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the memoirs of marie antoinette-第119部分

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is wife; his sister; and his children; he gave him a sealed packet; hair; and various trinkets; with directions to deliver these articles to them。

     'In the course of the morning the King said to me: 〃You will give      this seal to my son and this ring to the Queen; and assure her that      it is with pain I part with it。  This little packet contains the      hair of all my family; you will give her that; too。  Tell the Queen;      my dear sister; and my children; that; although I promised to see      them again this morning; I have resolved to spare them the pang of      so cruel a separation。  Tell them how much it costs me to go away      without receiving their embraces once more!〃  He wiped away some      tears; and then added; in the most mournful accents; 〃I charge you      to bear them my last farewell。〃CLERY。'

He then clasped his hand and thanked him for his services。  After this he addressed himself to one of the municipal officers; requesting him to transmit his last will to the Commune。  This officer; who had formerly been a priest; and was named Jacques Roux; brutally replied that his business was to conduct him to execution; and not to perform his commissions。  Another person took charge of it; and Louis; turning towards the party; gave with firmness the signal for starting。

Officers of gendarmerie were placed on the front seat of the carriage。 The King and M。 Edgeworth occupied the back。  During the ride; which was rather long; the King read in M。 Edgeworth's breviary the prayers for persons at the point of death; the two gendarmes were astonished at his piety and tranquil resignation。  The vehicle advanced slowly; and amidst universal silence。  At the Place de la Revolution an extensive space had been left vacant about the scaffold。  Around this space were planted cannon; the most violent of the Federalists were stationed about the scaffold; and the vile rabble; always ready to insult genius; virtue; and misfortune; when a signal is given it to do so; crowded behind the ranks of the Federalists; and alone manifested some outward tokens of satisfaction。

At ten minutes past ten the carriage stopped。  Louis XVI。; rising briskly; stepped out into the Place。  Three executioners came up; he refused their assistance; and took off his clothes himself。  But; perceiving that they were going to bind his hands; he made a movement of indignation; and seemed ready to resist。  M。 Edgeworth gave him a last look; and said; 〃Suffer this outrage; as a last resemblance to that God who is about to be your reward。〃  At these words the King suffered himself to be bound and conducted to the scaffold。  All at once Louis hurriedly advanced to address the people。  〃Frenchmen;〃 said he; in a firm voice; 〃I die innocent of the crimes which are imputed to me; I forgive the authors of my death; and I pray that my blood may not fall upon France。〃  He would have continued; but the drums were instantly ordered to beat: their rolling drowned his voice; the executioners laid hold of him; and M。 Edgeworth took his leave in these memorable words: 〃Son of Saint Louis; ascend to heaven!〃  As soon as the blood flowed; furious wretches dipped their pikes and handkerchiefs in it; then dispersed throughout Paris; shouting 〃Vive la Republique!  Vive la Nation!〃  and even went to the gates of the Temple to display brutal and factious joy。

     'The body of Louis was; immediately after the execution; removed to      the ancient cemetery of the Madeleine。  Large quantities of      quicklime were thrown into the grave; which occasioned so rapid a      decomposition that; when his remains were nought for in 1816; it was      with difficulty any part could be recovered。  Over the spot where he      was interred Napoleon commenced the splendid Temple of Glory; after      the battle of Jena; and the superb edifice was completed by the      Bourbons; and now forms the Church of the Madeleine; the most      beautiful structure in Paris。  Louis was executed on the same ground      where the Queen; Madame Elisabeth; and so many other noble victims      of the Revolution perished; where Robespierre and Danton afterwards      suffered; and where the Emperor Alexander and the allied sovereigns      took their station; when their victorious troops entered Paris in      1814!  The history of modern Europe has not a scene fraught with      equally interesting recollections to exhibit。  It is now marked by      the colossal obelisk of blood…red granite which was brought from      Thebes; in Upper Egypt; in 1833; by the French Government。      ALLISON。'




     The Royal Prisoners。 Separation of the Dauphin from His Family。      Removal of the Queen。

On the morning of the King's execution; according to the narrative of Madame Royale; his family rose at six: 〃The night before; my mother had scarcely strength enough to put my brother to bed; She threw herself; dressed as she was; on her own bed; where we heard her shivering with cold and grief all night long。  At a quarter…past six the door opened; we believed that we were sent for to the King; but it was only the officers looking for a prayer…book for him。  We did not; however; abandon the hope of seeing him; till shouts of joy from the infuriated populace told us that all was over。  In the afternoon my mother asked to see Clery; who probably had some message for her; we hoped that seeing him would occasion a burst of grief which might relieve the state of silent and choking agony in which we saw her。〃  The request was refused; and the officers who brought the refusal said Clery was in 〃a frightful state of despair〃 at not being allowed to see the royal family; shortly afterwards he was dismissed from the Temple。

〃We had now a little more freedom;〃 continues the Princess; 〃our guards even believed that we were about to be sent out of France; but nothing could calm my mother's agony; no hope could touch her heart; and life or death became indifferent to her。  Fortunately my own affliction increased my illness so seriously that it distracted her thoughts 。  。  。  。 My mother would go no more to the garden; because she must have passed the door of what had been my father's room; and that she could not bear。 But fearing lest want of air should prove injurious to my brother and me; about the end of February she asked permission to walk on the leads of the Tower; and it was granted。〃

The Council of the Commune; becoming aware of the interest which these sad promenades excited; and the sympathy with which they were observed from the neighbouring houses; ordered that the spaces between the battlements should be filled up with shutters; which intercepted the view。  But while the rules for the Queen's captivity were again made more strict; some of the municipal commissioners tried slightly to alleviate it; and by means of M。 de Hue; who was at liberty in Paris; and the faithful Turgi; who remained in the Tower; some communications passed between the royal family and their friends。  The wife of Tison; who waited on the Queen; suspected and finally denounced these more lenient guardians;'Toulan; Lepitre; Vincent; Bruno; and others。'who were executed; the royal prisoners being subjected to a close examination
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