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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
meeting the eyes of Lamotte； which rested on him like two fiery
daggers。
The president propounded the usual questions as to name and rank。 He
answered that his name was Retaux de Vilette； and that he was
steward and secretary of the Countess Lamotte…Valois。 On further
questioning； he declared that after the count and the countess had
been arrested he had fled； and had gone to Geneva in order to await
the end of the trial。 But as it lingered so long； he had attempted
to escape to England； but had been arrested。
〃Why do you wish to escape？〃 asked the attorney…general。
〃Because I feared being involved in the affairs of the Countess
Lamotte；〃 answered Retaux de Vilette； in low tones。
〃Say rather you knew that you would be involved with them。 You have
at a previous examination deposed circumstantially； and you cannot
take back what you testified then； for your denial would be of no
avail。 Answer； therefore： What have you done？ Why were you afraid of
being involved in the trial of Countess Lamotte？〃
〃Because I had done a great wrong；〃 answered Retaux； with vehemence。
〃Because I had allowed myself to be led astray by the promises； the
seductive arts； the deceptions of the countess。 I was poor； I lived
unseen and unnoticed； and I wished to be rich； honored； and
distinguished。 The countess promised me all this。 She would persuade
the cardinal to advance me to honor； she would introduce me to the
court； and through her means I should become rich and sought after。
I believed all this； and like her devoted slave I did all that she
asked of me。〃
〃Slavish soul！〃 cried the countess； with an expression of
unspeakable scorn。
〃What did the countess desire of you？〃 asked the president。 〃What
did you do in her service？〃
〃I wrote the letters which were intended for the cardinal；〃 answered
Retaux de Vilette。 〃The countess composed them； and I wrote them in
the handwriting of the queen。〃
〃How did you know her handwriting？〃
〃The countess gave me a book in which a letter of the queen's was
printed in exact imitation of her hand。 I copied the letters as
nearly as I could； and so worked out my sentences。〃
〃He lies； he lies！〃 cried the countess； with a fierce gesture。
〃And how was it with the promissory note to the jewellers； Bohmer
and Bassenge？ Do you know about that？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Retaux； with a sigh； 〃I do know about it； for I
wrote it at the direction of the countess； and added the signature。〃
〃Had you a copy？〃
〃Yes； the signature of the fac…simile。〃
〃In the printed letter was there the subscription which you
inserted？〃
〃No； there was only the name 'Marie Antoinette；' nothing further；
but the countess thought that this was only a confidential way of
writing her name； as a daughter might use it in a letter to a mother
（it was a letter written by the queen to her mother）； but that in a
document of a more business…like character there must be an official
signature。 We had a long discussion about it； which resulted in our
coming to the conclusion that the proper form would be 'Marie
Antoinette of France。' So I practised this several times； and
finally wrote it on the promissory note。〃
〃He lies！〃 cried the countess； stamping on the floor。 〃He is a born
liar and slanderer。〃
〃I am prepared to show the proof at once that I speak the truth；〃
said Retaux de Vilette。 〃If you will give me writing…materials I
will write the signature of the queen in the manner in which it is
written on the promissory note。〃
The president gave the order for the requisite articles to be
brought and laid on a side…table。 Retaux took the pen； and with a
rapid hand wrote some words； which he gave to the officer to be
carried to the president。
The latter took the paper and compared it with the words which were
written on the promissory note。 He then passed the two to the
attorney…general； and he to the judge next to him。 The papers passed
from hand to hand； and； after they came back to the president again；
he rose from his seat：
〃I believe that the characters on this paper precisely accord with
those on the note。 The witness has given what seems to me
irrefutable testimony that he was the writer of that signature； as
well as of the letters to the cardinal。 He was the culpable
instrument of the criminal Lamotte…Valois。 Those of the judges who
are of my opinion will rise。〃
The judges arose as one man。
The countess uttered a loud cry and fell； seized with fearful
spasms； to the ground。
〃I declare the investigation and hearings ended；〃 said the
president； covering his head。 〃Let the accused and the witnesses be
removed； and the spectators' tribune be vacated。 We will adjourn to
the council…room to prepare the sentence； which will be given to…
morrow。〃
BOOK II。
CHAPTER VII。
THE BAD OMEN
The day was drawing to a close。 That endlessly long day； that 31st
of August； 1786； was coming to a conclusion。 All Paris had awaited
it with breathless excitement； with feverish impatience。 No one had
been able to attend to his business。 The stores were closed； the
workshops of the artisans were empty； even in the restaurants and
cafes all was still； the cooks had nothing to do； and let the fire
go out； for it seemed as if all Paris had lost its appetiteas if
nobody had time to eat。
And in truth； on this day； Paris had no hunger for food that could
satisfy the body。 The city was hungry only for news； it longed for
food which would satisfy its curiosity。 And the news which would
appease its craving was to come from the court…room of the prison！
It was to that quarter that Paris looked for the stilling of its
hunger； the satisfying of its desires。
The judges were assembled in the hall of the prison to pronounce the
decisive sentence in the necklace trial； and to announce to all
France； yes； all Europe； whether the Queen of France was innocent in
the eyes of God and His representatives on earth； or whether a shade
of suspicion was thenceforth to rest upon that lofty brow！
At a very early hour of the morning； half…past five； the judges of
the high court of Parliament； forty…nine in number； gathered at the
council…room in order to pronounce sentence。 At the same early hour；
an immense； closely…thronged crowd gathered in the broad square in
front of the prison； and gazed in breathless expectation at the
great gate of the building； hoping every minute that the judges
would come out； and that they should learn the sentence。
But the day wore on； and still the gates remained shut； no news came
from the council…room to enlighten the curiosity of the crowd that
filled the square and the adjacent streets。
Here and there the people began to complain； and loud voices were
heard grumbling at the protracted delay； the long deliberations of
the judges。 Here and there faces were seen full of scornful
defiance； full of laughing malice； working their way through the
crowd； and now and then dropping stinging words； which provoked to
still greater impatience。 All the orators of the clubs and of the
secret societies were there among the crowd； all the secret and open
enemies of the queen had sent their instruments thither to work upon
the people with poisonous words and mocking observations； and to
turn public opinion in advance against the queen； even in case the
judges did not condemn her； that is； if they did not declare the
cardinal innocent of conspiracy against the sovereign； and contempt
of the majesty of the queen。
It was known that in his resume； the attorney…general had alluded to
the punishment of the cardinal。 That was the only news which had
worked its way out of the court…room。 Some favored journalist； or
some friend of the queen； had heard this； it spread like the wind
all over Paris； and in thousands upon thousands of copies the words
of the attorney…general were distributed。
His address purported to run as follows： that 〃Cardinal de Rohan is
indicted on the accusation； and must answer the Parliament and the
attorney…general respecting the following charges： of audaciously
mixing himself up with the affairs of the necklace； and still more
audaciously in supposing that the queen would make an appointment
with him by night； and that for this he would ask the pardon of the
king and the queen in presence of the whole court。 Further； the
cardinal is enjoined to lay down his office as grand almoner within
a certain time； to remove to a certain distance from the royal
residence and not to visit the places where the royal family may be
living； and lastly； to remain in prison till the complete
termination of the trial。〃
The friends and dependants of the cardinal； the enemies and
persecutors of the queen； received this decision of the attorney…
general with vexation and anger； they found fault with the servility
of the man who would suffer the law to bow before the throne； they
made dishonorable remarks and calumnious innuendoes about the queen；
who； with her coquetry and the amount received from the jewels； had
gained over the judges； and who would； perhaps have appointed a
rendezvous with every one of them in order to gain him over to her
side。
〃Even if the judges clear her；〃 cried the sharp v