the memoirs of marie antoinette-第26节

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displayed　too　unreservedly　the　joy　she　felt；　and　the　share　she　appropriated　in　the　improvement。　　One　day　Louis　XVI。　saluted　her　ladies　with　more　kindness　than　usual；　and　the　Queen　laughingly　said　to　them；　〃Now　confess；　ladies；　that　for　one　so　badly　taught　as　a　child；　the　King　has　saluted　you　with　very　good　grace！〃

The　Queen　hated　M。　de　La　Vauguyon；　she　accused　him　alone　of　those　points　in　the　habits；　and　even　the　sentiments；　of　the　King　which　hurt　her。　A　former　first　woman　of　the　bedchamber　to　Queen　Maria　Leczinska　had　continued　in　office　near　the　young　Queen。　　She　was　one　of　those　people　who　are　fortunate　enough　to　spend　their　lives　in　the　service　of　kings　without　knowing　anything　of　what　is　passing　at　Court。　　She　was　a　great　devotee；　the　Abbe　Grisel；　an　ex…Jesuit；　was　her　director。　　Being　rich　from　her　savings　and　an　income　of　50；000　livres；　she　kept　a　very　good　table；　in　her　apartment；　at　the　Grand　Commun；　the　most　distinguished　persons　who　still　adhered　to　the　Order　of　Jesuits　often　assembled。　　The　Duc　de　La　Vauguyon　was　intimate　with　her；　their　chairs　at　the　Eglise　des　Reollets　were　placed　near　each　other；　at　high　mass　and　at　vespers　they　sang　the　〃Gloria　in　Excelsis〃　and　the　〃Magnificat〃　together；　and　the　pious　virgin；　seeing　in　him　only　one　of　God's　elect；　little　imagined　him　to　be　the　declared　enemy　of　a　Princess　whom　she　served　and　revered。　On　the　day　of　his　death　she　ran　in　tears　to　relate　to　the　Queen　the　piety；　humility；　and　repentance　of　the　last　moments　of　the　Duc　de　La　Vauguyon。　　He　had　called　his　people　together；　she　said；　to　ask　their　pardon。　　〃For　what？〃　　replied　the　Queen；　sharply；　〃he　has　placed　and　pensioned　off　all　his　servants；　it　was　of　the　King　and　his　brothers　that　the　holy　man　you　bewail　should　have　asked　pardon；　for　having　paid　so　little　attention　to　the　education　of　princes　on　whom　the　fate　and　happiness　of　twenty…five　millions　of　men　depend。　　Luckily；〃　added　she；　〃the　King　and　his　brothers；　still　young；　have　incessantly　laboured　to　repair　the　errors　of　their　preceptor。〃

The　progress　of　time；　and　the　confidence　with　which　the　King　and　the　Princes；　his　brothers；　were　inspired　by　the　change　in　their　situation　since　the　death　of　Louis　XV。；　had　developed　their　characters。　　I　will　endeavour　to　depict　them。

The　features　of　Louis　XVI。　　were　noble　enough；　though　somewhat　melancholy　in　expression；　his　walk　was　heavy　and　unmajestic；　his　person　greatly　neglected；　his　hair；　whatever　might　be　the　skill　of　his　hairdresser；　was　soon　in　disorder。　　His　voice；　without　being　harsh；　was　not　agreeable；　if　he　grew　animated　in　speaking　he　often　got　above　his　natural　pitch；　and　became　shrill。　　The　Abbe　de　Radonvilliers；　his　preceptor；　one　of　the　Forty　of　the　French　Academy；　a　learned　and　amiable　man；　had　given　him　and　Monsieur　a　taste　for　study。　　The　King　had　continued　to　instruct　himself；　he　knew　the　English　language　perfectly；　I　have　often　heard　him　translate　some　of　the　most　difficult　passages　in　Milton's　poems。　　He　was　a　skilful　geographer；　and　was　fond　of　drawing　and　colouring　maps；　he　was　well　versed　in　history；　but　had　not　perhaps　sufficiently　studied　the　spirit　of　it。　　He　appreciated　dramatic　beauties；　and　judged　them　accurately。　　At　Choisy；　one　day；　several　ladies　expressed　their　dissatisfaction　because　the　French　actors　were　going　to　perform　one　of　Moliere's　pieces。　　The　King　inquired　why　they　disapproved　of　the　choice。　　One　of　them　answered　that　everybody　must　admit　that　Moliere　had　very　bad　taste；　the　King　replied　that　many　things　might　be　found　in　Moliere　contrary　to　fashion；　but　that　it　appeared　to　him　difficult　to　point　out　any　in　bad　taste？

　　　　　＇The　King；　having　purchased　the　Chateau　of　Rambouillet　from　the　Duc　　　　　　de　Penthievre；　amused　himself　with　embellishing　it。　　I　have　seen　a　　　　　　register　entirely　in　his　own　handwriting；　which　proves　that　he　　　　　　possessed　a　great　variety　of　information　on　the　minutiae　of　various　　　　　　branches　of　knowledge。　　In　his　accounts　he　would　not　omit　an　outlay　　　　　　of　a　franc。　　His　figures　and　letters；　when　he　wished　to　write　　　　　　legibly；　were　small　and　very　neat；　but　in　general　he　wrote　very　ill。　　　　　　He　was　so　sparing　of　paper　that　he　divided　a　sheet　into　eight；　six；　　　　　　or　four　pieces；　according　to　the　length　of　what　he　had　to　write。　　　　　　Towards　the　close　of　the　page　he　compressed　the　letters；　and　avoided　　　　　　interlineations。　　The　last　words　were　close　to　the　edge　of　the　　　　　　paper；　he　seemed　to　regret　being　obliged　to　begin　another　page。　　He　　　　　　was　methodical　and　analytical；　he　divided　what　he　wrote　into　　　　　　chapters　and　sections。　　He　had　extracted　from　the　works　of　Nicole　　　　　　and　Fenelon；　his　favourite　authors；　three　or　four　hundred　concise　　　　　　and　sententious　phrases；　these　he　had　classed　according　to　subject；　　　　　　and　formed　a　work　of　them　in　the　style　of　Montesquieu。　　To　this　　　　　　treatise　he　had　given　the　following　general　title：　〃Of　Moderate　　　　　　Monarchy　〃　（De　la　Monarchie　temperee）；　with　chapters　entitled；　〃Of　　　　　　the　Person　of　the　Prince；〃　　〃Of　the　Authority　of　Bodies　in　the　　　　　　State；〃　　〃Of　the　Character　of　the　Executive　Functions　of　the　　　　　　Monarchy。〃　　Had　he　been　able　to　carry　into　effect　all　the　grand　　　　　　precepts　he　had　observed　in　Fenelon；　Louis　XVI。　would　have　been　an　　　　　　accomplished　monarch；　and　France　a　powerful　kingdom。　　The　King　used　　　　　　to　accept　the　speeches　his　ministers　presented　to　him　to　deliver　on　　　　　　important　occasions；　but　he　corrected　and　modified　them；　struck　out　　　　　　some　parts；　and　added　others；　and　sometimes　consulted　the　Queen　on　　　　　　the　subject。　　The　phrase　of　the　minister　erased　by　the　King　was　　　　　　frequently　unsuitable；　and　dictated　by　the　minister's　private　　　　　　feelings；　but　the　King's　was　always　the　natural　expression。　　He　　　　　　himself　composed；　three　times　or　oftener；　his　famous　answers　to　the　　　　　　Parliament　which　he　banished。　　But　in　his　letters　he　was　negligent；　　　　　　and　always　incorrect。　　Simplicity　was　the　characteristic　of　the　　　　　　King's　style；　the　figurative　style　of　M。　Necker　did　not　please　him；　　　　　　the　sarcasms　of　Maurepas　were　disagreeable　to　him。　　Unfortunate　　　　　　Prince！　he　would　predict；　in　his　observations；　that　if　such　a　　　　　　calamity　should　happen；　the　monarchy　would　be　ruined；　and　the　next　　　　　　day　he　would　consent　in　Council　to　the　very　measure　which　he　had　　　　　　condemned　the　day　before；　and　which　brought　him　nearer　the　brink　of　　　　　　the　precipice。SOULAVIE；　〃Historical　and　Political　Memoirs　of　the　　　　　　Reign　of　Louis　XVI。；〃　vol。　　ii。＇

This　Prince　combined　with　his　attainments　the　attributes　of　a　good　husband；　a　tender　father；　and　an　indulgent　master。

Unfortunately　he　showed　too　much　predilection　for　the　mechanical　arts；　masonry　and　lock…making　so　delighted　him　that　he　admitted　into　his　private　apartment　a　common　locksmith；　with　whom　he　made　keys　and　locks；　and　his　hands；　blackened　by　that　sort　of　work；　were　often；　in　my　presence；　the　subject　of　remonstrances　and　even　sharp　reproaches　from　the　Queen；　who　would　have　chosen　other　amusements　for　her　husband。？

　　　　　＇Louis　XVI。　saw　that　the　art　of　lock…making　was　capable　of　　　　　　application　to　a　higher　study；　He　was　an　excellent　geographer。　　The　　　　　　most　valuable　and　complete　instrument　for　the　study　of　that　science　　　　　　was　begun　by　his　orders　and　under　his　direction。　　It　was　an　immense　　　　　　globe　of　copper；　which　was　long　preserved；　though　unfinished；　in　the　　　　　　Mazarine　library。　　Louis　XVI。　　invented　and　had　executed　under　his　　　　　　own　eyes　the　ingenious　mechanism　required　for　this　globe。NOTE　BY　　　　　　THE　EDITOR。＇

Austere　and　rigid　with　regard　to　himself　alone；　the　King　observed　the　laws　of　the　Church　with　scrupulous　exactness。　　He　fasted　and　abstained　throughout　the　whole　of　Lent。　　He　thought　it　right　that　the　queen　should　not　observe　these　customs　with　the　same　strictness。　　Though　sincerely　pious；　the　spirit　of　the　age　had　disposed　his　mind　to　toleration。　Turgot；　Malesherbes；　and　Necker　judged　that　this　Prince；　modest　and　simple　in　his　habits；　would　willingly　sacrifice　the　royal　prerogative　to　the　solid　greatness　of　his　people。　　His　heart；　in　truth；　disposed　him　towards　reforms；　but　his　prejudices　and　fears；　and　the　clamours　of　pious　and　privileged　persons；　intimidated　him；　and　made　him　abandon　plans　which　his　love　for　the　people　had　suggested。

Monsieur

　　　　　＇During　his　stay　at　Avignon；　Monsieur；　afterwards　Louis　XVIII；　　　　　　lodged　with　the　Duc　de　Crillon；　he　refused　the　town…guard　which　was　　　　　　offered　him；　saying；　〃A　son　of　France；　under　the　roof　of　a　Crillon；　　　　　　needs　no　guard。〃　NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

had　more　dignity　of　demeanour　than　the　King；　but　his　corpulence　rendered　his　gait　inelegant。　　He　was　fond　of　pageantry　and　magnificence。　　He　cultivated　the　belles　lettres；　and　under　assumed　names　often　contributed　verses　to　the　Mercury　and　other　papers。

His　wonderful　memory　was　the　handmaid　of　his　wit；　furnishing　him　with　the　happiest　quotations。　　He　knew　by　heart　a　varied　repertoire；　from　the　finest　passages　of　the　Latin　classics　to　the　Latin　of　all　the　prayers；　from　the　works　of　Racine　to　the　vaudeville　of　〃Rose　et　Colas。〃

The　Comte　d'Artoisi　had　an　agreeable　countenance；　was　well　made；　skilful　in　bodily　exercises；　lively；　impetuous；　fond　of　pleasure；　and　very　particular　in　his　dress。　　Some　happy　observations