the memoirs of marie antoinette-第36章

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c　de　Choiseul；　were　not　disposed　to　render　the　ambassador　any　service。　　The　Queen　succeeded　in　fixing　the　King's　particular　attention　on　this　affair；　and　the　innocence　of　the　Duc　de　Guines　triumphed　through　the　equity　of　Louis　XVI。

An　incessant　underhand　war　was　carried　on　between　the　friends　and　partisans　of　M。　de　Choiseul；　who　were　called　the　Austrians；　and　those　who　sided　with　Messieurs　d'Aiguillon；　de　Maurepas；　and　de　Vergennes；　who；　for　the　same　reason；　kept　up　the　intrigues　carried　on　at　Court　and　in　Paris　against　the　Queen。　　Marie　Antoinette；　on　her　part；　supported　those　who　had　suffered　in　this　political　quarrel；　and　it　was　this　feeling　which　led　her　to　ask　for　a　revision　of　the　proceedings　against　Messieurs　de　Bellegarde　and　de　Monthieu。　　The　first；　a　colonel　and　inspector　of　artillery；　and　the　second；　proprietor　of　a　foundry　at　St。　Etienne；　were；　under　the　Ministry　of　the　Duc　d'Aiguillon；　condemned　to　imprisonment　for　twenty　years　and　a　day　for　having　withdrawn　from　the　arsenals　of　France；　by　order　of　the　Duc　de　Choiseul；　a　vast　number　of　muskets；　as　being　of　no　value　except　as　old　iron；　while　in　point　of　fact　the　greater　part　of　those　muskets　were　immediately　embarked　and　sold　to　the　Americans。　　It　appears　that　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　imparted　to　the　Queen；　as　grounds　of　defence　for　the　accused；　the　political　views　which　led　him　to　authorise　that　reduction　and　sale　in　the　manner　in　which　it　had　been　executed。　　It　rendered　the　case　of　Messieurs　de　Bellegarde　and　de　Monthieu　more　unfavourable　that　the　artillery　officer　who　made　the　reduction　in　the　capacity　of　inspector　was；　through　a　clandestine　marriage；　brother…in…law　of　the　owner　of　the　foundry；　the　purchaser　of　the　rejected　arms。　　The　innocence　of　the　two　prisoners　was；　nevertheless；　made　apparent；　and　they　came　to　Versailles　with　their　wives　and　children　to　throw　themselves　at　the　feet　of　their　benefactress。　　This　affecting　scene　took　place　in　the　grand　gallery；　at　the　entrance　to　the　Queen's　apartment。　　She　wished　to　restrain　the　women　from　kneeling；　saying　that　they　had　only　had　justice　done　them；　and　that　she　ought　to　be　congratulated　upon　the　most　substantial　happiness　attendant　upon　her　station；　that　of　laying　just　appeals　before　the　King。

On　every　occasion；　when　the　Queen　had　to　speak　in　public；　she　used　the　most　appropriate　and　elegant　language；　notwithstanding　the　difficulty　a　foreigner　might　be　expected　to　experience。　　She　answered　all　addresses　herself；　a　custom　which　she　learned　at　the　Court　of　Maria　Theresa。　　The　Princesses　of　the　House　of　Bourbon　had　long　ceased　to　take　the　trouble　of　speaking　in　such　cases。　　Madame　Addlaide　blamed　the　Queen　for　not　doing　as　they　did；　assuring　her　that　it　was　quite　sufficient　to　mutter　a　few　words　that　might　sound　like　an　answer；　while　the　addressers；　occupied　with　what　they　had　themselves　been　saying；　would　always　take　it　for　granted　that　a　proper　answer　had　been　returned。　　The　Queen　saw　that　idleness　alone　dictated　such　a　proceeding；　and　that　as　the　practice　even　of　muttering　a　few　words　showed　the　necessity　of　answering　in　some　way；　it　must　be　more　proper　to　reply　simply　but　clearly；　and　in　the　best　style　possible。　　Sometimes　indeed；　when　apprised　of　the　subject　of　the　address；　she　would　write　down　her　answer　in　the　morning；　not　to　learn　it　by　heart；　but　in　order　to　settle　the　ideas　or　sentiments　she　wished　to　introduce。

The　influence　of　the　Comtesse　de　Polignac　increased　daily；　and　her　friends　availed　themselves　of　it　to　effect　changes　in　the　Ministry。　The　dismissal　of　M。　de　Montbarrey；　a　man　without　talents　or　character；　was　generally　approved　of。　　It　was　rightly　attributed　to　the　Queen。　　He　had　been　placed　in　administration　by　M。　de　Maurepas；　and　maintained　by　his　aged　wife；　both；　of　course；　became　more　inveterate　than　ever　against　the　Queen　and　the　Polignac　circle。

The　appointment　of　M。　de　Segur　to　the　place　of　Minister　of　War；　and　of　M。　de　Castries　to　that　of　Minister　of　Marine；　were　wholly　the　work　of　that　circle。　　The　Queen　dreaded　making　ministers；　her　favourite　often　wept　when　the　men　of　her　circle　compelled　her　to　interfere。　　Men　blame　women　for　meddling　in　business；　and　yet　in　courts　it　is　continually　the　men　themselves　who　make　use　of　the　influence　of　the　women　in　matters　with　which　the　latter　ought　to　have　nothing　to　do。

When　M。　de　Segur　was　presented　to　the　Queen　on　his　new　appointment；　she　said　to　me；　〃You　have　just　seen　a　minister　of　my　making。　　I　am　very　glad；　so　far　as　regards　the　King's　service；　that　he　is　appointed；　for　I　think　the　selection　a　very　good　one；　but　I　almost　regret　the　part　I　have　taken　in　it。　　I　take　a　responsibility　upon　myself。　　I　was　fortunate　in　being　free　from　any；　and　in　order　to　relieve　myself　from　this　as　much　as　possible　I　have　just　promised　M。　de　Segur；　and　that　upon　my　word　of　honour；　not　to　back　any　petition；　nor　to　hinder　any　of　his　operations　by　solicitations　on　behalf　of　my　proteges。〃

During　the　first　administration　of　M。　Necker；　whose　ambition　had　not　then　drawn　him　into　schemes　repugnant　to　his　better　judgment；　and　whose　views　appeared　to　the　Queen　to　be　very　judicious；　she　indulged　in　hopes　of　the　restoration　of　the　finances。　　Knowing　that　M。　de　Maurepas　wished　to　drive　M。　Necker　to　resign；　she　urged　him　to　have　patience　until　the　death　of　an　old　man　whom　the　King　kept　about　him　from　a　fondness　for　his　first　choice；　and　out　of　respect　for　his　advanced　age。　　She　even　went　so　far　as　to　tell　him　that　M。　de　Maurepas　was　always　ill；　and　that　his　end　could　not　be　very　distant。　　M。　Necker　would　not　wait　for　that　event。　　The　Queen's　prediction　was　fulfilled。　　M。　de　Maurepas　ended　his　days　immediately　after　a　journey　to　Fontainebleau　in　1781。

M。　Necker　had　retired。　　He　had　been　exasperated　by　a　piece　of　treachery　in　the　old　minister；　for　which　he　could　not　forgive　him。　　I　knew　something　of　this　intrigue　at　the　time；　it　has　since　been　fully　explained　to　me　by　Madame　la　Marechale　de　Beauvau。　　M。　Necker　saw　that　his　credit　at　Court　was　declining；　and　fearing　lest　that　circumstance　should　injure　his　financial　operations；　he　requested　the　King　to　grant　him　some　favour　which　might　show　the　public　that　he　had　not　lost　the　confidence　of　his　sovereign。　　He　concluded　his　letter　by　pointing　out　five　requestssuch　an　office；　or　such　a　mark　of　distinction；　or　such　a　badge　of　honour；　and　so　on；　and　handed　it　to　M。　de　Maurepas。　　The　or's　were　changed　into　and's；　and　the　King　was　displeased　at　M。　Necker's　ambition；　and　the　assurance　with　which　he　displayed　it。　　Madame　la　Marechale　de　Beauvau　assured　me　that　the　Marechal　de　Castries　saw　the　minute　of　M。　Necker's　letter；　and　that　he　likewise　saw　the　altered　copy。

The　interest　which　the　Queen　took　in　M。　Necker　died　away　during　his　retirement；　and　at　last　changed　into　strong　prejudice　against　him。　　He　wrote　too　much　about　the　measures　he　would　have　pursued；　and　the　benefits　that　would　have　resulted　to　the　State　from　them。　　The　ministers　who　succeeded　him　thought　their　operations　embarrassed　by　the　care　that　M。　Necker　and　his　partisans　incessantly　took　to　occupy　the　public　with　his　plans；　his　friends　were　too　ardent。　　The　Queen　discerned　a　party　spirit　in　these　combinations；　and　sided　wholly　with　his　enemies。

After　those　inefficient　comptrollers…general；　Messieurs　Joly　de　Fleury　and　d'Ormesson；　it　became　necessary　to　resort　to　a　man　of　more　acknowledged　talent；　and　the　Queen's　friends；　at　that　time　combining　with　the　Comte　d'Artois　and　with　M。　de　Vergennes；　got　M。　de　Calonne　appointed。　The　Queen　was　highly　displeased；　and　her　close　intimacy　with　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac　began　to　suffer　for　this。

Her　Majesty；　continuing　to　converse　with　me　upon　the　difficulties　she　had　met　with　in　private　life；　told　me　that　ambitious　men　without　merit　sometimes　found　means　to　gain　their　ends　by　dint　of　importunity；　and　that　she　had　to　blame　herself　for　having　procured　M。　d'Adhemar's　appointment　to　the　London　embassy；　merely　because　he　teased　her　into　it　at　the　Duchess's　house。　　She　added；　however；　that　it　was　at　a　time　of　perfect　peace　with　the　English；　that　the　Ministry　knew　the　inefficiency　of　M。　d'Adhemar　as　well　as　she　did；　and　that　he　could　do　neither　harm　nor　good。

Often　in　conversations　of　unreserved　frankness　the　Queen　owned　that　she　had　purchased　rather　dearly　a　piece　of　experience　which　would　make　her　carefully　watch　over　the　conduct　of　her　daughters…in…law；　and　that　she　would　be　particularly　scrupulous　about　the　qualifications　of　the　ladies　who　might　attend　them；　that　no　consideration　of　rank　or　favour　should　bias　her　in　so　important　a　choice。　　She　attributed　several　of　her　youthful　mistakes　to　a　lady　of　great　levity；　whom　she　found　in　her　palace　on　her　arrival　in　France。　　She　also　determined　to　forbid　the　Princesses　coming　under　her　control　the　practice　of　singing　with　professors；　and　said；　candidly；　and　with　as　much　severity　as　her　slanderers　could　have　done；　〃I　ought　to　have　heard　Garat　sing；　and　never　to　have　sung　duets　with　him。〃

The　indiscreet　zeal　of　Monsieur　Augeard　contributed　to　the　public　belief　that　the　Queen　disposed　of　all　the　offices　of　finance。　　He　had；　without　any　authority　for　doing　so；　required　the　committee　of　fermiers…general　to　inform　him　of　all　vacancies；　assuring　them　that　they　would　be　meeting　the　wishes　of　the　Queen。　　The　members　complied；　but　not　without　murmuring。　When　the　Queen　became　aware　of　what　her　secretary　had　done；　she　highly　disapproved　of　it；　caused　her　resentment　to　be　made　known　to　the　fermiers　…general；　and　abstained　from　asking　for　appointments；making　only　one　request　of　the　kind；　as　a　marriage　portion　for　one　of　her　attendants；　a　young　woman　of　good　family。




CHAPTER　XII。

The　Queen　did　not　sufficiently　conceal　the　dissatisfaction　she　felt　at　having　been　unable　to　prevent　the　appointment　of　M。　de　Calonne；　she　even　one　day　went　so　far　as　to　say　at　the　Duchess's；　in　the　midst　of　the　partisans　and　protectors　of　that　minister；　that　the　finances　of　France　passed　alternately　from　the　hands　of　an　honest　man　without　talent　into　those　of　a　skilful　knave。　　M。　de　Calonne　was　thus　far　from　acting　in　concert　with　the　Queen　all　the　time　that　he　continued　in　office；　and；　while　dull　verses　were　circulated　about　Paris　describing　the　Queen　and　her　favourite　dipping　at　pleasure　into　the　coffers　of　the　comptroller…　general；　the　Queen　was　avoiding　all　communication　with　him。

During　the　long　and　severe　winter　of　1783…84　the　King　gave　three　millions　of　livres　for　the　relief　of　the　indigent。　　M。　de　Calonne；　who　felt　the　necessity　of　making　advances　to　the　Queen；　caught　at　this　opportunity　of　showing　her　respect　and　devotion。　　He　offered　to　place　in　her　hands　one　million　of　the　three；　to　be　distributed　in　her　name　and　under　her　direction。　　His　proposal　was　rejected；　the　Queen　answered　that　the　charity　ought　to　be　wholly　distributed　in　the　King's　name；　and　that　she　would　this　year　debar　herself　of　even　the　slightest　enjoyments；　in　order　to　contribute　all　her　savings　to　the　relief　of　the　unfortunate。

The　moment　M。　de　Calonne　left　the　closet　the　Queen　sent　for　me：　〃Congratulate　me；　my　dear；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　just　escaped　a　snare；　or　at　least　a　matter　which　eventually　might　have　caused　me　much　regret。〃　She　related　the　conversation　which　had　taken　place　word　for　word　to　me；　adding；　〃That　man　will　complete　the