marie antoinette and her son-第4章

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walking　in　the　park　of　St。　Cloud；　you　are　no　longer　in　France　and　on
French　soil；　but　in　an　Austrian　province；　where　a　foreigner　can
establish　her　harem　and　make　her　laws；　and　yet　a　virtuous　and　noble
people　does　not　rise　in　opposition　to　it。〃

〃It　does　not　know　anything　about　it；　brother　Marat；〃　said　Simon；
eagerly。　〃It　knows　very　little　about　the　vices　and　follies　of　the
queen。〃

〃Well；　tell　the　people；　then；　report　to　them　what　I　have　told　yon；
and　make　it　your　duty　that　it　be　talked　over　among　other　friends；
and　made　generally　known。〃

〃Oh！　that　shall　be；　that　shall　certainly　be；〃　said　Simon；　cheerily；〃
but　you　have　not　given　me　the　name　of　that　third　lover　yet。〃

〃Oh！　the　third…that　is　Lord　Besenval；　the　inspector　general　of　the
Swiss　guard；　the　chief　general　of　the　army；　and　the　commander　of　the
Order　of　Louis。　You　see　it　is　a　great　advantage　for　a　man　to　be　a
lover　of　the　queen；　for　in　that　way　he　comes　to　a　high　position。
While　King　Louis　the　Fifteenth；　that　monster　of　vice；　was　living；
Besenval　was　only　colonel　of　the　Swiss　guard；　and　all　he　could　do
was　once　in　a　while　to　take　part　in　the　orgies　at　the　Eoil　de　Boeuf。
But　now　the　queen　has　raised　him　to　a　very　high　place。　All　St。　Cloud
and　Trianon　form　the　Eoil　de　Boeuf；　where　Marie　Antoinette
celebrates　her　orgies；　and　General　Besenval　is　made　one　of　the　first
directors　of　the　sports。　Now　you　know　every　thing；　do　you　not？〃

〃Yes；　Doctor　Marat；　now　I　have　a　general　run　of　every　thing；　and　I
thank　you；　but　I　hope　that　you　will　tell　me　more　this　evening；　for
your　stories　are　vastly　entertaining。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　I　shall　tell　you　plenty　more　of　the　same　sort；　for　the
queen　takes　good　care　that　we　shall　always　have　material　for　such
stories。　Yet；　unfortunately；　I　have　no　time　now；　for〃

〃I　know；　I　know；　you　have　got　to　visit　your　sick　people；〃　said
Simon；　nodding　confidentially　to　him。　〃I　will　not　detain　you　any
longer。　Good…by；　my　dear　Doctor　Marat。　We　shall　meet　this　evening。〃

He　sprang　quickly　away；　and　soon　disappeared　round　the　next　corner。
Marat　looked　after　him　with　a　wicked；　triumphant　expression　in　his
features。

〃So　far　good；　so　far　good；〃　muttered　he；　shaking　his　head　with
choler。　〃　In　this　way　I　have　got　to　win　over　the　soldiers　and　the
people　to　freedom。　The　cobbler　will　make　an　able　and　practicable
soldier；　and　with　his　nice　little　stories；　he　will　win　over　a　whole
company。　Triumph　on；　you　proud　Bourbons；　go　on　dreaming　in　your
gilded　palaces；　surrounded　by　your　Swiss　guards。　Keep　on　believing
that　you　have　the　power　in　your　hands；　and　that　no　one　can　take　it
from　you。　The　time　will　come　when　the　people　will　disturb　your　fine
dream；　and　when　the　little；　despised；　ugly　Marat；　whom　no　one　now
knows；　and　who　creeps　around　in　your　stables　like　a　poisonous　rat；
shall　confront　you　as　a　power　before　which　you　shall　shrink　away　and
throw　yourselves　trembling　into　the　dust。　There　shall　go　by　no　day
in　which　I　and　my　friends　shall　not　win　soldiers　for　our　side；　and
the　silly；　simple　fool；　Marie　Antoinette；　makes　it　an　easy　thing　for
us。　Go　on　committing　your　childish　pranks；　which；　when　the　time
shall　threaten　a　little；　will　justify　the　most　villanous　deeds　and
the　most　shameless　acts；　and　I　will　keep　the　run　of　all　the　turns　of
the　times；　and　this　fine　young　queen　cannot　desire　that　we　should
look　at　the　world　with　such　simple　eyes　as　she　does。　Yes；　fair　Queen
Marie　Antoinette；　thou　hast　thy　Swiss　guards；　who　fight　for　thee；
and　thou　must　pay　them；　but　I　have　only　one　soldier　who　takes　ground
for　me　against　thee；　and　whom　I　do　not　have　to　pay　at　all。　My
soldier's　name　is　Calumny。　I　tell　thee；　fair　queen；　with　this　ally　I
can　overcome　all　thy　Swiss　guards；　and　the　whole　horde　of　thy
armies。　For；　on　the　earth　there　is　no　army　corps　that　is　so　strong
as　Calumny。　Hurrah！　long　life　to　thee；　my　sworn　ally；　Calumny！〃




CHAPTER　II。

MADAME　ADELAIDE。


Queen　Marie　Antoinette　had　returned；　after　her　Paris　ride；　to　her
own　Versailles。　She　was　silent　the　whole　of　the　way；　and　the　Duchess
de　Polignac　had　sought　in　vain　to　cheer　her　friend　with　light　and
pleasant　talk；　and　drive　away　the　clouds　from　her　lofty　brow。　Marie
Antoinette　had　only　responded　by　enforced　smiles　and　half…words；　and
then；　settling　back　into　the　carriage；　had　gazed　with　dreamy　looks
into　the　heavens；　whose　cheerful　blue　called　out　no　reflection　upon
the　fair　face　of　the　queen。

As　they　drew　into　the　great　court　of　the　palace　at　Versailles；　the
drum…beat　of　the　Swiss　guards；　presenting　arms；　and　the　general　stir
which　followed　the　approach　of　the　queen；　appeared　to　awaken　her
from　her　sorrowful　thoughts；　and　she　straightened　herself　up　and
cast　her　glances　about。　They　fell　quite　accidentally　upon　the　child
which　was　in　the　arms　of　the　nurse　opposite；　and　which；　with　great
wide…open　eyes；　was　looking　up　to　the　heavens；　as　its　mother　had
done　before。

In　the　intensity　of　her　motherly　love；　the　queen　stretched　out　her
arms　to　the　child　and　drew　it　to　her　heart；　and　pressed　a　burning
kiss　upon　its　lips。

〃Ah！　my　child；　my　dear　child；〃　said　she；　softly；　〃you　have　to…day；
for　the　first　time；　made　your　entry　into　Paris；　and　heard　the
acclamations　of　the　people。　May　you；　so　long　as　you　live；　always　be
the　recipient　of　kindly　greetings；　and　never　again　hear　such　words
as　that　dreadful　man　spoke　to　us　to…day！〃

She　pressed　the　little　Duke　of　Normandy　closely　to　her　heart；　and
quite　forgot　that　she　was　all　this　while　in　the　carriage；　that　near
the　open　portal　the　hostlers　and　lackeys　were　awaiting　in　a
respectful　posture　the　dismounting　of　the　queen；　that　the　drums　were
all　the　while　beating；　and　that　the　guards　were　standing　before　the
gates　in　the　fixed　attitude　of　presenting　arms。

The　Duchess　de　Polignac　ventured　to　suggest　in　softly…spoken　words
the　necessity　of　dismounting；　and　the　queen；　with　her　little　boy　in
her　arms；　sprang　lightly　and　spiritedly；　without　accepting　the
assistance　of　the　master　of　the　grooms；　out　of　the　carriage；　smiling
cheerily；　greeting　the　assembled　chamberlains　as　she　passed　by；
hurried　into　the　palace　and　ran　up　the　great　marble　staircase。　The
Duchess　de　Polignac　made　haste　to　follow　her；　while　the　Princess
Therese　and　the　dauphin　were　received　by　their　dames　of　honor　and
led　into　their　respective　apartments。　The　Norman　nurse；　shaking　her
head；　hurried　after　the　queen；　and　the　chamberlains　and　both　the
maids　of　honor；　shaking　their　heads；　too；　followed　her　into　the
great　ante…chamber。　After　riding　out；　the　queen　was　in　the　habit　of
dismissing　them　there；　but　to…day　Marie　Antoinette　had　gone　into　her
own　suite　of　rooms　without　saying　a　word；　and　the　door　was　already
closed。

〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　asked　both　the　maids　of　honor　of　the
cavaliers；　and　received　only　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　for　reply。

〃We　shall　have　to　wait；〃　at　last　said　the　Marchioness　de　Mailly。
〃Perhaps　her　majesty　will　have　the　kindness　to　remember　us　and　to
permit　us　to　withdraw。〃

〃And　if　she　should　happen　to　forget　it；〃　answered　the　Princess　de
Chimay；　〃we　shall　have　to　stand　here　the　whole　day；　while　the　queen
in　Trianon　is　amusing　herself　with　the　fantastic　pastoral　plays。〃

〃Yes；　certainly；　there　is　a　country　festival　in　Trianon　to…day；〃
said　the　Prince　de　Castines；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃and　it　might
easily　happen　that　we　should　be　forgotten；　and；　like　the
unforgetable　wife　of　Lot；　have　to　stand　here　playing　the　ridiculous
part　of　pillars　of　salt。〃

〃No；　there　comes　our　deliverance；〃　whispered　the　Marchioness　de
Mailly；　pointing　to　a　carriage　which　just　then　came　rolling　across
the　broad　palace…square。　〃It　was　yesterday　resolved　in　secret
council　at　the　Count　de　Provence's；　that　Madame　Adelaide　should　make
one　more　attempt　to　bring　the　queen　to　reason；　and　make　her
understand　what　is　becoming　and　what　is　unbecoming　to　a　Queen　of
France。　Now　look　you；　in　accordance　with　this　resolve；　Madame
Adelaide　is　coming　to　Versailles　to　pay　a　visit　to　her　distinguished
niece。〃

Just　then　the　carriage　of　the　Princess　Adelaide；　daughter　of　Louis
the　Fifteenth；　and　aunt　of　Louis　the　Sixteenth；　drove　through　the
great　gate　into　the　guarded　vestibule　of　the　palace；　two　outrider