will　not　have　much　more　to　examine；　we　are　almost
through；　I　believe　there　is　only　a　basket　with　the　soiled　clothes
yet　to　come。　That　is　the　sacred　possession　of　my　wife；　and　she　was
going　to　bring　it　out　herself；　with　the　commissioner's　help。　Yes；
there　they　come。〃

At　that　moment；　Jeanne　Marie　appeared　in　the　court；　followed　by
Toulan。　They　brought　along；　by　two　ropes　which　served　as　handles；　a
large　and　longish　basket；　whose　half…opened　cover　brought　to　view
all　kinds　of　women's　clothes。

〃Room　there；〃　cried　Simon；　with　a　laugh；　〃room　for　the　Citoyenne
Simon　and　her　costly　dowry！〃

〃Come；　no　joking；　Simon；〃　said　his　wife；　threatening　him　with　her
fist　and　laughing。　〃If　my　dowry　is　not　costly　enough；　I　will　only
ask　you　to　provide　me　with　better　things。〃

〃Your　dowry　is　magnificent；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　there　is　not　a　single
article　lacking　to　make　it　complete。　Come；　I　will　help　the
commissioner　put　the　basket　in　the　wagon；　for　it　is　too　heavy　for
you；　my　fairest　one！〃

He　took　hold　of　the　basket　with　his　strong　arm；　and　helped　the
commissioner　swing　it　into　the　wagon。

〃But　let　me　look　first　into　the　basket；　as　my　duty　demands；〃　said
the　official。　〃You　are　too　quick！　You　know；　citizen；　that　I　must
examine　all　your　goods。　The　law　compels　me　to。〃

〃Then　I　beg　you　to　climb　up　into　the　wagon　and　open　the　basket；〃
said　Simon；　calmly。　〃You　cannot　want　us　to　take　the　heavy　thing　down
again　for　you　to　examine　it。〃

〃I　do　not　ask　that；　citizen；　but　I　must　examine　the　basket。〃

The　official　sprang　into　the　wagon；　but　Jeanne　Marie　was　quicker
than　he；　and　stood　close　by　the　basket；　whose　cover　was　partly
opened。

〃Look　in；　citizen；〃　she　said；　with　dignity。　〃Convince　yourself　that
only　the　clothing　of　a　woman　is　in　it；　and　then　tell　the　republic
that　you　found　it　necessary　to　examine　the　basket　of　the　famous
knitter　of　the　guillotine；　as　if　Jeanne　Marie　was　a　disguised
duchess；　who　wanted　to　fly　from　the　hand　of　justice。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　official；　〃every　one　knows　and　honors
the　knitter　of　the　guillotine；　but〃

〃But　you　are　curious；　and　want　to　see　some　of　my　clothes。　Well；　look
at　them！〃　She　raised　those　which　lay　at　the　top；　and　held　them　up　to
the　official　with　a　laugh。

〃And　down　below？　What　is　farther　down　in　the　basket？〃

〃Farther　down；〃　replied　Jeanne　Marie；　with　an　expression　of　the
greatest　indignation　and　the　most　outraged　modesty；　〃farther　down
are　my　dirty　clothes；　and　I　hope　the　republic　will　not　consider　it
necessary　to　examine　these　too。　I　would　at　least　oppose　it；　and　call
every　female　friend　I　have　to　my　help。〃　＇Footnote：　Madame　Simon's
own　words；　reported　from　her　own　account；　which　she　gave　in　the　year
1810　to　the　Sisters　of　Mercy　who　cared　for　her　in　her　last　sickness。
The　sisterhood　of　the　female　hospital　in　the　rue　Sevres　publicly
repeated；　in　the　year　1851；　this　statement　of　Jeanne　Marie　Simon；
who　died　there　in　1819。　It　was　in　the　civil　process　brought　against
the　Duke　de　Normandy；　who　was　accused　of　giving　himself　out　falsely
as　King　Louis　XVII。；　and　who　could　not　be　proved　not　to　be　he。＇

〃Oh！　you　will　not　have　to　do　that；〃　replied　the　official；　with　a
friendly　nod　of　the　head。　〃It　would　be　presumptuous　to　go　farther
with　the　examination　of　your　goods；　and　the　republic　regards　with
respect　the　mysteries　of　an　honorable　wife。〃

He　jumped　down　from　the　wagon；　while　Jeanne　Marie；　still　wearing　an
angry　look；　laid　the　clothes　back　into　the　basket；　and　shut　the
cover　down。

〃Can　we　go　now？〃　she　asked；　taking　her　seat　on　a　low　stool　which
happened　to　be　near　the　great　basket。

〃Yes；　if　the　official　has　nothing　against　it；　we　can　go；〃　answered
Simon。　〃Our　goods　are　all　loaded。〃

〃Then　go　on；　I　have　nothing　against　it；　and　I　wish　you　and　your　wife
much　happiness　and　joy　in　your　new　career。〃

The　official　waved　them　a　last　gracious　adieu　with　the　hand；　and　the
wagon　started。　Alongside　of　the　great；　hard…mouthed　and　long…haired
horse　that　drew　the　cart；　walked　the　commissioner；　in　order；　once　in
a　while；　when　they　had　to　turn　a　corner；　to　seize　the　bridle　and
give　it　a　powerful　jerk。　At　the　side　of　the　wagon　strode　Simon；
keeping　a　watchful　eye　upon　his　possessions；　and　carefully　setting
every　thing　aright　which　was　in　danger　of　being　shaken　off　upon　the
pavement。　Above　in　the　carriage　near　the　great　basket　sat　Jeanne
Marie；　the　former　knitter　of　the　guillotine。　Her　naked　brown　arm
rested　upon　the　basket；　on　whose　bottom；　covered　with　dirty　linen
and　Mistress　Simon's　clothes；　was　the　son　of　Marie　Antoinette；　King
Louis　XVII。；　making　his　entrance　into　the　world　which　should　have
for　him　only　sufferings　and　illusions；　shattered　hopes　and　dethroned
ideals。

This　happened　on　the　19th　of　January；　1794；　and　on　the　very　day　in
which　the　unhappy　King　Louis　XVII。　was　leaving　the　Temple；　his
sister　Theresa；　who　was　still　living　with　her　Aunt　Elizabeth　in　the
upper　rooms；　wrote　in　her　diary　（known　subsequently　by　the　title
〃Recit　des　evenements　arrives　au　Temple；　par　Madame　Royale〃）　the
following　words：　〃On　the　19th　of　January　my　aunt　and　I　heard　beneath
us；　in　the　room　of　my　brother；　a　great　noise　which　made　us　suspect
that　my　brother　was　leaving　the　Temple。

We　were　convinced　of　it　when；　looking　through　the　keyhole　of　the
door；　we　saw　goods　carried　away。　On　the　following　day　we　heard　the
door　of　the　room；　in　which　my　brother　had　been；　opened；　and
recognized　the　steps　of　men　walking　around；　which　confirmed　us　in
the　belief　that　he　had　been　carried　away。〃

The　pitiful　wagon；　which　gave　its　hospitality　to　the　knitter　of　the
revolution；　as　well　as　to　a　king；　drove　slowly　and　carefully　through
the　streets；　unnoticed　by　the　people　who　hastily　passed　by。　Now　and
then　they　encountered　a　commissioner　who　came　up　to　Toulan；　greeted
him　as　an　acquaintance；　and　asked　after　his　welfare。　Toulan　nodded
to　them　confidentially　and　answered　them　loudly　that　he　was　very
well；　and　that　he　was　helping　Simon　move　out　of　the　Temple　and　going
with　him　to　Porte　Macon。

The　commissioners　then　wished　him　a　pleasant　journey；　and　went　their
way；　but　the　farther　they　were　from　the　wagon；　the　quicker　were
their　steps；　and　here　and　there　they　met　other　commissioners；　to
whom　they　repeated　Toulan's　words；　and　who　then　went　from　there　and
again　told　them　over　to　their　friends　in　the　streets；　in　quiet；
hidden　chambers；　and　in　brilliant　palaces。　In　one　such　palace　the
tidings　caused　a　singular　commotion。　Count　Frotte；　who　lived　there；
and　whom　the　public　permitted　to　live　in　Paris；　ordered　his
travelling　carriage　to　be　brought　out　at　once。　The　postilion；　with
four　swift　horses；　had　already　stood　in　the　court　below　half　an
hour；　waiting　for　this　order。　The　horses　were　quickly　harnessed　to
the　carriage；　which　was　well　filled　with　trunks；　and　scarcely　had　it
reached　the　front　door；　when　the　count　hurried　down　the　grand
staircase；　thickly　wrapped　in　his　riding…furs。　At　his　right　sat　a
little　boy　of　scarcely　ten　years；　a　velvet　cap；　trimmed　with　fur；
upon　his　short；　fair　hair；　the　slender；　graceful　form　concealed　with
a　long　velvet　cloak；　that　fell　down　as　far　as　the　shoes　with　golden；
jewelled　buckles。

Count　Frotte　seemed　to　bestow　special　care　and　attention　upon　this
boy；　for　he　not　only　had　him　sit　on　his　right；　but　remained　standing
near　the　door；　to　give　precedence　to　the　boy；　and　then　hastened　to
follow　him。　He　pressed　the　servants　back　who　stood　near　the　open
door；　bowed　respectfully；　and　gave　his　hand　to　the　lad　to　assist　him
in　ascending。　The　youth　received　these　tokens　of　respect　quietly；
and　seemed　to　take　it　as　a　matter　of　course　that　Count　Frotte　should
carefully　put　furs　around　his　feet　and　body；　in　order　to　protect　him
from　every　draft。　As　soon　as　this　was　done；　the　count　entered　the
carriage；　and　took　his　place　at　the　left　of　the　boy。　The　servant
closed　the　carriage…door　with　a　loud　slam；　and　the　steward　advanced
with　respectful　mien；　and　asked　whither　the　count　would　order　to　go。

〃The　road　to　Puy；〃　said　the　count；　with　a　loud　voice；　and　the
steward　repeated　to　the　postilion　just　as　loudly　and　clearly；　〃The
road　to　Puy。〃

The　carriage　drove　thunderingly　out　of　the　court…door；　and　the
servant　looked　after　it　till　it　disappeared；　and　then　followed　the
house…steward；　who　motioned　him　to　come　into　the　cabinet。

〃I　have　something　to　tell　you；　citizen；〃　said　the　steward；　with　a
weighty　air；　〃but