第 114 节
作者:北方网      更新:2021-02-21 16:34      字数:9322
  scaffold; and as she was about to ascend the steps; he laid his hand
  upon her arm。
  〃Princess; I have a secret to impart to you。 I have promised with a
  solemn oath that my lips should disclose it to no mortal; but you;
  Elizabeth; belong already to the immortals; the peace of God
  illumines your brow; and I want you to have one last joy before you
  ascend into heaven。 This is my secret: The boy who is confined in
  the Temple is not the dauphin。 I have fulfilled the promise which I
  gave the queen。 I have saved the dauphin; and he is now in Vendee;
  under the safe care of Prince de Conde。〃
  〃Elizabeth Capet; come up; or we must bring you by force。〃
  〃I am coming。 Farewell; Fidele! you have spoken the truth; you have
  given me a last joy! I thank you; now kiss my lips; give your sister
  a parting kiss; Fidele。 Farewell; my brother!〃
  He touched the lips that were illumined with a sad smile〃Farewell;
  my sister!〃
  She ascended the steps; and; reaching the scaffold; she calmly laid
  aside the veil; and prepared her toilet for death。
  At the foot of the scaffold Toulan remained upon his knees; his
  great eyes; which had been directed to Elizabeth; beamed with
  rapture; and in his heart there were words written with a finger of
  diamondwords hallowed and comforting; that Toulan read in
  meditation and prayer: 〃Love vanquishes death; love is victorious
  even over life; love; which is the highest friendship; and
  friendship; which is the highest love; rise so far above every thing
  earthly; that thou must surrender every thing for them; every thing
  which thou hast valued upon earth; every thing which has stood to
  thee in the most tender relations。 In this love thou hast lived; and
  in this love thou shalt die and ascend into heaven。〃
  〃Toulan; come up! Do you not hear us calling you? Do you not see
  that Elizabeth Capet has made place for you?〃
  He had not seen when the noble head of the princess fell into the
  basket; he had not heard the executioner call him; he had only read
  in his heart the revelation of love。
  He ascended the steps; and his countenance beamed with the same
  light of rapture which had surrounded Elizabeth's brow。
  A piercing scream came from the crowd; as a young wife fell
  senseless into the arms of her neighbors; while the boy who stood
  near her extended his hands to the scaffold; and called; loudly;
  〃Father; dear father!〃
  Toulan did not turn to them。 No earthly sorrow had place in this
  soul; which had overcome pain; and received eternal joy into itself。
  Calmly he laid his head beneath the axe。 〃God is love;〃 he said;
  aloud。 〃He that abideth in love; abideth in God; and God〃
  The axe descended; and left Toulan's last words unspoken。
  BOOK VI。
  CHAPTER XXIX。
  WITHOUT NAME AND RANK。
  The Prince de Conde was walking with quick steps up and down his
  apartment。 His brow was cloudy; his eyes wore a sad look; and at
  times he raised his hand; as if he would remove a veil that darkened
  his sight。
  〃It must he;〃 he said; decisively; after a while。 〃Yes; it must be;
  I see no other means of saving him from the snares of his enemies
  and friends。 He must leave; and that at once。〃
  He walked hastily to the table; pulled the bell violently; and
  ordered the servant who came in to bring the boy who came yesterday
  to him。
  A few minutes later; the door opened; and a boy of ten。 or twelve
  years; with great blue eyes; fair hair; graceful form; and delicate
  complexion; came into the room。 At his appearance the Prince de
  Conde seemed deeply moved。 He hastened with open arms to meet the
  boy; pressed him closely to his heart; and kissed his fair hair and
  eyes。
  〃Welcome; a thousand times welcome!〃 he said; with trembling voice。
  〃How long have I desired to see this moment; and how happy I am that
  it has come at last! You are saved; yon are restored to freedom; to
  life; and there is in store for you; I hope; a great and brilliant
  future!〃
  〃Then I shall have to thank you for it; my cousin;〃 said the boy;
  with his sweet; resonant voice。 〃You have released me from the
  dreadful prison; and I thank you for life。 I am glad; too; that I
  see you at last; for I wanted so much to express my thanks; and
  every evening I have prayed to God to grant me the happiness of
  greeting my dear cousin; the Prince de Conde。〃
  The joyous light had long since faded from the face of the prince;
  and a cloud was gathering on his brow; as; with a timid; searching
  look; he glanced around; as if he feared that some one besides
  himself might hear the words of the boy。
  〃Do not call me your cousin;〃 he said; softly; and even his voice
  was changed; and became cold and husky。
  The boy fixed his great blue eyes with an expression of astonishment
  on the gloomy countenance of the Prince de Conde。
  〃You are no longer glad to see me here? Is it disagreeable to you
  for me to call you my cousin?〃
  The prince made no answer at once; but walked up and down with great
  strides; and then stood still before the boy; who had calmly
  observed his impatient motions。
  〃Let us sit down;〃 said the Prince de Conde〃 let us sit down and
  talk。〃
  He gave his hand to the boy; led him to the divan; and took his own
  place upon an easy…chair; directly opposite to the child。
  〃Let us talk;〃 he repeated。 〃I should like to know; in the first
  place; whether you have a good memory; for I have been told that
  your head has suffered; and that you have no recollection of the
  past。〃
  A gentle; sad smile played around the lips of the boy。
  〃I have been silent about the past; as I have been commanded to;〃 he
  said; 〃but I have not forgotten it。〃
  〃Do you remember your mother?〃 asked the prince。
  The boy trembled convulsively; a glowing red passed over his cheeks;
  and a deep paleness followed。
  〃Monsieur;〃 he asked; with a tremulous voice; 〃would it be possible
  for me to forget my dear mamma queen?my mamma queen who loved her
  little Louis Charles so much? Ah; sir; you would not have asked that
  if you had known how much pain you give me。〃
  〃I beg your pardon;〃 said the prince; embarrassed。 〃I see you
  remember。 But let me try you once more。 Will you tell me what
  happened to you after being taken away from your cruel foster…
  parents? What were those people's names; and what were they?〃
  〃My foster…parents; or my tormentors rather; were called Mr。 and
  Mistress Simon。 The man had been a cobbler; but afterward he was
  superintendent and turnkey in the Temple; and when I was taken away
  from my mamma; sister; and aunt; I had to live with these dreadful
  people。〃
  〃Did you fare badly there?〃
  〃Very badly; sir; I was scolded and ill…treated; and the worst of
  all was that they wanted to compel me to sing ribald songs about my
  mamma queen。〃
  〃But you did not sing these songs?〃 asked the Prince de Conde。
  The eyes of the boy flamed。 〃No;〃 he said; proudly; 〃I did not sing
  them。 They might have beaten me to death。 I would rather have died
  than have done it;〃
  The prince nodded approvingly。 〃And how did you escape from these
  people?〃 he asked。
  〃You know; Prince de Conde;〃 answered the boy; smiling。 〃It is you
  who helped me escape。〃
  〃Tell me about this matter a little;〃 said the prince; 〃and how you
  have fared since then。 I contributed; as you suppose; to your
  release; but I was not present In person。 How did you escape from
  the Temple?〃
  〃I was put into a basket with soiled clothes; which Mistress Simon
  was taking away with her from the Temple。 This basket she gave to a
  washerwoman who was waiting for us at the Macon gate。 She had a
  little donkey…cart in readiness there; the basket was put into it;
  and went on to a village; the name of which I do not know。 There we
  stopped; I was taken out of the basket and carried into a house;
  where we remained a few hours to rest and change our clothes。〃
  〃We? Whom do you mean by we?〃
  〃Me and the supposed washerwoman;〃 replied the boy。 〃This woman was;
  however; no other than M。 de Jarjayes; whom I knew long ago; and
  who; with FideleI should say; with Toulanhad thought out and
  executed the plan of my escape。 M。 de Jarjayes changed his clothes;
  as did I also; and after remaining concealed in the house all day;
  in the evening we took a carriage and rode all night。 On the next
  day we remained concealed in some house; and in the night we
  continued our journey。〃
  〃Did he tell you where you were going?〃
  〃Jarjayes told me that the Prince de Conde was my protector and
  deliverer; that the magnanimous prince had furnished the necessary
  money; and that I should remain concealed in one of his palaces till
  the time should arrive to acknowledge me publicly。 Till then; said
  M。 de Jarjayes to me; I was never to speak of the past; nor
  disclosesingle word about any thing that concerned myself or my
  family。 He told me that if I did not follow his instructions
  literally; I should not only be brought back to Simon; but I should
  have to bear the blame of causing the death of my sister Therese and
  my aunt Elizabeth。 You can understand; my prince; that after that I
  was dumb。〃
  〃Yes。 I understand。 Where did M。 de Jarjayes carry you?〃
  〃To one of the palaces of the Prince de Conde in loyal and beautiful
  Vendee。 Ah; it was very deli