the memoirs of marie antoinette-第28章

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　precepts　of　the　economists　into　execution；　and　trusted　that　in　so　doing　he　was　labouring　for　the　welfare　of　his　people。　　The　King　of　Naples　suffered　him　to　go　on　speaking　for　a　long　time；　and　then　casually　asked　how　many　Neapolitan　families　there　were　in　Tuscany。　　The　Duke　soon　reckoned　them　up；　as　they　were　but　few。　　〃Well；　brother；〃　replied　the　King　of　Naples；　〃I　do　not　understand　the　indifference　of　your　people　towards　your　great　reforms；　for　I　have　four　times　the　number　of　Tuscan　families　settled　in　my　States　that　you　have　of　Neapolitan　families　in　yours。〃

The　Queen　being　at　the　Opera　with　the　Emperor；　the　latter　did　not　wish　to　show　himself；　but　she　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　gently　drew　him　to　the　front　of　the　box。　　This　kind　of　presentation　to　the　public　was　most　warmly　received。　　The　performance　was　〃Iphigenia　in　Aulis；〃　and　for　the　second　time。　　the　chorus；　〃Chantons；　celebrons　notre　Reine！〃　was　called　for　with　universal　plaudits。

A　fete　of　a　novel　description　was　given　at　Petit　Trianon。　　The　art　with　which　the　English　garden　was　not　illuminated；　but　lighted；　produced　a　charming　effect。　　Earthen　lamps；　concealed　by　boards　painted　green；　threw　light　upon　the　beds　of　shrubs　and　flowers；　and　brought　out　their　varied　tints。　　Several　hundred　burning　fagots　in　the　moat　behind　the　Temple　of　Love　made　a　blaze　of　light；　which　rendered　that　spot　the　most　brilliant　in　the　garden。　　After　all；　this　evening's　entertainment　had　nothing　remarkable　about　it　but　the　good　taste　of　the　artists；　yet　it　was　much　talked　of。　　The　situation　did　not　allow　the　admission　of　a　great　part　of　the　Court；　those　who　were　uninvited　were　dissatisfied；　and　the　people；　who　never　forgive　any　fetes　but　those　they　share　in；　so　exaggerated　the　cost　of　this　little　fete　as　to　make　it　appear　that　the　fagots　burnt　in　the　moat　had　required　the　destruction　of　a　whole　forest。　　The　Queen　being　informed　of　these　reports；　was　determined　to　know　exactly　how　much　wood　had　been　consumed；　and　she　found　that　fifteen　hundred　fagots　had　sufficed　to　keep　up　the　fire　until　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。

After　staying　a　few　months　the　Emperor　left　France；　promising　his　sister　to　come　and　see　her　again。　　All　the　officers　of　the　Queen's　chamber　had　many　opportunities　of　serving　him　during　his　stay；　and　expected　that　he　would　make　them　presents　before　his　departure。　　Their　oath　of　office　positively　forbade　them　to　receive　a　gift　from　any　foreign　prince；　they　had　therefore　agreed　to　refuse　the　Emperor's　presents　at　first；　but　to　ask　the　time　necessary　for　obtaining　permission　to　accept　them。　　The　Emperor；　probably　informed　of　this　custom；　relieved　the　good　people　from　their　difficulty　by　setting　off　without　making　a　single　present。

About　the　latter　end　of　1777　the　Queen；　being　alone　in　her　closet；　sent　for　my　father…in…law　and　myself；　and；　giving　us　her　hand　to　kiss；　told　us　that；　looking　upon　us　both　as　persons　deeply　interested　in　her　happiness；　she　wished　to　receive　our　congratulations；that　at　length　she　was　the　Queen　of　France；　and　that　she　hoped　soon　to　have　children；　that　till　now　she　had　concealed　her　grief；　but　that　she　had　shed　many　tears　in　secret。

Dating　from　this　happy　but　long…delayed　moment；　the　King's　attachment　to　the　Queen　assumed　every　characteristic　of　love。　　The　good　Lassone；　first　physician　to　the　King　and　Queen；　frequently　spoke　to　me　of　the　uneasiness　that　the　King's　indifference；　the　cause　of　which　he　had　been　so　long　in　overcoming；　had　given　him；　and　appeared　to　me　at　that　time　to　entertain　no　anxiety　except　of　a　very　different　description。

In　the　winter　of　1778　the　King's　permission　for　the　return　of　Voltaire；　after　an　absence　of　twenty…seven　years；　was　obtained。　　A　few　strict　persons　considered　this　concession　on　the　part　of　the　Court　very　injudicious。　　The　Emperor；　on　leaving　France；　passed　by　the　Chateau　of　Ferney　without　stopping　there。　　He　had　advised　the　Queen　not　to　suffer　Voltaire　to　be　presented　to　her。　　A　lady　belonging　to　the　Court　learned　the　Emperor's　opinion　on　that　point；　and　reproached　him　with　his　want　of　enthusiasm　towards　the　greatest　genius　of　the　age。　　He　replied　that　for　the　good　of　the　people　he　should　always　endeavour　to　profit　by　the　knowledge　of　the　philosophers；　but　that　his　own　business　of　sovereign　would　always　prevent　his　ranking　himself　amongst　that　sect。　　The　clergy　also　took　steps　to　hinder　Voltaire's　appearance　at　Court。　　Paris；　however；　carried　to　the　highest　pitch　the　honours　and　enthusiasm　shown　to　the　great　poet。

It　was　very　unwise　to　let　Paris　pronounce　with　such　transport　an　opinion　so　opposite　to　that　of　the　Court。　　This　was　pointed　out　to　the　Queen；　and　she　was　told　that；　without　conferring　on　Voltaire　the　honour　of　a　presentation；　she　might　see　him　in　the　State　apartments。　　She　was　not　averse　to　following　this　advice；　and　appeared　embarrassed　solely　about　what　she　should　say　to　him。　　She　was　recommended　to　talk　about　nothing　but　the　〃Henriade；〃　〃Merope；〃　and　〃Zaira。〃　　The　Queen　replied　that　she　would　still　consult　a　few　other　persons　in　whom　she　had　great　confidence。　The　next　day　she　announced　that　it　was　irrevocably　decided　Voltaire　should　not　see　any　member　of　the　royal　family；his　writings　being　too　antagonistic　to　religion　and　morals。　　〃It　is；　however；　strange；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃that　while　we　refuse　to　admit　Voltaire　into　our　presence　as　the　leader　of　philosophical　writers；　the　Marechale　de　Mouchy　should　have　presented　to　me　some　years　ago　Madame　Geoffrin；　who　owed　her　celebrity　to　the　title　of　foster…mother　of　the　philosophers。〃

On　the　occasion　of　the　duel　of　the　Comte　d'Artois　with　the　Prince　de　Bourbon　the　Queen　determined　privately　to　see　the　Baron　de　Besenval；　who　was　to　be　one　of　the　witnesses；　in　order　to　communicate　the　King's　intentions。　　I　have　read　with　infinite　pain　the　manner　in　which　that　simple　fact　is　perverted　in　the　first　volume　of　M。　de　Besenval's　〃Memoirs。〃　　He　is　right　in　saying　that　M。　Campan　led　him　through　the　upper　corridors　of　the　Chateau；　and　introduced　him　into　an　apartment　unknown　to　him；　but　the　air　of　romance　given　to　the　interview　is　equally　culpable　and　ridiculous。　　M。　de　Besenval　says　that　he　found　himself；　without　knowing　how　he　came　there；　in　an　apartment　unadorned；　but　very　conveniently　furnished；　of　the　existence　of　which　he　was　till　then　utterly　ignorant。　　He　was　astonished；　he　adds；　not　that　the　Queen　should　have　so　many　facilities；　but　that　she　should　have　ventured　to　procure　them。　　Ten　printed　sheets　of　the　woman　Lamotte's　libels　contain　nothing　so　injurious　to　the　character　of　Marie　Antoinette　as　these　lines；　written　by　a　man　whom　she　honoured　by　undeserved　kindness。　　He　could　not　have　had　any　opportunity　of　knowing　the　existence　of　the　apartments；　which　consisted　of　a　very　small　antechamber；　a　bedchamber；　and　a　closet。　　Ever　since　the　Queen　had　occupied　her　own　apartment；　these　had　been　appropriated　to　her　Majesty's　lady　of　honour　in　cases　of　illness；　and　were　actually　so　used　when　the　Queen　was　confined。　　It　was　so　important　that　it　should　not　be　known　the　Queen　had　spoken　to　the　Baron　before　the　duel　that　she　had　determined　to　go　through　her　inner　room　into　this　little　apartment；　to　which　M。　Campan　was　to　conduct　him。　　When　men　write　of　recent　times　they　should　be　scrupulously　exact；　and　not　indulge　in　exaggerations　or　inventions。

The　Baron　de　Besenval　appears　mightily　surprised　at　the　Queen's　sudden　coolness；　and　refers　it　to　the　fickleness　of　her　disposition。　　I　can　explain　the　reason　for　the　change　by　repeating　what　her　Majesty　said　to　me　at　the　time；　and　I　will　not　alter　one　of　her　expressions。　　Speaking　of　the　strange　presumption　of　men；　and　the　reserve　with　which　women　ought　always　to　treat　them；　the　Queen　added　that　age　did　not　deprive　them　of　the　hope　of　pleasing；　if　they　retained　any　agreeable　qualities；　that　she　had　treated　the　Baron　de　Besenval　as　a　brave　Swiss；　agreeable；　polished；　and　witty；　whose　gray　hairs　had　induced　her　to　look　upon　him　as　a　man　whom　she　might　see　without　harm；　but　that　she　had　been　much　deceived。　Her　Majesty；　after　having　enjoined　me　to　the　strictest　secrecy；　told　me　that；　finding　herself　alone　with　the　Baron；　he　began　to　address　her　with　so　much　gallantry　that　she　was　thrown　into　the　utmost　astonishment；　and　that　he　was　mad　enough　to　fall　upon　his　knees；　and　make　her　a　declaration　in　form。　　The　Queen　added　that　she　said　to　him：　〃Rise；　monsieur；　the　King　shall　be　ignorant　of　an　offence　which　would　disgrace　you　for　ever；〃　that　the　Baron　grew　pale　and　stammered　apologies；　that　she　left　her　closet　without　saying　another　word；　and　that　since　that　time　she　hardly　ever　spoke　to　him。　　〃It　is　delightful　to　have　friends；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃but　in　a　situation　like　mine　it　is　sometimes　difficult　for　the　friends　of　our　friends　to　suit　us。〃

In　the　beginning　of　the　year　1778　Mademoiselle　d'Eon　obtained　permission　to　return　to　France；　on　condition　that　she　should　appear　there　in　female　dress。　　The　Comte　de　Vergennes　entreated　my　father；　M。　Genet；　chief　clerk　of　Foreign　Affairs；　who　had　long　known　the　Chevalier　d'Eon；　to　receive　that　strange　personage　at　his　house；　to　guide　and　restrain；　if　possible；　her　ardent　disposition。　　The　Queen；　on　learning　her　arrival　at　Versailles；　sent　a　footman　to　desire　my　father　to　bring　her　into　her　presence；　my　father　thought　it　his　duty　first　to　inform　the　Minister　of　her　Majesty's　wish。　　The　Comte　de　Vergennes　expressed　himself　pleased　with　my　father's　prudence；　and　desired　that　he　would　accompany　him　to　the　Queen。　　The　Minister　had　a　few　minutes'　audience；　her　Majesty　came　out　of　her　closet　with　him；　and　condescended　to　express　to　my　father　the　regret　she　felt　at　having　troubled　him　to　no　purpose；　and　added；　smiling；　that　a　few　words　from　M。　de　Vergennes　had　for　ever　cured　her　of　her　curiosity。　The　discovery　in　London　of　the　true　sex　of　this　pretended　woman　makes　it　probable　that　the　few　words　uttered　by　the　Minister　contained　a　solution　of　the　enigma。

The　Chevalier　d'Eon　had　been　useful　in　Russia　as　a　spy　of　Louis　XV。　while　very　young　he　had　found　means　to　introduce　himself　at　the　Court　of　the　Empress　Elizabeth；　and　served　that　sovereign　in　the　capacity　of　reader。　　Resuming　afterwards　his　military　dress；　he　served　with　honour　and　was　wounded。　　Appointed　chief　secretary　of　legation；　and　afterwards　minister　plenipotentiary　at　London；　he　unpardonably　insulted　Comte　de　Guerchy；　the　ambassador。　　The　official　order　for　the　Chevalier's　return　to　France　was　actually　delivered　to　the　King's　Council；　but　Louis　XV。　delayed　the　departure　of　the　courier　who　was　to　be　its　bearer；　and　sent　off　another　courier　privately；　who　gave　the　Chevalier　d'Eon　a　letter　in　his　own　writing；　in　which　he　said；　〃I　know　that　you　have　served　me　as　effectually　in　the　dress　of　a　woman　as　in　that　which　you　now　wear。　Resume　it　instantly；　withdraw　into　the　city；　I　warn　you　that　the　King　yesterday　signed　an　order　for　your　return　to　France；　you　are　not　safe　in　your　hotel；　and　you　would　here　find　too　powerful　enemies。〃　　I　heard　the　Chevalier　d'Eon　repeat　the　contents　of　this　letter；　in　which　Louis　XV。　thus　separated　himself　from　the　King　of　France；　several　times　at　my　father's。　　The　Chevalier；　or　rather　the　Chevalaere　d'Eon　had　preserved　all　the　King's　letters。　　Messieurs　de　Maurepas　and　de　Vergennes　wished　to　get　them　out　of　his　hands；　as　they