marie antoinette and her son-第24章

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doubts　and　all　my　anxieties　afresh。　I　visited　the　Duchess　de
Polignac；　and　while　I　was　with　her；　there　was　handed　her　a　note　from
the　queen。　I　requested　the　duchess；　in　case　the　billet　contained　no
secret；　to　show　it　to　me；　that　I　might　see　the　handwriting　of　the
queen。　The　duchess　complied　with　my　request；　and〃

The　cardinal　was　silent；　and　deep　inward　excitement　made　his　face
pale。　He　bowed　his　head；　folded　his　hands；　and　his　lips　moved　in
whispered　prayer。

The　judges；　as　well　as　the　spectators；　remained　silent。　No　one　was
able　to　break　the　solemn　stillness　by　an　audible　breath…by　a　single
movement。

At　length；　after　a　long　pause；　when　the　cardinal　had　raised　his　head
again；　the　president　asked　gently：　〃And　so　your　eminence　saw　the
note　of　the　queen；　and　was　it　not　the　same　writing　as　the　letters
which　you　had　received？〃

〃No；　it　was　not　the　same！〃　cried　the　cardinal；　with　pain。　〃No；　it
was　an　entirely　different　hand。　Only　the　signature　had　any
resemblance；　although　the　letter　to　the　duchess　was　simply
subscribed　'Marie　Antoinette。'　I　hastened　home；　and　awaited　the
coming　of　the　countess　with　feverish　impatience。　She　came；　smiling
as　ever；　and　brought　me　the　thirty　thousand　francs。　With　glowing；
passionate　words；　I　threw　my　suspicions　in　her　face。　She　appeared　a
moment　alarmed；　confused；　and　then　granted　that　it　was　possible　that
the　letters　were　not　from　the　hand　of　the　queen；　but　that　she　had
dictated　them。　But　the　signatures　were　the　queen's；　she　could　take
her　oath　of　it。　I　again　took　a　little　courage；　but　soon　after　the
countess　had　left　me；　the　jewellers　came　in　the　highest　excitement
to　me；　to　tell　me　that；　receiving　no　payments　from　the　queen；　they
had　applied　in　writing　to　her　several　times；　without　receiving　any
answer；　their　efforts　to　obtain　an　audience　were　also　all　in　vain；
and　so　they　had　at　last　applied　to　the　first　lady…in…waiting　on　the
queen；　Madame　de　Campan；　with　whom　they　had　just　had　an　interview。
Madame　de　Campan　had　told　them　that　the　queen　did　not　possess　the
necklace；　that　no　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　had　ever　had　an　interview
with　the　queen；　that　she　had　told　the　jewellers　with　extreme
indignation　that　some　one　had　been　deceiving　them；　that　they　were
the　victims　of　a　fraud；　and　that　she　would　at　once　go　to　Trianon　to
inform　the　queen　of　this　fearful　intrigue。　This　happened　on　a
Thursday；　on　the　following　Sunday　I　repaired　to　Versailles　to
celebrate　high　mass；　and　the　rest　you　know。　I　have　nothing　further
to　add。〃

〃In　the　name　of　the　court　I　thank　your　eminence　for　your　open　and
clear　exposition　of　this　sad　history；〃　said　the　president；　solemnly。
〃Your　eminence　needs　refreshment；　you　are　free　to　withdraw　and　to
return　to　the　Bastile。〃

The　cardinal　rose　and　bowed　to　the　court。　All　the　judges　stood；　and
respectfully　returned　the　salutation。　＇Footnote：　'Historical。See
〃Memoires　de　l'Abbe　Georgel；〃　vol。　i。＇

One　of　the　veiled　ladies；　sitting　on　the　spectators'　seats；　cried
with　trembling　voice：　〃God　bless　the　cardinal；　the　noble　martyr　of
the　realm！〃

All　the　spectators　repeated　the　cry；　and；　while　the　words　yet　rang；
the　cardinal；　followed　by　the　officers　who　were　to　take　him　to　the
Bastile；　had　left　the　hall。

〃Guards！〃　cried　President　de　L'Aigre；　with　a　loud　voice；　〃bring　in
the　accused；　the　Countess　de　Lamotte…Valois！〃

All　eyes　directed　themselves　to　the　door　which　the　guards　now
opened；　and　through　which　the　accused　was　to　enter。

Upon　the　threshold　of　this　door　appeared　now　a　lady　of　slim；
graceful　form；　in　a　toilet　of　the　greatest　elegance；　her　head
decorated　with　feathers；　flowers；　and　lace；　her　cheeks　highly
painted；　and　her　fine　ruby　lips　encircled　by　a　pert；　and　at　the　same
time　a　mocking　smile；　which　displayed　two　rows　of　the　finest　teeth。
With　this　smile　upon　her　lips　she　moved　forward　with　a　light　and
spirited　step；　turning　her　great　blazing　black　eyes　with　proud；
inquisitive　looks　now　to　the　stern　semicircle　of　judges　and　now　to
the　tribune；　whose　occupants　had　not　been　able　to　suppress　a
movement　of　indignation　and　a　subdued　hiss。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　she；　with　a　clear；　distinct　voice；　in　which　not
the　faintest　quiver；　not　the　least　excitement　was　apparent〃
gentlemen；　are　we　here　in　a　theatre；　where　the　players　who　tread　the
boards　are　received　with　audible　signs　of　approval　or　of　disfavor？〃

The　president；　to　whom　her　dark　eyes　were　directed；　deigned　to　give
no　answer；　but　turned　with　an　expressive　gesture　to　the　officer　who
stood　behind　the　accused。

He　understood　this　sign；　and　brought　from　the　corner　of　the　hall　a
wooden　seat　of　rough；　clumsy　form；　to　whose　high　back　of　unpolished
dirty　wood　two　short　iron　chains　were　attached。

This　seat　he　placed　near　the　handsome；　gaudily…dressed　countess　with
her　air　of　assurance　and　self…confidence；　and　pointed　to　it　with　a
commanding　gesture。

〃Be　seated；〃　he　said；　with　a　loud；　lordly　tore。　She　shrugged　her
shoulders；　and　looked　at　the　offered　seat　with　an　expression　of
indignation。　〃How！〃　she　cried；　〃who　dares　offer　me　the　chair　of
criminals　to　sit　in？〃

〃Be　seated；〃　replied　the　officer。　〃The　seat　of　the　accused　is　ready
for　you；　and　the　chains　upon　it　are　for　those　who　are　not　inclined
to　take　it。〃

A　cry　of　anger　escaped　from　her　lips；　and　her　eyes　flashed　an
annihilating　glance　upon　the　venturesome　officer；　but　he　did　not
appear　to　be　in　the　least　affected　by　the　lightning　from　her　eyes；
but　met　it　with　perfect　tranquillity。

〃If　you　do　not　take　it　of　yourself；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　be
compelled　to　summon　the　police；　we　shall　then　compel　you　to　take　the
seat；　and　in　order　to　prevent　your　rising；　the　chains　will　be　bound
around　your　arms。〃

The　countess　answered　only　with　an　exclamation　of　anger；　and　fixed
her　inquiring　looks　upon　the　judges；　the　accusers；　the　defenders；
and　then　again　upon　the　spectators。　Everywhere　she　encountered　only
a　threatening　mien　and　suspicious　looks；　nowhere　an　expression　of
sympathy。　But　it　was　just　this　which　seemed　to　give　her　courage　and
to　steel　her　strength。　She　raised　her　head　proudly；　forced　the　smile
again　upon　her　lips；　and　took　her　seat　upon　the　chair　with　a　grace
and　dignity　as　if　she　were　in　a　brilliant　saloon；　and　was　taking　her
seat　upon　an　elegant　sofa。　The　president　of　the　court　now　turned　his
grave；　rigid　face　to　the　countess；　and　asked：　〃Who　are　you；　madame？
What　is　your　name；　and　how　old　are　you？〃

The　countess　gave　way　to　a　loud；　melodious　laugh。　〃My　lord
president；〃　answered　she；　〃it　is　very　clear　that　you　are　not　much
accustomed　to　deal　with　ladies；　or　else　you　would　not　take　the
liberty　of　asking　a　lady；　like　myself　in　her　prime；　after　her　age。　I
will　pardon　you　this　breach　of　etiquette；　and　I　will　magnanimously
pretend　not　to　have　heard　that　question；　in　order　to　answer　the
others。　You　wish　to　know　my　name？　I　am　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois
of　France；　the　latest　descendant　of　the　former　Kings　of　Prance；　and
if　in　this　unhappy　land；　which　is　trodden　to　the　dust　by　a　stupid
king　and　a　dissolute　queen；　right　and　justice　still　prevailed；　I
should　sit　on　the　throne　of　France；　and　the　coquette　who　now
occupies　it　would　be　sitting　here　in　this　criminal's　chair；　to
justify　herself　for　the　theft　which　she　has　committed；　for　it　is
Marie　Antoinette　who　possesses　the　diamonds　of　the　jeweller　Bohmer；
not　I。〃

At　the　spectators'　tribune　a　gentle　bravo　was　heard　at　these　words；
and　this　daring　calumny　upon　the　queen　found　no　reproval　even　from
the　judges'　bench。

〃Madame；〃　said　L'Aigre；　after　a　short　pause；　〃instead　of　simply
answering　my　questions　you　reply　with　a　high…sounding　speech；　which
contains　an　untruth；　for　it　is　not　true　that　you　can　lay　any　claim
to　the　throne　of　France。　The　descendants　of　bastards　have　claims
neither　to　the　name　nor　the　rank　of　their　fathers。　Since；　in　respect
to　your　name　and　rank；　you　have　answered　with　an　untruth；　I　will
tell　you　who　and　what　you　are。　Your　father　was　a　poor　peasant　in　the
village　of　Auteuil。　He　called　himself　Valois；　and　the　clergyman　of
the　village　one　day　told　the　wife　of　the　proprietor　of　Auteuil；
Madame　de　Boulainvillier；　that　the　peasant　of　Valois　was　in
possession　of　family　papers；　according　to　wh