the memoirs of marie antoinette-第79部分

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to　discover　through　that　channel　what　was　the　private　motive　on　which　Luckner's　hatred　against　her　was　founded。　　On　being　questioned　upon　this　point；　he　answered　that　Marechal　de　Segur　had　assured　him　he　had　proposed　him　for　the　command　of　a　camp　of　observation；　but　that　the　Queen　had　made　a　bar　against　his　name；　and　that　this　'par'；　as　he　called　it；　in　his　German　accent；　he　could　not　forget。

The　Queen　ordered　me　to　repeat　this　reply　to　the　King　myself；　and　said　to　him：　〃See；　Sire；　whether　I　was　not　right　in　telling　you　that　your　ministers；　in　order　to　give　themselves　full　scope　in　the　distribution　of　favours；　persuaded　the　French　that　I　interfered　in　everything；　there　was　not　a　single　license　given　out　in　the　country　for　the　sale　of　salt　or　tobacco　but　the　people　believed　it　was　given　to　one　of　my　favourites。〃

〃That　is　very；　true；〃　replied　the　King；　〃but　I　find　it　very　difficult　to　believe　that　Marechal　de　S4gur　ever　said　any　such　thing　to　Luckner；　he　knew　too　well　that　you　never　interfered　in　the　distribution　of　favours。

That　Luckner　is　a　good…for…nothing　fellow；　and　Segur　is　a　brave　and　honourable　man　who　never　uttered　such　a　falsehood；　however；　you　are　right；　and　because　you　provided　for　a　few　dependents；　you　are　most　unjustly　reported　to　have　disposed　of　all　offices；　civil　and　military。〃

All　the　nobility　who　had　not　left　Paris　made　a　point　of　presenting　themselves　assiduously　to　the　King；　and　there　was　a　considerable　influx　to　the　Tuileries。　　Marks　of　attachment　were　exhibited　even　in　external　symbols；　the　women　wore　enormous　bouquets　of　lilies　in　their　bosoms　and　upon　their　heads；　and　sometimes　even　bunches　of　white　ribbon。　　At　the　play　there　were　often　disputes　between　the　pit　and　the　boxes　about　removing　these　ornaments；　which　the　people　thought　dangerous　emblems。　National　cockades　were　sold　in　every　corner　of　Paris；　the　sentinels　stopped　all　who　did　not　wear　them；　the　young　men　piqued　themselves　upon　breaking　through　this　regulation；　which　was　in　some　degree　sanctioned　by　the　acquiescence　of　Louis　XVI。　　Frays　took　place；　which　were　to　be　regretted；　because　they　excited　a　spirit　of　lawlessness。　　The　King　adopted　conciliatory　measures　with　the　Assembly　in　order　to　promote　tranquillity；　the　revolutionists　were　but　little　disposed　to　think　him　sincere；　unfortunately　the　royalists　encouraged　this　incredulity　by　incessantly　repeating　that　the　King　was　not　free；　and　that　all　that　he　did　was　completely　null；　and　in　no　way　bound　him　for　the　time　to　come。　Such　was　the　heat　and　violence　of　party　spirit　that　persons　the　most　sincerely　attached　to　the　King　were　not　even　permitted　to　use　the　language　of　reason；　and　recommend　greater　reserve　in　conversation。　People　would　talk　and　argue　at　table　without　considering　that　all　the　servants　belonged　to　the　hostile　army；　and　it　may　truly　be　said　there　was　as　much　imprudence　and　levity　in　the　party　assailed　as　there　was　cunning；　boldness；　and　perseverance　in　that　which　made　the　attack。




CHAPTER　III。

In　February；　1790；　another　matter　gave　the　Court　much　uneasiness；　a　zealous　individual　of　the　name　of　Favras　had　conceived　the　scheme　of　carrying　off　the　King；　and　affecting　a　counter…revolution。　　Monsieur；　probably　out　of　mere　benevolence；　gave　him　some　money；　and　thence　arose　a　report　that　he　thereby　wished　to　favour　the　execution　of　the　enterprise。　The　step　taken　by　Monsieur　in　going　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　to　explain　himself　on　this　matter　was　unknown　to　the　Queen；　it　is　more　than　probable　that　the　King　was　acquainted　with　it。　　When　judgment　was　pronounced　upon　M。　de　Favras　the　Queen　did　not　conceal　from　me　her　fears　about　the　confessions　of　the　unfortunate　man　in　his　last　moments。

I　sent　a　confidential　person　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　she　came　to　inform　the　Queen　that　the　condemned　had　demanded　to　be　taken　from　Notre…Dame　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　to　make　a　final　declaration；　and　give　some　particulars　verifying　it。　　These　particulars　compromised　nobody；　Favras　corrected　his　last　will　after　writing　it；　and　went　to　the　scaffold　with　heroic　courage　and　coolness。　　The　judge　who　read　his　condemnation　to　him　told　him　that　his　life　was　a　sacrifice　which　he　owed　to　public　tranquillity。　　It　was　asserted　at　the　time　that　Favras　was　given　up　as　a　victim　in　order　to　satisfy　the　people　and　save　the　Baron　de　Besenval；　who　was　a　prisoner　in　the　Abbaye。

　　　　　＇Thomas　Mahy；　Marquis　de　Favras；　was　accused　in　the　month　of　　　　　　December；　1789；　of　having　conspired　against　the　Revolution。　　Having　　　　　　been　arrested　by　order　of　the　committee　of　inquiry　of　the　National　　　　　　Assembly；　he　was　transferred　to　the　Chatelet；　where　he　defended　　　　　　himself　with　much　coolness　and　presence　of　mind；　repelling　the　　　　　　accusations　brought　against　him　by　Morel；　Turcati；　and　Marquis；　with　　　　　　considerable　force。　　These　witnesses　declared　he　had　imparted　his　　　　　　plan　to　them；　it　was　to　be　carried　into　execution　by　12；000　Swiss　　　　　　and　12；000　Germans；　who　were　to　be　assembled　at　Montargis；　thence　to　　　　　　march　upon　Paris；　carry　off　the　King；　and　assassinate　Bailly；　La　　　　　　Fayette；　and　Necker。　　The　greater　number　of　these　charges　he　denied；　　　　　　and　declared　that　the　rest　related　only　to　the　levy　of　a　troop　　　　　　intended　to　favour　the　revolution　preparing　in　Brabant。　　The　judge　　　　　　having　refused　to　disclose　who　had　denounced　him；　he　complained　to　　　　　　the　Assembly；　which　passed　to　the　order　of　the　day。　　His　death　was　　　　　　obviously　inevitable。　　During　the　whole　time　of　the　proceedings　the　　　　　　populace　never　ceased　threatening　the　judges　and　shouting；　〃A　la　　　　　　lanterne！〃　　It　was　even　necessary　to　keep　numerous　troops　and　　　　　　artillery　constantly　ready　to　act　in　the　courtyard　of　the　Chatelet。　　　　　　The　judges；　who　had　just　acquitted　M。　de　Besenval　in　an　affair　　　　　　nearly　similar；　doubtless　dreaded　the　effects　of　this　fury。　　When　　　　　　they　refused　to　hear　Favras's　witnesses　in　exculpation；　he　compared　　　　　　them　to　the　tribunal　of　the　Inquisition。　　The　principal　charge　　　　　　against　him　was　founded　on　a　letter　from　M。　de　Foucault；　asking　him；　　　　　　〃where　are　your　troops？　　in　which　direction　will　they　enter　Paris？　　　　　　I　should　like　to　be　employed　among　them。〃　　Favras　was　condemned　to　　　　　　make　the　'amende　honorable'　in　front　of　the　Cathedral；　and　to　be　　　　　　hanged　at　the　Place　de　Greve。　　He　heard　this　sentence　with　wonderful　　　　　　calmness；　and　said　to　his　judges；　〃I　pity　you　much　if　the　testimony　　　　　　of　two　men　is　sufficient　to　induce　you　to　condemn。〃　　The　judge　　　　　　having　said　to　him；　〃I　have　no　other　consolation　to　hold　out　to　you　　　　　　than　that　which　religion　affords；〃　he　replied；　nobly；　〃My　greatest　　　　　　consolation　is　that　which　I　derive　from　my　innocence。〃〃Biographic　　　　　　Universelle〃＇

On　the　morning　of　the　Sunday　following　this　execution　M。　de　la　Villeurnoy　came　to　my　house　to　tell　me　that　he　was　going　that　day　to　the　public　dinner　of　the　King　and　Queen　to　present　Madame　de　Favras　and　her　son；　both　of　them　in　mourning　for　the　brave　Frenchman　who　fell　a　sacrifice　for　his　King；　and　that　all　the　royalists　expected　to　see　the　Queen　load　the　unfortunate　family　with　favours。　　I　did　all　that　lay　in　my　power　to　prevent　this　proceeding。　　I　foresaw　the　effect　it　would　have　upon　the　Queen's　feeling　heart；　an