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！
republic granted her the privilege。 She could； during the night at
least； have a few hours of freedom and of solitude。
But during the night Marie Antoinette did not weep or moan； this
night her thoughts were not directed to the sad past； but to the
future； for the first ray of hope which had fallen upon her path for
a long time now encountered her。
〃To escape； to be free！〃 she said； and the shadow of a smile flitted
over her face。 〃Can you believe it？ Do you consider it possible；
sister？〃
〃I should like to believe it；〃 whispered Elizabeth； 〃but there is
something in my heart that reminds me of Varennes； and I only pray
to God that He would give us strength to bear all the ills they
inflict upon us。 We must； above all things； keep our calmness and
steadfastness； and be prepared for the worst as well as the best。〃
〃Yes； you are right； we must do that；〃 said Marie Antoinette；
collecting herself。 〃When one has suffered as we have； it is almost
more difficult to hope for good fortune than to prepare for new
terrors。 I will compel myself to be calm。 I will read Toulan's plan；
once more； and will impress it word for word upon my memory； so as
to burn the dangerous sheet as soon as possible。〃
〃And while you are doing that I will unwind the ball that Toulan
brought us； and which certainly contains something heavy；〃 said the
princess。
〃What a grand； noble heart！ what a lofty character has our friend
Toulan！〃 whispered the queen。 〃His courage is inexhaustible； his
fidelity is invincible； and he is entirely unselfish。 How often have
I implored him to express one wish to me that I might gratify； or to
allow me to give him a draft of some amount！ He is not to be shaken…
…he wants nothing； he will take nothing。 Ah； Elizabeth； he is the
first friend； of all who ever drew toward me； who made no claims and
was contented with a kind word。 When I implored him yesterday to
tell me in what way I could do him a service； he said： 'If you want
to make me happy； regard me always as your most devoted and faithful
servant； and give me a name that you give to no one besides。 Call me
Fidele； and if you want to give me another remembrancer than that
which will always live in my heart； present me； as the highest token
of your favor； with the little gold smelling…bottle which I saw you
use in the Logograph box on that dreadful day。' I gave him the
trinket at once。 He kneeled down in order to receive it； and when he
kissed my hand his hot tears fell upon it。 Ah； Elizabeth； no one of
those to whom in the days of our happiness I gave jewels； and to
whom I gave hundreds of thousands； cherished for me so warm thanks
as Toulanno； as Fidelefor the poor； insignificant little
remembrancer。〃
〃God is good and great；〃 said the princess； who； while the queen was
speaking； was busily engaged in unwinding the thread； 〃in order that
we might not lose faith in humanity and confidence in man； He sent
us in His mercy this noble； true…hearted one； whose devotion；
disinterestedness； and fidelity were to be our compensation for all
the sad and heart…rending experiences which we have endured。 And；
therefore； for the sake of this one noble man let us pardon the many
from whom we have received only injury； for it says in the Bible
that； for the sake of one righteous man； many sinners shall be
forgiven； and Toulan is a righteous man。〃
〃Yes； he is a righteous man； blessings on him！〃 whispered the queen。
Then she took the paper in her hand； and began to read the contents
softly； repeating every sentence to herself； and imprinting every
one of those hope…bringing words upon her memory； and while she
read； her poor； crushed heart gradually began to beat with firmer
confidence； and to embrace the possibility of realizing the plan of
Toulan and finding freedom in flight。
During this time Princess Elizabeth had unwound the thread of the
ball； and brought to light a little packet enveloped in paper。
〃Take it； my dear Antoinette；〃 she said； 〃it is addressed to you。〃
Marie Antoinette took it and carefully unfolded the paper。 Then she
uttered a low； carefully…suppressed cry； and； sinking upon her
knees； pressed it with its contents to her lips。
〃What is it； sister？〃 cried the princess； hurrying to her。 〃What
does Toulan demand？〃
The queen gave the paper to the princess。 〃Read；〃 she said〃read
it； sister。〃
Elizabeth read： 〃Your majesty wished to possess the relics which
King Louis left to you。 They consist of the wedding…ring of his
majesty； his little seal； and the hair which the king himself cut
off。 These three things lay on the chimney…piece in the closed
sitting…room of the king。 The supervisor of the Temple took them
from Clery's hand； to whom the king gave them； and put them under
seal。 I have succeeded in getting into the sitting…room； I have
opened the sealed packet； taken out the sacred relics； put articles
of similar character in their place； and sealed it up again。 With
this letter are the relics which belong to your majesty； and I swear
by all that is sacred and dear to meI swear by the head of my
queen； that they are the true articles which the blessed martyr；
King Louis XVI。； conveyed to his wife in his testament。 I have
stolen them for the exalted heir of the crown； and I shall one day
glory in the theft before the throne of God。〃 ＇Footnote： Goncourt； 〃
Histoire de Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 384。＇
〃See； Elizabeth；〃 said the queen； unfolding the little things； each
one of which was carefully wrapped in paper〃see； there is his
wedding…ring。 There on the inside are the four letters； 'M。 A。 A。
A。； 19th April； 1770。' The day of our marriage！a day of joy for
Austria as well as for France！ Thenbut I will not think of it。 Let
me look further。 Here is the seal！ The cornelian engraved on two
sides。 Here on one side the French arms； as you turn the stone； the
portrait of our son the Dauphin of France； with his helmet on his
head。 Oh！ my son； my poor dear child； will your loved head ever bear
any other ornament than a martyr's crown； will God grant you to wear
the helmet of the warrior； and to battle for your rights and your
throne？ How pleased my husband was when on his birthday I brought
him this seal！ how tenderly his looks rested upon the portrait of
his son； his successor！ and nowoh； now！ King Louis XVI。 cruelly；
shamefully murdered； and he who ought to be the King of France；
Louis XVII。； is nothing but a poor； imprisoned childa king without
a crown； without hope； without a future！〃
〃No； no； Antoinette；〃 whispered Elizabeth； who had kneeled before
the queen and had tenderly put her arms around her〃 no；
Antoinette； do not say that your son has no hope and no future。
Build upon God； hope that the undertaking which we are to…morrow to
execute will lead to a fortunate result； that we shall flee from
here； that we shall be free； that we shall be able to reach England。
Oh； yes； let us hope that Toulan's fine and bold plan will succeed；
and then it may one day be that the son of my dear brother； grown to
be a young man； may put the helmet on his head； gird himself with
the sword； reconquer the throne of his fathers； and take possession
of it as King Louis XVII。