the origins of contemporary france-1-第26部分

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and　forty　feet　broad　and　twenty…four　hundred　long；　and　not　too　large

for　the　gathering　crowds；　the　display；　the　blinding　velocity　of　the

escorts　in　full　speed　and　of　the　carriages　running　〃at　death's

door。〃＇5＇　Observe　the　two　stables　facing　the　chateau　with　their

railings　one　hundred　and　ninety…two　feet　long。　　In　1682　they　cost　three

millions；　that　is　to　say；　fifteen　millions　to　day。　　They　are　so　ample

and　beautiful　that；　even　under　Louis　XIV　himself；　they　sometimes

served　as　a　cavalcade　circus　for　the　princes；　sometimes　as　a　theater；

and　sometimes　as　a　ball…room。　　Then　let　the　eye　follow　the　development

of　the　gigantic　semi…circular　square　which；　from　railing　to　railing

and　from　court　to　court；　ascends　and　slowly　decreases；　at　first

between　the　hotels　of　the　ministers　and　then　between　the　two　colossal

wings；　terminating　in　the　ostentatious　frame　of　the　marble　court　where

pilasters；　statues；　pediments；　and　multiplied　and　accumulated

ornaments；　story　above　story；　carry　the　majestic　regularity　of　their

lines　and　the　overcharged　mass　of　their　decoration　up　to　the　sky。

According　to　a　bound　manuscript　bearing　the　arms　of　Mansart；　the

palace　cost　153　million；　that　is　to　say；　about　750　million　francs　of

to　day；＇6＇　when　a　king　aims　at　imposing　display　this　is　the　cost　of

his　lodging。　　Now　turn　the　eye　to　the　other　side；　towards　the　gardens；

and　this　self…display　becomes　the　more　impressive。　　The　parterres　and

the　park　are；　again；　a　drawing　room　in　the　open　air。　　There　is　nothing

natural　of　nature　here；　she　is　put　in　order　and　rectified　wholly　with

a　view　to　society；　this　is　no　place　to　be　alone　and　to　relax　oneself；

but　a　place　for　promenades　and　the　exchange　of　polite　salutations。

Those　formal　groves　are　walls　and　hangings；　those　shaven　yews　are

vases　and　lyres。　　The　parterres　are　flowering　carpets。　　In　those

straight；　rectilinear　avenues　the　king；　with　his　cane　in　his　hand；

groups　around　him　his　entire　retinue。　　Sixty　ladies　in　brocade　dresses；

expanding　into　skirts　measuring　twenty…four　feet　in　circumference；

easily　find　room　on　the　steps　of　the　staircases。＇7＇　Those　verdant

cabinets　afford　shade　for　a　princely　collation。　　Under　that　circular

portico；　all　the　seigniors　enjoying　the　privilege　of　entering　it

witness　together　the　play　of　a　new　jet　d'eau。　　Their　counterparts　greet

them　even　in　the　marble　and　bronze　figures　which　people　the　paths　and

basins；　in　the　dignified　face　of　an　Apollo；　in　the　theatrical　air　of　a

Jupiter；　in　the　worldly　ease　or　studied　nonchalance　of　a　Diana　or　a

Venus。　　The　stamp　of　the　court；　deepened　through　the　joint　efforts　of

society　for　a　century；　is　so　strong　that　it　is　graven　on　each　detail

as　on　the　whole；　and　on　material　objects　as　on　matters　of　the

intellect。



II。　　The　King's　Household。



Its　officials　and　expenses。　　…　His　military　family；　his　stable；

kennel；　chapel；　attendants；　table；　chamber；　wardrobe；　outhouses；

furniture；　journeys。



The　foregoing　is　but　the　framework；　before　1789　it　was　completely

filled　up。　　〃You　have　seen　nothing；〃　says　Chateaubriand；　〃if　you　have

not　seen　the　pomp　of　Versailles；　even　after　the　disbanding　of　the

king's　household；　Louis　XIV　was　always　there。〃＇8＇　It　is　a　swarm　of

liveries；　uniforms；　costumes　and　equipages　as　brilliant　and　as　varied

as　in　a　picture。　　I　should　be　glad　to　have　lived　eight　days　in　this

society。　　It　was　made　expressly　to　be　painted；　being　specially　designed

for　the　pleasure　of　the　eye；　like　an　operatic　scene。　　But　how　can　we　of

to　day　imagine　people　for　whom　life　was　wholly　operatic？　At　that　time

a　grandee　was　obliged　to　live　in　great　state；　his　retinue　and　his

trappings　formed　a　part　of　his　personality；　he　fails　in　doing　himself

justice　if　these　are　not　as　ample　and　as　splendid　as　he　can　make　them；

he　would　be　as　much　mortified　at　any　blank　in　his　household　as　we　with

a　hole　in　our　coats。　　Should　he　make　any　curtailment　he　would　decline

in　reputation；　on　Louis　XVI　undertaking　reforms　the　court　says　that　he

acts　like　a　bourgeois。　　When　a　prince　or　princess　becomes　of　age　a

household　is　formed　for　them；　when　a　prince　marries；　a　household　is

formed　for　his　wife；　and　by　a　household　it　must　be　understood　that　it

is　a　pompous　display　of　fifteen　or　twenty　distinct　services：　stables；

a　hunting…train；　a　chapel；　a　surgery；　the　bedchamber　and　the　wardrobe；

a　chamber　for　accounts；　a　table；　pantry；　kitchen；　and　wine…cellars；　a

fruitery；　a　fourrière；　a　common　kitchen；　a　cabinet；　a　council；＇9＇　she

would　feel　that　she　was　not　a　princess　without　all　this。　　There　are　274

appointments　in　the　household　of　the　Duc　d'Orléans；　210　in　that　of

Mesdames；　68　in　that　of　Madame　Elisabeth；　239　in　that　of　the　Comtesse

d'Artois；　256　in　that　of　the　Comtesse　de　Provence；　and　496　in　that　of

the　Queen。　　When　the　formation　of　a　household　for　Madame　Royale；　one

month　old；　is　necessary；　〃the　queen；〃　writes　the　Austrian　ambassador；

〃desires　to　suppress　a　baneful　indolence；　a　useless　affluence　of

attendants；　and　every　practice　tending　to　give　birth　to　sentiments　of

pride。　　In　spite　of　the　said　retrenchment　the　household　of　the　young

princess　is　to　consist　of　nearly　eighty　persons　destined　to　the　sole

service　of　her　Royal　Highness。〃＇10＇　The　civil　household　of　Monsieur

comprises　420　appointments；　his　military　household；　179；　that　of　the

Comte　d'Artois　237　and　his　civil　household　456。　　…　　Three…fourths　of

them　are　for　display；　with　their　embroideries　and　laces；　their

unembarrassed　and　polite　expression；　their　attentive　and　discreet　air；

their　easy　way　of　saluting；　walking　and　smiling；　they　appear　well　in

an　antechamber；　placed　in　lines；　or　scattered　in　groups　in　a　gallery；

I　should　have　liked　to　contemplate　even　the　stable　and　kitchen　array；

the　figures　filling　up　the　background　of　the　picture。　　By　these　stars

of　inferior　magnitude　we　may　judge　of　the　splendor　of　the　royal　sun。



The　king　must　have　guards；　infantry；　cavalry；　body…guards；　French

guardsmen；　Swiss　guardsmen；　Cent　Suisses；　light…horse　guards；

gendarmes　of　the　guard；　gate…guardsmen；　in　all；　9；050　men；＇11＇　costing

annually　7；681；000　livres。　　Four　companies　of　the　French　guard；　and　two

of　the　Swiss　guard；　parade　every　day　in　the　court　of　the　ministers

between　the　two　railings；　and　when　the　king　issues　in　his　carriage　to

go　to　Paris　or　Fontainebleau　the　spectacle　is　magnificent。　　Four

trumpeters　in　front　and　four　behind；　the　Swiss　guards　on　one　side　and

the　French　guards　on　the　other；　form　a　line　as　far　as　it　can

reach。＇12＇　The　Cent　Suisses　march　ahead　of　the　horsemen　in　the　costume

of　the　sixteenth　century；　wearing　the　halberd；　ruff；　plumed　hat；　and

the　ample　parti…colored　striped　doublet；　alongside　of　these　are　the

provost…guard　with　scarlet　facings　and　gold　frogs；　and　companies　of

yeomanry　bristling　with　gold　and　silver。　　The　officers　of　the　various

corps；　the　trumpeters　and　the　musicians；　covered　with　gold　and　silver

lace；　are　dazzling　to　look　at；　the　kettledrum　suspended　at　the　saddle…

bow；　overcharged　with　painted　and　gilded　ornaments；　is　a　curiosity　for

a　glass　case；　the　Negro　cymbal…player　of　the　French　guards　resembles

the　sultan　of　a　fairy…tale。　　Behind　the　carriage　and　alongside　of　it

trot　the　body…guards；　with　sword　and　carbine；　wearing　red　breeches；

high　black　boots；　and　a　blue　coat　sewn　with　white　embroidery；　all　of

them　unquestionable　gentlemen；　there　were　twelve　hundred　of　these

selected　among　the　nobles　and　according　to　size；　among　them　are　the

guards　de　la　manche；　still　more　intimate；　who　at　church　and　on

ceremonial　occasions；　in　white　doublets　starred　with　silver　and　gold

spangles；　holding　their　damascene　partisans　in　their　hands；　always

remain　standing　and　turned　towards　the　king　〃so　as　to　see　his　person

from　all　sides。〃　Thus　is　his　protection　ensured。　　Being　a　gentleman　the

king　is　a　cavalier；　and　he　must　have　a　suitable　stable；＇13＇　1；857

horses；　217　vehicles；　1；458　men　whom　he　clothes；　the　liveries　costing

540；000　francs　a　year；　besides　these　there　were　20　tutors　and　sub…

tutors；　almoners；　professors；　cooks；　and　valets　to　govern；　educate　and

serve　the　pages；　and　again　about　thirty　physicians；　apothecaries；

nurses　for　the　sick；　intendants；　treasurers；　workmen；　and　licensed　and

paid　merchants　for　the　accessories　of　the　service；　in　all　more　than

1；500　men。　　Horses　to　the　amount　of　250；000　francs　are　purchased

yearly；　and　there　are　stock…stables　in　Limousin　and　in　Normandy　to

draw　on　for　supplies。　　287　horses　are　exercised　daily　in　the　two

riding…halls；　there　are　443　saddle…horses　in　the　small　stable；　437　in

the　large　one；　and　these　are　not　sufficient　for　the　〃vivacity　of　the

service。〃　The　whole　cost　4；600；000　livres　in　1775；　which　sum　reaches

6；200；000　livres　in　1787。＇14＇　Still　another　spectacle　should　be　seen

with　one's　own　eyes；　　…　　the　pages；＇15＇　the　grooms；　the　laced　pupils；

the　silver…button　pupils；　the　boys　of　the　little　livery　in　silk；　the

instrumentalists　and　the　mounted　messengers　of　the　stable。　　The　use　of

the　horse　is　a　feudal　art；　no　luxury　is　more　natural　to　a　man　of

quality。　　Think　of　the　stables　at　Chantilly；　which　are　palaces。　　To

convey　an　idea　of　a　well…educated　and　genteel　man　he　was　then　called

an　accomplished　cavalier；〃　in　fact　his　importance　was　fully　manifest

only　when　he　was　in　the　saddle；　on　a　blood…horse　like　himself。　　…

Another　genteel　taste；　an　effect　of　the　preceding；　is　the　chase。　　It

costs　the　king　from　1；100；000　to　1；200；000　livres　a　year；　and　requires

280　horses　besides　those　of　the　two　stables。　　A　more　varied　or　more

complete　equipment　could　not　be　imagined：　a　pack　of　hounds　for　the

boar；　another　for　the　wolf　another　for　the　roe…buck；　a　cast　（of　hawks）

for　the　crow；　a　cast　for　the　magpie；　a　cast　for　merlins；　a　cast　for

hares；　a　cast　for　the　fields。　　In　1783；　179；194　livres　are　expended　for

feeding　horses；　and　53；412　livres　for　feeding　dogs。＇16＇　The　entire

territory；　ten　leagues　around　Paris；　is　a　game…preserve；　〃not　a　gun

could　be　fired　there；＇17＇　according