the memoirs of marie antoinette-第38章
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rasures and references。 I have already run it over； but I wish the Queen to be acquainted with the work。 You will not mention this reading to any one。〃
I began。 The King frequently interrupted me by praise or censure； which was always just。 He frequently exclaimed； 〃That's in bad taste； this man continually brings the Italian concetti on the stage。〃 At that soliloquy of Figaro in which he attacks various points of government； and especially at the tirade against State prisons； the King rose up and said； indignantly：
〃That's detestable； that shall never be played； the Bastille must be destroyed before the license to act this play can be any other than an act of the most dangerous inconsistency。 This man scoffs at everything that should be respected in a government。〃
〃It will not be played； then？〃 said the Queen。
〃No； certainly；〃 replied Louis XVI。； 〃you may rely upon that。〃
Still it was constantly reported that 〃Figaro〃 was about to be performed； there were even wagers laid upon the subject； I never should have laid any myself； fancying that I was better informed as to the probability than anybody else； if I had； however； I should have been completely deceived。 The protectors of Beaumarchais； feeling certain that they would succeed in their scheme of making his work public in spite of the King's prohibition； distributed the parts in the 〃Mariage de Figaro〃 among the actors of the Theatre Francais。 Beaumarchais had made them enter into the spirit of his characters； and they determined to enjoy at least one performance of this so…called chef d'oeuvre。 The first gentlemen of the chamber agreed that M。 de la Ferte should lend the theatre of the Hotel des Menus Plaisirs； at Paris； which was used for rehearsals of the opera； tickets were distributed to a vast number of leaders of society； and the day for the performance was fixed。 The King heard of all this only on the very morning； and signed a 'lettre de cachet；'＇A 'lettre de cachet' was any written order proceeding from the King。 The term was not confined merely to orders for arrest。＇ which prohibited the performance。 When the messenger who brought the order arrived； he found a part of the theatre already filled with spectators； and the streets leading to the Hotel des Menus Plaisirs filled with carriages； the piece was not performed。 This prohibition of the King's was looked upon as an attack on public liberty。
The disappointment produced such discontent that the words oppression and tyranny were uttered with no less passion and bitterness at that time than during the days which immediately preceded the downfall of the throne。 Beaumarchais was so far put off his guard by rage as to exclaim； 〃Well； gentlemen； he won't suffer it to be played here； but I swear it shall be played；perhaps in the very choir of Notre…Dame！〃 There was something prophetic in these words。 It was generally insinuated shortly afterwards that Beaumarchais had determined to suppress all those parts of his work which could be obnoxious to the Government； and on pretence of judging of the sacrifices made by the author； M。 de Vaudreuil obtained permission to have this far…famed 〃Mariage de Figaro〃 performed at his country house。 M。 Campan was asked there； he had frequently heard the work read； and did not now find the alterations that had been announced； this he observed to several persons belonging to the Court； who maintained that the author had made all the sacrifices required。 M。 Campan was so astonished at these persistent assertions of an obvious falsehood that he replied by a quotation from Beaumarchais himself； and assuming the tone of Basilio in the 〃Barbier de Seville；〃 he said； 〃Faith； gentlemen； I don't know who is deceived here； everybody is in the secret。〃 They then came to the point； and begged him to tell the Queen positively that all which had been pronounced reprehensible in M。 de Beaumarchais's play had been cut out。 My father…in…law contented himself with replying that his situation at Court would not allow of his giving an opinion unless the Queen should first speak of the piece to him。 The Queen said nothing to him about the matter。 Shortly； afterwards permission to perform this play was at length obtained。 The Queen thought the people of Paris would be finely tricked when they saw merely an ill…conceived piece； devoid of interest； as it must appear when deprived of its Satire。
＇The King；〃 says Grimm； 〃made sure that the public would judge unfavourably of the work。 He said to the Marquis de Montesquiou； who was going to see the first representation； 〃Well； what do you augur of its success？''Sire； I hope the piece will fail。''And so do I；' replied the King。
〃There is something still more ridiculous than my piece；〃 said Beaumarchais himself； 〃that is； its success。〃 Mademoiselle Arnould foresaw it the first day； and exclaimed； 〃It is a production that will fail fifty nights successively。〃 There was as crowded an audience on the seventy…second night as on the first。 The following is extracted from Grimm's 'Correspondence。〃
〃Answer of M。 de Beaumarchais to …；who requested the use of his private box for some ladies desirous of seeing 'Figaro' without being themselves seen。
〃I have no respect for women who indulge themselves in seeing any play which they think indecorous； provided they can do so in secret。 I lend myself to no such acts。 I have given my piece to the public； to amuse； and not to instruct； not to give any compounding prudes the pleasure of going to admire it in a private box； and balancing their account with conscience by censuring it in company。 To indulge in the pleasure of vice and assume the credit of virtue is the hypocrisy of the age。 My piece is not of a doubtful nature； it must be patronised in good earnest； or avoided altogether； therefore； with all respect to you； I shall keep my box。〃 This letter was circulated all over Paris for a week。＇
Under the persuasion that there was not a passage left capable of malicious or dangerous application； Monsieur attended the first performance in a public box。 The mad enthusiasm of the public in favour of the piece and Monsieur's just displeasure are well known。 The author was sent to prison soon afterwards； though his work was extolled to the skies； and though the Court durst not suspend its performance。
The Queen testified her displeasure against all who had assisted the author of the 〃Mariage de Figaro〃 to deceive the King into giving his consent that it should be represented。 Her reproaches were more particularly directed against M。 de Vaudreuil for having had it performed at his house。 The violent and domineering disposition of her favourite's friend at last became disagreeable to her。
One evening； on the Queen's return from the Duchess's； she desired her 'valet de chambre' to bring her billiard cue into her closet； and ordered me to open the box that contained it。 I took out the cue； broken in two。 It was of ivory； and formed of one single elephant's tooth； the butt was of gold and very tastefully wrought。 〃There；〃 said she； 〃that is the way M。 de Vaudreuil has treated a thing I valued highly。 I had laid it upon the couch while I was talking to the Duchess in the salon； he had the assurance to make use of it； and in a fit of passion about a blocked ball； he struck the cue so violently against the table that he broke it in two。 The noise brought me back into the billiard…room； I did not say a word to him； but my looks showed him how angry I was。 He is the more provoked at the accident； as he aspires to the post of Governor to the Dauphin。 I never thought of him for the place。 It is quite enough to have consulted my heart only in the choice of a governess； and I will not suffer that of a Governor to the Dauphin to be at all affected by the influence of my friends。 I should be responsible for it to the nation。 The poor man does not know that my determination is taken； for I have never expressed it to the Duchess。 Therefore； judge of the sort of an evening he must have passed！〃
CHAPTER XIII。
Shortly after the public mind had been thrown into agitation by the performance of the 〃Mariage de Figaro；〃 an obscure plot； contrived by swindlers； and matured in a corrupted society； attacked the Queen's character in a vital point and assailed the majesty of the throne。
I am about to speak of the notorious affair of the necklace purchased； as it was said； for the Queen by Cardinal de Rohan。 I will narrate all that has come to my knowledge relating to this business； the most minute particulars will prove how little reason the Queen had to apprehend the blow by which she was threatened； and which must be attributed to a fatality that human prudence could not have foreseen； but from which； to say the truth； she might have extricated herself with more skill。
I have already said that in 1774 the Queen purchased jewels of Boehmer to the value of three hundred and sixty thousand franca； that she paid for them herself out of her own private funds； and that it required several years to enable her to complete the payment。 The King afterwards presented her with a set of rubies and diamonds of a fine water； and subsequently with a pair of bracelets worth two hundred thousand francs。 The Queen； after having her diamonds reset in new patterns； told Boehmer that she found her jewel case rich enough； and was not desirous of making any addition to it。
＇Except on those days when the assemblies at Court were particularly attended； such as the 1st of January and the 2d of February； devoted to the procession of the Order of the Holy Ghost； and on the festivals of Easter； Whitsuntide； and Christmas； the Queen no longer wore any dresses but muslin or white Florentine taffety。 Her head… dress was merely a hat； the plainest were preferred； and her diamonds never quitted their caskets but for the dresses of ceremony； confined to the days I have mentioned。 Before the Queen was five and twenty she began to apprehend that she might be induced to make too frequent use of flowers and of ornaments； which at that time were exclusively reserved for youth。 Madame Bertin having brought a wreath for the head and neck； composed of roses； the Queen feared that the brightness of the flowers might be disadvantageous to her complexion。 She was unquestionably too severe upon herself； her beauty having as yet experienced no alteration； it is easy to conceive the concert of praise and compliment that replied to the doubt she had expressed。 The Queen； approaching me； said； 〃I charge you； from this day； to give me notice when flowers shall cease to become me。〃〃I shall do no such thing；〃 I replied； immediately； 〃I have not read 'Gil Bias' without profiting in some degree from it； and I find your Majesty's order too much like that given him by the Archbishop of Granada； to warn him of the moment when he should begin to fall off in the composition of his homilies。〃〃Go；〃 said the Queen； 〃You are less sincere than Gil Blas； and I world have been more amenable than
