the origins of contemporary france-1-第26章

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at　seven　o'clock；　in　winter　and　in　summer；　stationed　himself；　at　his

father's　command；　at　the　foot　of　the　small　stairway　leading　to　the

chapel；　solely　to　shake　hands　with　Mme。　　de　Maintenon　on　her　leaving

for　St。　　Cyr。＇31＇　　〃Pardon　me；　Madame；〃　writes　the　Duc　de　Richelieu　to

her；　〃the　great　liberty　I　take　in　presuming　to　send　you　the　letter

which　I　have　written　to　the　king；　begging　him　on　my　knees　that　he　will

occasionally　allow　me　to　pay　my　court　to　him　at　Ruel；　for　I　would

rather　die　than　pass　two　months　without　seeing　him。〃　The　true　courtier

follows　the　prince　as　a　shadow　follows　its　body；　such；　under　Louis

XIV；　was　the　Duc　de　la　Rochefoucauld；　the　master　of　the　hounds。　　〃He

never　missed　the　king's　rising　or　retiring；　both　changes　of　dress

every　day；　the　hunts　and　the　promenades；　likewise　every　day；　for　ten

years　in　succession；　never　sleeping　away　from　the　place　where　the　king

rested；　and　yet　on　a　footing　to　demand　leave；　but　not　to　stay　away　all

night；　for　he　had　not　slept　out　of　Paris　once　in　forty　years；　but　to

go　and　dine　away　from　the　court；　and　not　be　present　on　the　promenade。〃

…　　If；　later；　and　under　less　exacting　masters；　and　in　the　general

laxity　of　the　eighteenth　century；　this　discipline　is　relaxed；　the

institution　nevertheless　subsists；＇32＇　in　default　of　obedience；

tradition；　interest　and　amour…propre　suffice　for　the　people　of　the

court。　　To　approach　the　king；　to　be　a　domestic　in　his　household；　an

usher；　a　cloak…bearer；　a　valet；　is　a　privilege　that　is　purchased；　even

in　1789；　for　thirty；　forty；　and　a　hundred　thousand　livres；　so　much

greater　the　reason　why　it　is　a　privilege　to　form　a　part　of　his

society；　the　most　honorable；　the　most　useful；　and　the　most　coveted　of

all。　　…　　In　the　first　place；　it　is　a　proof　of　noble　birth。　　A　man；　to

follow　the　king　in　the　chase；　and　a　woman；　to　be　presented　to　the

queen；　must　previously　satisfy　the　genealogist；　and　by　authentic

documents；　that　his　or　her　nobility　goes　back　to　the　year　1400。　　…　　In

the　next　place；　it　ensures　good　fortune。　　This　drawing　room　is　the　only

place　within　reach　of　royal　favors；　accordingly；　up　to　1789；　the　great

families　never　stir　away　from　Versailles；　and　day　and　night　they　lie

in　ambush。　　The　valet　of　the　Marshal　de　Noaillles　says　to　him　one　night

on　closing　his　curtains；



　〃At　what　hour　will　Monseigneur　be　awakened？〃　〃At　ten　o'clock；　if

no　one　dies　during　the　night。〃＇33＇



Old　courtiers　are　still　found　who；　〃at　the　age　of　eighty；　have

passed　forty…five　on　their　feet　in　the　antechambers　of　the　king；　of

the　princes；　and　of　the　ministers。　　。　　。



You　have　only　three　things　to　do；〃　says　one　of　them　to　a　debutant；

〃speak　well　of　everybody；　ask　for　every　vacancy；　and　sit　down　when　you

can。〃



　Hence；　the　king　always　has　a　crowd　around　him。　　The　Comtesse　du

Barry　says；　on　presenting　her　niece　at　court；　the　first　of　August；

1773；　〃the　crowd　is　so　great　at　a　presentation；　one　can　scarcely　get

through　the　antechambers。〃＇34＇　In　December；　1774；　at　Fontainebleau；

when　the　queen　plays　at　her　own　table　every　evening；　〃the　apartment；

though　vast；　is　never　empty。　　。　　。　　。　　The　crowd　is　so　great　that　one　can

talk　only　to　the　two　or　three　persons　with　whom　one　is　playing。〃　The

fourteen　apartments；　at　the　receptions　of　ambassadors　are　full　to

overflowing　with　seigniors　and　richly　dressed　women。　　On　the　first　of

January；　1775；　the　queen　〃counted　over　two　hundred　ladies　presented　to

her　to　pay　their　court。　　〃　In　1780；　at　Choisy；　a　table　for　thirty

persons　is　spread　every　day　for　the　king；　another　with　thirty　places

for　the　seigniors；　another　with　forty　places　for　the　officers　of　the

guard　and　the　equerries；　and　one　with　fifty　for　the　officers　of　the

bedchamber。　　According　to　my　estimate；　the　king；　on　getting　up　and　on

retiring；　on　his　walks；　on　his　hunts；　at　play；　has　always　around　him

at　least　forty　or　fifty　seigniors　and　generally　a　hundred；　with　as

many　ladies；　besides　his　attendants　on　duty。　　At　Fontainebleau；　in

1756；　although　〃there　were　neither　fêtes　nor　ballets　this　year；　one

hundred　and　six　ladies　were　counted。〃　When　the　king　holds　a　〃grand

apartement；〃　when　play　or　dancing　takes　place　in　the　gallery　of

mirrors；　four　or　five　hundred　guests；　the　elect　of　the　nobles　and　of

the　fashion；　range　themselves　on　the　benches　or　gather　around　the　card

and　cavanole　tables。＇35＇　This　is　a　spectacle　to　be　seen；　not　by　the

imagination；　or　through　imperfect　records；　but　with　our　own　eyes　and

on　the　spot；　to　comprehend　the　spirit；　the　effect　and　the　triumph　of

monarchical　culture。　　In　an　elegantly　furnished　house；　the　drawing　room

is　the　principal　room；　and　never　was　one　more　dazzling　than　this。

Suspended　from　the　sculptured　ceiling　peopled　with　sporting　cupids；

descend；　by　garlands　of　flowers　and　foliage；　blazing　chandeliers；

whose　splendor　is　enhanced　by　the　tail　mirrors；　the　light　streams　down

in　floods　on　gilding；　diamonds；　and　beaming；　arch　physiognomies；　on

fine　busts；　and　on　the　capacious；　sparkling　and　garlanded　dresses。　　The

skirts　of　the　ladies　ranged　in　a　circle；　or　in　tiers　on　the　benches；

〃form　a　rich　espalier　covered　with　pearls；　gold；　silver；　jewels；

spangles；　flowers　and　fruits；　with　their　artificial　blossoms；

gooseberries；　cherries；　and　strawberries；〃　a　gigantic　animated　bouquet

of　which　the　eye　can　scarcely　support　the　brilliancy。　　There　are　no

black　coats；　as　nowadays；　to　disturb　the　harmony。　　With　the　hair

powdered　and　dressed；　with　buckles　and　knots；　with　cravats　and　ruffles

of　lace；　in　silk　coats　and　vests　of　the　hues　of　fallen　leaves；　or　of　a

delicate　rose　tint；　or　of　celestial　blue；　embellished　with　gold　braid

and　embroidery；　the　men　are　as　elegant　as　the　women。　　Men　and　women；

each　is　a　selection；　they　all　are　of　the　accomplished　class；　gifted

with　every　grace　which　good　blood；　education；　fortune；　leisure　and

custom　can　bestow；　they　are　perfect　of　their　kind。　　There　is　no　toilet；

no　carriage　of　the　head；　no　tone　of　the　voice；　no　expression　in

language　which　is　not　a　masterpiece　of　worldly　culture；　the　distilled

quintessence　of　all　that　is　exquisitely　elaborated　by　social　art。

Polished　as　the　high　society　of　Paris　may　be；　it　does　not　approach

this；＇36＇　compared　with　the　court；　it　seems　provincial。　　It　is　said

that　a　hundred　thousand　roses　are　required　to　make　an　ounce　of　the

unique　perfume　used　by　Persian　kings；　such　is　this　drawing…room；　the

frail　vial　of　crystal　and　gold　containing　the　substance　of　a　human

vegetation。　　To　fill　it；　a　great　aristocracy　had　to　be　transplanted　to

a　hot…house　and　become　sterile　in　fruit　and　flowers；　and　then；　in　the

royal　alembic；　its　pure　sap　is　concentrated　into　a　few　drops　of　aroma。

The　price　is　excessive；　but　only　at　this　price　can　the　most　delicate

perfumes　be　manufactured。



IV。　　EVERYDAY　LIFE　IN　COURT。



The　king's　occupations。　　…　Rising　in　the　morning；　mass；　dinner；

walks；　hunting；　supper；　play；　evening　receptions。　　…　He　is　always　on

parade　and　in　company。



An　operation　of　this　kind　absorbs　him　who　undertakes　it　as　well　as

those　who　undergo　it。　　A　nobility　for　useful　purposes　is　not

transformed　with　impunity　into　a　nobility　for　ornament；＇37＇　one　falls

himself　into　the　ostentation　which　is　substituted　for　action。　　The　king

has　a　court　which　he　is　compelled　to　maintain。　　So　much　the　worse　if　it

absorbs　all　his　time；　his　intellect；　his　soul；　the　most　valuable

portion　of　his　active　forces　and　the　forces　of　the　State。　　To　be　the

master　of　a　house　is　not　an　easy　task；　especially　when　five　hundred

persons　are　to　be　entertained；　one　must　necessarily　pass　one's　life　in

public　and　all　the　time　being　on　exhibition。　　Strictly　speaking　it　is

the　life　of　an　actor　who　is　on　the　stage　the　entire　day。　　To　support

this　load；　and　work　besides；　required　the　temperament　of　Louis　XIV；

the　vigor　of　his　body；　the　extraordinary　firmness　of　his　nerves；　the

strength　of　his　digestion；　and　the　regularity　of　his　habits；　his

successors　who　come　after　him　grow　weary　or　stagger　under　the　same

load。　　But　they　cannot　throw　it　off；　an　incessant；　daily　performance　is

inseparable　from　their　position　and　it　is　imposed　on　them　like　a

heavy；　gilded；　ceremonial　coat。　　The　king　is　expected　to　keep　the

entire　aristocracy　busy；　consequently　to　make　a　display　of　himself；　to

pay　back　with　his　own　person；　at　all　hours；　even　the　most　private；

even　on　getting　out　of　bed；　and　even　in　his　bed。　　In　the　morning；　at

the　hour　named　by　himself　beforehand；＇38＇　the　head　valet　awakens　him；

five　series　of　persons　enter　in　turn　to　perform　their　duty；　and；

〃although　very　large；　there　are　days　when　the　waiting…rooms　can　hardly

contain　the　crowd　of　courtiers。〃　　…　　The　first　admittance　is　〃l'entrée

familière；〃　consisting　of　the　children　of　France；　the　princes　and

princesses　of　the　blood；　and；　besides　these；　the　chief　physician；　the

chief　surgeon　and　other　serviceable　persons。＇39＇　Next；　comes　the

〃grande　entrée；'　which　comprises　the　grand…chamberlain；　the　grand…

master　and　master　of　the　wardrobe；　the　first　gentlemen　of　the

bedchamber；　the　Ducs　d'Orleans　and　de　Penthièvre；　some　other　highly

favored　seigniors；　the　ladies　of　honor　and　in　waiting　of　the　queen；

Mesdames　and　other　princesses；　without　enumerating　barbers　tailors　and

various　descriptions　of　valets。　　Meanwhile　spirits　of　wine　are　poured

on　the　king's　hands　from　a　service　of　plate；　and　he　is　then　handed　the

basin　of　holy　water；　he　crosses　himself　and　repeats　a　prayer。　　Then　he

gets　out　of　bed　before　all　these　people　and　puts　on　his　slippers。　　The

grand…chamberlain　and　the　first　gentleman　hand　him　his　dressing…gown；

he　puts　this　on　and　seats　himself　in　the　chair　in　which　he　is　to　put

on　his　clothes。　　At　this　moment　the　door　opens　and　a　third　group

enters；　which　is　the　〃entrée　des　brevets；〃　the　seigniors　who　compose

this　enjoy；　in　addition；　the　precious　privilege　of　assisting　at　the

〃petite　coucher；〃　while；　at　the　same　moment　there　enters　a　detachment

of　attendants；　consisting　of　the　physicians　and　surgeons　in　ordinary；

the　intendants　of　the　amusements；　readers　and　others；　and　among　the

latter　those　who　preside　over　physical　requirements；　the　publicity　of

a　royal　life　is　so　great　that　none　of　its　functions　can　be　exercised

without　witnesses。　　At　the　moment　of　the　approach　of　the　officers　of

the　wardrobe　to　dress　him　the　first　gentleman；　notified　by　an　usher；

advances　to　read　to　the　king　the　names　of　the　grandees　who　are　waiting

at　the　door：　this　is　the　fourth　entry　called　〃la　chambre；〃　and　larger

than　those　preceding　it；　for；　not　to　mention　the　cloak…bearers；　gun…

bearers；　rug…bearers　and　other　valets　it　comprises　most　of　the

superior　officials；　the　grand…almoner；　the　almoners　on　duty；　the

chaplain；　the　master　of　the　oratory；　the　captain　and　major　of　the

body…guard；　the　colonel…general　and　major　of　the　French　guards；　the

colonel　of　the　king's　regiment；　the　captain　of　the　Cent　Suisses；　the

grand…huntsman；　the　grand　wolf…huntsman；　the　grand…provost；　th