the memoirs of marie antoinette-第115部分

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enches　of　the　Mountain；　but　the　majority；　composed　of　the　Girondists　and　the　neutrals；　decided　that　he　should　be　formally　tried。

After　the　examination　　Santerre　took　the　King　by　the　arm　and　led　him　back　to　the　waiting…room　of　the　Convention；　accompanied　by　Chambon　and　Chaumette。　　Mental　agitation　and　the　length　of　the　proceedings　had　exhausted　him；　and　he　staggered　from　weakness。　　Chaumette　inquired　if　he　wished　for　refreshment；　but　the　King　refused　it。　　A　moment　after；　seeing　a　grenadier　of　the　escort　offer　the　Procureur　de　la　Commune　half　a　small　loaf；　Louis　XVI。　approached　and　asked　him；　in　a　whisper；　for　a　piece。

〃Ask　aloud　for　what　you　want；〃　said　Chaumette；　retreating　as　though　he　feared　being　suspected　of　pity。

〃I　asked　for　a　piece　of　your　bread；〃　replied　the　King。

〃Divide　it　with　me；〃　said　Chaumette。　　〃It　is　a　Spartan　breakfast。　　If　I　had　a　root　I　would　give　you　half。〃＇Lamartine's　〃History　of　the　Girondists；〃　edit。　　1870；　vol。　ii。；　p。　313。＇

Soon　after　six　in　the　evening　the　King　returned　to　the　Temple。　　〃He　seemed　tired；〃　says　Clery；　simply；　〃and　his　first　wish　was　to　be　led　to　his　family。　　The　officers　refused；　on　the　plea　that　they　had　no　orders。　He　insisted　that　at　least　they　should　be　informed　of　his　return；　and　this　was　promised　him。　　The　King　ordered　me　to　ask　for　his　supper　at　half…past　eight。　　The　intervening　hours　he　employed　in　his　usual　reading；　surrounded　by　four　municipals。　　When　I　announced　that　supper　was　served；　the　King　asked　the　commissaries　if　his　family　could　not　come　down。　　They　made　no　reply。　　'But　at　least；'　the　King　said；　'my　son　will　pass　the　night　in　my　room；　his　bed　being　here？'　　The　same　silence。　　After　supper　the　King　again　urged　his　wish　to　see　his　family。　　They　answered　that　they　must　await　the　decision　of　the　Convention。　　While　I　was　undressing　him　the　King　said；　'I　was　far　from　expecting　all　the　questions　they　put　to　me。'　　He　lay　down　with　perfect　calmness。　　The　order　for　my　removal　during　the　night　was　not　executed。〃　　On　the　King's　return　to　the　Temple　being　known；　〃my　mother　asked　to　see　him　instantly；〃　writes　Madame　Royale。　〃She　made　the　same　request　even　to　Chambon；　but　received　no　answer。　　My　brother　passed　the　night　with　her；　and　as　he　had　no　bed；　she　gave　him　hers；　and　sat　up　all　the　night　in　such　deep　affliction　that　we　were　afraid　to　leave　her；　but　she　compelled　my　aunt　and　me　to　go　to　bed。　　Next　day　she　again　asked　to　see　my　father；　and　to　read　the　newspapers；　that　she　might　learn　the　course　of　the　trial。　　She　entreated　that　if　she　was　to　be　denied　this　indulgence；　his　children；　at　least；　might　see　him。　　Her　requests　were　referred　to　the　Commune。　　The　newspapers　were　refused；　but　my　brother　and　I　were　to　be　allowed　to　see　my　father　on　condition　of　being　entirely　separated　from　my　mother。　　My　father　replied　that；　great　as　his　happiness　was　in　seeing　his　children；　the　important　business　which　then　occupied　him　would　not　allow　of　his　attending　altogether　to　his　son；　and　that　his　daughter　could　not　leave　her　mother。〃

　　　　　＇During　their　last　interview　Madame　Elisabeth　had　given　Clery　one　of　　　　　　her　handkerchiefs；　saying；　〃You　shall　keep　it　so　long　as　my　brother　　　　　　continues　well；　if　he　becomes　ill；　send　it　to　me　among　my　nephew's　　　　　　things。〃＇

The　Assembly　having；　after　a　violent　debate；　resolved　that　Louis　XVI。　should　have　the　aid　of　counsel；　a　deputation　was　sent　to　the　Temple　to　ask　whom　he　would　choose。　　The　King　named　Messieurs　Target　and　Tronchet。　The　former　refused　his　services　on　the　ground　that　he　had　discontinued　practice　since　1785；　the　latter　complied　at　once　with　the　King's　request；　and　while　the　Assembly　was　considering　whom　to；　nominate　in　Target's　place；　the　President　received　a　letter　from　the　venerable　Malesherbes；

　　　　　＇Christian　Guillaume　de　Lamoignon　de　Malesherbes；　an　eminent　French　　　　　　statesman；　son　of　the　Chancellor　of　France；　was　born　at　Paris　in　　　　　　1721。　　In　1750　he　succeeded　his　father　as　President　of　the　Court　of　　　　　　Aids；　and　was　also　made　superintendent　of　the　press。　　On　the　　　　　　banishment　of　the　Parliaments　and　the　suppression　of　the　Court　of　　　　　　Aids；　Malesherbes　was　exiled　to　his　country…seat。　　In　1775　he　was　　　　　　appointed　Minister　of　State。　　On　the　decree　of　the　Convention　for　　　　　　the　King's　trial；　he　emerged　from　his　retreat　to　become　the　　　　　　voluntary　advocate　of　his　sovereign。　　Malesherbes　was　guillotined　in　　　　　　1794；　and　almost　his　whole　family　were　extirpated　by　their　merciless　　　　　　persecutors。＇

then　seventy　years　old；　and　〃the　most　respected　magistrate　in　France；〃　in　the　course　of　which　he　said：　〃I　have　been　twice　called　to　be　counsel　for　him　who　was　my　master；　in　times　when　that　duty　was　coveted　by　every　one。　I　owe　him　the　same　service　now　that　it　is　a　duty　which　many　people　deem　dangerous。　　If　I　knew　any　possible　means　of　acquainting　him　with　my　desires；　I　should　not　take　the　liberty　of　addressing　myself　to　you。〃　Other　citizens　made　similar　proposals；　but　the　King；　being　made　acquainted　with　them　by　a　deputation　from　the　Commune；　while　expressing　his　gratitude　for　all　the　offers；　accepted　only　that　of　Malesherbes。

　　　　　＇The　Citoyenne　Olympia　Degonges；　calling　herself　a　free　and　loyal　　　　　　Republican　without　spot　or　blame；　and　declaring　that　the　cold　and　　　　　　selfish　cruelty　of　Target　had　inflamed　her　heroism　and　roused　her　　　　　　sensibility；　asked　permission　to　assist　M；　de　Malesherbes　in　　　　　　defending　the　King。　　The　Assembly　passed　to　the　order　of　the　day　on　　　　　　this　request。BERTRAND　DE　MOLLEVILLE；　〃Annals；〃　edit。　　1802；　vol；　　　　　　viii。；　p。　254。＇

On　14th　December　M。　Tronchet　was　allowed　to　confer　with　the　King；　and　later　in　the　same　day　M。　de　Malesherbes　was　admitted　to　the　Tower。　　〃The　King　ran　up　to　this　worthy　old　man；　whom　he　clasped　in　his　arms；〃　said　Clery；　〃and　the　former　minister　melted　into　tears　at　the　sight　of　his　master。〃

　　　　　＇According　to　M。　de　Hue；　〃The　first　time　M。　de　Malesherbes　entered　　　　　　the　Temple；　the　King　clasped　him　in　his　arms　and　said；　'Ah；　is　it　　　　　　you；　my　friend？　　You　fear　not　to　endanger　your　own　life　to　save　　　　　　mine；　but　all　will　be　useless。　　They　will　bring　me　to　the　scaffold。　　　　　　No　matter；　I　shall　gain　my　cause　if　I　leave　an　unspotted　memory　　　　　　behind　me。'〃＇

Another　deputation　brought　the　King　the　Act　of　Accusation　and　the　documents　relating　to　it；　numbering　more　than　a　hundred；　and　taking　from　four　o'clock　till　midnight　to　read。　　During　this　long　process　the　King　had　refreshments　served　to　the　deputies；　taking　nothing　himself　till　they　had　left；　but　considerately　reproving　Clery　for　not　having　supped。　　From　the　14th　to　the　26th　December　the　King　saw　his　counsel　and　their　colleague　M。　de　Size　every　day。　　At　this　time　a　means　of　communication　between　the　royal　family　and　the　King　was　devised：　a　man　named　Turgi；　who　had　been　in　the　royal　kitchen；　and　who　contrived　to　obtain　employment　in　the　Temple；　when　conveying　the　meals　of　the　royal　family　to　their　apartments；　or　articles　he　had　purchased　for　them；　managed　to　give　Madame　Elisabeth　news　of　the　King。　　Next　day；　the　Princess；　when　Turgi　was　removing　the　dinner；　slipped　into　his　hand　a　bit　of　paper　on　which　she　had　pricked　with　a　pin　a　request　for　a　word　from　her　brother's　own　hand。　Turgi　gave　this