The Countess De Charny - Volume II Read Online Free PDF Page B

postponed until the 14th of July. In fact, they were so firmly convinced of this that they begged the king to put on a suit, or at least a tunic, of chain armour under his clothing, so that the first stab or shot would prove harm-less, and his friends have time to come to his assistance.
    Alas ! the queen had not Andrée to aid her now, as on a former occasion, and to go with her at midnight to a lonely part of the palace to test with a trembling hand the efficacy of that light silky cuirass, as she had done once at Versailles.
    Fortunately, the king’s cuirass had been preserved. He had put it on once, merely to please the queen, on the occasion of his first compulsory journey from Versailles to Paris, but had never worn it afterwards. Kow he was so closely watched that his friends could find no opportunity to put it on him a second time, and repair any defects it might have; and Madame Campan carried it about three days under her dress.
    At last, one morning, while slip was in the queen’s chamber, and the queen still in bed, the king came in, hastily pulled off his coat, and tried on the armour, while Madame Campan stood guard at the door.
    When the cuirass had been adjusted, the king called Madame Campan to him and said: “It is to satisfy the queen I am doing this. They won’t assassinate me. Cam-pan, you may be sure of that. They have changed their plans, and there is an entirely different kind of death in store for me. When you leave the queen come to my room, for there is something I wish to intrust to your charge.”
    The king went out, and the queen, who had noticed this whispered conference, asked Madame Campan what the king had said to her.
    Bursting into tears, Madame Campan fell upon her knees beside the bed and repeated his Majesty’s words.
     
    38 LA COMTESSE DE CHARNY.
    The queen shook her head sorrowfully, and said : ” Yes, that is the king’s opinion, and I am beginning to think as he does. He believes that what is now taking place in France will prove a mere repetition of what took place in England a century ago. He is continually reading the history of the unfortunate Charles. Yes, yes; I begin to fear the king will be tried. As for me, I am a foreigner, and they will assassinate me. Alas! what will become of my poor children ? “
    Sobs choked her utterance. Madame Campan sprang up and began to prepare a soothing draught of sweetened water and ether; but the queen stopped her.
    “Nervous attacks are for happy women,” she said sadly; ” but there is no remedy for a mind diseased. Since our misfortunes became so great, I am scarcely conscious of my bodily existence. I can think only of my probable fate. Say nothing about this to the king, and go to him at once.”
    But Madame Campan made no movement to obey.
    “What is the matter? Why don’t you go?” asked the queen.
    ” Oh, madame, I want to tell your Majesty that I have had a tunic of mail like the king’s made for you,” cried Madame Campan, “and I implore your Majesty on my knees to put it on,”
    “Thank you, thank you, my dear Campan,” said the queen, much affected.
    ” Your Majesty accepts it, then ? ” exclaimed her devoted attendant, joyfully.
    ” I will accept it as a token of your devotion, but I shall not put it on.” Then, taking her faithful friend’s hand, she added softly : ” I shall be only too thankful if they do assassinate me. God! they will, in that case, confer a greater blessing on me than Thou did’st in giving me life, for they will deliver me from it! Go, Campan, go! “
    In the corridor Madame Campan met the king. On seeing her, he stopped, and offered her his hand. Madame
     
    JULY 14, 1792. 39
    Campan took it, and bent her head to press her lips upon it ; but the king drew her to him, and kissed her upon both cheeks; then, before she had recovered from her astonishment, he bade her follow him.
    The king walked on in advance of her until he reached a side passage leading from his bed-chamber to