the memoirs of marie antoinette-第30部分

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of　their　service；　and　　　　　　had　preserved　some　of　their　privileges。　　One　day　the　Duchesse　　　　　　d'Orleans　arrived　at　Fontainebleau；　at　the　Queen's　dinner…hour。　　The　　　　　　Queen　invited　her　to　the　table；　and　herself　motioned　to　her　women　to　　　　　　leave　the　room；　and　let　the　men　take　their　places。　　Her　Majesty　said　　　　　　she　was　resolved　to　continue　a　privilege　which　kept　places　of　that　　　　　　description　most　honourable；　and　render　them　suitable　for　ladies　of　　　　　　nobility　without　fortune。　　Madame　de　Misery；　Baronne　de　Biache；　the　　　　　　Queen's　first　lady　of　the　chamber；　to　whom　I　was　made　reversioner；　　　　　　was　a　daughter　of　M。　le　Comte　de　Chemant；　and　her　grandmother　was　a　　　　　　Montmorency。　　M。　le　Prince　de　Tingry；　in　the　presence　of　the　Queen；　　　　　　used　to　call　her　cousin。　　The　ancient　household　of　the　Kings　of　　　　　　France　had　prerogatives　acknowledged　in　the　state。　　Many　of　the　　　　　　offices　were　tenable　only　by　those　of　noble　blood；　and　were　sold　at　　　　　　from　40；000　to　300；000　franca。　　A　collection　of　edicts　of　the　Kings　　　　　　in　favour　of　the　prerogatives　and　right　of　precedence　of　the　persons　　　　　　holding　office　in　the　royal　household　is　still　in　existence。＇

I　was　present　at　the　Queen's　dinner　almost　every　day。　　The　Emperor　would　talk　much　and　fluently；　he　expressed　himself　in　French　with　facility；　and　the　singularity；　of　his　expressions　added　a　zest　to　his　conversation。　　I　have　often　heard　him　say　that　he　liked　spectacculous　objects；　when　he　meant　to　express　such　things　as　formed　a　show；　or　a　scene　worthy　of　interest。　　He　disguised　none　of　his　prejudices　against　the　etiquette　and　customs　of　the　Court　of　France；　and　even　in　the　presence　of　the　King　made　them　the　subject　of　his　sarcasms。　　The　King　smiled；　but　never　made　any　answer；　the　Queen　appeared　pained。　　The　Emperor　frequently　terminated　his　observations　upon　the　objects　in　Paris　which　he　had　admired　by　reproaching　the　King　for　suffering　himself　to　remain　in　ignorance　of　them。　　He　could　not　conceive　how　such　a　wealth　of　pictures　should　remain　shut　up　in　the　dust　of　immense　stores；　and　told　him　one　day　that　but　for　the　practice　of　placing　some　of　them　in　the　apartments　of　Versailles　he　would　not　know　even　the　principal　chef　d'oeuvres　that　he　possessed。

　　　　　＇The　Emperor　loudly　censured　the　existing　practice　of　allowing　　　　　　shopkeepers　to　erect　shops　near　the　outward　walls　of　all　the　　　　　　palaces；　and　even　to　establish　something　like　a　fair　in　the　　　　　　galleries　of　Versailles　and　Fontainebleau；　and　even　upon　the　　　　　　landings　of　the　staircases。＇

He　also　reproached　him　for　not　having　visited　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　nor　the　Ecole　Militaire；　and　even　went　so　far　as　to　tell　him　before　us　that　he　ought　not　only　to　know　what　Paris　contained；　but　to　travel　in　France；　and　reside　a　few　days　in　each　of　his　large　towns。

At　last　the　Queen　was　really　hurt　at　the　Emperor's　remarks；　and　gave　him　a　few　lectures　upon　the　freedom　with　which　he　allowed　himself　to　lecture　others。　　One　day　she　was　busied　in　signing　warrants　and　orders　for　payment　for　her　household；　and　was　conversing　with　M。　Augeard；　her　secretary　for　such　matters；　who　presented　the　papers　one　after　another　to　be　signed；　and　replaced　them　in　his　portfolio。　　While　this　was　going　forward；　the　Emperor　walked　about　the　room；　all　at　once　he　stood　still；　to　reproach　the　Queen　rather　severely　for　signing　all　those　papers　without　reading　them；　or；　at　least；　without　running　her　eye　over　them；　and　he　spoke　most　judiciously　to　her　upon　the　danger　of　signing　her　name　inconsiderately。　　The　Queen　answered　that　very　wise　principles　might　be　very　ill　applied；　that　her　secretary；　who　deserved　her　implicit　confidence；　was　at　that　moment　laying　before　her　nothing　but　orders　for　payment　of　the　quarter's　expenses　of　her　household；　registered　in　the　Chamber　of　Accounts；　and　that　she　ran　no　risk　of　incautiously　giving　her　signature。

The　Queen's　toilet　was　likewise　a　never…failing　subject　for　animadversion　with　the　Emperor。　　He　blamed　her　for　having　introduced　too　many　new　fashions；　and　teased　her　about　her　use　of　rouge。　　One　day；　while　she　was　laying　on　more　of　it　than　usual；　before　going　to　the　play；　he　pointed　out　a　lady　who　was　in　the　room；　and　who　was；　in　truth；　highly　painted。　　〃A　little　more　under　the　eyes；〃　said　the　Emperor　to　the　Queen；　〃lay　on　the　rouge　like　a　fury；　as　that　lady　does。〃　　The　Queen　entreated　her　brother　to　refrain　from　his　jokes；　or　at　all　events　to　address　them；　when　they　were　so　outspoken；　to　her　alone。

The　Queen　had　made　an　appointment　to　meet　her　brother　at　the　Italian　theatre；　she　changed　her　mind；　and　went　to　the　French　theatre；　sending　a　page　to　the　Italian　theatre　to　request　the　Emperor　to　come　to　her　there。　He　left　his　box；　lighted　by　the　comedian　Clairval；　and　attended　by　M。　de　la　Ferte；　comptroller　of　the　Queen's　privy　purse；　who　was　much　hurt　at　hearing　his　Imperial　Majesty；　after　kindly　expressing　his　regret　at　not　being　present　during　the　Italian　performance；　say　to　Clairval；　〃Your　young　Queen　is　very　giddy；　but；　luckily；　you　Frenchmen　have　no　great　objection　to　that。〃

I　was　with　my　father…in…law　in　one　of　the　Queen's　apartments　when　the　Emperor　came　to　wait　for　her　there；　and；　knowing　that　M。　Campan　was　librarian；　he　conversed　with　him　about　such　books　as　would　of　course　be　found　in　the　Queen's　library。　　After　talking　of　our　most　celebrated　authors；　he　casually　said；　〃There　are　doubtless　no　works　on　finance　or　on　administration　here？〃

These　words　were　followed　by　his　opinion　on　all　that　had　been　written　on　those　topics；　and　the　different　systems　of　our　two　famous　ministers；　Sully　and　Colbert；　on　errors　which　were　daily　committed　in　France；　in　points　essential　to　the　prosperity　of　the　Empire；　and　on　the　reform　he　himself　would　make　at　Vienna。　　Holding　M。　Campan　by　the　button；　he　spent　more　than　an　hour；　talking　vehemently；　and　without　the　slightest　reserve；　about　the　French　Government。　　My　father…in…law　and　myself　maintained　profound　silence；　as　much　from　astonishment　as　from　respect；　and　when　we　were　alone　we　agreed　not　to　speak　of　this　interview。

The　Emperor　was　fond　of　describing　the　Italian　Courts　that　he　had　visited。　　The　jealous　quarrels　between　the　King　and　Queen　of　Naples　amused　him　highly；　he　described　to　the　life　the　manner　and　speech　of　that　sovereign；　and　the　simplicity　with　which　he　used　to　go　and　solicit　the　first　chamberlain　to　obtain　permission　to　return　to　the　nuptial　bed；　when　the　angry　Queen　had　banished　him　from　it。　　The　time　which　he　was　made　to　wait　for　this　reconciliation　was　calculated　between　the　Queen　and　her　chamberlain；　and　always　proportioned　to　the　gravity　of　the　offence。　　He　also　related　several　very　amusing　stories　relative　to　the　Court　of　Parma；　of　which　he　spoke　with　no　little　contempt。　　If　what　this　Prince　said　of　those　Courts；　and　even　of　Vienna；　had　been　written　down；　the　whole　would　have　formed　an　interesting　collection。　　The　Emperor　told　the　King　that　the　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany　and　the　King　of　Naples　being　together；　the　former　said　a　great　deal　about　the　changes　he　had　effected　in　his　State。　The　Grand　Duke　had　issued　a　mass　of　new　edicts；　in　order　to　carry　the　precepts　of　the　economists　into　execution；　and　trusted　that　in　so　doing　he　was　labouring　for　the　welfare　of　his　people。　　The　King　of　Naples　suffered　him　to　go　on　speaking　for　a　long　time；　and　then　casually　asked　how　many　Neapolitan　families　there　were　in　Tuscany。　　The　Duke　soon　reckoned　them　up；　as　they　were　but　few。　　〃Well；　brother；〃　replied　the　King　of　Naples；　〃I　do　not　understand　the　indifference　of　your　people　towards　your　great　reforms；　for　I　have　four　times　the　number　of　Tuscan　families　settled　in　my　States　that　you　have　of　Neapolitan　families　in　yours。〃

The　Queen　being　at　the　Opera　with　the　Emperor；　the　latter　did　not　wish　to　show　himself；　but　she　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　gently　drew　him　to　the　front　of　the　box。　　This　kind　of　presentation　to　the　public　was　most　warmly　received。　　The　performance　was　〃Iphigenia　in　Aulis；〃　and　for　the　second　time。　　the　chorus；　〃Chantons；　celebrons　notre　Reine！〃　was　called　for　with　universal　plaudits。

A　fete　of　a　novel　description　was　given　at　Petit　Trianon。　　The　art　with　which　the　English　garden　was　not　illuminated；　but　lighted；　produced　a　charming　effect。　　Earthen　lamps；　concealed　by　boards　painted　green；　threw　light　upon　the　beds　of　shrubs　and　flowers；　and　brought　out　their　varied　tints。　　Several　hundred　burning　fagots　in　the　moat　behind　the　Temple　of　Love　made　a　blaze　of　light；　which　rendered　that　spot　the　most　brilliant　in　the　garden。　　After　all；　this　evening's　entertainment　had　nothing　remarkable　about　it　but　the　good　taste　of　the　artists；　yet　it　was　much　talked　of。　　The　situation　did　not　allow　the　admission　of　a　great　part　of　the　Court；　those　who　were　uninvited　were　dissatisfied；　and　the　people；　who　never　forgive　any　fetes　but　those　they　share　in；　so　exaggerated　the　cost　of　this　little　fete　as　to　make　it　appear　that　the　fagots　burnt　in　the　moat　had　required　the　destruction　of　a　whole　forest。　　The　Queen　being　informed　of　these　reports；　was　determined　to　know　exactly　how　much　wood　had　been　consumed；　and　she　found　that　fifteen　hundred　fagots　had　sufficed　to　keep　up　the　fire　until　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。

After　staying　a　few　months　the　Emperor　left　France；　promising　his　sister　to　come　and　see　her　again。　　All　the　officers　of　the　Queen's　chamber　had　many　opportunities　of　serving　him　during　his　stay；　and　expected　that　he　would　make　them　presents　before　his　departure。　　Their　oath　of　office　positively　forbade　them　to　receive　a　gift　from　any　foreign　prince；　they　had　therefore　agreed　to　refuse　the　Emperor's　presents　at　first；　but　to　ask　the　time　necessary　for　obtaining　permission　to　accept　them。　　The　Emperor；　probably　informed　of　this　custom；　relieved　the　good　people　from　their　difficulty　by　setting　off　without　making　a　single　present。

About　the　latter　end　of　1777　the　Queen；　being　alone　in　her　closet；　sent　for　my　father…in…law　and　myself；　and；　giving　us　her　hand　to　kiss；　told　us　that；　looking　upon　us　both　as　persons　deeply　interested　in　her　happiness；　she　wished　to　receive　our　congratulations；that　at　length　she　was　the　Queen　of　France；　and　that　she　hoped　soon　to　have　children；　that　till　now　she　had　concealed　her　grief；　but　that　she　had　shed　many　tears　in　secret。