The Royal Life Guard; or, the flight of the royal family. by Alexandre Dumas
CHAPTER XVI.
THE MAN OF THE PEOPLE.
The room was crammed with strangers and National Guards whom curiosityhad drawn into it.
The Queen was therefore checked in her first impulse which was to rushto the new arrival, sponge away the blood with her handkerchief andaddress him some of the comforting words which spring from the heart,and therefore go to them.
But she could not help rising a little on her seat, extend her armstowards him and mutter his Christian name.
Calm and gloomy, he waved his hand to the strangers and in a soft butfirm voice, said:
"You will excuse me, but I have business with their Majesties."
The National Guard began to remonstrate that they were there to preventanybody talking with the prisoners, but Charny pressed his bloodlesslips, frowned, opened his riding coat to show that he carried pistols,and repeated in a voice as gentle as before but twice as menacing:
"Gentlemen, I have already had the honor to tell you that I have privatebusiness with the King and the Queen."
At the same time he waved them to go out. On this voice, and the masteryCharny exercised over others, Damas and the two bodyguards resumed theirenergy, temporarily impaired, and cleared the room by driving the gapersand volunteer soldiers before them.
The Queen now comprehended what use this man would have been in theroyal carriage instead of Lady Tourzel, whom she had let etiquetteimpose on them.
Charny glanced round to make sure that only the faithful were at hand,and said as he went nearer Marie Antoinette:
"I am here, my lady. I have some seventy hussars at the town gate. Ibelieve I can depend on them. What do you order me to do?"
"Tell us first what has happened you, my poor Charny?" she said inGerman.
He made a sign towards Malden whom he knew to understand the speaker'slanguage.
"Alas, not seeing you, we thought you were dead," she went on in French.
"Unhappily, it is not I but my brother who is slain--poor Isidore! butmy turn is coming."
"Charny, I ask you what happened and how you came to keep so long out ofthe way?" continued the Queen. "You were a defaulter, George, especiallyto me," she added in German and in a lower voice.
"I thought my brother would account for my temporary absence," he said,bowing.
"Yes, I know: to pursue that wretch of a man, Drouet, and we feared forawhile that you had come to disaster, in that chase."
"A great misfortune did befall me, for despite all my efforts, I couldnot catch up with him. A postboy returning let him know that yourcarriage had taken the Varennes Road when he was thinking it had goneto Verdun: he turned into the woods where I pulled my pistols on himbut they were not loaded--I had taken Dandoins' horse and not the oneprepared for me. It was fatality, and who could help it? I pursued himnone the less through the forest but I only knew the roads, so that Iwas thrown by my horse falling into a ditch! In the darkness I was buthunting a shadow, and he knew it in every hollow. Thus I was left alonein the night, cursing with rage."
She offered her hand to him and he touched it with his tremulous lips.
"Nobody replied to my calls. All night long I wandered and only atdaybreak came out at a village on the road from Varennes to Dun. Asit was possible that you had escaped Drouet as he escaped me, it wasthen useless for me to go to Varennes; yet but as he might have had youstopped there, and I was but one man and my devotion was useless, Idetermined to go on to Dun.
"Before I arrived I met Captain Deslon with a hundred hussars. He wasfretting in the absence of news: he had seen Bouille and Raigecourtracing by towards Stenay, but they had said nothing to him, probablyfrom some distrust. But I know Deslon to be a loyal gentleman; I guessedthat your Majesty had been detained at Varennes, and that Bouille andhis companion had taken flight to get help. I told Deslon all, adjuredhim to follow me with his cavalry, which he did, but leaving thirty toguard the Meuse Bridge.
"An hour after we were at Varennes, four leagues in an hour, where Iwanted to charge and upset everything between us and your Majesty: butwe found breastworks inside of works; and to try to ride over themwas folly. So I tried parleying: a post of the National Guards beingthere, I asked leave to join my hussars with those inside but it wasrefused me: I asked to be allowed to get the King's orders direct andas that was about to be refused likewise. I spurred my steed, jumpedtwo barricades and guided by the tumult, galloped up to this spot justwhen my bro--your Majesty fell back from the balcony. Now, I await yourorders," he concluded.
The Queen pressed his hand in both hers.
"Sire," she said to the King, still plunged in torpor; "have you heardwhat this faithful servitor is saying?"
The King gave no answer and she went over to him.
"Sire, there is no time to lose, and indeed too much has been lost.Here is Lord Charny with seventy men, sure, he says, and he wants yourorders."
He shook his head, though Charny implored him with a glance and theQueen by her voice.
"Orders? I have none to give, being a prisoner. Do whatever you like."
"Good, that is all we want," said the Queen: "you have a blank warrant,you see," she added to her follower whom she took aside: "Do as theKing says, whatever you see fit." In a lower voice she appended: "Do itswiftly, and with vigor, or else we are lost!"
"Very well," returned the Lifeguards officer, "let me confer amoment with these gentlemen and we will carry out what we determineimmediately."
Choiseul entered, carrying some letters wrapped in a bloodstainedhandkerchief. He offered this to Charny without a word. The countunderstood that it came from his brother and putting out his hand toreceive the tragic inheritance, he kissed the wrapper. The Queen couldnot hold back a sigh.
But Charny did not turn round to her, but said as he thrust the packetinto his breast:
"Gentlemen, can you aid me in the last effort I intend?"
"We are ready for anything."
"Do you believe we are a dozen men staunch and able?"
"We are eight or nine, any way."
"Well, I will return to my hussars. While I attack the barriers infront, you storm them in the rear. By favor of your diversion, I willforce through, and with our united forces we will reach this spot wherewe will extricate the King."
They held out their hands to him by way of answer.
"In an hour," said Charny to the King and Queen, "you shall be free, orI dead."
"Oh, count, do not say that word," said she, "it causes me too muchpain."
George bowed in confirmation of his vow, and stepped towards the doorwithout being appalled by the fresh uproar in the street.
But as he laid his hand on the knob, it flew open and gave admission toa new character who mingled directly in the already complicated plot ofthe drama.
This was a man in his fortieth year; his countenance was dark andforbidding; his collar open at the throat, his unbuttoned coat, the duston his clothes, and his eyes red with fatigue, all indicated that he hadridden far and fast under the goad of fierce feeling.
He carried a brace of pistols in his sash girdle and a sabre hung by hisside.
Almost breathless as he opened the door, he appeared relieved only whenhe saw the Royal Family. A smile of vengeance flittered over his faceand without troubling about the other persons around the room and by thedoorway itself, which he almost blocked up with his massive form, hethundered as he stretched out his hand:
"In the name of the National Assembly, you are all my prisoners!"
As swift as thought Choiseul sprang forward with a pistol in hand andoffered to blow out the brains of this intruder, who seemed to surpassin insolence and resolution all they had met before. But the Queenstopped the menacing hand with a still swifter action and said in anundertone to the count:
"Do not hasten our ruin! prudence, my lord! let us gain time for Bouilleto arrive."
"You are right," said Choiseul, putting up the firearm.
The Queen glanced at Charny whom she had thought
But she did not doubt him or that he would step out of the mystery andshadow at the proper time.
The threatening move of the nobleman against the representative of theNational Assembly had passed over without the latter appearing to remarkhis escape from death.
Besides, another emotion than fear seemed to monopolize his heart: therewas no mistaking his face's expression; so looks the hunter who hastracked to the den of the lion, the lioness and their cubs, with theirjackals,--amongst whom was devoured his only child!
But the King had winced at the word "Prisoners," which had made Choiseulrevolt.
"Prisoners, in the name of the Assembly? what do you mean? I do notunderstand you."
"It is plain, and easy enough," replied the man. "In spite of the oathyou took not to go out of France, you have fled in the night, betrayingyour pledge, the Nation and the people; hence the nation have cried 'Toarms!' risen, and to say:--by the voice of one of your lowest subjects,not less powerful because it comes from below, though: 'Sire, in thename of the people, the nation and the National Assembly, you are myprisoner!"
In the adjoining room, a cheer burst at the words.
"My lady," said Choiseul to the Queen, in her ear, "do not forget thatyou stopped me and that you would not suffer this insult if your pityhad not interfered for this bully."
"It will go for nothing if we are revenged," she replied.
"But if not?"
She could only groan hollowly and painfully. But Charny's hand wasslowly reached over the duke's shoulder and touched the Queen's arm. Sheturned quickly.
"Let that man speak and act--I answer for him," said the count.
Meanwhile the monarch, stunned by the fresh blow dealt him, stared withamazement at the gloomy figure which had spoken so energetic a language,and curiosity was mingled with it from his belief that he had seen himbefore.
"Well, in short, what do you want? Speak," he said.
"Sire, I am here to prevent you and the Royal Family taking another steptowards the frontier."
"I suppose you come with thousands of men to oppose my march," went onthe King, who became grander during his discussion.
"No, Sire, I am alone, or with only another, General Lafayette'said-de-camp, sent by him and the Assembly to have the orders of theNation executed. I am sent by Mayor Bailly, but I come mainly on my ownbehalf to watch this envoy and blow out his brains if he flinches."
All the hearers looked at him with astonishment; they had never seen thecommoners but oppressed or furious, and begging for pardon or murderingall before them; for the first time they beheld a man of the peopleupright, with folded arms, feeling his force and speaking in the name ofhis rights.
Louis saw quickly that nothing was to be hoped from one of this metaland said in his eagerness to finish with him:
"Where is your companion?"
"Here he is, behind me," said he, stepping forward so as to disclose thedoorway, where might be seen a young man in staff-officer's uniform, whowas leaning against the window. He was also in disorder but it was offatigue not force. His face looked mournful. He held a paper in hishand.
This was Captain Romeuf, Lafayette's aid, a sincere patriot, but duringLafayette's dictature while he was superintending the Tuileries, hehad shown so much respectful delicacy that the Queen had thanked him onseveral occasions.
"Oh, it is you?" she exclaimed, painfully surprised. "I never shouldhave believed it," she added, with the painful groan of a beauty whofeels her fancied invincible power failing.
"Good, it looks as if I were quite right to come," muttered the seconddeputy, smiling.
The impatient King did not give the young officer time to present hiswarrant; he took a step towards him rapidly and snatched it from hishands.
"There is no longer a King in France," he uttered after having read it.
The companion of Romeuf smiled as much as to say: "I knew that allalong."
The Queen moved towards the King to question him at these words.
"Listen, madam," he said, "to the decree the Assembly has presumed toissue."
In a voice shaking with indignation he read the following lines:
"It is hereby ordered by the Assembly that the Home Secretary shall send instantly messengers into every department with the order for all functionaries, National Guards, and troops of the line in the country to arrest or have arrested all persons soever attempting to leave the country, as well as to prevent all departure of goods, arms, ammunition, gold and silver, horses and vehicles; and in case these messengers overtake the King, or any members of the Royal Family, and those who connive at their absconding, the said functionaries, National Guards and troops of the line are to take, and hereby are bound to take, all measure possible to check the said absconding, prevent the absconders continuing their route, and give an account immediately to the House of Representatives."
The Queen listened in torpor--but when the King finished she shook herhead to arouse her wits and said:
"Impossible--give it to me," and she held out her hand for the fatalmessage.
In the meantime Romeuf's companion was encouraging the National Guardsand patriots of Varennes with a smile.
Though they had heard the tenor of the missive the Queen's expression of"Impossible!" had startled them.
"Read, Madam, and if still you doubt," said the King with bitterness;"it is written and signed by the Speaker of the House."
"What man dares write and sign such impudence?"
"A peer of the realm--the Marquis of Beauharnais."
Is it not a strange thing, which proves how events are mysteriouslylinked together, that the decree stopping Louis in his flight shouldbear a name, obscure up to then, yet about to be attached in a brilliantmanner with the history of the commencement of the 19th Century?
The Queen read the paper, frowning. The King took it to re-peruse it andthen tossed it aside so carelessly that it fell on the sleeping princeand princess's couch. At this, the Queen, incapable of self-constraintany longer, rose quickly with an angry roar, and seizing the paper,crushed it up in her grip before throwing it afar, with the words:
"Be careful, my lord--I would not have such a filthy rag sully mychildren."
A deafening clamor arose from the next room, and the Guards made amovement to rush in upon the illustrious fugitives. Lafayette's aid leta cry of apprehension escape him. His companion uttered one of wrath.
"Ha," he growled between his teeth, "is it thus you insult the Assembly,the Nation and the people?--very well, we shall see! Come, citizens!" hecalled out, turning to the men without, already excited by the contest,and armed with guns, scythes mounted on poles like spears, and swords.
They were taking the second stride to enter the room and Heaven onlyknows what would have been the shock of two such enmities, had notCharny sprang forward. He had kept aloof during the scene, and nowgrasping the National Guards man by the wrist as he was about to drawhis sabre, he said:
"A word with you, Farmer Billet; I want to speak with you."
Billet, for it was he, emitted a cry of astonishment, turned pale asdeath, stood irresolute for an instant, and then said as he sheathed thehalf-drawn steel:
"Have it so. I have to speak with you, Lord Charny." He proceeded tothe door and said: "Citizens, make room if you please. I have to conferwith this officer; but have no uneasiness," he added in a low voice,"there shall not escape one wolf, he or she, or yet a whelp. I am on thelookout and I answer for them!"
As if this man had the right to give them orders, though he was unknownto them all--save Charny--they backed out and left the inner room free.Besides, each was eager to relate to those without what had happenedinside, and enjoin all patriots to keep close watch.
In the meantime Charny whispered to the Queen:
This was the more easy as Charny closed the door behind him to preventanybody, even Billet, entering.