the memoirs of marie antoinette-第3节

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eat　families　solicited　the　place。　　The　King；　without　answering　any　of　their　applications；　wrote　to　the　Comtesse　de　Perigord：　'My　daughters　have　just　lost　their　lady　of　honour；　this　place；　madame；　is　your　due；　as　much　on　account　of　your　personal　qualities　as　of　the　illustrious　name　of　your　family。'

〃Three　young　men　of　the　college　of　St。　Germain；　who　had　just　completed　their　course　of　studies；　knowing　no　person　about　the　Court；　and　having　heard　that　strangers　were　always　well　treated　there；　resolved　to　dress　themselves　completely　in　the　Armenian　costume；　and；　thus　clad；　to　present　themselves　to　see　the　grand　ceremony　of　the　reception　of　several　knights　of　the　Order　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　　Their　stratagem　met　with　all　the　success　with　which　they　had　flattered　themselves。　　While　the　procession　was　passing　through　the　long　mirror　gallery；　the　Swiss　of　the　apartments　placed　them　in　the　first　row　of　spectators；　recommending　every　one　to　pay　all　possible　attention　to　the　strangers。　　The　latter；　however；　were　imprudent　enough　to　enter　the　'oeil…de…boeuf'　chamber；　where；　were　Messieurs　Cardonne　and　Ruffin；　interpreters　of　Oriental　languages；　and　the　first　clerk　of　the　consul's　department；　whose　business　it　was　to　attend　to　everything　which　related　to　the　natives　of　the　East　who　were　in　France。　　The　three　scholars　were　immediately　surrounded　and　questioned　by　these　gentlemen；　at　first　in　modern　Greek。　　Without　being　disconcerted；　they　made　signs　that　they　did　not　understand　it。　　They　were　then　addressed　in　Turkish　and　Arabic；　at　length　one　of　the　interpreters；　losing　all　patience；　exclaimed；　'Gentlemen；　you　certainly　must　understand　some　of　the　languages　in　which　you　have　been　addressed。　　What　country　can　you　possibly　come　from　then？''From　St。　Germain…en…Laye；　sir；'　replied　the　boldest　among　them；　'this　is　the　first　time　you　have　put　the　question　to　us　in　French。'　　They　then　confessed　the　motive　of　their　disguise；　the　eldest　of　them　was　not　more　than　eighteen　years　of　age。　　Louis　XV。　was　informed　of　the　affair。　　He　laughed　heartily；　ordered　them　a　few　hours'　confinement　and　a　good　admonition；　after　which　they　were　to　be　set　at　liberty。

〃Louis　XV。　liked　to　talk　about　death；　though　he　was　extremely　apprehensive　of　it；　but　his　excellent　health　and　his　royal　dignity　probably　made　him　imagine　himself　invulnerable。　　He　often　said　to　people　who　had　very　bad　colds；　'You've　a　churchyard　cough　there。'　　Hunting　one　day　in　the　forest　of　Senard；　in　a　year　in　which　bread　was　extremely　dear；　he　met　a　man　on　horseback　carrying　a　coffin。　　'Whither　are　you　carrying　that　coffin？''To　the　village　of　；'　answered　the　peasant。　　'Is　it　for　a　man　or　a　woman？''For　a　man。''What　did　he　die　of？''Of　hunger；'　bluntly　replied　the　villager。　　The　King　spurred　on　his　horse；　and　asked　no　more　questions。

〃Weak　as　Louis　XV。　was；　the　Parliaments　would　never　have　obtained　his　consent　to　the　convocation　of　the　States　General。　　I　heard　an　anecdote　on　this　subject　from　two　officers　attached　to　that　Prince's　household。　　It　was　at　the　period　when　the　remonstrances　of　the　Parliaments；　and　the　refusals　to　register　the　decrees　for　levying　taxes；　produced　alarm　with　respect　to　the　state　of　the　finances。　　This　became　the　subject　of　conversation　one　evening　at　the　coucher　of　Louis　XV。　　'You　will　see；　Sire；'　said　a　courtier；　whose　office　placed　him　in　close　communication　with　the　King；　'that　all　this　will　make　it　absolutely　necessary　to　assemble　the　States　General！'

The　King；　roused　by　this　speech　from　the　habitual　apathy　of　his　character；　seized　the　courtier　by　the　arm；　and　said　to　him；　in　a　passion；　'Never　repeat；　these　words。　　I　am　not　sanguinary；　but　had　I　a　brother；　and　were　he　to　dare　to　give　me　such　advice；　I　would　sacrifice　him；　within　twenty…four　hours；　to　the　duration　of　the　monarchy　and　the　tranquillity　of　the　kingdom。'

〃Several　years　prior　to　his　death　the　Dauphin；　the　father　of　Louis　XVI。；　had　confluent　smallpox；　which　endangered　his　life；　and　after　his　convalescence　he　was　long　troubled　with　a　malignant　ulcer　under　the　nose。　He　was　injudiciously　advised　to　get　rid　of　it　by　the　use　of　extract　of　lead；　which　proved　effectual；　but　from　that　time　the　Dauphin；　who　was　corpulent；　insensibly　grew　thin；　and　a　short；　dry　cough　evinced　that　the　humour；　driven　in；　had　fallen　on　the　lungs。　　Some　persons　also　suspected　him　of　having　taken　acids　in　too　great　a　quantity　for　the　purpose　of　reducing　his　bulk。　　The　state　of　his　health　was　not；　however；　such　as　to　excite　alarm。　　At　the　camp　at　Compiegne；　in　July；　1764；　the　Dauphin　reviewed　the　troops；　and　evinced　much　activity　in　the　performance　of　his　duties；　it　was　even　observed　that　he　was　seeking　to　gain　the　attachment　of　the　army。　　He　presented　the　Dauphiness　to　the　soldiers；　saying；　with　a　simplicity　which　at　that　time　made　a　great　sensation；　'Mes　enfans；　here　is　my　wife。'　　Returning　late　on　horseback　to　Compiegne；　he　found　he　had　taken　a　chill；　the　heat　of　the　day　had　been　excessive；　the　Prince's　clothes　had　been　wet　with　perspiration。　　An　illness　followed；　in　which　the　Prince　began　to　spit　blood。　　His　principal　physician　wished　to　have　him　bled；　the　consulting　physicians　insisted　on　purgation；　and　their　advice　was　followed。　　The　pleurisy；　being　ill　cured；　assumed　and　retained　all　the　symptoms　of　consumption；　the　Dauphin　languished　from　that　period　until　December；　1765；　and　died　at　Fontainebleau；　where　the　Court；　on　account　of　his　condition；　had　prolonged　its　stay；　which　usually　ended　on　the　2d　of　November。

〃The　Dauphiness；　his　widow；　was　deeply　afflicted；　but　the　immoderate　despair　which　characterised　her　grief　induced　many　to　suspect　that　the　loss　of　the　crown　was　an　important　part　of　the　calamity　she　lamented。　She　long　refused　to　eat　enough　to　support　life；　she　encouraged　her　tears　to　flow　by　placing　portraits　of　the　Dauphin　in　every　retired　part　of　her　apartments。　　She　had　him　represented　pale；　and　ready　to　expire；　in　a　picture　placed　at　the　foot　of　her　bed；　under　draperies　of　gray　cloth；　with　which　the　chambers　of　the　Princesses　were　always　hung　in　court　mournings。　　Their　grand　cabinet　was　hung　with　black　cloth；　with　an　alcove；　a　canopy；　and　a　throne；　on　which　they　received　compliments　of　condolence　after　the　first　period　of　the　deep　mourning。　　The　Dauphiness；　some　months　before　the　end　of　her　career；　regretted　her　conduct　in　abridging　it；　but　it　was　too　late；　the　fatal　blow　had　been　struck。　　It　may　also　be　presumed　that　living　with　a　consumptive；　man　had　contributed　to　her　complaint。　　This　Princess　had　no　opportunity　of　displaying　her　qualities；　living　in　a　Court　in　which　she　was　eclipsed　by　the　King　and　Queen；　the　only　characteristics　that　could　be　remarked　in　her　were　her　extreme　attachment　to　her　husband；　and　her　great　piety。

〃The　Dauphin　was　little　known；　and　his　character　has　been　much　mistaken。　He　himself；　as　he　confessed　to　his　intimate　friends；　sought　to　disguise　it。　　He　one　day　asked　one　of　his　most　familiar　servants；　'What　do　they　say　in　Paris　of　that　great　fool　of　a　Dauphin？'　The　person　interrogated　seeming　confused；　the　Dauphin　urged　him　to　express　himself　sincerely；　saying；　'Speak　freely；　that　is　positively　the　idea　which　I　wish　people　to　form　of　me。'

〃As　he　died　of　a　disease　which　allows　the　last　moment　to　be　anticipated　long　beforehand；　he　wrote　much；　and　transmitted　his　affections　and　his　prejudices　to　his　son　by　secret　notes。

〃Madame　de　Pompadour's　brother　received　Letters　of　Nobility　from　his　Majesty；　and　was　appointed　superintendent　of　the　buildings　and　gardens。　He　often　presented　to　her　Majesty；　through　the　medium　of　his　sister；　the　rarest　flowers；　pineapples；　and　early　vegetables　from　the　gardens　of　Trianon　and　Choisy。　　One　day；　when　the　Marquise　came　into　the　Queen's　apartments；　carrying　a　large　basket　of　flowers；　which　she　held　in　her　two　beautiful　arms；　without　gloves；　as　a　mark　of　respect；　the　Queen　loudly　declared　her　admiration　of　her　beauty；　and　seemed　as　if　she　wished　to　defend　the　King's　choice；　by　praising　her　various　charms　in　detail；　in　a　manner　that　would　have　been　as　suitable　to　a　production　of　the　fine　arts　as　to　a　living　being。　　After　applauding　the　complexion；　eyes；　and　fine　arms　of　the　favourite；　with　that　haughty　condescension　which　renders　approbation　more　offensive　than　flattering；　the　Queen　at　length　requested　her　to　sing；　in　the　attitude　in　which　she　stood；　being　desirous　of　hearing　the　voice　and　musical　talent　by　which　the　King's　Court　had　been　charmed　in　the　performances　of　the　private　apartments；　and　thus　combining　the　gratification　of　the　ears　with　that　of　the　eyes。　　The　Marquise；　who　still　held　her　enormous　basket；　was　perfectly　sensible　of　something　offensive　in　this　request；　and　tried　to　excuse　herself　from　singing。　　The　Queen　at　last　commanded　her；　she　then　exerted　her　fine　voice　in　the　solo　of　Armida'At　length　he　is　in　my　power。'　The　change　in　her　Majesty's　countenance　was　so　obvious　that　the　ladies　present　at　this　scene　had　the　greatest　difficulty　to　keep　theirs。

〃The　Queen　was　affable　and　modest；　but　the　more　she　was　thankful　in　her　heart　to　Heaven　for　having　placed　her　on　the　first　throne　in　Europe；　the　more　unwilling　she　was　to　be　reminded　of　her　elevation。　　This　sentiment　induced　her　to　insist　on　the　observation　of　all　the　forms　of　respect　due　to　royal　birth；　w