the memoirs of marie antoinette-第37章

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ated　the　conversation　which　had　taken　place　word　for　word　to　me；　adding；　〃That　man　will　complete　the　ruin　of　the　national　finances。　　It　is　said　that　I　placed　him　in　his　situation。　　The　people　are　made　to　believe　that　I　am　extravagant；　yet　I　have　refused　to　suffer　a　sum　of　money　from　the　royal　treasury；　although　destined　for　the　most　laudable　purpose；　even　to　pass　through　my　hands。〃

The　Queen；　making　monthly　retrenchments　from　the　expenditure　of　her　privy　purse；　and　not　having　spent　the　gifts　customary　at　the　period　of　her　confinement；　was　in　possession　of　from　five　to　six　hundred　thousand　francs；　her　own　savings。　　She　made　use　of　from　two　to　three　hundred　thousand　francs　of　this；　which　her　first　women　sent　to　M。　Lenoir；　to　the　cures　of　Paris　and　Versailles；　and　to　the　Soeurs　Hospitalieres；　and　so　distributed　them　among　families　in　need。

Desirous　to　implant　in　the　breast　of　her　daughter　not　only　a　desire　to　succour　the　unfortunate；　but　those　qualities　necessary　for　the　due　discharge　of　that　duty；　the　Queen　incessantly　talked　to　her；　though　she　was　yet　very　young；　about　the　sufferings　of　the　poor　during　a　season　so　inclement。　　The　Princess　already　had　a　sum　of　from　eight　to　ten　thousand　francs　for　charitable　purposes；　and　the　Queen　made　her　distribute　part　of　it　herself。

Wishing　to　give　her　children　yet　another　lesson　of　beneficence；　she　desired　me　on　New　Year's　eve　to　get　from　Paris；　as　in　other　years；　all　the　fashionable　playthings；　and　have　them　spread　out　in　her　closet。　Then　taking　her　children　by　the　hand；　she　showed　them　all　the　dolls　and　mechanical　toys　which　were　ranged　there；　and　told　them　that　she　had　intended　to　give　them　some　handsome　New　Year's　gifts；　but　that　the　cold　made　the　poor　so　wretched　that　all　her　money　was　spent　in　blankets　and　clothes　to　protect　them　from　the　rigour　of　the　season；　and　in　supplying　them　with　bread；　so　that　this　year　they　would　only　have　the　pleasure　of　looking　at　the　new　playthings。　　When　she　returned　with　her　children　into　her　sitting…room；　she　said　there　was　still　an　unavoidable　expense　to　be　incurred；　that　assuredly　many　mothers　would　at　that　season　think　as　she　did；that　the　toyman　must　lose　by　it；　and　therefore　she　gave　him　fifty　Louis　to　repay　him　for　the　cost　of　his　journey；　and　console　him　for　having　sold　nothing。

The　purchase　of　St。　Cloud；　a　matter　very　simple　in　itself；　had；　on　account　of　the　prevailing　spirit；　unfavourable　consequences　to　the　Queen。

The　palace　of　Versailles；　pulled　to　pieces　in　the　interior　by　a　variety　of　new　arrangements；　and　mutilated　in　point　of　uniformity　by　the　removal　of　the　ambassadors'　staircase；　and　of　the　peristyle　of　columns　placed　at　the　end　of　the　marble　court；　was　equally　in　want　of　substantial　and　ornamental　repair。　　The　King　therefore　desired　M。　Micque　to　lay　before　him　several　plans　for　the　repairs　of　the　palace。　　He　consulted　me　on　certain　arrangements　analogous　to　some　of　those　adopted　in　the　Queen's　establishment；　and　in　my　presence　asked　M。　Micque　how　much　money　would　be　wanted　for　the　execution　of　the　whole　work；　and　how　many　years　he　would　be　in　completing　it。　　I　forget　how　many　millions　were　mentioned：　M。　Micque　replied　that　six　years　would　be　sufficient　time　if　the　Treasury　made　the　necessary　periodical　advances　without　any　delay。　　〃And　how　many　years　shall　you　require；〃　said　the　King；　〃if　the　advances　are　not　punctually　made？〃〃Ten；　Sire；〃　replied　the　architect。　　〃We　must　then　reckon　upon　ten　years；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃and　put　off　this　great　undertaking　until　the　year　1790；　it　will　occupy　the　rest　of　the　century。〃

The　King　afterwards　talked　of　the　depreciation　of　property　which　took　place　at　Versailles　whilst　the　Regent　removed　the　Court　of　Louis　XV。　to　the　Tuileries；　and　said　that　he　must　consider　how　to　prevent　that　inconvenience；　it　was　the　desire　to　do　this　that　promoted　the　purchase　of　St。　Cloud。　　The　Queen　first　thought　of　it　one　day　when　she　was　riding　out　with　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac　and　the　Comtesse　Diane；　she　mentioned　it　to　the　King；　who　was　much　pleased　with　the　thought；the　purchase　confirming　him　in　the　intention；　which　he　had　entertained　for　ten　years；　of　quitting　Versailles。

The　King　determined　that　the　ministers；　public　officers；　pages；　and　a　considerable　part　of　his　stabling　should　remain　at　Versailles。　　Messieurs　de　Breteuil　and　de　Calonne　were　instructed　to　treat　with　the　Duc　d'Orleans　for　the　purchase　of　St。　Cloud；　at　first　they　hoped　to　be　able　to　conclude　the　business　by　a　mere　exchange。　　The　value　of　the　Chateau　de　Choisy；　de　la　Muette；　and　a　forest　was　equivalent　to　the　sum　demanded　by　the　House　of　Orleans；　and　in　the　exchange　which　the　Queen　expected　she　only　saw　a　saving　to　be　made　instead　of　an　increase　of　expense。　　By　this　arrangement　the　government　of　Choisy；　in　the　hands　of　the　Duc　de　Coigny；　and　that　of　La　Muette；　in　the　hands　of　the　Marechal　de　Soubise；　would　be　suppressed。　　At　the　same　time　the　two　concierges；　and　all　the　servants　employed　in　these　two　royal　houses；　would　be　reduced；　but　while　the　treaty　was　going　forward　Messieurs　de　Breteuil　and　de　Calonne　gave　up　the　point　of　exchange；　and　some　millions　in　cash　were　substituted　for　Choisy　and　La　Muette。

The　Queen　advised　the　King　to　give　her　St。　Cloud；　as　a　means　of　avoiding　the　establishment　of　a　governor；　her　plan　being　to　have　merely　a　concierge　there；　by　which　means　the　governor's　expenses　would　be　saved。　The　King　agreed；　and　St。　Cloud　was　purchased　for　the　Queen。　　She　provided　the　same　liveries　for　the　porters　at　the　gates　and　servants　at　the　chateau　as　for　those　at　Trianon。　　The　concierge　at　the　latter　place　had　put　up　some　regulations　for　the　household；　headed；　〃By　order　of　the　Queen。〃　　The　same　thing　was　done　at　St。　Cloud。　　The　Queen's　livery　at　the　door　of　a　palace　where　it　was　expected　none　but　that　of　the　King　would　be　seen；　and　the　words　〃By　order　of　the　Queen〃　at　the　head　of　the　printed　papers　pasted　near　the　iron　gates；　caused　a　great　sensation；　and　produced　a　very　unfortunate　effect；　not　only　among　the　common　people；　but　also。　among　persons　of　a　superior　class。　　They　saw　in　it　an　attack　upon　the　customs　of　monarchy；　and　customs　are　nearly　equal　to　laws。　　The　Queen　heard　of　this；　but　she　thought　that　her　dignity　would　be　compromised　if　she　made　any　change　in　the　form　of　these　regulations；　though　they　might　have　been　altogether　superseded　without　inconvenience。　　〃My　name　is　not　out　of　place；〃　said　she；　〃in　gardens　belonging　to　myself；　I　may　give　orders　there　without　infringing　on　the　rights　of　the　State。〃　　This　was　her　only　answer　to　the　representations　which　a　few　faithful　servants　ventured　to　make　on　the　subject。　　The　discontent　of　the　Parisians　on　this　occasion　probably　induced　M。　d'Espremenil；　upon　the　first　troubles　about　the　Parliament；　to　say　that　it　was　impolitic　and　immoral　to　see　palaces　belonging　to　a　Queen　of　France。

　　　　　＇The　Queen　never　forgot　this　affront　of　M。　d'Espremenil's；　she　said　　　　　　that　as　it　was　offered　at　a　time　when　social　order　had　not　yet　been　　　　　　disturbed；　she　had　felt　the　severest　mortification　at　it。　　Shortly　　　　　　before　the　downfall　of　the　throne　M。　Espremenil；　having　openly　　　　　　espoused　the　King's　side；　was　insulted　in　the　gardens　of　the　　　　　　Tuileries　by　the　Jacobins；　and　so　ill…treated　that　he　was　carried　　　　　　home　very　ill。　　Somebody　recommended　the　Queen；　on　account　of　the　　　　　　royalist　principles　he　then　professed；　to　send　and　inquire　for　him。　　　　　　She　replied　that　she　was　truly　grieved　at　what　had　happened　to　M。　　　　　　d'Espremenil；　but　that　mere　policy　should　never　induce　her　to　show　　　　　　any　particular　solicitude　about　the　man　who　had　been　the　first　to　　　　　　make　so　insulting　an　attack　upon　her　character。　MADAME　CAMPAN＇

The　Queen　was　very　much　dissatisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　M。　de　Calonne　had　managed　this　matter。　　The　Abbe　de　Vermond；　the　most　active　and　persevering　of　that　minister's　enemies；　saw　with　delight　that　the　expedients　of　those　from　whom　alone　new　resources　might　be　expected　were　gradually　becoming　exhausted；　because　the　period　when　the　Archbishop　of　Toulouse　would　be　placed　over　the　finances　was　thereby　hastened。

The　royal　navy　had　resumed　an　imposing　attitude　during　the　war　for　the　independence　of　America；　glorious　peace　with　England　had　compensated　for　the　former　attacks　of　our　enemies　upon　the　fame　of　France；　and　the　throne　was　surrounded　by　numerous　heirs。　　The　sole　ground　of　uneasiness　was　in　the　finances；　but　that　uneasiness　related　only　to　the　manner　in　which　they　were　administered。　　In　a　word；　France　felt　confident　in　its　own　strength　and　resources；　when　two　events；　which　seem　scarcely　worthy　of　a　place　in　history；　but　which　have；　nevertheless；　an　important　one　in　that　of　the　French　Revolution；　introduced　a　spirit　of　ridicule　and　contempt；　not　only　against　the　highest　ranks；　but　even　against　the　most　august　personages。　　I　allude　to　a　comedy　and　a　great　swindling　transaction。

Beaumarchais　had　long　possessed　a　reputation　in　certain　circles　in　Paris　for　his　wit　and　musical　talents；　and　at　the　theatres　for　dramas　more　or　less　indifferent；　when　his　〃Barbier　de　Seville〃　procured　him　a　higher　position　among　dramatic　writers。　　His　〃Memoirs〃　against　M。　Goesman　had　amused　Paris　by　the　ridicule　they　threw　upon　a　Parliament　which　was　disliked；　and　his　admission　to　an　intimacy　with　M。　de　Maurepas　procured　him　a　degree　of　influence　over　important　affairs。　　He　then　became　ambitious　of　influencing　public　opinion　by　a　kind　of　drama；　in　which　established　manners　and　customs　should　be　held　up　to　popular　derision　and　the　ridicule　of　the　new　philosophers。　　After　several　years　of　prosperity　the　minds　of　the　French　had　become　more　generally　critical；　and　when　Beaumarchais　had　finished　his　monstrous　but　diverting　〃Mariage　de　Figaro；〃　all　people　of　any　consequence　were　eager　for　the　gratification　of　hearing　it　read；　the　censors　having　decided　that　it　should　not　be　performed。　　These　readings　of　〃Figaro〃　grew　so　numerous　that　people　were　daily　heard　to　say；　〃I　have　been　（or　I　am　going　to　be）　at　the　reading　of　Beaumarchais's　play。〃　　The　desire　to　see　it　performed　became　universal；　an　expression　that　he　had　the　art　to　use　compelled；　as　it　were；　the　approbation　of　the　nobility；　or　of　persons　in　power；　who　aimed　at　ranking　among　the　magnanimous；　he　made　his　〃Figaro〃　say　that　〃none　but　little　minds　dreaded　little　books。〃　　The　Baron　de　Breteuil；　and　all　the　men　of　Madame　de　Polignac's　circle；　entered　the　lists　as　the　warmest　protectors　of　the　comedy。　　Solicitations　to　the　King　became　so　pressing　that　his　Majesty　determined　to　judge　for　himself　of　a　work　which　so　much　engrossed　public　attention；　and　desired　me　to　ask　M。　Le　Noir；　lieutenant　of　police；　for　the　manuscript　of　the　〃Mariage　de　Figaro。〃　　One　morning　I　received　a　note　from　the　Queen　ordering　me　to　be　with　her　at　three　o'clock；　and　not　to　come　without　having　dined；　for　she　should　detain　me　some　time。　　When　I　got　to　the　Queen's　inner　closet　I　found　her　alone　with　the　King；　a　chair　and　a　small　table　were　ready　placed　opposite　to　them；　and　upon　the　table　lay　an　enormous　manuscript　in　several　books。　　The　King　said　to　me；　〃There　is　Beaumarchais's　comedy；　you　must　read　it　to　us。　　You　will　find　several　parts　troublesome　on　account　of　the　erasures　and　references。　　I　have　already　run　it　over；　but　I　wish　the　Queen　to　be　acquainted　with　the