the memoirs of marie antoinette-第15部分

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！


he　Tuileries；　she　was　forced；　by　the　reiterated　shouts　of　the　multitude；　with　whom　the　garden　was　filled；　to　present　herself　upon　the　balcony　fronting　the　principal　walk。　　On　seeing　such　a　crowd　of　heads　with　their　eyes　fixed　upon　her；　she　exclaimed；　〃Grand…　Dieu！　what　a　concourse！〃〃Madame；〃　said　the　old　Duc　de　Brissac；　the　Governor　of　Paris；　〃I　may　tell　you；　without　fear　of　offending　the　Dauphin；　that　they　are　so　many　lovers。〃　　2　The　Dauphin　took　no　umbrage　at　either　acclamations　or　marks　of　homage　of　which　the　Dauphiness　was　the　object。　　The　most　mortifying　indifference；　a　coldness　which　frequently　degenerated　into　rudeness；　were　the　sole　feelings　which　the　young　Prince　then　manifested　towards　her。　　Not　all　her　charms　could　gain　even　upon　his　senses。　　This　estrangement；　which　lasted　a　long　time；　was　said　to　be　the　work　of　the　Duc　de　La　Vauguyon。

The　Dauphiness；　in　fact；　had　no　sincere　friends　at　Court　except　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　and　his　party。　　Will　it　be　credited　that　the　plans　laid　against　Marie　Antoinette　went　so　far　as　divorce？　　I　have　been　assured　of　it　by　persons　holding　high　situations　at　Court；　and　many　circumstances　tend　to　confirm　the　opinion。　　On　the　journey　to　Fontainebleau；　in　the　year　of　the　marriage；　the　inspectors　of　public　buildings　were　gained　over　to　manage　so　that　the　apartment　intended　for　the　Dauphin；　communicating　with　that　of　the　Dauphiness；　should　not　be　finished；　and　a　room　at　the　extremity　of　the　building　was　temporarily　assigned　to　him。　　The　Dauphiness；　aware　that　this　was　the　result　of　intrigue；　had　the　courage　to　complain　of　it　to　Louis　XV。；who；　after　severe　reprimands；　gave　orders　so　positive　that　within　the　week　the　apartment　was　ready。　　Every　method　was　tried　to　continue　or　augment　the　indifference　which　the　Dauphin　long　manifested　towards　his　youthful　spouse。　　She　was　deeply　hurt　at　it；　but　she　never　suffered　herself　to　utter　the　slightest　complaint　on　the　subject。　　Inattention　to；　even　contempt　for；　the　charms　which　she　heard　extolled　on　all　sides；　nothing　induced　her　to　break　silence；　and　some　tears；　which　would　involuntarily　burst　from　her　eyes；　were　the　sole　symptoms　of　her　inward　sufferings　discoverable　by　those　in　her　service。

Once　only；　when　tired　out　with　the　misplaced　remonstrances　of　an　old　lady　attached　to　her　person；　who　wished　to　dissuade　her　from　riding　on　horseback；　under　the　impression　that　it　would　prevent　her　producing　heirs　to　the　crown；　〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　she；　〃in　God's　name；　leave　me　in　peace；　be　assured　that　I　can　put　no　heir　in　danger。〃

The　Dauphiness　found　at　the　Court　of　Louis　XV。；　besides　the　three　Princesses；　the　King's　daughters；　the　Princes　also；　brothers　of　the　Dauphin；　who　were　receiving　their　education；　and　Clotilde　and　Elisabeth；　still　in　the　care　of　Madame　de　Marsan；　governess　of　the　children　of　France。　　The　elder　of　the　two　latter　Princesses；　in　1777；　married　the　Prince　of　Piedmont；　afterwards　King　of　Sardinia。　　This　Princess　was　in　her　infancy；　so　extremely　large　that　the　people　nicknamed　her　'gros　Madame。'

　　　　　＇　Madame　Clotilde　of　France；　a　sister　of　the　King；　was　　　　　　extraordinarily　fat　for　her　height　and　age。　　One　of　her　playfellows；　　　　　　having　been　indiscreet　enough　even　in　her　presence　to　make　use　of　　　　　　the　nickname　given　to　her；　received　a　severe　reprimand　from　the　　　　　　Comtesse　de　Marsan；　who　hinted　to　her　that　she　would　do　well　in　not　　　　　　making　her　appearance　again　before　the　Princess。　　Madame　Clotilde　　　　　　sent　for　her　the　next　day：　〃My　governess；〃　said　she；　〃has　done　her　　　　　　duty；　and　I　will　do　mine；　come　and　see　me　as　usual；　and　think　no　　　　　　more　of　a　piece　of　inadvertence；　which　I　myself　have　forgotten。〃　　　　　　This　Princess；　so　heavy　in　body；　possessed　the　most　agreeable　and　　　　　　playful　wit。　　Her　affability　and　grace　rendered　her　dear　to　all　who　　　　　　came　near　her。　NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR＇

The　second　Princess　was　the　pious　Elisabeth；　the　victim　of　her　respect　and　tender　attachment　for　the　King；　her　brother。　　She　was　still　scarcely　out　of　her　leading…strings　at　the　period　of　the　Dauphin's　marriage。　　The　Dauphiness　showed　her　marked　preference。　　The　governess；　who　sought　to　advance　the　Princess　to　whom　nature　had　been　least　favourable；　was　offended　at　the　Dauphiness's　partiality　for　Madame　Elisabeth；　and　by　her　injudicious　complaints　weakened　the　friendship　which　yet　subsisted　between　Madame　Clotilde　and　Marie　Antoinette。　　There　even　arose　some　degree　of　rivalry　on　the　subject　of　education；　and　that　which　the　Empress　Maria　Theresa　bestowed　on　her　daughters　was　talked　of　openly　and　unfavourably　enough。　　The　Abbe　de　Vermond　thought　himself　affronted；　took　a　part　in　the　quarrel；　and　added　his　complaints　and　jokes　to　those　of　the　Dauphiness　on　the　criticisms　of　the　governess；　he　even　indulged　himself　in　his　turn　in　reflections　on　the　tuition　of　Madame　Clotilde。　Everything　becomes　known　at　Court。　　Madame　de　Marsan　was　informed　of　all　that　had　been　said　in　the　Dauphiness's　circle；　and　was　very　angry　with　her　on　account　of　it。

From　that　moment　a　centre　of　intrigue；　or　rather　gossip；　against　Marie　Antoinette　was　established　round　Madame　de　Marsan's　fireside；　her　most　trifling　actions　were　there　construed　ill；　her　gaiety；　and　the　harmless　amusements　in　which　she　sometimes　indulged　in　her　own　apartments　with　the　more　youthful　ladies　of　her　train；　and　even　with　the　women　in　her　service；　were　stigmatised　as　criminal。　　Prince　Louis　de　Rohan；　sent　through　the　influence　of　this　clique　ambassador　to　Vienna；　was　the　echo　there　of　these　unmerited　comments；　and　threw　himself　into　a　series　of　culpable　accusations　which　he　proffered　under　the　guise　of　zeal。　　He　ceaselessly　represented　the　young　Dauphiness　as　alienating　all　hearts　by　levities　unsuitable　to　the　dignity　of　the　French　Court。　　The　Princess　frequently　received　from　the　Court　of　Vienna　remonstrances；　of　the　origin　of　which　she　could　not　long　remain　in　ignorance。　　From　this　period　must　be　dated　that　aversion　which　she　never　ceased　to　manifest　for　the　Prince　de　Rohan。

About　the　same　time　the　Dauphiness　received　information　of　a　letter　written　by　Prince　Louis　to　the　Duc　d'Aiguillon；　in　which　the　ambassador　expressed　himself　in　very　free　language　respecting　the　intentions　of　Maria　Theresa　with　relation　to　the　partition　of　Poland。　　This　letter　of　Prince　Louis　had　been　read　at　the　Comtesse　du　Barry's；　the　levity　of　the　ambassador's　correspondence　wounded　the　feelings　and　the　dignity　of　the　Dauphiness　at　Versailles；　while　at　Vienna　the　representations　which　he　made　to　Maria　Theresa　against　the　young　Princess　terminated　in　rendering　the　motives　of　his　incessant　complaints　suspected　by　the　Empress。

Maria　Theresa　at　length　determined　on　sending　her　private　secretary；　Baron　de　Neni；　to　Versailles；　with　directions　to　observe　the　conduct　of　the　Dauphiness　with　attention；　and　form　a　just　estimate　of　the　opinion　of　the　Court　and　of　Paris　with　regard　to　that　Princess。　　The　Baron　de　Neni；　after　having　devoted　sufficient　time　and　intelligence　to　the　subject；　undeceived　his　sovereign　as　to　the　exaggerations　of　the　French　ambassador；　and　the　Empress　had　no　difficulty　in　detecting；　among　the　calumnies　which　he　had　conveyed　to　her　under　the　specious　excuse　of　anxiety　for　her　august　daughter；　proofs　of　the　enmity　of　a；　party　which　had　never　approved　of　the　alliance　of　the　House　of　Bourbon　with　her　own。

At　this　period　the　Dauphiness；　though　unable　to　obtain　any　influence　over　the　heart　of　her　husband；　dreading　Louis　XV。；　and　justly　mistrusting　everything　connected　with　Madame　du　Barry　and　the　Duc　d'Aiguillon；　had　not　deserved　the　slightest　reproach　for　that　sort　of　levity　which　hatred　and　her　misfortunes　afterwards　construed　into　crime。　　The　Empress；　convinced　of　the　innocence　of　Marie　Antoinette；　directed　the　Baron　de　Neni　to　solicit　the　recall　of　the　Prince　de　Rohan；　and　to　inform　the　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs　of　all　the　motives　which　made　her　require　it；　but　the　House　of　Rohan　interposed　between　its　protege　and　the　Austrian　envoy；　and　an　evasive　answer　merely　was　given。

It　was　not　until　two　months　after　the　death　of　Louis　XV。　　that　the　Court　of　Vienna　obtained　his　recall。　　The　avowed　grounds　for　requiring　it　were；　first；　the　public　gallantries　of　Prince　Louis　with　some　ladies　of　the　Court　and　others；　secondly；　his　surliness　and　haughtiness　towards　other　foreign　ministers；　which　would　have　had　more　serious　consequences；　especially　with　the　ministers　of　England　and　Denmark；　if　the　Empress　herself　had　not　interfered；　thirdly；　his　contempt　for　religion　in　a　country　where　it　was　particularly　necessary　to　show　respect　for　it。　He　had　been　seen　frequently　to　dress　himself　in　clothes　of　different　colours；　assuming　the　hunting　uniforms　of　various　noblemen　whom　he　visited；　with　so　much　audacity　that　one　day　in　particular；　during　the　Fete…Dieu；　he　and　all　his　legation；　in　green　uniforms　laced　with　gold；　broke　through　a　procession　which　impeded　them；　in　order　to　make　their　way　to　a　hunting　party　at　the　Prince　de　Paar's；　and　fourthly；　the　immense　debts　contracted　by　him　and　his　people；　which　were　tardily　and　only　in　part　discharged。

The　succeeding　marriages　of　the　Comte　de　Provence　and　the　Comte　d'Artois　with　two　daughters　of　the　King　of　Sardinia　procured　society　for　the　Dauphiness　more　suitable　to　her　age；　and　altered　her　mode　of　life。

A　pair　of　tolerably　fine　eyes　drew　forth；　in　favour　of　the　Comtesse　de　Provence；　upon　her　arrival　at　Versailles；　the　only　praises　which　could　reasonably　be　bestowed　upon　her。　　The　Comtesse　d'Artois；　though　not　deformed；　was　very　small；　she　had　a　fine　complexion；　her　face；　tolerably　pleasing；　was　not　remarkable　for　anything　except　the　extreme　length　of　the　nose。　　But　being　good　and　generous；　she　was　beloved　by　those　about　her；　and　even　possessed　some　influence　so　long　as　she　was　the　only　Princess　who　had　produced　heirs　to　the　crown。

From　this　time　the　closest　intimacy　subsisted　between　the　three　young　families。　　They　took　their　meals　together；　except　on　those　days　when　they　dined　in　public。　　This　manner　of　living　en　famille　continued　until　the　Queen　sometimes　indulged　herself　in　going　to　dine　with　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac；　when　she　was　governess；　but　the　evening　meetings　at　supper　were　never　interrupted；　they　took　place　at　the　house　of　the　Comtesse　de　Provence。　　Madame　Elisabeth