the memoirs of marie antoinette-第35章

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tures　had　resumed　their　usual　cheerful　and　gracious　appearance。　　She　held　out　her　hand　to　me；　and　said　to　the　Duchess；　〃I　know　I　have　made　her　so　uncomfortable　this　morning　that　I　must　set　her　poor　heart　at　ease。〃　　She　then　added；　〃You　must　have　seen；　on　some　fine　summer's　day；　a　black　cloud　suddenly　appear　and　threaten　to　pour　down　upon　the　country　and　lay　it　waste。　　The　lightest　wind　drives　it　away；　and　the　blue　sky　and　serene　weather　are　restored。　　This　is　just　the　image　of　what　has　happened　to　me　this　morning。〃　　She　afterwards　told　me　that　the　King　would　return　from　Compiegne　after　hunting　there；　and　sup　with　her；　that　I　must　send　for　her　purveyor；　to　select　with　him　from　his　bills　of　fare　all　such　dishes　as　the　King　liked　best；　that　she　would　have　no　others　served　up　in　the　evening　at　her　table；　and　that　this　was　a　mark　of　attention　that　she　wished　the　King　to　notice。　　The　Duchesse　de　Polignac　also　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　told　me　how　happy　she　was　that　she　had　been　with　the　Queen　at　a　moment　when　she　stood　in　need　of　a　friend。　　I　never　knew　what　could　have　created　in　the　Queen　so　lively　and　so　transient　an　alarm；　but　I　guessed　from　the　particular　care　she　took　respecting　the　King　that　attempts　had　been　made　to　irritate　him　against　her；　that　the　malice　of　her　enemies　had　been　promptly　discovered　and　counteracted　by　the　King's　penetration　and　attachment；　and　that　the　Comte　d'Artois　had　hastened　to　bring　her　intelligence　of　it。

It　was；　I　think；　in　the　summer　of　1787；　during　one　of　the　Trianon　excursions；　that　the　Queen　of　Naples＇Caroline；　sister　of　Marie　Antoinette。＇　sent　the　Chevalier　de　Bressac　to　her　Majesty　on　a　secret　mission　relative　to　a　projected　marriage　between　the　Hereditary　Prince；　her　son；　and　Madame；　the　King's　daughter；　in　the　absence　of　the　lady　of　honour　he　addressed　himself　to　me。　　Although　he　said　a　great　deal　to　me　about　the　close　confidence　with　which　the　Queen　of　Naples　honoured　him；　and　about　his　letter　of　credit；　I　thought　he　had　the　air　of　an　adventurer。＇He　afterwards　spent　several　years　shut　up　in　the　Chateau　de　l'Oeuf。＇　　He　had；　indeed；　private　letters　for　the　Queen；　and　his　mission　was　not　feigned；　he　talked　to　me　very　rashly　even　before　his　admission；　and　entreated　me　to　do　all　that　lay　in　my　power　to　dispose　the　Queen's　mind　in　favour　of　his　sovereign's　wishes；　I　declined；　assuring　him　that　it　did　not　become　me　to　meddle　with　State　affairs。　He　endeavoured；　but　in　vain；　to　prove　to　me　that　the　union　contemplated　by　the　Queen　of　Naples　ought　not　to　be　looked　upon　in　that　light。

I　procured　M。　de　Bressac　the　audience　he　desired；　but　without　suffering　myself　even　to　seem　acquainted　with　the　object　of　his　mission。　　The　Queen　told　me　what　it　was；　she　thought　him　a　person　ill…chosen　for　the　occasion；　and　yet　she　thought　that　the　Queen；　her　sister；　had　done　wisely　in　not　sending　a　man　worthy　to　be　avowed；it　being　impossible　that　what　she　solicited　should　take　place。　　I　had　an　opportunity　on　this　occasion；　as　indeed　on　many　others；　of　judging　to　what　extent　the　Queen　valued　and　loved　France　and　the　dignity　of　our　Court。　　She　then　told　me　that　Madame；　in　marrying　her　cousin；　the　Duc　d'Angouleme；　would　not　lose　her　rank　as　daughter　of　the　Queen；　and　that　her　situation　would　be　far　preferable　to　that　of　queen　of　any　other　country；　and　that　there　was　nothing　in　Europe　to　be　compared　to　the　Court　of　France；　and　that　it　would　be　necessary；　in　order　to　avoid　exposing　a　French　Princess　to　feelings　of　deep　regret；　in　case　she　should　be　married　to　a　foreign　prince；　to　take　her　from　the　palace　of　Versailles　at　seven　years　of　age；　and　send　her　immediately　to　the　Court　in　which　she　was　to　dwell；　and　that　at　twelve　would　be　too　late；　for　recollections　and　comparisons　would　ruin　the　happiness　of　all　the　rest　of　her　life。　　The　Queen　looked　upon　the　destiny　of　her　sisters　as　far　beneath　her　own；　and　frequently　mentioned　the　mortifications　inflicted　by　the　Court　of　Spain　upon　her　sister；　the　Queen　of　Naples；　and　the　necessity　she　was　under　of　imploring　the　mediation　of　the　King　of　France。

She　showed　me　several　letters　that　she　had　received　from　the　Queen　of　Naples　relative　to　her　differences　with　the　Court　of　Madrid　respecting　the　Minister　Acton。　　She　thought　him　useful　to　her　people；　inasmuch　as　he　was　a　man　of　considerable　information　and　great　activity。　　In　these　letters　she　minutely　acquainted　her　Majesty　with　the　nature　of　the　affronts　she　had　received；　and　represented　Mr。　Acton　to　her　as　a　man　whom　malevolence　itself　could　not　suppose　capable　of　interesting　her　otherwise　than　by　his　services。　　She　had　had　to　suffer　the　impertinences　of　a　Spaniard　named　Las　Casas；　who　had　been　sent　to　her　by　the　King；　her　father…in…law；　to　persuade　her　to　dismiss　Mr。　Acton　from　the　business　of　the　State；　and　from　her　intimacy。　　She　complained　bitterly　to　the　Queen；　her　sister；　of　the　insulting　proceedings　of　this　charge　d'affaires；　whom　she　told；　in　order　to　convince　him　of　the　nature　of　the　feelings　which　attached　her　to　Mr。　Acton；　that　she　would　have　portraits　and　busts　of　him　executed　by　the　most　eminent　artists　of　Italy；　and　that　she　would　then　send　them　to　the　King　of　Spain；　to　prove　that　nothing　but　the　desire　to　retain　a　man　of　superior　capacity　had　induced　her　to　bestow　on　him　the　favour　he　enjoyed。　　This　Las　Casas　dared　to　answer　her　that　it　would　be　useless　trouble；　that　the　ugliness　of　a　man　did　not　always　render　him　displeasing；　and　that　the　King　of　Spain　had　too　much　experience　not　to　know　that　there　was　no　accounting　for　the　caprices　of　a　woman。

This　audacious　reply　filled　the　Queen　of　Naples　with　indignation；　and　her　emotion　caused　her　to　miscarry　on　the　same　day。　　In　consequence　of　the　mediation　of　Louis　XVI。　the　Queen　of　Naples　obtained　complete　satisfaction；　and　Mr。　Acton　continued　Prime　Minister。

Among　the　characteristics　which　denoted　the　goodness　of　the　Queen；　her　respect　for　personal　liberty　should　have　a　place。　　I　have　seen　her　put　up　with　the　most　troublesome　importunities　from　people　whose　minds　were　deranged　rather　than　have　them　arrested。　　Her　patient　kindness　was　put　to　a　very　disagreeable　trial　by　an　ex…councillor　of　the　Bordeaux　Parliament；　named　Castelnaux；　this　man　declared　himself　the　lover　of　the　Queen；　and　was　generally　known　by　that　appellation。　　For　ten　successive　years　did　he　follow　the　Court　in　all　its　excursions。　　Pale　and　wan；　as　people　who　are　out　of　their　senses　usually　are；　his　sinister　appearance　occasioned　the　most　uncomfortable　sensations。　　During　the　two　hours　that　the　Queen's　public　card　parties　lasted；　he　would　remain　opposite　her　Majesty。　　He　placed　himself　in　the　same　manner　before　her　at　chapel；　and　never　failed　to　be　at　the　King's　dinner　or　the　dinner　in　public。　　At　the　theatre　he　invariably　seated　himself　as　near　the　Queen's　box　as　possible。　　He　always　set　off　for　Fontainebleau　or　St。　Cloud　the　day　before　the　Court；　and　when　her　Majesty　arrived　at　her　various　residences；　the　first　person　she　met　on　getting　out　of　her　carriage　was　this　melancholy　madman；　who　never　spoke　to　any　one。　　When　the　Queen　stayed　at　Petit　Trianon　the　passion　of　this　unhappy　man　became　still　more　annoying。　　He　would　hastily　swallow　a　morsel　at　some　eating…house；　and　spend　all　the　rest　of　the　day；　even　when　it　rained；　in　going　round　and　round　the　garden；　always　walking　at　the　edge　of　the　moat。　　The　Queen　frequently　met　him　when　she　was　either　alone　or　with　her　children；　and　yet　she　would　not　suffer　any　violence　to　be　used　to　relieve　her　from　this　intolerable　annoyance。　　Having　one　day　given　M。　de　Seze　permission　to　enter　Trianon；　she　sent　to　desire　he　would　come　to　me；　and　directed　me　to　inform　that　celebrated　advocate　of　M。　de　Castelnaux's　derangement；　and　then　to　send　for　him　that　M。　de　Seze　might　have　some　conversation　with　him。　　He　talked　to　him　nearly　an　hour；　and　made　considerable　impression　upon　his　mind；　and　at　last　M。　de　Castelnaux　requested　me　to　inform　the　Queen　positively　that；　since　his　presence　was　disagreeable　to　her；　he　would　retire　to　his　province。　　The　Queen　was　very　much　rejoiced；　and　desired　me　to　express　her　full　satisfaction　to　M。　de　Seze。　　Half　an　hour　after　M。　de　Seze　was　gone　the　unhappy　madman　was　announced。　　He　came　to　tell　me　that　he　withdrew　his　promise；　that　he　had　not　sufficient　command　of　himself　to　give　up　seeing　the　Queen　as　often　as　possible。　　This　new　determination：　was　a　disagreeable　message　to　take　to　her　Majesty　but　how　was　I　affected　at　hearing　her　say；　〃Well；　let　him　annoy　me！　　but　do　not　let　him　be　deprived　of　the　blessing　of　freedom。〃

　　　　　＇On　the　arrest　of　the　King　and　Queen　at　Varennes；　this　unfortunate　　　　　　Castelnaux　attempted　to　starve　himself　to　death。　　The　people　in　　　　　　whose　house　he　lived；　becoming　uneasy　at　his　absence；　had　the　door　　　　　　of　his　room　forced　open；　when　he　was　found　stretched　senseless　on　　　　　　the　floor。　　I　do　not　know　what　became　of　him　after　the　10th　of　　　　　　August。MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

The　direct　influence　of　the　Queen　on　affairs　during　the　earlier　years　of　the　reign　was　shown　only　in　her　exertions　to　obtain　from　the　King　a　revision　of　the　decrees　in　two　celebrated　causes。　　It　was　contrary　to　her　principles　to　interfere　in　matters　of　justice；　and　never　did　she　avail　herself　of　her　influence　to　bias　the　tribunals。　　The　Duchesse　de　Praslin；　through　a　criminal　caprice；　carried　her　enmity　to　her　husband　so　far　as　to　disinherit　her　children　in　favour　of　the　family　of　M。　de　Guemenee。　The　Duchesse　de　Choiseul；　who；　was　warmly　interested　in　this　affair；　one　day　entreated　the　Queen；　in　my　presence；　at　least　to　condescend　to　ask　the　first　president　when　the　cause　would　be　called　on；　the　Queen　replied　that　she　could　not　even　do　that；　for　it　would　manifest　an　interest　which　it　was　her　duty　not　to　show。

If　the　King　had　not　inspired　the　Queen　with　a　lively　feeling　of　love；　it　is　quite　certain　that　she　yielded　him　respect　and　affection　for　the　goodness　of　his　disposition　and　the　equity　of　which　he　gave　so　many　proofs　throughout　his　reign。　　One　evening　she　returned　very　late；　she　came　out　of　the　King's　closet；　and　said　to　M。　de　Misery　and　myself；　drying　her　eyes；　which　were　filled　with　tears；　〃You　see　me　weeping；　but　do　not　be　uneasy　at　it：　these　are　the　sweetest　tears　that　a　wife　can　shed；　they　are　caused　by　the　impression　which　the　justice　and　goodness　of　the　King　have　made　upon　me；　he　has　just　complied　with　my　request　for　a　revision　of　the　proceedings　against　Messieurs　de　Bellegarde　and　de　Monthieu；　victims　of　the　Duc　d'Aiguillon's　hatred　to　the　Duc　de　Choiseul。　He　has　been　equally　just　to　the　Duc　de　Guines　in　his　affair　with　Tort。　It　is　a　happy　thing　for　a　queen　to　be　able　to　admire　and　esteem　him　who　has　admitted　her　to　a　participation　of　his　throne；　and　as　to　you；　I　congratulate　you　upon　your　having　to　live　under　the　sceptre　of　so　virtuous　a　sovereign。〃

The　Queen　laid　before　the　King　all　the　memorials　of　the　Duc　de　Guines；　who；　during　his　embassy　to　England；　was　involved　in　difficulties　by　a　secretary；　who　speculated　in　the　public　funds　in　London　on　his　own　account；　but　in　such　a　manner　as　to　throw　a　suspicion　of　it　on　the　ambassador。　　Messieurs　de　Vergennes　and　Turgot；　bearing　but　little　good…　will　to　the　Duc　de　Guines；　who　was　the　friend　of　the　Duc　de　Choiseul；　were　not　disposed　to　render　the　ambassador　any　service。　　The　Queen　succeeded　in　fixin