the memoirs of marie antoinette-第30部分

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neur；　the　chief　equerry；　her　clergy　ready　to　attend　her　to　mass；　and　the　Princesses　of　the　royal　family　who　happened　to　come；　accompanied　by　all　their　chief　attendants　and　ladies；　passed　in　order　into　the　gallery　as　in　going　to　mass。　　The　Queen's　signatures　were　generally　given　at　the　moment　of　entry　into　the　chamber。　　The　secretary　for　orders　presented　the　pen。　　Presentations　of　colonels　on　taking　leave　were　usually　made　at　this　time。　　Those　of　ladies；　and；　such　as　had　a　right　to　the　tabouret；　or　sitting　in　the　royal　presence；　were　made　on　Sunday　evenings　before　card…playing　began；　on　their　coming　in　from　paying　their　respects。　　Ambassadors　were　introduced　to　the　Queen　on　Tuesday　mornings；　accompanied　by　the　introducer　of　ambassadors　on　duty；　and　by　M。　de　Sequeville；　the　secretary　for　the　ambassadors。　　The　introducer　in　waiting　usually　came　to　the　Queen　at　her　toilet　to　apprise　her　of　the　presentations　of　foreigners　which　would　be　made。　　The　usher　of　the　chamber；　stationed　at　the　entrance；　opened　the　folding　doors　to　none　but　the　Princes　and　Princesses　of　the　royal　family；　and　announced　them　aloud。　　Quitting　his　post；　he　came　forward　to　name　to　the　lady　of　honour　the　persons　who　came　to　be　presented；　or　who　came　to　take　leave；　that　lady　again　named　them　to　the　Queen　at　the　moment　they　saluted　her；　if　she　and　the　tirewoman　were　absent；　the　first　woman　took　the　place　and　did　that　duty。　　The　ladies　of　the　bedchamber；　chosen　solely　as　companions　for　the　Queen；　had　no　domestic　duties　to　fulfil；　however　opinion　might　dignify　such　offices。　　The　King's　letter　in　appointing　them；　among　other　instructions　of　etiquette；　ran　thus：　〃having　chosen　you　to　bear　the　Queen　company。〃　　There　were　hardly　any　emoluments　accruing　from　this　place。

The　Queen　heard　mass　with　the　King　in　the　tribune；　facing　the　grand　altar　and　the　choir；　with　the　exception　of　the　days　of　high　ceremony；　when　their　chairs　were　placed　below　upon　velvet　carpets　fringed　with　gold。　These　days　were　marked　by　the　name　of　grand　chapel　day。

The　Queen　named　the　collector　beforehand；　and　informed　her　of　it　through　her　lady　of　honour；　who　was　besides　desired　to　send　the　purse　to　her。　The　collectors　were　almost　always　chosen　from　among　those　who　had　been　recently　presented。　　After　returning　from　mass　the　Queen　dined　every　Sunday　with　the　King　only；　in　public　in　the　cabinet　of　the　nobility；　a　room　leading　to　her　chamber。　　Titled　ladies　having　the　honours　sat　during　the　dinner　upon　folding…chairs　placed　on　each　side　of　the　table。　　Ladies　without　titles　stood　round　the　table；　the　captain　of　the　Guards　and　the　first　gentleman　of　the　chamber　were　behind　the　King's　chair；　behind　that　of　the　Queen　were　her　first　maitre　d'hotel；　her　chevalier　d'honneur；　and　the　chief　equerry。　　The　Queen's　maitre　d'hotel　was　furnished　with　a　large　staff；　six　or　seven　feet　in　length；　ornamented　with　golden　fleurs…de…lis；　and　surmounted　by　fleurs…de…lis　in　the　form　of　a　crown。　　He　entered　the　room　with　this　badge　of　his　office　to　announce　that　the　Queen　was　served。　The　comptroller　put　into　his　hands　the　card　of　the　dinner；　in　the　absence　of　the　maitre　d'hotel　he　presented　it　to　the　Queen　himself；　otherwise　he　only　did　him　the　honours　of　the　service。　　The　maitre　d'hotel　did　not　leave　his　place；　he　merely　gave　the　orders　for　serving　up　and　removing；　the　comptroller　and　gentlemen　serving　placed　the　various　dishes　upon　the　table；　receiving　them　from　the　inferior　servants。

The　Prince　nearest　to　the　crown　presented　water　to　wash　the　King's　hands　at　the　moment　he　placed　himself　at　table；　and　a　princess　did　the　same　service　to　the　Queen。

The　table　service　was　formerly　performed　for　the　Queen　by　the　lady　of　honour　and　four　women　in　full　dress；　this　part　of　the　women's　service　was　transferred　to　them　on　the　suppression　of　the　office　of　maids　of　honour。　The　Queen　put　an　end　to　this　etiquette　in　the　first　year　of　her　reign。　When　the　dinner　was　over　the　Queen　returned　without　the　King　to　her　apartment　with　her　women；　and　took　off　her　hoop　and　train。

This　unfortunate　Princess；　against　whom　the　opinions　of　the　French　people　were　at　length　so　much　excited；　possessed　qualities　which　deserved　to　obtain　the　greatest　popularity。　　None　could　doubt　this　who；　like　myself；　had　heard　her　with　delight　describe　the　patriarchal　manners　of　the　House　of　Lorraine。　　She　was　accustomed　to　say　that；　by　transplanting　their　manners　into　Austria；　the　Princes　of　that　house　had　laid　the　foundation　of　the　unassailable　popularity　enjoyed　by　the　imperial　family。　　She　frequently　related　to　me　the　interesting　manner　in　which　the　Ducs　de　Lorraine　levied　the　taxes。　　〃The　sovereign　Prince；〃　said　she；　〃went　to　church；　after　the　sermon　he　rose；　waved　his　hat　in　the　air；　to　show　that　he　was　about　to　speak；　and　then　mentioned　the　sum　whereof　he　stood　in　need。　　Such　was　the　zeal　of　the　good　Lorrainers　that　men　have　been　known　to　take　away　linen　or　household　utensils　without　the　knowledge　of　their　wives；　and　sell　them　to　add　the　value　to　their　contribution。　　It　sometimes　happened；　too；　that　the　Prince　received　more　money　than　he　had　asked　for；　in　which　case　he　restored　the　surplus。〃

All　who　were　acquainted　with　the　Queen's　private　qualities　knew　that　she　equally　deserved　attachment　and　esteem。　　Kind　and　patient　to　excess　in　her　relations　with　her　household；　she　indulgently　considered　all　around　her；　and　interested　herself　in　their　fortunes　and　in　their　pleasures。；　She　had；　among　her　women；　young　girls　from　the　Maison　de　St。　Cyr；　all　well　born；　the　Queen　forbade　them　the　play　when　the　performances　were　not　suitable；　sometimes；　when　old　plays　were　to　be　represented；　if　she　found　she　could　not　with　certainty　trust　to　her　memory；　she　would　take　the　trouble　to　read　them　in　the　morning；　to　enable　her　to　decide　whether　the　girls　should　or　should　not　go　to　see　them；rightly　considering　herself　bound　to　watch　over　their　morals　and　conduct。








End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Marie　Antoinette；　V2　by　Madame　Campan






MEMOIRS　OF　THE　COURT　OF　MARIE　ANTOINETTE；　QUEEN　OF　FRANCE

Being　the　Historic　Memoirs　of　Madam　Campan；　First　Lady　in　Waiting　to　the　Queen


BOOK　3。


CHAPTER　VI。

During　the　first　few　months　of　his　reign　Louis　XVI。　dwelt　at　La　Muette；　Marly；　and　Compiegne。　　When　settled　at　Versailles　he　occupied　himself　with　a　general　examination　of　his　grandfather's　papers。　　He　had　promised　the　Queen　to　communicate　to　her　all　that　he　might　discover　relative　to　the　history　of　the　man　with　the　iron　mask；　who；　he　thought；　had　become　so　inexhaustible　a　source　of　conjecture　only　in　consequence　of　the　interest　which　the　pen　of　a　celebrated　writer　had　excited　respecting　the　detention　of　a　prisoner　of　State；　who　was　merely　a　man　of　whimsical　tastes　and　habits。

I　was　with　the　Queen　when　the　King；　having　finished　his　researches；　informed　her　that　he　had　not　found　anything　among　the　secret　papers　elucidating　the　existence　of　this　prisoner；　that　he　had　conversed　on　the　matter　with　M。　de　Maurepas；　whose　age　made　him　contemporary　with　the　epoch　during　which　the　story　must　have　been　known　to　the　ministers；　and　that　M。　de　Maurepas　had　assured　him　he　was　merely　a　prisoner　of　a　very　dangerous　character；　in　consequence　of　his　disposition　for　intrigue。　He　w