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！
The queen； pierced to the very heart by the innocent question of the
child； burst into tears。
〃My prince；〃 said the Abbe Davout； turning to the dauphin； 〃you see
that you trouble the queen； and her majesty needs rest。 Come； we
will take a walk。〃
But Marie Antoinette put both her arms around the child and pressed
its head with its light locks to her breast。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃no； he does not trouble me。 Let me weep。 Tears do
me good。 One is only unfortunate when she can no longer weep； when
but what is that？〃 she eagerly asked； rising from her easy…chair。
〃What does that noise mean？〃
And in very fact in the street there were loud shouting and crying；
and intermingled curses and threats。
〃Mamma；〃 cried the dauphin； nestling close up to the queen； 〃is to…
day going to be just like yesterday？〃 ＇Footnote： The very words of
the dauphin。See Beauchesne； vol。 i。＇
The door was hastily opened； and the king entered。
〃Sire；〃 asked Marie； eagerly advancing toward him； 〃are they going
to renew the dreadful scenes of yesterday？〃
〃On the contrary； Marie； they are going to bring to their reckoning
those who occasioned the scenes of yesterday；〃 answered the king。 〃A
deputation from the Court of Chatelet have come to the Tuileries；
and desire of me an authorization to bring to trial those who are
guilty； and of you any information which you can give about what has
taken place。 The mob have accompanied the deputation hither； and
hence arise these cries。 I am come to ask you； Marie； to receive the
deputation of Chatelet。〃
〃As if there were any choice left us to refuse to see them；〃
answered Marie Antoinette； sighing。 〃The populace who are howling
and crying without are now the master of the men who come to us with
a sneer； and ask us whether we will grant them an audience。 We must
submit！〃
The king did not answer； but shrugged his shoulders； and opened the
door of the antechamber。 〃Let them enter；〃 he said to the
chamberlains there。
The two folding doors were now thrown open； and the loud voice of an
officer announced； 〃The honorable judges of Chatelet！〃
Slowly； with respectful mien and bowed head； the gentlemen； arrayed
in their long black robes； entered the room； and remained humbly
standing near the door。
Marie Antoinette had advanced a few steps。 Not a trace of grief and
disquiet was longer to be seen in her face。 Her figure was erect；
her glance was proud and full of fire； and the expression of her
countenance noble and majestic。 She was still the queen； though not
surrounded by the solemn pomp which attended the public audiences at
Versailles。 She did not stand on the purple…carpeted step of the
throne； no gold…embroidered canopy arched over her； no crowd of
brilliant courtiers surrounded her； only her husband stood near her；
her son clung to her side； and his teacher； the Abbe Davout； timidly
withdrew into the background。 These formed all her suite。 But Marie
Antoinette did not need external pomp to be a queen； she was so in
her bearing； in every look； in every gesture。 With commanding
dignity she allowed the deputation to approach her； and to speak
with her。 She listened with calm attention to the words of the
speaker； who； in the name of the court； gave utterance to the deep
horror with which the treasonable actions of the day before had
filled him。 He then humbly begged the queen to give such names of
the rioters as might be known to her； that they might be arrested；
but Marie Antoinette interrupted him in his address。
〃No； sir；〃 she cried； 〃no； never will I be an informer against the
subjects of the king。〃 ＇Footnote： Marie Antoinette's own words。See
Goncourt； 〃Marie Antoinette；〃 pp。 196； 197。＇
The speaker bowed respectfully。 〃Then let me at least beg of you； in
the name of the High…Court of the Chatelet； to give us your order to
bring the guilty parties to trial； for without such a charge we
cannot prosecute the criminals who have been engaged in these acts。〃
〃Nor do I wish you to bring any one to trial；〃 cried the queen； with
dignity。 〃I have seen all； known all； and forgotten all！ Go；
gentlemen； go！ My heart knows no vengeance； it has forgiven all
those who have wounded me。 Go！〃 ＇Footnote： Ibid＇
With a commanding gesture of her hand； and a gentle nod of her head；
she dismissed the deputation； who silently withdrew。
〃Marie；〃 said the king； grasping the hand of his wife with unwonted
eagerness； and pressing it tenderly to his lips； 〃Marie； I thank you
in the name of all my subjects。 You have acted this hour not only as
a queen； but as the mother of my people。〃
〃Ah； sir；〃 replied the queen； with a sad smile； 〃only that the
children will not believe in the love of their motheronly that
your subjects do not consider me their mother； but their enemy。〃
〃They have been misguided；〃 said the king。 〃Evil…minded men have
deceived them； but I hope we shall succeed in bringing the people
back from their error。〃
〃Sire；〃 sighed Marie Antoinette； 〃I hope for nothing more； but；〃
added she； with still firmer voice； 〃I also fear nothing more。 The
worst may break over meit shall find me armed！〃
The side…door now opened； and Madame de Campan entered。
〃Your majesty；〃 said she； bowing low； 〃a great number of ladies from
the Faubourg St。 Germain are in the small reception…room。 They wish
to testily their devotion to your majesty。〃
〃I will receive them at once；〃 cried Marie Antoinette； with an
almost joyful tone。 〃Ah； only see； husband； the consolations which
misfortune brings。 These ladies of the Faubourg St。 Germain formerly
cut me； they could not forget that I was an Austrian。 To…day they
feel that I am the Queen of France； and that I belong to them。
Pardon me； sire； for leaving you。〃
She hastened away with a rapid step。 The king looked after her with
an expression of pain。 〃Poor queen；〃 he whispered to himself； 〃how
much she is misjudged； how wrongly she is calumniated！ And I cannot
change it； and must let it be。〃
He sank with a deep sigh； which seemed much like a groan； into an
arm…chair； and was lost in painful recollections。 A gentle touch on
his hand； which rested on the side…arm of the chair； restored him to
consciousness。 Before him stood the dauphin； and looked gravely and
thoughtfully out of his large blue eyes up into his father's face。
〃Ah； is it you； my little Louis Charles？〃 said the king； nodding to
him。 〃What do you want of me； my child？〃
〃Papa king；〃 answered the boy； timidly； 〃I should like to ask you
somethingsomething really serious！〃
〃Something really serious！〃 replied the king。 〃Well； what is it？ Let
me hear！〃
〃Sire；〃 replied the dauphin； with a weighty and thoughtful air；
〃sire； Madame de Tourzel has always told me that I must love the
people of France very much； and treat every one very friendly；
because the people of France love my papa and my mamma so much； and
I ought to be very grateful for it。 How comes it then； sire； that
the French people are now so bad to you； and that they do not love
mamma any longer？ What have you both done to make the people so
angry； because I have been told that the people are subject to your
majesty； and that they owe you obedience and respect？ But they were
not obedient yesterday； and not at all respectful； your subjects；
were they？ How is this； papa？〃
The king drew the little prince to his knee； and put his arm around
the slight form of the boy。 〃I will explain it to you； my son；〃 he
said； 〃and listen carefully to what I say to you。〃
〃I will； sire；〃 answered the boy eagerly； 〃I at least am an obedient
subject of my king； for the Abbe Davout has told me that I am
nothing but a subject of your majesty； and that； as a son and a
subject； I must give a good example to the French people； how to
love and obey the king。 And I love you very much； papa； and I am
just as obedient as I can be。 But it seems as though my good example
had made no difference with the other subjects。 How comes that
about； papa king？〃
〃My son；〃 answered Louis； 〃that comes because there are bad men who
have told the people that I do not love them。 We have had to have
great wars； and wars cost a deal of money。 And so I asked money of
my peoplejust as my ancestors always did。〃
〃But； papa；〃 cried the dauphin； 〃why did you do that？ Why did you
not take my purse； and pay out of that？ You know that I receive
every day my purse all filled with new francs； andbut then；〃 he
interrupted himself； 〃there would be nothing left for the poor
children； to whom I always give money on my walks。 And； oh！ there
are so many poor children； so very many； that my purse is empty
every day； when I return from my walk； and yet I give to each child
only one poor franc…piece。 So your people have money； more money
than you yourself？〃
〃My child； kings receive all that they have from their people； but
they give it all back to the people again； the king is the one
appointed by God to govern his people； and the people owe respect
and obedience to the king； and have to pay taxes to him。 And so； if
he needs money； he is justified in asking his subjects for it； and
so does what is called 'laying taxes' upon them。 Do you understand
me？〃
〃Oh！ yes； papa；〃 cried the chi