the memoirs of marie antoinette-第102部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　speak　a　word。　　The　valet　de　chambre　said；　in　answer　to　the　Queen；　who　spoke　to　him　gratefully　of　the　danger　to　which　he　had　exposed　himself；　that　he　feared　nothing；　and　that　he　had　always　a　pair　of　excellent　pistols　about　him　for　no　other　purpose　than　to　defend　her　Majesty。　　The　next　day　M。　de　Septeuil　had　all　the　locks　of　the　King's　inner　apartments　changed。　　I　did　the　same　by　those　of　the　Queen。

We　were　every　moment　told　that　the　Faubourg　St。　Antoine　was　preparing　to　march　against　the　palace。　　At　four　o'clock　one　morning　towards　the　latter　end　of　July　a　person　came　to　give　me　information　to　that　effect。　　I　instantly　sent　off　two　men；　on　whom　I　could　rely；　with　orders　to　proceed　to　the　usual　places　for　assembling；　and　to　come　back　speedily　and　give　me　an　account　of　the　state　of　the　city。　　We　knew　that　at　least　an　hour　must　elapse　before　the　populace　or　the　faubourgs　assembled　on　the　site　of　the　Bastille　could　reach　the　Tuileries。　　It　seemed　to　me　sufficient　for　the　Queen's　safety　that　all　about　her　should　be　awakened。　I　went　softly　into　her　room；　she　was　asleep；　I　did　not　awaken　her。　　I　found　General　de　W　in　the　great　closet；　he　told　me　the　meeting　was；　for　this　once；　dispersing。　　The　General　had　endeavoured　to　please　the　populace　by　the　same　means　as　M。　de　La　Fayette　had　employed。　　He　saluted　the　lowest　poissarde；　and　lowered　his　hat　down　to　his　very　stirrup。　But　the　populace；　who　had　been　flattered　for　three　years；　required　far　different　homage　to　its　power；　and　the　poor　man　was　unnoticed。　　The　King　had　been　awakened；　and　so　had　Madame　Elisabeth；　who　had　gone　to　him。　　The　Queen；　yielding　to　the　weight　of　her　griefs；　slept　till　nine　o'clock　on　that　day；　which　was　very　unusual　with　her。　　The　King　had　already　been　to　know　whether　she　was　awake；　I　told　him　what　I　had　done；　and　the　care　I　had　taken　not　to　disturb　her。　　He　thanked　me；　and　said；　〃I　was　awake；　and　so　was　the　whole　palace；　she　ran　no　risk。　　I　am　very　glad　to　see　her　take　a　little　rest。　　Alas！　her　griefs　double　mine！〃　What　was　my　chagrin　when；　upon　awaking　and　learning　what　had　passed；　the　Queen　burst　into　tears　from　regret　at　not　having　been　called；　and　began　to　upbraid　me；　on　whose　friendship　she　ought　to　have　been　able　to　rely；　for　having　served　her　so　ill　under　such　circumstances！　　In　vain　did　I　reiterate　that　it　had　been　only　a　false　alarm；　and　that　she　required　to　have　her　strength　recruited。　〃It　is　not　diminished；〃　said　she；　〃misfortune　gives　us　additional　strength。　　Elisabeth　was　with　the　King；　and　I　was　asleep；I　who　am　determined　to　perish　by　his　side！　　I　am　his　wife；　I　will　not　suffer　him　to　incur　the　smallest　risk　without　my　sharing　it。〃




CHAPTER　VIII。

During　July　the　correspondence　of　M。　Bertrand　de　Molleville　with　the　King　and　Queen　was　most　active。　　M。　de　Marsilly；　formerly　a　lieutenant　of　the　Cent…Suisses　of　the　Guard；　was　the　bearer　of　the　letters。

　　　　　＇I　received　by　night　only　the　King's　answer；　written　with　his　own　　　　　　hand；　in　the　margin　of　my　letter。　　I　always　sent　him　back　with　the　　　　　　day's　letter　that　to　which　he　had　replied　the　day　before；　so　that　my　　　　　　letters　and　his　answers；　of　which　I　contented　myself　with　taking　　　　　　notes　only；　never　remained　with　me　twenty…four　hours。　　I　proposed　　　　　　this　arrangement　to　his　Majesty　to　remove　all　uneasiness　from　his　　　　　　mind；　my　letters　were　generally　delivered　to　the　King　or　the　Queen　　　　　　by　M。　de　Marsilly；　captain　of　the　King's　Guard；　whose　attachment　and　　　　　　fidelity　were　known　to　their　Majesties。　　I　also　sometimes　employed　　　　　　M。　Bernard　de　Marigny；　who　had　left　Brest　for　the　purpose　of　sharing　　　　　　with　his　Majesty's　faithful　servants　the　dangers　which　threatened　　　　　　the　King。〃Memoirs　of　Bertrand　de　Molleville；〃　vol。　　ii。；　p。　　12。＇

He　came　to　me　the　first　time　with　a　note　from　the　Queen　directed　to　M。　Bertrand　himself。　　In　this　note　the　Queen　said：　〃Address　yourself　with　full　confidence　to　Madame　Campan；　the　conduct　of　her　brother　in　Russia　has　not　at　all　influenced　her　sentiments；　she　is　wholly　devoted　to　us；　and　if；　hereafter；　you　should　have　anything　to　say　to　us　verbally；　you　may　rely　entirely　upon　her　devotion　and　discretion。〃

The　mobs　which　gathered　almost　nightly　in　the　faubourgs　alarmed　the　Queen's　friends；　they　entreated　her　not　to　sleep　in　her　room　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　Tuileries。　　She　removed　to　the　first　floor；　to　a　room　which　was　between　the　King's　apartments　and　those　of　the　Dauphin。　　Being　awake　always　from　daybreak；　she　ordered　that　neither　the　shutters　nor　the　window…blinds　should　be　closed；　that　her　long　sleepless　nights　might　be　the　less　weary。　　About　the　middle　of　one　of　these　nights；　when　the　moon　was　shining　into　her　bedchamber；　she　gazed　at　it；　and　told　me　that　in　a　month　she　should　not　see　that　moon　unless　freed　from　her　chains；　and　beholding　the　King　at　liberty。　　She　then　imparted　to　me　all　that　was　concurring　to　deliver　them；　but　said　that　the　opinions　of　their　intimate　advisers　were　alarmingly　at　variance；　that　some　vouched　for　complete　success；　while　others　pointed　out　insurmountable　dangers。　　She　added　that　she　possessed　the　itinerary　of　the　march　of　the　Princes　and　the　King　of　Prussia：　that　on　such　a　day　they　would　be　at　Verdun；　on　another　day　at　such　a　place；　that　Lille　was　about　to　be　besieged；　but　that　M。　de　J…；　whose　prudence　and　intelligence　the　King；　as　well　as　herself；　highly　valued；　alarmed　them　much　respecting　the　success　of　that　siege；　and　made　them　apprehensive　that；　even　were　the　commandant　devoted　to　them；　the　civil　authority；　which　by　the　constitution　gave　great　power　to　the　mayors　of　towns；　would　overrule　the　military　commandant。　　She　was　also　very　uneasy　as　to　what　would　take　place　at　Paris　during　the　interval；　and　spoke　to　me　of　the　King's　want　of　energy；　but　always　in　terms　expressive　of　her　veneration　for　his　virtues　and　her　attachment　to　himself。　〃The　King；〃　said　she；　〃is　not　a　coward；　he　possesses　abundance　of　passive　courage；　but　he　is　overwhelmed　by　an　awkward　shyness；　a　mistrust　of　himself；　which　proceeds　from　his　education　as　much　as　from　his　disposition。　　He　is　afraid　to　command；　and；　above　all　things；　dreads　speaking　to　assembled　numbers。　　He　lived　like　a　child；　and　always　ill　at　ease　under　the　eyes　of　Louis　XV。；　until　the　age　of　twenty…one。　　This　constraint　confirmed　his　timidity。

Circumstanced　as　we　are；　a　few　well…delivered　words　addressed　to　the　Parisians；　who　are　devoted　to　him；　would　multiply　the　strength　of　our　party　a　hundredfold：　he　will　not　utter　them。　　What　can　we　expect　from　those　addresses　to　the　people　which　he　has　been　advised　to　post　up？　Nothing　but　fresh　outrages。　　As　for　myself；　I　could　do　anything；　and　would　appear　on　horseback　if　necessary。　　But　if　I　were　really　to　begin　to　act；　that　would　be　furnishing　arms　to　the　King's　enemies；　the　cry　against　the　Austrian；　and　against　the　sway　of　a　woman；　would　become　general　in　France；　and；　moreover；　by　showing　myself；　I　should　render　the　King　a　mere　nothing。　　A　queen　who　is　not　regent　ought；　under　these　circumstances；　to　remain　passive　and　prepare　to　die。〃

The　garden　of　the　Tuileries　was　full　of　maddened　men；　who　insulted　all　who　seemed　to　side　with　the　Court。　　〃The　Life　of　Marie　Antoinette〃　was　cried　under　the　Queen's　windows；　infamous　plates