the memoirs of marie antoinette-第41部分

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　the　intention；　which　he　had　entertained　for　ten　years；　of　quitting　Versailles。

The　King　determined　that　the　ministers；　public　officers；　pages；　and　a　considerable　part　of　his　stabling　should　remain　at　Versailles。　　Messieurs　de　Breteuil　and　de　Calonne　were　instructed　to　treat　with　the　Duc　d'Orleans　for　the　purchase　of　St。　Cloud；　at　first　they　hoped　to　be　able　to　conclude　the　business　by　a　mere　exchange。　　The　value　of　the　Chateau　de　Choisy；　de　la　Muette；　and　a　forest　was　equivalent　to　the　sum　demanded　by　the　House　of　Orleans；　and　in　the　exchange　which　the　Queen　expected　she　only　saw　a　saving　to　be　made　instead　of　an　increase　of　expense。　　By　this　arrangement　the　government　of　Choisy；　in　the　hands　of　the　Duc　de　Coigny；　and　that　of　La　Muette；　in　the　hands　of　the　Marechal　de　Soubise；　would　be　suppressed。　　At　the　same　time　the　two　concierges；　and　all　the　servants　employed　in　these　two　royal　houses；　would　be　reduced；　but　while　the　treaty　was　going　forward　Messieurs　de　Breteuil　and　de　Calonne　gave　up　the　point　of　exchange；　and　some　millions　in　cash　were　substituted　for　Choisy　and　La　Muette。

The　Queen　advised　the　King　to　give　her　St。　Cloud；　as　a　means　of　avoiding　the　establishment　of　a　governor；　her　plan　being　to　have　merely　a　concierge　there；　by　which　means　the　governor's　expenses　would　be　saved。　The　King　agreed；　and　St。　Cloud　was　purchased　for　the　Queen。　　She　provided　the　same　liveries　for　the　porters　at　the　gates　and　servants　at　the　chateau　as　for　those　at　Trianon。　　The　concierge　at　the　latter　place　had　put　up　some　regulations　for　the　household；　headed；　〃By　order　of　the　Queen。〃　　The　same　thing　was　done　at　St。　Cloud。　　The　Queen's　livery　at　the　door　of　a　palace　where　it　was　expected　none　but　that　of　the　King　would　be　seen；　and　the　words　〃By　order　of　the　Queen〃　at　the　head　of　the　printed　papers　pasted　near　the　iron　gates；　caused　a　great　sensation；　and　produced　a　very　unfortunate　effect；　not　only　among　the　common　people；　but　also。　among　persons　of　a　superior　class。　　They　saw　in　it　an　attack　upon　the　customs　of　monarchy；　and　customs　are　nearly　equal　to　laws。　　The　Queen　heard　of　this；　but　she　thought　that　her　dignity　would　be　compromised　if　she　made　any　change　in　the　form　of　these　regulations；　though　they　might　have　been　altogether　superseded　without　inconvenience。　　〃My　name　is　not　out　of　place；〃　said　she；　〃in　gardens　belonging　to　myself；　I　may　give　orders　there　without　infringing　on　the　rights　of　the　State。〃　　This　was　her　only　answer　to　the　representations　which　a　few　faithful　servants　ventured　to　make　on　the　subject。　　The　discontent　of　the　Parisians　on　this　occasion　probably　induced　M。　d'Espremenil；　upon　the　first　troubles　about　the　Parliament；　to　say　that　it　was　impolitic　and　immoral　to　see　palaces　belonging　to　a　Queen　of　France。

　　　　　＇The　Queen　never　forgot　this　affront　of　M。　d'Espremenil's；　she　said　　　　　　that　as　it　was　offered　at　a　time　when　social　order　had　not　yet　been　　　　　　disturbed；　she　had　felt　the　severest　mortification　at　it。　　Shortly　　　　　　before　the　downfall　of　the　throne　M。　Espremenil；　having　openly　　　　　　espoused　the　King's　side；　was　insulted　in　the　gardens　of　the　　　　　　Tuileries　by　the　Jacobins；　and　so　ill…treated　that　he　was　carried　　　　　　home　very　ill。　　Somebody　recommended　the　Queen；　on　account　of　the　　　　　　royalist　principles　he　then　professed；　to　send　and　inquire　for　him。　　　　　　She　replied　that　she　was　truly　grieved　at　what　had　happened　to　M。　　　　　　d'Espremenil；　but　that　mere　policy　should　never　induce　her　to　show　　　　　　any　particular　solicitude　about　the　man　who　had　been　the　first　to　　　　　　make　so　insulting　an　attack　upon　her　character。　MADAME　CAMPAN＇

The　Queen　was　very　much　dissatisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　M。　de　Calonne　had　managed　this　matter。　　The　Abbe　de　Vermond；　the　most　active　and　persevering　of　that　minister's　enemies；　saw　with　delight　that　the　expedients　of　those　from　whom　alone　new　resources　might　be　expected　were　gradually　becoming　exhausted；　because　the　period　when　the　Archbishop　of　Toulouse　would　be　placed　over　the　finances　was　thereby　hastened。

The　royal　navy　had　resumed　an　imposing　attitude　during　the　war　for　the　independence　of　America；　glorious　peace　with　England　had　compensated　for　the　former　attacks　of　our　enemies　upon　the　fame　of　France；　and　the　throne　was　surrounded　by　numerous　heirs。　　The　sole　ground　of　uneasiness　was　in　the　finances；　but　that　uneasiness　related　only　to　the　manner　in　which　they　were　administered。　　In　a　word；　France　felt　confident　in　its　own　strength　and　resources；　when　two　events；　which　seem　scarcely　worthy　of　a　place　in　history；　but　which　have；　nevertheless；　an　important　one　in　that　of　the　French　Revolution；　introduced　a　spirit　of　ridicule　and　contempt；　not　only　against　the　highest　ranks；　but　even　against　the　most　august　personages。　　I　allude　to　a　comedy　and　a　great　swindling　transaction。

Beaumarchais　had　long　possessed　a　reputation　in　certain　circles　in　Paris　for　his　wit　and　musical　talents；　and　at　the　theatres　for　dramas　more　or　less　indifferent；　when　his　〃Barbier　de　Seville〃　procured　him　a　higher　position　among　dramatic　writers。　　His　〃Memoirs〃　against　M。　Goesman　had　amused　Paris　by　the　ridicule　they　threw　upon　a　Parliament　which　was　disliked；　and　his　admission　to　an　intimacy　with　M。　de　Maurepas　procured　him　a　degree　of　influence　over　important　affairs。　　He　then　became　ambitious　of　influencing　public　opinion　by　a　kind　of　drama；　in　which　established　manners　and　customs　should　be　held　up　to　popular　derision　and　the　ridicule　of　the　new　philosophers。　　After　several　years　of　prosperity　the　minds　of　the　French　had　become　more　generally　critical；　and　when　Beaumarchais　had　finished　his　monstrous　but　diverting　〃Mariage　de　Figaro；〃　all　people　of　any　consequence　were　eager　for　the　gratification　of　hearing　it　read；　the　censors　having　decided　that　it　should　not　be　performed。　　These　readings　of　〃Figaro〃　grew　so　numerous　that　people　were　daily　heard　to　say；　〃I　have　been　（or　I　am　going　to　be）　at　the　reading　of　Beaumarchais's　play。〃　　The　desire　to　see　it　performed　became　universal；　an　expression　that　he　had　the　art　to　use　compelled；　as　it　were；　the　approbation　of　the　nobility；　or　of　persons　in　power；　who　aimed　at　ranking　among　the　magnanimous；　he　made　his　〃Figaro〃　say　that　〃none　but　little　minds　dreaded　little　books。〃　　The　Baron　de　Breteuil；　and　all　the　men　of　Madame　de　Polignac's　circle；　entered　the　lists　as　the　warmest　protectors　of　the　comedy。　　Solicitations　to　the　King　became　so　pressing　that　his　Majesty　determined　to　judge　for　himself　of　a　work　which　so　much　engrossed　public　attention；　and　desired　me　to　ask　M。　Le　Noir；　lieutenant　of　police；　for　the　manuscript　of　the　〃Mariage　de　Figaro。〃　　One　morning　I　received　a　note　from　the　Queen　ordering　me　to　be　with　her　at　three　o'clock；　and　not　to　come　without　having　dined；　for　she　should　detain　me　some　time。　　When　I　got　to　the　Queen's　inner　closet　I　found　her　alone　with　the　King；　a　chair　and　a　small　table　were　ready　placed　opposite　to　them；　and　upon　the　table　lay　an　enormous　manuscript　in　several　books。　　The　King　said　to　me；　〃There　is　Beaumarchais's　comedy；　you　must　read　it　to　us。　　You　will　find　several　parts　troublesome　on　account　of　the　erasures　and　references。　　I　have　already　run　it　over；　but　I　wish　the　Queen　to　be　acquainted　with　the　work。　　You　will　not　mention　this　reading　to　any　one。〃

I　began。　　The　King　frequently　interrupted　me　by　praise　or　censure；　which　was　always　just。　　He　frequently　exclaimed；　〃That's　in　bad　taste；　this　man　continually　brings　the　Italian　concetti　on　the　stage。〃　　At　that　soliloquy　of　Figaro　in　which　he　attacks　various　points　of　government；　and　especially　at　the　tirade　against　State　prisons；　the　King　rose　up　and　said；　indignantly：

〃That's　detestable；　that　shall　never　be　played；　the　Bastille　must　be　destroyed　before　the　license　to　act　this　play　can　be　any　other　than　an　act　of　the　most　dangerous　inconsistency。　　This　man　scoffs　at　everything　that　should　be　respected　in　a　government。〃

〃It　will　not　be　played；　then？〃　　said　the　Queen。

〃No；　certainly；〃　replied　Louis　XVI。；　〃you　may　rely　upon　that。〃

Still　it　was　constantly　reported　that　〃Figaro〃　was　about　to　be　performed；　there　were　even　wagers　laid　upon　the　subject；　I　never　should　have　laid　any　myself；　fancying　that　I　was　better　informed　as　to　the　probability　than　anybody　else；　if　I　had；　however；　I　should　have　been　completely　deceived。　　The　protectors　of　Beaumarchais；　feeling　certain　that　they　would　succeed　in　their　scheme　of　making　his　work　public　in　spite　of　the　King's　prohibition；　distributed　the　parts　in　the　〃Mariage　de　Figaro〃　among　the　actors　of　the　Theatre　Francais。　　Beaumarchais　had　made　them　enter　into　the　spirit　of　his　characters；　and　they　determined　to　enjoy　at　least　one　performance　of　this　so…called　chef　d'oeuvre。　　The　first　gentlemen　of　the　chamber　agreed　that　M。　de　la　Ferte　should　lend　the　theatre　of　the　Hotel　des　Menus　Plaisirs；　at　Paris；　which　was　used　for　rehearsals　of　the　opera；　tickets　were　distributed　to　a　vast　number　of　leaders　of　society；　and　the　day　for　the　performance　was　fixed。　　The　King　heard　of　all　this　only　on　the　very　morning；　and　signed　a　'lettre　de　cachet；'＇A　'lettre　de　cachet'　was　any　written　order　proceeding　from　the　King。　　The　term　was　not　confined　merely　to　orders　for　arrest。＇　which　prohibited　the　performance。　　When　the　messenger　who　brought　the　order　arrived；　he　found　a　part　of　the　theatre　already　filled　with　spectators；　and　the　streets　leading　to　the　Hotel　des　Menus　Plaisirs　filled　with　carriages；　the　piece　was　not　performed。　　This　prohibition　of　the　King's　was　looked　upon　as　an　attack　on　public　liberty。

The　disappointment　produced　such　discontent　that　the　words　oppression　and　tyranny　were　uttered　with　no　less　passion　and　bitterness　at　that　time　than　during　the　days　which　immediately　preceded　the　downfall　of　the　throne。　　Beaumarchais　was　so　far　put　off　his　guard　by　rage　as　to　exclaim；　〃Well；　gentlemen；　he　won't　suffer　it　to　be　played　here；　but　I　swear　it　shall　be　played；perhaps　in　the　very　choir　of　Notre…Dame！〃　　There　was　something　prophetic　in　these　words。　　It　was　generally　insinuated　shortly　afterwards　that　Beaumarchais　had　determined　to　suppress　all　those　parts　of　his　work　which　could　be　obnoxious　to　the　Government；　and　on　pretence　of　judging　of　the　sacrifices　made　by　the　author；　M。　de　Vaudreuil　obtained　permission　to　have　thi