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!
forbidden taking a gift from his regiment。 What is it?〃
〃Colonel; we bring you a set of dominoes;〃 said a little officer;
named Palloy; who was the speaker of the delegation〃 a set of
dominoes entirely made out of the ruins of the Bastile。〃
And taking the wrapper from the white marble box; bound with gold;
he extended it to the dauphin; and repeated with a solemn face the
following lines:
〃Those gloomy walls that once awoke our fear Are changed into the
toy we offer here: And when with joyful race the gift you view;
Think what the people's mighty love can do。〃 'Footnote: 〃De ces aff
reux cachota; la terreur des Francais; Vous voyez les debris
transformes en hoohets; Puissent…ils; en servant aux jeux de votre
enfance; Du peuple vous prouver 1'amour et la puissance。〃
Beauchesne; 〃Louis XVD。 Sa Vie; sou Agonie;〃 etc。; vol。 iv。; p。
396。'
Poor little dauphin! Even when they wanted to do him homage; they
were threatening him; and the present which affection offered to the
royal child was at the same time a bequest of Revolution; which even
then lifted her warning finger; and pointed at the past; when the
hate of the people destroyed those 〃gloomy walls;〃 which had been
erected by kingly power。
In his innocence and childish simplicity; the dauphin saw nothing of
the sting which; unknown even to the givers; lurked within this
gift。 He enjoyed like a child the beautiful present; and listened
with eagerness while the manner of playing the game was described to
him。 All the stones were taken from the mantel of black marble in
the reception…room of Delaunay; the governor of the Bastile; who had
been murdered by the people。 On the back of each of these stones was
a letter set in gold; and when the whole were arranged in regular
order; they formed the sentence: 〃Vive le Roi; vive la Reine; et M。
le Dauphin。〃 The marble of the box was taken from the altar…slab in
the chapel。 In the middle was a golden relief; representing a face。
〃That is my papa king;〃 cried the dauphin; joyfully; looking at the
representation。
〃Yes;〃 replied Palloy; the speaker of the little company; 〃every one
of us bears him in his heart。 And like the king; you will live for
the happiness of all; and like him you will be the idol of Prance。
We; who shall one day be French soldiers and citizens; bring to you;
who will then be our commander…in…chief and king; our homage as the
future supporters of the throne which is destined for you; and which
the wisdom of your father has placed under the unshakable power of
law。 The gift which we offer you is but small; but each one of us
adds his heart to it。〃 'Footnote: The very words of the little
officer。'
〃And I give all of you my heart in return for it;〃 cried the
dauphin; with a joyful eagerness; 〃and I shall take great pains to
be good; and to learn well; that I may be allowed to amuse myself
with playing dominoes。〃
And the little fellow fixed his large; blue eyes upon the queen with
a tender look; took her hand and pressed it to his lips。
〃My dear mamma queen;〃 he said; caressingly; 〃if I am real good; and
study hard; we can both play dominoes together; can't we?〃
A sad smile played around the lips of the queen; and no one saw the
distrustful; timid look which she cast at the box; which to her was
merely the memorial of a dreadful day。
〃Yes; my child;〃 she replied; mildly; 〃we will play dominoes often
together; for you certainly will be good and industrious。〃
She controlled herself sufficiently to thank the boys with friendly
words for the present which they had made to the dauphin; and then
the deputation; accompanied by the king and the little prince;
withdrew。 But as soon as they had gone; the smile died away upon her
lips; and with an expression of horror she pointed to the box。
〃Take it awayoh; take it away!〃 she cried; to Madame de Tourzel。
〃It is a dreadful reminder of the past; a terrible prophecy of the
future。 The stones of the Bastile; which the people destroyed; lie
in this box! And the box itself; does it not look like a
sarcophagus? And this sarcophagus bears the face of the king! Oh;
the sorrow and woe to us unfortunate ones; who can not even receive
gifts of love without seeing them obscured by recollections of hate;
and who have no joys that have not bitter drops of grief mingled
with them! The revolution sends us storm…birds; and we are to regard
them as doves bringing us olive…branches。 Believe me; I see into the
future; and I discern the deluge which will drown us all!〃
BOOK IV。
CHAPTER XIX。
JUNE 20 AND AUGUST 10; 1792。
Marie Antoinette was right。 The revolution was sending its storm…
birds to the Tuileries。 They beat with their strong pinions against
the windows of the palace; they pulled up and broke with their claws
the flowers and plants of the garden; so that the royal family no
longer ventured to enter it。 But they had not yet entered the palace
itself; and within its apartments; watched by the National Guard;
the queen was at least safe from the insults of the populace。
No; not even there longer; for the storm…birds of the revolution
beat against the windows; and these windows had once in a while to
be opened to let in a little sunshine; and some fresh air。 Marie
Antoinette had long given up her walks in the garden of the
Tuileries; for the rabble which stood behind the fence had insulted
her so often with cries and acts; that she preferred to give up her
exercise rather than to undergo such contemptuous treatment。
The king; too; in order to escape the scornful treatment of the
populace; had relinquished his walks; and before long things came to
such a pass that the dauphin was not allowed to visit his little
garden。 Marat; Santerre; Danton; and Robespierre; the great leaders
of the people; had; by their threats against the royalists and their
insurrectionary movements among the people; gained such power; that
no one ventured to approach the garden of the prince to salute him;
and show deference to the son of the king。 The little regiment had
been compelled; in order to escape the mockery and contempt; the
hatred and persecution which followed them; to disband after a few
months; and around the fence; when the dauphin appeared; there now
stood none but men sent there by the revolutionists to deride the
dauphin when he appeared; and shout their wild curses against the
king and queen。
One day; when a crowd of savage women stood behind the fence; and
were giving vent to their derision of the queen; the poor dauphin
could not restrain his grief and indignation。 With glowing cheeks
and flaming eyes he turned upon the wild throng。
〃You lie oh; you lie!〃 he cried; with angry voice。 〃My mamma queen
is not a wicked woman; and she does not hate the people。 My mamma
queen is so good; so good that〃
His tears choked his voice; and flowed in clear streams down over
his cheeks。 Ashamed; as it were; of this indication of weakness; the
dauphin dashed out of the garden; and hastened so rapidly to the
palace that the Abbe Davout could scarcely follow him。 Weeping and
sobbing; the dauphin passed through the corridor; but when they
reached the broad stairca