the memoirs of marie antoinette-第86部分

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ch　she　had　shown　on　the　5th　and　6th　of　October；　and　of　the　noble　resolution　which　she　had　expressed；　to　die　beside　her　husband　rather　than　fly。　Manuel；　in　spite　of　his　enmity　to　the　Court　during　the　time　of　the　Legislative　Assembly；　declared　that　he　could　not　say　anything　against　the　accused。　　When　the　venerable　Bailly　was　brought　forward；　who　formerly　so　often　predicted　to　the　Court　the　calamities　which　its　imprudence　must　produce；　he　appeared　painfully　affected；　and　when　he　was　asked　if　he　knew　the　wife　of　Capet；　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　bowing　respectfully；　〃I　have　known　Madame。〃　　He　declared　that　he　knew　nothing；　and　maintained　that　the　declarations　extorted　from　the　young　Prince　relative　to　the　journey　to　Varennes　were　false。　　In　recompense　for　his　deposition　he　was　assailed　with　outrageous　reproaches；　from　which　he　might　judge　what　fate　would　soon　be　awarded　to　himself。

In　all　the　evidence　there　appeared　but　two　serious　facts；　attested　by　Latour…du…Pin　and　Valaze；　who　deposed　to　them　because　they　could　not　help　it。　　Latour…du…Pin　declared　that　Marie　Antoinette　had　applied　to　him　for　an　accurate　statement　of　the　armies　while　he　was　minister　of　war。　Valaze；　always　cold；　but　respectful　towards　misfortune；　would　not　say　anything　to　criminate　the　accused；　yet　he　could　not　help　declaring　that；　as　a　member　of　the　commission　of　twenty…four；　being　charged　with　his　colleagues　to　examine　the　papers　found　at　the　house　of　Septeuil；　treasurer　of　the　civil　list；　he　had　seen　bonds　for　various　sums　signed　Antoinette；　which　was　very　natural；　but　he　added　that　he　had　also　seen　a　letter　in　which　the　minister　requested　the　King　to　transmit　to　the　Queen　the　copy　of　the　plan　of　campaign　which　he　had　in　his　hands。　　The　most　unfavourable　construction　was　immediately　put　upon　these　two　facts；　the　application　for　a　statement　of　the　armies；　and　the　communication　of　the　plan　of　campaign；　and　it　was　concluded　that　they　could　not　be　wanted　for　any　other　purpose　than　to　be　sent　to　the　enemy；　for　it　was　not　supposed　that　a　young　princess　should　turn　her　attention；　merely　for　her　own　satisfaction；　to　matters　of　administration　and　military；　plans。　　After　these　depositions；　several　others　were　received　respecting　the　expenses　of　the　Court；　the　influence　of　the　Queen　in　public　affairs；　the　scene　of　the　10th　of　August；　and　what　had　passed　in　the　Temple；　and　the　most　vague　rumours　and　most　trivial　circumstances　were　eagerly　caught　at　as　proofs。

Marie　Antoinette　frequently　repeated；　with　presence　of　mind　and　firmness；　that　there　was　no　precise　fact　against　her；

　　　　　＇At　first　the　Queen；　consulting　only　her　own　sense　of　dignity；　had　　　　　　resolved　on　her　trial　to　make　no　other　reply　to　the　questions　of　her　　　　　　judges　than　〃Assassinate　me　as　you　have　already　assassinated　my　　　　　　husband！〃　　Afterwards；　however；　she　determined　to　follow　the　example　　　　　　of　the　King；　exert　herself　in　her　defence；　and　leave　her　judges　　　　　　without　any　excuse　or　pretest　for　putting　her　to　death。　WEBER'S　　　　　　〃Memoirs　of　Marie　Antoinette。〃＇

that；　besides；　though　the　wife　of　Louis　XVI。；　she　was　not　answerable　for　any　of　the　acts　of　his　reign。　　Fouquier　nevertheless　declared　her　to　be　sufficiently　convicted；　Chaveau…Lagarde　made　unavailing　efforts　to　defend　her；　and　the　unfortunate　Queen　was　condemned　to　suffer　the　same　fate　as　her　husband。

Conveyed　back　to　the　Conciergerie；　she　there　passed　in　tolerable　composure　the　night　preceding　her　execution；　and；　on　the　morning　of　the　following　day；　the　16th　of　October；

　　　　　＇The　Queen；　after　having　written　and　prayed；　slept　soundly　for　some　　　　　　hours。　　On　her　waking；　Bault's　daughter　dressed　her　and　adjusted　her　　　　　　hair　with　more　neatness　than　on　other　days。　　Marie　Antoinette　wore　a　　　　　　white　gown；　a　white　handkerchief　covered　her　shoulders；　a　white　cap　　　　　　her　hair；　a　black　ribbon　bound　this　cap　round　her　temples　。。。。　　The　　　　　　cries；　the　looks；　the　laughter；　the　jests　of　the　people　overwhelmed　　　　　　her　with　humiliation；　her　colour；　changing　continually　from　purple　　　　　　to　paleness；　betrayed　her　agitation　。。。。　　On　reaching　the　scaffold　　　　　　she　inadvertently　trod　on　the　executioner's　foot。　　〃Pardon　me；〃　she　　　　　　said；　courteously。　　She　knelt　for　an　instant　and　uttered　a　half…　　　　　　audible　prayer；　then　rising　and　glancing　towards　the　towers　of　the　　　　　　Temple；　〃Adieu；　once　again；　my　children；〃　she　said；　〃I　go　to　rejoin　　　　　　your　father。〃　LAMARTINE。＇

she　was　conducted；　amidst　a　great　concourse　of　the　populace；　to　the　fatal　spot　where；　ten　months　before；　Louis　XVI。　　had　perished。　　She　listened　with　calmness　to　the　exhortations　of　the　ecclesiastic　who　accompanied　her；　and　cast　an　indifferent　look　at　the　people　who　had　so　often　applauded　her　beauty　and　her　grace；　and　who　now　as　warmly　applauded　her　execution。　　On　reaching　the　foot　of　the　scaffold　she　perceived　the　Tuileries；　and　appeared　to　be　moved；　but　she　hastened　to　ascend　the　fatal　ladder；　and　gave　herself　up　with　courage　to　the　executioner。

　　　　　＇Sorrow　had　blanched　the　Queen's　once　beautiful　hair；　but　her　　　　　　features　and　air　still　commanded　the　admiration　of　all　who　beheld　　　　　　her；　her　cheeks；　pale　and　emaciated；　were　occasionally　tinged　with　a　　　　　　vivid　colour　at　the　mention　of　those　she　had　lost。　　When　led　out　to　　　　　　execution；　she　was　dressed　in　white；　she　had　cut　off　her　hair　with　　　　　　her　own　hands。　　Placed　in　a　tumbrel；　with　her　arms　tied　behind　her；　　　　　　she　was　taken　by　a　circuitous　route　to　the　Place　de　la　Revolution；　　　　　　and　she　ascended　the　scaffold　with　a　firm　and　dignified　step；　as　if　　　　　　she　had　been　about　to　take　her　place　on　a　throne　by　the　side　of　her　　　　　　husband。…LACRETELLE。＇

The　infamous　wretch　exhibited　her　head　to　the　people；　as　he　was　accustomed　to　do　when　he　had　sacrificed　an　illustrious　victim。




　　　　　　　　　　The　Last　Separation。Execution　of　Madame　Elisabeth。　　　　　　　　　　　Death　of　the　Dauphin。

The　two　Princesses　left　in　the　Temple　were　now　almost　inconsolable；　they　spent　days　and　nights　in　tears；　whose　only　alleviation　was　that　they　were　shed　together。　　〃The　company　of　my　aunt；　whom　I　loved　so　tenderly；〃　said　Madame　Royale；　〃was　a　great　comfort　to　me。　　But　alas！　　all　that　I　loved　was　perishing　around　me；　and　I　was　soon　to　lose　her　also　。　　。　　。　　。　　In　the　beginning　of　September　I　had　an　illness　caused　solely　by　my　anxiety　about　my　mother；　I　never　heard　a　drum　beat　that　I　did　not　expect　another　3d　of　September。〃　＇when　the　head　of　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　was　carried　to　the　Temple。＇

In　the　course　of　the　month　the　rigour　of　their　captivity　was　much　increased。　　The　Commune　ordered　that　they　should　only　have　one　room；　that　Tison　（who　had　done　the　heaviest　of　the　household　work　for　them；　and　since　the　kindness　they　showed　to　his　insane　wife　had　occasionally　given　them　tidings　of　the　Dauphin）　should　be　imprisoned　in　the　turret；　that　they　should　be　supplied　with　only　the　barest　necessaries；　and　that　no　one　should　enter　their　room　save　to　carry　water　and　firewood。　　Their　quantity　of　firing　was　reduced；　and　they　were　not　allowed　candles。　　They　were　also　forbidden　to　go　on　the　leads；　and　their　large　sheets　were　taken　away；　〃lestnotwithstanding　the　gratings！they　should　escape　from　the　windows。〃

On　8th　October；　1793；　Madame　Royale　was　ordered　to　go　downstairs；　that　she　might　be　interrogated　by　some　municipal　officers。　　〃My　aunt；　who　was　greatly　affected；　would　have　followed；　but　they　stopped　her。　　She　asked　whether　I　should　be　permitted　to　come　up　again；　Chaumette　assured　her　that　I　should。　　'You　may　trust；'　said　he；　'the　word　of　an　honest　republican。　　She　shall　return。'　　I　soon　found　myself　in　my　brother's　room；　whom　I　embraced　tenderly；　but　we　were　torn　asunder；　and　I　was　obliged　to　go　into　another　room。＇This　was　the　last　time　the　brother　and　sister　met。＇　。　　。　　。　　Chaumette　then　questioned　me　about　a　thousand　shocking　things　of　which　they　accused　my　mother　and　aunt；　I　was　so　indignant　at　hearing　such　horrors　that；　terrified　as　I　was；　I　could　not　help　exclaiming　that　they　were　infamous　falsehoods。

But　in　spite　of　my　tears　they　still　pressed　their　questions。　　There　were　some　things　which　I　did　not　comprehend；　but　of　which　I　understood　enough　to　make　me　weep　with　indignation　and　horror　。　　。　　。　　。　　They　then　asked　me　about　Varennes；　and　other　things。　　I　answered　as　well　as　I　could　without　implicating　anybody。　　I　had　always　heard　my　parents　say　that　it　were　better　to　die　than　to　implicate　anybody。〃　　When　the　examination　was　over　the　Princess　begged　to　be　allowed　to　join　her　mother；　but　Chaumette　said　he　could　not　obtain　permission　for　her　to　do　so。　　She　was　then　cautioned　to　say　nothing　about　her　examination　to　her　aunt；　who　was　next　to　appear　before　them。　　Madame　Elisabeth；　her　niece　declares；　〃replied　with　still　more　contempt　to　their　shocking　questions。〃

The　only　intimation　of　the　Queen's　fate　which　her　daughter　and　her　sister…in…law　were　allowed　to　receive　was　through　hearing　her　sentence　cried　by　the　newsman。　　But　〃we　could　not　persuade　ourselves　that　she　was　dead；〃　writes　Madame　Royale。　　〃A　hope；　so　natural　to　the　unfortunate；　persuaded　us　that　she　must　have　been　saved。　　For　eighteen　months　I　remained　in　this　cruel　suspense。　　We　learnt　also　by　the　cries　of　the　newsman　the　death　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans。

　　　　　＇The　Duo　d'Orleans；　the　early　and　interested　propagator　of　the　　　　　　Revolution；　was　its　next　victim。　　Billaud　Varennes　said　in　the　　　　　　Convention：　〃The　time　has　come　when　all　the　conspirators　should　be　　　　　　known　and　struck。　　I　demand　that　we　no　longer　pass　over　in　silence　a　　　　　　man　whom　we　seem　to　have　forgotten；　despite　the　numerous　facts　　　　　　against　him。　　I　demand　that　D'ORLEANS　be　sent　to　the　Revolutionary　　　　　　Tribunal。〃　　The　Convention；　once　his　hireling　adulators；　unanimously　　　　　　supported　the　proposal。　　In　vain　he　alleged　his　having　been　　　　　　accessory　to　the　disorders　of　5th　October；　his　support　of　the　revolt　　　　　　on　10th　August；　1792；　his　vote　against　the　King　on　17th　January；　　　　　　1793。　　His　condemnation　was　pronounced。　　He　then　asked　only　for　a　　　　　　delay　of　twenty…four　hours；　and　had　a　repast　carefully　prepared；　on　　　　　　which　he　feasted　with　avidity。　　When　led　out　for　execution　he　gazed　　　　　　with　a　smile　on　the　Palais　Royal；　the　scene　of　his　former　orgies。　　　　　　He　was　detained　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before　that　palace　by　the