第 70 节
作者:北方网      更新:2021-02-21 16:34      字数:9321
  No; not even there longer; for the storm…birds of the revolution
  beat against the windows; and these windows had once in a while to
  be opened to let in a little sunshine; and some fresh air。 Marie
  Antoinette had long given up her walks in the garden of the
  Tuileries; for the rabble which stood behind the fence had insulted
  her so often with cries and acts; that she preferred to give up her
  exercise rather than to undergo such contemptuous treatment。
  The king; too; in order to escape the scornful treatment of the
  populace; had relinquished his walks; and before long things came to
  such a pass that the dauphin was not allowed to visit his little
  garden。 Marat; Santerre; Danton; and Robespierre; the great leaders
  of the people; had; by their threats against the royalists and their
  insurrectionary movements among the people; gained such power; that
  no one ventured to approach the garden of the prince to salute him;
  and show deference to the son of the king。 The little regiment had
  been compelled; in order to escape the mockery and contempt; the
  hatred and persecution which followed them; to disband after a few
  months; and around the fence; when the dauphin appeared; there now
  stood none but men sent there by the revolutionists to deride the
  dauphin when he appeared; and shout their wild curses against the
  king and queen。
  One day; when a crowd of savage women stood behind the fence; and
  were giving vent to their derision of the queen; the poor dauphin
  could not restrain his grief and indignation。 With glowing cheeks
  and flaming eyes he turned upon the wild throng。
  〃You lie oh; you lie!〃 he cried; with angry voice。 〃My mamma queen
  is not a wicked woman; and she does not hate the people。 My mamma
  queen is so good; so good that〃
  His tears choked his voice; and flowed in clear streams down over
  his cheeks。 Ashamed; as it were; of this indication of weakness; the
  dauphin dashed out of the garden; and hastened so rapidly to the
  palace that the Abbe Davout could scarcely follow him。 Weeping and
  sobbing; the dauphin passed through the corridor; but when they
  reached the broad staircase which led to the apartments where the
  queen lived; the dauphin stopped; suppressed his sobs; and hastily
  dried his eyes。
  〃I will not weep any more;〃 he said; 〃it would trouble mamma。 I beg
  you; abbe; say nothing to mamma。 I will try to be cheerful and
  merry; for mamma queen likes much to have me so。 Sometimes; when she
  is sad and has been weeping; I make believe not to notice it; and
  then I laugh and sing; and jump about; and then her beautiful face
  will clear up; and sometimes she even smiles a little。 So; too; I
  will be right merry; and she shall notice nothing。 You would not
  suspect that I have been weeping; would you?〃
  〃No; my prince; no one would think you had;〃 answered the abbe;
  looking with deep emotion into the great blue eyes which the dauphin
  turned up to his with an inquiring look。
  〃Well; then; we will go to my mamma queen;〃 cried the dauphin; and
  he sprang forward and opened the door with a smile; and; half
  concealed behind the curtains; he asked; in a *jesting tone; whether
  he might have permission to enter her majesty's presence。
  Marie Antoinette bade him heartily welcome; and opened her arms to
  him。 The dauphin embraced her and pressed a glowing kiss upon her
  eyes and upon her lips。
  〃You are extraordinarily affectionate to…day; my little Louis
  Charles;〃 said the queen; with a smile。 〃What is the cause of that?〃
  〃That comes from the fact that to…day I have nothing to give you
  excepting kissesnot a single flower。 They are all withered in my
  garden; and I do not like to go there any more; for there are no
  more bouquets to pluck for my dear mamma queen。 Mamma; this is my
  bouquet。〃
  And he kissed and caressed the queen afresh; and brought a glow to
  her eyes and a smile to her lips。
  〃Come now; my child; you see that the abbe is waiting; and I believe
  it is time for the study…hours to begin。 〃What comes first to…day?〃
  〃We have first; grammar;〃 answered the abbe; laying the needful
  books upon the little table at which the dauphin always took his
  lessons in the presence of the queen。
  〃Grammar!〃 cried the dauphin; 〃I wish it were history。 That I like;
  but grammar I hate!〃
  〃That comes because you make so many mistakes in it;〃 said the abbe;
  〃and; certainly; grammar is very hard。〃
  The child blushed。 〃Oh; it is not on that account;〃 he said。 〃I do
  not dislike grammar because it is hard; but merely because it is
  tedious。〃
  〃And I will wager that on that account you have forgotten what we
  went over in our last grammar hour。 We were speaking of the three
  comparatives。 But you probably do not remember them。〃
  〃You are mistaken;〃 replied the dauphin; smiling。 〃In proof; hear
  me。 If I say; 'My abbe is a good abbe;' that is the positive。 If I
  say; 'My abbe is better than another abbe;' that is the comparative。
  And;〃 he continued; turning his eyes toward the queen with an
  expression of intense affection; 〃if I say; 'My mamma is the dearest
  and best of all mammas;' that is the superlative。〃 'Footnote: The
  dauphin's own words。See Beauchesne's 〃Louis XVII。;〃 vol。 i。; p。
  133。'
  The queen drew the boy to her heart and kissed him; while her tears
  flowed down upon his auburn curls。
  On the next day; at the time of his accustomed walk; the queen went
  into the dauphin's room to greet him before he went into the garden。
  〃Mamma; I beg your permission to remain here;〃 said the dauphin。 〃My
  garden does not please me any longer。〃
  〃Why not; my son;〃 asked Marie Antoinette; 〃has any thing happened
  to you?〃
  〃Yes; mamma;〃 he answered; 〃something has happened to me。 There are
  so many bad people always standing around the fence; and they look
  at me with such evil eyes; that I am afraid of them; and they scold
  and say such hard things。 They laugh at me; and say that I am a
  stupid jack; a baker's boy that does not know how to make a loaf;
  and they call me a monkey。 That angers me and hurts my feelings; and
  if I begin to cry I am ashamed of myself; for I know that it is very
  silly to cry before people who mean ill to us。 But I am still a poor
  little boy; and my tears are stronger than I。 And so I want you;
  mamma; not to let me go to the garden any more。 Moufflet and I would
  a great deal rather play in my room。 Come here; Moufflet; make your
  compliments to the queen; and salute her like a regular grenadier。〃
  And smiling; he caught the little dog by the fore…paws; and made him
  stand up on his hind legs; and threatened Moufflet with his hand
  till he made him stand erect and let his fore feet hang down very
  respectfully。
  The queen looked down with a smile at the couple; and laughed aloud
  when the dauphin; still waving his hand threateningly to compel the
  dog to stand as he was; jumped up; ran to the table; caught up a
  paper cap; which he had made and painted with red stripes; and put
  it on Moufflet's head; calling out to him: 〃Mr。 Jacobin; behave
  respectfully! Make your salutations to her majesty the queen!〃
  After that day; the dauphin did not go into his garden again; and
  the park of the Tuileries was now the exclusive property of the
  populace; that took possession of it with furious eagerness。
  The songs of the revolution; the wild curses of the haters of
  royalty; the coarse laughter and shouting of the rabblethese were
  the storm birds which were beating at the windows of the royal
  apartments。
  Marie Antoinette had still one source of enjoyment left to her in
  her sufferings; her correspondence with her absent friends; and the
  Duchess de Polignac before all others。 Once in a while there was a
  favorable opportunity to send a letter by the hands of some faithful
  friend around her; and the queen had then the sad satisfaction at
  least of being able to express to some sympathizing heart what she
  was undergoing; without fearing that these complaints would be read
  by her enemies; as was the case with all letters which were sent by
  post。
  One of these letters to the Duchess de Polignac; which history has
  preserved; gives a faithful and touching picture of the sorrows and
  grief of the queen。 A translation of it runs thus:
  〃I cannot deny myself the pleasure of embracing you; my dear heart;
  but it must be done quickly; for the opportunity is a passing one;
  although a certain one。 I can only write a word; which will be
  forwarded to you with a large package。 We are guarded like
  criminals; and this restraint is truly dreadfully hard to bear!
  constantly too apprehensive for one another; not to be able to
  approach the window without being loaded with insults; not to be
  able to take the poor children out into the air without exposing the
  dear innocents to reproaches; what a situation is ours; my dear
  heart! And when you think that I suffer not for myself alone; but
  have to tremble for the king as well; and for our friends who are
  with us; you will see that the burden is well…nigh unbearable! But;
  as I have told you before; you absent ones; you keep me up。 Adieu;
  dear heart; let us hope in God; who looks into our consciences; and
  who knows whether we are not animated by the truest love for this
  land。 I embrace you!