the memoirs of marie antoinette-第83章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


for　Pouillac；　whence　she　embarked　for　Spain。　　During　a　brief　visit　to　England　she　heard　that　the　reign　of　a　hundred　days　was　over；　and　the　27th　of　July；　1815；　saw　her　second　triumphal　return　to　the　Tuileries。　　She　did　not　take　up　her　abode　there　with　any　wish　for　State　ceremonies　or　Court　gaieties。　　Her　life　was　as　secluded　as　her　position　would　allow。　　Her　favourite　retreat　was　the　Pavilion；　which　had　been　inhabited　by　her　mother；　and　in　her　little　oratory　she　collected　relics　of　her　family；　over　which　on　the　anniversaries　of　their　deaths　she　wept　and　prayed。　　In　her　daily　drives　through　Paris　she　scrupulously　avoided　the　spot　on　which　they　had　suffered；　and　the　memory　of　the　past　seemed　to　rule　all　her　sad　and　self…denying　life；　both　in　what　she　did　and　what　she　refrained　from　doing。

　　　　　＇She　was　so　methodical　and　economical；　though　liberal　in　her　　　　　　charities；　that　one　of　her　regular　evening　occupations　was　to　tear　　　　　　off　the　seals　from　the　letters　she　had　received　during　the　day；　in　　　　　　order　that　the　wax　might　be　melted　down　and　sold；　the　produce　made　　　　　　one　poor　family　〃passing　rich　with　forty　pounds　a　year。〃See　〃Filia　　　　　　Dolorosa；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　239。＇

Her　somewhat　austere　goodness　was　not　of　a　nature　to　make　her　popular。　The　few　who　really　understood　her　loved　her；　but　the　majority　of　her　pleasure…seeking　subjects　regarded　her　either　with　ridicule　or　dread。　She　is　said　to　have　taken　no　part　in　politics；　and　to　have　exerted　no　influence　in　public　affairs；　but　her　sympathies　were　well　known；　and　〃the　very　word　liberty　made　her　shudder；〃　like　Madame　Roland；　she　had　seen　〃so　many　crimes　perpetrated　under　that　name。〃

The　claims　of　three　pretended　DauphinsHervagault；　the　son　of　the　tailor　of　St。　Lo；　Bruneau；　son　of　the　shoemaker　of　Vergin；　and　Naundorf　or　Norndorff；　the　watchmaker　somewhat　troubled　her　peace；　but　never　for　a　moment　obtained　her　sanction。　　Of　the　many　other　pseudo…Dauphins　（said　to　number　a　dozen　and　a　half）　not　even　the　names　remain。　　In　February；1820；　a　fresh　tragedy　befell　the　royal　family　in　the　assassination　of　the　Duc　de　Berri；　brother…in…law　of　the　Duchesse　d'Angouleme；　as　he　was　seeing　his　wife　into　her　carriage　at　the　door　of　the　Opera…house。　　He　was　carried　into　the　theatre；　and　there　the　dying　Prince　and　his　wife　were　joined　by　the　Duchess；　who　remained　till　he　breathed　his　last；　and　was　present　when　he；　too；　was　laid　in　the　Abbey　of　St。　Denis。　　She　was　present　also　when　his　son；　the　Duc　de　Bordeaux；　was　born；　and　hoped　that　she　saw　in　him　a　guarantee　for　the　stability　of　royalty　in　France。　　In　September；　1824；　she　stood　by　the　death…bed　of　Louis　XVIII。；　and　thenceforward　her　chief　occupation　was　directing　the　education　of　the　little　Duc　de　Bordeaux；　who　generally　resided　with　her　at　Villeneuve　l'Etang；　her　country　house　near　St。　　Cloud。　　Thence　she　went　in　July；　1830；　to　the　Baths　of　Vichy；　stopping　at　Dijon　on　her　way　to　Paris；　and　visiting　the　theatre　on　the　evening　of　the　27th。　　She　was　received　with　〃a　roar　of　execrations　and　seditious　cries；〃　and　knew　only　too　well　what　they　signified。　　She　instantly　left　the　theatre　and　proceeded　to　Tonnere；　where　she　received　news　of　the　rising　in　Paris；　and；　quitting　the　town　by　night；　was　driven　to　Joigny　with　three　attendants。　　Soon　after　leaving　that　place　it　was　thought　more　prudent　that　the　party　should　separate　and　proceed　on　foot；　and　the　Duchess　and　M。　de　Foucigny；　disguised　as　peasants；　entered　Versailles　arm…in…arm；　to　obtain　tidings　of　the　King。　The　Duchess　found　him　at　Rambouillet　with　her　husband；　the　Dauphin；　and　the　King　met　her　with　a　request　for　〃pardon；〃　being　fully　conscious；　too　late；　that　his　unwise　decrees　and　his　headlong　flight　had　destroyed　the　last　hopes　of　his　family。　　The　act　of　abdication　followed；　by　which　the　prospect　of　royalty　passed　from　the　Dauphin　and　his　wife；　as　well　as　from　Charles　X。　Henri　V。　　being　proclaimed　King；　and　the　Duc　d'Orleans　（who　refused　to　take　the　boy　monarch　under　his　personal　protection）　lieutenant…general　of　the　kingdom。

Then　began　the　Duchess's　third　expatriation。　　At　Cherbourg　the　royal　family；　accompanied　by　the　little　King　without　a　kingdom；　embarked　in　the　'Great　Britain'；　which　stood　out　to　sea。　　The　Duchess；　remaining　on　deck　for　a　last　look　at　the　coast　of　France；　noticed　a　brig　which　kept；　she　thought；　suspiciously　near　them。

〃Who　commands　that　vessel？〃　she　inquired。

〃Captain　Thibault。〃

And　what　are　his　orders？〃

〃To　fire　into　and　sink　the　vessels　in　which　we　sail；　should　any　attempt　be　made　to　return　to　France。〃

Such　was　the　farewell　of　their　subjects　to　the　House　of　Bourbon。　　The　fugitives　landed　at　Weymouth；　the　Duchesse　d'Angouleme　under　the　title　of　Comtesse　de　Marne；　the　Duchesse　de　Berri　as　Comtesse　de　Rosny；　and　her　son；　Henri　de　Bordeaux；　as　Comte　de　Chambord；　the　title　he　retained　till　his　death；　originally　taken　from　the　estate　presented　to　him　in　infancy　by　his　enthusiastic　people。　　Holyrood；　with　its　royal　and　gloomy　associations；　was　their　appointed　dwelling。　　The　Duc　and　Duchesse　d'Angouleme；　and　the　daughter　of　the　Duc　de　Berri；　travelled　thither　by　land；　the　King　and　the　young　Comte　de　Chambord　by　sea。　　〃I　prefer　my　route　to　that　of　my　sister；〃　observed　the　latter；　because　I　shall　see　the　coast　of　France　again；　and　she　will　not。〃

The　French　Government　soon　complained　that　at　Holyrood　the　exiles　were　still　too　near　their　native　land；　and　accordingly；　in　1832；　Charles　X。；　with　his　son　and　grandson；　left　Scotland　for　Hamburg；　while　the　Duchesse　d'Angouleme　and　her　niece　repaired　to　Vienna。　　The　family　were　reunited　at　Prague　in　1833；　where　the　birthday　of　the　Comte　de　Chambord　was　celebrated　with　some　pomp　and　rejoicing；　many　Legitimists　flocking　thither　to　congratulate　him　on　attaining　the　age　of　thirteen；　which　the　old　law　of　monarchical　France　had　fixed　as　the　majority　of　her　princes。　Three　years　later　the　wanderings　of　the　unfortunate　family　recommenced；　the　Emperor　Francis　II。　was　dead；　and　his　successor；　Ferdinand；　must　visit　Prague　to　be　crowned；　and　Charles　X。　feared　that　the　presence　of　a　discrowned　monarch　might　be　embarrassing　on　such　an　occasion。　　Illness　and　sorrow　attended　the　exiles　on　their　new　journey；　and　a　few　months　after　they　were　established　in　the　Chateau　of　Graffenburg　at　Goritz；　Charles　X。　died　of　cholera；　in　his　eightieth　year。　　At　Goritz；　also；　on　the　31st　May；　1844；　the　Duchesse　d'Angouleme；　who　had　sat　beside　so　many　death…beds；　watched　over　that　of　her　husband。　　Theirs　had　not　been　a　marriage　of　affection　in　youth；　but　they　respected　each　other's　virtues；　and　to　a　great　extent　shared　each　other's　tastes；　banishment　and　suffering　had　united　them　very　closely；　and　of　late　years　they　had　been　almost　inseparable；　walking；　riding；　and　reading　together。　　When　the　Duchesse　d'Angouleme　had　seen　her　husband　laid　by　his　father's　side　in　the　vault　of　the　Franciscan　convent；　she；　accompanied　by　her　nephew　and　niece；　removed　to　Frohsdorf；　where　they　spent　seven　tranquil　years。　　Here　she　was　addressed　as　〃Queen〃　by　her　household　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　but　she　herself　always　recognised　Henri；　Comte　de　Chambord；　as　her　sovereign。　　The　Duchess　lived　to　see　the　overthrow　of　Louis　Philippe；　the　usurper　of　the　inheritance　of　her　family。　　Her　last　attempt　to　exert　herself　was　a　characteristic　one。　　She　tried　to　rise　from　a　sick…bed　in　order　to　attend　the　memorial　service　held　for　her　mother；　Marie　Antoinette；　on　the　16th　October；　the　anniversary　of　her　execution。　　But　her　strength　was　not　equal　to　the　task；　on　the　19th　she　expired；　with　her　hand　in　that　of　the　Comte　de　Chambord；　and　on　28th　October；　1851；　Marie　Therese　Charlotte；　Duchesse　d'Angouleme；　was　buried　in　the　Franciscan　convent。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Ceremony　of　Expiation。

〃In　the　spring　of　1814　a　ceremony　took　place　in　Paris　at　which　I　was　present　because　there　was　nothing　in　it　that　could　be　mortifying　to　a　French　heart。　　The　death　of　Louis　XVI。　　had　long　been　admitted　to　be　one　of　the　most　serious　misfortunes　of　the　Revolution。　　The　Emperor　Napoleon　never　spoke　of　that　sovereign　but　in　terms　of　the　highest　respect；　and　always　prefixed　the　epithet　unfortunate　to　his　name。　　The　ceremony　to　which　I　allude　was　proposed　by　the　Emperor　of　Russia　and　the　King　of　Prussia。　　It　consisted　of　a　kind　of　expiation　and　purification　of　the　spot　on　which　Louis　XVI。　and　his　Queen　were　beheaded。　　I　went　to　see　the　ceremony；　and　I　had　a　place　at　a　window　in　the　Hotel　of　Madame　de　Remusat；　next　to　the　Hotel　de　Crillon；　and　what　was　termed　the　Hotel　de　Courlande。

〃The　expiation　took　place　on　the　10th　of　April。　　The　weather　was　extremely　fine　and　warm　for　the　season。　　The　Emperor　of　Russia　and　King　of　Prussia；　accompanied　by　Prince　Schwartzenberg；　took　their　station　at　the　entrance　of　the　Rue　Royale；　the　King　of　Prussia　being　on　the　right　of　the　Emperor　Alexander；　and　Prince　Schwartzenberg　on　his　left。　　There　was　a　long　parade；　during　which　the　Russian；　Prussian　and　Austrian　military　bands　vied　with　each　other　in　playing　the　air；　'Vive　Henri　IV。！'　The　cavalry　defiled　past；　and　then　withdrew　into　the　Champs　Elysees；　but　the　infantry　ranged　themselves　round　an　altar　which　was　raised　in　the　middle　of　the　Place；　and　which　was　elevated　on　a　platform　having　twelve　or　fifteen　steps。　　The　Emperor　of　Russia　alighted　from　his　horse；　and；　followed　by　the　King　of　Prussia；　the　Grand　Duke　Constantine；　Lord　Cathcart；　and　Prince　Schwartzenberg；　advanced　to　the　altar。　　When　the　Emperor　had　nearly　reached　the　altar　the　〃Te　Deum〃　commenced。　　At　the　moment　of　the　benediction；　the　sovereigns　and　persons　who　accompanied　them；　as　well　as　the　twenty…five　thousand　troops　who　covered　the　Place；　all　knelt　down。　　The　Greek　priest　presented　the　cross　to　the　Emperor　Alexander；　who　kissed　it；　his　example　was　followed　by　the　individuals　who　accompanied　him；　though　they　were　not　of　the　Greek　faith。　　On　rising；　the　Grand　Duke　Constantine　took　off　his　hat；　and　immediately　salvoes　of　artillery　were　heard。〃


THE　END。







NOTE。



The　following　titles　have　the　signification　given　below　during　the　period　covered　by　this　work：

MONSEIGNEUR。。。。。。。。。。。　The　Dauphin。

MONSIEUR。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　The　eldest　brother　of　the　King；　Comte　de　Provence；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　afterwards　Louis　XVIII。

MONSIEUR　LE　PRINCE。。。。　The　Prince　de　Conde；　head　of　the　House　of　Conde。

MONSIEUR　LE　DUC。。。。。。。　The　Duc　de　Bourbon；　the　eldest　son　of　the　Prince　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　de　Condo　（and　the　father　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien　shot　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Napoleon）。

MONSIEUR　LE　GRAND。。。。。　The　Grand　Equerry　under　the　ancien　regime。

MONSIEUR　LE　PREMIER。。。　The　First　Equerry　under　the　ancien　regime。

ENFANS　DE　FRANCE。。。。。。　The　royal　children。

MADAME　&　MESDAMES。。。。。　Sisters　or　daughters　of　the　King；　or　Princesses　near　the　Throne　（sometimes　used　also　for　the　wife　of　Monsieur；　the　eldest　brother　of　the　King；　the　Princesses　Adelaide；　Victoire；　Sophie；　Louise；　daughters　of　Louis　XV。；　and　aunts　of　Louis　XVI。）

MADAME　ELISABETH。。。。。。　The　Princesse　Elisabeth；　sister　of　Louis　XVI。

MADAME　ROYALE。。。。。。。。。　The　Princesse　Marie　Therese；　daughter　of　Louis　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XVI。；　afterwards　Duchesse　d'Angouleme。

MADEMOISELLE。。。。。。。。。。　The　daughter　of　Monsieur；　the　brother　of　the　King。








End