the memoirs of marie antoinette-第68部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


rstood；　but　they　were　of　fundamental　importance　to　a　party　which　was　then　forming。

The　first　sitting　of　the　States　took　place　on　the　following　day。　　The　King　delivered　his　speech　with　firmness　and　dignity；　the　Queen　told　me　that　he　had　taken　great　pains　about　it；　and　had　repeated　it　frequently。　His　Majesty　gave　public　marks　of　attachment　and　respect　for　the　Queen；　who　was　applauded；　but　it　was　easy　to　see　that　this　applause　was　in　fact　rendered　to　the　King　alone。

It　was　evident；　during　the　first　sittings；　that　Mirabeau　would　be　very　dangerous　to　the　Government。　　It　affirmed　that　at　this　period　he　communicated　to　the　King；　and　still　more　fully　to　the　Queen；　part　of　his　schemes　for　abandoning　them。　　He　brandished　the　weapons　afforded　him　by　his　eloquence　and　audacity；　in　order　to　make　terms　with　the　party　he　meant　to　attack。　　This　man　played　the　game　of　revolution　to　make　his　own　fortune。　　The　Queen　told　me　that　he　asked　for　an　embassy；　and；　if　my　memory　does　not　deceive　me；　it　was　that　of　Constantinople。　　He　was　refused　with　well…deserved　contempt；　though　policy　would　doubtless　have　concealed　it；　could　the　future　have　been　foreseen。

The　enthusiasm　prevailing　at　the　opening　of　this　assembly；　and　the　debates　between　the　Tiers　Etat；　the　nobility；　and　even　the　clergy；　daily　increased　the　alarm　of　their　Majesties；　and　all　who　were　attached　to　the　cause　of　monarchy。　　The　Queen　went　to　bed　late；　or　rather　she　began　to　be　unable　to　rest。　　One　evening；　about　the　end　of　May；　she　was　sitting　in　her　room；　relating　several　remarkable　occurrences　of　the　day；　four　wax　candles　were　placed　upon　her　toilet…table；　the　first　went　out　of　itself；　I　relighted　it；　shortly　afterwards　the　second；　and　then　the　third　went　out　also；　upon　which　the　Queen；　squeezing　my　hand　in　terror；　said　to　me：　〃Misfortune　makes　us　superstitious；　if　the　fourth　taper　should　go　out　like　the　rest；　nothing　can　prevent　my　looking　upon　it　as　a　sinister　omen。〃　　The　fourth　taper　went　out。　　It　was　remarked　to　the　Queen　that　the　four　tapers　had　probably　been　run　in　the　same　mould；　and　that　a　defect　in　the　wick　had　naturally　occurred　at　the　same　point　in　each；　since　the　candles　had　all　gone　out　in　the　order　in　which　they　had　been　lighted。

The　deputies　of　the　Tiers　Etat　arrived　at　Versailles　full　of　the　strongest　prejudices　against　the　Court。　　They　believed　that　the　King　indulged　in　the　pleasures　of　the　table　to　a　shameful　excess；　and　that　the　Queen　was　draining　the　treasury　of　the　State　in　order　to　satisfy　the　most　unbridled　luxury。　　They　almost　all　determined　to　see　Petit　Trianon。　　The　extreme　plainness　of　the　retreat　in　question　not　answering　the　ideas　they　had　formed；　some　of　them　insisted　upon　seeing　the　very　smallest　closets；　saying　that　the　richly　furnished　apartments　were　concealed　from　them。　They　particularised　one　which；　according　to　them；　was　ornamented　with　diamonds；　and　with　wreathed　columns　studded　with　sapphires　and　rubies。　The　Queen　could　not　get　these　foolish　ideas　out　of　her　mind；　and　spoke　to　the　King　on　the　subject。　　From　the　description　given　of　this　room　by　the　deputies　to　the　keepers　of　Trianon；　the　King　concluded　that　they　were　looking　for　the　scene　enriched　with　paste　ornaments；　made　in　the　reign　of　Louis　XV。　for　the　theatre　of　Fontainebleau。

The　King　supposed　that　his　Body　Guards；　on　their　return　to　the　country；　after　their　quarterly　duty　at　Court；　related　what　they　had　seen；　and　that　their　exaggerated　accounts；　being　repeated；　became　at　last　totally　perverted。　　This　idea　of　the　King；　after　the　search　for　the　diamond　chamber；　suggested　to　the　Queen　that　the　report　of　the　King's　propensity　for　drinking　also　sprang　from　the　guards　who　accompanied　his　carriage　when　he　hunted　at　Rambouillet。　　The　King；　who　disliked　sleeping　out　of　his　usual　bed；　was　accustomed　to　leave　that　hunting…seat　after　supper；　he　generally　slept　soundly　in　his　carriage；　and　awoke　only　on　his　arrival　at　the　courtyard　of　his　palace；　he　used　to　get　down　from　his　carriage　in　the　midst　of　his　Body　Guards；　staggering；　as　a　man　half　awake　will　do；　which　was　mistaken　for　intoxication。

The　majority　of　the　deputies　who　came　imbued　with　prejudices　produced　by　error　or　malevolence；　went　to　lodge　with　the　most　humble　private　individuals　of　Versailles；　whose　inconsiderate　conversation　contributed　not　a　little　to　nourish　such　mistakes。　　Everything；　in　short；　tended　to　render　the　deputies　subservient　to　the　schemes　of　the　leaders　of　the　rebellion。

Shortly　after　the　opening　of　the　States　General　the　first　Dauphin　died。　That　young　Prince　suffered　from　the　rickets；　which　in　a　few　months　curved　his　spine；　and　rendered　his　legs　so　weak　that　he　could　not　walk　without　being　supported　like　a　feeble　old　man。

　　　　　＇Louis；　Dauphin　of　France；　who　died　at　Versailles　on　the　4th　of　　　　　　June；　1789；　gave　promise　of　intellectual　precocity。　　The　following　　　　　　particulars；　which　convey　some　idea　of　his　disposition；　and　of　the　　　　　　assiduous　attention　bestowed　upon　him　by　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac；　　　　　　will　be　found　in　a　work　of　that　time：　〃At　two　years　old　the　Dauphin　　　　　　was　very　pretty；　he　articulated　well；　and　answered　questions　put　to　　　　　　him　intelligently。　　While　he　was　at　the　Chateau　de　La　Muette　　　　　　everybody　was　at　liberty　to　see　him。　　The　Dauphin　was　dressed　　　　　　plainly；　like　a　sailor；　there　was　nothing　to　distinguish　him　from　　　　　　other　children　in　external　appearance　but　the　cross　of　Saint　Louis；　　　　　　the　blue　ribbon；　and　the　Order　of　the　Fleece；　decorations　that　are　　　　　　the　distinctive　signs　of　his　rank。　　The　Duchesse　Jules　de　Polignac；　　　　　　his　governess；　scarcely　ever　left　him　for　a　single　instant：　she　gave　　　　　　up　all　the　Court　excursions　and　amusements　in　order　to　devote　her　　　　　　whole　attention　to　him。　　The　Prince　always　manifested　a　great　regard　　　　　　for　M。　de　Bourset；　his　valet　de　chambre。　　During　the　illness　of　　　　　　which　he　died；　he　one　day　asked　for　a　pair　of　scissors；　that　　　　　　gentleman　reminded　him　that　they　were　forbidden。　　The　child　insisted　　　　　　mildly；　and　they　were　obliged　to　yield　to　him。　　Having　got　the　　　　　　scissors；　he　cut　off　a　lock　of　his　hair；　which　he　wrapped　in　a　sheet　　　　　　of　paper：　'There；　monsieur；'　said　he　to　his　valet　de　chambre；'　there　　　　　　is　the　only　present　I　can　make　you；　having　nothing　at　my　command；　　　　　　but　when　I　am　dead　you　will　present　this　pledge　to　my　papa　and　　　　　　mamma；　and　while　they　remember　me；　I　hope　they　will　not　forget　　　　　　you。'〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

How　many　maternal　tears　did　his　condition　draw　from　the　Queen；　already　overwhelmed　with　apprehensions　respecting　the　state　of　the　kingdom！　　Her　grief　was　enhanced　by　petty　intrigues；　which；　when　frequently　renewed；　became　intolerable。　　An　open　quarrel　between　the　families　and　friends　of　the　Duc　Harcourt；　the　Dauphin's　governor；　and　those　of　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac；　his　governess；　added　greatly　to　the　Queen's　affliction。　　The　young　Prince　showed　a　strong　dislike　to　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac；　who　attributed　it　either　to　the　Duc　or　the　Duchesse　d'Harcourt；　and　came　to　make　her　complaints　respecting　it　to　the　Queen。　　The　Dauphin　twice　sent　her　out　of　his　room；　saying　to　her；　with　that　maturity　of　manner　which　long　illness　always　gives　to　children：　〃Go　out；　Duchess；　you　are　so　fond　of　using