the memoirs of marie antoinette-第42部分

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ecret　Correspondence　of　the　Court：　Reign　of　　　　　　Louis　XVI。〃）　The　King　preferred　to　spend　money　in　charity　rather　　　　　　than　in　luxury　or　magnificence。　　Once　during　his　absence；　M。　　　　　　d'Augivillers　caused　an　unused　room　in　the　King's　apartment　to　be　　　　　　repaired　at　a　cost　of　30；000　francs。　　On　his　return　the　King　made　　　　　　Versailles　resound　with　complaints　against　M。　d'Augivillers：　〃With　　　　　　that　sum　I　could　have　made　thirty　families　happy；〃　he　said。＇




CHAPTER　IX。

From　the　time　of　Louis　XVI。's　accession　to　the　throne；　the　Queen　had　been　expecting　a　visit　from　her　brother；　the　Emperor　Joseph　II。　　That　Prince　was　the　constant　theme　of　her　discourse。　　She　boasted　of　his　intelligence；　his　love　of　occupation；　his　military　knowledge；　and　the　perfect　simplicity　of　his　manners。　　Those　about　her　Majesty　ardently　wished　to　see　at　Versailles　a　prince　so　worthy　of　his　rank。　　At　length　the　coming　of　Joseph　II。；　under　the　title　of　Count　Falkenstein；　was　announced；　and　the　very　day　on　which　he　would　be　at　Versailles　was　mentioned。　　The　first　embraces　between　the　Queen　and　her　august　brother　took　place　in　the　presence　of　all　the　Queen's　household。　　The　sight　of　their　emotion　was　extremely　affecting。

The　Emperor　was　at　first　generally　admired　in　France；　learned　men；　well…　informed　officers；　and　celebrated　artists　appreciated　the　extent　of　his　information。　　He　made　less　impression　at　Court；　and　very　little　in　the　private　circle　of　the　King　and　Queen。　　His　eccentric　manners；　his　frankness；　often　degenerating　into　rudeness；　and　his　evidently　affected　simplicity；all　these　characteristics　caused　him　to　be　looked　upon　as　a　prince　rather　singular　than　admirable。　　The　Queen　spoke　to　him　about　the　apartment　she　had　prepared　for　him　in　the　Chateau；　the　Emperor　answered　that　he　would　not　accept　it；　and　that　while　travelling　he　always　lodged　at　a　cabaret　（that　was　his　very　expression）；　the　Queen　insisted；　and　assured　him　that　he　should　be　at　perfect　liberty；　and　placed　out　of　the　reach　of　noise。　　He　replied　that　he　knew　the　Chateau　of　Versailles　was　very　large；　and　that　so　many　scoundrels　lived　there　that　he　could　well　find　a　place；　but　that　his　valet　de　chambre　had　made　up　his　camp…bed　in　a　lodging…house；　and　there　he　would　stay。

He　dined　with　the　King　and　Queen；　and　supped　with　the　whole　family。　　He　appeared　to　take　an　interest　in　the　young　Princesse　Elisabeth；　then　just　past　childhood；　and　blooming　in　all　the　freshness　of　that　age。　　An　intended　marriage　between　him　and　this　young　sister　of　the　King　was　reported　at　the　time；　but　I　believe　it　had　no　foundation　in　truth。

The　table　was　still　served　by　women　only；　when　the　Queen　dined　in　private　with　the　King；　the　royal　family；　or　crowned　heads。

　　　　　＇The　custom　was；　even　supposing　dinner　to　have　commenced；　if　a　　　　　　princess　of　the　blood　arrived；　and　she　was　asked　to　sit　down　at　the　　　　　　Queen's　table；　the　comptrollers　and　gentlemen…in…waiting　came　　　　　　immediately　to　attend；　and　the　Queen's　women　withdrew。　　These　had　　　　　　succeeded　the　maids　of　honour　in　several　parts　of　their　service；　and　　　　　　had　preserved　some　of　their　privileges。　　One　day　the　Duchesse　　　　　　d'Orleans　arrived　at　Fontainebleau；　at　the　Queen's　dinner…hour。　　The　　　　　　Queen　invited　her　to　the　table；　and　herself　motioned　to　her　women　to　　　　　　leave　the　room；　and　let　the　men　take　their　places。　　Her　Majesty　said　　　　　　she　was　resolved　to　continue　a　privilege　which　kept　places　of　that　　　　　　description　most　honourable；　and　render　them　suitable　for　ladies　of　　　　　　nobility　without　fortune。　　Madame　de　Misery；　Baronne　de　Biache；　the　　　　　　Queen's　first　lady　of　the　chamber；　to　whom　I　was　made　reversioner；　　　　　　was　a　daughter　of　M。　le　Comte　de　Chemant；　and　her　grandmother　was　a　　　　　　Montmorency。　　M。　le　Prince　de　Tingry；　in　the　presence　of　the　Queen；　　　　　　used　to　call　her　cousin。　　The　ancient　household　of　the　Kings　of　　　　　　France　had　prerogatives　acknowledged　in　the　state。　　Many　of　the　　　　　　offices　were　tenable　only　by　those　of　noble　blood；　and　were　sold　at　　　　　　from　40；000　to　300；000　franca。　　A　collection　of　edicts　of　the　Kings　　　　　　in　favour　of　the　prerogatives　and　right　of　precedence　of　the　persons　　　　　　holding　office　in　the　royal　household　is　still　in　existence。＇

I　was　present　at　the　Queen's　dinner　almost　every　day。　　The　Emperor　would　talk　much　and　fluently；　he　expressed　himself　in　French　with　facility；　and　the　singularity；　of　his　expressions　added　a　zest　to　his　conversation。　　I　have　often　heard　him　say　that　he　liked　spectacculous　objects；　when　he　meant　to　express　such　things　as　formed　a　show；　or　a　scene　worthy　of　interest。　　He　disguised　none　of　his　prejudices　against　the　etiquette　and　customs　of　the　Court　of　France；　and　even　in　the　presence　of　the　King　made　them　the　subject　of　his　sarcasms。　　The　King　smiled；　but　never　made　any　answer；　the　Queen　appeared　pained。　　The　Emperor　frequently　terminated　his　observations　upon　the　objects　in　Paris　which　he　had　admired　by　reproaching　the　King　for　suffering　himself　to　remain　in　ignorance　of　them。　　He　could　not　conceive　how　such　a　wealth　of　pictures　should　remain　shut　up　in　the　dust　of　immense　stores；　and　told　him　one　day　that　but　for　the　practice　of　placing　some　of　them　in　the　apartments　of　Versailles　he　would　not　know　even　the　principal　chef　d'oeuvres　that　he　possessed。

　　　　　＇The　Emperor　loudly　censured　the　existing　practice　of　allowing　　　　　　shopkeepers　to　erect　shops　near　the　outward　walls　of　all　the　　　　　　palaces；　and　even　to　establish　something　like　a　fair　in　the　　　　　　galleries　of　Versailles　and　Fontainebleau；　and　even　upon　the　　　　　　landings　of　the　staircases。＇

He　also　reproached　him　for　not　having　visited　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　nor　the　Ecole　Militaire；　and　even　went　so　far　as　to　tell　him　before　us　that　he　ought　not　only　to　know　what　Paris　contained；　but　to　travel　in　France；　and　reside　a　few　days　in　each　of　his　large　towns。

At　last　the　Queen　was　really　hurt　at　the　Emperor's　remarks；　and　gave　him　a　few　lectures　upon　the　freedom　with　which　he　allowed　himself　to　lecture　others。　　One　day　she　was　busied　in　signing　warrants　and　orders　for　payment　for　her　household；　and　was　conversing　with　M。　Augeard；　her　secretary　for　such　matters；　who　presented　the　papers　one　after　another　to　be　signed；　and　replaced　them　in　his　portfolio。　　While　this　was　going　forward；　the　Emperor　walked　about　the　room；　all　at　once　he　stood　still；　to　reproach　the　Queen　rather　severely　for　signing　all　those　papers　without　reading　them；　or；　at　least；　without　running　her　eye　over　them；　and　he　spoke　most　judiciously　to　her　upon　the　danger　of　signing　her　name　inconsiderately。　　The　Queen　answered　that　very　wise　principles　might　be　very　ill　applied；　that　her　secretary；　who　deserved　her　implicit　confidence；　was　at　that　moment　laying　before　her　nothing　but　orders　for　payment　of　the　quarter's　expenses　of　her　household；　registered　in　the　Chamber　of　Accounts；　and　that　she　ran　no　risk　of　incautiously　giving　her　signature。

The　Queen's　toilet　was　likewise　a　never…failing　subject　for　animadversion　with　the　Emperor。　　He　blamed　her　for　having　introduced　too　many　new　fashions；　and　teased　her　about　her　use　of　rouge。　　One　day；　while　she　was　laying　on　more　of　it　than　usual；　before　going　to　the　play；　he　pointed　out　a　lady　who　was　i