登陆注册
30977200000050

第50章 THE BAD OMEN(6)

"Your majesty has commanded, and I must obey," said Campan, bowing.

"Read, read," urged Marie Antoinette. "Let me know the sentence."

Madame de Campan unfolded the paper, and went nearer to the light in order to see better. Marie Antoinette leaned forward, folded both hands in her lap, and looked at Campan with an expression of eager expectation.

"Read, read!" she repeated, with trembling lips. Madame de Campan bowed and read:

"First.--The writing, the basis of the trial, the note and signatures, are declared to be forged in imitation of the queen's hand.

"Second.--Count Lamotte is sentenced in contumacion to the galleys for life.

"Third.--The woman Lamotte to be whipped, marked on both shoulders with the letter O, and to be confined for life.

"Fourth.--Retaux de Vilette to be banished for life from France.

"Fifth.--Mademoiselle Oliva is discharged.

"Sixth.--The lord cardinal--"

"Well," cried the queen, passionately, "why do you stammer, why do you tremble? He has been discharged; I know it already, for we are already at the names of the acquitted. Read on, Campan."

And Madame de Campan read on:

"The lord cardinal is acquitted from every charge, and is allowed to publish this acquittal."

"Acquitted!" cried the queen, springing from her seat, "acquitted!

Oh, Campan, what I feared is true. The Queen of France has become the victim of cabals and intrigues. The Queen of France in her honor, dignity, and virtue, is injured and wounded by one of her own subjects, and there is no punishment for him; he is free. Pity me, Campan! But no, on the contrary, I pity you, I pity France! If I can have no impartial judges in a matter which darkens my character, what can you, what can all others hope for, when you are tried in a matter which touches your happiness and honor? [Footnote: The very words of the queen See "Memoires de Madame de Campan," vol. ii., o.

23.] I am sad, sad in my inmost soul, and it seems to me as if this instant were to overshadow my whole life; as if the shades of night had fallen upon me, and--what is that? Did you blow out the light, Campan?"

"Your majesty sees that I am standing entirely away from the lights."

"But only see," cried the queen, "one of the candles is put out!"

"It is true," said Madame de Campan, looking at the light, over which a bluish cloud was yet hovering. "The light is put out, but if your majesty allows me, I--"

She was silent, and her bearing assumed the appearance of amazement and horror.

The candle which had been burning in the other arm of the candlestick went out like the one before.

The queen said not a word. She gazed with pale lips and wide-opened eyes at both the lights, the last spark of which had just disappeared.

"Will your majesty allow me to light the candles again?" asked Madame de Campan, extending her hand to the candlestick.

But the queen held her hand fast. "Let them be," she whispered, "I want to see whether both the other lights--"

Suddenly she was convulsed, and, rising slowly from her arm-chair, pointed with silent amazement at the second candlestick.

One of the two other lights had gone out.

Only one was now burning, and dark shadows filled the cabinet. The one light faintly illumined only the centre, and shone with its glare upon the pale, horrified face of the queen.

"Campan," she whispered, raising her arm, and pointing at the single light which remained burning, "if this fourth light goes out like the other three, it is a bad omen for me, and forebodes the approach of misfortune."

At this instant the light flared up and illumined the room more distinctly, then its flame began to die away. One flare more and this light went out, and a deep darkness reigned in the cabinet.

The queen uttered a loud, piercing cry, and sank in a swoon.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 这个女配很毒辣

    这个女配很毒辣

    作为一个女配,她也很无奈。既然是女配,她就好好做一个狠毒女配,欺女主,秀修炼,秀灵宠。但是,这个男人是怎么回事?男人:“不愧是我看中的女人,够毒辣!”
  • 最强战神狂婿

    最强战神狂婿

    北境战神回归都市,调查家族惨遭灭门的真相,搅动风云,横扫一切劲敌。除此之外,他还有另一个身份。苏家赘婿。
  • 光阴虚度

    光阴虚度

    利益,仇恨,名声,好奇心。编织成一张的网在等待猎物的出现。谁能凌驾于这张网之上?谁又是这张网之外的旁观者?这个世界本来就是这样,看似变化的一直都没有变。
  • 送南喻归

    送南喻归

    她为梦想付出而又穷其一生死在梦想她是自己唯一的救赎
  • 一种烟波各自愁

    一种烟波各自愁

    这是一本写青春的小说,源自我的故事,但这是我的第一本小说,可能有写的不好的地方,请见谅。
  • 我替天道带句话

    我替天道带句话

    “天道说了,地球人太鸡贼了,都不好好学道了!天天整一些虚头巴脑的。”于是叫李多宝的家伙奉命偷偷的撒下大道的种子。在嫦娥四号登月的即时影像里,正在做数据采集的宇航员突然被一只碧绿色的葫芦给砸中了……19年春节的花果山旅游景点,在无数游客的目光中,一只被绑在筋斗云的猴子乘云而去……某一天的敦煌莫高窟,佛光普照,梵音漫漫,留下一株菩提的李多宝遁走……深藏功于名。李多宝:“天道让我带句话,从今天起,三千大道,条条正道!”“我,李多宝,就是一个创造奇迹的男人!”
  • 唯一的救赎MS

    唯一的救赎MS

    生活在黑暗之中的姜黎,在生活中处处受挫,唯一的光也被摧毁,就在她快要坚持不下去的时候,他来了,一定是上帝太可怜这个女孩了吧,派来了一位天使来保护她,他是她唯一的救赎Youaremyonlysalvation
  • 北京遥望香巴拉

    北京遥望香巴拉

    遍地爱情的年代,在圣地西藏,总能被赋予新的意义。三个从大学时代起就要好的女孩儿因为不同原因寻找爱情。她们在拉萨和北京的3731公里间辗转,圣山圣湖、布达拉宫、圣城拉萨因为她们的执着而神圣和美丽。汉族女孩儿王初一始终相信自己的前世一定生活在西藏拉萨。康巴男子洛桑的偶然出现,让初一在和自己相爱了十多年的男友柳海峰的选择间陷入两难。最终,初一在一次与海峰的性爱中大出血,死在了寻爱的路上。初一死后,在洛桑的帮助下,实现了天葬的愿望,成为拉萨帕崩岗天葬台上送走的第一个汉族女人。月儿从19岁开始与比自己大19岁的男人潘谊和相爱,漫长的十多年间她们经历思念和伤痛,相爱和离别;最终在亲眼见证了挚友王初一的离世之后,懂得了相爱相守的重要意义,双双离开北京,远赴香港……从小在八廓街外长大的藏族姑娘卓玛一心渴望离开拉萨。除了因为爱上了最好朋友初一的男友之外,更因为她成长在西藏自治区成立前最特殊的家庭里,那样的家庭叫做一妻多夫。苦苦寻爱,伤痕累累。好在,卓玛遇到了比自己小8岁的汉族男孩儿,打破了阿妈关于草原女人的“魔咒”,并且终于走到了一起……
  • 南门故事

    南门故事

    “南门”一个小地方,承载着我童年记忆的地方。
  • 那一年的风花雪月

    那一年的风花雪月

    每当初冬下雪时,总会想起那场风花雪月的爱情,唯美的爱情。