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Marie Antoinette And Her Son
by Louise Muhlbach
BOOK I。
CHAPTER I。
A HAPPY QUEEN。
It was the 13th of August； 1785。 The queen； Marie Antoinette； had at
last yielded to the requests and protestations of her dear subjects。
She had left her fair Versailles and loved Trianon for one day； and
had gone to Paris； in order to exhibit herself and the young prince
whom she had borne to the king and the country on the 25th of March；
and to receive in the cathedral of Notre Dame the blessing of the
clergy and the good wishes of the Parisians。
She had had an enthusiastic reception； this beautiful and much loved
queen； Marie Antoinette。 She had driven into Paris in an open
carriage； in company with her three children； and every one who
recognized her had greeted her with a cheerful huzzah； and followed
her on the long road to Notre Dame； at whose door the prominent
clergy awaited her； the cardinal； Prince Louis de Rohan； at their
head； to introduce her to the house of the King of all kings。
Marie Antoinette was alone； only the governess of the children； the
Duchess de Polignac； sat opposite her； upon the back seat of the
carriage； and by her side the Norman nurse； in her charming
variegated district costume； cradling in her arms Louis Charles； the
young Duke of Normandy。 By her side； in the front part of the
carriage； sat her other two childrenTherese； the princess royal；
the first…born daughter； and the dauphin Louis； the presumptive heir
of the much loved King Louis the Sixteenth。 The good king had not
accompanied his spouse on this journey to Paris； which she undertook
in order to show to her dear； yet curious Parisians that she was
completely recovered； and that her children； the children of France；
were blossoming for the future like fair buds of hope and peace。
〃Go； my dear Antoinette；〃 the king had said to his queen； in his
pleasant way and with his good natured smile〃 go to Paris in order
to prepare a pleasure for my good people。 Show them our children；
and receive from them their thanks for the happiness which you have
given to me and to them。 I will not go with you； for I wish that you
should be the sole recipient of the enthusiasm of the people and
their joyful acclamations。 I will not share your triumph； but I
shall experience it in double measure if you enjoy it alone。 Go；
therefore； my beloved Antoinette； and rejoice in this happy hour。〃
Marie Antoinette did go； and she did rejoice in the happiness of the
hour。 〃While riding through Paris； hundreds recognized her； hundreds
hailed her with loud acclamations。 As she left the cathedral of
Notre Dame； in order to ascend into the carriage again with her
children and their governess； one would be tempted to think that the
whole square in front of the church had been changed into a dark；
tumultuous sea； which dashed its raging black waves into all the
streets debouching on the square； and was filling all Paris with its
roar； its swell； its thunder roll。 Yes； all Paris was there； in
order to look upon Marie Antoinette； who； at this hour； was not the
queen； but the fair woman； the happy mother who； with the pride of
the mother of the Gracchi； desired no other protection and no other
companionship than that of her two sons； who； her hand resting upon
the shoulder of her daughter； needed no other maid of honor to
appear before the people in all the splendor and all the dignity of
the Queen of France and the true mother。
Yes； all Paris was there in order to greet the queen； the woman； and
the mother； and out of thousands upon thousands of throats there
sounded forth the loud ringing shout； 〃Long live the queen！ Long
live Marie Antoinette！ Long live the fair mother and the fair
children of France！〃
Marie Antoinette felt herself deeply moved by these shouts。 The
sight of the faces animated with joy； of the flashing eyes； and the
intoxicated peals of laughter； kindled her heart； drove the blood to
her cheeks； and made her countenance beam with joy； and her eyes
glisten with delight。 She rose from her seat； and with a gesture of
inimitable grace took the youngest son from the arms of the nurse；
and lifted him high in the air； in order to display this last token
of her happiness and her motherly pride to the Parisians； who had
not yet seen the child。 The little hat； which had been placed
sideways upon the high toupet of her powdered head； had dropped upon
her neck； the broad lace cuffs had fallen back from the arms which
lifted the child into the air； and allowed the whole arm to be seen
without any covering above the elbow。
The eyes of the Parisians drank in this spectacle with perfect
rapture； and their shouting arose every moment like a burst of
fanaticism。
〃How beautiful she is！〃 resounded everywhere from the mass。 〃What a
wonderful arm！ What a beautiful neck！〃
A deep flush mantled the face of Marie Antoinette。 These words of
praise； which were a tribute to the beauty of the woman； awoke the
queen from the ecstasy into which the enthusiasm of her subjects had
transported her。 She surrendered the child again to the arms of his
nurse； and sank down quickly like a frightened dove into the
cushions of the carriage； hastily drawing up at the same time the
lace mantle which had fallen from her shoulders and replacing her
hat upon her head。
〃Tell the coachman to drive on quickly；〃 she said to the nurse； and
while the latter was communicating this order； Marie Antoinette
turned to her daughter。 〃Now； Therese；〃 asked she； laughing； 〃is it
not a beautiful spectacle our people taking so much pleasure in
seeing us？〃
The little princess of seven years shook her proud little head with
a doubting； dark look。
〃Mamma；〃 said she； 〃these people look very dirty and ugly。 I do not
like them！〃
〃Be still； my child； be still；〃 whispered the queen； hastily； for
she feared lest the men who pressed the carriage so closely as
almost to touch its doors； might hear the unthinking words of the
little girl。
Marie Antoinette had not deceived herself。 A man in a blouse； who
had even laid his hand upon the carriage； and whose head almost
touched the princess； a man with a blazing； determined face； and
small； piercing black eyes； had heard the exclamation of the
princess； and threw upon her a malignant； threatening glance。
〃Madame loves us not； because we are ugly and dirty；〃 he said； 〃but
we should； perhaps； look pretty and elegant too； if we could put on
finery to ride about in splendid carriages。 But we have to work； and
we have to suffer； that we may be able to pay our taxes。 For if we
did not do this； our king and his family would not be able to strut
around in this grand style。 We are dirty； because we are working for
the king。〃
〃I beg you； sir；〃 replied the queen； softly； 〃to forgive my
daughter； she is but a child； and does not know what she is saying。
She will learn from her parents； however； to love our good； hard…
working people； and to be thankful for their love； sir。〃
〃I am no 'sir；' 〃 replied the man； gruffly； 〃I am the poor cobbler
Simon； nothing more。〃
〃Then I beg you； Master Simon； to accept from my daughter； as a
remembrance； this likeness of her father； and to drink to our good
health；〃 said the queen； laying at the same time a louis…d'or in the
hand of her daughter； and hastily whispering to her； 〃Give it to
him。〃
The princess hastened to execute the command of her mother； and laid
the glistening gold piece in the large； dirty hand which was
extended to her。 But when she wanted to draw back her delicate
little hand； the large； bony fingers of the cobbler closed upon it
and held it fast。
〃What a little hand it is！〃 he said； with a deriding laugh； 〃I
wonder what would become of these fingers if they had to work！〃
〃Mamma；〃 cried the princess； anxiously； 〃order the man to let me go；
he hurts me。〃
The cobbler laughed on； but dropped the hand of the princess。
〃Ah；〃 cried he； scornfully； 〃it hurts a princess only to touch the
hand of a working man。 It would be a great deal better to keep
entirely away from the working people； and never to come among us。〃
〃Drive forward quickly！〃 cried the queen to the coachman； with loud；
commanding voice。
He urged on the horses； and the people who had hemmed in the
carriage closely； and listened breathlessly to the conversation of
the queen with the cobbler Simon； shrank timidly back before the
prancing steeds。
The queen recovered her pleasant； merry smile； and bowed on all
sides while the carriage rolled swiftly forward。 The people again
expressed their thanks with loud acclamations； and praised her
beauty and the beauty of her children。 But Marie Antoinette was no
longer carried beyond herself by these words of praise； and did not
rise again from her seat。
While the royal carriage was disappearing in the tumult and throng
of the multitude； Simon the cobbler stood watching it with his
mocking smile。 He felt a hand upon his arm； and heard a voice asking
the scornful question：
〃Are you in love with this Austrian woman； Master Simon？〃
The cobbler quickly turned round to confront the questioner。 He saw；
standing by his side； a little； remarkably crooked an