the memoirs of marie antoinette-第19部分

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　his　mission　opened　under　the　most　unfavourable　auspices。　　In　want　of　money；　and　the　House　of　Rohan　being　unable　to　make　him　any　considerable　advances；　he　obtained　from　his　Court　a　patent　which　authorised　him　to　borrow　the　sum　of　600；000　livres　upon　his　benefices；　ran　in　debt　above　a　million；　and　thought　to　dazzle　the　city　and　Court　of　Vienna　by　the　most　indecent　and　ill…judged　extravagance。　　He　formed　a　suite　of　eight　or　ten　gentlemen；　of　names　sufficiently　high…sounding；　twelve　pages　equally　well　born；　a　crowd　of　officers　and　servants；　a　company　of　chamber　musicians；　etc。　　But　this　idle　pomp　did　not　last；　embarrassment　and　distress　soon　showed　themselves；　his　people；　no　longer　receiving　pay；　in　order　to　make　money；　abused　the　privileges　of　ambassadors；　and　smuggled

　　　　　＇I　have　often　heard　the　Queen　say　that；　at　Vienna；　in　the　office　of　　　　　　the　secretary　of　the　Prince　de　Rohan；　there　were　sold　in　one　year　　　　　　more　silk　stockings　than　at　Lyons　and　Paris　together。　MADAME　　　　　　CAMPAN。＇

with　so　much　effrontery　that　Maria　Theresa；　to　put　a　stop　to　it　without　offending　the　Court　of　France；　was　compelled　to　suppress　the　privileges　in　this　respect　of　all　the　diplomatic　bodies；　a　step　which　rendered　the　person　and　conduct　of　Prince　Louis　odious　in　every　foreign　Court。　　He　seldom　obtained　private　audiences　from　the　Empress；　who　did　not　esteem　him；　and　who　expressed　herself　without　reserve　upon　his　conduct　both　as　a　bishop　and　as　an　ambassador。　　He　thought　to　obtain　favour　by　assisting　to　effect　the　marriage　of　the　Archduchess　Elizabeth；　the　elder　sister　of　Marie　Antoinette；　with　Louis　XV。；　an　affair　which　was　awkwardly　undertaken；　and　of　which　Madame　du　Barry　had　no　difficulty　in　causing　the　failure。　　I　have　deemed　it　my　duty　to　omit　no　particular　of　the　moral　and　political　character　of　a　man　whose　existence　was　subsequently　so　injurious　to　the　reputation　of　Marie　Antoinette。




CHAPTER　III。

A　superb　pavilion　had　been　prepared　upon　the　frontier　near　Kehl。　　It　consisted　of　a　vast　salon；　connected　with　two　apartments；　one　of　which　was　assigned　to　the　lords　and　ladies　of　the　Court　of　Vienna；　and　the　other　to　the　suite　of　the　Dauphiness；　composed　of　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles；　her　lady　of　honour；　the　Duchesse　de　Cosse；　her　dame　d'atours；　four　ladies　of　the　palace；　the　Comte　de　Saulx…Tavannes；　chevalier　d'honneur；　the　Comte　de　Tesse；　first　equerry；　the　Bishop　of　Chartres；　first　almoner；　the　officers　of　the　Body　Guard；　and　the　equerries。

When　the　Dauphiness　had　been　entirely　undressed；　in　order　that　she　might　retain　nothing　belonging　to　a　foreign　Court　（an　etiquette　always　observed　on　such　an　occasion）；　the　doors　were　opened；　the　young　Princess　came　forward；　looking　round　for　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles；　then；　rushing　into　her　arms；　she　implored　her；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　with　heartfelt　sincerity；　to　be　her　guide　and　support。

While　doing　justice　to　the　virtues　of　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles；　those　sincerely　attached　to　the　Queen　have　always　considered　it　as　one　of　her　earliest　misfortunes　not　to　have　found；　in　the　person　of　her　adviser；　a　woman　indulgent；　enlightened；　and　administering　good　advice　with　that　amiability　which　disposes　young　persons　to　follow　it。　　The　Comtesse　de　Noailles　had　nothing　agreeable　in　her　appearance；　her　demeanour　was　stiff　and　her　mien　severe。　　She　was　perfect　mistress　of　etiquette；　but　she　wearied　the　young　Princess　with　it；　without　making　her　sensible　of　its　importance。　　It　would　have　been　sufficient　to　represent　to　the　Dauphiness　that　in　France　her　dignity　depended　much　upon　customs　not　necessary　at　Vienna　to　secure　the　respect　and　love　of　the　good　and　submissive　Austrians　for　the　imperial　family；　but　the　Dauphiness　was　perpetually　tormented　by　the　remonstrances　of　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles；　and　at　the　same　time　was　led　by　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　to　ridicule　both　the　lessons　upon　etiquette　and　her　who　gave　them。　　She　preferred　raillery　to　argument；　and　nicknamed　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles　Madame　l'Etiquette。

The　fetes　which　were　given　at　Versailles　on　the　marriage　of　the　Dauphin　were　very　splendid。　　The　Dauphiness　arrived　there　at　the　hour　for　her　toilet；　having　slept　at　La　Muette；　where　Louis　XV。　had　been　to　receive　her；　and　where　that　Prince；　blinded　by　a　feeling　unworthy　of　a　sovereign　and　the　father　of　a　family；　caused　the　young　Princess；　the　royal　family；　and　the　ladies　of　the　Court；　to　sit　down　to　supper　with　Madame　du　Barry。

The　Dauphiness　was　hurt　at　this　conduct；　she　spoke　of　it　openly　enough　to　those　with　whom　she　was　intimate；　but　she　knew　how　to　conceal　her　dissatisfaction　in　public；　and　her　behaviour　showed　no　signs　of　it。

She　was　received　at　Versailles　in　an　apartment　on　the　ground　floor；　under　that　of　the　late　Queen；　which　was　not　ready　for　her　until　six　months　after　her　marriage。

The　Dauphiness；　then　fifteen　years　of　age；　beaming　with　freshness；　appeared　to　all　eyes　more　than　beautiful。　　Her　walk　partook　at　once　of　the　dignity　of　the　Princesses　of　her　house；　and　of　the　grace　of　the　French；　her　eyes　were　mild；　her　smile　amiable。　　When　she　went　to　chapel；　as　soon　as　she　had　taken　the　first　few　steps　in　the　long　gallery；　she　discerned；　all　the　way　to　its　extremity；　those　persons　whom　she　ought　to　salute　with　the　consideration　due　to　their　rank；　those　on　whom　she　should　bestow　an　inclination　of　the　head；　and　lastly；　those　who　were　to　be　satisfied　with　a　smile；　calculated　to　console　them　for　not　being　entitled　to　greater　honours。

Louis　XV。　was　enchanted　with　the　young　Dauphiness；　all　his　conversation　was　about　her　graces；　her　vivacity；　and　the　aptness　of　her　repartees。　She　was　yet　more　successful　with　the　royal　family　when　they　beheld　her　shorn　of　the　splendour　of　the　diamonds　with　which　she　had　been　adorned　during　the　first　days　of　her　marriage。　　When　clothed　in　a　light　dress　of　gauze　or　taffety　she　was　compared　to　the　Venus　dei　Medici；　and　the　Atalanta　of　the　Marly　Gardens。　　Poets　sang　her　charms；　painters　attempted　to　copy　her　features。　　One　artist's　fancy　led　him　to　place　the　portrait　of　Marie　Antoinette　in　the　heart　of　a　full…blown　rose。　　His　ingenious　idea　was　rewarded　by　Louis　XV。

The　King　continued　to　talk　only　of　the　Dauphiness；　and　Madame　du　Barry　ill…naturedly　endeavoured　to　damp　his　enthusiasm。　　Whenever　Marie　Antoinette　was　the　topic；　she　pointed　out　the　irregularity　of　her　features；　criticised　the　'bons　mots'　quoted　as　hers；　and　rallied　the　King　upon　his　prepossession　in　her　favour。　　Madame　du　Barry　was　affronted　at　not　receiving　from　the　Dauphiness　those　attentions　to　which　she　thought　herself　entitled；　she　did　not　conceal　her　vexation　from　the　King；　she　was　afraid　that　the　grace　and　cheerfulness　of　the　young　Princess　would　make　the　domestic　circle　of　the　royal　family　more　agreeable　to　the　old　sovereign；　and　that　he　would　escape　her　chains；　at　the　same　time；　hatred　to　the　Choiseul　party　contributed　powerfully　to　excite　the　enmity　of　the　favourite。

The　fall　of　that　minister　took　place　in　November；　1770；　six　months　after　his　long　influence　in　the　Council　had　brought　about　the　alliance　with　the　House　of　Austria　and　the　arrival　of　Marie　Antoinette　at　the　Court　of　France。　　The　Princess；　young；　frank；　volatile；　and　inexperienced；　found　herself　without　any　other