the memoirs of marie antoinette-第106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！



　　　　　＇In　reading　of　the　events　of　the　l0th　of　August；　1792；　the　reader　　　　　　must　remember　that　there　was　hardly　any　armed　force　to　resist　the　　　　　　mob。　　The　regiments　that　had　shown　signs　of　being　loyal　to　the　King　　　　　　had　been　removed　from　Paris　by　the　Assembly。　　The　Swiss　had　been　　　　　　deprived　of　their　own　artillery；　and　the　Court　had　sent　one　of　their　　　　　　battalions　into　Normandy　at　a　time　when　there　was　an　idea　of　taking　　　　　　refuge　there。　　The　National　Guard　were　either　disloyal　or　　　　　　disheartened；　and　the　gunners；　especially　of　that　force　at　the　　　　　　Tuileries；　sympathised　with　the　mob。　　Thus　the　King　had　about　800　or　　　　　　900　Swiss　and　little　more　than　one　battalion　of　the　National　Guard。　　　　　　Mandat；　one　of　the　six　heads　of　the　legions　of　the　National　Guard；　　　　　　to　whose　turn　the　command　fell　on　that　day；　was　true　to　his　duty；　　　　　　but　was　sent　for　to　the　Hote1　de　Ville　and　assassinated。　　Still　the　　　　　　small　force；　even　after　the　departure　of　the　King；　would　have　　　　　　probably　beaten　off　the　mob　had　not　the　King　given　the　fatal　order　　　　　　to　the　Swiss　to　cease　firing。　　（See　Thiers's　〃Revolution　Francaise；〃　　　　　　vol。　　i。；　chap。　　xi。）　Bonaparte's　opinion　of　the　mob　may　be　judged　　　　　　by　his　remarks　on　the　20th　June；　1792；　when；　disgusted　at　seeing　the　　　　　　King　appear　with　the　red　cap　on　his　head；　he　exclaimed；　〃Che　　　　　　coglione！　　Why　have　they　let　in　all　that　rabble？　　Why　don't　they　　　　　　sweep　off　400　or　500　of　them　with　the　cannon？　　The　rest　would　then　　　　　　set　off。〃　　（〃Bourrienne；〃　vol。　i。；　p。13；　Bentley；　London；　1836。）　　　　　　Bonaparte　carried　out　his　own　plan　against　a　far　stronger　force　of　　　　　　assailants　on　the　Jour　des　Sections；　4th　October；　1795。＇

The　Marseillais　began　by　driving　from　their　posts　several　Swiss；　who　yielded　without　resistance；　a　few　of　the　assailants　fired　upon　them；　some　of　the　Swiss　officers；　seeing　their　men　fall；　and　perhaps　thinking　the　King　was　still　at　the　Tuileries；　gave　the　word　to　a　whole　battalion　to　fire。　　The　aggressors　were　thrown　into　disorder；　and　the　Carrousel　was　cleared　in　a　moment；　but　they　soon　returned；　spurred　on　by　rage　and　revenge。　　The　Swiss　were　but　eight　hundred　strong；　they　fell　back　into　the　interior　of　the　Chateau；　some　of　the　doors　were　battered　in　by　the　guns；　others　broken　through　with　hatchets；　the　populace　rushed　from　all　quarters　into　the　interior　of　the　palace；　almost　all　the　Swiss　were　massacred；　the　nobles；　flying　through　the　gallery　which　leads　to　the　Louvre；　were　either　stabbed　or　shot；　and　the　bodies　thrown　out　of　the　windows。

M。　Pallas　and　M。　de　Marchais；　ushers　of　the　King's　chamber；　were　killed　in　defending　the　door　of　the　council　chamber；　many　others　of　the　King's　servants　fell　victims　to　their　fidelity。　　I　mention　these　two　persons　in　particular　because；　with　their　hats　pulled　over　their　brows　and　their　swords　in　their　hands；　they　exclaimed；　as　they　defended　themselves　with　unavailing　courage；　〃We　will　not　survive！this　is　our　post；　our　duty　is　to　die　at　it。〃　　M。　Diet　behaved　in　the　same　manner　at　the　door　of　the　Queen's　bedchamber；　he　experienced　the　same　fate。　　The　Princesse　de　Tarente　had　fortunately　opened　the　door　of　the　apartments；　otherwise；　the　dreadful　band　seeing　several　women　collected　in　the　Queen's　salon　would　have　fancied　she　was　among　us；　and　would　have　immediately　massacred　us　had　we　resisted　them。　　We　were；　indeed；　all　about　to　perish；　when　a　man　with　a　long　beard　came　up；　exclaiming；　in　the　name　of　Potion；　〃Spare　the　women；　don't　dishonour　the　nation！〃　　A　particular　circumstance　placed　me　in　greater　danger　than　the　others。　　In　my　confusion　I　imagined；　a　moment　before　the　assailants　entered　the　Queen's　apartments；　that　my　sister　was　not　among　the　group　of　women　collected　there；　and　I　went　up　into　an　'entresol'；　where　I　supposed　she　had　taken　refuge；　to　induce　her　to　come　down；　fancying　it　safer　that　we　should　not　be　separated。　　I　did　not　find　her　in　the　room　in　question；　I　saw　there　only　our　two　femmes　de　chambre　and　one　of　the　Queen's　two　heyducs；　a　man　of　great　height　and　military　aspect。　　I　saw　that　he　was　pale；　and　sitting　on　a　bed。　　I　cried　out　to　him；　〃Fly！　the　footmen　and　our　people　are　already　safe。〃〃I　cannot；〃　said　the　man　to　me；　〃I　am　dying　of　fear。〃　　As　he　spoke　I　heard　a　number　of　men　rushing　hastily　up　the　staircase；　they　threw　themselves　upon　him；　and　I　saw　him　assassinated。

I　ran　towards　the　staircase；　followed　by　our　women。　　The　murderers　left　the　heyduc　to　come　to　me。　　The　women　threw　themselves　at　their　feet；　and　held　their　sabres。　　The　narrowness　of　the　staircase　impeded　the　assassins；　but　I　had　already　felt　a　horrid　hand　thrust　into　my　back　to　seize　me　by　my　clothes；　when　some　one　called　out　from　the　bottom　of　the　staircase；　〃What　are　you　doing　above　there？　　We　don't　kill　women。〃　　I　was　on　my　knees；　my　executioner　quitted　his　hold　of　me；　and　said；　〃Get　up；　you　jade；　the　nation　pardons　you。〃

The　brutality　of　these　words　did　not　prevent　my　suddenly　experiencing　an　indescribable　feeling　which　partook　almost　equally　of　the　love　of　life　and　the　idea　that　I　was　going　to　see　my　son；　and　all　that　was　dear　to　me；　again。　　A　moment　before　I　had　thought　less　of　death　than　of　the　pain　which　the　steel；　suspended　over　my　head；　would　occasion　me。　　Death　is　seldom　seen　so　close　without　striking　his　blow。　　I　heard　every　syllable　uttered　by　the　assassins；　just　as　if　I　had　been　calm。

Five　or　six　men　seized　me　and　my　companions；　and；　having　made　us　get　up　on　benches　placed　before　the　windows；　ordered　us　to　call　out；　〃The　nation　for　ever！〃

I　passed　over　several　corpses；　I　recognised　that　of　the　old　Vicomte　de　Broves；　to　whom　the　Queen　had　sent　me　at　the　beginning　of　the　night　to　desire　him　and　another　old　man　in　her　name　to　go　home。　　These　brave　men　desired　I　would　tell　her　Majesty　that　they　had　but　too　strictly　obeyed　the　King's　orders　in　all　circumstances　under　which　they　ought　to　have　exposed　their　own　lives　in　order　to　preserve　his；　and　that　for　this　once　they　would　not　obey；　though　they　would　cherish　the　recollection　of　the　Queen's　goodness。

Near　the　grille；　on　the　side　next　the　bridge；　the　men　who　conducted　me　asked　whither　I　wished　to　go。　　Upon　my　inquiring；　in　my　turn；　whether　they　were　at　liberty　to　take　me　wherever　I　might　wish　to　go；　one　of　them；　a　Marseillais；　asked　me；　giving　me　at　the　same　time　a　push　with　the　butt　end　of　his　musket；　whether　I　still　doubted　the　power　of　the　people？　　I　answered　〃No；〃　and　I　mentioned　the　number　of　my　brother…in…law's　house。　I　saw　my　sister　ascending　the　steps　of　the　parapet　of　the　bridge；　surrounded　by　members　of　the　National　Guard。　　I　called　to　her；　and　she　turned　round。　　〃Would　you　have　her　go　with　you？〃　said　my　guardian　to　me。　I　told　him　I　did　wish　it。　　They　called　the　people　who　were　leading　my　sister　to　prison；　she　joined　me。

Madame　de　la　Roche…Aymon　and　her　daughter；　Mademoiselle　Pauline　de　Tourzel；　Madame　de　Ginestoux；　lady　to　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　the　other　women　of　the　Queen；　and　the　old　Comte　d'Affry；　were　led　off　together　to　the　Abbaye。

Our　progress　from　the　Tuileries　to　my　sister's　house　was　most　distressing。　　We　saw　several　Swiss　pursued　and　killed；　and　musket…shots　were　crossing　each　other　in　all　directions。　　We　passed　under　the　walls　of　the