the memoirs of marie antoinette-第36部分

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　ruined　himself　by　the　contagious　example　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　she　had　had　nothing　to　do　from　the　time　of　her　arrival　in　France　but　to　weep。　A　widow　at　eighteen；　and　childless；　she　lived　with　the　Duc　de　Penthievre　as　an　adopted　daughter。　　She　had　the　tenderest　respect　and　attachment　for　that　venerable　Prince；　but　the　Queen；　though　doing　justice　to　his　virtues；　saw　that　the　Duc　de　Penthievre's　way　of　life；　whether　at　Paris　or　at　his　country…seat；　could　neither　afford　his　young　daughter…in…law　the　amusements　suited　to　her　time　of　life；　nor　ensure　her　in　the　future　an　establishment　such　as　she　was　deprived　of　by　her　widowhood。　　She　determined；　therefore；　to　establish　her　at　Versailles；　and　for　her　sake　revived　the　office　of　superintendent；　which　had　been　discontinued　at　Court　since　the　death　of　Mademoiselle　de　Clermont。　　It　is　said　that　Maria　Leczinska　had　decided　that　this　place　should　continue　vacant；　the　superintendent　having　so　extensive　a　power　in　the　houses　of　queens　as　to　be　frequently　a　restraint　upon　their　inclinations。　　Differences　which　soon　took　place　between　Marie　Antoinette　and　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　respecting　the　official　prerogatives　of　the　latter；　proved　that　the　wife　of　Louis　XV。　had　acted　judiciously　in　abolishing　the　office；　but　a　kind　of　treaty　made　between　the　Queen　and　the　Princess　smoothed　all　difficulties。　　The　blame　for　too　strong　an　assertion　of　claims　fell　upon　a　secretary　of　the　superintendent；　who　had　been　her　adviser；　and　everything　was　so　arranged　that　a　firm　friendship　existed　between　these　two　Princesses　down　to　the　disastrous　period　which　terminated　their　career。

Notwithstanding　the　enthusiasm　which　the　splendour；　grace；　and　kindness　of　the　Queen　generally　inspired；　secret　intrigues　continued　in　operation　against　her。　　A　short　time　after　the　ascension　of　Louis　XVI。　to　the　throne；　the　minister　of　the　King's　household　was　informed　that　a　most　offensive　libel　against　the　Queen　was　about　to　appear。　　The　lieutenant　of　police　deputed　a　man　named　Goupil；　a　police　inspector；　to　trace　this　libel；　he　came　soon　after　to　say　that　he　had　found　out　the　place　where　the　work　was　being　printed；　and　that　it　was　at　a　country　house　near　Yverdun。　　He　had　already　got　possession　of　two　sheets；　which　contained　the　most　atrocious　calumnies；　conveyed　with　a　degree　of　art　which　might　make　them　very　dangerous　to　the　Queen's　reputation。　　Goupil　said　that　he　could　obtain　the　rest；　but　that　he　should　want　a　considerable　sum　for　that　purpose。　　Three　thousand　Louis　were　given　him；　and　very　soon　afterwards　he　brought　the　whole　manuscript　and　all　that　had　been　printed　to　the　lieutenant　of　police。　　He　received　a　thousand　louis　more　as　a　reward　for　his　address　and　zeal；　and　a　much　more　important　office　was　about　to　be　given　him；　when　another　spy；　envious　of　Goupil's　good　fortune；　gave　information　that　Goupil　himself　was　the　author　of　the　libel；　that；　ten　years　before；　he　had　been　put　into　the　Bicetre　for　swindling；　and　that　Madame　Goupil　had　been　only　three　years　out　of　the　Salpetriere；　where　she　had　been　placed　under　another　name。　　This　Madame　Goupil　was　very　pretty　and　very　intriguing；　she　had　found　means　to　form　an　intimacy　with　Cardinal　de　Rohan；　whom　she　led；　it　is　said；　to　hope　for　a　reconciliation　with　the　Queen。　　All　this　affair　was　hushed　up；　but　it　shows　that　it　was　the　Queen's　fate　to　be　incessantly　attacked　by　the　meanest　and　most　odious　machinations。

Another　woman；　named　Cahouette　de　Millers；　whose　husband　held　an　office　in　the　Treasury；　being　very　irregular　in　conduct；　and　of　a　scheming　turn　of　mind；　had　a　mania　for　appearing　in　the　eyes　of　her　friends　at　Paris　as　a　person　in　favour　at　Court；　to　which　she　was　not　entitled　by　either　birth　or　office。　　During　the　latter　years　of　the　life　of　Louis　XV。　she　had　made　many　dupes；　and　picked　up　considerable　sums　by　passing　herself　off　as　the　King's　mistress。　　The　fear　of　irritating　Madame　du　Barry　was；　according　to　her；　the　only　thing　which　prevented　her　enjoying　that　title　openly。　　She　came　regularly　to　Versailles；　kept　herself　concealed　in　a　furnished　lodging；　and　her　dupes　imagined　she　was　secretly　summoned　to　Court。

This　woman　formed　the　scheme　of　getting　admission；　if　possible；　to　the　presence　of　the　Queen；　or　at　least　causing　it　to　be　believed　that　she　had　done　so。　　She　adopted　as　her　lover　Gabriel　de　Saint　Charles；　intendant　of　her　Majesty's　finances；an　office；　the　privileges　of　which　were　confined　to　the　right　of　entering　the　Queen's　apartment　on　Sunday。　　Madame　de　Villers　came　every　Saturday　to　Versailles　with　M。　de　Saint　Charles；　and　lodged　in　his　apartment。　　M。　Campan　was　there　several　times。　　She　painted　tolerably　well；　and　she　requested　him　to　do　her　the　favour　to　present　to　the　Queen　a　portrait　of　her　Majesty　which　she　had　just　copied。　　M。　Campan　knew　the　woman's　character；　and　refused　her。　　A　few　days　after；　he　saw　on　her　Majesty's　couch　the　portrait　which　he　had　declined　to　present　to　her；　the　Queen　thought　it　badly　painted；　and　gave　orders　that　it　should　be　carried　back　to　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　who　had　sent　it　to　her。　　The　ill　success　of　the　portrait　did　not　deter　the　manoeuvrer　from　following　up　her　designs；　she　easily　procured　through　M。　de　Saint　Charles　patents　and　orders　signed　by　the　Queen；　she　then　set　about　imitating　her　writing；　and　composed　a　great　number　of　notes　and　letters；　as　if　written　by　her　Majesty；　in　the　tenderest　and　most　familiar　style。　　For　many　months　she　showed　them　as　great　secrets　to　several　of　her　particular　friends。　Afterwards；　she　made　the　Queen　appear　to　write　to　her；　to　procure　various　fancy　articles。　　Under　the　pretext　of　wishing　to　execute　her　Majesty's　commissions　accurately；　she　gave　these　letters　to　the　tradesmen　to　read；　and　succeeded　in　having　it　said；　in　many　houses；　that　the　Queen　had　a　particular　regard　for　her。　　She　then　enlarged　her　scheme；　and　represented　the　Queen　as　desiring　to　borrow　200；000　francs　which　she　had　need　of；　but　which　she　did　not　wish　to　ask　of　the　King　from　his　private　funds。　　This　letter；　being　shown　to　M。　Beranger；　'fermier　general'　of　the　finances；　took　effect；　he　thought　himself　fortunate　in　being　able　to　render　this　assistance　to　his　sovereign；　and　lost　no　time　in　sending　the　200；000　francs　to　Madame　de　Villers。　　This　first　step　was　followed　by　some　doubts；　which　he　communicated　to　people　better　informed　than　himself　of　what　was　passing　at　Court；　they　added　to　his　uneasiness；　he　then　went　to　M。　de　Sartine；　who　unravelled　the　whole　plot。　　The　woman　was　sent　to　St。　Pelagie；　and　the　unfortunate　husband　was　ruined；　by　replacing　the　sum　borrowed；　and　by　paying　for　the　jewels　fraudulently　purchased　in　the　Queen's　name。　　The　forged　letters　were　sent　to　her　Majesty；　I　compared　them　in　her　presence　with　her　own　handwriting；　and　the　only　distinguishable　difference　was　a　little　more　regularity　in　the　letters。

This　trick；　discovered　and　punished　with　prudence　and　without　passion；　produced　no　more　sensation　out　of　doors　than　that　of　the　Inspector　Goupil。

A　year　after　the　nomination　of　Madame　de　Lamballe　to　the　post　of　superintendent　of　the　Queen's　household；　balls　and　quadrilles　gave　rise　to　the　intimacy　of　her　Majesty　with　the　Comtesse　Jules　de　Polignac。　　This　lady　really　interested　Mari