the memoirs of marie antoinette-第13章

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d　by　Louis　XV。

The　King　continued　to　talk　only　of　the　Dauphiness；　and　Madame　du　Barry　ill…naturedly　endeavoured　to　damp　his　enthusiasm。　　Whenever　Marie　Antoinette　was　the　topic；　she　pointed　out　the　irregularity　of　her　features；　criticised　the　'bons　mots'　quoted　as　hers；　and　rallied　the　King　upon　his　prepossession　in　her　favour。　　Madame　du　Barry　was　affronted　at　not　receiving　from　the　Dauphiness　those　attentions　to　which　she　thought　herself　entitled；　she　did　not　conceal　her　vexation　from　the　King；　she　was　afraid　that　the　grace　and　cheerfulness　of　the　young　Princess　would　make　the　domestic　circle　of　the　royal　family　more　agreeable　to　the　old　sovereign；　and　that　he　would　escape　her　chains；　at　the　same　time；　hatred　to　the　Choiseul　party　contributed　powerfully　to　excite　the　enmity　of　the　favourite。

The　fall　of　that　minister　took　place　in　November；　1770；　six　months　after　his　long　influence　in　the　Council　had　brought　about　the　alliance　with　the　House　of　Austria　and　the　arrival　of　Marie　Antoinette　at　the　Court　of　France。　　The　Princess；　young；　frank；　volatile；　and　inexperienced；　found　herself　without　any　other　guide　than　the　Abbe　de　Vermond；　in　a　Court　ruled　by　the　enemy　of　the　minister　who　had　brought　her　there；　and　in　the　midst　of　people　who　hated　Austria；　and　detested　any　alliance　with　the　imperial　house。

The　Duc　d'Aiguillon；　the　Duc　de　La　Vauguyon；　the　Marechal　de　Richelieu；　the　Rohans；　and　other　considerable　families；　who　had　made　use　of　Madame　du　Barry　to　overthrow　the　Duke；　could　not　flatter　themselves；　notwithstanding　their　powerful　intrigues；　with　a　hope　of　being　able　to　break　off　an　alliance　solemnly　announced；　and　involving　such　high　political　interests。　　They　therefore　changed　their　mode　of　attack；　and　it　will　be　seen　how　the　conduct　of　the　Dauphin　served　as　a　basis　for　their　hopes。

The　Dauphiness　continually　gave　proofs　of　both　sense　and　feeling。　Sometimes　she　even　suffered　herself　to　be　carried　away　by　those　transports　of　compassionate　kindness　which　are　not　to　be　controlled　by　the　customs　which　rank　establishes。

In　consequence　of　the　fire　in　the　Place　Louis　XV。；　which　occurred　at　the　time　of　the　nuptial　entertainments；　the　Dauphin　and　Dauphiness　sent　their；　whole　income　for　the　year　to　the　relief　of　the　unfortunate　families　who　lost　their　relatives　on　that　disastrous　day。

This　was　one　of　those　ostentatious　acts　of　generosity　which　are　dictated　by　the　policy　of　princes；　at　least　as　much　as　by　their　compassion；　but　the　grief　of　Marie　Antoinette　was　profound；　and　lasted　several　days；　nothing　could　console　her　for　the　loss　of　so　many　innocent　victims；　she　spoke　of　it；　weeping；　to　her　ladies；　one　of　whom；　thinking；　no　doubt；　to　divert　her　mind；　told　her　that　a　great　number　of　thieves　had　been　found　among　the　bodies；　and　that　their　pockets　were　filled　with　watches　and　other　valuables。　　〃They　have　at　least　been　well　punished；〃　added　the　person　who　related　these　particulars。　　〃Oh；　no；　no；　madame！〃　replied　the　Dauphiness；　〃they　died　by　the　side　of　honest　people。〃

The　Dauphiness　had　brought　from　Vienna　a　considerable　number　of　white　diamonds；　the　King　added　to　them　the　gift　of　the　diamonds　and　pearls　of　the　late　Dauphiness；　and　also　put　into　her　hands　a　collar　of　pearls；　of　a　single　row；　the　smallest　of　which　was　as　large　as　a　filbert；　and　which　had　been　brought　into　France　by　Anne　of　Austria；　and　appropriated　by　that　Princess　to　the　use　of　the　Queens　and　Dauphinesses　of　France。

The　three　Princesses；　daughters　of　Louis　XV。；　joined　in　making　her　magnificent　presents。　　Madame　Adelaide　at　the　same　time　gave　the　young　Princess　a　key　to　the　private　corridors　of　the　Chateau；　by　means　of　which；　without　any　suite；　and　without　being　perceived；　she　could　get　to　the　apartments　of　her　aunts；　and　see　them　in　private。　　The　Dauphiness；　on　receiving　the　key；　told　them；　with　infinite　grace；　that　if　they　had　meant　to　make　her　appreciate　the　superb　presents　they　were　kind　enough　to　bestow　upon　her；　they　should　not　at　the　same　time　have　offered　her　one　of　such　inestimable　value；　since　to　that　key　she　should　be　indebted　for　an　intimacy　and　advice　unspeakably　precious　at　her　age。　　She　did；　indeed；　make　use　of　it　very　frequently；　but　Madame　Victoire　alone　permitted　her；　so　long　as　she　continued　Dauphiness；　to　visit　her　familiarly。　　Madame　Adelaide　could　not　overcome　her　prejudices　against　Austrian　princesses；　and　was　wearied　with　the　somewhat　petulant　gaiety　of　the　Dauphiness。　Madame　Victoire　was　concerned　at　this；　feeling　that　their　society　and　counsel　would　have　been　highly　useful　to　a　young　person　otherwise　likely　to　meet　with　none　but　sycophants。　　She　endeavoured；　therefore；　to　induce　her　to　take　pleasure　in　the　society　of　the　Marquise　de　Durfort；　her　lady　of　honour　and　favourite。　　Several　agreeable　entertainments　took　place　at　the　house　of　this　lady；　but　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles　and　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　soon　opposed　these　meetings。

A　circumstance　which　happened　in　hunting；　near　the　village　of　Acheres；　in　the　forest　of　Fontainebleau；　afforded　the　young　Princess　an　opportunity　of　displaying　her　respect　for　old　age；　and　her　compassion　for　misfortune。　　An　aged　peasant　was　wounded　by　the　stag；　the　Dauphiness　jumped　out　of　her　calash；　placed　the　peasant；　with　his　wife　and　children；　in　it；　had　the　family　taken　back　to　their　cottage；　and　bestowed　upon　them　every　attention　and　every　necessary　assistance。　　Her　heart　was　always　open　to　the　feelings　of　compassion；　and　the　recollection　of　her　rank　never　restrained　her　sensibility。　　Several　persons　in　her　service　entered　her　room　one　evening；　expecting　to　find　nobody　there　but　the　officer　in　waiting；　they　perceived　the　young　Princess　seated　by　the　side　of　this　man；　who　was　advanced　in　years；　she　had　placed　near　him　a　bowl　full　of　water；　was　stanching　the　blood　which　issued　from　a　wound　he　had　received　in　his　hand　with　her　handkerchief；　which　she　had　torn　up　to　bind　it；　and　was　fulfilling　towards　him　all　the　duties　of　a　pious　sister　of　charity。　The　old　man；　affected　even　to　tears；　out　of　respect　allowed　his　august　mistress　to　act　as　she　thought　proper。　　He　had　hurt　himself　in　endeavouring　to　move　a　rather　heavy　piece　of　furniture　at　the　Princess's　request。

In　the　month　of　July；　1770；　an　unfortunate　occurrence　that　took　place　in　a　family　which　the　Dauphiness　honoured　with　her　favour　contributed　again　to　show　not　only　her　sensibility　but　also　the　benevolence　of　her　disposition。　　One　of　her　women　in　waiting　had　a　son　who　was　an　officer　in　the　gens　d'armes　of　the　guard；　this　young　man　thought　himself　affronted　by　a　clerk　in　the　War　Department；　and　imprudently　sent　him　a　challenge；　he　killed　his　adversary　in　the　forest　of　Compiegne。　　The　family　of　the　young　man　who　was　killed；　being　in　possession　of　the　challenge；　demanded　justice。　　The　King；　distressed　on　account　of　several　duels　which　had　recently　taken　place；　had　unfortunately　declared　that　he　would　show　no　mercy　on　the　first　event　of　that　kind　which　could　be　proved；　the　culprit　was　therefore　arrested。　　His　mother；　in　the　deepest　grief；　hastened　to　throw　herself　at　the　feet　of　the　Dauphiness；　the　Dauphin；　and　the　young　Princesses。　　After　an　hour's　supplication　they　obtained　from　the　King　the　favour　so　much　desired。　　On　the　next　day　a　lady　of　rank；　while　congratulating　the　Dauphiness；　had　the　malice　to　add　that　the　mother　had　neglected　no　means　of　success　on　the　occasion；　having　solicited　not　only　the　royal　family；　but　even　Madame　du　Barry。　　The　Dauphiness　replied　that　the　fact　justified　the　favourable　opinion　she　had　formed　of　the　worthy　woman；　that　the　heart　of　a　mother　should　hesitate　at　nothing　for　the　salvation　of　her　son；　and　that　in　her　place；　if　she　had　thought　it　would　be　serviceable；　she　would　have　thrown　herself　at　the　feet　of　Zamor。

　　　　　＇A　little　Indian　who　carried　the　Comtesse　du　Barry's　train。　　Louis　　　　　　XV。　　often　amused　himself　with　the　little　marmoset；　and　jestingly　　　　　　made　him　Governor　of　Louveciennes；　he　received　an　annual　income　of　　　　　　3；000　francs。＇

Some　time　after　the　marriage　entertainments　the　Dauphiness　made　her　entry　into　Paris；　and　was　received　with　transports　of　joy。　　After　dining　in　the　King's　apartment　at　the　Tuileries；　she　was　forced；　by　the　reiterated　shouts　of　the　multitude；　with　whom　the　garden　was　filled；　to　present　herself　upon　the　balcony　fronting　the　principal　walk。　　On　seeing　such　a　crowd　of　heads　with　their　eyes　fixed　upon　her；　she　exclaimed；　〃Grand…　Dieu！　what　a　concourse！〃〃Madame；〃　said　the　old　Duc　de　Brissac；　the　Governor　of　Paris；　〃I　may　tell　you；　without　fear　of　offending　the　Dauphin；　that　they　are　so　many　lovers。〃　　2　The　Dauphin　took　no　umbrage　at　either　acclamations　or　marks　of　homage　of　which　the　Dauphiness　was　the　object。　　The　most　mortifying　indifference；　a　coldness　which　frequently　degenerated　into　rudeness；　were　the　sole　feelings　which　the　young　Prince　then　manifested　towards　her。　　Not　all　her　charms　could　gain　even　upon　his　senses。　　This　estrangement；　which　lasted　a　long　time；　was　said　to　be　the　work　of　the　Duc　de　La　Vauguyon。

The　Dauphiness；　in　fact；　had　no　sincere　friends　at　Court　except　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　and　his　party。　　Will　it　be　credited　that　the　plans　laid　against　Marie　Antoinette　went　so　far　as　divorce？　　I　have　been　assured　of　it　by　persons　holding　high　situations　at　Court；　and　many　circumstances　tend　to　confirm　the　opinion。　　On　the　journey　to　Fontainebleau；　in　the　year　of　the　marriage；　the　inspectors　of　public　buildings　were　gained　over　to　manage　so　that　the　apartment　intended　for　the　Dauphin；　communicating　with　that　of　the　Dauphiness；　should　not　be　finished；　and　a　room　at　the　extremity　of　the　building　was　temporarily　assigned　to　him。　　The　Dauphiness；　aware　that　this　was　the　result　of　intrigue；　had　the　courage　to　complain　of　it　to　Louis　XV。；who；　after　severe　reprimands；　gave　orders　so　positive　that　within　the　week　the　apartment　was　ready。　　Every　method　was　tried　to　continue　or　augment　the　indifference　which　the　Dauphin　long　manifested　towards　his　youthful　spouse。　　She　was　deeply　hurt　at　it；　but　she　never　suffered　herself　to　utter　the　slightest　complaint　on　the　subject。　　Inattention　to；　even　contempt　for；　the　charms　which　she　heard　extolled　on　all　sides；　nothing　induced　her　to　break　silence；　and　some　tears；　which　would　involuntarily　burst　from　her　eyes；　were　the　sole　symptoms　of　her　inward　sufferings　discoverable　by　those　in　her　service。

Once　only；　when　tired　out　with　the　misplaced　remonstrances　of　an　old　lady　attached　to　her　person；　who　wished　to　dissuade　her　from　riding　on　horseback；　under　the　impression　that　it　would　prevent　her　producing　heirs　to　the　crown；　〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　she；　〃in　God's　name；　leave　me　in　peace；　be　assured　that　I　can　put　no　heir　in　danger。〃

The　Dauphiness　found　at　the　Court　of　Louis　XV。；　besides　the　three　Princesses；　the　King's　daughters；　the　Princes　also；　brothers　of　the　Dauphin；　who　were　receiving　their　education；　and　Clotilde　and　Elisabeth；　still　in　the　care　of　Madame　de　Marsan；　governess　of　the　children　of　France。　　The　elder　of　the　two　latter　Princesses；　in　1777；　married　the　Prince　of　Piedmont；　afterwards　King　of　Sardinia。　　This　Princess　was　in　her　infancy；　so　extremely　large　that　the　people　nicknamed　her　'gros　Madame。'

　　　　　＇　Madame　Clotilde　of　France；　a　sister　of　the　King；　was　　　　　　extraordinarily　fat　for　her　height　and　age。　　One　of　her　playf