the memoirs of marie antoinette-第47章

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ut　having　been　able　to　injure　it　in　her　opinion；　so　that　I　had　no　occasion　to　dread　his　return；　however　severely　I　might　depict　him。　　I　promptly　summarised　my　ideas　about　the　favourite；　but　I　only　remember　that　the　portrait　was　drawn　with　sincerity；　except　that　everything　which　could　denote　antipathy　was　kept　out　of　it。　　I　shall　make　but　one　extract　from　it：　I　said　that　he　had　been　born　talkative　and　indiscreet；　and　had　assumed　a　character　of　singularity　and　abruptness　in　order　to　conceal　those　two　failings。　　The　Queen　interrupted　me　by　saying；　〃Ah！　how　true　that　is！〃　　I　have　since　discovered　that；　notwithstanding　the　high　favour　which　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　enjoyed；　the　Queen　took　precautions　to　guard　herself　against　an　ascendency　the　consequences　of　which　she　could　not　calculate。

On　the　death　of　my　father…in…law　his　executors　placed　in　my　hands　a　box　containing　a　few　jewels　deposited　by　the　Queen　with　M。　Campan　on　the　departure　from　Versailles　of　the　6th　of　October；　and　two　sealed　packets；　each　inscribed；　〃Campan　will　take　care　of　these　papers　for　me。〃　　I　took　the　two　packets　to　her　Majesty；　who　kept　the　jewels　and　the　larger　packet；　and；　returning　me　the　smaller；　said；　〃Take　care　of　that　for　me　as　your　father…in…law　did。〃

After　the　fatal　10th　of　August；　1792；＇The　day　of　the　attack　on　the　Tuileries；　slaughter　of　the　Swiss　guard；　and　suspension　of　the　King　from　his　functions。＇　when　my　house　was　about　to　be　surrounded；　I　determined　to　burn　the　most　interesting　papers　of　which　I　was　the　depositary；　I　thought　it　my　duty；　however；　to　open　this　packet；　which　it　might　perhaps　be　necessary　for　me　to　preserve　at　all　hazards。　I　saw　that　it　contained　a　letter　from　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　to　the　Queen。　I　have　already　related　that　in　the　earlier　days　of　Madame　de　Polignac's　favour　he　determined　to　remove　from　Versailles；　and　that　the　Queen　recalled　him　by　means　of　the　Comte　de　Mercy。　　This　letter　contained　nothing　but　certain　conditions　for　his　return；　it　was　the　most　whimsical　of　treaties；　I　confess　I　greatly　regretted　being　under　the　necessity　of　destroying　it。　　He　reproached　the　Queen　for　her　infatuation　for　the　Comtesse　Jules；　her　family；　and　society；　and　told　her　several　truths　about　the　possible　consequences　of　a　friendship　which　ranked　that　lady　among　the　favourites　of　the　Queens　of　France；　a　title　always　disliked　by　the　nation。　　He　complained　that　his　advice　was　neglected；　and　then　came　to　the　conditions　of　his　return　to　Versailles；　after　strong　assurances　that　he　would　never；　in　all　his　life；　aim　at　the　higher　church　dignities；　he　said　that　he　delighted　in　an　unbounded　confidence；　and　that　he　asked　but　two　things　of　her　Majesty　as　essential：　the　first　was；　not　to　give　him　her　orders　through　any　third　person；　and　to　write　to　him　herself；　he　complained　much　that　he　had　had　no　letter　in　her　own　hand　since　he　had　left　Vienna；　then　he　demanded　of　her　an　income　of　eighty　thousand　livres；　in　ecclesiastical　benefices；　and　concluded　by　saying　that；　if　she　condescended　to　assure　him　herself　that　she　would　set　about　procuring　him　what　he　wished；　her　letter　would　be　sufficient　in　itself　to　show　him　that　her　Majesty　had　accepted　the　two　conditions　he　ventured　to　make　respecting　his　return。　　No　doubt　the　letter　was　written；　at　least　it　is　very　certain　that　the　benefices　were　granted；　and　that　his　absence　from　Versailles　lasted　only　a　single　week。

In　the　course　of　July；　1789；　the　regiment　of　French　guards；　which　had　been　in　a　state　of　insurrection　from　the　latter　end　of　June；　abandoned　its　colours。　　One　single　company　of　grenadiers　remained　faithful；　to　its　post　at　Versailles。　　M。　le　Baron　de　Leval　was　the　captain　of　this　company。　　He　came　every　evening　to　request　me　to　give　the　Queen　an　account　of　the　disposition　of　his　soldiers；　but　M。　de　La　Fayette　having　sent　them　a　note；　they　all　deserted　during　the　night　and　joined　their　comrades；　who　were　enrolled　in　the　Paris　guard；　so　that　Louis　XVI。　on　rising　saw　no　guard　whatever　at　the　various　posts　entrusted　to　them。

The　decrees　of　the　4th　of　August；　by　which　all　privileges　were　abolished；　are　well　known。

　　　　　＇It　was　during　the　night　of　the　4th　of　August；〃　says　Rivarol；　〃that　　　　　　the　demagogues　of　the　nobility；　wearied　with　a　protracted　discussion　　　　　　upon　the　rights　of　man；　and　burning　to　signalise　their　zeal；　rose　　　　　　all　at　once；　and　with　loud　exclamations　called　for　the　last　sighs　of　　　　　　the　feudal　system。　　This　demand　electrified　the　Assembly。　　All　heads　　　　　　were　frenzied。　　The　younger　sons　of　good　families；　having　nothing；　　　　　　were　delighted　to　sacrifice　their　too　fortunate　elders　upon　the　　　　　　altar　of　the　country；　a　few　country　cures　felt　no　less　pleasure　in　　　　　　renouncing　the　benefices　of　others；　but　what　posterity　will　hardly　　　　　　believe　is　that　the　same　enthusiasm　infected　the　whole　nobility；　　　　　　zeal　walked　hand　in　hand　with　malevolence；　they　made　sacrifice　upon　　　　　　sacrifice。　　And　as　in　Japan　the　point　of　honour　lies　in　a　man's　　　　　　killing　himself　in　the　presence　of　the　person　who　has　offended　him；　　　　　　so　did　the　deputies　of　the　nobility　vie　in　striking　at　themselves　　　　　　and　their　constituents。　　The　people　who　were　present　at　this　noble　　　　　　contest　increased　the　intoxication　of　their　new　allies　by　their　　　　　　shouts；　and　the　deputies　of　the　commons；　seeing　that　this　memorable　　　　　　night　would　only　afford　them　profit　without　honour；　consoled　their　　　　　　self…love　by　wondering　at　what　Nobility；　grafted　upon　the　Third　　　　　　Estate；　could　do。　　They　named　that　night　the　'night　of　dupes'；　the　　　　　　nobles　called　it　the　'night　of　sacrifices'。〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

The　King　sanctioned　all　that　tended　to　the　diminution　of　his　own　personal　gratifications；　but　refused　his　consent　to　the　other　decrees　of　that　tumultuous　night；　this　refusal　was　one　of　the　chief　causes　of　the　ferments　of　the　month　of　October。

In　the　early　part　of　September　meetings　were　held　at　the　Palais　Royal；　and　propositions　made　to　go　to　Versailles；　it　was　said　to　be　necessary　to　separate　the　King　from　his　evil　counsellors；　and　keep　him；　as　well　as　the　Dauphin；　at　the　Louvre。　　The　proclamations　by　the　officers　of　the　commune　for　the　restoration　of　tranquillity　were　ineffectual；　but　M。　de　La　Fayette　succeeded　this　time　in　dispersing　the　populace。　　The　Assembly　declared　itself　permanent；　and　during　the　whole　of　September；　in　which　no　doubt　the　preparations　were　made　for　the　great　insurrections　of　the　following　month；　the　Court　was　not　disturbed。

The　King　had　the　Flanders　regiment　removed　to　Versailles；　unfortunately　the　idea　of　the　officers　of　that　regiment　fraternising　with　the　Body　Guards　was　conceived；　and　the　latter　invited　the　former　to　a　dinner；　which　was　given　in　the　great　theatre　of　Versailles；　and　not　in　the　Salon　of　Hercules；　as　some　chroniclers　say。　　Boxes　were　appropriated　to　various　persons　who　wished　to　be　present　at　this　entertainment。　　The　Queen　told　me　she　had　been　advised　to　make　her　appearance　on　the　occasion；　but　that　under　existing　circumstances　she　thought　such　a　step　might　do　more　harm　than　good；　and　that；　moreover；　neither　she　nor　the　King　ought　directly　to　have　anything　to　do　with　such　a　festival。　　She　ordered　me　to　go；　and　desired　me　to　observe　everything　closely；　in　order　to　give　a　faithful　account　of　the　whole　affair。

The　tables　were　set　out　upon　the　stage；　at　them　were　placed　one　of　the　Body　Guard　and　an　officer　of　the　Flanders　regiment　alternately。　　There　was　a　numerous　orchestra　in　the　room；　and　the　boxes　were　filled　with　spectators。　　The　air；　〃O　Richard；　O　mon　Roi！〃　was　played；　and　shouts　of　〃Vive　de　Roi！〃　shook　the　roof　for　several　minutes。　　I　had　with　me　one　of　my　nieces；　and　a　young　person　brought　up　with　Madame　by　her　Majesty。　They　were　crying　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　with　all　their　might　when　a　deputy　of　the　Third　Estate；　who　was　in　the　next　box　to　mine；　and　whom　I　had　never　seen；　called　to　them；　and　reproached　them　for　their　exclamations；　it　hurt　him；　he　said；　to　see　young　and　handsome　Frenchwomen　brought　up　in　such　servile　habits；　screaming　so　outrageously　for　the　life　of　one　man；　and　with　true　fanaticism　exalting　him　in　their　hearts　above　even　their　dearest　relations；　he　told　them　what　contempt　worthy　American　women　would　feel　on　seeing　Frenchwomen　thus　corrupted　from　their　earliest　infancy。　　My　niece　replied　with　tolerable　spirit；　and　I　requested　the　deputy　to　put　an　end　to　the　subject；　which　could　by　no　means　afford　him　any　satisfaction；　inasmuch　as　the　young　persons　who　were　with　me　lived；　as　well　as　myself；　for　the　sole　purpose　of　serving　and　loving　the　King。　　While　I　was　speaking　what　was　my　astonishment　at　seeing　the　King；　the　Queen；　and　the　Dauphin　enter　the　chamber！　　It　was　M。　de　Luxembourg　who　had　effected　this　change　in　the　Queen's　determination。

The　enthusiasm　became　general；　the　moment　their　Majesties　arrived　the　orchestra　repeated　the　air　I　have　just　mentioned；　and　afterwards　played　a　song　in　the　〃Deserter；〃　〃Can　we　grieve　those　whom　we　love？〃　　which　also　made　a　powerful　impression　upon　those　present：　on　all　sides　were　heard　praises　of　their　Majesties；　exclamations　of　affection；　expressions　of　regret　for　what　they　had　suffered；　clapping　of　hands；　and　shouts　of　〃Vive　le　Roi！　Vive　la　Reine！　Vive　le　Dauphin！〃　　It　has　been　said　that　white　cockades　were　worn　on　this　occasion；　that　was　not　the　case；　the　fact　is；　that　a　few　young　men　belonging　to　the　National　Guard　of　Versailles；　who　were　invited　to　the　entertainment；　turned　the　white　lining　of　their　national　cockades　outwards。　　All　the　military　men　quitted　the　hall；　and　reconducted　the　King　and　his　family　to　their　apartments。　　There　was　intoxication　in　these　ebullitions　of　joy：　a　thousand　extravagances　were　committed　by　the　military；　and　many　of　them　danced　under　the　King's　windows；　a　soldier　belonging　to　the　Flanders　regiment　climbed　up　to　the　balcony　of　the　King's　chamber　in　order　to　shout　〃Vive　le　Roi！〃　　nearer　his　Majesty；　this　very　soldier；　as　I　have　been　told　by　several　officers　of　the　corps；　was　one　of　the　first　and　most　dangerous　of　their　insurgents　in　the　riots　of　the　5th　and　6th　of　October。　　On　the　same　evening　another　soldier　of　that　regiment　killed　himself　with　a　sword。　　One　of　my　relations；　chaplain　to　the　Queen；　who　supped　with　me；　saw　him　stretched　out　in　a　corner　of　the　Place　d'Armes；　he　went　to　him　to　give　him　spiritual　assistance；　and　received　his　confession　and　his　last　sighs。　He　destroyed　himself　out　of　regret　at　having　suffered　himself　to　be　corrupted　by　the　enemies　of　his　King；　and　said　that；　since　he　had　seen　him　and　the　Queen　and　the　Dauphin；　remorse　had　turned　his　brain。

I　returned　home；　delighted　with　all　that　I　had　seen。

I　found　a　great　many　people　there。　　M。　de　Beaumetz；　deputy　for　Arras；　listened　to　my　description　with　a　chilling　air；　and；　when　I　had　finished；　told　me　that　all　that　had　passed　was　terrific；　that　he　knew　the　disposition　of　the　Assembly；　and　that　the　greatest　misfortunes　would　follow　the　drama　of　that　night；　and　he　begged　my　leave　to　withdraw　that　he　might　take　time　for　deliberate　reflection　whether　he　should　on　the　very　next　day　emigrate；　or　pass　over　to　the　left　side　of　the　Assembly。　He　adopted　the　latter　course；　and　never　appeared　again　among　my　associates。

On　the　2d　of　October　the　military　entertainment　was　followed　up　by　a　breakfast　given　at　the　hotel　of　the　Body　Guards。　　I