the memoirs of marie antoinette-第2部分

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nd　after　her　fall。　　These　memoirs；　which　were　finished　ten　years　ago；　have　met　with　the　approbation　of　some　persons；　and　my　son　may；　perhaps；　think　proper　to　print　them　after　my　decease。

J。　　L。　　H。　　C。

When　Madame　Campan　wrote　these　lines；　she　did　not　anticipate　that　the　death　of　her　son　would　precede　her　own。






HISTORIC　COURT　MEMOIRS。

MARIE　ANTOINETTE。

MEMOIR　OF　MADAME　CAMPAN。

JEANNE　LOUISE　HENRIETTE　GENET　was　born　in　Paris　on　the　6th　of　October；　1752。　　M。　Genet；　her　father；　had　obtained；　through　his　own　merit　and　the　influence　of　the　Duc　de　Choiseul；　the　place　of　first　clerk　in　the　Foreign　Office。

Literature；　which　he　had　cultivated　in　his　youth；　was　often　the　solace　of　his　leisure　hours。　　Surrounded　by　a　numerous　family；　he　made　the　instruction　of　his　children　his　chief　recreation；　and　omitted　nothing　which　was　necessary　to　render　them　highly　accomplished。　　His　clever　and　precocious　daughter　Henriette　was　very　early　accustomed　to　enter　society；　and　to　take　an　intelligent　interest　in　current　topics　and　public　events。　Accordingly；　many　of　her　relations　being　connected　with　the　Court　or　holding　official　positions；　she　amassed　a　fund　of　interesting　recollections　and　characteristic　anecdotes；　some　gathered　from　personal　experience；　others　handed　down　by　old　friends　of　the　family。

〃The　first　event　which　made　any　impression　on　me　in　my　childhood；〃　she　says　in　her　reminiscences；　〃was　the　attempt　of　Damiens　to　assassinate　Louis　XV。　　This　occurrence　struck　me　so　forcibly　that　the　most　minute　details　relating　to　the　confusion　and　grief　which　prevailed　at　Versailles　on　that　day　seem　as　present　to　my　imagination　as　the　most　recent　events。　I　had　dined　with　my　father　and　mother；　in　company　with　one　of　their　friends。　　The　drawing…room　was　lighted　up　with　a　number　of　candles；　and　four　card…tables　were　already　occupied；　when　a　friend　of　the　gentleman　of　the　house　came　in；　with　a　pale　and　terrified　countenance；　and　said；　in　a　voice　scarcely　audible；　'I　bring　you　terrible　news。　　The　King　has　been　assassinated！'　　Two　ladies　in　the　company　fainted；　a　brigadier　of　the　Body　Guards　threw　down　his　cards　and　cried　out；　'I　do　not　wonder　at　it；　it　is　those　rascally　Jesuits。''What　are　you　saying；　brother？'　cried　a　lady；　flying　to　him；　'would　you　get　yourself　arrested？''Arrested！　　For　what？　　For　unmasking　those　wretches　who　want　a　bigot　for　a　King？'　　My　father　came　in；　he　recommended　circumspection；　saying　that　the　blow　was　not　mortal；　and　that　all　meetings　ought　to　be　suspended　at　so　critical　a　moment。　　He　had　brought　the　chaise　for　my　mother；　who　placed　me　on　her　knees。　　We　lived　in　the　Avenue　de　Paris；　and　throughout　our　drive　I　heard　incessant　cries　and　sobs　from　the　footpaths。

At　last　I　saw　a　man　arrested；　he　was　an　usher　of　the　King's　chamber；　who　had　gone　mad；　and　was　crying　out；　'Yes；　I　know　them；　the　wretches！　the　villains！'　　Our　chaise　was　stopped　by　this　bustle。　　My　mother　recognised　the　unfortunate　man　who　had　been　seized；　she　gave　his　name　to　the　trooper　who　had　stopped　him。　　The　poor　usher　was　therefore　merely　conducted　to　the　gens　d'armes'　guardroom；　which　was　then　in　the　avenue。

〃I　have　often　heard　M。　de　Landsmath；　equerry　and　master　of　the　hounds；　who　used　to　come　frequently　to　my　father's；　say　that　on　the　news　of　the　attempt　on　the　King's　life　he　instantly　repaired　to　his　Majesty。　I　cannot　repeat　the　coarse　expressions　he　made　use　of　to　encourage　his　Majesty；　but　his　account　of　the　affair；　long　afterwards；　amused　the　parties　in　which　he　was　prevailed　on　to　relate　it；　when　all　apprehensions　respecting　the　consequences　of　the　event　had　subsided。　　This　M。　de　Landsmath　was　an　old　soldier；　who　had　given　proofs　of　extraordinary　valour；　nothing　had　been　able　to　soften　his　manners　or　subdue　his　excessive　bluntness　to　the　respectful　customs　of　the　Court。　　The　King　was　very　fond　of　him。　　He　possessed　prodigious　strength；　and　had　often　contended　with　Marechal　Saxe；　renowned　for　his　great　bodily　power；　in　trying　the　strength　of　their　respective　wrists。

　　　　　＇One　day　when　the　King　was　hunting　in　the　forest　of　St。　Germain；　　　　　　Landemath；　riding　before　him；　wanted　a　cart；　filled　with　the　slime　　　　　　of　a　pond　that　had　just　been　cleansed；　to　draw　up　out　of　the　way。　　　　　　The　carter　resisted；　and　even　answered　with　impertinence。　　　　　　Landsmath；　without　dismounting；　seized　him　by　the　breast　of　his　　　　　　coat；　lifted　him　up；　and　threw　him　into　his　cart。MADAME　CAMPAN。

M。　de　Landsmath　had　a　thundering　voice。　　When　he　came　into　the　King's　apartment　he　found　the　Dauphin　and　Mesdames；　his　Majesty's　daughters；　there；　the　Princesses；　in　tears；　surrounded　the　King's　bed。　　Send　out　all　these　weeping　women；　Sire；'　said　the　old　equerry；　'I　want　to　speak　to　you　alone：　The　King　made　a　sign　to　the　Princesses　to　withdraw。　　'Come；'　said　Landsmath；　'your　wound　is　nothing；　you　had　plenty　of　waistcoats　and　flannels　on。'　　Then　uncovering　his　breast；　'Look　here；'　said　he；　showing　four　or　five　great　scars；　'these　are　something　like　wounds；　I　received　them　thirty　years　ago；　now　cough　as　loud　as　you　can。'　　The　King　did　so。　''Tis　nothing　at　all；'　said　Landsmath；　'you　must　laugh　at　it；　we　shall　hunt　a　stag　together　in　four　days。''But　suppose　the　blade　was　poisoned；'　said　the　King。　　'Old　grandams'　tales；'　replied　Landsmath；　'if　it　had　been　so；　the　waistcoats　and　flannels　would　have　rubbed　the　poison　off。'　　The　King　was　pacified；　and　passed　a　very　good　night。

〃His　Majesty　one　day　asked　M。　de　Landsmath　how　old　he　was。　　He　was　aged；　and　by　no　means　fond　of　thinking　of　his　age；　he　evaded　the　question。　A　fortnight　later；　Louis　XV。　took　a　paper　out　of　his　pocket　and　read　aloud：　'On　such　a　day　in　the　month　of　one　thousand　six　hundred　and　eighty；　was　baptised　by　me；　rector　of　；　the　son　of　the　high　and　mighty　lord；'　etc。　　'What's　that？'　said　Landsmath；　angrily；　'has　your　Majesty　been　procuring　the　certificate　of　my　baptism？''There　it　is；　you　see；　Landsmath；'　said　the　King。　　'Well；　Sire；　hide　it　as　fast　as　you　can；　a　prince　entrusted　with　the　happiness　of　twenty…five　millions　of　people　ought　not　wilfully　to　hurt　the　feelings　of　a　single　individual。'

〃The　King　learned　that　Landsmath　had　lost　his　confessor；　a　missionary　priest　of　the　parish　of　Notre…Dame。　　It　was　the　custom　of　the　Lazarists　to　expose　their　dead　with　the　face　uncovered。　　Louis　XV。　wished　to　try　his　equerry's　firmness。　　'You　have　lost　your　confessor；　I　hear；'　said　the　King。　　'Yes；　Sire。''He　will　be　exposed　with　his　face　bare？''Such　is　the　custom。''I　command　you　to　go　and　see　him。''Sire；　my　confessor　was　my　friend；　it　would　be　very　painful　to　me。''No　matter；　I　command　you。'　'Are　you　really　in　earnest；　Sire？''Quite　so。''It　would　be　the　first　time　in　my　life　that　I　had　disobeyed　my　sovereign's　order。　　I　will　go。'　The　next　day　the　King　at　his　levee；　as　soon　as　he　perceived　Landsmath；　said；　'Have　you　done　as　I　desired　you；　Landsmath？''Undoubtedly；　Sire。'　'Well；　what　did　you　see？''Faith；　I　saw　that　your　Majesty　and　I　are　no　great　shakes！'

〃At　the　death　of　Queen　Maria　Leczinska；　M。　Campan；＇Her　father…in…law；　afterwards　secretary　to　Marie　Antoinette。＇　then　an　officer　of　the　chamber；　having　performed　several　confidential　duties；　the　King　asked　Madame　Adelaide　how　he　should　reward　him。　　She　r