登陆注册
5288200000139

第139章 CHAPTER VIII.(3)

The Princess wrote as I dictated, and occasionally looked at me with astonishment. When I had done I entreated her to write in the margin that the lady alluded to was my declared enemy. She embraced me, saying, "Ah! do not write it! we should not record an unhappy circumstance which ought to be forgotten." We came to a man of genius who was much attached to the Queen, and I described him as a man born solely to contradict, showing himself an aristocrat with democrats, and a democrat among aristocrats; but still a man of probity, and well disposed to his sovereign. The Princess said she knew many persons of that disposition, and that she was delighted I had nothing to say against this man, because she herself had placed him about the Queen.

The whole of her Majesty's chamber, which consisted entirely of persons of fidelity, gave throughout all the dreadful convulsions of the Revolution proofs of the greatest prudence and self-devotion. The same cannot be said of the antechambers. With the exception of three or four, all the servants of that class were outrageous Jacobins; and I saw on those occasions the necessity of composing the private household of princes of persons completely separated from the class of the people.

The situation of the royal family was so unbearable during the months which immediately preceded the 10th of August that the Queen longed for the crisis, whatever might be its issue. She frequently said that a long confinement in a tower by the seaside would seem to her less intolerable than those feuds in which the weakness of her party daily threatened an inevitable catastrophe.

[A few days before the 10th of August the squabbles between the royalists and the Jacobins, and between the Jacobins and the constitutionalists, increased in warmth; among the latter those men who defended the principles they professed with the greatest talent, courage, and constancy were at the same time the most exposed to danger. Montjoie says: "The question of dethronement was discussed with a degree of frenzy in the Assembly. Such of the deputies as voted against it were abused, ill treated, and surrounded by assassins. They had a battle to fight at every step they took; and at length they did not dare to sleep in their own houses. Of this number were Regnault de Beaucaron, Froudiere, Girardin, and Vaublanc. Girardin complained of having been struck in one of the lobbies of the Assembly. A voice cried out to him, 'Say where were you struck.' 'Where?' replied Girardin, 'what a question! Behind.

Do assassins ever strike otherwise?"]

Not only were their Majesties prevented from breathing the open air, but they were also insulted at the very foot of the altar. The Sunday before the last day of the monarchy, while the royal family went through the gallery to the chapel, half the soldiers of the National Guard exclaimed, "Long live the King!" and the other half, "No; no King! Down with the veto!" and on that day at vespers the choristers preconcerted to use loud and threatening emphasis when chanting the words, "Deposuit potentes de sede," in the "Magnificat." Incensed at such an irreverent proceeding, the royalists in their turn thrice exclaimed, "Et reginam," after the "Domine salvum fac regem." The tumult during the whole time of divine service was excessive.

At length the terrible night of the 10th of August, 1792, arrived. On the preceding evening Potion went to the Assembly and informed it that preparations were making for an insurrection on the following day; that the tocsin would sound at midnight; and that he feared he had not sufficient means for resisting the attack which was about to take place.

Upon this information the Assembly passed to the order of the day.

Petion, however, gave an order for repelling force by force.

[Petion was the Mayor of Paris, and Mandat on this day was commandant of the National Guard. Mandat was assassinated that night. --"Thiers," vol. i., p. 260.]

M. Mandat was armed with this order; and, finding his fidelity to the King's person supported by what he considered the law of the State, he conducted himself in all his operations with the greatest energy. On the evening of the 9th I was present at the King's supper. While his Majesty was giving me various orders we heard a great noise at the door of the apartment. I went to see what was the cause of it, and found the two sentinels fighting. One said, speaking of the King, that he was hearty in the cause of the constitution, and would defend it at the peril of his life; the other maintained that he was an encumbrance to the only constitution suitable to a free people. They were almost ready to cut one another's throats. I returned with a countenance which betrayed my emotion. The King desired to know what was going forward at his door; I could not conceal it from him. The Queen said she was not at all surprised at it, and that more than half the guard belonged to the Jacobin party.

The tocsin sounded at midnight. The Swiss were drawn up like walls; and in the midst of their soldierlike silence, which formed a striking contrast with the perpetual din of the town guard, the King informed M. de J-----, an officer of the staff, of the plan of defence laid down by General Viomenil. M. de J----- said to me, after this private conference, "Put your jewels and money into your pockets; our dangers are unavoidable; the means of defence are nil; safety might be obtained by some degree of energy in the King, but that is the only virtue in which he is deficient."

An hour after midnight the Queen and Madame Elisabeth said they would lie down on a sofa in a room in the entresols, the windows of which commanded the courtyard of the Tuileries.

同类推荐
  • 飞龙全传

    飞龙全传

    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。
  • 两汉刊误补遗

    两汉刊误补遗

    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。
  • 重订西方公据

    重订西方公据

    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。
  • Majorie Daw

    Majorie Daw

    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。
  • 两同书

    两同书

    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
  • 巨人的陨落(全集)

    巨人的陨落(全集)

    今年最火的外国文学!全球读者平均3个通宵读完!在第一次世界大战的硝烟中,每一个迈向死亡的生命都在热烈地生长——威尔士的矿工少年、刚失恋的美国法律系大学生、穷困潦倒的俄国兄弟、富有英俊的英格兰伯爵,以及痴情的德国特工……从充满灰尘和危险的煤矿到闪闪发光的皇室宫殿,从代表着权力的走廊到爱恨纠缠的卧室,五个家族迥然不同又纠葛不断的命运逐渐揭晓,波澜壮阔地展现了一个我们自认为了解,但从未如此真切感受过的20世纪。
  • 侯门正妻:弃妇抵万金

    侯门正妻:弃妇抵万金

    某女目睹男友与她人上演活春宫,误踩香蕉皮,搭上穿越的末班车。出身低贱的幼妇空有正妻之名,饱受小妾欺凌陷害,不幸而亡。强悍之魂附身弱女,罚小妾、惩刁奴、斗婆婆。从此,深宅内院,风生水起、广阔天地,自由自在。…………………………失去家族的支持,正妻的名份被豪门旺族小姐取代得知被休,她人前泪水涟涟,转身笑脸如花可是--被扫地出门的弃妇就能六根清净吗?媚眼如丝的三爷、云淡风轻的六爷都是小叔,小叔戏嫂天经地义。冷酷邪魅的王子、风流倜傥的帝师都是权贵,权贵夺美激流汹涌。………………三媒六聘,一波三折,她以弃妇身份再嫁王侯之门,正妻之位名符其实然而--皇上御赐的平妻、仰慕夫君的才女、两小无猜的公主、婆婆选中的佳媳接踵而来,窥伺她的丈夫,明争暗夺、阴谋诡计此起彼伏。某女举双手双脚欢迎,来者皆是客,我是正妻,要有正妻的派头和气度,摆不平她们就枉自己重生一次。………………兜兜转转,聚散离合,难逃旷世情缘。一个是风流倜傥、权倾朝野的强势王侯,堪比天高一个是家族没落、毫无依傍的颖慧弱女,犹如地薄两心相依,执手此生,天与地的结合处便是繁华尽头、莽莽青黄。…………场景之一:洞房花烛夜,男人上下其手,某女半推半就,男人意乱情迷之际,某女亮出尖利的虎牙。男人的血滴在洁白的元帕上,如冰雪中绽放的红梅。某女万分同情拍着男人的脸说:落红了,你任务完成,我要睡觉,请勿打扰。次日,收元帕的婆子喜笑颜开,男人挤出几丝笑容的脸比锅底还黑。某女叹服不已,狗血真是万能的,没有时空的界限,不服不行。……精彩对白:某男虚心求教:航海司主事大人取洋名叫P.T,贤妻通洋文,可知何意?某女阴涩回答:P.T的意思是英勇,朝中取洋名很流行,夫君不如也取个洋名,依妾身看就叫W.C,意思是宽容,夫君觉得如何?某男自恋奸笑:W.C不错,贤妻博学多才,为夫佩服。你我成婚多日,至今未圆房,为夫委曲求全,马上就跟你行房,当做对贤妻的奖励。某女腹谤哀嚎:我不上公共厕所,不――我不要被公共厕所上。……………一夜纵情欢爱,原来公共厕所的实战这么差,比起她的理论经验,简直是幼儿班的水平,枉担了公共厕所之名,还需她这个活了两辈子的腐女调教哟。…………………………注:1、此文以爱情、美男、宅斗为主2、各色美男养眼可心,结局一对一
  • 太仆寺卿

    太仆寺卿

    小兽医穿越到了大明天启年间,成了明末思想家黄宗羲的邻居和佃户,本想安安稳稳的过些小日子,奈何风风暴正在酝酿中……
  • 愣班超远定西域

    愣班超远定西域

    少怀凌云志,大器偏晚成。醒掌虎狼兵,醉卧美人膝。三十年征西域风雨如磐,七十岁通丝路老迈归家。血性男儿班超,一个真实的历史故事。
  • 假装心理学

    假装心理学

    在现实世界里,谁敢说自己从未装过假?每个人都有一种趋利避害的心理倾向,在这种心理的支配下,人们会用谎言或装假的形式来保护自己。这类心理会一直潜藏在一个人的生活和交往中,没有人能够逃脱。本书是一本深刻解读自己和世人的书籍,教你如何一眼看穿对方的心理,并将假装心理发挥得淋漓尽致,获取最大的成功!掌握好假装心理,就等于拿到了交往中的金钥匙,打开了通往成功的大门,对你,对你的人脉,无疑是最大的助力。
  • 魔兽之起源

    魔兽之起源

    有人曾经问我,什么才是最重要的。我会告诉他是灵魂这是一个特殊的灵魂穿越到魔兽世界,在变强的道路上不断的追寻着世界的真理。主角出身于洛丹伦农民家庭,为了可以在这个残酷的世界苟到最后,他踏上追寻力量的道路。 (真正剧情开展会在二战) 注;没有金手指、没有系统、不是游戏、不小白、不圣母,主角不知道具体剧情。
  • 雷罚

    雷罚

    修炼的极至是什么,只是飞升神界而已吗?意外得到一本不完善的上古法诀乾坤典,从地球来到修真界,由心思单纯的小白,步步成长为各大势力间游刃有余的煞星,仙界遇天照大神,却是某国祖先,一怒下杀之。
  • 一个人的修养,看失意时的善良

    一个人的修养,看失意时的善良

    继《决定你上限的不是能力,而是格局》之后,陶瓷兔子的又一部成长智慧集。一个人的修养,看失意时的善良。得意而不张狂已是很难,失意却不带戾气更是难能可贵。每天面对着工作的压力、家庭的烦扰和生活的琐碎,在这个节奏奇快、人人脚底生风的社会中,如何才能找到属于自己的方向?又如何才能坚守自己的本心?这本书有你想要的答案。
  • 失宠皇后

    失宠皇后

    情路曲折的大学生苏以乔机缘巧合之下穿越到一个陌生朝代,并发现自己成为备受冷落的皇后,处在皇权,相权,后权,以及后宫的各种矛盾之间,且看我们的以乔如何面对,气宇轩昂的皇上与英俊可靠的侍卫,是君臣,是朋友,还是情敌?俊朗如风的贵公子,张扬复杂的杀手,意气飞扬的谋士,刁蛮善良的公主,天真美丽的贵妃,妖魅的王爷,精彩人物轮番上场,为你带来无限精彩。情节虚构,切勿模仿。
  • 太空探索前沿(天文科学丛书)

    太空探索前沿(天文科学丛书)

    高立来编著的《太空探索前沿》包括宇宙中的长城、宇宙里的岛屿、宇宙中的黑色骑士、宇宙里的四大天王、宇宙中的黑洞、等内容,去伪存真地将未解之谜与科学研究结合起来,非常适合广大青少年读者阅读和收藏。