按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The wedding guests were assembled。 Madame Bugeaud had just put the
veil upon the head of her daughter Margaret； and impressed upon her
forehead the last kiss of motherly love。 It was the hour when a
mother holds her daughter as a child in her arms for the last time；
bids adieu to the pleasant pictures of the past； and sends her child
from her parents' house to go out into the world and seek a new
home。 Painful always is such an hour to a mother's heart； for the
future is uncertain； no one knows any thing about the new
vicissitudes that may arise。
And painful； too； to the wife of Councillor Bugeaud was this parting
from her dearly…loved daughter； but she suppressed her deep emotion；
restrained the tears in her heart； that not one should fall upon the
bridal wreath of her loved daughter。 Tears dropped upon the bridal
wreath are the heralds of coming misfortune； the seal of pain which
destiny stamps upon the brow of the doomed one。
And the tender mother would so gladly have taken away from her loved
Margaret every pain and every misfortune！ The times were
threatening； and the horizon of the present was so full of stormy
signs that it was necessary to look into the future with hope。
〃Go； my daughter；〃 said Madame Bugeaud； with a smile； regarding
which only God knew how much it cost the mother's heart〃 go out
into your new world； be happy； and may you never regret the moment
when yon left the threshold of your father's house to enter a new
home！〃
〃My dear mother；〃 cried Margaret； with beaming eyes； 〃the house to
which I am going is the house of him I love； and my new home is his
heart； which is noble； great； and good； and in which all the
treasures in the earth for me rest。〃
〃God grant； my daughter； that you may after many years be able to
repeat those words！〃
〃I shall repeat them； mother； for in my heart is a joyful trust。 I
can never be unhappy； for Toulan loves me。 But； hark！ I hear him
coming； it is his step； and listen！ he is calling me！〃
And the young girl； with reddening cheeks； directed her glowing eyes
to the door； which just then opened； where appeared her lover； in a
simple； dark； holiday…suit； with a friendly； grave countenance； his
tender； beaming eyes turned toward his affianced。
He hastened to her； and kissed the little trembling hand which was
extended to him。
〃All the wedding guests are ready； my love。 The carriages are
waiting； and as soon as we enter the church the clergyman will
advance to the altar to perform the ceremony。〃
〃Then let us go； Louis；〃 said Margaret； nodding to him； and arm…in…
arm they went to the door。
But Toulan held back。 〃Not yet； my dear one。 Before we go to the
church； I want to have a few words with you。〃
〃That is to say； my dear sir； that you would like to have me
withdraw；〃 said the mother； with a smile。 〃Do not apologize； my son；
that is only natural； and I dare not be jealous。 My daughter belongs
to you； and I have no longer the right to press into your secrets。
So I will withdraw； and only God may hear what the lover has to say
to his affianced before the wedding。〃
She nodded in friendly fashion to the couple； and left the room。
〃We are now alone； my Margaret；〃 said Toulan； putting his arm around
the neck of the fair young maiden； and drawing her to himself。 〃Only
God is to hear what I have to say to you。〃
〃I hope； Louis；〃 whispered the young girl； trembling； 〃I hope it is
not bad news that you want to tell me。 Your face is so grave； your
whole look so solemn。 You love me still； Louis？〃
〃Yes； Margaret； I do love you；〃 answered he； softly； 〃but yet；
before you speak the word which binds you to me forever； I must open
my whole heart to you； and you must know all I feel； in order that；
if there is a future to prove us； we may meet it with fixed gaze and
joyful spirit。〃
〃My God！ what have I to hear？〃 whispered the young girl； pressing
her hand to her heart； that began to beat with unwonted violence。
〃You will have to hear； my Margaret； that I love you； and yet that
the image of another woman is cherished in my heart。〃
〃Who is this other woman？〃 cried Margaret。
〃Margaret； it is Queen Marie Antoinette。〃
The girl breathed freely； and laughed。 〃Ah！ how you frightened me；
Louis。 I was afraid you were going to name a rival； and now you
mention her whom I； too； love and honor； to whom I pay my whole
tribute of admiration； and who； although you ought to live there
alone； has a place in my heart。 I shall never be jealous of the
queen。 I love her just as devotedly as you do。〃
A light； sympathetic smile played upon the lips of Toulan。 〃No；
Margaret；〃 said he； gravely； 〃you do not love her as I do； and you
cannot； for your duty to her is not like mine。 Listen； my darling；
and I will tell you a little storya story which is so sacred to me
that it has never passed over my lips； although； according to the
ways of human thinking； there is nothing so very strange about it。
Come； my dear； sit down with me a little while； and listen to me。〃
He led the maiden to the little divan； and took a place with her
upon it。 Her hand lay within his； and with a joyful and tender look
she gazed into the bold； noble； and good face of the man to whom she
was ready to devote her whole life。
〃Speak now； Louis； I will listen！〃
〃I want to tell you of my father； Margaret；〃 said the young man；
with a gentle voice〃 of my father； who thirsted and hungered for
me； in his efforts to feed； clothe； and educate me。 He had been an
officer in the army； had distinguished himself in many a battle； was
decorated； on account of his bravery； with the Order of St。 Louis；
and discharged as an invalid。 That was a sad misfortune for my
father； for he was poor； and his officer's pay was his only fortune。
But nohe had a nobler； a fairer fortunehe had a wife whom he
passionately loved； a little boy whom he adored。 And now the means
of existence were taken away from this loved wife； this dear boy；
and from him whose service had been the offering of his life for his
king and country； the storming of fortifications； the defying of the
bayonets of enemies； and who in this service had been so severely
wounded； that his life was saved only by the amputation of his right
arm。 Had it not been just this right arm； he would have been able to
do something for himself； and to have found some employment in the
government service。 But now he was robbed of all hope of employment；
now he saw for himself and his family only destruction； starvation！
But he could not believe it possible； he held it to be impossible
that the king should allow his bold soldier； his knight of the Order
of St。 Louis； to die of hunger； after becoming a cripple in his
service。 He resolved to go to Paris； to declare his need to the
king； and to implore the royal bounty。 This journey was the last
hope of the family； and my father was just entering on it when my
mother sickened and died。 She was the prop； the right arm of my
father； she was the nurse； the teacher of his poor boy； now he had
no hope more； except in the favor of the king and in death。 The last
valuables were sold； and father and son journeyed to Paris： an
invalid whose bravery had cost him an arm； and whose tears over a
lost wife had nearly cost him his eyesight； and a lad of twelve
years； acquainted only with pain and want from his birth； and in
whose heart； notwithstanding； there was an inextinguishable germ of
hope； spirit； and joy。 We went on foot； and when my shoes were torn
with the long march； my feet swollen and bloody； my father told me
to climb upon his back and let him carry me。 I would not allow it；
Suppressed my pain； and went on till I dropped in a swoon。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Margaret； with tears in her eyes； 〃how much you have
suffered； and I am learning it now for the first time； and you never
told me this sad history。〃
〃I forgot every thing sad when I began to love you； Margaret； and I
did not want to trouble you with my stories。 Why should we darken
the clear sky of the present with the clouds of the past？ the future
will unquestionably bring its own clouds。 I tell you all this now；
in order that you may understand my feelings。 Now hear me further；
Margaret！ At last； after long…continued efforts； we reached
Versailles； and it seemed to us as if all suffering and want were
taken away from us when we found ourselves in a dark； poor inn； and
lay down on the hard beds。 On the next； my father put on his
uniform； decorated his breast with the order of St。 Louis； and； as
the pain in his eyes prevented his going alone； I had to accompany
him。 We repaired to the palace and entered the great gallery which
the court daily traversed on returning from mass in the royal
apartments。 My father； holding in his hand the petition which I had
written to his dictation； took his place near the door through which
the royal couple must pass。 I stood near him and looked with curious
eyes at the brilliant throng which filled the great hall； and at the
richly…dressed gentlemen who were present and held petitions in
their hands； in spite of their cheerful looks and their fine
clothes。 And these gentlemen crowded in front of my father； shoved
him to the wall；