the memoirs of marie antoinette-第92部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



The　Legislative　Assembly；　which　had　just　succeeded　the　Constituent　Assembly　（October；　1791）；　founded　its　conduct　upon　the　wildest　republican　principles；　created　from　the　midst　of　popular　assemblies；　it　was　wholly　inspired　by　the　spirit　which　animated　them。　　The　constitution；　as　I　have　said；　was　presented　to　the　King　on　the　3d　of　September；　1791。　　The　ministers；　with　the　exception　of　M。　de　Montmorin；　insisted　upon　the　necessity　of　accepting　the　constitutional　act　in　its　entirety。　　The　Prince　de　Kaunitz＇Minister　of　Austria＇　was　of　the　same　opinion。　Malouet　wished　the　King　to　express　himself　candidly　respecting　any　errors　or　dangers　that　he　might　observe　in　the　constitution。　　But　Duport　and　Barnave；　alarmed　at　the　spirit　prevailing　in　the　Jacobin　Club；

　　　　　＇The　extreme　revolutionary　party；　so　called　from　the　club；　　　　　　originally　〃Breton；〃　then　〃Amis　de　la　Constitution；〃　sitting　at　the　　　　　　convent　of　the　Dominicans　（called　in　France　Jacobins）　of　the　Rue　　　　　　Saint　Honore。＇

and　even　in　the　Assembly；　where　Robespierre　had　already　denounced　them　as　traitors　to　the　country；　and　dreading　still　greater　evils；　added　their　opinions　to　those　of　the　majority　of　the　ministers　and　M。　de　Kaunitz；　those　who　really　desired　that　the　constitution　should　be　maintained　advised　that　it　should　not　be　accepted　thus　literally。　　The　King　seemed　inclined　to　this　advice；　and　this　is　one　of　the　strongest　proofs　of　his　sincerity。

Alexandre　Lameth；　Duport；　and　Barnave；　still　relying　on　the　resources　of　their　party；　hoped　to　have　credit　for　directing　the　King　through　the　influence　they　believed　they　had　acquired　over　the　mind　of　the　Queen。　They　also　consulted　people　of　acknowledged　talent；　but　belonging　to　no　council　nor　to　any　assembly。　　Among　these　was　M。　Dubucq；　formerly　intendant　of　the　marine　and　of　the　colonies。　　He　answered　laconically　in　one　phrase：　〃Prevent　disorder　from　organising　itself。〃

The　letter　written　by　the　King　to　the　Assembly；　claiming　to　accept　the　constitution　in　the　very　place　where　it　had　been　created；　and　where　he　announced　he　would　be　on　the　14th　September　at　mid…day；　was　received　with　transport；　and　the　reading　was　repeatedly　interrupted　by　plaudits。　　The　sitting　terminated　amidst　the　greatest　enthusiasm；　and　M。　de　La　Fayette　obtained　the　release　of　all　those　who　were　detained　on　account　of　the　King's　journey　＇to　Varennes＇；　the　abandonment　of　all　proceedings　relative　to　the　events　of　the　Revolution；　and　the　discontinuance　of　the　use　of　passports　and　of　temporary　restraints　upon　free　travelling；　as　well　in　the　interior　as　without。　　The　whole　was　conceded　by　acclamation。　　Sixty　members　were　deputed　to　go　to　the　King　and　express　to　him　fully　the　satisfaction　his　Majesty's　letter　had　given。　　The　Keeper　of　the　Seals　quitted　the　chamber；　in　the　midst　of　applause；　to　precede　the　deputation　to　the　King。

The　King　answered　the　speech　addressed　to　him；　and　concluded　by　saying　to　the　Assembly　that　a　decree　of　that　morning；　which　had　abolished　the　order　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　had　left　him　and　his　son　alone　permission　to　be　decorated　with　it；　but　that　an　order　having　no　value　in　his　eyes；　save　for　the　power　of　conferring　it；　he　would　not　use　it。

The　Queen；　her　son；　and　Madame；　were　at　the　door　of　the　chamber　into　which　the　deputation　was　admitted。　　The　King　said　to　the　deputies；　〃You　see　there　my　wife　and　children；　who　participate　in　my　sentiments；　〃　and　the　Queen　herself　confirmed　the　King's　assurance。　　These　apparent　marks　of　confidence　were　very　inconsistent　with　the　agitated　state　of　her　mind。　〃These　people　want　no　sovereigns；〃　said　she。　　〃We　shall　fall　before　their　treacherous　though　well…planned　tactics；　they　are　demolishing　the　monarchy　stone　by　stone。〃

Next　day　the　particulars　of　the　reception　of　the　deputies　by　the　King　were　reported　to　the　Assembly；　and　excited　warm　approbation。　　But　the　President　having　put　the　question　whether　the　Assembly　ought　not　to　remain　seated　while　the　King　took　the　oath　〃Certainly；〃　was　repeated　by　many　voices；　〃and　the　King；　standing；　uncovered。〃　　M。　Malouet　observed　that　there　was　no　occasion　on　which　the　nation；　assembled　in　the　presence　of　the　King；　did　not　acknowledge　him　as　its　head；　that　the　omission　to　treat　the　head　of　the　State　with　the　respect　due　to　him　would　be　an　offence　to　the　nation；　as　well　as　to　the　monarch。　　He　moved　that　the　King　should　take　the　oath　standing；　and　that　the　Assembly　should　also　stand　while　he　was　doing　so。　　M。　Malouet's　observations　would　have　carried　the　decree；　but　a　deputy　from　Brittany　exclaimed；　with　a　shrill　voice；　that　he　had　an　amendment　to　propose　which　would　render　all　unanimous。　　〃Let　us　decree；〃　said　he；　〃that　M。　Malouet；　and　whoever　else　shall　so　please；　may　have　leave　to　receive　the　King　upon　their　knees；　but　let　us　stick　to　the　decree。〃

The　King　repaired　to　the　chamber　at　mid…day。　　His　speech　was　followed　by　plaudits　which　lasted　several　minutes。　　After　the　signing　of　the　constitutional　act　all　sat　down。　　The　President　rose　to　deliver　his　speech；　but　after　he　had　begun；　perceiving　that　the　King　did　not　rise　to　hear　him；　he　sat　down　again。　　His　speech　made　a　powerful　impression；　the　sentence　with　which　it　concluded　excited　fresh　acclamations；　cries　of　〃Bravo！〃　　and　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃〃Sire；　〃said　he；　〃how　important　in　our　eyes；　and　how　dear　to　our　heartshow　sublime　a　feature　in　our　history　must　be　the　epoch　of　that　regeneration　which　gives　citizens　to　France；　and　a　country　to　Frenchmen；to　you；　as　a　king；　a　new　title　of　greatness　and　glory；　and；　as　a　man；　a　source　of　new　enjoyment。〃　　The　whole　Assembly　accompanied　the　King　on　his　return；　amidst　the　people's　cries　of　happiness；　military　music；　and　salvoes　of　artillery。

At　length　I　hoped　to　see　a　return　of　that　tranquillity　which　had　so　long　vanished　from　the　countenances　of　my　august　master　and　mistress。　　Their　suite　left　them　in　the　salon；　the　Queen　hastily　saluted　the　ladies；　and　returned　much　affected；　the　King　followed　her；　and；　throwing　himself　into　an　armchair；　put　his　handkerchief　to　his　eyes。　　〃Ah！　Madame；〃　cried　he；　his　voice　choked　by　tears；　〃why　were　you　present　at　this　sitting？　　to　witness〃　these　words　were　interrupted　by　sobs。　　The　Queen　threw　herself　upon　her　knees　before　him；　and　pressed　him　in　her　arms。　　I　remained　with　them；　not　from　any　blamable　curiosity；　but　from　a　stupefaction　which　rendered　me　incapable　of　determining　what　I　ought　to　do。　　The　Queen　said　to　me；　〃Oh！　go；　go！〃　with　an　accent　which　expressed；　〃Do　not　remain　to　see　the　dejection　and　despair　of　your　sovereign！〃　　I　withdrew；　struck　with　the　contrast　between　the　shouts　of　joy　without　the　palace　and　the　profound　grief　which　oppressed　the　sovereigns　within。　　Half　an　hour　afterwards　the　Queen　sent　for　me。　　She　desired　to　see　M。　de　Goguelat；　to　announce　to　him　his　departure　on　that　very　night　for　Vienna。　　The　renewed　attacks　upon　the　dignity　of　the　throne　which　had　been　made　during　the　sitting；　the　spirit　of　an　Assembly　worse　than　the　former；　the　monarch　put　upon　a　level　with　the　President；　without　any　deference　to　the　throne；　all　this　proclaimed　but　too　loudly　that　the　sovereignty　itself　was　aimed　at。　　The　Queen　no　longer　saw　any　ground　for　hope　from　the　Provinces。　The　King　wrote　to　the　Emperor；　she　told　me　that　she　w