The Queen`s Confession

by Виктория Холт

  It had been a mistake to bring Vallet, I began to realise, for although he was the most loyal of subjects he could not hide his awareness of the honour that had been done to him. While the horses were being changed one or two people spoke to him and he betrayed the fact that he was on no ordinary mission. People were already looking askance at the magnificent vehicle. Two children I That in itself was suspicious.

  I was very glad when we left Chalons, although the King had noticed nothing. As we rode out of the town he settled down to a nap.

  We were near Font de Somme-Vesk; at that town, according to the plan, we should meet the Due de Choiseul’s cavalry; he would then join us and remain with us until we reached Bouille’s loyal troops.

  The worst was over. We could all settle down secure in the thought that we were really at the end of our journey.

  The heat grew intense. My son wanted to get out and pick some flowers.

  He loved flowers and he had missed his little garden at the Trianon sadly.

  “Please, Madame Rocher,” he said mischievously, for I had warned him that part of the play was that I was his governess and he must not forget it.

  The King woke up and said that he believed Monsieur Ie : Dauphin should have his wish and that it would do us all good to stop for a while.

  So the cumbersome vehicle pulled up at the side of the road and Madame de Tourzel and Elisabeth got out with the children.

  The Dauphin was picking the flowers and bringing them to me.

  I was longing to move on, but the King said a few minutes more could do no harm and he sat benignly smiling at the children through the open door.

  And while we sat there we heard the sound of galloping hoofs, and soon a rider came info view. He was coming straight towards us and as he approached the be rime he did not stop although he slackened his pace.

  As he came level with us he shouted: Take care. Your plan is known.

  You will be stopped. “

  Before we could question him he had ridden on.

  We summoned the others back to the berline and the King gave orders for us to proceed at once with all speed.

  Into Font de Somme-Vesle where the cavalry should be waiting. The place was deserted. While the horses were being changed a cavalryman rode up.

  Where is the Due de Choiseui? ” asked the King.

  “He has left. Sire,” was the answer.

  Left! But he had orders to meet us here “You did not arrive at die appointed time. Sire. He could not understand the confused message of Monsieur Leonard, and Monsieur de Choiseui presumed that you had not left Paris and the plan was called off.”

  “He had orders to wait.”

  Yes, Sire, but he feared trouble. People were asking why there were troops on the road and there were rumours that a magnificent be rime grand enough for royalty alone was on the road. There has been trouble between the peasants and soldiers so Monsieur de Choiseui has gone to Clermont and has sent Monsieur Leonard with a message to the Marquis de Bouille explaining this. “

  Now I was frightened. I saw the chain of misfortunes which had led us to this—die sentry, the immense ill luck of meeting La Fayette’s carriage which had made us change our route, that was the beginning.

  Then the inability to find the be rime . but one misfortune bad grown out of another. We should not have stayed to eat the goose. We should not have allowed the children those rests by the roadside. I could see that it was not only fate which was to blame, and I wondered vaguely whether it ever is.

  “But we must go on.” I said.

  “We must go without our escort. We have missed the support of Choiseul’s hussars but the dragoons will be at Sainte-Menehould and we must join up with them as soon as possible.”

  Uneasily we rode on.

  When we came into Sainte-Menehould I knew that something was wrong.

  This was not as Axel had planned. Oh, why had he not come with us?

  That seemed to me the greatest misfortune of all. The town was full of soldiers and this naturally aroused the curiosity of the people.

  Something very extraordinary was about to happen in their town. What?

  And into this town of suspicion rolled the most elaborate berline which had ever been created and its passengers were two children, a lackey who looked astonishingly like the King, and a governess who had an uncontrollably haughty air, and a Russian lady who somehow could not hide her deference towards her lackey and governess; and a quiet woman who was supposed to be a maid of some sort yet who bad the air of a Prmcesse.

  Who were these travellers? Rich emigres, yes, but very special emigres, and they had a striking resemblance to a very celebrated family.

  I did not know then, but I was to learn later, that the son of the postmaster here was an ardent revolutionary, a certain Jean Bapriste Drouet. He had looked at us sullenly and not recognised us; but rumour was in the air.

  It must have been after the horses were changed and we were on our way to Varennes that someone told Drouet the news. The King and Queen had escaped from Paris and were travelling along this road towards Mommedy.

  It was ten o’clock when we came into Varennes. The King was sleeping, but I felt I should never sleep easily until I was in Montmedy. It was dark.

  We were passing under an archway and there was just room for the berline, when we were suddenly called to a halt.

  A voice said: “Passports.”

  Madame de Tourzel produced the forged document with which. Axel bad provided her and which announced that she was Madame de Korff from Russia travelling with her children and servants.

  I did not recognise the man who took the passport as Jean Baptiste Drouet who had been at the posting station at Sainte-Menehould; but I did realise that he was trembling with excitement.

  “This passport is not in order,” he said, and although he spoke to Madame de Tourzel he was studying me intently.

  “I assure you it is in order,” protested Madame de Tourzelle.

  “I am sorry but I must take it to the town’s solicitor, and I must ask you to accompany me to his house.” “What!” cried Madame de Tourzel in dismay.

  “All of usi’ ” Yes, Madame, all of you. You will be led to the house of Monsieur Sausse. “

  I looked out of the window and saw that die be rime was surrounded by young men and that all wore the badge of the revolution.

  The berline moved slowly on and drew up before a house. The Ring showed no sign of alarm. He whispered: “It is nothing. Merely a check on the passport. It is in order. Fersen will have seen to that.”

  Monsieur Sausse was not only the solicitor but a keeper of a shop and mayor of Varennes. A mild comfortable man, I recognised him at once as one who would want to keep out of trouble.

  He examined the passport and proclaimed it to be in order. We had his permission to leave at once.

  But Drouet was a fierce revolutionary. He cried out:

  “This is the King and Queen. Are you going to be a traitor, Monsieur Sausse, and let them slip through the people’s fingers?”

  Monsieur Sausse was alarmed, for even now the crowds were gathering outside his door.

  He looked at us apologetically and I recognised that respect in his eyes. He knew us . even as Drouet did.

  “I must regret,” he said, ‘that you cannot leave Varennes tonight. I offer you what hospitality I have. “

  It was over, I knew. Desperation overwhelmed me. People* were gathering about the house. I could hear the shouts. It was going to be that terrible October all over again.

  I could hear the mob screaming. From the window I could see their scythes and pitchforks.

  Not that again! I thought. Why did we attempt this? Why did we not know that God was against us? Not God, I thought, we have brought this on ourselves. The Sausses were our friends, however. They had prepared a good meal for us, and that made it clear that they wished us nothing but good luck. If they could have prevented our detention, they would.

  As it was, in thei
r humble home they treated us as their sovereigns. They dared not help us escape, though. That would have been more’ll than their lives were worth. And what would be the us l of attempting escape when the mob surrounded the house; Throughout Varennes, Drouet was gathering his revolutionaries together. He was doubtless visualising the great honour which would come to him. The man who prevented ( the escape of the King and Queen!

  ‘ I was surprised how the King could eat in the face of all this.

  Appetite in such circumstances astonished me. While he was eating, two soldiers fought their way into the house, and when I saw them my spirits rose, for they were the loyal dragoons.

  Their names were de Damas and Goguelat, and they told us they had brought a company of soldiers with them to the town but when their men had seen the revolutionaries gathering and knew that the King and I were prisoners they deserted. They had no wish to anger the leaders of the revolution by helping the King and Queen escape.

  It was not long after when Choiseui himself arrived; he had a small company of men with him and had also had to fight his way to us.

  He told us that the battle had been fierce and that he had been obliged to inflict wounds on some of those who sought to deter him.

  The plan had gone awry, he said, and now they must plan afresh from here.

  “I have sent warning to Bouille and it cannot be long before he joins us. I suggest. Sire, that we fight our way out of Varennes and take the road to Mononedy, we cannot then fail to meet Bouille. He will have his loyal troops and none will dare attack us then. We can carry Your Majesties to safety.”

  “This is an excellent idea!” I cried. We must do it. ” But the King shook his head.

  “I have said all along that I will not be responsible for shedding the blood of my people. If we tried to fight our way out of here many would be killed. These people out there are determined not to let us go.”

  They are the mob,” said Choiseul.

  “They have their pitchforks, but pitchforks are no use against our weapons.”

  “As I said, there would be slaughter. Who knows, the Queen or the Dauphin might be hurt.”

  “We could protect the child,” I said.

  “I am ready to take a chance.”

  “I would never permit it,” said the King.

  “For even though we were all safe, some of my people would surely be killed. No, no. We must wait for Bouille to come. When the people see him they will realise that it is no use to fight against him and his army. They will go back to their homes and allow us to depart peacefully.”

  “It is possible. Sire, that the revolutionaries may decide to take Your Majesties back to Paris before Bouille gets here.”

  “It is a chance we must take. I will not have bloodshed on my account.”

  I saw the stubborn look in his face and I knew he meant it.

  I knew too that everything depended on Bouille reaching Varennes in time.

  I did not sleep through that terrible night. I was aware of the voices outside the house, of the light of torches.

  I was praying silently. Not that again! It is more than I can endure.

  Let Bouille come . or let death come quickly, but not that. The horror of it came back to me—that ride from Versailles to Paris . the crowd . the unclean crowd . the smell of blood, the horrible leering savage faces, the obscene words on vile lips. I hated them.

  God help me; they were canaille; it was not love of country that prompted them, it was love of cruelty. I thought: I would rather die now than suffer it again. And the children, those innocent children, to be submitted to this humiliation; this fearful knowledge of all that was bestial in the world to be thrust under their innocent eyes. Oh God spare us.

  Louis slept. I could almost hate him. Was he a man . to sleep while

  we were all in such danger? He must not have bloodshed . he must not harm his dear children . his children . those screaming beasts out there;

  ‘ he called them his children. Why was not Axel with us? ” Axel would have fought his way through them. How I lived through that fearful night I do not know. But c the dawn came, and with the daylight the noise outside the house increased.

  I tried to close my eyes; I tried to sleep. If only I could sleep for a few minutes as Louis had all through the night. A hammering on the door startled me. I heard heavy feet on the stairs, and two men burst in upon us. I recognised one of them as a man named Romeuf who had guarded us in the Tuileries. The other was a man named Bayon.

  They explained that they came on order from the National Assembly. One of them handed a document to the King. I read it with him. His rights were suspended and these two men had been sent to prevent his continuing on his journey.

  I screwed it up and threw it into a corner of the room. The men looked on helplessly. At least they had some shame.

  The King said gently: “The Marquis de Bouin6 is on his way to Varennes.

  If you try to force us to return to Paris there could be bloodshed.”

  “On the orders of Monsieur de La Fayette we are to take you back to Paris, Sire.”

  “And what of the orders of your King?” I asked indignantly.

  “We are obliged to obey the Assembly, Madame.”

  “I wish to avoid bloodshed,” said Louis gently.

  “I do not wish to fight my people. When the Marquis de Bouille arrives I shall leave here and, from a place to which we shall go, come to an understanding with those who are making this revoluon.”

  Romeuf looked at his companion.

  “We could wait for the Marquis to arrive,” he suggested, ‘since we were given no orders as to when we were to return to Paris. “

  Bayon did not possess his loyalty.

  “Are you a fool?” he demanded.

  “Bouille is armed. What have the people but their pitchforks and a few knives? We must set out for Paris before Bouille arrives.”

  We are exhausted,” I said.

  “There are the children to consider.”

  Bayon did not answer. He left us and I heard him go out of the house and talk to the crowds.

  Romeuf looked at us apologetically and said: “You must think of anything. Your Majesties, which will delay the departure. Once Bouille arrives you are safe.”

  “Thank you,” I said quietly.

  Bayon came back. Already I heard the shouts of “A Paris’ outside the house.

  “Prepare to leave at once,” said Bayon.

  “The children must not be frightened,” I told him.

  “They are exhausted. They must finish their sleep.”

  “Arouse them at once, Madame.”

  Madame de Tourzel and Madame Neuville awoke them. The Dauphin looked at Bayon and Romeuf and shrieked with pleasure.

  ‘now we have soldiers! ” he cried.

  “Are you coming with us?”

  “Yes, Monsieur Ie Dauphin,” said Bayon.

  Even the soldiers agreed that we must eat before we left, and Madame Sausse was told to prepare food. I saw the determination in her face to take as long as she possibly could, doing so.

  Bayon was impatient. He warned her that the people would not feel very kindly towards a dilatory housewife who was responsible for holding up their orders. Poor Madame Sausse, she did everything she could to help us. Such people as herself and Romeuf brought great hope to us in our difficulties.

  I tried to eat but could not. In fact the only ones who could do justice to the food Madame Sausse had been so long preparing were the King and the children.

  “Come now,” said Bayon. And there was no sign of Bouille.

  It is all over, I thought. We can find no excuse to stay longer. Oh

  God, send Bouille. Please give us this. Come,” said Bayon, roughly.

  “There has been enough ? delay.”

  He was hustling us to the door when Madame Neuville gave a little cry and slipped to the floor; she started to throw her ( arms about and made strange noises as though in a fit. ( I knelt beside her. I kne
w she was acting. I cried:

  “Fetch a doctor.”

  ‘ Bayon, cursing, gave the order; but everyone outside was determined that the doctor should be brought in record time.

  All the time I watched Madame Neuville lying there on the floor I was praying: “Oh God, send Bouille.”

  But it was the doctor who came, not Bouille, and Madame Neuville could no longer keep up her pretence. She was given a potion and helped to her feet. She swayed and would have fallen again, but Bayon supported her and with the help of the doctor dragged her out to the cabriolet.

  No sign of Bouille.

  “A Paris!” shouted the mob. No more waiting. There was no help for it.

  We must all follow Madame Neuville out of the house. A shout went up when we appeared. I held the Dauphin’s hand tightly, too frightened for him to fear for myself.

  It was coming again . I knew so well. I should never forget. The humiliating ride . a longer one this time, not merely from Versailles but from Varennes to Paris.

  The journey to Paris lasted three days. I thought when we had come from Versailles that I had reached the nadir of humiliation, horror, discomfort and misery; I was to learn that I had not done so.

  The heat was intense; we could not wash or change our clothes, and all along the route were those shrieking screaming savages. I cannot call them people—for all semblance of human kindness and dignity seemed to have left them. They hurled insults at us—mostly at me. I was the scapegoat as I had become accustomed to being.

  “A bos Antoinette V they screamed.

  “Antoinette h la Ian-temel’ Very well then, I thought, but quickly—quickly. Gladly I will go rather than submit to life in these circumstances. Only let my children go freely. Let them live the lives of ordinary gentlefolk . but let me die, if that is what you want.

  They had set two men of the National Assembly to guard us—Petion and Barnave. I suppose they were not bad fellows; indeed I know they were not, now. There was a difference between the rabble and those who believed that the revolution must come about for the good of France, whose creed was liberty, equality, fraternity;