the memoirs of marie antoinette-第63部分

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rough　the　mediation　of　a　woman　whom　I　do　not　even　know？〃

〃I　see　plainly；〃　said　the　Cardinal；　〃that　I　have　been　duped。　　I　will　pay　for　the　necklace；　my　desire　to　please　your　Majesty　blinded　me；　I　suspected　no　trick　in　the　affair；　and　I　am　sorry　for　it。〃

He　then　took　out　of　his　pocket…book　a　letter　from　the　Queen　to　Madame　de　Lamotte；　giving　him　this　commission。　　The　King　took　it；　and；　holding　it　towards　the　Cardinal；　said：

〃This　is　neither　written　nor　signed　by　the　Queen。　　How　could　a　Prince　of　the　House　of　Rohan；　and　a　Grand　Almoner　of　France；　ever　think　that　the　Queen　would　sign　Marie　Antoinette　de　France？　　Everybody　knows　that　queens　sign　only　by　their　baptismal　names。　　But；　monsieur；〃　pursued　the　King；　handing　him　a　copy　of　his　letter　to　Baehmer；　〃have　you　ever　written　such　a　letter　as　this？〃

Having　glanced　over　it；　the　Cardinal　said；　〃I　do　not　remember　having　written　it。〃

〃But　what　if　the　original；　signed　by　yourself；　were　shown　to　you？〃

〃If　the　letter　be　signed　by　myself　it　is　genuine。〃

He　was　extremely　confused；　and　repeated　several　times；　〃I　have　been　deceived；　Sire；　I　will　pay　for　the　necklace。　　I　ask　pardon　of　your　Majesties。〃

〃Then　explain　to　me；〃　resumed　the　King；　〃the　whole　of　this　enigma。　　I　do　not　wish　to　find　you　guilty；　I　had　rather　you　would　justify　yourself。　Account　for　all　the　manoeuvres　with　Baehmer；　these　assurances　and　these　letters。〃

The　Cardinal　then；　turning　pale；　and　leaning　against　the　table；　said；　〃Sire；　I　am　too　much　confused　to　answer　your　Majesty　in　a　way〃

〃Compose　yourself；　Cardinal；　and　go　into　my　cabinet；　you　will　there　find　paper；　pens；　and　ink；write　what　you　have　to　say　to　me。〃

The　Cardinal　went　into　the　King's　cabinet；　and　returned　a　quarter　of　an　hour　afterwards　with　a　document　as　confused　as　his　verbal　answers　had　been。　　The　King　then　said；　〃Withdraw；　monsieur。〃　　The　Cardinal　left　the　King's　chamber；　with　the　Baron　de　Breteuil；　who　gave　him　in　custody　to　a　lieutenant　of　the　Body　Guard；　with　orders　to　take　him　to　his　apartment。　M。　d'Agoult；　aide…major　of　the　Body　Guard；　afterwards　took　him　into　custody；　and　conducted　him　to　his　hotel；　and　thence　to　the　Bastille。　　But　while　the　Cardinal　had　with　him　only　the　young　lieutenant　of　the　Body　Guard；　who　was　much　embarrassed　at　having　such　an　order　to　execute；　his　Eminence　met　his　heyduc　at　the　door　of　the　Salon　of　Hercules；　he　spoke　to　him　in　German　and　then　asked　the　lieutenant　if　he　could　lend　him　a　pencil；　the　officer　gave　him　that　which　he　carried　about　him；　and　the　Cardinal　wrote　to　the　Abbe　Georgel；　his　grand　vicar　and　friend；　instantly　to　burn　all　Madame　de　Lamotte's　correspondence；　and　all　his　other　letters。

　　　　　＇The　Abbe　Georgel　thus　relates　the　circumstance：　The　Cardinal；　at　　　　　　that　trying　moment；　gave　an　astonishing　proof　of　his　presence　of　　　　　　mind；　notwithstanding　the　escort　which　surrounded　him；　favoured　by　　　　　　the　attendant　crowd；　he　stopped；　and　stooping　down　with　his　face　　　　　　towards　the　wall；　as　if　to　fasten　his　buckle；　snatched　out　his　　　　　　pencil　and　hastily　wrote　a　few　words　upon　a　scrap　of　paper　placed　　　　　　under　his　hand　in　his　square　red　cap。　　He　rose　again　and　proceeded。　　　　　　on　entering　his　house；　his　people　formed　a　lane；　he　slipped　this　　　　　　paper；　unperceived；　into　the　hand　of　a　confidential　valet　de　　　　　　chambre；　who　waited　for　him　at　the　door　of　his　apartment。〃　　This　　　　　　story　is　scarcely　credible；　it　is　not　at　the　moment　of　a　prisoner's　　　　　　arrest；　when　an　inquisitive　crowd　surrounds　and　watches　him；　that　he　　　　　　can　stop　and　write　secret　messages。　　However；　the　valet　de　chambre　　　　　　posts　off　to　Paris。　　He　arrives　at　the　palace　of　the　Cardinal　　　　　　between　twelve　and　one　o'clock；　and　his　horse　falls　dead　in　the　　　　　　stable。　　〃I　was　in　my　apartment；〃　said　the　Abbe　Georgel；　〃the　valet　　　　　　de　chambre　entered　wildly；　with　a　deadly　paleness　on　his　　　　　　countenance；　and　exclaimed；　'All　is　lost；　the　Prince　is　arrested。'　　　　　　He　instantly　fell；　fainting；　and　dropped　the　note　of　which　he　was　　　　　　the　bearer。〃　　The　portfolio　containing　the　papers　which　might　　　　　　compromise　the　Cardinal　was　immediately　placed　beyond　the　reach　of　　　　　　all　search。　　Madame　de　Lamotte　also　was　foolishly　allowed　sufficient　　　　　　time　after　she　heard　of　the　arrest　of　the　Cardinal　to　burn　all　the　　　　　　letters　she　had　received　from　him。　　Assisted　by　Beugnot；　she　　　　　　completed　this　at　three　the　same　morning　that　she　was：　arrested　at　　　　　　four。　See　〃Memoirs　of　Comte　de　Beugnot；〃　vol　i。；　p。　74。＇

This　commission　was　executed　before　M。　de　Crosne；　lieutenant　of　police；　had　received　an　order　from　the　Baron　de　Breteuil　to　put　seals　upon　the　Cardinal's　papers。　　The　destruction　of　all　his　Eminence's　correspondence；　and　particularly　that　with　Madame　de　Lamotte；　threw　an　impenetrable　cloud　over　the　whole　affair。

From　that　moment　all　proofs　of　this　intrigue　disappeared。　　Madame　de　Lamotte　was　apprehended　at　Bar…sur…Aube；　her　husband　had　already　gone　to　England。　　From　the　beginning　of　this　fatal　affair　all　the　proceedings　of　the　Court　appear　to　have　been　prompted　by　imprudence　and　want　of　foresight；　the　obscurity　resulting　left　free　scope　for　the　fables　of　which　the　voluminous　memorials　written　on　one　side　and　the　other　consisted。　　The　Queen　so　little　imagined　what　could　have　given　rise　to　the　intrigue；　of　which　she　was　about　to　become　the　victim；　that；　at　the　moment　when　the　King　was　interrogating　the　Cardinal；　a　terrific　idea　entered　her　mind。　　With　that　rapidity　of　thought　caused　by　personal　interest　and　extreme　agitation；　she　fancied　that；　if　a　design　to　ruin　her　in　the　eyes　of　the　King　and　the　French　people　were　the　concealed　motive　of　this　intrigue；　the　Cardinal　would；　perhaps；　affirm　that　she　had　the　necklace；　that　he　had　been　honoured　with　her　confidence　for　this　purchase；　made　without　the　King's　knowledge；　and　point　out　some　secret　place　in　her　apartment；　where　he　might　have　got　some　villain　to　hide　it。　Want　of　money　and　the　meanest　swindling　were　the　sole　motives　for　this　criminal　affair。　　The　necklace　had　already　been　taken　to　pieces　and　sold；　partly　in　London；　partly　in　Holland；　and　the　rest　in　Paris。

The　moment　the　Cardinal's　arrest　was　known　a　universal　clamour　arose。　Every　memorial　that　appeared　during　the　trial　increased　the　outcry。　On　this　occasion　the　clergy　took　that　course　which　a　little　wisdom　and　the　least　knowledge　of　the　spirit　of　such　a　body　ought　to　have　foreseen。　The　Rohans　and　the　House　of　Conde；　as　well　as　the　clergy；　made　their　complaints　heard　everywhere。　　The　King　consented　to　having　a　legal　judgment；　and　early　in　September　he　addressed　letters…patent　to　the　Parliament；　in　which　he　said　that　he　was　〃filled　with　the　most　just　indignation　on　seeing　the　means　which；　by　the　confession　of　his　Eminence　the　Cardinal；　had　been　employed　in　order　to　inculpate　his　most　dear　spouse　and　companion。〃

Fatal　moment！　　in　which　the　Queen　found　herself；　in　consequence　of　this　highly　impolitic　step；　on　trial　with　a　subject；　who　ought　to　have　been　dealt　with　by　the　power　of　the　King　alone。　　The　Princes　and　Princesses　of　the　House　of　Conde；　and　of　the　Houses　of　Rohan；　Soubise；　and　Guemenee；　put　on　mourning；　and　were　seen　ranged　in　the　way　of　the　members　of　the　Grand　Chamber　to　salute　them　as　they　proc