the origins of contemporary france-1-第20部分

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13；000　to　14；000　livres；　one　special　government　from　12；000　to　18；000

livres；　and　observe　that；　in　the　Isle　of　France　alone；　there　are

thirty…four；　at　Vervins；　Senlis；　Melun；　Fontainebleau；　Dourdan；　Sens；

Limours；　Etampes；　Dreux；　Houdan　and　other　towns　as　insignificant　as

they　are　pacific；　it　is　the　staff　of　the　Valois　dynasty　which；　since

the　time　of　Richelieu；　has　ceased　to　perform　any　service；　but　which

the　treasury　continues　to　pay。　　…　　Consider　these　sinecures　in　one

province　alone；　in　Languedoc；　a　country　with　its　own　provincial

assembly；　which　ought　to　provide　some　protection　the　taxpayer's　purse。

There　are　three　sub…commandants　at　Tournon；　Alais；　and　Montpelier；

〃each　one　paid　16；000　livres；　although　without　any　functions　since

their　places　were　established　at　the　time　of　the　religious　wars　and

troubles；　to　keep　down　the　Protestants。〃　Twelve　royal　lieutenants　are

equally　useless；　and　only　for　parade。　　The　same　with　three　lieutenants…

general；　each　one　〃receiving　in　his　turn；　every　three　years；　a

gratuity　of　30；000　livres；　for　services　rendered　in　the　said　province。

These　are　vain　and　chimerical；　they　are　not　specified〃　because　none　of

them　reside　there；　and；　if　they　are　paid；　it　is　to　secure　their

support　at　the　court。　　〃Thus　the　Comte　de　Caraman；　who　has　more　than

600；000　livres　income　as　proprietor　of　the　Languedoc　canal；　receives

30；000　livres　every　three　years；　without　legitimate　cause；　and

independently　of　frequent　and　ample　gifts　which　the　province　awards　to

him　for　repairs　on　his　canal。〃　　…　　The　province　likewise　gives　to　the

commandant；　Comte　de　Périgord；　a　gratuity　of　12；000　livres　in　addition

to　his　salary；　and　to　his　wife　another　gratuity　of　12；000　livres　on

her　honoring　the　states　for　the　first　time　with　her　presence。　　It

again　pays；　for　the　same　commandant；　forty　guards；　〃of　which　twenty…

four　only　serve　during　his　short　appearance　at　the　Assembly；〃　and　who；

with　their　captain；　annually　cost　15；000　livres。　　It　pays　likewise　for

the　Governor　from　eighty　to　one　hundred　guards；　〃　who　each　receive　300

or　400　livres；　besides　many　exemptions；　and　who　are　never　on　service；

since　the　Governor　is　a　non…resident。〃　The　expense　of　these　lazy

subalterns　is　about　24；000　livres；　besides　5；000　to　6；000　for　their

captain；　to　which　must　be　added　7；500　for　gubernatorial　secretaries；

besides　60；000　livres　salaries；　and　untold　profits　for　the　Governor

himself。　　I　find　everywhere　secondary　idlers　swarming　in　the　shadow　of

idlers　in　chief；＇11＇　　and　deriving　their　vigor　from　the　public　purse

which　is　the　common　nurse。　　All　these　people　parade　and　drink　and　eat

copiously；　in　grand　style；　it　is　their　principal　service；　and　they

attend　to　it　conscientiously。　　The　sessions　of　the　Assembly　are

junketings　of　six　weeks'　duration；　in　which　the　intendant　expends

25；000　livres　in　dinners　and　receptions。＇12＇



Equally　lucrative　and　useless　are　the　court　offices＇13＇；　so　many

domestic　sinecures；　the　profits　and　accessories　of　which　largely

exceed　the　emoluments。　　I　find　in　the　printed　register　295　cooks；

without　counting　the　table…waiters　of　the　king　and　his　people；　while

〃the　head　butler　obtains　84；000　livres　a　year　in　billets　and

supplies；〃　without　counting　his　salary　and　the　〃grand　liveries〃　which

he　receives　in　money。　　The　head　chambermaids　to　the　queen；　inscribed　in

the　Almanac　for　150　livres　and　paid　12；000　francs；　make　in　reality

50；000　francs　by　the　sale　of　the　candles　lighted　during　the　day。

Augeard；　private　secretary；　and　whose　place　is　set　down　at　900　livres

a　year；　confesses　that　it　is　worth　to　him　200；000。　　The　head　huntsman

at　Fontainebleau　sells　for　his　own　benefit　each　year　20；000　francs

worth　of　rabbits。　　〃On　each　journey　to　the　king's　country　residences

the　ladies　of　the　bedchamber　gain　eighty　per　cent　on　the　expenses　of

moving；　it　is　said　that　the　coffee　and　bread　for　each　of　these　ladies

costs　2；000　francs　a　year；　and　so　on　with　other　things。〃　〃Mme。　　de

Tallard　made　115；000　livres　income　out　of　her　place　of　governess　to

the　children　of　France；　because　her　salary　was　increased　35；000　livres

for　each　child。〃　The　Duc　de　Penthièvre；　as　grand　admiral；　received　an

anchorage　due　on　all　vessels　〃entering　the　ports　and　rivers　of

France；〃　which　produced　annually　91；484　francs。　　Mme。　　de　Lamballe；

superintendent　of　the　queen's　household；　inscribed　for　6；000　francs；

gets　50；000。＇14＇　　The　Duc　de　Gèvres　gets　50；000　crowns＇15＇　by　one　show

of　fireworks　out　of　the　fragments　and　scaffolding　which　belong　to　him

by　virtue　of　his　office。＇16＇　　…　　Grand　officers　of　the　palace；

governors　of　royal　establishments；　captains　of　captaincies；

chamberlains；　equerries；　gentlemen　in　waiting；　gentlemen　in　ordinary；

pages；　governors；　almoners；　chaplains；　ladies　of　honor；　ladies　of　the

bedchamber；　ladies　in　waiting　on　the　King；　the　Queen；　on　Monsieur；　on

Madame；　on　the　Comte　D'Artois；　on　the　Comtesse　D'Artois；　on　Mesdames；

on　Madame　Royale；　on　Madame　Elisabeth；　in　each　princely　establishment

and　elsewhere；　hundreds　of　places　provided　with　salaries　and

accessories　are　without　any　service　to　perform；　or　simply　answer　a

decorative　purpose。　　〃Mme。　　de　Laborde　has　just　been　appointed　keeper　of

the　queen's　bed；　with　12；000　francs　pension　out　of　the　king's　privy

purse；　nothing　is　known　of　the　duties　of　this　position；　as　there　has

been　no　place　of　this　kind　since　Anne　of　Austria。〃　The　eldest　son　of

M。　de　Machault　is　appointed　intendant　of　the　classes。　　〃This　is　one　of

the　employments　called　complimentary：　it　is　worth　18；000　livres　income

to　sign　one's　name　twice　a　year。〃　And　likewise　with　the　post　of

secretary…general　of　the　Swiss　guards；　worth　30；000　livres　a　year　and

assigned　to　the　Abbé　Barthélemy；　and　the　same　with　the　post　of

secretary…general　of　the　dragoons；　worth　20；000　livres　a　year；　held　in

turn　by　Gentil　Bernard　and　by　Laujon；　two　small　pocket　poets。？　　…　　It

would　be　simpler　to　give　the　money　without　the　place。　　There　is；

indeed；　no　end　to　them。　　On　reading　various　memoirs　day　after　day　it

seems　as　if　the　treasury　was　open　to　plunder。　　The　courtiers；

unremitting　in　their　attentions　to　the　king；　force　him　to　sympathize

with　their　troubles。　　They　are　his　intimates；　the　guests　of　his

drawing…room；　men　of　the　same　stamp　as　himself；　his　natural　clients；

the　only　ones　with　whom　he　can　converse；　and　whom　it　is　necessary　to

make　contented；　he　cannot　avoid　helping　them。　　He　must　necessarily

contribute　to　the　dowries　of　their　children　since　he　has　signed　their

marriage　contracts；　he　must　necessarily　enrich　them　since　their

profusion　serves　for　the　embellishment　of　his　court。　　Nobility　being

one　of　the　glories　of　the　throne；　the　occupant　of　the　throne　is

obliged　to　regild　it　as　often　as　is　necessary。＇17＇　In　this　connection

a　few　figures　and　anecdotes　among　a　thousand　speak　most

eloquently。＇18＇　…　　〃The　Prince　de　Pons　had　a　pension　of　25；000　livres；

out　of　the　king's　bounty；　on　which　his　Majesty　was　pleased　to　give

6；000　to　Mme。　　de　Marsan；　his　daughter；　Canoness　of　Remiremont。　　The

family　represented　to　the　king　the　bad　state　of　the　Prince　de　Pons's

affairs；　and　his　Majesty　was　pleased　to　grant　to　his　son　Prince

Camille；　15；000　livres　of　the　pension　vacated　by　the　death　of　his

father；　and　5；000　livres　increase　to　Mme。　　de　Marsan。〃　　…　　M。　de

Conflans　espouses　Mlle。　　Portail。　　〃In　honor　of　this　marriage　the　king

was　pleased　to　order　that　out　of　the　pension　of　10；000　livres　granted

to　Mme。　　la　Presidente　Portail；　6；000　of　it　should　pass　to　M。　de

Conflans　after　the　death　of　Mme。　　Portail。〃　　…　　M。　de　Séchelles；　a

retiring　minister；　〃had　12；000　livres　on　an　old　pension　which　the　king

continued；　he　has；　besides　this；　20；000　livres　pension　as　minister；

and　the　king　gives　him　in　addition　to　all　this　a　pension　of　40；000

livres。〃　The　motives；　which　prompt　these　favors；　are　often　remarkable。

M。　de　Rouillé　has　to　be　consoled　for　not　having　participated　in　the

treaty　of　Vienna；　this　explains　why　〃a　pension　of　6；000　livres　is

given　to　his　niece；　Mme。　　de　Castellane；　and　another　of　10；000　to　his

daughter；　Mme。　　de　Beuvron；　who　is　very　rich。〃　　…　　〃M。　de　Puisieux

enjoys　about　76；000　or　77；000　livres　income　from　the　bounty　of　the

king；　it　is　true　that　he　has　considerable　property；　but　the　revenue　of

this　property　is　uncertain；　being　for　the　most　part　in　vines。〃　　…　　〃A

pension　of　10；000　livres　has　just　been　awarded　to　the　Marquise　de　Lède

because　she　is　disagreeable　to　Mme。　　Infante；　and　to　secure　her

resignation。〃　　…　　The　most　opulent　stretch　out　their　hands　and　take

accordingly。　　〃It　is　estimated　that　last　week　128；000　livres　in

pensions　were　bestowed　on　ladies　of　the　court；　while　for　the　past　two

years　the　officers　have　not　received　the　slightest　pension：　8；000

livres　to　the　Duchesse　de　Chevreuse；　whose　husband　has　an　income　of

500；000　livres；　12；000　livres　to　Mme。　　de　Luynes；　that　she　may　not　be

jealous；　10；000　to　the　Duchesse　de　Brancas；　10；000　to　the　dowager

Duchesse　de　Brancas；　mother　of　the　preceding；〃　etc。　　At　the　head　of

these　leeches　come　the　princes　of　the　blood。　　〃The　king　has　just　given

1；500；000　livres　to　M。　le　Prince　de　Conti　to　pay　his　debts；　1；000；000

of　which　is　under　the　pretext　of　indemnifying　him　for　the　injury　done

him　by　the　sale　of　Orange；　and　500；000　livres　as　a　gratuity。〃　〃The　Duc

d'Orléans　formerly　had　50；000　crowns　pension；　as　a　poor　man；　and

awaiting　his　father's　inheritance。　　This　event　making　him　rich；　with　an

income　of　more　than　3；000；000　livres；　he　gave　up　his　pension。　　But

having　since　represented　to　the　king　that　his　expenditure　exceeded　his

income；　the　king　gave　him　back　his　50；000　crowns。〃　　…　　Twenty　years

later；　in　1780；　when　Louis　XVI。；　desirous　of　relieving　the　treasury；

signs　〃the　great　reformation　of　the　table；　600；000　livres　are　given　to

Mesdames　for　their　tables。〃　This　is　what　the　dinners；　cut　down；　of

three　old　ladies；　cost　the　public！　For　the　king's　two　brothers；

8；300；000　livres；　besides　2；000；000　income　in　appanage