the memoirs of marie antoinette-第116部分

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　which　she　had　pricked　with　a　pin　a　request　for　a　word　from　her　brother's　own　hand。　Turgi　gave　this　paper　to　Clery；　who　conveyed　it　to　the　King　the　same　evening；　and　he；　being　allowed　writing　materials　while　preparing　his　defence；　wrote　Madame　Elisabeth　a　short　note。　　An　answer　was　conveyed　in　a　ball　of　cotton；　which　Turgi　threw　under　Clery's　bed　while　passing　the　door　of　his　room。　　Letters　were　also　passed　between　the　Princess's　room　and　that　of　Clery；　who　lodged　beneath　her；　by　means　of　a　string　let　down　and　drawn　up　at　night。　　This　communication　with　his　family　was　a　great　comfort　to　the　King；　who；　nevertheless；　constantly　cautioned　his　faithful　servant。　　〃Take　care；〃　he　would　say　kindly；　〃you　expose　yourself　too　much。〃

　　　　　＇The　King's　natural　benevolence　was　constantly　shown　while　in　the　　　　　　Temple。　　His　own　dreadful　position　never　prevented　him　from　sympathy　　　　　　with　the　smaller　troubles　of　others。　　A　servant　in　the　Temple　named　　　　　　Marchand；　the　father　of　a　family；　was　robbed　of　two　hundred　francs；　　　　　　his　wages　for　two　months。　　The　King　observed　his　distress；　asked　　　　　　its　cause；　and　gave　Clery　the　amount　to　be　handed　to　Marchand；　with　　　　　　a　caution　not　to　speak　of　it　to　any　one；　and；　above　all；　not　to　　　　　　thank　the　King；　lest　it　should　injure　him　with　his　employers。＇

During　his　separation　from　his　family　the　King　refused　to　go　into　the　garden。　　When　it　was　proposed　to　him　he　said；　〃I　cannot　make　up　my　mind　to　go　out　alone；　the　walk　was　agreeable　to　me　only　when　I　shared　it　with　my　family。〃　　But　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　dwell　on　painful　reflections。　　He　talked　freely　to　the　municipals　on　guard；　and　surprised　them　by　his　varied　and　practical　knowledge　of　their　trades；　and　his　interest　in　their　domestic　affairs。　　On　the　19th　December　the　King's　breakfast　was　served　as　usual；　but；　being　a　fast…day；　he　refused　to　take　anything。　　At　dinner…time　the　King　said　to　Clery；　〃Fourteen　years　ago　you　were　up　earlier　than　you　were　to…day；　it　is　the　day　my　daughter　was　born…　…today；　her　birthday；〃　he　repeated；　with　tears；　〃and　to　be　prevented　from　seeing　her！〃　　Madame　Royale　had　wished　for　a　calendar；　the　King　ordered　Clery　to　buy　her　the　〃Almanac　of　the　Republic；〃　which　had　replaced　the　〃Court　Almanac；〃　and　ran　through　it；　marking　with　a　pencil　many　names。

〃On　Christmas　Day；〃　Says　Clery；　〃the　King　wrote　his　will。〃

　　　　　＇Madame　Royale　says：　〃On　the　26th　December；　St。　Stephen's　Day；　my　　　　　　father　made　his　will；　because　he　expected　to　be　assassinated　that　　　　　　day　on　his　way　to　the　bar　of　the　Convention。　　He　went　thither；　　　　　　nevertheless；　with　his　usual　calmness。〃〃Royal　Memoirs；〃　p。　196。＇

On　the　26th　December；　1792；　the　King　appeared　a　second　time　before　the　Convention。　　M。　de　Seze；　labouring　night　and　day；　had　completed　his　defence。　　The　King　insisted　on　excluding　from　it　all　that　was　too　rhetorical；　and　confining　it　to　the　mere　discussion　of　essential　points。

　　　　　＇When　the　pathetic　peroration　of　M；　de　Seze　was　read　to　the　King；　　　　　　the　evening　before　it　was　delivered　to　the　Assembly；　〃I　have　to　　　　　　request　of　you；〃　he　said；　〃to　make　a　painful　sacrifice；　strike　out　　　　　　of　your　pleading　the　peroration。　　It　is　enough　for　me　to　appear　　　　　　before　such　judges；　and　show　my　entire　innocence；　I　will　not　move　　　　　　their　feelings。〃LACRETELLE。＇

At　half…past　nine　in　the　morning　the　whole　armed　force　was　in　motion　to　conduct　him　from　the　Temple　to　the　Feuillans；　with　the　same　precautions　and　in　the　same　order　as　had　been　observed　on　the　former　occasion。　Riding　in　the　carriage　of　the　Mayor；　he　conversed；　on　the　way；　with　the　same　composure　as　usual；　and　talked　of　Seneca；　of　Livy；　of　the　hospitals。　Arrived　at　the　Feuillans；　he　showed　great　anxiety　for　his　defenders；　he　seated　himself　beside　them　in　the　Assembly；　surveyed　with　great　composure　the　benches　where　his　accusers　and　his　judges　sat；　seemed　to　examine　their　faces　with　the　view　of　discovering　the　impression　produced　by　the　pleading　of　M。　de　Seze；　and　more　than　once　conversed　smilingly　with　Tronchet　and　Malesherbes。　　The　Assembly　received　his　defence　in　sullen　silence；　but　without　any　tokens　of　disapprobation。

Being　afterwards　conducted　to　an　adjoining　room　with　his　counsel；　the　King　showed　great　anxiety　about　M。　de　Seze；　who　seemed　fatigued　by　the　long　defence。　　While　riding　back　to　the　Temple　he　conversed　with　his　companions　with　the　same　serenity　as　he　had　shown　on　leaving　it。

No　sooner　had　the　King　left　the　hall　of　the　Convention　than　a　violent　tumult　arose　there。　　Some　were　for　opening　the　discussion。　　Others；　complaining　of　the　delays　which　postponed　the　decision　of　this　process；　demanded　the　vote　immediately；　remarking　that　in　every　court；　after　the　accused　had　been　heard；　the　judges　proceed　to　give　their　opinion。　Lanjuinais　had　from　the　commencement　of　the　proceedings　felt　an　indignation　which　his　impetuous　disposition　no　longer　suffered　him　to　repress。　　He　darted　to　the　tribune；　and；　amidst　the　cries　excited　by　his　presence；　demanded　the　annulling　of　the　proceedings　altogether。　He　exclaimed　that　the　days　of　ferocious　men　were　gone　by；　that　the　Assembly　ought　not　to　be　so　dishonoured　as　to　be　made　to　sit　in　judgment　on　Louis　XVI。；　that　no　authority　in　France　had　that　right；　and　the　Assembly　in　particular　had　no　claim　to　it；　that　if　it　resolved　to　act　as　a　political　body；　it　could　do　no　more　than　take　measures　of　safety　against　the　ci…devant　King；　but　that　if　it　was　acting　as　a　court　of　justice　it　was　overstepping　all　principles；　for　it　was　subjecting　the　vanquished　to　be　tried　by　the　conquerors；　since　most　of　the　present　members　had　declared　themselves　the　conspirators　of　the　10th　of　August。　At　the　word　〃conspirators〃　a　tremendous　uproar　arose　on　all　aides。　　Cries　of　〃Order！〃〃To　the　Abbaye！〃〃Down　with　the　Tribune！〃　were　heard。　Lanjuinais　strove　in　vain　to　justify　the　word　〃conspirators；〃　saying　that　he　meant　it　to　be　taken　in　a　favourable　sense；　and　that　the　10th　of　August　was　a　glorious　conspiracy。　　He　concluded　by　declaring　that　he　would　rather　die　a　thousand　deaths　than　condemn；　contrary　to　all　laws；　even　the　most　execrable　of　tyrants。

A　great　number　of　speakers　followed；　and　the　confusion　continually　increased。　　The　members；　determined　not　to　hear　any　more；　mingled　together；　formed　groups；　abused　and　threatened　one　another。　　After　a　tempest　of　an　hour's　duration；　tranquillity　was　at　last　restored；　and　the　Assembly；　adopting　the　opinion　of　those　who　demanded　the　discussion　on　the　trial　of　Louis　XVI。；　declared　that　it　was　opened；　and　that　it　should　be　continued；　to　the　exclusion　of　all　other　business；　till　sentence　should　be　passed。

The　discussion　was　accordingly　resumed　on　the　27th；　and　there　was　a　constant　succession　of　speakers　from　the　28th　to　the　31st。　　Vergniaud　at　length　ascended　the　tribune　for　the　first　time；　and　an　extraordinary　eagerness　was　manifested　to　hear　the　Girondists　express　their　sentiments　by　the　lips　of　their　greatest　orator。

The　speech　of　Vergniaud　produced　a　deep　impression　on　all　his　hearers。　Robespierre　was　thunderstruck　by　his　earnest　and；　persuasive　eloquence。　Vergniaud；　however；　had　but　shaken；　not　convinced；　the　Assembly；　which　wavered　between　the　two　parties。　　Several　members　were　successively　heard；　for