murad the unlucky and other tales-第21部分

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probability　or　possibility　of　serving　his　country　by　his　fall。

Monsieur　de　Fleury；　in　consequence　of　these　representations；　and　of
Victoire's　intelligence；　made　his　escape　from　Paris；　and　the　very
next　day　placards　were　put　up　in　every　street；　offering　a　price　for
the　head　of　Citoyen　Fleury；　SUSPECTED　OF　INCIVISME。

Struck　with　terror　and　astonishment　at　the　sight　of　these　placards；
the　children　read　them　as　they　returned　in　the　evening　from　school；
and　little　Babet　in　the　vehemence　of　her　indignation　mounted　a
lamplighter's　ladder；　and　tore　down　one　of　the　papers。　　This
imprudent　action　did　not　pass　unobserved：　　it　was　seen　by　one　of
the　spies　of　Citoyen　Tracassier；　a　man　who；　under　the　pretence　of
zeal　pour　la　chose　publique；　gratified　without　scruple　his　private
resentments　and　his　malevolent　passions。　　In　his　former　character
of　an　abbe；　and　a　man　of　wit；　he　had　gained　admittance　into　Madame
de　Fleury's　society。　　There　he　attempted　to　dictate　both　as　a
literary　and　religious　despot。　　Accidentally　discovering　that
Madame　de　Fleury　had　a　little　school　for　poor　children；　he　thought
proper　to　be　offended；　because　he　had　not　been　consulted　respecting
the　regulations；　and　because　he　was　not　permitted；　as　he　said；　to
take　the　charge　of　this　little　flock。　　He　made　many　objections　to
Sister　Frances；　as　being　an　improper　person　to　have　the　spiritual
guidance　of　these　young　people；　but　as　he　was　unable　to　give　any
just　reason　for　his　dislike；　Madame　de　Fleury　persisted　in　her
choice；　and　was　at　last　obliged　to　assert；　in　opposition　to　the
domineering　abbe；　her　right　to　judge　and　decide　in　her　own　affairs。
With　seeming　politeness；　he　begged　ten　thousand　pardons　for　his
conscientious　interference。　　No　more　was　said　upon　the　subject；　and
as　he　did　not　totally　withdraw　from　her　society　till　the　revolution
broke　out；　she　did　not　suspect　that　she　had　anything　to　fear　from
his　resentment。　　His　manners　and　opinions　changed　suddenly　with　the
times；　the　mask　of　religion　was　thrown　off；　and　now；　instead　of
objecting　to　Sister　Frances　as　not　being　sufficiently　strict　and
orthodox　in　her　tenets；　he　boldly　declared　that　a　nun　was　not　a　fit
person　to　be　intrusted　with　the　education　of　any　of　the　young
citizensthey　should　all　be　des　eleves　de　la　patrie。　　The　abbe；
become　a　member　of　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety；　denounced　Madame
de　Fleury；　in　the　strange　jargon　of　the　day；　as　〃the　fosterer　of　a
swarm　of　bad　citizens；　who　were　nourished　in　the　anticivic
prejudices　de　l'ancien　regime；　and　fostered　in　the　most　detestable
superstitions；　in　defiance　of　the　law。〃　　He　further　observed；　that
he　had　good　reason　to　believe　that　some　of　these　little　enemies　to
the　constitution　had　contrived　and　abetted　Monsieur　de　Fleury's
escape。　　Of　their　having　rejoiced　at　it　in　a　most　indecent　manner；
he　said　he　could　produce　irrefragable　proof。　　The　boy　who　saw　Babet
tear　down　the　placard　was　produced　and　solemnly　examined；　and　the
thoughtless　action　of　this　poor　little　girl　was　construed　into　a
state　crime　of　the　most　horrible　nature。　　In　a　declamatory　tone；
Tracassier　reminded　his　fellow…citizens；　that　in　the　ancient
Grecian　times　of　virtuous　republicanism　（times　of　which　France
ought　to　show　herself　emulous）；　an　Athenian　child　was　condemned　to
death　for　having　made　a　plaything　of　a　fragment　of　the　gilding　that
had　fallen　from　a　public　statue。　　The　orator；　for　the　reward　of　his
eloquence；　obtained　an　order　to　seize　everything　in　Madame　de
Fleury's　school…house；　and　to　throw　the　nun　into　prison。



CHAPTER　IX



〃Who　now　will　guard　bewildered　youth
Safe　from　the　fierce　assault　of　hostile　rage？　…
Such　war　can　Virtue　wage？〃

At　the　very　moment　when　this　order　was　going　to　be　put　in
execution；　Madame　de　Fleury　was　sitting　in　the　midst　of　the
children；　listening　to　Babet；　who　was　reading　AEsop's　fable　of　THE
OLD　MAN　AND　HIS　SONS。　　Whilst　her　sister　was　reading；　Victoire
collected　a　number　of　twigs　from　the　garden：　　she　had　just　tied
them　together；　and　was　going；　by　Sister　Frances'　desire；　to　let　her
companions　try　if　they　could　break　the　bundle；　when　the　attention
to　the　moral　of　the　fable　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　an　old
woman；　whose　countenance　expressed　the　utmost　terror　and　haste；　to
tell　what　she　had　not　breath　to　utter。　　To　Madame　de　Fleury　she　was
a　stranger；　but　the　children　immediately　recollected　her　to　be　the
chestnut　woman　to　whom　Babet　had　some　years　ago　restored　certain
purloined　chestnuts。

〃Fly！〃　said　she；　the　moment　she　had　breath　to　speak：　　〃Fly！they
are　coming　to　seize　everything　herecarry　off　what　you　canmake
hastemake　haste！I　came　through　a　by…street。　　A　man　was　eating
chestnuts　at　my　stall；　and　I　saw　him　show　one　that　was　with　him　the
order　from　Citoyen　Tracassier。　　They'll　be　here　in　five　minutes
quick！quick！You；　in　particular；〃　continued　she；　turning　to　the
nun；　〃else　you'll　be　in　prison。〃

At　these　words；　the　children；　who　had　clung　round　Sister　Frances；
loosed　their　hold；　exclaiming；　〃Go！　go　quick：　　but　where？　where？
we　will　go　with　her。〃

〃No；　no！〃　said　Madame　de　Fleury；　〃she　shall　come　home　with　memy
carriage　is　at　the　door。〃

〃Ma　belle　dame！〃　cried　the　chestnut　woman；　〃your　house　is　the　worst
place　she　can　go　tolet　her　come　to　my　cellarthe　poorest　cellar
in　these　days　is　safer　than　the　grandest　palace。〃

So　saying；　she　seized　the　nun　with　honest　roughness；　and　hurried
her　away。　　As　soon　as　she　was　gone；　the　children　ran　different
ways；　each　to　collect　some　favourite　thing；　which　they　thought　they
could　not　leave　behind。　　Victoire　alone　stood　motionless　beside
Madame　de　Fleury；　her　whole　thoughts　absorbed　by　the　fear　that　her
benefactress　would　be　imprisoned。　　〃Oh；　madame！　dear；　dear　Madame
de　Fleury；　don't　stay！　don't　stay！〃

〃Oh；　children；　never　mind　these　things。〃

〃Don't　stay；　madame；　don't　stay！　　I　will　stay　with　themI　will
staydo　you　go。〃

The　children　hearing　these　words；　and　recollecting　Madame　de
Fleury's　danger；　abandoned　all　their　little　property；　and　instantly
obeyed　her　orders　to　go　home　to　their　parents。　　Victoire　at　last
saw　Madame　de　Fleury　safe　in　her　carriage。　　The　coachman　drove　off
at　a　great　rate；　and　a　few　minutes　afterwards　Tracassier's
myrmidons　arrived　at　the　schoolhouse。　　Great　was　their　surprise
when　they　found　only　the　poor　children's　little　books；　unfinished
samplers；　and　half…hemmed　handkerchiefs。　　They　ran　into　the　garden
to　search　for　the　nun。　　They　were　men　of　brutal　habits；　yet　as　they
looked　at　everything　round　them；　which　bespoke　peace；　innocence；
and　childish　happiness；　they　could　not　help　thinking　it　was　a　pity
to　destroy　what　could　do　the　nation　no　great　harm　after　all。　　They
were　even　glad　that　the　nun　had　made　her　escape；　since　they　were
not　answerable　for　it；　and　they　returned　to　their　employer
satisfied　for　once　without　doing　any　mischief；　but　Citizen
Tracassier　was　of　too　vindictive　a　temper　to　suffer　the　objects　of
his　hatred　thus　to　elude　his　vengeance。　　The　next　day　Madame　de
Fleury　was　summoned　before　his　tribunal　and　ordered　to　give　up　the
nun；　against　whom；　as　a　suspected　person；　a　decree　of　the　law　had
been　obtained。

Madame　de　Fleury　refused　to　betray　the　innocent　woman；　the　gentle
firmness　of　this　lady's　answers　to　a　brutal　interrogatory　was
termed　insolenceshe　was　pronounced　a　refractory　aristocrat；
dangerous　to　the　state；　and　an　order　was　made　out　to　seal　up　her
goods；　and　to　keep　her　a　prisoner　in　her　own　house。



CHAPTER　X



〃Alas！　full　oft　on　Guilt's　victorious　car
The　spoils　of　Virtue　are　in　triumph　borne；
While　the　fair　captive；　marked　with　many　a　scar；
In　lone　obscurity；　oppressed；　forlorn；
Resigns　to　tears　her　angel　form。〃BEATTIE。

A　close　prisoner　in　her　own　house；　Madame　de　Fleury　was　now　guarded
by　men　suddenly　become　soldiers；　and　sprung　from　the　dregs　of　the
people；　men　of　brutal　manners；　ferocious　countenances；　and　more
ferocious　minds。　　They　seemed　to　delight　in　the　insolent　display　of
their　newly…acquired　power。　　One　of　those　men　had　formerly　been
convicted　of　some　horrible　crime；　and　had　been　sent　to　the　galleys
by　M。　de　Fleury。　　Revenge　actuated　this　wretch　under　the　mask　of
patriotism；　and　he　rejoiced　in　seeing　the　wife　of　the　man　he　hated
a　prisoner　in　his　custody。　　Ignorant　of　the　facts；　his　associates
were　ready　to　believe　him　in　the　right；　and　to　join　in　the
senseless　cry　against　all　who　were　their　superiors　in　fortune；
birth；　and　education。　　This　unfortunate　lady　was　forbidden　all
intercourse　with　her　friends；　and　it　was　in　vain　she　attempted　to
obtain　from　her　gaolers　intelligence　of　what　was　passing　in　Paris。

〃Tu　verrasTout　va　bienCa　ira；〃　were　the　only　answers　they
deigned　to　make；　frequently　they　continued　smoking　their　pipes　in
obdurate　silence。　　She　occupied　the　back　rooms　of　her　house；
because　her　guards　apprehended　that　she　might　from　the　front
windows　receive　intelligence　from　her　friends。　　One　morning　she　was
awakened　by　an　unusual　noise　in　the　streets；　and；　upon　her
inquiring　the　occasion　of　it；　her　guards　told　her　she　was　welcome
to　go　to　the　front　windows　and　satisfy　her　curiosity。　　She　went；
and　saw　an　immense　crowd　of　people　surrounding　a　guillotine　that
had　been　erected　the　preceding　night。　　Madame　de　Fleury　started
back　with　horrorher　guards　burst　into　an　inhuman　laugh；　and　asked
whether　her　curiosity　was　satisfied。　　She　would　have　left　the　room；
but　it　was　now　their　pleasure　to　detain　her；　and　to　force　her　to
continue　the　whole　day　in　this　apartment。　　When　the　guillotine
began　its　work；　they　had　even　the　barbarity　to　drag　her　to　the
window；　repeating；　〃It　is　there　you　ought　to　be！It　is　there　your
husband　ought　to　be！You　are　too　happy；　that　your　husband　is　not
there　this　moment。　　But　he　will　be　therethe　law　will　overtake
himhe　will　be　there　in　timeand　you　too！〃

The　mild　fortitude　of　this　innocent；　benevolent　woman　made　no
impression　upon　these　cruel　men。　　When　at　night　they　saw　her
kneeling　at　her　prayers；　they　taunted　her　with　gross　and　impious
mockery；　and　when　she　sank　to　sleep；　they　would　waken　her　by　their
loud　and　drunken　orgiesif　she　remonstrated；　they　answered；　〃The
enemies　of　the　constitution　should　have　no　rest。〃

Madame　de　Fleury　was　not　an　enemy　to　any