登陆注册
5288200000128

第128章 CHAPTER VI.(6)

[I had just received this letter from the Queen when M. de la Chapelle, commissary-general of the King's household, and head of the offices of M. de Laporte, minister of the civil list, came to see me. The palace having been already sacked by the brigands on the 20th of June, 1792, he proposed that I should entrust the paper to him, that he might place it in a safer situation than the apartments of the Queen. When he returned into his offices he placed the letter she had condescended to write to me behind a large picture in his closet; but on the loth of August M. de la Chapelle was thrown into the prisons of the Abbaye, and the committee of public safety established themselves in his offices, whence they issued all their decrees of death. There it was that a villainous servant belonging to M. de Laporte went to declare that in the minister's apartments, under a board in the floor, a number of papers would be found. They were brought forth, and M. de Laporte was sent to the scaffold, where he suffered for having betrayed the State by serving his master and sovereign. M. de la Chapelle was saved, as if by a miracle, from the massacres of the 2d of September. The committee of public safety having removed to the King's apartments at the Tuileries, M. de la Chapelle had permission to return to his closet to take away some property belonging to him.

Turning round the picture, behind which he had hidden the Queen's letter, he found it in the place into which he had slipped it, and, delighted to see that I was safe from the ill consequences the discovery of this paper might have brought upon me, he burnt it instantly. In times of danger a mere nothing may save life or destroy it.--MADAME CAMPAN]

At the moment that I was going to express my gratitude to the Queen I heard a tapping at the door of my room, which opened upon the Queen's inner corridor. I opened it; it was the King. I was confused; he perceived it, and said to me, kindly: "I alarm you, Madame Campan; I come, however, to comfort you; the Queen has told me how much she is hurt at the injustice of several persons towards you. But how is it that you complain of injustice and calumny when you see that we are victims of them? In some of your companions it is jealousy; in the people belonging to the Court it is anxiety. Our situation is so disastrous, and we have met with so much ingratitude and treachery, that the apprehensions of those who love us are excusable! I could quiet them by telling them all the secret services you perform for us daily; but I will not do it. Out of good-will to you they would repeat all I should say, and you would be lost with the Assembly. It is much better, both for you and for us, that you should be thought a constitutionalist. It has been mentioned to me a hundred times already; I have never contradicted it; but I come to give you my word that if we are fortunate enough to see an end of all this, I will, at the Queen's residence, and in the presence of my brothers, relate the important services you have rendered us, and I will recompense you and your son for them." I threw myself at the King's feet and kissed his hand. He raised me up, saying, "Come, come, do not grieve; the Queen, who loves you, confides in you as I do."

Down to the day of the acceptance it was impossible to introduce Barnave into the interior of the palace; but when the Queen was free from the inner guard she said she would see him. The very great precautions which it was necessary for the deputy to take in order to conceal his connection with the King and Queen compelled them to spend two hours waiting for him in one of the corridors of the Tuileries, and all in vain. The first day that he was to be admitted, a man whom Barnave knew to be dangerous having met him in the courtyard of the palace, he determined to cross it without stopping, and walked in the gardens in order to lull suspicion. I was desired to wait for Barnave at a little door belonging to the entresols of the palace, with my hand upon the open lock. I was in that position for an hour. The King came to me frequently, and always to speak to me of the uneasiness which a servant belonging to the Chateau, who was a patriot, gave him. He came again to ask me whether I had heard the door called de Decret opened. I assured him nobody had been in the corridor, and he became easy. He was dreadfully apprehensive that his connection with Barnave would be discovered. "It would," said the King, "be a ground for grave accusations, and the unfortunate man would be lost." I then ventured to remind his Majesty that as Barnave was not the only one in the secret of the business which brought him in contact with their Majesties, one of his colleagues might be induced to speak of the association with which they were honoured, and that in letting them know by my presence that I also was informed of it, a risk was incurred of removing from those gentlemen part of the responsibility of the secret. Upon this observation the King quitted me hastily and returned a moment afterwards with the Queen. "Give me your place," said she; "I will wait for him in my turn. You have convinced the King. We must not increase in their eyes the number of persons informed of their communications with us."

同类推荐
  • Glaucus or The Wonders of the Shore

    Glaucus or The Wonders of the Shore

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Arabian Nights

    The Arabian Nights

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 四库辑本别集拾遗

    四库辑本别集拾遗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 东溪先生文集

    东溪先生文集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 翻译名义

    翻译名义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 福尔摩斯探案集(上)

    福尔摩斯探案集(上)

    《福尔摩斯探案集》是英国著名侦探小说家柯南·道尔的代表作,小说情节离奇曲折,以其缜密的逻辑进行严密的推理而破案,创立了侦探小说着重推理的流派,对后来流行的推理小说也产生了重要影响,他的作品也从侧面反映了当时资本主义社会的黑暗。此外,那么多的大小案件,鲜有不成功或太牵强的设计,反倒是有很多的创意成为后世模仿的对象。尤其是福尔摩斯与华生的搭档组合,以及“神探”的典型等,都有极其深远的影响。时至今日,这套作品依旧受到欢迎,其历久弥新的特色,也正是该作品不愧为经典作品的最佳证明。
  • 车身涂装考试指南(模块G)

    车身涂装考试指南(模块G)

    本书为《机动车维修技术人员从业资格考试指南》辅导丛书之车身涂装考试指南,采用与培训教材相互对应的方式,按照学习要点、模拟试题和参考答案的格式进行编写,内容紧扣考试大纲要求,突出重点。模拟试题按照《中华人民共和国机动车维修技术人员从业资格考试大纲》的要求分为判断题、单项选择题和多项选择题三种题型,模拟试题涵盖了所有的考核点。 本书可作为机动车维修技术负责人、质量检验人员、机修人员、电器维修人员、车身修复人员、车身涂装人员和车辆技术评估人员参加从业资格考试的学习参考书,对正确理解和掌握从业资格考试内容具有一定的帮助作用。
  • 如果只是薄如蝉翼的喜欢

    如果只是薄如蝉翼的喜欢

    我是怎么从台北瞬间转移到这间又潮又臭暗室的已经成了世界未解之谜。肩上还背着塞满零食漫画书的大红书包,校服已经被汗水濡湿粘糊糊的贴着背脊。我蜷缩在一角,感受着不知从哪个破洞涌进来的寒风。努力回想,我记得就五分钟前我还在和班草朴正罕有说有笑的漫步公园的绿地上。就连他递给我吃的芒果冰还在胃里没有消化完,自己怎么会突然在这个鬼地方呢?
  • 茅山传奇

    茅山传奇

    我刚出生就遇到了凶险之事,师傅稻花真人救了我,他是茅山派的传人。从此,我的生活中便多了许多不可思议的色彩。
  • 司命之途

    司命之途

    燕赵:“燕赵多慷慨悲歌之士。”田苟:“苟利国家生死以,岂因祸福避趋之。”荀书承:“达则兼济天下,穷则独善其身。”杨墨:“兽人永不为奴!包吃包住也不行……”舟震车震对视一笑:“我们不怕死!”始皇:“朕在,当守土开疆,扫平四夷,定我大秦万世之基!朕亡,亦将身化龙魂,佑我华夏永世不衰!此誓,日月为证,天地共鉴,仙魔鬼神共听之!”李苏木:“地府众鬼,随我出战!”还有,你们都不会死!这是一个孤僻少年慢慢在众多挚友慢慢影响之下变得温情搞笑,守护地球的故事。书友群:883426308
  • 没带系统的文娱大佬

    没带系统的文娱大佬

    网文作者陈枫穿越平行世界,没有系统相助,没有超凡记忆,仅凭借自己的努力慢慢崛起。ps1,本书不种马。ps2,本书倾向于写实。ps3,这是一本都市文娱类型的书。ps4,这是一个小宅写手重生后的精彩人生。本书求上各种书单,奉献小妹妹之吻一个(mua)。 书友群:433299903
  • 凌天战魂

    凌天战魂

    诸天万界,武魂为尊。楚云偶然觉醒可以升级的至尊战魂,从此开始逆袭之路。从最初的一抹黑光,成长为骑乘真龙,肩扛屠龙刀、手握诛仙剑的无敌战魂!挥手间,覆灭万界,我主沉浮!
  • 欧德记

    欧德记

    一队七人正在寻找灵石,欧德是队长,一名魔器士。魔器士可以通过与器物感应,控制魔器,进行战斗。欧德的魔器是一个球,一个白色光球。什么是灵石?他们为何要寻找灵石?灵石有什么用处?队中七人是谁?他们是魔法士,魔兽士,魔战士,魔传士,还是魔器士?在这魔间乱世,欧德将如何凭借一只白色光球,造就一段传奇,开创一个时代……
  • 青春和你不期而遇

    青春和你不期而遇

    身为资深网文迷的李子清,总想着来一段霸总甜甜爱,黑卡无限刷的倾城之恋,但网文跟现实压根不搭边。在看到班级名单时,李子清暗道:孽缘,多年兄弟竟成同班同学,对方还手握众多“黑料”,为了形象,李子清决定先下手为强。杨晨本以为那位在游戏里疯狂飙车又常摔死,喊打喊杀却又常伪装伏地魔的女生是个长得很强壮长相偏于男性化的糙妹子,没想到本人却像个柔不禁风的文艺女青年
  • 美国国家安全局秘史

    美国国家安全局秘史

    2013年,美国中央情报局(CIA)前雇员斯诺登将美国国家安全局(NSA)推到了风口浪尖,世界上最大的情报机构的秘密也被曝光在众人面前。在本书中,NSA的前世今生,美国情报发展史将被抽丝剥茧地展开在你面前。