the memoirs of marie antoinette-第15部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


on　the　King；　her　　　　　　father；　to　grant　many　ecclesiastical　preferments；　and　probably　　　　　　looked　forward　to　playing　an　important　part　when　the　King；　weary　of　　　　　　his　licentious　course　of　life；　should　begin　to　think　of　religion。　　　　　　This；　perhaps；　might　have　been　the　case　had　not　a　sudden　and　　　　　　unexpected　death　put　an　end　to　his　career。　　The　project　of　Madame　　　　　　Louise　fell　to　the　ground　in　consequence　of　this　event。　　She　　　　　　remained　in　her　convent；　whence　she　continued　to　solicit　favours；　　　　　　as　I　knew　from　the　complaints　of　the　Queen；　who　often　said　to　me；　　　　　　〃Here　is　another　letter　from　my　Aunt　Louise。　　She　is　certainly　the　　　　　　most　intriguing　little　Carmelite　in　the　kingdom。〃　　The　Court　went　to　　　　　　visit　her　about　three　times　a　year；　and　I　recollect　that　the　Queen；　　　　　　intending　to　take　her　daughter　there；　ordered　me　to　get　a　doll　　　　　　dressed　like　a　Carmelite　for　her；　that　the　young　Princess　might　be　　　　　　accustomed；　before　she　went　into　the　convent；　to　the　habit　of　her　　　　　　aunt；　the　nun。MADAME　CAMPAN＇

Madame　Victoire；　good；　sweet…tempered；　and　affable；　lived　with　the　most　amiable　simplicity　in　a　society　wherein　she　was　much　caressed；　she　was　adored　by　her　household。　　Without　quitting　Versailles；　without　sacrificing　her　easy　chair；　she　fulfilled　the　duties　of　religion　with　punctuality；　gave　to　the　poor　all　she　possessed；　and　strictly　observed　Lent　and　the　fasts。　　The　table　of　Mesdames　acquired　a　reputation　for　dishes　of　abstinence；　spread　abroad　by　the　assiduous　parasites　at　that　of　their　maitre　d'hotel。　　Madame　Victoire　was　not　indifferent　to　good　living；　but　she　had　the　most　religious　scruples　respecting　dishes　of　which　it　was　allowable　to　partake　at　penitential　times。　　I　saw　her　one　day　exceedingly　tormented　by　her　doubts　about　a　water…fowl；　which　was　often　served　up　to　her　during　Lent。　　The　question　to　be　determined　was；　whether　it　was　'maigre'　or　'gras'。　　She　consulted　a　bishop；　who　happened　to　be　of　the　party：　the　prelate　immediately　assumed　the　grave　attitude　of　a　judge　who　is　about　to　pronounce　sentence。　　He　answered　the　Princess　that；　in　a　similar　case　of　doubt；　it　had　been　resolved　that　after　dressing　the　bird　it　should　be　pricked　over　a　very　cold　silver　dish；　if　the　gravy　of　the　animal　congealed　within　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　creature　was　to　be　accounted　flesh；　but　if　the　gravy　remained　in　an　oily　state；　it　might　be　eaten　without　scruple。　　Madame　Victoire　immediately　made　the　experiment：　the　gravy　did　not　congeal；　and　this　was　a　source　of　great　joy　to　the　Princess；　who　was　very　partial　to　that　sort　of　game。　The　abstinence　which　so　much　occupied　the　attention　of　Madame　Victoire　was　so　disagreeable　to　her；　that　she　listened　with　impatience　for　the　midnight　hour　of　Holy　Saturday；　and　then　she　was　immediately　supplied　with　a　good　dish　of　fowl　and　rice；　and　sundry　other　succulent　viands。　She　confessed　with　such　amiable　candour　her　taste　for　good　cheer　and　the　comforts　of　life；　that　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　be　as　severe　in　principle　as　insensible　to　the　excellent　qualities　of　the　Princess；　to　consider　it　a　crime　in　her。

Madame　Adelaide　had　more　mind　than　Madame　Victoire；　but　she　was　altogether　deficient　in　that　kindness　which　alone　creates　affection　for　the　great；　abrupt　manners；　a　harsh　voice；　and　a　short　way　of　speaking；　rendering　her　more　than　imposing。　　She　carried　the　idea　of　the　prerogative　of　rank　to　a　high　pitch。　　One　of　her　chaplains　was　unlucky　enough　to　say　'Dominus　vobiscum'　with　rather　too　easy　an　air；　the　Princess　rated　him　soundly　for　it　after　mass；　and　told　him　to　remember　that　he　was　not　a　bishop；　and　not　again　to　think　of　officiating　in　the　style　of　a　prelate。

Mesdames　lived　quite　separate　from　the　King。　　Since　the　death　of　Madame　de　Pompadour　he　had　lived　alone。　　The　enemies　of　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　did　not　know　in　what　department；　nor　through　what　channel；　they　could　prepare　and　bring　about　the　downfall　of　the　man　who　stood　in　their　way。　　The　King　was　connected　only　with　women　of　so　low　a　class　that　they　could　not　be　made　use　of　for　any　delicate　intrigue；　moreover；　the　Parc…aux…Cerfs　was　a　seraglio；　the　beauties　of　which　were　often　replaced；　it　was　desirable　to　give　the　King　a　mistress　who　could　form　a　circle；　and　in　whose　drawing…　room　the　long…standing　attachment　of　the　King　for　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　might　be　overcome。　　It　is　true　that　Madame　du　Barry　was　selected　from　a　class　sufficiently　low。　　Her　origin；　her　education；　her　habits；　and　everything　about　her　bore　a　character　of　vulgarity　and　shamelessness；　but　by　marrying　her　to　a　man　whose　pedigree　dated　from　1400；　it　was　thought　scandal　would　be　avoided。　　The　conqueror　of　Mahon　conducted　this　coarse　intrigue。

　　　　　＇It　appeared　at　this　period　as　if　every　feeling　of　dignity　was　lost。　　　　　　〃Few　noblemen　of　the　French　Court；〃　says　a　writer　of　the　time；　　　　　　〃preserved　themselves　from　the　general　corruption。　　The　Marechal　de　　　　　　Brissac　was　one　of　the　latter。　　He　was　bantered　on　the　strictness　of　　　　　　his　principles　of　honour　and　honesty；　it　was　thought　strange　that　he　　　　　　should　be　offended　by　being　thought；　like　so　many　others；　exposed　to　　　　　　hymeneal　disgrace。　　Louis　XV。；　who　was　present；　and　laughed　at　his　　　　　　angry　fit；　said　to　him：　'Come；　M。　de　Brissac；　don't　be　angry；　'tis　　　　　　but　a　trifling　evil；　take　courage。''Sire；'　replied　M。　de　Brissac；　　　　　　'I　possess　all　kinds　of　courage；　except　that　which　can　brave　　　　　　shame。'〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

Such　a　mistress　was　judiciously　selected　for　the　diversion　of　the　latter　years　of　a　man　weary　of　grandeur；　fatigued　with　pleasure；　and　cloyed　with　voluptuousness。　　Neither　the　wit；　the　talents；　the　graces　of　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour；　her　beauty；　nor　even　her　love　for　the　King；　would　have　had　any　further　influence　over　that　worn…out　being。

He　wanted　a　Roxalana　of　familiar　gaiety；　without　any　respect　for　the　dignity　of　the　sovereign。　　Madame　du　Barry　one　day　so　far　forgot　propriety　as　to　desire　to　be　present　at　a　Council　of　State。　　The　King　was　weak　enough　to　consent　to　it。　　There　she　remained　ridiculously　perched　upon　the　arm　of　his　chair；　playing　all　sorts　of　childish　monkey　tricks；　calculated　to　please　an　old　sultan。

Another　time　she　snatched　a　packet　of　sealed　letters　from　the　King's　hand。　　Among　them　she　had　observed　one　from　Comte　de　Broglie。　　She　told　the　King　that　she　knew　that　rascal　Broglie　spoke　ill　of　her　to　him；　and　that　for　once；　at　least；　she　would　make　sure　he　should　read　nothing　respecting　her。　　The　King　wanted　to　get　the　packet　again；　she　resisted；　and　made　him　run　two　or　three　times　round　the　table；　which　was　in　the　middle　of　the　council…chamber；　and　then；　on　passing　the　fireplace；　she　threw　the　letters　into　the　grate；　where　they　were　consumed。　　The　King　became　furious；　he　seized　his　audacious　mistress　by　the　arm；　and　put　her　out　of　the　door　without　speaking　to　her。　　Madame　du　Barry　thought　herself　utterly　disgraced；　she　returned　home；　and　remained　two　hours；　alone；　abandoned　to　the　utmost　distress。　　The　King　went　to　her；　she　threw　herself　at　his　feet；　in　tears；　and　he　pardoned　her。

Madame　la　Marechale　de　Beauvau；　the　Duchesse　de　Choiseul；　and　the　Duchesse　de　Grammont　had　renounced　the　honour　of　the　King's　intimate　acquaintance　rather　than　shar