the memoirs of marie antoinette-第70部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　and　even　infected　the　air。　　People　asked　each　other　where　such　an　army　could　come　from；　nothing　so　disgusting　had　ever　before　appeared　in　Paris。

On　the　20th　of　June　this　mob　thronged　about　the　Tuileries　in　still　greater　numbers；　armed　with　pikes；　hatchets；　and　murderous　instruments　of　all　kinds；　decorated　with　ribbons　of　the　national　colours；　Shouting；　〃The　nation　for　ever！　　Down　with　the　veto！〃　　The　King　was　without　guards。　Some　of　these　desperadoes　rushed　up　to　his　apartment；　the　door　was　about　to　be　forced　in；　when　the　King　commanded　that　it　should　be　opened。　Messieurs　de　Bougainville；　d'Hervilly；　de　Parois；　d'Aubier；　Acloque；　Gentil；　and　other　courageous　men　who　were　in　the　apartment　of　M。　de　Septeuil；　the　King's　first　valet　de　chambre；　instantly　ran　to　his　Majesty's　apartment。　　M。　de　Bougainville；　seeing　the　torrent　furiously　advancing；　cried　out；　〃Put　the　King　in　the　recess　of　the　window；　and　place　benches　before　him。〃　　Six　royalist　grenadiers　of　the　battalion　of　the　Filles　Saint　Thomas　made　their　way　by　an　inner　staircase；　and　ranged　themselves　before　the　benches。　　The　order　given　by　M。　de　Bougainville　saved　the　King　from　the　blades　of　the　assassins；　among　whom　was　a　Pole　named　Lazousky；　who　was　to　strike　the　first　blow。　　The　King's　brave　defenders　said；　〃Sire；　fear　nothing。〃　　The　King's　reply　is　well　known：　〃Put　your　hand　upon　my　heart；　and　you　will　perceive　whether　I　am　afraid。〃　M。　Vanot；　commandant　of　battalion；　warded　off　a　blow　aimed　by　a　wretch　against　the　King；　a　grenadier　of　the　Filles　Saint　Thomas　parried　a　sword…　thrust　made　in　the　same　direction。　　Madame　Elisabeth　ran　to　her　brother's　apartments；　when　she　reached　the　door　she　heard　loud　threats　of　death　against　the　Queen：　they　called　for　the　head　of　the　Austrian。　　〃Ah！　　let　them　think　I　am　the　Queen；〃　she　said　to　those　around　her；　〃that　she　may　have　time　to　escape。〃

The　Queen　could　not　join　the　King；　she　was　in　the　council　chamber；　where　she　had　been　placed　behind　the　great　table　to　protect　her；　as　much　as　possible；　against　the　approach　of　the　barbarians。　　Preserving　a　noble　and　becoming　demeanour　in　this　dreadful　situation；　she　held　the　Dauphin　before　her；　seated　upon　the　table。　　Madame　was　at　her　side；　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　the　Princesse　de　Tarente；　Madame　de　la　Roche…Aymon；　Madame　de　Tourzel；　and　Madame　de　Mackau　surrounded　her。　　She　had　fixed　a　tricoloured　cockade；　which　one　of　the　National　Guard　had　given　her；　upon　her　head。　　The　poor　little　Dauphin　was；　like　the　King；　shrouded　in　an　enormous　red　cap。　　The　horde　passed　in　files　before　the　table；

　　　　　＇One　of　the　circumstances　of　the　20th　of　June　which　most　vexed　the　　　　　　King's　friends　being　that　of　his　wearing　the　bonnet　rouge　nearly　　　　　　three　hours；　I　ventured　to　ask　him　for　some　explanation　of　a　fact　so　　　　　　strikingly　in　contrast　with　the　extraordinary　intrepidity　shown　by　　　　　　his　Majesty　during　that　horrible　day。　　This　was　his　answer：　〃The　　　　　　cries　of　'The　nation　for　ever！'　violently　increasing　around　me；　and　　　　　　seeming　to　be　addressed　to　me；　I　replied　that　the　nation　had　not　a　　　　　　warmer　friend　than　myself。　　Upon　this　an　ill…looking　man；　making　his　　　　　　way　through　the　crowd；　came　up　to　me　and　said；　rather　roughly；　　　　　　'Well；　if　you　speak　the　truth；　prove　it　by　putting　on　this　red　cap。'　　　　　　'I　consent；'　replied　I。　　One　or　two　of　them　immediately　came　forward　　　　　　and　placed　the　cap　upon　my　hair；　for　it　was　too　small　for　my　head。　　　　　　I　was　convinced；　I　knew　not　why；　that　his　intention　was　merely　to　　　　　　place　the　cap　upon　my　head　for　a　moment；　and　then　to　take　it　off　　　　　　again；　and　I　was　so　completely　taken　up　with　what　was　passing　before　　　　　　me　that　I　did　not　feel　whether　the　cap　did　or　did　not　remain　upon　my　　　　　　hair。　　I　was　so　little　aware　of　it　that　when　I　returned　to　my　room　I　　　　　　knew　only　from　being　told　so　that　it　was　still　there。　　I　was　very　　　　　　much　surprised　to　find　it　upon　my　head；　and　was　the　more　vexed　at　it　　　　　　because　I　might　have　taken　it　off　immediately　without　the　smallest　　　　　　difficulty。　　But　I　am　satisfied　that　if　I　had　hesitated　to　consent　　　　　　to　its　being　placed　upon　my　head　the　drunken　fellow　who　offered　it　　　　　　to　me　would　have　thrust　his　pike　into　my　stomach。〃〃Memoirs　of　　　　　　Bertrand　de　Molleville。〃＇

the　sort　of　standards　which　they　carried　were　symbols　of　the　most　atrocious　barbarity。　　There　was　one　representing　a　gibbet；　to　which　a　dirty　doll　was　suspended；　the　words　〃Marie　Antoinette　a　la　lanterne〃　were　written　beneath　it。　　Another　was　a　board；　to　which　a　bullock's　heart　was　fastened；　with　〃Heart　of　Louis　XVI。〃　　written　round　it。　　And　a　third　showed　the　horn　of　an　ox；　with　an　obscene　inscription。

One　of　the　most　furious　Jacobin　women　who　marched　with　these　wretches　stopped　to　give　vent　to　a　thousand　imprecations　against　the　Queen。　　Her　Majesty　asked　whether　she　had　ever　seen　her。　　She　replied　that　she　had　not。　　Whether　she　had　done　her　any；　personal　wrong？　　Her　answer　was　the　same；　but　she　added：

〃It　is　you　who　have　caused　the　misery　of　the　nation。〃

〃You　have　been　told　so；〃　answered　the　Queen；　〃you　are　deceived。　　As　the　wife　of　the　King　of　France；　and　mother　of　the　Dauphin；　I　am　a　French…　woman；　I　shall　never　see　my　own　country　again；　I　can　be　happy　or　unhappy　only　in　France；　I　was　happy　when　you　loved　me。〃

The　fury　began　to　weep；　asked　her　pardon；　and　said；　〃It　was　because　I　did　not　know　you；　I　see　that　you　are　good。〃

Santerre；　the　monarch　of　the　faubourgs；　made　his　subjects　file　off　as　quickly　as　he　could；　and　it　was　thought　at　the　time　that　he　was　ignorant　of　the　object　of　this　insurrection；　which　was　the　murder　of　the　royal　family。　　However；　it　was　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　before　the　palace　was　completely　cleared。　　Twelve　deputies；　impelled　by　attachment　to　the　King's　person；　ranged　themselves　near　him　at　the　commencement　of　the　insurrection；　but　the　deputation　from　the　Assembly　did　not　reach　the　Tuileries　until　six　in　the　evening；　all　the　doors　of　the　apartments　were　broken。　　The　Queen　pointed　out　to　the　deputies　the　state　of　the　King's　palace；　and　the　disgraceful　manner　in　which　his　asylum　had　been　violated　under　the　very　eyes　of　the　Assembly；　she　saw　that　Merlin　de　Thionville　was　so　much　affected　as　to　shed　tears　while　she　spoke。

〃You　weep；　M。　Merlin；〃　said　she　to　him；　〃at　seeing　the　King　and　his　family　so　cruelly　treated　by　a　people　whom　he　always　wished　to　make　happy。〃

〃True；　Madame；〃　replied　Merlin；　〃I　weep　for　the　misfortunes　of　a　beautiful　and　feeling　woman；　the　mother　of　a　family；　but　do　not　mistake；　not　one　of　my　tears　falls　for　either　King　or　Queen；　I　hate　kings　and　queens；it　is　my　religion。〃

The　Queen　could　not　appreciate　this　madness；　and　saw　all　that　was　to　be　apprehended　by　persons　who　evinced　it。

All　hope　was　gone；　and　nothing　was　thought　of　but　succour　from　abroad。　The　Queen　appealed　to　her　family　and　the　King's　brothers；　her　letters　probably　became　more　pressing；　and　expressed　apprehensions　upon　the　tardiness　of　relief。　　Her　Majesty　read　me　one　to　herself　from　the　Archduchess　Christina；　Gouvernante　of　the　Low　Countries：　she　reproached　the　Queen　for　some　of　her　expressions；　and　told　her　that　those　out　of　France　were　at　least　as　much　alarmed　as　herself　at　the　King's　situation　and　her　own；　but　that　the　manner　of　attempting　to　assist　her　might　either　save　her　or　endanger　her　safety；　and　that　the　members　of　the　coalition　were　bound　to　act　prudently；　entrusted　as　they　were　with　interests　so　dear　to　them。

The　14th　of　July；　1792；　fixed　by　the　constitution　as　the　anniversary　of　the　independence　of　the　nation　drew　near。　　The　King　and　Queen　were　compelled　to　make　their　appearance　on　the　occasion；　aware　that　the　plot　of　the　20th　of　June　had　their　assassination　for　its　object；　they　had　no　doubt　but　that　their　death　was　determined　on　for　the　day　of　this　national　festival。　　The　Queen　was　recommended；　in　order　to　give　the　King's　friends　time　to　defend　him　if　the　attack　should　be　made；　to　guard　him　against　the　first　stroke　of　a　dagger　by　making　him　wear　a　breastplate。　　I　was　directed　to　get　one　made　in　my　apartments：　it　was　composed　of　fifteen　folds　of　Italian　taffety；　and　formed　into　an　under…waistcoat　and　a　wide　belt。　　This　breastplate　was　tried；　it　resisted　all　thrusts　of　the　dagger；　and　several　balls　were　turned　aside　by　it。　　When　it　was　completed　the　difficulty　was　to　let　the　King　try　it　on　without　running　the　risk　of　being　surprised。　　I　wore　the　immense　heavy　waistcoat　as　an　under…　petticoat　for　three　days　without　being　able　to　find　a　favourable　moment。　At　length　the　King　found　an　opportunity　one　morning　to　pull　off　his　coat　in　the　Queen's　chamber　and　try　on　the　breastplate。

The　Queen　was　in　bed；　the　King　pulled　me　gently　by　the　gown；　and　drew　me　as　far　as　he　could　from　the　Queen's　bed；　and　said　to　me；　in　a　very　low　tone　of　voice：　〃It　is　to　satisfy　her　that　I　submit　to　this　inconvenience：　they　will　not　assassinate　me；　their　scheme　is　changed；　they　will　put　me　to　death　another　way。〃　　The　Queen　heard　the　King　whispering　to　me；　and　when　he　was　gone　out　she　asked　me　what　he　had　said。　　I　hesitated　to　answer；　she　insisted　that　I　should；　saying　that　nothing　must　be　concealed　from　her；　and　that　she　was　resigned　upon　every　point。

When　she　was　informed　of　the　King's　remark　she　told　me　she　had　guessed　it；　that　he　had　long　since　observed　to　her　that　all　which　was　going　forward　in　France　was　an　imitation　of　the　revolution　in　England　in　the　time　of　Charles　I。；　and　that　he　was　incessantly　reading　the　history　of　that　unfortunate　monarch　in　order　that　he　might　act　better　than　Charles　had　done　at　a　similar　crisis。　　〃I　begin　to　be　fearful　of　the　King's　being　brought　to　trial；〃　continued　the　Queen；　〃as　to　me；　I　am　a　foreigner；　they　will　assassinate　me。　　What　will　become　of　my　poor　children？〃

These　sad　ejaculations　were　followed　by　a　torrent　of　tears。　　I　wished　to　give　her　an　antispasmodic；　she　refused　it；　saying　that　only　happy　women　could　feel　nervous；　that　the　cruel　situation　to　which　she　was　reduced　rendered　these　remedies　useless。　　In　fact；　the　Queen；　who　during　her　happier　days　was　frequently　attacked　by　hysterical　disorders；　enjoyed　more　uniform　health　when　all　the　faculties　of　her　soul　were　called　forth　to　support　her　physical　strength。

I　had　prepared　a　corset　for　her；　for　the　same　purpose　as　the　King's　und