the memoirs of marie antoinette-第2节

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ssassinated！'　　Two　ladies　in　the　company　fainted；　a　brigadier　of　the　Body　Guards　threw　down　his　cards　and　cried　out；　'I　do　not　wonder　at　it；　it　is　those　rascally　Jesuits。''What　are　you　saying；　brother？'　cried　a　lady；　flying　to　him；　'would　you　get　yourself　arrested？''Arrested！　　For　what？　　For　unmasking　those　wretches　who　want　a　bigot　for　a　King？'　　My　father　came　in；　he　recommended　circumspection；　saying　that　the　blow　was　not　mortal；　and　that　all　meetings　ought　to　be　suspended　at　so　critical　a　moment。　　He　had　brought　the　chaise　for　my　mother；　who　placed　me　on　her　knees。　　We　lived　in　the　Avenue　de　Paris；　and　throughout　our　drive　I　heard　incessant　cries　and　sobs　from　the　footpaths。

At　last　I　saw　a　man　arrested；　he　was　an　usher　of　the　King's　chamber；　who　had　gone　mad；　and　was　crying　out；　'Yes；　I　know　them；　the　wretches！　the　villains！'　　Our　chaise　was　stopped　by　this　bustle。　　My　mother　recognised　the　unfortunate　man　who　had　been　seized；　she　gave　his　name　to　the　trooper　who　had　stopped　him。　　The　poor　usher　was　therefore　merely　conducted　to　the　gens　d'armes'　guardroom；　which　was　then　in　the　avenue。

〃I　have　often　heard　M。　de　Landsmath；　equerry　and　master　of　the　hounds；　who　used　to　come　frequently　to　my　father's；　say　that　on　the　news　of　the　attempt　on　the　King's　life　he　instantly　repaired　to　his　Majesty。　I　cannot　repeat　the　coarse　expressions　he　made　use　of　to　encourage　his　Majesty；　but　his　account　of　the　affair；　long　afterwards；　amused　the　parties　in　which　he　was　prevailed　on　to　relate　it；　when　all　apprehensions　respecting　the　consequences　of　the　event　had　subsided。　　This　M。　de　Landsmath　was　an　old　soldier；　who　had　given　proofs　of　extraordinary　valour；　nothing　had　been　able　to　soften　his　manners　or　subdue　his　excessive　bluntness　to　the　respectful　customs　of　the　Court。　　The　King　was　very　fond　of　him。　　He　possessed　prodigious　strength；　and　had　often　contended　with　Marechal　Saxe；　renowned　for　his　great　bodily　power；　in　trying　the　strength　of　their　respective　wrists。

　　　　　＇One　day　when　the　King　was　hunting　in　the　forest　of　St。　Germain；　　　　　　Landemath；　riding　before　him；　wanted　a　cart；　filled　with　the　slime　　　　　　of　a　pond　that　had　just　been　cleansed；　to　draw　up　out　of　the　way。　　　　　　The　carter　resisted；　and　even　answered　with　impertinence。　　　　　　Landsmath；　without　dismounting；　seized　him　by　the　breast　of　his　　　　　　coat；　lifted　him　up；　and　threw　him　into　his　cart。MADAME　CAMPAN。

M。　de　Landsmath　had　a　thundering　voice。　　When　he　came　into　the　King's　apartment　he　found　the　Dauphin　and　Mesdames；　his　Majesty's　daughters；　there；　the　Princesses；　in　tears；　surrounded　the　King's　bed。　　Send　out　all　these　weeping　women；　Sire；'　said　the　old　equerry；　'I　want　to　speak　to　you　alone：　The　King　made　a　sign　to　the　Princesses　to　withdraw。　　'Come；'　said　Landsmath；　'your　wound　is　nothing；　you　had　plenty　of　waistcoats　and　flannels　on。'　　Then　uncovering　his　breast；　'Look　here；'　said　he；　showing　four　or　five　great　scars；　'these　are　something　like　wounds；　I　received　them　thirty　years　ago；　now　cough　as　loud　as　you　can。'　　The　King　did　so。　''Tis　nothing　at　all；'　said　Landsmath；　'you　must　laugh　at　it；　we　shall　hunt　a　stag　together　in　four　days。''But　suppose　the　blade　was　poisoned；'　said　the　King。　　'Old　grandams'　tales；'　replied　Landsmath；　'if　it　had　been　so；　the　waistcoats　and　flannels　would　have　rubbed　the　poison　off。'　　The　King　was　pacified；　and　passed　a　very　good　night。

〃His　Majesty　one　day　asked　M。　de　Landsmath　how　old　he　was。　　He　was　aged；　and　by　no　means　fond　of　thinking　of　his　age；　he　evaded　the　question。　A　fortnight　later；　Louis　XV。　took　a　paper　out　of　his　pocket　and　read　aloud：　'On　such　a　day　in　the　month　of　one　thousand　six　hundred　and　eighty；　was　baptised　by　me；　rector　of　；　the　son　of　the　high　and　mighty　lord；'　etc。　　'What's　that？'　said　Landsmath；　angrily；　'has　your　Majesty　been　procuring　the　certificate　of　my　baptism？''There　it　is；　you　see；　Landsmath；'　said　the　King。　　'Well；　Sire；　hide　it　as　fast　as　you　can；　a　prince　entrusted　with　the　happiness　of　twenty…five　millions　of　people　ought　not　wilfully　to　hurt　the　feelings　of　a　single　individual。'

〃The　King　learned　that　Landsmath　had　lost　his　confessor；　a　missionary　priest　of　the　parish　of　Notre…Dame。　　It　was　the　custom　of　the　Lazarists　to　expose　their　dead　with　the　face　uncovered。　　Louis　XV。　wished　to　try　his　equerry's　firmness。　　'You　have　lost　your　confessor；　I　hear；'　said　the　King。　　'Yes；　Sire。''He　will　be　exposed　with　his　face　bare？''Such　is　the　custom。''I　command　you　to　go　and　see　him。''Sire；　my　confessor　was　my　friend；　it　would　be　very　painful　to　me。''No　matter；　I　command　you。'　'Are　you　really　in　earnest；　Sire？''Quite　so。''It　would　be　the　first　time　in　my　life　that　I　had　disobeyed　my　sovereign's　order。　　I　will　go。'　The　next　day　the　King　at　his　levee；　as　soon　as　he　perceived　Landsmath；　said；　'Have　you　done　as　I　desired　you；　Landsmath？''Undoubtedly；　Sire。'　'Well；　what　did　you　see？''Faith；　I　saw　that　your　Majesty　and　I　are　no　great　shakes！'

〃At　the　death　of　Queen　Maria　Leczinska；　M。　Campan；＇Her　father…in…law；　afterwards　secretary　to　Marie　Antoinette。＇　then　an　officer　of　the　chamber；　having　performed　several　confidential　duties；　the　King　asked　Madame　Adelaide　how　he　should　reward　him。　　She　requested　him　to　create　an　office　in　his　household　of　master　of　the　wardrobe；　with　a　salary　of　a　thousand　crowns。　　'I　will　do　so；'　said　the　King；　'it　will　be　an　honourable　title；　but　tell　Campan　not　to　add　a　single　crown　to　his　expenses；　for　you　will　see　they　will　never　pay　him。'

〃Louis　XV。；　by　his　dignified　carriage；　and　the　amiable　yet　majestic　expression　of　his　features；　was　worthy　to　succeed　to　Louis　the　Great。　But　he　too　frequently　indulged　in　secret　pleasures；　which　at　last　were　sure　to　become　known。　　During　several　winters；　he　was　passionately　fond　of　'candles'　end　balls'；　as　he　called　those　parties　amongst　the　very　lowest　classes　of　society。　　He　got　intelligence　of　the　picnics　given　by　the　tradesmen；　milliners；　and　sempstresses　of　Versailles；　whither　he　repaired　in　a　black　domino；　and　masked；　accompanied　by　the　captain　of　his　Guards；　masked　like　himself。　　His　great　delight　was　to　go　'en　brouette'　＇In　a　kind　of　sedan…chair；　running　on　two　wheels；　and　drawn　by　a　chairman。＇　Care　was　always　taken　to　give　notice　to　five　or　six　officers　of　the　King's　or　Queen's　chamber　to　be　there；　in　order　that　his　Majesty　might　be　surrounded　by　people　on　whom　he　could　depend；　without　finding　it　troublesome。　　Probably　the　captain　of　the　Guards　also　took　other　precautions　of　this　description　on　his　part。　　My　father…in…law；　when　the　King　and　he　were　both　young；　has　often　made　one　amongst　the　servants　desired　to　attend　masked　at　these　parties；　assembled　in　some　garret；　or　parlour　of　a　public…house。　　In　those　times；　during　the　carnival；　masked　companies　had　a　right　to　join　the　citizens'　balls；　it　was　sufficient　that　one　of　the　party　should　unmask　and　name　himself。

〃These　secret　excursions；　and　his　too　habitual　intercourse　with　ladies　more　distinguished　for　their　personal　charms　than　for　the　advantages　of　education；　were　no　doubt　the　means　by　which　the　King　acquired　many　vulgar　expressions　which　otherwise　would　never　have　reached　his　ears。

〃Yet　amidst　the　most　shameful　excesses　the　King　sometimes　suddenly　resumed　the　dignity　of　his　rank　in　a　very　noble　manner。　　The　familiar　courtiers　of　Louis　XV。　had　one　day　abandoned　themselves　to　the　unrestrained　gaiety；　of　a　supper；　after　returning　from　the　chase。　　Each　boasted　of　and　described　the　beauty　of　his　mistress。　　Some　of　them　amused　themselves　with　giving　a　particular　account　of　their　wives'　personal　defects。　　An　imprudent　word；　addressed　to　Louis　XV。；　and　applicable　only　to　the　Queen；　instantly　dispelled　all　the　mirth　of　the　entertainment。　The　King　assumed　his　regal　air；　and　knocking　with　his　knife　on　the　table　twice　or　thrice；　'Gentlemen；　said　he；　'here　is　the　King！'

〃Those　men　who　are　most　completely　abandoned　to　dissolute　manners　are　not；　on　that　account；　insensible　to　virtue　in　women。　　The　Comtesse　de　Perigord　was　as　beautiful　as　virtuous。　　During　some　excursions　she　made　to　Choisy；　whither　she　had　been　invited；　she　perceived　that　the　King　took　great　notice　of　her。　　Her　demeanour　of　chilling　respect；　her　cautious　perseverance　in　shunning　all　serious　conversation　with　the　monarch；　were　insufficient　to　extinguish　this　rising　flame；　and　he　at　length　addressed　a　letter　to　her；　worded　in　the　most　passionate　terms。　　This　excellent　woman　instantly　formed　her　resolution：　honour　forbade　her　returning　the　King's　passion；　whilst　her　profound　respect　for　the　sovereign　made　her　unwilling　to　disturb　his　tranquillity。　　She　therefore　voluntarily　banished　herself　to　an　estate　she　possessed　called　Chalais；　near　Barbezieux；　the　mansion　of　which　had　been　uninhabited　nearly　a　century；　the　porter's　lodge　was　the　only　place　in　a　condition　to　receive　her。　From　this　seat　she　wrote　to　his　Majesty；　explaining　her　motives　for　leaving　Court；　and　she　remained　there　several　years　without　visiting　Paris。　　Louis　XV。　was　speedily　attracted　by　other　objects；　and　regained　the　composure　to　which　Madame　de　Perigord　had　thought　it　her　duty　to　sacrifice　so　much。　　Some　years　after；　Mesdames'　lady　of　honour　died。　Many　great　families　solicited　the　place。　　The　King；　without　answering　any　of　their　applications；　wrote　to　t