the memoirs of marie antoinette-第60章
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formed into parties； they began fighting； and the Jacobins were beaten； tufts of their black hair flew about the theatre。 ＇At this time none but the Jacobins had discontinued the use of hairpowder。MADAME CAMPAN。＇ A military guard arrived。 The Faubourg St。 Antoine； hearing of what was going on at the Theatre Italien； flocked together； and began to talk of marching towards the scene of action。 The Queen preserved the calmest demeanour； the commandants of the guard surrounded and encouraged her； they conducted themselves promptly and discreetly。 No accident happened。 The Queen was highly applauded as she quitted the theatre； it was the last time she was ever in one！
While couriers were bearing confidential letters from the King to the Princes； his brothers； and to the foreign sovereigns； the Assembly invited him to write to the Princes in order to induce them to return to France。 The King desired the Abbe de Montesquiou to write the letter he was to send； this letter； which was admirably composed in a simple and affecting style； suited to the character of Louis XVI。； and filled with very powerful arguments in favour of the advantages to be derived from adopting the principles of the constitution； was confided to me by the King； who desired me to make him a copy of it。
At this period M。 M…； one of the intendants of Monsieur's household； obtained a passport from the Assembly to join that Prince on business relative to his domestic concerns。 The Queen selected him to be the bearer of this letter。 She determined to give it to him herself； and to inform him of its object。 I was astonished at her choice of this courier。 The Queen assured me he was exactly the man for her purpose； that she relied even upon his indiscretion； and that it was merely necessary that the letter from the King to his brothers should be known to exist。 The Princes were doubtless informed beforehand on the subject by the private correspondence。 Monsieur nevertheless manifested some degree of surprise； and the messenger returned more grieved than pleased at this mark of confidence； which nearly cost him his life during the Reign of Terror。
Among the causes of uneasiness to the Queen there was one which was but too well founded； the thoughtlessness of the French whom she sent to foreign Courts。 She used to say that they had no sooner passed the frontiers than they disclosed the most secret matters relative to the King's private sentiments； and that the leaders of the Revolution were informed of them through their agents； many of whom were Frenchmen who passed themselves off as emigrants in the cause of their King。
After the acceptance of the constitution； the formation of the King's household； as well military as civil； formed a subject of attention。 The Duc de Brissac had the command of the Constitutional Guard； which was composed of officers and men selected from the regiments； and of several officers drawn from the National Guard of Paris。 The King was satisfied with the feelings and conduct of this band； which； as is well known； existed but a very short time。
The new constitution abolished what were called honours； and the prerogatives belonging to them。 The Duchesse de Duras resigned her place of lady of the bedchamber； not choosing to lose her right to the tabouret at Court。 This step hurt the Queen； who saw herself forsaken through the loss of a petty privilege at a time when her own rights and even life were so hotly attacked。 Many ladies of rank left the Court for the same reason。 However； the King and Queen did not dare to form the civil part of their household； lest by giving the new names of the posts they should acknowledge the abolition of the old ones； and also lest they should admit into the highest positions persons not calculated to fill them well。 Some time was spent in discussing the question； whether the household should be formed without chevaliers and without ladies of honour。 The Queen's constitutional advisers were of opinion that the Assembly； having decreed a civil list adequate to uphold the splendour of the throne； would be dissatisfied at seeing the King adopting only a military household； and not forming his civil household upon the new constitutional plan。 〃How is it； Madame；〃 wrote Barnave to the Queen； 〃that you will persist in giving these people even the smallest doubt as to your sentiments？ When they decree you a civil and a military household； you； like young Achilles among the daughters of Lycomedes； eagerly seize the sword and scorn the mere ornaments。〃 The Queen persisted in her determination to have no civil household。 〃If；〃 said she； 〃this constitutional household be formed； not a single person of rank will remain with us； and upon a change of affairs we should be obliged to discharge the persons received into their place。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 added she； 〃perhaps I might find one day that I had saved the nobility； if I now had resolution enough to afflict them for a time； I have it not。 When any measure which injures them is wrested from us they sulk with me； nobody comes to my card party； the King goes unattended to bed。 No allowance is made for political necessity； we are punished for our very misfortunes。〃
The Queen wrote almost all day； and spent part of the night in reading： her courage supported her physical strength； her disposition was not at all soured by misfortunes； and she was never seen in an ill…humour for a moment。 She was； however； held up to the people as a woman absolutely furious and mad whenever the rights of the Crown were in any way attacked。
I was with her one day at one of her windows。 We saw a man plainly dressed； like an ecclesiastic； surrounded by an immense crowd。 The Queen imagined it was some abbe whom they were about to throw into the basin of the Tuileries； she hastily opened her window and sent a valet de chambre to know what was going forward in the garden。 It was Abbe Gregoire； whom the men and women of the tribunes were bringing back in triumph； on account of a motion he had just made in the National Assembly against the royal authority。 On the following day the democratic journalists described the Queen as witnessing this triumph； and showing； by expressive gestures at her window； how highly she was exasperated by the honours conferred upon the patriot。
The correspondence between the Queen and the foreign powers was carried on in cipher。 That to which she gave the preference can never be detected； but the greatest patience is requisite for its use。 Each correspondent must have a copy of the same edition of some work。 She selected 〃Paul and Virginia。〃 The page and line in which the letters required； and occasionally a monosyllable； are to be found are pointed out in ciphers agreed upon。 I assisted her in finding the letters； and frequently I made an exact copy for her of all that she had ciphered； without knowing a single word of its meaning。
There were always several secret committees in Paris occupied in collecting information for the King respecting the measures of the factions； and in influencing some of the committees of the Assembly。 M。 Bertrand de Molleville was in close correspondence with the Queen。 The King employed M。 Talon and others； much money was expended through the latter channel for the secret measures。 The Queen had no confidence in them。 M。 de Laporte； minister of the civil list and of the household； also attempted to give a bias to public opinion by means of hireling publications； but these papers influenced none but the royalist party； which did not need influencing。 M。 de Laporte had a private police which gave him some useful information。
I determined to sacrifice myself to my duty； but by no means to any intrigue； and I thought that； circumstanced as I was； I ought to confine myself to obeying the Queen's orders。 I frequently sent off couriers to foreign countries； and they were never discovered； so many precautions did I take。 I am indebted for the preservation of my own existence to the care I took never to admit any deputy to my abode； and to refuse all interviews which even people of the highest importance often requested of me； but this line of conduct exposed me to every species of ill…will； and on the same day I saw myself denounced by Prud'homme； in his 'Gazette Revolutionnaire'； as capable of making an aristocrat of the mother of the Gracchi； if a person so dangerous as myself could have got into her household； and by Gauthier's Gazette Royaliste； as a monarchist； a constitutionalist； more dangerous to the Queen's interests than a Jacobin。
At this period an event with which I had nothing to do placed me in a still more critical situation。 My brother； M。 Genet； began his diplomatic career successfully。 At eighteen he was attached to the embassy to Vienna； at twenty he was appointed chief secretary of Legation in England； on occasion of the peace of 1783。 A memorial which he presented to M。 de Vergennes upon the dangers of the treaty of commerce then entered into with England gave offence to M。 de Calonne； a patron of that treaty； and particularly to M。 Gerard de Rayneval； chief clerk for foreign affairs。 So long as M。 de Vergennes lived； having upon my father's death declared himself the protector of my brother； he supported him against the enemies his views had created。 But on his death M。 de Montmorin； being much in need of the long experience in business which he found in M。 de Rayneval； was guided solely by the latter。 The office of which my brother was the head was suppressed。 He then went to St。 Petersburg； strongly recommended to the Comte de Segur； minister from France to that Court； who appointed him secretary of Legation。 Some time afterwards the Comte de Segur left him at St。 Petersburg； charged with the affairs of France。 After his return from Russia； M。 Genet was appointed ambassador to the United States by the party called Girondists； the deputies who headed it being from the department of the Gironde。 He was recalled by the Robespierre party； which overthrew the former faction； on the 31st of May； 1793； and condemned to appear before the Convention。 Vice…President Clinton； at that time Governor of New York； offered him an asylum in his house and the hand of his daughter； and M。 Genet established himself prosperously in America。
When my brother quitted Versailles he was much hurt at being deprived of a considerable income for having penned a memorial which his zeal alone had dictated； and the importance of which was afterwards but too well understood。 I perceived from his correspondence that he inclined to some of the new notions。 He told me it was right he should no longer conceal from me that he sided with the constitutional party； that the King had in fact commanded it； having himself accepted the constitution； that he would proceed firmly in that course； because in this case disingenuousness would be fatal； and that he took that side of the question because he had had it proved to him that the foreign powers would not serve the King's cause without advancing pretensions prompted by long…standing interests； which always would influence their councils； that he saw no salvation for the King and Queen but from within France； and that he would serve the constitutional King as he
