the memoirs of marie antoinette-第58部分

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the　month　of　June　the　people　of　the　Chateau；　finding　the　King　did　not　return　by　nine　o'clock；　were　walking　about　the　courtyards　in　a　state　of　great　anxiety。　　I　thought　the　family；　was　gone；　and　I　could　scarcely　breathe　amidst　the　confusion　of　my　good　wishes；　when　I　heard　the　sound　of　the　carriages。　　I　confessed　to　the　Queen　that　I　thought　she　had　set　off；　she　told　me　she　must　wait　until　Mesdames　the　King's　aunts　had　quitted　France；　and　afterwards　see　whether　the　plan　agreed　with　those　formed　abroad。




CHAPTER　IV。

There　was　a　meeting　at　Paris　for　the　first　federation　on　the　14th　of　July；　1790；　the　anniversary　of　the　taking　of　the　Bastille。　　What　an　astonishing　assemblage　of　four　hundred　thousand　men；　of　whom　there　were　not　perhaps　two　hundred　who　did　not　believe　that　the　King　found　happiness　and　glory　in　the　order　of　things　then　being　established。　　The　love　which　was　borne　him　by　all；　with　the　exception　of　those　who　meditated　his　ruin；　still　reigned　in　the　hearts　of　the　French　in　the　departments；　but　if　I　may　judge　from　those　whom　I　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing；　it　was　totally　impossible　to　enlighten　them；　they　were　as　much　attached　to　the　King　as　to　the　constitution；　and　to　the　constitution　as　to　the　King；　and　it　was　impossible　to　separate　the　one　from　the　other　in　their　hearts　and　minds。

The　Court　returned　to　St。　Cloud　after　the　federation。　　A　wretch；　named　Rotondo；　made　his　way　into　the　palace　with　the　intention　of　assassinating　the　Queen。　　It　is　known　that　he　penetrated　to　the　inner　gardens：　the　rain　prevented　her　Majesty　from　going　out　that　day。　　M。　de　La　Fayette；　who　was　aware　of　this　plot；　gave　all　the　sentinels　the　strictest　orders；　and　a　description　of　the　monster　was　distributed　throughout　the　palace　by　order　of　the　General。　　I　do　not　know　how　he　was　saved　from　punishment。　The　police　belonging　to　the　King　discovered　that　there　was　likewise　a　scheme　on　foot　for　poisoning　the　Queen。　　She　spoke　to　me；　as　well　as　to　her　head　physician；　M。　Vicq…d'Azyr；　about　it；　without　the　slightest　emotion；　but　both　he　and　I　consulted　what　precautions　it　would　be　proper　to　take。　　He　relied　much　upon　the　Queen's　temperance；　yet　he　recommended　me　always　to　have　a　bottle　of　oil　of　sweet　almonds　within　reach；　and　to　renew　it　occasionally；　that　oil　and　milk　being；　as　is　known；　the　most　certain　antidotes　to　the　divellication　of　corrosive　poisons。

The　Queen　had　a　habit　which　rendered　M。　Vicq…d'Azyr　particularly　uneasy：　there　was　always　some　pounded　sugar　upon　the　table　in　her　Majesty's　bedchamber；　and　she　frequently；　without　calling　anybody；　put　spoonfuls　of　it　into　a　glass　of　water　when　she　wished　to　drink。　　It　was　agreed　that　I　should　get　a　considerable　quantity　of　sugar　powdered；　that　I　should　always　have　some　papers　of　it　in　my　bag；　and　that　three　or　four　times　a　day；　when　alone　in　the　Queen's　room；　I　should　substitute　it　for　that　in　her　sugar…basin。　　We　knew　that　the　Queen　would　have　prevented　all　such　precautions；　but　we　were　not　aware　of　her　reason。　　One　day　she　caught　me　alone　making　this　exchange；　and　told　me；　she　supposed　it　was　agreed　on　between　myself　and　M。　Vicq…d'Azyr；　but　that　I　gave　myself　very　unnecessary　trouble。　　〃Remember；〃　added　she；　〃that　not　a　grain　of　poison　will　be　put　in　use　against　me。　　The　Brinvilliers　do　not　belong　to　this　century：　this　age　possesses　calumny；　which　is　a　much　more　convenient　instrument　of　death；　and　it　is　by　that　I　shall　perish。〃

Even　while　melancholy　presentiments　afflicted　this　unfortunate　Princess；　manifestations　of　attachment　to　her　person；　and　to　the　King's　cause；　would　frequently　raise　agreeable　illusions　in　her　mind；　or　present　to　her　the　affecting　spectacle　of　tears　shed　for　her　sorrows。　　I　was　one　day；　during　this　same　visit　to　St。　Cloud；　witness　of　a　very　touching　scene；　which　we　took　great　care　to　keep　secret。　　It　was　four　in　the　afternoon；　the　guard　was　not　set；　there　was　scarcely　anybody　at　St。　Cloud　that　day；　and　I　was　reading　to　the　Queen；　who　was　at　work　in　a　room　the　balcony　of　which　hung　over　the　courtyard。　　The　windows　were　closed；　yet　we　heard　a　sort　of　inarticulate　murmur　from　a　great　number　of　voices。　　The　Queen　desired　me　to　go　and　see　what　it　was；　I　raised　the　muslin　curtain；　and　perceived　more　than　fifty　persons　beneath　the　balcony：　this　group　consisted　of　women；　young　and　old；　perfectly　well　dressed　in　the　country　costume；　old　chevaliers　of　St。　Louis；　young　knights　of　Malta；　and　a　few　ecclesiastics。　　I　told　the　Queen　it　was　probably　an　assemblage　of　persons　residing　in　the　neighbourhood　who　wished　to　see　her。　　She　rose；　opened　the　window；　and　appeared　in　the　balcony；　immediately　all　these　worthy　people　said　to　her；　in　an　undertone：　〃Courage；　Madame；　good　Frenchmen　suffer　for　you；　and　with　you；　they　pray　for　you。　　Heaven　will　hear　their　prayers；　we　love　you；　we　respect　you；　we　will　continue　to　venerate　our　virtuous　King。〃　　The　Queen　burst　into　tears；　and　held　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes。　　〃Poor　Queen！　she　weeps！〃　　said　the　women　and　young　girls；　but　the　dread　of　exposing　her　Majesty；　and　even　the　persons　who　showed　so　much　affection　for　her；　to　observation；　prompted　me　to　take　her　hand；　and　prevail　upon　her　to　retire　into　her　room；　and；　raising　my　eyes；　I　gave　the　excellent　people　to　understand　that　my　conduct　was　dictated　by　prudence。　　They　comprehended　me；　for　I　heard；　〃That　lady　is　right；〃　and　afterwards；　〃Farewell；　Madame！〃　from　several　of　them；　and　all　this　in　accents　of　feeling　so　true　and　so　mournful；　that　I　am　affected　at　the　recollection　of　them　even　after　a　lapse　of　twenty　years。

A　few　days　afterwards　the　insurrection　of　Nancy　took　place。

　　　　　＇The　insurrection　of　the　troops　at　Nancy　broke　out　in　August　1790；　　　　　　and　was　put　down　by　Marechal　de　Bouille　on　the　last　day　of　that　　　　　　month。　　See　〃Bouille；〃　p。　195。＇

Only　the　ostensible　cause　is　known；　there　was　another；　of　which　I　might　have　been　in　full　possession；　if　the　great　confusion　I　was　in　upon　the　subject　had　not　deprived　me　of　the　power　of　paying　attention　to　it。　　I　will　endeavour　to　make　myself　understood。　　In　the　early　part　of　September　the　Queen；　as　she　was　going　to　bed；　desired　me　to　let　all　her　people　go；　and　to　remain　with　her　myself；　when　we　were　alone　she　said　to　me；　〃The　King　will　come　here　at　midnight。　　You　know　that　he　has　always　shown　you　marks　of　distinction；　he　now　proves　his　confidence　in　you　by　selecting　you　to　write　down　the　whole　affair　of　Nancy　from　his　dictation。　　He　must　have　several　copies　of　it。〃　　At　midnight　the　King　came　to　the　Queen's　apartments；　and　said　to　me；　smiling；　〃You　did　not　expect　to　become　my　secretary；　and　that；　too；　during　the　night。〃　　I　followed　the　King　into　the　council　chamber。　　I　found　there　sheets　of　paper；　an　inkstand；　and　pens　all　ready　prepared。　　He　sat　down　by　my　side　and　dictated　to　me　the　report　of　the　Marquis　de　Bouille；　which　he　himself　copied　at　the　same　time。　　My　hand　trembled；　I　wrote　with　difficulty；　my　reflections　scarcely　left　me　sufficient　power　of　attention　to　listen　to　the　King。　　The　large　table；　the　velvet　cloth；　seats　which　ought　to　have　been　filled　by　none　but　the　King's　chief　councillors；　what　that　chamber　had　been；　and　what　it　was　at　that　moment；　when　the　King　was　employing　a　woman　in　an　office　which　had　so　little　affinity　with　her　ordinary　functions；　the　misfortunes　which　had　brought　him　to　the　necessity　of　doing　so；all　these　ideas　made　such　an　impression　upon　me　that　when　I　had　returned　to　the　Queen's　apartments　I　could　not　sleep　for　the　remainder　of　the　night；　nor　could　I　remember　what　I　had　written。

The　more　I　saw　that　I　had　the　happiness　to　be　of　some　use　to　my　employers；　the　more　scrupulously　careful　was　I　to　live　entirely　with　my　family；　and　I　never　indulged　in　any　conversation　which　could　betray　the　intimacy　to　which　I　was　admitted；　but　nothing　at　Court　remains　long　concealed；　and　I　soon　saw　I　had　many　enemies。　　The　means　of　injuring　others　in　the　minds　of　sovereigns　are　but　too　easily　obtained；　and　they　had　become　still　more　so；　since　the　mere　suspicion　of　communication　with　partisans　of　the　Revolution　was　sufficient　to　forfeit　the　esteem　and　confidence　of　the　King　and　Queen；　happily；　my　conduct　protected　me；　with　them；　against　calumny。　　I　had　left　St。　Cloud　two　days；　when　I　received　at　Paris　a　note　from　the　Queen；　containing　these　words：

〃Come　to　St。　Cloud　immediately；　I　have　something　concerning　you　to　communicate。〃　　I　set　off　without　loss　of　time。　　Her　Majesty　told　me　she　had　a　sacrifice　to　request　of　me；　I　answered　that　it　was　made。　　She　said　it　went　so　far　as　the　renunciation　of　a　friend's　society；　that　such　a　renunciation　was　always　painful；　but　that　it　must　be　particularly　so　to　me；　that；　for　her　own　part；　it　might　have　been　very　useful　that　a　deputy；　a　man　of　talent；　should　be　constantly　received　at　my　house；　but　at　this　moment　she　thought　only　of　my　welfare。　　The　Queen　then　informed　me　that　the　ladies　of　the　bedchamber　had；　the　preceding　evening；　assured　her　that　M。　de　Beaumetz；　deputy　from　the　nobility　of　Artois；　who　had　taken　his　seat　on　the　left　of　the　Assembly；　spent　his　whole　time　at　my　house。　Perceiving　on　what　false　grounds　the　attempt　to　injure；　me　was　based；　I　replied　respectfully；　but　at　the　same　time　smiling；　that　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　make　the　sacrifice　exacted　by　her　Majesty；　that　M。　de　Beaumetz；　a　man　of　great　judgment；　had　not　determined　to　cross　over　to　the　left　of　the　Assembly　with　the　intention　of　afterwards　making　himself　unpopular　by　spending　his　time　with　the　Queen's　first　woman；　and　that；　ever　since　the　1st　of　October；　1789；　I　had　seen　him　nowhere　but　at　the　play；　or　in　the　public　walks；　and　even　then　without　his　ever　coming　to　speak　to　me；　that　this　line　of　conduct　had　appeared　to　me　perfectly　consistent：　for　whether　he　was　desirous　to　please　the　popular　party；　or　to　be　sought　after　by　the　Court；　he　could　not　act　in　any　other　way　towards　me。　　The　Queen　closed　this　explanation　by　saying；　〃Oh！　it　is　clear；　as　clear　as　the　day！　this　opportunity　for　trying　to　do　you　an　injury　is　very　ill　chosen；　but　be　cautious　in　your　slightest　actions；　you　perceive　that　the　confidence　placed　in　you　by　the　King　and　myself　raises　you　up　powerful　enemies。〃

The　private　communications　which　were　still　kept　up　between　the　Court　and　Mirabeau　at　length　procured　him　an　interview　with　the　Queen；　in　the　ga