the memoirs of marie antoinette-第3章

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t　rid　of　it　by　the　use　of　extract　of　lead；　which　proved　effectual；　but　from　that　time　the　Dauphin；　who　was　corpulent；　insensibly　grew　thin；　and　a　short；　dry　cough　evinced　that　the　humour；　driven　in；　had　fallen　on　the　lungs。　　Some　persons　also　suspected　him　of　having　taken　acids　in　too　great　a　quantity　for　the　purpose　of　reducing　his　bulk。　　The　state　of　his　health　was　not；　however；　such　as　to　excite　alarm。　　At　the　camp　at　Compiegne；　in　July；　1764；　the　Dauphin　reviewed　the　troops；　and　evinced　much　activity　in　the　performance　of　his　duties；　it　was　even　observed　that　he　was　seeking　to　gain　the　attachment　of　the　army。　　He　presented　the　Dauphiness　to　the　soldiers；　saying；　with　a　simplicity　which　at　that　time　made　a　great　sensation；　'Mes　enfans；　here　is　my　wife。'　　Returning　late　on　horseback　to　Compiegne；　he　found　he　had　taken　a　chill；　the　heat　of　the　day　had　been　excessive；　the　Prince's　clothes　had　been　wet　with　perspiration。　　An　illness　followed；　in　which　the　Prince　began　to　spit　blood。　　His　principal　physician　wished　to　have　him　bled；　the　consulting　physicians　insisted　on　purgation；　and　their　advice　was　followed。　　The　pleurisy；　being　ill　cured；　assumed　and　retained　all　the　symptoms　of　consumption；　the　Dauphin　languished　from　that　period　until　December；　1765；　and　died　at　Fontainebleau；　where　the　Court；　on　account　of　his　condition；　had　prolonged　its　stay；　which　usually　ended　on　the　2d　of　November。

〃The　Dauphiness；　his　widow；　was　deeply　afflicted；　but　the　immoderate　despair　which　characterised　her　grief　induced　many　to　suspect　that　the　loss　of　the　crown　was　an　important　part　of　the　calamity　she　lamented。　She　long　refused　to　eat　enough　to　support　life；　she　encouraged　her　tears　to　flow　by　placing　portraits　of　the　Dauphin　in　every　retired　part　of　her　apartments。　　She　had　him　represented　pale；　and　ready　to　expire；　in　a　picture　placed　at　the　foot　of　her　bed；　under　draperies　of　gray　cloth；　with　which　the　chambers　of　the　Princesses　were　always　hung　in　court　mournings。　　Their　grand　cabinet　was　hung　with　black　cloth；　with　an　alcove；　a　canopy；　and　a　throne；　on　which　they　received　compliments　of　condolence　after　the　first　period　of　the　deep　mourning。　　The　Dauphiness；　some　months　before　the　end　of　her　career；　regretted　her　conduct　in　abridging　it；　but　it　was　too　late；　the　fatal　blow　had　been　struck。　　It　may　also　be　presumed　that　living　with　a　consumptive；　man　had　contributed　to　her　complaint。　　This　Princess　had　no　opportunity　of　displaying　her　qualities；　living　in　a　Court　in　which　she　was　eclipsed　by　the　King　and　Queen；　the　only　characteristics　that　could　be　remarked　in　her　were　her　extreme　attachment　to　her　husband；　and　her　great　piety。

〃The　Dauphin　was　little　known；　and　his　character　has　been　much　mistaken。　He　himself；　as　he　confessed　to　his　intimate　friends；　sought　to　disguise　it。　　He　one　day　asked　one　of　his　most　familiar　servants；　'What　do　they　say　in　Paris　of　that　great　fool　of　a　Dauphin？'　The　person　interrogated　seeming　confused；　the　Dauphin　urged　him　to　express　himself　sincerely；　saying；　'Speak　freely；　that　is　positively　the　idea　which　I　wish　people　to　form　of　me。'

〃As　he　died　of　a　disease　which　allows　the　last　moment　to　be　anticipated　long　beforehand；　he　wrote　much；　and　transmitted　his　affections　and　his　prejudices　to　his　son　by　secret　notes。

〃Madame　de　Pompadour's　brother　received　Letters　of　Nobility　from　his　Majesty；　and　was　appointed　superintendent　of　the　buildings　and　gardens。　He　often　presented　to　her　Majesty；　through　the　medium　of　his　sister；　the　rarest　flowers；　pineapples；　and　early　vegetables　from　the　gardens　of　Trianon　and　Choisy。　　One　day；　when　the　Marquise　came　into　the　Queen's　apartments；　carrying　a　large　basket　of　flowers；　which　she　held　in　her　two　beautiful　arms；　without　gloves；　as　a　mark　of　respect；　the　Queen　loudly　declared　her　admiration　of　her　beauty；　and　seemed　as　if　she　wished　to　defend　the　King's　choice；　by　praising　her　various　charms　in　detail；　in　a　manner　that　would　have　been　as　suitable　to　a　production　of　the　fine　arts　as　to　a　living　being。　　After　applauding　the　complexion；　eyes；　and　fine　arms　of　the　favourite；　with　that　haughty　condescension　which　renders　approbation　more　offensive　than　flattering；　the　Queen　at　length　requested　her　to　sing；　in　the　attitude　in　which　she　stood；　being　desirous　of　hearing　the　voice　and　musical　talent　by　which　the　King's　Court　had　been　charmed　in　the　performances　of　the　private　apartments；　and　thus　combining　the　gratification　of　the　ears　with　that　of　the　eyes。　　The　Marquise；　who　still　held　her　enormous　basket；　was　perfectly　sensible　of　something　offensive　in　this　request；　and　tried　to　excuse　herself　from　singing。　　The　Queen　at　last　commanded　her；　she　then　exerted　her　fine　voice　in　the　solo　of　Armida'At　length　he　is　in　my　power。'　The　change　in　her　Majesty's　countenance　was　so　obvious　that　the　ladies　present　at　this　scene　had　the　greatest　difficulty　to　keep　theirs。

〃The　Queen　was　affable　and　modest；　but　the　more　she　was　thankful　in　her　heart　to　Heaven　for　having　placed　her　on　the　first　throne　in　Europe；　the　more　unwilling　she　was　to　be　reminded　of　her　elevation。　　This　sentiment　induced　her　to　insist　on　the　observation　of　all　the　forms　of　respect　due　to　royal　birth；　whereas　in　other　princes　the　consciousness　of　that　birth　often　induces　them　to　disdain　the　ceremonies　of　etiquette；　and　to　prefer　habits　of　ease　and　simplicity。　　There　was　a　striking　contrast　in　this　respect　between　Maria　Leczinska　and　Marie　Antoinette；　as　has　been　justly　and　generally　observed。　　The　latter　unfortunate　Queen；　perhaps；　carried　her　disregard　of　everything　belonging　to　the　strict　forms　of　etiquette　too　far。　　One　day；　when　the　Marechale　de　Mouchy　was　teasing　her　with　questions　relative　to　the　extent　to　which　she　would　allow　the　ladies　the　option　of　taking　off　or　wearing　their　cloaks；　and　of　pinning　up　the　lappets　of　their　caps；　or　letting　them　hang　down；　the　Queen　replied　to　her；　in　my　presence：　'Arrange　all　those　matters；　madame；　just　as　you　please；　but　do　not　imagine　that　a　queen；　born　Archduchess　of　Austria；　can　attach　that　importance　to　them　which　might　be　felt　by　a　Polish　princess　who　had　become　Queen　of　France。'

〃The　virtues　and　information　of　the　great　are　always　evinced　by　their　conduct；　their　accomplishments；　coming　within　the　scope　of　flattery；　are　difficult　to　be　ascertained　by　any　authentic　proofs；　and　those　who　have　lived　near　them　may　be　excused　for　some　degree　of　scepticism　with　regard　to　their　attainments　of　this　kind。　　If　they　draw　or　paint；　there　is　always　an　able　artist　present；　who；　if　he　does　not　absolutely　guide　the　pencil　with　his　own　hand；　directs　it　by　his　advice。　　If　a　princess　attempt　a　piece　of　embroidery　in　colours；　of　that　description　which　ranks　amongst　the　productions　of　the　arts；　a　skilful　embroideress　is　employed　to　undo　and　repair　whatever　has　been　spoilt。　　If　the　princess　be　a　musician；　there　are　no　ears　that　will　discover　when　she　is　out　of　tune；　at　least　there　is　no　tongue　that　will　tell　her　so。　　This　imperfection　in　the　accomplishments　of　the　great　is　but　a　slight　misfortune。　　It　is　sufficiently　meritorious　in　them　to　engage　in　such　pursuits；　even　with　indifferent　success；　because　this　taste　and　the　protection　it　extends　produce　abundance　of　talent　on　every　side。　　Maria　Leczinska　delighted　in　the　art　of　painting；　and　imagined　she　herself　could　draw　and　paint。　　She　had　a　drawing…master；　who　passed　all　his　time　in　her　cabinet。　　She　undertook　to　paint　four　large　Chinese　pictures；　with　which　she　wished　to　ornament　her　private　drawing…room；　which　was　richly　furnished　with　rare　porcelain　and　the　finest　marbles。　　This　painter　was　entrusted　with　the　landscape　and　background　of　the　pictures；　he　drew　the　figures　with　a　pencil；　the　faces　and　arms　were　also　left　by　the　Queen　to　his　execution；　she　reserved　to　herself　nothing　but　the　draperies；　and　the　least　important　accessories。　　The　Queen　every　morning　filled　up　the　outline　marked　out　for　her；　with　a　little　red；　blue；　or　green　colour；　which　the　master　prepared　on　the　palette；　and　even　filled　her　brush　with；　constantly　repeating；　'Higher　up；　Madamelower　down；　Madamea　little　to　the　rightmore　to　the　left。'　After　an　hour's　work；　the　time　for　hearing　mass；　or　some　other　family　or　pious　duty；　would　interrupt　her　Majesty；　and　the　painter；　putting　the　shadows　into　the　draperies　she　had　painted；　softening　off　the　colour　where　she　had　laid　too　much；　etc。；　finished　the　small　figures。　　When　the　work　was　completed　the　private　drawing…room　was　decorated　with　her　Majesty's　work；　and　the　firm　persuasion　of　this　good　Queen　that　she　had　painted　it　herself　was　so　entire　that　she　left　this　cabinet；　with　all　its　furniture　and　paintings；　to　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles；　her　lady　of　honour。　　She　added　to　the　bequest：　'The　pictures　in　my　cabinet　being　my　own　work；　I　hope　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles　will　preserve　them　for　my　sake。'　　Madame　de　Noailles；　afterwards　Marechale　de　Mouchy；　had　a　new　pavilion　constructed　in　her　hotel　in　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　in　order　to　form　a　suitable　receptacle　for　the　Queen's　legacy；　and　had　the　following　inscription　placed　over　the　door；　in　letters　of　gold：　'The　innocent　falsehood　of　a　good　princess。'

〃Maria　Leczinska　could　never　look　with　cordiality　on　the　Princess　of　Saxony；　who　married　the　Dauphin；　but　the　attentive　behaviour　of　the　Dauphiness　at　length　made　her　Majesty　forget　that　the　Princess　was　the　daughter　of　a　king　who　wore　her　father's　crown。　　Nevertheless；　although　the　Queen　now　saw　in　the　Princess　of　Saxony　only　a　wife　beloved　by　her　son；　she　never　could　forget　that　Augustus　wore　the　crown　of　Stanislaus。　One　day　an　officer　of　her　chamber　having　undertaken　to　ask　a　private　audience　of　her　for　the　Saxon　minister；　and　the　Queen　being　unwilling　to　grant　it；　he　ventured　to　add　that　he　should　not　have　presumed　to　ask　this　favour　of　the　Queen　had　not　the　minister　been　the　ambassador　of　a　member　of　the　family。　　'Say　of　an　enemy　of　the　family；'　replied　the　Queen；　angrily；　'and　let　him　come　in。'

〃Comte　de　Tesse；　father　of　the　last　Count　of　that　name；　who　left　no　children；　was　first　equerry　to　Queen　Maria　Leczinska。　　She　esteemed　his　virtues；　but　often　diverted　herself　at　the　expense　of　his　simplicity。　One　day；　when　the　conversation　turned　on　the　noble　military；　actions　by　which　the　French　nobility　was　distinguished；　the　Queen　said　to　the　Count：　'And　your　family；　M。　de　Tesse；　has　been　famous；　too；　in　the　field。'　'Ah；　Madame；　we　have　all　been　killed　in　our　masters'　service！''How　rejoiced　I　am；'　replied　the　Queen；　'that　you　have　revived　to　tell　me　of　it。'　　The　son　of　this　worthy　M。　de　Tesse　was　married　to　the　amiable　and　highly　gifted　daughter　of　the　Duc　d'Ayen；　afterwards　Marechale　de　Noailles。　　He　was　exceedingly　fond　of　his　daughter…in…law；　and　never　could　speak　of　her　without　emotion。　　The　Queen；　to　please　him；　often　talked　to　him　about　the　young　Countess；　and　one　day　asked　him　which　of　her　good　qualities　seemed　to　him　most　conspicuous。　　'Her　gentleness；　Madame；　her　gentleness；'　said　he；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　'she　is　so　mild；　so　soft；as　soft　as　a　good　carriage。''Well；'　said　her　Majesty；　'that's　an　excellent　comparison　for　a　first　equerry。'

〃In　1730　Queen　Maria　Leczinska；　going　to　mass；　met　old　Marechal　Villars；　leaning　on　a　wooden　crutch　not　worth　fifteen　pence。　　She　rallied　him　about　it；　and　the　Marshal　told　her　that　h