the memoirs of marie antoinette-第25节

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ery；　much　offended；　and　exclaimed；　angrily；　that　there　were　too　many；　fools　ready；　to　aid　the　malicious；　that　she　had　been　told　of　the　report　circulated；　which　pretended　that　she　had　thought　of　nothing　but　her　own　country；　and　that　she　kept　an　Austrian　heart；　while　the　interests　of　France　alone　ought　to　engage　her。　　She　refused　the　request　so　awkwardly　made；　and　desired　M。　Campan　to　reply；　that　Trianon　was　not　to　be　seen　for　some　time；　and　that　the　Queen　was　astonished　that　any　man　in　good　society　should　believe　she　would　do　so　ill…judged　a　thing　as　to　change　the　French　names　of　her　palaces　to　foreign　ones。

Before　the　Emperor　Joseph　II's　first　visit　to　France　the　Queen　received　a　visit　from　the　Archduke　Maximilian　in　1775。　　A　stupid　act　of　the　ambassador；　seconded　on　the　part　of　the　Queen　by　the　Abbe　de　Vermond；　gave　rise　at　that　period　to　a　discussion　which　offended　the　Princes　of　the　blood　and　the　chief　nobility　of　the　kingdom。　　Travelling　incognito；　the　young　Prince　claimed　that　the　first　visit　was　not　due　from　him　to　the　Princes　of　the　blood；　and　the　Queen　supported　his　pretension。

From　the　time　of　the　Regency；　and　on　account　of　the　residence　of　the　family　of　Orleans　in　the　bosom　of　the　capital；　Paris　had　preserved　a　remarkable　degree　of　attachment　and　respect　for　that　branch　of　the　royal　house；　and　although　the　crown　was　becoming　more　and　more　remote　from　the　Princes　of　the　House　of　Orleans；　they　had　the　advantage　（a　great　one　with　the　Parisians）　of　being　the　descendants　of　Henri　IV。　　An　affront　to　that　popular　family　was　a　serious　ground　of　dislike　to　the　Queen。　　It　was　at　this　period　that　the　circles　of　the　city；　and　even　of　the　Court；　expressed　themselves　bitterly　about　her　levity；　and　her　partiality　for　the　House　of　Austria。　　The　Prince　for　whom　the　Queen　had　embarked　in　an　important　family　quarreland　a　quarrel　involving　national　prerogatives　was；　besides；　little　calculated　to　inspire　interest。　　Still　young；　uninformed；　and　deficient　in　natural　talent；　he　was　always　making　blunders。

He　went　to　the　Jardin　du　Roi；　M。　de　Buffon；　who　received　him　there；　offered　him　a　copy　of　his　works；　the　Prince　declined　accepting　the　book；　saying　to　M。　de　Buffon；　in　the　most　polite　manner　possible；　〃I　should　be　very　sorry　to　deprive　you　of　it。〃

　　　　　＇Joseph　II；　on　his　visit　to　France；　also　went　to　see　M。　de　Buffon；　　　　　　and　said　to　that　celebrated　man；　〃I　am　come　to　fetch　the　copy　of　　　　　　your　works　which　my　brother　forgot。〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

It　may　be　supposed　that　the　Parisians　were　much　entertained　with　this　answer。

The　Queen　was　exceedingly　mortified　at　the　mistakes　made　by　her　brother；　but　what　hurt　her　most　was　being　accused　of　preserving　an　Austrian　heart。　Marie　Antoinette　had　more　than　once　to　endure　that　imputation　during　the　long　course　of　her　misfortunes。　　Habit　did　not　stop　the　tears　such　injustice　caused；　but　the　first　time　she　was　suspected　of　not　loving　France；　she　gave　way　to　her　indignation。　　All　that　she　could　say　on　the　subject　was　useless；　by　seconding　the　pretensions　of　the　Archduke　she　had　put　arms　into　her　enemies'　hands；　they　were　labouring　to　deprive　her　of　the　love　of　the　people；　and　endeavoured；　by　all　possible　means；　to　spread　a　belief　that　the　Queen　sighed　for　Germany；　and　preferred　that　country　to　France。

Marie　Antoinette　had　none　but　herself　to　rely　on　for　preserving　the　fickle　smiles　of　the　Court　and　the　public。　　The　King；　too　indifferent　to　serve　her　as　a　guide；　as　yet　had　conceived　no　love　for　her；　notwithstanding　the　intimacy　that　grew　between　them　at　Choisy。　　In　his　closet　Louis　XVI。　was　immersed　in　deep　study。　　At　the　Council　he　was　busied　with　the　welfare　of　his　people；　hunting　and　mechanical　occupations　engrossed　his　leisure　moments；　and　he　never　thought　on　the　subject　of　an　heir。

The　coronation　took　place　at　Rheims；　with　all　the　accustomed　pomp。　　At　this　period　the　people's　love　for　Louis　XVI。　　burst　forth　in　transports　not　to　be　mistaken　for　party　demonstrations　or　idle　curiosity。　　He　replied　to　this　enthusiasm　by　marks　of　confidence；　worthy　of　a　people　happy　in　being　governed　by　a　good　King；　he　took　a　pleasure　in　repeatedly　walking　without　guards；　in　the　midst　of　the　crowd　which　pressed　around　him；　and　called　down　blessings　on　his　head。　　I　remarked　the　impression　made　at　this　time　by　an　observation　of　Louis　XVI。　　On　the　day　of　his　coronation　he　put　his　hand　up　to　his　head；　at　the　moment　of　the　crown　being　placed　upon　it；　and　said；　〃It　pinches　me。〃　　Henri　III。　had　exclaimed；　〃It　pricks　me。〃　　Those　who　were　near　the　King　were　struck　with　the　similarity　between　these　two　exclamations；　though　not　of　a　class　likely　to　be　blinded　by　the　superstitious　fears　of　ignorance。

While　the　Queen；　neglected　as　she　was；　could　not　even　hope　for　the　happiness　of　being　a　mother；　she　had　the　mortification　of　seeing　the　Comtesse　d'Artois　give　birth　to　the　Duc　d'Angouleme。

Custom　required　that　the　royal　family　and　the　whole　Court　should　be　present　at　the　accouchement　of　the　Princesses；　the　Queen　was　therefore　obliged　to　stay　a　whole　day　in　her　sister…in…law's　chamber。　　The　moment　the　Comtesse　d'Artois　was　informed　a　prince　was　born；　she　put　her　hand　to　her　forehead　and　exclaimed　with　energy；　〃My　God；　how　happy　I　am！〃　　The　Queen　felt　very　differently　at　this　involuntary　and　natural　exclamation。　Nevertheless；　her　behaviour　was　perfect。　　She　bestowed　all　possible　marks　of　tenderness　upon　the　young　mother；　and　would　not　leave　her　until　she　was　again　put　into　bed；　she　afterwards　passed　along　the　staircase；　and　through　the　hall　of　the　guards；　with　a　calm　demeanour；　in　the　midst　of　an　immense　crowd。　　The　poissardes；　who　had　assumed　a　right　of　speaking　to　sovereigns　in　their　own　vulgar　language；　followed　her　to　the　very　doors　of　her　apartments；　calling　out　to　her　with　gross　expressions；　that　she　ought　to　produce　heirs。　　The　Queen　reached　her　inner　room；　hurried　and　agitated；　he　shut　herself　up　to　weep　with　me　alone；　not　from　jealousy　of　her　sister…in…law's　happiness；of　that　he　was　incapable；but　from　sorrow　at　her　own　situation。

Deprived　of　the　happiness　of　giving　an　heir　to　the　crown；　the　Queen　endeavoured　to　interest　herself　in　the　children　of　the　people　of　her　household。　　She　had　long　been　desirous　to　bring　up　one　of　them　herself；　and　to　make　it　the　constant　object　of　her　care。　　A　little　village　boy；　four　or　five　years　old；　full　of　health；　with　a　pleasing　countenance；　remarkably　large　blue　eyes；　and　fine　light　hair；　got　under　the　feet　of　the　Queen's　horses；　when　she　was　taking　an　airing　in　a　calash；　through　the　hamlet　of　St。　Michel；　near　Louveciennes。　　The　coachman　and　postilions　stopped　the　horses；　and　the　child　was　rescued　without　the　slightest　injury。　　Its　grandmother　rushed　out　of　the　door　of　her　cottage　to　take　it；　but　the　Queen；　standing　up　in　her　calash　and　extending　her　arms；　called　out　that　the　child　was　hers；　and　that　destiny　had　given　it　to　her；　to　console　her；　no　doubt；　until　she　should　have　the　happiness　of　having　one　herself。　　〃Is　his　mother　alive？〃　asked　the　Queen。　　〃No；　Madame；　my　daughter　died　last　winter；　and　left　five　small　children　upon　my　hands。〃　〃I　will　take　this　one；　and　provide　for　all　the　rest；　do　you　consent？〃　〃Ah；　Madame；　they　are　too　fortunate；〃　replied　the　cottager；　〃but　Jacques　is　a　bad　boy。　　I　hope　he　will　stay　with　you！〃　　The　Queen；　taking　little　Jacques　upon　her　knee；　said　that　she　would　make　him　used　to　her；　and　gave　orders　to　proceed。　　It　was　necessary；　however；　to　shorten　the　drive；　so　violently　did　Jacques　scream；　and　kick　the　Queen　and　her　ladies。

The　arrival　of　her　Majesty　at　her　apartments　at　Versailles；　holding　the　little　rustic　by　the　hand；　astonished　the　whole　household；　he　cried　out　with　intolerable　shrillness　that　he　wanted　his　grandmother；　his　brother　Louis；　and　his　sister　Marianne；　nothing　could　calm　him。　　He　was　taken　away　by　the　wife　of　a　servant；　who　was　appointed　to　attend　him　as　nurse。　The　other　children　were　put　to　school。　　Little　Jacques；　whose　family　name　was　Armand；　came　back　to　the　Queen　two　days　afterwards；　a　white　frock　trimmed　with　lace；　a　rose…coloured　sash　with　silver　fringe；　and　a　hat　decorated　with　feathers；　were　now　substituted　for　the　woollen　cap；　the　little　red　frock；　and　the　wooden　shoes。　　The　child　was　really　very　beautiful。　　The　Queen　was　enchanted　with　him；　he　was　brought　to　her　every　morning　at　nine　o'clock；　he　breakfasted　and　dined　with　her；　and　often　even　with　the　King。　　She　liked　to　call　him　my　child；

　　　　　＇This　little　unfortunate　was　nearly　twenty　in　1792；　the　fury　of　the　　　　　　people　and　the　fear　of　being　thought　a　favourite　of　the　Queen's　had　　　　　　made　him　the　most　sanguinary　terrorist　of　Versailles。　　He　was　killed　　　　　　at　the　battle　of　Jemappes。＇

and　lavished　caresses　upon　him；　still　maintaining　a　deep　silence　respecting　the　regrets　which　constantly　occupied　her　heart。

This　child　remained　with　the　Queen　until　the　time　when　Madame　was　old　enough　to　come　home　to　her　august　mother；　who　had　particularly　taken　upon　herself　the　care　of　her　education。

The　Queen　talked　incessantly　of　the　qualities　which　she　admired　in　Louis　XVI。；　and　gladly　attributed　to　herself　the　slightest　favourable　change　in　his　manner；　perhaps　she　displayed　too　unreservedly　the　joy　she　felt；　and　the　share　she　appropriated　in　the　improvement。　　One