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marie antoinette and her son-第52章

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eagerly; 〃and you will not venture to disobey him。 Hear also this: I
too; the Queen of France; command you to take your departure this
very hour。〃

The duke bowed low before the queen; who stood with pale cheeks; but
erect; and with a noble air。

〃Your majesty has commanded; and it becomes us to obey。 We shall
go。〃

The duchess sank; with a loud cry of grief; on her knee before the
queen; and buried her face in the royal robe。

Marie Antoinette did not disturb her; did not venture to speak to
her; for she knew that; with the first word which she should utter;
the pain of her heart would find expression on her lips; and she
would be composed; she would not let her friend see how severe the
sacrifice was which her love compelled her to make。

〃Let me remain with you;〃 implored the duchess; 〃do not drive me
from you; Marie; my Marie!〃

The queen turned her great eyes upward; and her looks were a prayer
to God to give her power and steadfastness。 Twice then she attempted
to speak; twice her voice refused to perform its duty; and she
remained silent; wrestling with her grief; and at last overcoming
it。

〃Julia;〃 she saidand with every word her voice became firmer and
stronger〃 Julia; we must part。 I should be doubly unhappy to draw
you and yours into my misfortunes; it will; in all my troubles; be a
consolation to me; that I have been able to save you。 I do not say;
as the king did; that we shall meet again in happier days; and after
our perils are pastfor I do not believe in any more happy dayswe
shall not be able to survive those perils; but shall perish in them。
I say; farewell; to meet not in this; but in a better world! Not a
word more。 I cannot bear it! Your queen commands you to go at once!
Farewell!〃

She extended her hand firmly to her; but she could not look at her
friend; who lay at her feet weeping and choking; she saluted the
duke with a mere wave of the hand; turned quickly away; and hastened
into the adjoining room; and then on till she reached her own
toilet…room; where Madame de Campan was awaiting her。

〃Campan;〃 she cried; in tones of anguish; 〃Campan; it is done! I
have lost my friend! I shall never see her again。 Close the door;
draw the bolt; that she cannot come in; II shall die!〃 And the
queen uttered a loud cry; and sank in a swoon。

At midnight two well…packed carriages drove out of the inner courts
of the palace。 They were the Polignacs; they were leaving France; to
take refuge in Switzerland。

In the first carriage was the Duchess de Polignac; with her husband
and her daughter。 She held two letters in her hand。 Campan had given
her both; in the name of the queen; as she was stepping into the
carriage。

One was directed to Minister Necker; who; after his dismissal; had
withdrawn to Basle。 Since the National Assembly; the clubs; the
whole population of Paris; desired Necker's return; and declared him
to be the only man who could restore the shattered finances of the
country; the queen had persuaded her husband to recall the minister;
although an opponent of hers; and appoint him again minister of
finance。 The letter of the queen; which the Duchess Julia was
commissioned to give to Necker; contained his recall; announced to
him in flattering words。

The second letter was a parting word from the queen to her friend; a
last cry from her heart。 〃Farewell;〃 it ran〃 farewell; tenderly…
loved friend! How dreadful this parting word is! But it is needful。
Farewell! I embrace thee in spirit! Farewell!〃




CHAPTER XII。

THE FIFTH OF OCTOBER; 1789。


The morning dawneda windy October morning; surrounding the sun
with thick clouds; so the daylight came late to Paris; as if fearing
to see what had taken place on the streets and squares。 The national
guard; summoned together by the alarm…signal of drum…beats and the
clangor of trumpets and horns; collected in the gray morning light;
for a fearful rumor had been spread through Paris the evening
before; and one has whispered to another that tomorrow had been
appointed by the clubs and by the agitators for a second act in the
revolution; and the people are too quiet; they must be roused to new
deeds。

〃The people are too quiet;〃 that was the watchword of the 4th of
October; in all the clubs; and it was Marat who had carried it。

On the platform of the Club de Cordeliers; the cry was raised loudly
and hoarsely: 〃Paris is in danger of folding its hands in its lap;
praying and going to sleep。 They must wake out of this state of
lethargy; else the hateful; tyrannical monarchy will revive; and
draw the nightcap so far over the ears of the sleeping capital; that
it will stick as if covered with pitch; and suffer itself to relapse
into bondage。 We must awaken Paris; my friends; Paris must not
sleep。〃

And on the night of the 4th of October; Paris had not slept; for the
agitators had kept it awake。 The watch…cry had been: 〃The bakers
must not bake to…night! Paris must to…morrow morning be without
bread; that the people may open their eyes again and awake。 The
bakers must not bake to…night!〃

All the clubs had caught up their watch…cry; and their emissaries
had spread it through the whole city; that all the bakers should be
informed that whoever should 〃open his store in the morning; or give
any other answer than this: 'There is no more meal in Paris; we have
not been able to bake!' will be regarded as a traitor to the
national cause; and as such; will be punished。 Be on your guard!〃

The bakers had been intimidated by this threat; and had not baked。
When Paris awoke on the morning of the 5th of October; it was
without bread。 People lacked their most indispensable article of
food。

At the outset; the women; who received these dreadful tidings at the
bake…shops; returned dumb with horror to their families; to announce
to their households and their hungry children: 〃There is no bread
to…day! The supply of flour is exhausted! We must starve! There is
no more bread to be had!〃

And from the dark abode of the poor; the sad cry sounded out into
the narrow and dirty streets and all the squares; 〃Paris contains no
bread! Paris must starve!〃

The women; the children uttered these cries in wild tones of
despair。 The men repeated the words with clinched fists and with
threatening looks: 〃Paris contains no more bread! Paris must
starve!〃

〃And do you know why Paris must starve?〃 croaked out a voice into
the ears of the people who were crowding each other in wild
confusion on the Place de Carrousel。

〃Do you know who is the cause of all this misery and want?〃

〃Tell us; if you know!〃 cried a rough man's voice。

〃Yes; yes; tell us!〃 shouted other voices。 〃We want to know!〃

〃I will tell you;〃 answered the first; in rasping tones; and now
upon the stones; which indicated where the carriage…road crossed the
square; a little; shrunken; broad…shouldered figure; with an
unnaturally large head; and ugly; crafty face; could be seen。

〃Marat!〃 cried some man in the crowd。 〃Marat!〃 yelled the cobbler
Simon; who had been since August the friend and admirer of Marat;
and was to be seen everywhere at his side。 〃Listen; friends; listen!
Marat is going to spea
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