the memoirs of marie antoinette-第65部分

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　　　　　＇The　following　extract　is　from　the　〃　Memoirs〃　of　the　Abbe　Georgel：　　　　　　〃The　sittings　were　long　and　multiplied；　it　was　necessary　to　read　the　　　　　　whole　proceedings；　more　than　fifty　judges　sat；　a　master　of　requests；　　　　　　a　friend　of　the　Prince；　wrote　down　all　that　was　said　there；　and　sent　　　　　　it　to　his　advisers；　who　found　means　to　inform　the　Cardinal　of　it；　　　　　　and　to　add　the　plan　of　conduct　he　ought　to　pursue。〃　　D'Epremesnil；　　　　　　and　other　young　counsellors；　showed　upon　that　occasion　but　too　much　　　　　　audacity　in　braving　the　Court；　too　much　eagerness　in　seizing　an　　　　　　opportunity　of　attacking　it。　　They　were　the　first　to　shake　that　　　　　　authority　which　their　functions　made　it　a　duty　in　them　to　respect。…　　　　　　NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

M。　Pierre　de　Laurencel；　the　procureur　general's　substitute；　sent　the　Queen　a　list　of　the　names　of　the　members　of　the　Grand　Chamber；　with　the　means　made　use　of　by　the　friends　of　the　Cardinal　to　gain　their　votes　during　the　trial。　　I　had　this　list　to　keep　among　the　papers　which　the　Queen　deposited　in　the　house　of　M。　Campan；　my　father…in…law；　and　which；　at　his　death；　she　ordered　me　to　preserve。　　I　burnt　this　statement；　but　I　remember　ladies　performed　a　part　not　very　creditable　to　their　principles；　it　was　by　them；　in　consideration　of　large　sums　which　they　received；　that　some　of　the　oldest　and　most　respected　members　were　won　over。　　I　did　not　see　a　single　name　amongst　the　whole　Parliament　that　was　gained　directly。

The　belief　confirmed　by　time　is；　that　the　Cardinal　was　completely　duped　by　the　woman　De　Lamotte　and　Cagliostro。　　The　King　may　have　been　in　error　in　thinking　him　an　accomplice　in　this　miserable　and　criminal　scheme；　but　I　have　faithfully　repeated　his　Majesty's　judgment　about　it。

However；　the　generally　received　opinion　that　the　Baron　de　Breteuil's　hatred　for　the　Cardinal　was　the　cause　of　the　scandal　and　the　unfortunate　result　of　this　affair　contributed　to　the　disgrace　of　the　former　still　more　than　his　refusal　to　give　his　granddaughter　in　marriage　to　the　son　of　the　Duc　de　Polignac。　　The　Abbe　de　Vermond　threw　the　whole　blame　of　the　imprudence　and　impolicy　of　the　affair　of　the　Cardinal　de　Rohan　upon　the　minister；　and　ceased　to　be　the　friend　and　supporter　of　the　Baron　de　Breteuil　with　the　Queen。

In　the　early　part　of　the　year　1786；　the　Cardinal；　as　has　been　said；　was　fully　acquitted；　and　came　out　of　the　Bastille；　while　Madame　de　Lamotte　was　condemned　to　be　whipped；　branded；　and　imprisoned。　　The　Court；　persisting　in　the　erroneous　views　which　had　hitherto　guided　its　measures；　conceived　that　the　Cardinal　and　the　woman　De　Lamotte　were　equally　culpable　and　unequally　punished；　and　sought　to　restore　the　balance　of　justice　by　exiling　the　Cardinal　to　La　Chaise…Dieu；　and　suffering　Madame　de　Lamotte　to　escape　a　few　days　after　she　entered　l'Hopital。　　This　new　error　confirmed　the　Parisians　in　the　idea　that　the　wretch　De　Lamotte；　who　had　never　been　able　to　make　her　way　so　far　as　to　the　room　appropriated　to　the　Queen's　women；　had　really　interested　the　Queen　herself。

　　　　　＇Further　particulars　will　be　found　in　the　〃Memoirs　of　the　Comte　de　　　　　　Beugnot〃　（London：　Hurst　&　Blackett；　1871）；　as　he　knew　Madame　de　　　　　　Lamotte　from　the　days　of　her　early　childhood　（when　the　three　　　　　　children；　the　Baron　de　Valois；　who　died　captain　of　a　frigate；　and　　　　　　the　two　Mademoiselles　de　Saint…Remi；　the　last　descendants　of　the　　　　　　Baron　de　Saint…Remi；　a　natural　son　of　Henri　II。；　were　almost　　　　　　starving）　to　the　time　of　her　temporary　prosperity。　　In　fact；　he　was　　　　　　with　her　when　she　burnt　the　correspondence　of　the　Cardinal；　in　the　　　　　　interval　the　Court　foolishly　allowed　between　his　arrest　and　her　　　　　　capture；　and　De　Beugnot　believed　he　had　met　at　her　house；　at　the　　　　　　moment　of　their　return　from　their　successful　trick；　the　whole　party　　　　　　engaged　in　deluding　the　Cardinal。　　It　is　worth　noting　that　he　was　　　　　　then　struck　by　the　face　of　Mademoiselle　d'Oliva；　who　had　just　　　　　　personated　the　Queen　in　presenting　a　rose　to　the　Cardinal。　　It　may　　　　　　also　be　cited　as　a　pleasing　quality　of　Madame　de　Lamotte　that　she；　　　　　　〃in　her　ordinary　conversation；　used　the　words　stupid　and　honest　as　　　　　　synonymous。〃　See　〃Beugnot；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　60。＇




CHAPTER　XIV。

The　Abbe　de　Vermond　could　not　repress　his　exultation　when　he　succeeded　in　getting　the　Archbishop　of　Sens　appointed　head　of　the　council　of　finance。　I　have　more　than　once　heard　him　say　that　seventeen　years　of　patience　were　not　too　long　a　term　for　success　in　a　Court；　that　he　spent　all　that　time　in　gaining　the　end　he　had　in　view；　but　that　at　length　the　Archbishop　was　where　he　ought　to　be　for　the　good　of　the　State。　　The　Abbe；　from　this　time；　in　the　Queen's　private　circle　no　longer　concealed　his　credit　and　influence；　nothing　could　equal　the　confidence　with　which　he　displayed　the　extent　of　his　pretensions。　　He　requested　the　Queen　to　order　that　the　apartments　appropriated　to　him　should　be　enlarged；　telling　her　that；　being　obliged　to　give　audiences　to　bishops；　cardinals；　and　ministers；　he　required　a　residence　suitable　to　his　present　circumstances。　　The　Queen　continued　to　treat　him　as　she　did　before　the　Archbishop's　arrival　at　Court；　but　the　household　showed　him　increased　consideration：　the　word　〃Monsieur〃　preceded　that　of　Abbe；　and　from　that　moment　not　only　the　livery　servants；　but　also　the　people　of　the　antechambers　rose　when　Monsieur　l'Abbe　was　passing；　though　there　never　was；　to　my　knowledge；　any　order　given　to　that　effect。

The　Queen　was　obliged；　on　account　of　the　King's　disposition　and　the　very　limited　confidence　he　placed　in　the　Archbishop　of　Sens；　to　take　a　part　in　public　affairs。　　While　M。　de　Maurepas　lived　she　kept　out　of　that　danger；　as　may　be　seen　by　the　censure　which　the　Baron　de　Besenval　passes　on　her　in　his　memoirs　for　not　availing　herself　of　the　conciliation　he　had　promoted　between　the　Queen　and　that　minister；　who　counteracted　the　ascendency　which　the　Queen　and　her　intimate　friends　might　otherwise　have　gained　over　the　King's　mind。

The　Queen　has　often　assured　me　that　she　never　interfered　respecting　the　interests　of　Austria　but　once；　and　that　was　only　to　claim　the　execution　of　the　treaty　of　alliance　at　the　time　when　Joseph　II。　was　at　war　with　Prussia　and　Turkey；　that；　she　then　demanded　that　an　army　of　twenty…four　thousand　men　should　be　sent　to　him　instead　of　fifteen　millions；　an　alternative　which　had　been　left　to　option　in　the　treaty；　in　case　the　Emperor　should　have　a　just　war　to　maintain；　that　she　could　not　obtain　her　object；　and　M。　de　Vergennes；　in　an　interview　which　she　had　with　him　upon　the　subject；　put　an　end　to　her　importunities　by　observing　that　he　was　answering　the　mother　of　the　Dauphin　and　not　the　sister　of　the　Emperor。　The　fifteen　millions　were　sent。　　There　was　no　want　of　money　at　Vienna；　and　the　value　of　a　French　army　was　fully　appreciated。

〃But　how；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃could　they　be　so　wicked　as　to　send　off　those　fifteen　millions　from　the　general　post…office；　diligently　publishing；　even　to　the　street　porters；　that　they　were　loading　carriages　with　money　that　I　was　sending　to　my　brother！　whereas　it　is　certain　that　the　money　would　equally　have　been　sent　if　I　had　belonged　to　another　house；　and；　besides；　it　was　sent　contrary　to　my　inclination。〃