the memoirs of marie antoinette-第42章

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　　　　　＇Further　particulars　will　be　found　in　the　〃Memoirs　of　the　Comte　de　　　　　　Beugnot〃　（London：　Hurst　&　Blackett；　1871）；　as　he　knew　Madame　de　　　　　　Lamotte　from　the　days　of　her　early　childhood　（when　the　three　　　　　　children；　the　Baron　de　Valois；　who　died　captain　of　a　frigate；　and　　　　　　the　two　Mademoiselles　de　Saint…Remi；　the　last　descendants　of　the　　　　　　Baron　de　Saint…Remi；　a　natural　son　of　Henri　II。；　were　almost　　　　　　starving）　to　the　time　of　her　temporary　prosperity。　　In　fact；　he　was　　　　　　with　her　when　she　burnt　the　correspondence　of　the　Cardinal；　in　the　　　　　　interval　the　Court　foolishly　allowed　between　his　arrest　and　her　　　　　　capture；　and　De　Beugnot　believed　he　had　met　at　her　house；　at　the　　　　　　moment　of　their　return　from　their　successful　trick；　the　whole　party　　　　　　engaged　in　deluding　the　Cardinal。　　It　is　worth　noting　that　he　was　　　　　　then　struck　by　the　face　of　Mademoiselle　d'Oliva；　who　had　just　　　　　　personated　the　Queen　in　presenting　a　rose　to　the　Cardinal。　　It　may　　　　　　also　be　cited　as　a　pleasing　quality　of　Madame　de　Lamotte　that　she；　　　　　　〃in　her　ordinary　conversation；　used　the　words　stupid　and　honest　as　　　　　　synonymous。〃　See　〃Beugnot；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　60。＇




CHAPTER　XIV。

The　Abbe　de　Vermond　could　not　repress　his　exultation　when　he　succeeded　in　getting　the　Archbishop　of　Sens　appointed　head　of　the　council　of　finance。　I　have　more　than　once　heard　him　say　that　seventeen　years　of　patience　were　not　too　long　a　term　for　success　in　a　Court；　that　he　spent　all　that　time　in　gaining　the　end　he　had　in　view；　but　that　at　length　the　Archbishop　was　where　he　ought　to　be　for　the　good　of　the　State。　　The　Abbe；　from　this　time；　in　the　Queen's　private　circle　no　longer　concealed　his　credit　and　influence；　nothing　could　equal　the　confidence　with　which　he　displayed　the　extent　of　his　pretensions。　　He　requested　the　Queen　to　order　that　the　apartments　appropriated　to　him　should　be　enlarged；　telling　her　that；　being　obliged　to　give　audiences　to　bishops；　cardinals；　and　ministers；　he　required　a　residence　suitable　to　his　present　circumstances。　　The　Queen　continued　to　treat　him　as　she　did　before　the　Archbishop's　arrival　at　Court；　but　the　household　showed　him　increased　consideration：　the　word　〃Monsieur〃　preceded　that　of　Abbe；　and　from　that　moment　not　only　the　livery　servants；　but　also　the　people　of　the　antechambers　rose　when　Monsieur　l'Abbe　was　passing；　though　there　never　was；　to　my　knowledge；　any　order　given　to　that　effect。

The　Queen　was　obliged；　on　account　of　the　King's　disposition　and　the　very　limited　confidence　he　placed　in　the　Archbishop　of　Sens；　to　take　a　part　in　public　affairs。　　While　M。　de　Maurepas　lived　she　kept　out　of　that　danger；　as　may　be　seen　by　the　censure　which　the　Baron　de　Besenval　passes　on　her　in　his　memoirs　for　not　availing　herself　of　the　conciliation　he　had　promoted　between　the　Queen　and　that　minister；　who　counteracted　the　ascendency　which　the　Queen　and　her　intimate　friends　might　otherwise　have　gained　over　the　King's　mind。

The　Queen　has　often　assured　me　that　she　never　interfered　respecting　the　interests　of　Austria　but　once；　and　that　was　only　to　claim　the　execution　of　the　treaty　of　alliance　at　the　time　when　Joseph　II。　was　at　war　with　Prussia　and　Turkey；　that；　she　then　demanded　that　an　army　of　twenty…four　thousand　men　should　be　sent　to　him　instead　of　fifteen　millions；　an　alternative　which　had　been　left　to　option　in　the　treaty；　in　case　the　Emperor　should　have　a　just　war　to　maintain；　that　she　could　not　obtain　her　object；　and　M。　de　Vergennes；　in　an　interview　which　she　had　with　him　upon　the　subject；　put　an　end　to　her　importunities　by　observing　that　he　was　answering　the　mother　of　the　Dauphin　and　not　the　sister　of　the　Emperor。　The　fifteen　millions　were　sent。　　There　was　no　want　of　money　at　Vienna；　and　the　value　of　a　French　army　was　fully　appreciated。

〃But　how；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃could　they　be　so　wicked　as　to　send　off　those　fifteen　millions　from　the　general　post…office；　diligently　publishing；　even　to　the　street　porters；　that　they　were　loading　carriages　with　money　that　I　was　sending　to　my　brother！　whereas　it　is　certain　that　the　money　would　equally　have　been　sent　if　I　had　belonged　to　another　house；　and；　besides；　it　was　sent　contrary　to　my　inclination。〃

　　　　　＇This　was　not　the　first　time　the　Queen　had　become　unpopular　in　　　　　　consequence　of　financial　support　afforded　by　France　to　her　brother。　　　　　　The　Emperor　Joseph　II；　made；　in　November；　1783；　and　in　May；　1784；　　　　　　startling　claims　on　the　republic　of　the　United　Provinces；　he　　　　　　demanded　the　opening　of　the　Scheldt；　the　cession　of　Maeatricht　with　　　　　　its　dependencies；　of　the　country　beyond　the　Meuse；　the　county　of　　　　　　Vroenhoven；　and　a　sum　of　seventy　millions　of　florins。　　The　first　gun　　　　　　was　fired　by　the　Emperor　on　the　Scheldt　6th　November；　1784。　　Peace　　　　　　was　concluded　8th　November；　1785；　through　the　mediation　of　France。　　　　　　The　singular　part　was　the　indemnification　granted　to　the　Emperor：　　　　　　this　was　a　sum　of　ten　millions　of　Dutch　florins；　the　articles　15；　　　　　　16；　and　17　of　the　treaty　stipulated　the　quotas　of　it。　　Holland　paid　　　　　　five　millions　and　a　half；　and　France；　under　the　direction　of　M。　de　　　　　　Vergennes；　four　millions　and　a　half　of　florins；　that　is　to　say；　nine　　　　　　millions　and　forty…five　thousand　francs；　according　to　M。　Soulavie。　　　　　　M。　de　augur；　in　his　〃Policy　of　Cabinets〃　（vol。　iii。）；　says　relative　　　　　　to　this　affair：

　　　　　〃M。　de　Vergennes　has　been　much　blamed　for　having　terminated；　by　a　　　　　　sacrifice　of　seven　millions；　the　contest　that　existed　between　the　　　　　　United　Provinces　and　the　Emperor。　　In　that　age　of　philosophy　men　　　　　　were　still　very　uncivilised；　in　that　age　of　commerce　they　made　very　　　　　　erroneous　calculations；　and　those　who　accused　the　Queen　of　sending　　　　　　the　gold　of　France　to　her　brother　would　have　been　better　pleased　if；　　　　　　to　support　a　republic　devoid　of　energy；　the　blood　of　two　hundred　　　　　　thousand　men；　and　three　or　four　hundred　millions　of　francs；　had　been　　　　　　sacrificed；　and　at　the　same　time　the　risk　run　of　losing　the　　　　　　advantage　of　peace　dictated　to　England。〃　　MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

When　the　Comte　de　Moustier　set　out　on　his　mission　to　the　United　States；　after　having　had　his　public　audience　of　leave　he　came　and　asked　me　to　procure　him　a　private　one。　　I　could　not　succeed　even　with　the　strongest　solicitations；　the　Queen　desired　me　to　wish　him　a　good　voyage；　but　added　that　none　but　ministers　could　have　anything　to　say　to　him　in　private；　since　he　was　going　to　a　country　where　the　names　of　King　and　Queen　must　be　detested。

Marie　Antoinette　had　then　no　direct　influence　over　State　affairs　until　after　the　deaths　of　M。　de　Maurepas　and　M。　de　Vergennes；　and　the　retirement　of　M。　de　Calonne。　　She　frequently　regretted　her　new　situation；　and　looked　upon　it　as　a　misfortune　which　she　could　not　avoid。　　One　day；　while　I　was　assisting　her　to　tie　up　a　number　of　memorials　and　reports；　which　some　of　the　ministers　had　handed　to　her　to　be　given　to　the　King；　〃Ah！〃　said　she；　sighing；　〃there　is　an　end　of　all　happiness　for　me；　since　they　have　made　an　intriguer　of　me。〃　　I　exclaimed　at　the　word。

〃Yes；〃　resumed；　the　Queen；　〃that　is　the　right　term；　every　woman　who　meddles　with　affairs　above　her　understanding　or　out　of　her　line　of　duty　is　an　intriguer　and　nothing　else；　you　will　remember；　however；　that　it　is　not　my　own　fault；　and　that　it　is　with　regret　I　give　myself　such　a　title；　Queens　of　France　are　happy　only　so　long　as　they　meddle　with　nothing；　and　merely　preserve　influence　sufficient　to　advance　their　friends　and　reward　a　few　zealous　servants。　　Do　you　know　what　happened　to　me　lately？　　One　day　since　I　began　to　attend　private　committees　at　the　King's；　while　crossing　the　oiel…de…boeuf；　I　heard　one　of　the　musicians　of　the　chapel　say　so　loud　that　I　lost　not　a　single　word；　'A　Queen　who　does　her　duty　will　remain　in　her　apartment　to　knit。'　I　said　within　myself；　'Poor　wretch；　thou　art　right；　but　thou　knowest　not　my　situation；　I　yield　to　necessity　and　my　evil　destiny。'〃

This　situation　was　the　more　painful　to　the　Queen　inasmuch　as　Louis　XVI。　had　long　accustomed　himself　to　say　nothing　to　her　respecting　State　affairs；　and　when；　towards　the　close　of　his　reign；　she　was　obliged　to　interfere　in　the　most　important　matters；　the　same　habit　in　the　King　frequently　kept　from　her　particulars　which　it　was　necessary　she　should　have　known。　　Obtaining；　therefore；　only　insufficient　information；　and　guided　by　persons　more　ambitious　than　skilful；　the　Queen　could　not　be　useful　in　important　affairs；　yet；　at　the　same　time；　her　ostensible　interference　drew　upon　her；　from　all　parties　and　all　classes　of　society；　an　unpopularity　the　rapid　progress　of　which　alarmed　all　those　who　were　sincerely　attached　to　her。

Carried　away　by　the　eloquence　of　the　Archbishop　of　Sens；　and　encouraged　in　the　confidence　she　placed　in　that　minister　by　the　incessant　eulogies　of　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　on　his　abilities；　the　Queen　unfortunately　followed　up　her　first　mistake　of　bringing　him　into　office　in　1787　by　supporting　him　at　the　time　of　his　disgrace；　which　was　obtained　by　the　despair　of　a　whole　nation。　　She　thought　it　was　due　to　her　dignity　to　give　him　some　marked　proof　of　her　regard　at　the　moment　of　his　departure；　misled　by　her　feelings；　she　sent　him　her　portrait　enriched　with　jewelry；　and　a　brevet　for　the　situation　of　lady　of　the　palace　for　Madame　de　Canisy；　his　niece；　observing　that　it　was　necessary　to　indemnify　a　minister　sacrificed　to　the　intrigues　of　the　Court　and　a　factious　spirit　of　the　nation；　that　otherwise　none　would　be　found　willing　to　devote　themselves　to　the　interests　of　the　sovereign。

On　the　day　of　the　Archbishop's　departure　the　public　joy　was　universal；　both　at　Court　and　at　Paris　there　were　bonfires；　the　attorneys'　clerks　burnt　the　Archbishop　in　effigy；　and　on　the　evening　of　his　disgrace　more　than　a　hundred　couriers　were　sent　out　from　Versailles　to　spread　the　happy　tidings　among　the　country　seats。　　I　have　seen　the　Queen　shed　bitter　tears　at　the　recollection　of　the　errors　she　committed　at　this　period；　when　subsequently；　a　short　time　before　her　death；　the　Archbishop　had　the　audacity　to　say；　in　a　speech　which　was　printed；　that　the　sole　object　of　one　part　of　his　operations；　during　his　administration；　was　the　salutary　crisis　which　the　Revolution　had　produced。

The　benevolence　and　generosity　shown　by　the　King　and　Queen　during　the　severe　winter　of　1788；　when　the　Seine　was　frozen　over　and　the　cold　was　more　intense　than　it　had　been　for　eighty　years；　procured　them　some　fleeting　popularity。　　The　gratitude　of　the　Parisians　for　the　succour　their　Majesties　poured　forth　was　lively　if　not　lasting。　　The　snow　was　so　abundant　that　since　that　period　there　has　never　been　seen　such　a　prodigious　quantity　in　France。　　In　different　parts　of　Paris　pyramids　and　obelisks　of　snow　were　erected　with　inscriptions　expressive　of　the　gratitude　of　the　people。　　The　pyramid　in　the　Rue　d'Angiviller　was　supported　on　a　base　six　feet　high　by　twelve　broad；　it　rose　to　the　height　of　fifteen　feet；　and　was　terminated　by　a　globe。　　Four　blocks　of　stone；　placed　at　the　angles；　corresponded　with　the　obelisk；　and　gave　it　an　elegant　appearance。　　Several　inscriptions；　in　honour　of　the　King　and　Queen；　were　affixed　to　it。　　I　went　to　see　this　singular　monument；　and　recollect　the　following　inscription

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃TO　MARIE　ANTOINETTE。

　　　　　　　　　　〃Lovely　and　g