the origins of contemporary france-1-第30部分

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silent　or　to　speak　only　of　the　chase；　and　to　suppress　his　own

thoughts；　if　he　has　any。　　One　cannot　indulge　in　reverie；　meditate　or　be

absent…minded　when　one　is　before　the　footlights；　the　part　must　have

due　attention。　　Besides；　in　a　drawing　room　there　is　only　drawing　room

conversation；　and　the　master's　thoughts；　instead　of　being　directed　in

a　profitable　channel；　must　be　scattered　about　like　the　holy　water　of

the　court。　　All　hours　of　his　day　are　passed　in　a　similar　manner；　except

three　or　four　during　the　morning；　during　which　he　is　at　the　council　or

in　his　private　room；　it　must　be　noted；　too；　that　on　the　days　after　his

hunts；　on　returning　home　from　Rambouillet　at　three　o'clock　in　the

morning；　he　must　sleep　the　few　hours　he　has　left　to　him。　　The

ambassador　Mercy；＇43＇　nevertheless；　a　man　of　close　application；　seems

to　think　it　sufficient；　he；　at　least；　thinks　that　〃Louis　XVI　is　a　man

of　order；　losing　no　time　in　useless　things；〃　his　predecessor；　indeed；

worked　much　less；　scarcely　an　hour　a　day。　　Three…quarters　of　his　time

is　thus　given　up　to　show。　　The　same　retinue　surrounds　him　when　he　puts

on　his　boots；　when　he　takes　them　off；　when　he　changes　his　clothes　to

mount　his　horse；　when　he　returns　home　to　dress　for　the　evening；　and

when　he　goes　to　his　room　at　night　to　retire。　　〃Every　evening　for　six

years；　says　a　page；＇44＇　either　myself　or　one　of　my　comrades　has　seen

Louis　XVI　get　into　bed　in　public；〃　with　the　ceremonial　just　described。

〃It　was　not　omitted　ten　times　to　my　knowledge；　and　then　accidentally

or　through　indisposition。〃　The　attendance　is　yet　more　numerous　when　he

dines　and　takes　supper；　for；　besides　men　there　are　women　present；

duchesses　seated　on　the　folding…chairs；　also　others　standing　around

the　table。　　It　is　needless　to　state　that　in　the　evening　when　he　plays；

or　gives　a　ball；　or　a　concert；　the　crowd　rushes　in　and　overflows。　　When

he　hunts；　besides　the　ladies　on　horses　and　in　vehicles；　besides

officers　of　the　hunt；　of　the　guards；　the　equerry；　the　cloak…bearer；

gun…bearer；　surgeon；　bone…setter；　lunch…bearer　and　I　know　not　how　many

others；　all　the　gentlemen　who　accompany　him　are　his　permanent　guests。

And　do　not　imagine　that　this　suite　is　a　small　one；＇45＇　the　day　M。　de

Chateaubriand　is　presented　there　are　four　fresh　additions；　and　〃with

the　utmost　punctuality〃　all　the　young　men　of　high　rank　join　the　king's

retinue　two　or　three　times　a　week。　　Not　only　the　eight　or　ten　scenes

which　compose　each　of　these　days；　but　again　the　short　intervals

between　the　scenes　are　besieged　and　carried。　　People　watch　for　him；

walk　by　his　side　and　speak　with　him　on　his　way　from　his　cabinet　to　the

chapel；　between　his　apartment　and　his　carriage；　between　his　carriage

and　his　apartment；　between　his　cabinet　and　his　dining　room。　　And　still

more；　his　life　behind　the　scenes　belongs　to　the　public。　　If　he　is

indisposed　and　broth　is　brought　to　him；　if　he　is　ill　and　medicine　is

handed　to　him；　〃a　servant　immediately　summons　the　'grande　entrée。'　〃

Verily；　the　king　resembles　an　oak　stifled　by　the　innumerable　creepers

which；　from　top　to　bottom；　cling　to　its　trunk。　　Under　a　régime　of　this

stamp　there　is　a　want　of　air；　some　opening　has　to　be　found；　Louis　XV

availed　himself　of　the　chase　and　of　suppers；　Louis　XVI　of　the　chase

and　of　lock…making。　　And　I　have　not　mentioned　the　infinite　detail　of

etiquette；　the　extraordinary　ceremonial　of　the　state　dinner；　the

fifteen；　twenty　and　thirty　beings　busy　around　the　king's　plates　and

glasses；　the　sacramental　utterances　of　the　occasion；　the　procession　of

the　retinue；　the　arrival　of　〃la　nef〃　〃l'essai　des　plats；〃　all　as　if　in

a　Byzantine　or　Chinese　court。＇46＇　On　Sundays　the　entire　public；　the

public　in　general；　is　admitted；　and　this　is　called　the　〃grand

couvert；〃　as　complex　and　as　solemn　as　a　high　mass。　　Accordingly　to　eat；

to　drink；　to　get　up；　to　go　to　bed；　is　to　a　descendant　of　Louis　XIV；　to

officiate。＇47＇　Frederick　II；　on　hearing　an　explanation　of　this

etiquette；　declared　that　if　he　were　king　of　France　his　first　edict

would　be　to　appoint　another　king　to　hold　court　in　his　place。　　In

effect；　if　there　are　idlers　to　salute　there　must　be　an　idler　to　be

saluted。　　Only　one　way　was　possible　by　which　the　monarch　could　have

been　set　free；　and　that　was　to　have　recast　and　transformed　the　French

nobles；　according　to　the　Prussian　system；　into　a　hard…working　regiment

of　serviceable　functionaries。　　But；　so　long　as　the　court　remains　what

it　is；　that　is　to　say；　a　pompous　parade　and　a　drawing　room　decoration；

the　king　himself　must　likewise　remain　a　showy　decoration；　of　little　or

no　use。



V。　　ROYAL　DISTRACTIONS。



Diversions　of　the　royal　family　and　of　the　court。…　Louis　XV。　　…　Louis

XVI。



In　short；　what　is　the　occupation　of　a　well…qualified　master　of　a

house？　He　amuses　himself　and　he　amuses　his　guests；　under　his　roof　a

new　pleasure…party　comes　off　daily。　　Let　us　enumerate　those　of　a　week。

〃Yesterday；　Sunday；〃　says　the　Duc　de　Luynes；　〃I　met　the　king　going　to

hunt　on　the　plain　of　St。　　Denis；　having　slept　at　la　Muette；　where　he

intends　to　remain　shooting　to　day　and　to…morrow；　and　to　return　here　on

Tuesday　or　Wednesday　morning；　to　run　down　a　stag　the　same　day；

Wednesday。〃＇48＇　Two　months　after　this；　〃the　king；〃　again　says　M。　de

Luynes；　〃has　been　hunting　every　day　of　the　past　and　of　the　present

week；　except　to　day　and　on　Sundays；　killing；　since　the　beginning；

3；500　partridges。〃　He　is　always　on　the　road；　or　hunting；　or　passing

from　one　residence　to　another；　from　Versailles　to　Fontainebleau；　to

Choisy；　to　Marly；　to　la　Muette；　to　Compiègne；　to　Trianon；　to　Saint…

Hubert；　to　Bellevue；　to　Rambouillet；　and；　generally；　with　his　entire

court。＇49＇　At　Choisy；　especially；　and　at　Fontainebleau　this　company

all　lead　a　merry　life。　　At　Fontainebleau　〃Sunday　and　Friday；　play；

Monday　and　Wednesday；　a　concert　in　the　queen's　apartments；　Tuesday　and

Thursday；　the　French　comedians；　and　Saturday　it　is　the　Italians；〃

there　is　something　for　every　day　in　the　week。　　At　Choisy；　writes　the

Dauphine；＇50＇　〃from　one　o'clock　（in　the　afternoon）　when　we　dine；　to

one　o'clock　at　night　we　remain　out。　　。　　。　　After　dining　we　play　until　six

o'clock；　after　which　we　go　to　the　theater；　which　lasts　until　half…past

nine　o'clock；　and　next；　to　supper；　after　this；　play　again；　until　one；

and　sometimes　half…past　one；　o'clock。〃　At　Versailles　things　are　more

moderate；　there　are　but　two　theatrical　entertainments　and　one　ball　a

week；　but　every　evening　there　is　play　and　a　reception　in　the　king's

apartment；　in　his　daughters'；　in　his　mistress's；　in　his　daughter…in…

law's；　besides　hunts　and　three　petty　excursions　a　week。　　Records　show

that；　in　a　certain　year；　Louis　XV　slept　only　fifty…two　nights　at

Versailles；　while　the　Austrian　Ambassador　well　says　that　〃his　mode　of

living　leaves　him　not　an　hour　in　the　day　for　attention　to　important

matters。〃　　…　　As　to　Louis　XVI；　we　have　seen　that　he　reserves　a　few

hours　of　the　morning；　but　the　machine　is　wound　up；　and　go　it　must。　　How

can　he　withdraw　himself　from　his　guests　and　not　do　the　honors　of　his

house？　Here　propriety　and　custom　are　tyrants　and　a　third　despotism

must　be　added；　still　more　absolute：　the　imperious　vivacity　of　a　lively

young　queen　who　cannot　endure　an　hour's　reading。　　…　　At　Versailles；

three　theatrical　entertainments　and　two　balls　a　week；　two　grand

suppers　Tuesday　and　Thursday；　and　from　time　to　time；　the　opera　in

Paris。＇51＇　At　Fontainebleau；　the　theater　three　times　a　week；　and　on

other　days；　play　and　suppers。　　During　the　following　winter　the　queen

gives　a　masked　ball　each　week；　in　which　〃the　contrivance　of　the

costumes；　the　quadrilles　arranged　in　ballets；　and　the　daily

rehearsals；　take　so　much　time　as　to　consume　the　entire　week。〃　During

the　carnival　of　1777　the　queen；　besides　her　own　fêtes；　attends　the

balls　of　the　Palais…Royal　and　the　masked　balls　of　the　opera；　a　little

later；　I　find　another　ball　at　the　abode　of　the　Comtesse　Diana　de

Polignac；　which　she　attends　with　the　whole　royal　family；　except

Mesdames；　and　which　lasts　from　half…past　eleven　o'clock　at　night　until

eleven　o'clock　the　next　morning。　　Meanwhile；　on　ordinary　days；　there　is

the　rage　of　faro；　in　her　drawing　room　〃there　is　no　limit　to　the　play；

in　one　evening　the　Duc　de　Chartres　loses　8；000　louis。　　It　really

resembles　an　Italian　carnival；　there　is　nothing　lacking；　neither　masks

nor　the　comedy　of　private　life；　they　play；　they　laugh；　they　dance；

they　dine；　they　listen　to　music；　they　don　costumes；　they　get　up

picnics　（fêtes…champêtres）；　they　indulge　in　gossip　and　gallantries。〃

〃The　newest　song；〃＇52＇　says　a　cultivated；　earnest　lady　of　the

bedchamber；　〃the　current　witticism　and　little　scandalous　stories；

formed　the　sole　subjects　of　conversation　in　the　queen's　circle　of

intimates。〃　　…　　As　to　the　king；　who　is　rather　dull　and　who　requires

physical　exercise；　the　chase　is　his　most　important　occupation。　　Between

1755　and　1789；＇53＇　he　himself；　on　recapitulating　what　he　had

accomplished；　finds　〃104　boar…hunts；　134　stag…hunts；　266　of　bucks；　33

with　hounds；　and　1；025　shootings；〃　in　all　1；562　hunting…days；

averaging　at　least　one　hunt　every　three　days；　besides　this　there　are　a

149　excursions　without　hunts；　and　223　promenades　on　horseback　or　in

carriages。　　〃During　four　months　of　the　year　he　goes　to　Rambouillet

twice　a　week　and　returns　after　having　supped；　that　is　to　say；　at　three

o'clock　in　the　morning。〃＇54＇　This　inveterate　habit　ends　in　becoming　a

mania；　and　even　in　something　worse。　　〃The　nonchalance；〃　writes　Arthur

Young；　June　26；　1789；　〃and　even　stupidity　of　the　court；　is

unparalleled；　the　moment　demands　the　greatest　decision；　and　yesterday；

while　it　was　actually　a　question　whether　he　should　be　a　doge　of　Venice

or　a　king　of　France；　the　king　went　a　hunting！〃　His　journal　reads　like

that　of　a　gamekeeper's。　　On　reading　it　at　the　most　important　dates　one

is　amazed　at　its　entries。　　He　writes　nothing　on　the　days　not　devoted　to

hunting；　which　means　that　to　him　these　days　are　of　no　account：