the memoirs of marie antoinette-第34部分

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ct；　in　his　observations；　that　if　such　a　　　　　　calamity　should　happen；　the　monarchy　would　be　ruined；　and　the　next　　　　　　day　he　would　consent　in　Council　to　the　very　measure　which　he　had　　　　　　condemned　the　day　before；　and　which　brought　him　nearer　the　brink　of　　　　　　the　precipice。SOULAVIE；　〃Historical　and　Political　Memoirs　of　the　　　　　　Reign　of　Louis　XVI。；〃　vol。　　ii。＇

This　Prince　combined　with　his　attainments　the　attributes　of　a　good　husband；　a　tender　father；　and　an　indulgent　master。

Unfortunately　he　showed　too　much　predilection　for　the　mechanical　arts；　masonry　and　lock…making　so　delighted　him　that　he　admitted　into　his　private　apartment　a　common　locksmith；　with　whom　he　made　keys　and　locks；　and　his　hands；　blackened　by　that　sort　of　work；　were　often；　in　my　presence；　the　subject　of　remonstrances　and　even　sharp　reproaches　from　the　Queen；　who　would　have　chosen　other　amusements　for　her　husband。？

　　　　　＇Louis　XVI。　saw　that　the　art　of　lock…making　was　capable　of　　　　　　application　to　a　higher　study；　He　was　an　excellent　geographer。　　The　　　　　　most　valuable　and　complete　instrument　for　the　study　of　that　science　　　　　　was　begun　by　his　orders　and　under　his　direction。　　It　was　an　immense　　　　　　globe　of　copper；　which　was　long　preserved；　though　unfinished；　in　the　　　　　　Mazarine　library。　　Louis　XVI。　　invented　and　had　executed　under　his　　　　　　own　eyes　the　ingenious　mechanism　required　for　this　globe。NOTE　BY　　　　　　THE　EDITOR。＇

Austere　and　rigid　with　regard　to　himself　alone；　the　King　observed　the　laws　of　the　Church　with　scrupulous　exactness。　　He　fasted　and　abstained　throughout　the　whole　of　Lent。　　He　thought　it　right　that　the　queen　should　not　observe　these　customs　with　the　same　strictness。　　Though　sincerely　pious；　the　spirit　of　the　age　had　disposed　his　mind　to　toleration。　Turgot；　Malesherbes；　and　Necker　judged　that　this　Prince；　modest　and　simple　in　his　habits；　would　willingly　sacrifice　the　royal　prerogative　to　the　solid　greatness　of　his　people。　　His　heart；　in　truth；　disposed　him　towards　reforms；　but　his　prejudices　and　fears；　and　the　clamours　of　pious　and　privileged　persons；　intimidated　him；　and　made　him　abandon　plans　which　his　love　for　the　people　had　suggested。

Monsieur

　　　　　＇During　his　stay　at　Avignon；　Monsieur；　afterwards　Louis　XVIII；　　　　　　lodged　with　the　Duc　de　Crillon；　he　refused　the　town…guard　which　was　　　　　　offered　him；　saying；　〃A　son　of　France；　under　the　roof　of　a　Crillon；　　　　　　needs　no　guard。〃　NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

had　more　dignity　of　demeanour　than　the　King；　but　his　corpulence　rendered　his　gait　inelegant。　　He　was　fond　of　pageantry　and　magnificence。　　He　cultivated　the　belles　lettres；　and　under　assumed　names　often　contributed　verses　to　the　Mercury　and　other　papers。

His　wonderful　memory　was　the　handmaid　of　his　wit；　furnishing　him　with　the　happiest　quotations。　　He　knew　by　heart　a　varied　repertoire；　from　the　finest　passages　of　the　Latin　classics　to　the　Latin　of　all　the　prayers；　from　the　works　of　Racine　to　the　vaudeville　of　〃Rose　et　Colas。〃

The　Comte　d'Artoisi　had　an　agreeable　countenance；　was　well　made；　skilful　in　bodily　exercises；　lively；　impetuous；　fond　of　pleasure；　and　very　particular　in　his　dress。　　Some　happy　observations　made　by　him　were　repeated　with　approval；　and　gave　a　favourable　idea　of　his　heart。　　The　Parisians　liked　the　open　and　frank　character　of　this　Prince；　which　they　considered　national；　and　showed　real　affection　for　him。

The　dominion　that　the　Queen　gained　over　the　King's　mind；　the　charms　of　a　society　in　which　Monsieur　displayed　his　wit；　and　to　which　the　Comte　d'Artois＇Afterwards　Charles　X。＇　gave　life　by　the　vivacity　of　youth；　gradually　softened　that　ruggedness　of　manner　in　Louis　XVI。　which　a　better…conducted　education　might　have　prevented。　　Still；　this　defect　often　showed　itself；　and；　in　spite　of　his　extreme　simplicity；　the　King　inspired　those　who　had　occasion　to　speak　to　him　with　diffidence。　Courtiers；　submissive　in　the　presence　of　their　sovereign；　are　only　the　more　ready　to　caricature　him；　with　little　good　breeding；　they　called　those　answers　they　so　much　dreaded；　Les　coups　de　boutoir　du　Roi。＇The　literal　meaning　of　the　phrase　〃coup　de　boutoir；〃　is　a　thrust　from　the　snout　of　a　boar。＇

Methodical　in　all　his　habits；　the　King　always　went　to　bed　at　eleven　precisely。　　One　evening　the　Queen　was　going　with　her　usual　circle　to　a　party；　either　at　the　Duc　de　Duras's　or　the　Princesse　de　Glumenee's。　The　hand　of　the　clock　was　slily　put　forward　to　hasten　the　King's　departure　by　a　few　minutes；　he　thought　bed…time　was　come；　retired；　and　found　none　of　his　attendants　ready　to　wait　on　him。　　This　joke　became　known　in　all　the　drawing…rooms　of　Versailles；　and　was　disapproved　of　there。　　Kings　have　no　privacy。　　Queens　have　no　boudoirs。　　If　those　who　are　in　immediate　attendance　upon　sovereigns　be　not　themselves　disposed　to　transmit　their　private　habits　to　posterity；　the　meanest　valet　will　relate　what　he　has　seen　or　heard；　his　gossip　circulates　rapidly；　and　forms　public　opinion；　which　at　length　ascribes　to　the　most　august　persons　characters　which；　however　untrue　they　may　be；　are　almost　always　indelible。

NOTE。　　The　only　passion　ever　shown　by　Louis　XVI。　was　for　hunting。　　He　was　so　much　occupied　by　it　that　when　I　went　up　into　his　private　closets　at　Versailles；　after　the　10th　of　August；　I　saw　upon　the　staircase　six　frames；　in　which　were　seen　statements　of　all　his　hunts；　when　Dauphin　and　when　King。　　In　them　was　detailed　the　number；　kind；　and　quality　of　the　game　he　had　killed　at　each　hunting　party　during　every　month；　every　season；　and　every　year　of　his　reign。

The　interior　of　his　private　apartments　was　thus　arranged：　a　salon；　ornamented　with　gilded　mouldings；　displayed　the　engravings　which　had　been　dedicated　to　him；　drawings　of　the　canals　he　had　dug；　with　the　model　of　that　of　Burgundy；　and　the　plan　of　the　cones　and　works　of　Cherbourg。　　The　upper　hall　contained　his　collection　of　geographical　charts；　spheres；　globes；　and　also　his　geographical　cabinet。　　There　were　to　be　seen　drawings　of　maps　which　he　had　begun；　and　some　that　he　had　finished。　　He　had　a　clever　method　of　washing　them　in。　　His　geographical　memory　was　prodigious。　　Over　the　hall　was　the　turning　and　joining　room；　furnished　with　ingenious　instruments　for　working　in　wood。　　He　inherited　some　from　Louis　XV。；　and　he　often　busied　himself；　with　Duret's　assistance；　in　keeping　them　clean　and　bright。　　Above　was　the　library　of　books　published　during　his　reign。　　The　prayer　books　and　manuscript　books　of　Anne　of　Brittany；　Francois　I；　the　later　Valois；　Louis　XIV。；　Louis　XV。；　and　the　Dauphin　formed　the　great　hereditary　library　of　the　Chateau。　　Louis　XVI。　placed　separately；　in　two　apartments　communicating　with　each　other；　the　works　of　his　own　time；　including　a　complete　collection　of　Didot's　editions；　in　vellum；　every　volume　enclosed　in　a　morocco　case。　　There　were　several　English　works；　among　the　rest　the　debates　of　the　British　Parliament；　in　a　great　number　of　volumes　in　folio　（this　is　the　Moniteur　of　England；　a　complete　collection　of　which　is　so　valuable　and　so　scarce）。　By　the　side　of　this　collection　was　to　be　seen　a　manuscript　history　of　all　the　schemes　for　a　descent　upon　that　island；　particularly　that　of　Comte　de　Broglie。　　One　of　the　presses　of　this　cabinet　was　full　of　cardboard　boxes；　containing　papers　re