第 76 节
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北方网 更新:2021-02-21 16:34 字数:9322
resting on their hard beds; sighs and suppressed sobs were heard
from where the dauphin lay。 It was the little fellow weeping for his
lost dog。 The heir of the kings of France had to…day lost his last
possessionhis little; faithful dog。
Marie Antoinette stooped down and kissed his wet eyes。
〃Do not cry; my boy; Moufflet will come back again tomorrow。〃
〃To…morrow! certainly; mamma?〃
〃Certainly。〃
The boy dried his tears; and went to sleep with a smile upon his
lips。
But Marie Antoinette did not sleep; sitting erect in her bed; she
listened to the cries and fiendish shoutings which came up from the
terrace of the Feuillants; as the people heaped their abuses upon
her; and demanded her head。
On the next day new sufferings! The royal family had to go again
into the little box which they had occupied the day before; they had
to listen to the deliberation of the National Assembly about the
future residence of the royal family; which had made itself unworthy
to inhabit the Tuileries; while even the Luxemburg palace was no
suitable residence for Monsieur and Madame Veto。
The queen had in the mean time regained her self…possession and
calmness; she could even summon a smile to her lips with which to
greet her children and the faithful friends who thronged around her
in order to be near her in these painful hours。 She was pleased with
the attentions of the wife of the English ambassador; Lady
Sutherland; who sent linen and clothes of her own son for the
dauphin。 The queen also received from Madame Tourzel her watch with
many thanks; since she had been robbed of her own and her purse on
the way to the Convent des Feuillants。
On receiving news of this theft; the five gentlemen present hastened
to lay all the gold and notes that they carried about them on the
table before they withdrew。 But Marie Antoinette had noticed this。
〃Gentlemen;〃 she said; with thanks and deep feeling; 〃gentlemen;
keep your money; you will want it more than we; for you will; I
trust; live longer。〃 'Footnote: The queen's own words。See
〃Beauehesne;〃 vol。 i。; p。 806。'
Death had no longer any terrors for the queen; for she had too often
looked him in the eye of late to be afraid。 She had with joy often
seen him take away her faithful servants and friends。 Death would
have been lighter to bear than the railings and abuse which she had
to experience upon her walks from the Logograph's reporters' seat to
the rooms in the Convent des Feuillants。 On one of these walks she
saw in the garden some respectably dressed people standing and
looking without hurling insults at her。Full of gratitude; the
queen smiled and bowed to them。 On this; one of the men shouted:
〃You needn't take the trouble to shake your head so gracefully; for
you won't have it much longer!〃
〃I would the man were right!〃 said Marie Antoinette softly; going on
to the hall of the Assembly to hear the representatives of the
nation discuss the question whether the Swiss guards; who had
undertaken to defend the royal family with weapons in their hands;
should not be condemned to death as traitors to the French nation。
At length; after five days of continued sufferings; the Assembly
became weary of insulting and humiliating longer those who had been
robbed of their power and dignity; and it was announced to the royal
family that they would hereafter reside in the Temple; and be
perpetual prisoners of the nation。
On the morning of the 18th of August two great carriages; each drawn
by only two horses; stood in the court des Feuillants ready to carry
the royal family to the Temple。 In the first of these sat the king;
the queen; their two children; Madame Elizabeth; Princess Lamballe;
Madame Tourzel and her daughter; and besides these; Potion the mayor
of Paris; the attorney…general; and a municipal officer。 In the
second carriage were the servants of the king and two officials。 A
detachment of the National Guards escorted the carriages; on both
sides of which dense masses of men stood; incessantly pouring out
their abuse and insults。
In the Place Vendome the procession stopped; and with scornful
laughter they showed the king the scattered fragments; upon the
pavements; of the equestrian statue of Louis XIV。; which had stood
there; and which had been thrown from its pedestal by the anger of
the people。 〃So shall it be with all tyrants!〃 shouted and roared
the mob; raising their fists threateningly。
〃How bad they are!〃 said the dauphin; looking with widely…opened
eyes at the king; between whose knees he was standing。
〃No;〃 answered Louis; gently; 〃they are not bad; they are only
misled。〃
At seven in the evening they reached the gloomy building which was
now to be the home of the King and Queen of France。 〃Long live the
nation!〃 roared the mob; which filled the inner court as Marie
Antoinette and her husband dismounted from the carriage。 〃Long live
the nation!down with the tyrants!〃 The queen paid no attention to
the cries; she looked down at her black shoe; which was torn; and
out of whose tip her white silk stocking peeped。 〃See;〃 she said; to
Princess Lamballe; who was walking by her side; 〃see my foot; it
would hardly be believed that the Queen of France has no shoes。〃
CHAPTER XX。
TO THE 21ST 0F JANUARY。
〃We must look misfortune directly in the eye; and have courage to
bear it worthily;〃 said Marie Antoinette。〃 〃We are prisoners; and
shall long remain so! Let us seek to have a kind of household life
even in our prison。 Let us make a fixed plan how to spend our days。〃
〃You are right; Marie;〃 replied Louis; 〃let us arrange how to spend
each day。 As I am no longer a king; I will be the teacher of my son;
and try to educate him to be a good king。〃
〃Do you believe; then; husband; that there are to be kings after
this in France?〃 asked Marie Antoinette; with a shrug。
〃Well;〃 answered Louis; 〃we will at least seek to give him such an
education that he shall be able to fill worthily whatever station he
may be called to。 I will be his teacher in the sciences。〃
〃And I will interest him and our daughter in music and drawing;〃
said the queen。
〃And you will allow me to teach my niece to embroider an altar…
cover;〃 said Madame Elizabeth。
〃And in the evening;〃 said Marie Antoinette; nodding playfully to
Princess Lamballe; 〃in the evening we will read comedies; that the
children may learn of our Lamballe the art of declamation。 We will
seek to forget the past; and turn our thoughts only to the present;
whatever it may be。 You see that these four days that we have spent
here in the Temple have been good schoolmasters for me; and have
made me patient; andbut what is that?〃 exclaimed the queen; 〃did
you not hear steps before the door? It must be something unusual;
for it is not yet so late as the officials are accustomed to come。
Where are the children?〃
And; in the anxiety of her motherly love; the queen hastened up the
little staircase which led to the second story of the Temple; where
was the chamber of the dauphin; together with the general sitting…
room。
Louis Charles sprang forward to meet his mother; and asked her
whether she had come to fulfil her promise; and go out with him into
the garden。 The queen; instead of answering; clasped him in her
arms; and beckoned to Theresa to come to her side。 〃Oh! my children;
my dear children; I only wanted to see you; I〃
The door opened; and the king; followed by his sister; Princess
Lamballe; and Madame Tourzel; entered。
〃What is it?〃 cried Marie Antoinette。 〃Some new misfortune; is it
not?〃
She was silent; for she now became aware of the presence of both of
the municipal officials; who had come in behind the ladies; and in
whose presence she would not complain。 Manuel; who; since the 10th
of August; had been attorney…generalManuel; the enemy of the
queen; the chief supervisor of the prisoners in the Temple; was
thereand Marie Antoinette would not grant him the triumph of
seeing her weakness。
〃You have something to say to us; sir;〃 said the queen; with a voice
which she compelled to be calm。
Yes; Manuel had something to say to her。 He had to lay before her
and the king a decree of the National Assembly; which ordered old
parties who had accompanied 〃Louis Capet and his wife〃 to the
Temple; either under the name of friends or servants; to leave the
place at once。 The queen had not a word of complaint; but her pride
was vanquished; she suffered Manuel to see her tears。 She extended
her arms; and called the faithful Lamballe to her; mingled her tears
with those of the princess; and then gave a parting kiss to Madame
de Tourzel and her daughter。
The evening of that day was a silent and solitary one in the rooms
of the Temple。 Their last servants had been taken away from the
royal prisoners; and only Clery; the valet of the king; had been
suffered to remain; to wait upon his master。 The next morning;
however; Manuel came to inform the queen that she would be allowed
to have two other women to wait upon her; and gave her a list of
names from which she might choose。 But Marie Antoinette; with proud
composure; refused to accept this offer。 〃We have been deprived of
those who remained fa