Part 38 (2/2)

And the king withdrew into the thicket, while Mirabeau stopped near the queen, and saluted her with a profound bow.

Marie Antoinette rose from her marble seat. At this moment she was not the queen giving an audience, but the anxious lady, advancing to meet danger, and desirous to mitigate it by politeness and smiles.

”Come nearer, count,” said Marie Antoinette, still standing. But as he approached, the queen sank slowly upon the seat, and raised her eyes to Mirabeau, with an almost timid look, who now did not seem to her a monster, for his mien was disturbed, and his eyes, which had always been represented as so fearful, had a gentle, respectful expression.

”Count,” said the queen, and her voice trembled a little ”count, if I found myself face to face with an ordinary enemy, a man who was aiming at the destruction of monarchy, without seeing of what use it is for the people, I should be taking at this moment a very useless step. But when one talks with a Mirabeau, one is beyond the ordinary conditions of prudence, and hope of his a.s.sistance is blended with wonder at the act.” [Footnote: The queen's own words.--See ”Marie Antoinette et sa Famille” Par M. de Lescure, p. 484.]

”Madame,” cried Mirabeau, deeply moved, ”I have not come here as your enemy, but as your devoted servant, who is ready cheerfully to give his life if he can be of any service to the monarchy.”

”You believe, then, that it is a question of life, or, if you prefer, of death, which stands between the French people and the monarchy?” asked the queen, sadly.

”Yes, I am convinced of that,” answered Mirabeau. ”But I still hope that we can answer the question in favor of the monarchy, provided that the right means are applied in season.”

”And what, according to your views, are the right means, count?”

Mirabeau smiled and looked with amazement into the n.o.ble face of the queen, who, with such easy composure, had put into this one short question what for centuries had perplexed the greatest thinkers and statesmen to answer.

”Will your majesty graciously pardon me if I crave permission, before I answer, to put a question in like manner to my exalted queen?”

”Ask on, count,” replied Marie Antoinette, with a gentle inclination of her head.

”Well, madame, this is my question: 'Does your majesty purpose and aim at the reestablishment of the old regime, and do you deem it possible to roll the chariot of human history and of politics backward?”

”You have in your question given the answer as well,” said Marie Antoinette, with a sigh. ”It is impossible to reerect the same edifice out of its own ruins. One must be satisfied if out of them a house can be built, in which one can manage to live.”

”Ah, your majesty,” said Mirabeau, with feeling, ”this answer is the first ray of light which breaks through the heavy storm-clouds! The new day can be descried and hailed with delight! After hearing this n.o.ble answer of your majesty, I look up comforted, and the clouds do not terrify me longer, for I know that they will soon be past--that is, if we employ the right means.”

”And now I repeat my question, count, What, according to your view, are the right means?”

”First of all, the recognition of what is wrong,” answered Mirabeau, ”and then the cheerful and honest will to do what is found to be necessary.”

”Well, tell me, what is it that is wrong?”

Mirabeau bowed, and then began to speak to her in his clear, sharp way, which was at the same time so full of energy, of the situation of France, the relation of the various political parties to one another, to the court, and the throne. In strongly outlined sentences he characterized the chiefs of the political clubs, the leaders of the parties in the National a.s.sembly, and spoke of the perilous goal which the demagogues, the men of the extreme Left, aimed at. He did not, from delicacy, speak the word ”republican,”

but he gave the queen to understand that the destruction of the monarchy and the throne, the annihilation of the royal family, was the ultimate object aimed at by all the raving orators and leaders of the extreme Left.

The queen had listened to him with eager, fixed attention, and, at the same time, with a dignified composure; and the earnest, thoughtful look of her large eyes had penetrated and moved Mirabeau more and more, so that his words came from his lips like a stream of fire, and kindled a new hope even in himself.

”All will yet be well,” he cried, in conclusion; ”we shall succeed in contending with the hidden powers that wish to undermine your majesty's throne, and to take from the hands of your enemies these dangerous weapons of destruction. I shall apply all my power, all my eloquence to this. I will oppose the undertakings of the demagogues; I will show myself to be their public opponent, and zealously serve the monarchy, making use of all such means of help as are adapted to move men's minds, and not to trouble and terrify them, as if freedom and self-government were to be taken from them, and yet which will restore the credit and power of the monarchy.”

”Are you, then, with honest and upright heart, a friend of ours?”

asked Marie Antoinette, almost supplicatingly. ”Do you wish to a.s.sist us, and stand by us, with your counsel and help?”

Mirabeau met her inquisitive and anxious look with a cordial smile, a n.o.ble and trustworthy expression of face. ”Madame,” he said, with his fine, resonant voice, ”I defended monarchical principles when I saw only their weakness, and when I did not know the soul nor the thoughts of the daughter of Maria Theresa, and little reckoned upon having such an exalted mediator. I contended for the rights of the throne when I was only mistrusted, when calumny dogged all my steps, and declared me guilty of treachery! I served the monarchy, then, when I knew that from my rightful, but misled king, I should receive neither kindness nor reward. What shall I do now, when confidence animates my spirit, and grat.i.tude has made my duties run directly in the current of my principles? I shall be and remain what I have always been, the defender of monarchy governed by law, the apostle of liberty guaranteed by the monarchy.” [Footnote: Mirabeau's own words.--See ”Memoires du Comte de Mirabeau,” vol III., p. 290.]

”I believe you, count,” cried Marie Antoinette, with emotion. ”You will serve us with fidelity and zeal, and with your help all will yet be well. I promise yon that we will follow your counsels, and act in concord with you. You will put yourself in communication with the king; you will consult him about needful matters, and advise him about the things which are essential to his welfare and that of the people.”

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