第 76 节
作者:北方网      更新:2021-02-21 16:34      字数:9322
  resting on their hard beds; sighs and suppressed sobs were heard
  from where the dauphin lay。 It was the little fellow weeping for his
  lost dog。 The heir of the kings of France had to…day lost his last
  possessionhis little; faithful dog。
  Marie Antoinette stooped down and kissed his wet eyes。
  〃Do not cry; my boy; Moufflet will come back again tomorrow。〃
  〃To…morrow! certainly; mamma?〃
  〃Certainly。〃
  The boy dried his tears; and went to sleep with a smile upon his
  lips。
  But Marie Antoinette did not sleep; sitting erect in her bed; she
  listened to the cries and fiendish shoutings which came up from the
  terrace of the Feuillants; as the people heaped their abuses upon
  her; and demanded her head。
  On the next day new sufferings! The royal family had to go again
  into the little box which they had occupied the day before; they had
  to listen to the deliberation of the National Assembly about the
  future residence of the royal family; which had made itself unworthy
  to inhabit the Tuileries; while even the Luxemburg palace was no
  suitable residence for Monsieur and Madame Veto。
  The queen had in the mean time regained her self…possession and
  calmness; she could even summon a smile to her lips with which to
  greet her children and the faithful friends who thronged around her
  in order to be near her in these painful hours。 She was pleased with
  the attentions of the wife of the English ambassador; Lady
  Sutherland; who sent linen and clothes of her own son for the
  dauphin。 The queen also received from Madame Tourzel her watch with
  many thanks; since she had been robbed of her own and her purse on
  the way to the Convent des Feuillants。
  On receiving news of this theft; the five gentlemen present hastened
  to lay all the gold and notes that they carried about them on the
  table before they withdrew。 But Marie Antoinette had noticed this。
  〃Gentlemen;〃 she said; with thanks and deep feeling; 〃gentlemen;
  keep your money; you will want it more than we; for you will; I
  trust; live longer。〃 'Footnote: The queen's own words。See
  〃Beauehesne;〃 vol。 i。; p。 806。'
  Death had no longer any terrors for the queen; for she had too often
  looked him in the eye of late to be afraid。 She had with joy often
  seen him take away her faithful servants and friends。 Death would
  have been lighter to bear than the railings and abuse which she had
  to experience upon her walks from the Logograph's reporters' seat to
  the rooms in the Convent des Feuillants。 On one of these walks she
  saw in the garden some respectably dressed people standing and
  looking without hurling insults at her。Full of gratitude; the
  queen smiled and bowed to them。 On this; one of the men shouted:
  〃You needn't take the trouble to shake your head so gracefully; for
  you won't have it much longer!〃
  〃I would the man were right!〃 said Marie Antoinette softly; going on
  to the hall of the Assembly to hear the representatives of the
  nation discuss the question whether the Swiss guards; who had
  undertaken to defend the royal family with weapons in their hands;
  should not be condemned to death as traitors to the French nation。
  At length; after five days of continued sufferings; the Assembly
  became weary of insulting and humiliating longer those who had been
  robbed of their power and dignity; and it was announced to the royal
  family that they would hereafter reside in the Temple; and be
  perpetual prisoners of the nation。
  On the morning of the 18th of August two great carriages; each drawn
  by only two horses; stood in the court des Feuillants ready to carry
  the royal family to the Temple。 In the first of these sat the king;
  the queen; their two children; Madame Elizabeth; Princess Lamballe;
  Madame Tourzel and her daughter; and besides these; Potion the mayor
  of Paris; the attorney…general; and a municipal officer。 In the
  second carriage were the servants of the king and two officials。 A
  detachment of the National Guards escorted the carriages; on both
  sides of which dense masses of men stood; incessantly pouring out
  their abuse and insults。
  In the Place Vendome the procession stopped; and with scornful
  laughter they showed the king the scattered fragments; upon the
  pavements; of the equestrian statue of Louis XIV。; which had stood
  there; and which had been thrown from its pedestal by the anger of
  the people。 〃So shall it be with all tyrants!〃 shouted and roared
  the mob; raising their fists threateningly。
  〃How bad they are!〃 said the dauphin; looking with widely…opened
  eyes at the king; between whose knees he was standing。
  〃No;〃 answered Louis; gently; 〃they are not bad; they are only
  misled。〃
  At seven in the evening they reached the gloomy building which was
  now to be the home of the King and Queen of France。 〃Long live the
  nation!〃 roared the mob; which filled the inner court as Marie
  Antoinette and her husband dismounted from the carriage。 〃Long live
  the nation!down with the tyrants!〃 The queen paid no attention to
  the cries; she looked down at her black shoe; which was torn; and
  out of whose tip her white silk stocking peeped。 〃See;〃 she said; to
  Princess Lamballe; who was walking by her side; 〃see my foot; it
  would hardly be believed that the Queen of France has no shoes。〃
  CHAPTER XX。
  TO THE 21ST 0F JANUARY。
  〃We must look misfortune directly in the eye; and have courage to
  bear it worthily;〃 said Marie Antoinette。〃 〃We are prisoners; and
  shall long remain so! Let us seek to have a kind of household life
  even in our prison。 Let us make a fixed plan how to spend our days。〃
  〃You are right; Marie;〃 replied Louis; 〃let us arrange how to spend
  each day。 As I am no longer a king; I will be the teacher of my son;
  and try to educate him to be a good king。〃
  〃Do you believe; then; husband; that there are to be kings after
  this in France?〃 asked Marie Antoinette; with a shrug。
  〃Well;〃 answered Louis; 〃we will at least seek to give him such an
  education that he shall be able to fill worthily whatever station he
  may be called to。 I will be his teacher in the sciences。〃
  〃And I will interest him and our daughter in music and drawing;〃
  said the queen。
  〃And you will allow me to teach my niece to embroider an altar…
  cover;〃 said Madame Elizabeth。
  〃And in the evening;〃 said Marie Antoinette; nodding playfully to
  Princess Lamballe; 〃in the evening we will read comedies; that the
  children may learn of our Lamballe the art of declamation。 We will
  seek to forget the past; and turn our thoughts only to the present;
  whatever it may be。 You see that these four days that we have spent
  here in the Temple have been good schoolmasters for me; and have
  made me patient; andbut what is that?〃 exclaimed the queen; 〃did
  you not hear steps before the door? It must be something unusual;
  for it is not yet so late as the officials are accustomed to come。
  Where are the children?〃
  And; in the anxiety of her motherly love; the queen hastened up the
  little staircase which led to the second story of the Temple; where
  was the chamber of the dauphin; together with the general sitting…
  room。
  Louis Charles sprang forward to meet his mother; and asked her
  whether she had come to fulfil her promise; and go out with him into
  the garden。 The queen; instead of answering; clasped him in her
  arms; and beckoned to Theresa to come to her side。 〃Oh! my children;
  my dear children; I only wanted to see you; I〃
  The door opened; and the king; followed by his sister; Princess
  Lamballe; and Madame Tourzel; entered。
  〃What is it?〃 cried Marie Antoinette。 〃Some new misfortune; is it
  not?〃
  She was silent; for she now became aware of the presence of both of
  the municipal officials; who had come in behind the ladies; and in
  whose presence she would not complain。 Manuel; who; since the 10th
  of August; had been attorney…generalManuel; the enemy of the
  queen; the chief supervisor of the prisoners in the Temple; was
  thereand Marie Antoinette would not grant him the triumph of
  seeing her weakness。
  〃You have something to say to us; sir;〃 said the queen; with a voice
  which she compelled to be calm。
  Yes; Manuel had something to say to her。 He had to lay before her
  and the king a decree of the National Assembly; which ordered old
  parties who had accompanied 〃Louis Capet and his wife〃 to the
  Temple; either under the name of friends or servants; to leave the
  place at once。 The queen had not a word of complaint; but her pride
  was vanquished; she suffered Manuel to see her tears。 She extended
  her arms; and called the faithful Lamballe to her; mingled her tears
  with those of the princess; and then gave a parting kiss to Madame
  de Tourzel and her daughter。
  The evening of that day was a silent and solitary one in the rooms
  of the Temple。 Their last servants had been taken away from the
  royal prisoners; and only Clery; the valet of the king; had been
  suffered to remain; to wait upon his master。 The next morning;
  however; Manuel came to inform the queen that she would be allowed
  to have two other women to wait upon her; and gave her a list of
  names from which she might choose。 But Marie Antoinette; with proud
  composure; refused to accept this offer。 〃We have been deprived of
  those who remained fa