the memoirs of marie antoinette-第24部分

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mstances；　but　never　admired　you　as　I　have　done　to…day。　　　　　　No　doubt　your　Majesty　will　immediately　finish　what　you　have　so　well　　　　　　begun。〃　　The　King　had　his　confessor　Maudoua　called　back；　this　was　a　　　　　　poor　priest　who　had　been　placed　about　him　for　some　years　before　　　　　　because　he　was　old　and　blind。　　He　gave　him　absolution。

　　　　　The　formal　renunciation　desired　by　the　Choiseul　party；　in　order　to　　　　　　humble　and　annihilate　Madame　du　Barry　with　solemnity；　was　no　more　　　　　　mentioned。　　The　grand　almoner；　in　concert　with　the　Archbishop；　　　　　　composed　this　formula；　pronounced　in　presence　of　the　viaticum：　　　　　　〃Although　the　King　owes　an　account　of　his　conduct　to　none　but　God；　　　　　　he　declares　his　repentance　at　having　scandalised　his　subjects；　and　　　　　　is　desirous　to　live　solely　for　the　maintenance　of　religion　and　the　　　　　　happiness　of　his　people。〃

　　　　　On　the　8th　and　9th　the　disorder　grew　worse；　and　the　King　beheld　the　　　　　　whole　surface　of　his　body　coming　off　piecemeal　and　corrupted。　　　　　　Deserted　by　his　friends　and　by　that　crowd　of　courtiers　which　had　so　　　　　　long　cringed　before　him；　his　only　consolation　was　the　piety　of　his　　　　　　daughters。SOULAVIE；　〃Historical　and　Political　Memoirs；〃　vol。　i。＇

The　Comtesse　du　Barry　had；　a　few　days　previously；　withdrawn　to　Ruelle；　to　the　Duc　d'Aiguillon's。　　Twelve　or　fifteen　persons　belonging　to　the　Court　thought　it　their　duty　to　visit　her　there；　their　liveries　were　observed；　and　these　visits　were　for　a　long　time　grounds　for　disfavour。　　More　than　six　years　after　the　King's　death　one　of　these　persons　being　spoken　of　in　the　circle　of　the　royal　family；　I　heard　it　remarked；　〃That　was　one　of　the　fifteen　Ruelle　carriages。〃

The　whole　Court　went　to　the　Chateau；　the　oiel…de　boeuf　was　filled　with　courtiers；　and　the　palace　with　the　inquisitive。　　The　Dauphin　had　settled　that　he　would　depart　with　the　royal　family　the　moment　the　King　should　breathe　his　last　sigh。　　But　on　such　an　occasion　decency　forbade　that　positive　orders　for　departure　should　be　passed　from　mouth　to　mouth。　　The　heads　of　the　stables；　therefore；　agreed　with　the　people　who　were　in　the　King's　room；　that　the　latter　should　place　a　lighted　taper　near　a　window；　and　that　at　the　instant　of　the　King's　decease　one　of　them　should　extinguish　it。

The　taper　was　extinguished。　　On　this　signal　the　Body　Guards；　pages；　and　equerries　mounted　on　horseback；　and　all　was　ready　for　setting　off。　　The　Dauphin　was　with　the　Dauphiness。　　They　were　expecting　together　the　intelligence　of　the　death　of　Louis　XV。　　A　dreadful　noise；　absolutely　like　thunder；　was　heard　in　the　outer　apartment；　it　was　the　crowd　of　courtiers　who　were　deserting　the　dead　sovereign's　antechamber；　to　come　and　do　homage　to　the　new　power　of　Louis　XVI。　　This　extraordinary　tumult　informed　Marie　Antoinette　and　her　husband　that　they　were　called　to　the　throne；　and；　by　a　spontaneous　movement；　which　deeply　affected　those　around　them；　they　threw　themselves　on　their　knees；　both；　pouring　forth　a　flood　of　tears；　exclaimed：　〃O　God！　guide　us；　protect　us；　we　are　too　young　to　reign。〃

The　Comtesse　de　Noailles　entered；　and　was　the　first　to　salute　Marie　Antoinette　as　Queen　of　France。　　She　requested　their　Majesties　to　condescend　to　quit　the　inner　apartments　for　the　grand　salon；　to　receive　the　Princes　and　all　the　great　officers；　who　were　desirous　to　do　homage　to　their　new　sovereigns。　　Marie　Antoinette　received　these　first　visits　leaning　upon　her　husband；　with　her　handkerchief　held　to　her　eyes；　the　carriages　drove　up；　the　guards　and　equerries　were　on　horseback。　　The　Chateau　was　deserted；　every　one　hastened　to　fly　from　contagion；　which　there　was　no　longer　any　inducement　to　brave。

On　leaving　the　chamber　of　Louis　XV。；　the　Duc　de　Villequier；　first　gentleman　of　the　bedchamber　for　the　year；　ordered　M。　Andouille；　the　King's　chief　surgeon；　to　open　the　body　and　embalm　it。　　The　chief　surgeon　would　inevitably　have　died　in　consequence。　　〃I　am　ready；〃　replied　Andouille；　〃but　while　I　operate　you　shall　hold　the　head；　your　office　imposes　this　duty　upon　you。〃　　The　Duke　went　off　without　saying　a　word；　and　the　corpse　was　neither　opened　nor　embalmed。　　A　few　under…servants　and　workmen　continued　with　the　pestiferous　remains；　and　paid　the　last　duty　to　their　master；　the　surgeons　directed　that　spirits　of　wine　should　be　poured　into　the　coffin。

The　entire　Court　set　off　for　Choisy　at　four　o'clock；　Mesdames　the　King's　aunts　in　their　private　carriage；　and　the　Princesses　under　tuition　with　the　Comtesse　de　Marsan　and　the　under…governesses。　　The　King；　the　Queen；　Monsieur；　the　King's　brother；　Madame；　and　the　Comte　and　Comtesse　d'Artois　went　in　the　same　carriage。　　The　solemn　scene　that　had　just　passed　before　their　eyes；　the　multiplied　ideas　offered　to　their　imaginations　by　that　which　was　just　opening；　had　naturally　inclined　them　to　grief　and　reflection；　but；　by　the　Queen's　own　confession；　this　inclination；　little　suited　to　their　age；　wholly　left　them　before　they　had　gone　half　their　journey；　a　word；　drolly　mangled　by　the　Comtesse　d'Artois；　occasioned　a　general　burst　of　laughter；　and　from　that　moment　they　dried　their　tears。

The　communication　between　Choisy　and　Paris　was　incessant；　never　was　a　Court　seen　in　greater　agitation。　　What　influence　will　the　royal　aunts　have；and　the　Queen？　　What　fate　is　reserved　for　the　Comtesse　du　Barry？　Whom　will　the　young　King　choose　for　his　ministers？　　All　these　questions　were　answered　in　a　few　days。　　It　was　determined　that　the　King's　youth　required　a　confidential　person　near　him；　and　that　there　should　be　a　prime　minister。　　All　eyes　were　turned　upon　De　Machault　and　De　Maurepas；　both　of　them　much　advanced　in　years。　　The　first　had　retired　to　his　estate　near　Paris；　and　the　second　to　Pont　Chartrain；　to　which　place　he　had　long　been　exiled。　　The　letter　recalling　M。　de　Machault　was　written；　when　Madame　Adelaide　obtained　the　preference　of　that　important　appointment　for　M。　de　Maurepas。　　The　page　to　whose　care　the　first　letter　had　been　actually　consigned　was　recalled。

The　Duc　d'Aiguillon　had　been　too　openly　known　as　the　private　friend　of　the　King's　mistress；　he　was　dismissed。　　M。　de　Vergennes；　at　that　time　ambassador　of　France　at　Stockholm；　was　appointed　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs；　Comte　du　Muy；　the　intimate　friend　of　the　Dauphin；　the　father　of　Louis　XVI。＇？？　D。W。＇；　obtained　the　War　Department。　　The　Abbe　Terray　in　vain　said；　and　wrote；　that　he　had　boldly　done　all　possible　injury　to　the　creditors　of　the　State　during　the　reign　of　the　late　King；　that　order　was　restored　in　the　finances；　that　nothing　but　what　was　beneficial　to　all　parties　remained　to　be　done；　and　that　the　new　Court　was　about　to　enjoy　the　advantages　of　the　regenerating　part　of　his　plan　of　finance；　all　these　reasons；　set　forth　in　five　or　six　memorials；　which　he　sent　in　succession　to　the　King　and　Queen；　did　not　avail　to　keep　him　in　office。　　His　talents　were　admitted；　but　the　odium　which　his　operations　had　necessarily　brought　upon　his　character；　combined　with　the　immorality　of　his　private　life；　forbade　his　further　stay　at　Court；　he　was　succeeded　by　M。　de　Clugny。　　De　Maupeou；　the　chancellor；　was　exiled；　this　caused　universal　joy。　　Lastly；　the　reassembling　of　the　Parliaments　produced　the　strongest　sensation；　Paris　was　in　a　delirium　of　joy；　and　not　more　than　one