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marie antoinette and her son-第4部分

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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 outriders
rode in advance; two lackeys stood on the stand behind the carriage;
and upon the step on each side; a page in richly…embroidered
garments。

Before the middle portal; which could only be used by the royal
family; and which had never been desecrated by the entrance of one
who was 〃lowly…born;〃 the carriage came to a standstill。 The lackeys
hastened to open the gate; and a lady; advanced in years; gross in
form; with an irritable face well pitted with pock…marks; and
wearing no other expression than supercilious pride and a haughty
indifference; dismounted with some difficulty; leaning upon the
shoulder of her page; and toiled up the steps which conducted to the
great vestibule。

The runner sprang before her up the great staircase covered with its
carpets; and with his long staff rapped on the door of the first
antechamber that led to the apartments of the queen。 〃Madame
Adelaide!〃 shouted he with a loud voice; and the lackey repeated it
in the same tone; quickly opening the door of the second
antechamber; and the word was taken up by the chamberlains; and
repeated and carried along where the queen was sitting。

Marie Antoinette shrugged herself together a little at this
announcement; which interrupted her while engaged in charming
unrestrained conversation with the Duchess de Polignac; and a shadow
flitted across her lofty brow。

With fiery quickness she flung her arms around the neck of her
friend; and pressed a kiss upon her lips。 〃Farewell; Julia; Madame
Adelaide is coming: that is just the same as irritation and
annoyance。 She may not bear the least suspicion of this upon her
fine and dearly…loved face; and just because they are not there; I
must tell you; my dear friend; to leave me。 But hold yourself in
readiness; after Madame Annoyance has left me; to ride with me to
Trianon。 The queen must remain here half an hour still; but she will
be rewarded for it; for Marie Antoinette will afterward go with her
Julia to Trianon to spend a half day of pleasure with her husband
and friends。〃

〃And to impart to her friends an eternity of blissful
recollections;〃 said the duchess; with a charming smile; pressing
the hand of the queen to her lips; and taking her leave with
inimitable grace; in order to pass out through the little side…door
which entered the corridor through a porcelain cabinet; intending
then to visit the rooms of the 'children of France。'

At the same moment in which the lofty; dignified form of the duchess
disappeared through the side…door; both wings of the main entrance
were flung open; and the two maids of honor of the queen advanced to
the threshold; and made so deep a reverence that their immense
petticoats expanded like a kettle。 Then they took a step backward;
made another reverence so profound that their heads; bearing
coiffures a foot and a half high; fell upon their breasts。

〃Madame Adelaide!〃 they both ejaculated as with one voice; slowly
straightening themselves up and taking their places at the sides of
the door。

The princess now appeared upon the threshold; behind her; her maids
of honor and master of ceremonies; the grand…chamberlain; the pages;
and both masters of grooms; standing in the great antechambers。

At the appearance of the maids of honor; Marie Antoinette had taken
her position in the middle of the chamber; and could not repress a
faint smile; as with erect head she noticed the confusion instant
upon the princess's imposing entrance。

Madame Adelaide advanced some steps; for the queen did not change
her position nor hasten toward her as she had perhaps expected; her
irritated look increased still more; and she did not take a seat。

〃I come perhaps at an inconvenient season for your majesty;〃 said
she; with a tart smile。 〃The queen perhaps was just upon the point
of going to Trianon; whither as I hear; the king has already
proceeded?〃

〃Has your highness heard that?〃 asked the queen; smiling。 〃I wonder
what sharp ears Madame Adelaide always has to catch such a trifling
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