admissions propitiate this hate and bring this enmity to silence。〃
The queen did not reply； she stooped down to the dauphin； and；
pressing a kiss upon his locks； whispered： 〃Now yon may tell every
thing； Louis。 It is not longer necessary to keep silent about any
thing； for silence were useless！ So tell of your heroism； my son！〃
〃Is it of heroism that you talk？〃 said the king； whose nice ear had
caught the words of the queen。
〃Yes； of heroism； sire；〃 answered Marie Antoinette。 〃But it is with
us as with Don Quixote； we believed that we were fighting for our
honor and our throne； now we must confess that we only fought
against windmills。 I beg you now； sire； to inform General Lafayette
that it is not necessary to call out his National Guards on my
account； I shall not walk again！〃
And the queen kept her word。 Never again during the winter did she
go down into the gardens and park of the Tuileries。 She never gave
Lafayette occasion to protect her； but she at least gained thereby
what Lafayette wanted to reach by his National Guardshe held the
populace away from the Tuileries。 At first they stood in dense
masses day after day along the fence of the park and the royal
garden； but when they saw that Marie Antoinette would no more expose
herself to their curious and evil glances； they grew tired of
waiting for her； and withdrew from the neighborhood of the
Tuileries；but only to repair to their clubs and listen to the
raving speeches which Marat； Santerre； and other officers； hurled
like poisoned arrows at the queen…only to go into the National
Assembly and hear Mirabeau and Robespierre； Danton； Chenier； Petion；
and all the rest； the assembled representatives of the nation；
launch their thundering philippics against a royalty appointed by
the grace of God； and causing the people to believe that it was a
royalty appointed by the wrath of God。
CHAPTER XVI。
IN ST。 CLOUD。
The winter was passeda sad dismal winter for the royal family； and
for Marie Antoinette in particular！ None of those festivities； those
diversions； those simple and innocent joys； which are wont to adorn
the life of a woman and of a queen！
Marie Antoinette is no more a queen who commands； who sees around
her a throng of respectful courtiers； zealously listening to every
word that falls from her lips； Marie Antoinette is a grave solitary
woman； who works much； thinks much； makes many plans for saving the
kingdom and the throne； and sees all these plans shipwrecks on the
indecision and weakness of her husband。
Far away from the queen lay those happy times when every day brought
new joys and new diversions； when the dawn of a summer morning made
the queen happy； because it promised her a delightful evening； and
one of those charming idyls at Trianon。 The brothers of the king；
the schoolmaster and mayor of Trianon； had left France and had
located themselves at Coblentz on the Rhine； the Polignacs had fled
to England； the Princess Lamballe； too； had； at the wish of the
queen； gone to negotiate with Pitt； in order to implore the all…
powerful minister of George III。 to give to the oppressed French
crown more material and effectual support than was afforded by the
angry and bitter words which he hurled in Parliament against the
riotous and rebellious French nation。 The Counts de Besenval and
Coigny； the Marquis de Lauzun； and Baron d'Adhemar； all the
privileged friends of the summer days at Trianon and the winter days
of Versailles； all； all； were gone。
They had fled to Coblentz； and were at the court of the French
princes。 There they spun their intrigues； sought to excite a
European war against France； from there they hurled their flaming
torches into France； their calumnies against Queen Marie Antoinette；
the Austrian woman。 She alone was accountable for all the
misfortunes and the disturbances of France； she alone had given
occasion for the distrust now felt against royalty。 On her head fell
the curse and the burden of all the faults and sins which the French
court had for a hundred years committed。 There must be a sacrificial
lamb； to be thrown into the arms glistening with spears and daggers；
of a revolution which thirsted for blood and vengeance； and Marie
Antoinette had to be the victim。 In her bleeding heart the spirits
glowing with hate might cool themselves； and there the evil which
her predecessors had done； was to be atoned for。 Many a wrong had
been done； and the French nation had； no doubt； a right to be angry
and to rage as does the lion for a long time kept in subjection；
when at last； touched too much by the iron of its keeper； it rises
in its wildness； and with withering greed； tears him in pieces from
whom it has suffered so long and so much。 The French people rose
just as the incensed lion does； and determined to wreak their
vengeance on their keepers； on those whom they had so long called
their lords and rulers。
To pacify the lion some prey must be thrown to him； and to him who
thirsts for vengeance and blood； a human offering must be brought to
propitiate him。
Marie Antoinette had to be the offering to the lion！ Her blood had
to flow for the sins of the Bourbons！ On her all the anger； the
exasperation； the rage of the people must concentrate！ She must bear
the blame of all the miseries and the needs of France！ She must
satisfy the hunger for vengeance； in order that when the lion is
appeased it can be made placable and patient again； the chains put
on which he has broken in his ragethe chains； however； to which；
when his rage is past； he must again submit。
The queen； the queen is to blame for all！ Marie Antoinette has
brought royalty into discredit； the Austrian woman has brought the
hatred of the French nation upon herself； and she must atone for it；
she alone！
Libels and calumnies are forged against the queen by those who were
once the friends and cavaliers of the queencavaliers no longer；
but cavillers now； the poisoned arrows are sent to France to be
directed against the head of the queen； to destroy first her honor
and good name； and then to make her a prey for scorn and contempt。
If the lion stills his rage and cools his hate with Marie Antoinette
as his victim； he will relax again and bow to his king； for it is
time for these royal princes to return to France and their loved
Paris once more。
The Count do Provence is the implacable enemy of the queen； he can
never forgive her for gaining the heart of the king her husband； and
leaving no influence for his wise； clever brother。 The Count de
Provence is avaricious and crafty。 He sees that an abyss has opened
before the throne of the lilies； and that it will not close again！
It must； therefore； be filled up！ A reconciliation will not be
possible in a natural way； and artificial methods must be found to
accomplish it。 Louis XVI。 will not be saved； and Marie Antoinette
shall not be！ The two； perhaps； can fill up the abyss that yawns
between the throne of the lilies and the French people。 They；
perhaps； may fill it up； and then a way may be made for the Count de
Provence； the successor of his brother。
The Count d'Artois was once the friend of the queen； the only one of
the royal family who wished her well； and who defended her sometimes
against the hatred of the royal aunts and sisters…in…law； and the
crafty brother。 But while living in Coblentz； the Count d'Artois had
become the embittered enemy of Marie Antoinette。 He had heard it so
often said on all sides that the queen by her levity； her
extravagance； and her intrigues； was the cause of all； that she
alone had brought about the revolution； that he at last believed it；
and turned angrily against the royal woman； whose worst offence in
the eyes of the prince lay in this； that she had been the occasion
of his enforced exile to Coblentz。
And Marie Antoinette knew all these intrigues which were forged by
the prince in Coblentz against herselfknew about all the calumnies
that were set in circulation there； she read the libels and
pamphlets which the storm…wind of revolution shook from the dry tree
of monarchy like withered autumn leaves； and scattered through all
France； that they might be everywhere found and read。
〃They will kill me；〃 she would often say； with a sigh； after reading
these pamphlets steeped with hate； and written in blood〃 yes； they
will kill me； but with me they will kill the king and the monarchy
too。 The revolution will triumph over us all； and hurl us all
together down into the grave。〃
But still she would make efforts to control the revolution and
restore the monarchy again out of its humiliations。 The Emperor
Joseph II。； brother of the queen； once said of himself； 〃I am a
royalist； because that is my business。〃 Marie Antoinette was a
royalist not because it was her business； she was a royalist by
conviction； a royalist in her soul； her mind； and her inmost nature。
For this she would defend the monarchy； for this she would contend
against the revolution； until she should either constrain it to
terms or be swallowed up in it。
All her efforts； all her cares； were directed only to this； to
kindle in the king the same courage that animated her； to stir him
with the same fire that burned in her soul。 But alas！ Louis XVI。 was
no doubt a good man and a kind father； but he was no king。 He had no
doubt the wish to restore the monarchy； but he lacked the requisite
energy and strong will。 Instead of controlling the revolution with a
fiery spirit； he sought to conciliate it by concession and mild
measures； and instead of checking it； he himself went down before
it。
But Marie Antoinette could not and would not give up hope。 As the
king would not act； she would act for him； as he would not take part
in politics； she would do so for him。 With glowing zeal she plunged
into business； spent many hours each day with the ministers and
dependants of the court； corresponded with foreign lands； with her
brother the Emperor Leopold； and her sister； Queen Caroline of
Naples； wrote to them in a cipher intelligible only to them； and
sent the letters through the hands of secret agents； imploring of
them assistance and help for the monarchy。
In earnest labor； in unrel