the memoirs of marie antoinette-第47部分

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　a　state　of　insensibility。　　The　valets　de　chambre　and　pages　dragged　out　by　the　collar　such　inconsiderate　persons　as　would　not　leave　the　room。　　This　cruel　custom　was　abolished　afterwards。　The　Princes　of　the　family；　the　Princes　of　the　blood；　the　chancellor；　and　the　ministers　are　surely　sufficient　to　attest　the　legitimacy　of　an　hereditary　prince。　　The　Queen　was　snatched　from　the　very　jaws　of　death；　she　was　not　conscious　of　having　been　bled；　and　on　being　replaced　in　bed　asked　why　she　had　a　linen　bandage　upon　her　foot。

The　delight　which　succeeded　the　moment　of　fear　was　equally　lively　and　sincere。　　We　were　all　embracing　each　other；　and　shedding　tears　of　joy。　The　Comte　d'Esterhazy　and　the　Prince　de　Poix；　to　whom　I　was　the　first　to　announce　that　the　Queen　was　restored　to　life；　embraced　me　in　the　midst　of　the　cabinet　of　nobles。　　We　little　imagined；　in　our　happiness　at　her　escape　from　death；　for　how　much　more　terrible　a　fate　our　beloved　Princess　was　reserved。


NOTE。　　The　two　following　specimens　of　the　Emperor　Joseph's　correspondence　forcibly　demonstrate　the　vigour；　shrewdness；　and　originality　of　his　mind；　and　complete　the　portrait　left　of　him　by　Madame　Campan。

Few　sovereigns　have　given　their　reasons　for　refusing　appointments　with　the　fullness　and　point　of　the　following　letter

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　a　Lady。

MADAM。I　do　not　think　that　it　is　amongst　the　duties　of　a　monarch　to　grant　places　to　one　of　his　subjects　merely　because　he　is　a　gentleman。　That；　however；　is　the　inference　from　the　request　you　have　made　to　me。　Your　late　husband　was；　you　say；　a　distinguished　general；　a　gentleman　of　good　family；　and　thence　you　conclude　that　my　kindness　to　your　family　can　do　no　less　than　give　a　company　of　foot　to　your　second　son；　lately　returned　from　his　travels。

Madam；　a　man　may　be　the　son　of　a　general　and　yet　have　no　talent　for　command。　　A　man　may　be　of　a　good　family　and　yet　possess　no　other　merit　than　that　which　he　owes　to　chance；the　name　of　gentleman。

I　know　your　son；　and　I　know　what　makes　the　soldier；　and　this　twofold　knowledge　convinces　me　that　your　son　has　not　the　disposition　of　a　warrior；　and　that　he　is　too　full　of　his　birth　to　leave　the　country　a　hope　of　his　ever　rendering　it　any　important　service。

What　you　are　to　be　pitied　for；　madam；　is；　that　your　son　is　not　fit　either　for　an　officer；　a　statesman　or　a　priest；　in　a　word；　that　he　is　nothing　more　than　a　gentleman　in　the　most　extended　acceptation　of　the　word。

You　may　be　thankful　to　that　destiny；　which；　in　refusing　talents　to　your　son；　has　taken　care　to　put　him　in　possession　of　great　wealth；　which　will　sufficiently　compensate　him　for　other　deficiencies；　and　enable　him　at　the　same　time　to　dispense　with　any　favour　from　me。

I　hope　you　will　be　impartial　enough　to　see　the　reasons　which　prompt　me　to　refuse　your　request。　　It　may　be　disagreeable　to　you；　but　I　consider　it　necessary。　　Farewell；　madam。Your　sincere　well…wisher；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOSEPH　LACHSENBURG；　4th　August；　1787。


The　application　of　another　anxious　and　somewhat　covetous　mother　was　answered　with　still　more　decision　and　irony：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　a　Lady。

MADAM。You　know　my　disposition；　you　are　not　ignorant　that　the　society　of　the　ladies　is　to　me　a　mere　recreation；　and　that　I　have　never　sacrificed　my　principles　to　the　fair　sex。　　I　pay　but　little　attention　to　recommendations；　and　I　only　take　them　into　consideration　when　the　person　in　whose　behalf　I　may　be　solicited　possesses　real　merit。

Two　of　your　sons　are　already　loaded　with　favours。　　The　eldest；　who　is　not　yet　twenty；　is　chief　of　a　squadron　in　my　army；　and　the　younger　has　obtained　a　canonry　at　Cologne；　from　the　Elector；　my　brother。　　What　would　you　have　more？　　Would　you　have　the　first　a　general　and　the　second　a　bishop？

In　France　you　may　see　colonels　in　leading…strings；　and　in　Spain　the　royal　princes　command　armies　even　at　eighteen；　hence　Prince　Stahremberg　forced　them　to　retreat　so　often　that　they　were　never　able　all　the　rest　of　their　lives　to　comprehend　any　other　manoeuvre。

It　is　necessary　to　be　sincere　at　Court；　and　severe　in　the　field；　stoical　without　obduracy；　magnanimous　without　weakness；　and　to　gain　the　esteem　of　our　enemies　by　the　justice　of　our　actions；　and　this；　madam；　is　what　I　aim　at。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOSEPH　VIENNA；　September；　1787。

（From　the　inedited　Letters　of　Joseph　IL；　published　at　Paris；　by　Persan；　1822。）




CHAPTER　X。

During　the　alarm　for　the　life　of　the　Queen；　regret　at　not　possessing　an　heir　to　the　throne　was　not　even　thought　of。　　The　King　himself　was　wholly　occupied　with　the　care　of　preserving　an　adored　wife。　　The　young　Princess　was　presented　to　her　mother。　　〃Poor　little　one；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃you　were　not　wished　for；　but　you　are　not　on　that　account　less　dear　to　me。　　A　son　would　have　been　rather　the　property　of　the　State。　　You　shall　be　mine；　you　shall　have　my　undivided　care；　shall　share　all　my　happiness；　and　console　me　in　all　my　troubles。〃

The　King　despatched　a　courier　to　Paris；　and　wrote　letters　himself　to　Vienna；　by　the　Queen's　bedside；　and　part　of　the　rejoicings　ordered　took　place　in　the　capital。

A　great　number　of　attendants　watched　near　the　Queen　during　the　first　nights　of　her　confinement。　　This　custom　distressed　her；　she　knew　how　to　feel　for　others；　and　ordered　large　armchairs　for　her　women；　the　backs　of　which　were　capable　of　being　let　down　by　springs；　and　which　served　perfectly　well　instead　of　beds。

M。　de　Lassone；　the　chief　physician；　the　chief　surgeon；　the　chief　apothecary；　the　principal　officers　of　the　buttery；　etc。；　were　likewise　nine　nights　without　going　to　bed。　　The　royal　children　were　watched　for　a　long　time；　and　one　of　the　women　on　duty　remained；　nightly；　up　and　dressed；　during　the　first　three　years　from　their　birth。

The　Queen　made　her　entry　into　Paris　for　the　churching。　　One　hundred　maidens　were　portioned　and　married　at　Notre…Dame。　　There　were　few　popular　acclamations；　but　her　Majesty　was　perfectly　well　received　at　the　Opera。

A　few　days　after　the　Queen's　recovery　from　her　confinement；　the　Cure　of　the　Magdelaine　de　la　City　at　Paris　wrote　to　M。　Campan　and　requested　a　private　interview　with　him；　it　was　to　desire　he　would　deliver　into　the　hands　of　the　Queen　a　little　box　containing　her　wedding　ring；　with　this　note　written　by　the　Cure：　〃I　have　received　under　the　seal　of　confession　the　ring　which　I　send　to　your　Majesty；　with　an　avowal　that　it　was　stolen　from　you　in　1771；　in　order　to　be　used　in　sorceries；　to　prevent　your　having　any　children。〃　　On　seeing　her　ring　again　the　Queen　said　that　she　had　in　fact　lost　it　about　seven　years　before；　while　washing　her　hands；　and　that　she　had　resolved　to　use　no　endeavour　to　discover　the　superstitious　woman　who　had　done　her　the　injury。

The　Queen's　attachment　to　the　Comtesse　Jules　increased　every　day；　she　went　frequently　to　her　house　at　Paris；　and　even　took　up　her　own　abode　at　the　Chateau　de　la　Muette　to　be　nearer　during　her　confinement。　　She　married　Mademoiselle　de　Polignac；　when　scarcely　thirteen　years　of　age；　to　M。　de　Grammont；　who；　on　account　of　this　marriage；　was　made　Duc　de　Guiche；　and　captain　of　the　King's　Guards；　in　reversion　after　the　Duc　de　Villeroi。　The　Duchesse