the memoirs of marie antoinette-第101部分

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rt　her　physical　strength。

I　had　prepared　a　corset　for　her；　for　the　same　purpose　as　the　King's　under…waistcoat；　without　her　knowledge；　but　she　would　not　make　use　of　it；　all　my　entreaties；　all　my　tears；　were　in　vain。　　〃If　the　factions　assassinate　me；〃　she　replied；　〃it　will　be　a　fortunate　event　for　me；　they　will　deliver　me　from　a　most　painful　existence。〃　　A　few　days　after　the　King　had　tried　on　his　breastplate　I　met　him　on　a　back　staircase。　　I　drew　back　to　let　him　pass。　　He　stopped　and　took　my　hand；　I　wished　to　kiss　his；　he　would　not　suffer　it；　but　drew　me　towards　him　by　the　hand；　and　kissed　both　my　cheeks　without　saying　a　single　word。

The　fear　of　another　attack　upon　the　Tuileries　occasioned　scrupulous　search　among　the　King's　papers

I　burnt　almost　all　those　belonging　to　the　Queen。　　She　put　her　family　letters；　a　great　deal　of　correspondence　which　she　thought　it　necessary　to　preserve　for　the　history　of　the　era　of　the　Revolution；　and　particularly　Barnave's　letters　and　her　answers；　of　which　she　had　copies；　into　a　portfolio；　which　she　entrusted　to　M。　de　J。　　That　gentleman　was　unable　to　save　this　deposit；　and　it　was　burnt。　　The　Queen　left　a　few　papers　in　her　secretaire。　　Among　them　were　instructions　to　Madame　de　Tourzel；　respecting　the　dispositions　of　her　children　and　the　characters　and　abilities　of　the　sub…governesses　under　that　lady's　orders。　　This　paper；　which　the　Queen　drew　up　at　the　time　of　Madame　de　Tourzel's　appointment；　with　several　letters　from　Maria　Theresa；　filled　with　the　best　advice　and　instructions；　was　printed　after　the　10th　of　August　by　order　of　the　Assembly　in　the　collection　of　papers　found　in　the　secretaires　of　the　King　and　Queen。

Her　Majesty　had　still；　without　reckoning　the　income　of　the　month；　one　hundred　and　forty　thousand　francs　in　gold。　　She　was　desirous　of　depositing　the　whole　of　it　with　me；　but　I　advised　her　to　retain　fifteen　hundred　louis；　as　a　sum　of　rather　considerable　amount　might　be　suddenly　necessary　for　her。　　The　King　had　an　immense　quantity　of　papers；　and　unfortunately　conceived　the　idea　of　privately　making；　with　the　assistance　of　a　locksmith　who　had　worked　with　him　above　ten　years；　a　place　of　concealment　in　an　inner　corridor　of　his　apartments。　　The　place　of　concealment；　but　for　the　man's　information；　would　have　been　long　undiscovered？　　The　wall　in　which　it　was　made　was　painted　to　imitate　large　stones；　and　the　opening　was　entirely　concealed　among　the　brown　grooves　which　formed　the　shaded　part　of　these　painted　stones。　　But　even　before　this　locksmith　had　denounced　what　was　afterwards　called　the　iron　closet　to　the　Assembly；　the　Queen　was　aware　that　he　had　talked　of　it　to　some　of　his　friends；　and　that　this　man；　in　whom　the　King　from　long　habit　placed　too　much　confidence；　was　a　Jacobin。　　She　warned　the　King　of　it；　and　prevailed　on　him　to　fill　a　very　large　portfolio　with　all　the　papers　he　was　most　interested　in　preserving；　and　entrust　it　to　me。　　She　entreated　him　in　my　presence　to　leave　nothing　in　this　closet；　and　the　King；　in　order　to　quiet　her；　told　her　that　he　had　left　nothing　there。　　I　would　have　taken　the　portfolio　and　carried　it　to　my　apartment；　but　it　was　too　heavy　for　me　to　lift。　　The　King　said　he　would　carry　it　himself；　I　went　before　to　open　the　doors　for　him。　　When　he　placed　the　portfolio　in　my　inner　closet　he　merely　said；　〃The　Queen　will　tell　you　what　it　contains。〃　Upon　my　return　to　the　Queen　I　put　the　question　to　her；　deeming；　from　what　the　King　had　said；　that　it　was　necessary　I　should　know。　　〃They　are；〃　the　Queen　answered　me；　〃such　documents　as　would　be　most　dangerous　to　the　King　should　they　go　so　far　as　to　proceed　to　a　trial　against　him。　　But　what　he　wishes　me　to　tell　you　is；　that　the　portfolio　contains　a　'proces…verbal'　of　a　cabinet　council；　in　which　the　King　gave　his　opinion　against　the　war。　He　had　it　signed　by　all　the　ministers；　and；　in　case　of　a　trial；　he　trusts　that　this　document　will　be　very　useful　to　him。〃　　I　asked　the　Queen　to　whom　she　thought　I　ought　to　commit　the　portfolio。　　〃To　whom　you　please；〃　answered　she；　〃you　alone　are　answerable　for　it。　　Do　not　quit　the　palace　even　during　your　vacation　months：　there　may　be　circumstances　under　which　it　would　be　very　desirable　that　we　should　be　able　to　have　it　instantly。〃

At　this　period　M。　de　La　Fayette；　who　had　probably　given　up　the　idea　of　establishing　a　republic　in　France　similar　to　that　of　the　United　States；　and　was　desirous　to　support　the　first　constitution　which　he　had　sworn　to　defend；　quitted　his　army　and　came　to　the　Assembly　for　the　purpose　of　supporting　by　his　presence　and　by　an　energetic　speech　a　petition　signed　by　twenty　thousand　citizens　against　the　late　violation　of　the　residence　of　the　King　and　his　family。　　The　General　found　the　constitutional　party　powerless；　and　saw　that　he　himself　had　lost　his　popularity。　　The　Assembly　disapproved　of　the　step　he　had　taken；　the　King；　for　whom　it；　was　taken；　showed　no　satisfaction　at　it；　and　he　saw　himself　compelled　to　return　to　his　army　as　quickly　as　he　could。　　He　thought　he　could　rely　on　the　National　Guard；　but　on　the　day　of　his　arrival　those　officers　who　were　in　the　King's　interest　inquired　of　his　Majesty　whether　they　were　to　forward　the　views　of　Gendral　de　La　Fayette　by　joining　him　in　such　measures　as　he　should　pursue　during　his　stay　at　Paris。　　The　King　enjoined　them　not　to　do　so。　　From　this　answer　M。　de　La　Fayette　perceived　that　he　was　abandoned　by　the　remainder　of　his　party　in　the　Paris　guard。

On　his　arrival　a　plan　was　presented　to　the　Queen；　in　which　it　was　proposed　by　a　junction　between　La　Fayette's　army　and　the　King's　party　to　rescue　the　royal　family　and　convey　them　to　Rouen。　　I　did　not　learn　the　particulars　of　this　plan；　the　Queen　only　said　to　me　upon　the　subject　that　M。　de　La　Fayette　was　offered　to　them　as　a　resource；　but　that　it　would　be　better　for　them　to　perish　than　to　owe　their　safety　to　the　man　who　had　done　them　the　most　mischief；　or　to　place　themselves　under　the　necessity　of　treating　with　him。

I　passed　the　whole　month　of　July　without　going　to　bed；　I　was　fearful　of　some　attack　by　night。　　There　was　one　plot　against　the　Queen's　life　which　has　never　been　made　known。　　I　was　alone　by　her　bedside　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　we　heard　somebody　walking　softly　down　the　corridor；　which　passes　along　the　whole　line　of　her　apartments；　and　which　was　then　locked　at　each　end。　　I　went　out　to　fetch　the　valet　de　chambre；　he　entered　the　corridor；　and　the　Queen　and　myself　soon　heard　the　noise　of　two　men　fighting。　　The　unfortunate　Princess　held　me　locked　in　her　arms；　and　said　to　me；　〃What　a　situation！　insults　by　day　and　assassins　by　night！〃　The　valet　de　chambre　cried　out　to　her　from　the　corridor；　〃Madame；　it　is　a　wretch　that　I　know；　I　have　him！〃〃Let　him　go；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃open　the　door　to　him；　he　came　to　murder　me；　the　Jacobins　would　carry　him　about　in　triumph　to…morrow。〃　　The　man　was　a　servant　of　the　King's　toilet；　who　had　taken　the　key　of　the　corridor　out　of　his　Majesty's　pocket　after　he　was　in　bed；　no　doubt　with　the　intention　of　committing　the　crime　suspected。　　The　valet　de　chambre；　who　was　a　very　strong　man；　held　him　by　the　wrists；　and　thrust　him　out　at　the　door。　　The　wretch　did　not　speak　a　word。　　The　valet　de　chambre　said；　in　answer　to　the　Queen；　who　spoke　to　him　gratefully　of　th