the memoirs of marie antoinette-第31节

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When　Chancellor　Maupeou　obtained　from　Louis　XV。　the　destruction　of　the　Parliament　and　the　exile　of　all　the　ancient　magistrates；　the　Mousquetaires　were　charged　with　the　execution　of　the　commission　for　this　purpose；　and　at　the　stroke　of　midnight；　the　presidents　and　members　were　all　arrested；　each　by　two　Mousquetaires。　　In　the　spring　of　1775　a　popular　insurrection　had　taken　place　in　consequence　of　the　high　price　of　bread。　M。　Turgot's　new　regulation；　which　permitted　unlimited　trade　in　corn；　was　either　its　cause　or　the　pretext　for　it；　and　the　King's　household　troops　again　rendered　the　greatest　services　to　public　tranquillity。

I　have　never　be　enable　to　discover　the　true　cause　of　the　support　given　to　M。　de　Saint…Germain's　policy　by　the　Queen；　unless　in　the　marked　favour　shown　to　the　captains　and　officers　of　the　Body　Guards；　who　by　this　reduction　became　the　only　soldiers　of　their　rank　entrusted　with　the　safety　of　the　sovereign；　or　else　in　the　Queen's　strong　prejudice　against　the　Duc　d'Aiguillon；　then　commander　of　the　light…horse。　　M。　de　Saint…　Germain；　however；　retained　fifty　gens　d'armes　and　fifty　light…horse　to　form　a　royal　escort　on　state　occasions；　but　in　1787　the　King　reduced　both　these　military　bodies。　　The　Queen　then　said　with　satisfaction　that　at　last　she　should　see　no　more　red　coats　in　the　gallery　of　Versailles。

From　1775　to　1781　were　the　gayest　years　of　the　Queen's　life。　　In　the　little　journeys　to　Choisy；　performances　frequently　took　place　at　the　theatre　twice　in　one　day：　grand　opera　and　French　or　Italian　comedy　at　the　usual　hour；　and　at　eleven　at　night　they　returned　to　the　theatre　for　parodies　in　which　the　best　actors　of　the　Opera　presented　themselves　in　whimsical　parts　and　costumes。　　The　celebrated　dancer　Guimard　always　took　the　leading　characters　in　the　latter　performance；　she　danced　better　than　she　acted；　her　extreme　leanness；　and　her　weak；　hoarse　voice　added　to　the　burlesque　in　the　parodied　characters　of　Ernelinde　and　Iphigenie。

The　most　magnificent　fete　ever　given　to　the　Queen　was　one　prepared　for　her　by　Monsieur；　the　King's　brother；　at　Brunoy。　　That　Prince　did　me　the　honour　to　admit　me；　and　I　followed　her　Majesty　into　the　gardens；　where　she　found　in　the　first　copse　knights　in　full　armour　asleep　at　the　foot　of　trees；　on　which　hung　their　spears　and　shields。　　The　absence　of　the　beauties　who　had　incited　the　nephews　of　Charlemagne　and　the　gallants　of　that　period　to　lofty　deeds　was　supposed　to　occasion　this　lethargic　slumber。　　But　when　the　Queen　appeared　at　the　entrance　of　the　copse　they　were　on　foot　in　an　instant；　and　melodious　voices　announced　their　eagerness　to　display　their　valour。　　They　then　hastened　into　a　vast　arena；　magnificently　decorated　in　the　exact　style　of　the　ancient　tournaments。　Fifty　dancers　dressed　as　pages　presented　to　the　knights　twenty…five　superb　black　horses；　and　twenty…five　of　a　dazzling　whiteness；　all　most　richly　caparisoned。　　The　party　led　by　Augustus　Vestris　wore　the　Queen's　colours。　　Picq；　balletmaster　at　the　Russian　Court；　commanded　the　opposing　band。　　There　was　running　at　the　negro's　head；　tilting；　and；　lastly；　combats　'a　outrance'；　perfectly　well　imitated。　　Although　the　spectators　were　aware　that　the　Queen's　colours　could　not　but　be　victorious；　they　did　not　the　less　enjoy　the　apparent　uncertainty。

Nearly　all　the　agreeable　women　of　Paris　were　ranged　upon　the　steps　which　surrounded　the　area　of　the　tourney。　　The　Queen；　surrounded　by　the　royal　family　and　the　whole　Court；　was　placed　beneath　an　elevated　canopy。　　A　play；　followed　by　a　ballet…pantomime　and　a　ball；　terminated　the　fete。　Fireworks　and　illuminations　were　not　spared。　　Finally；　from　a　prodigiously　high　scaffold；　placed　on　a　rising　ground；　the　words　'Vive　Louis！　　Vive　Marie　Antoinette！'　　were　shown　in　the　air　in　the　midst　of　a　very　dark　but　calm　night。

Pleasure　was　the　sole　pursuit　of　every　one　of　this　young　family；　with　the　exception　of　the　King。　　Their　love　of　it　was　perpetually　encouraged　by　a　crowd　of　those　officious　people　who；　by　anticipating　the　desires　and　even　the　passions　of　princes；　find　means　of　showing　their　zeal；　and　hope　to　gain　or　maintain　favour　for　themselves。

Who　would　have　dared　to　check　the　amusements　of　a　queen；　young；　lively；　and　handsome？　　A　mother　or　a　husband　alone　would　have　had　the　right　to　do　it；　and　the　King　threw　no　impediment　in　the　way　of　Marie　Antoinette's　inclinations。　　His　long　indifference　had　been　followed　by　admiration　and　love。　　He　was　a　slave　to　all　the　wishes　of　the　Queen；　who；　delighted　with　the　happy　change　in　the　heart　and　habits　of　the　King；　did　not　sufficiently　conceal　the　ascendency　she　was　gaining　over　him。

The　King　went　to　bed　every　night　at　eleven　precisely；　he　was　very　methodical；　and　nothing　was　allowed　to　interfere　with　his　rules。　　The　noise　which　the　Queen　unavoidably　made　when　she　returned　very　late　from　the　evenings　which　she　spent　with　the　Princesse　de　Gugmenee　or　the　Duc　de　Duras；　at　last　annoyed　the　King；　and　it　was　amicably　agreed　that　the　Queen　should　apprise　him　when　she　intended　to　sit　up　late。　　He　then　began　to　sleep　in　his　own　apartment；　which　had　never　before　happened　from　the　time　of　their　marriage。

During　the　winter　the　Queen　attended　the　Opera　balls　with　a　single　lady　of　the　palace；　and　always　found　there　Monsieur　and　the　Comte　d'Artois。　Her　people　concealed　their　liveries　under　gray　cloth　greatcoats。　　She　never　thought　she　was　recognized；　while　all　the　time　she　was　known　to　the　whole　assembly；　from　the　first　moment　she　entered　the　theatre；　they　pretended；　however；　not　to　recognise　her；　and　some　masquerade　manoeuvre　was　always　adopted　to　give　her　the　pleasure　of　fancying　herself　incognito。

Louis　XVI。　determined　once　to　accompany　the　Queen　to　a　masked　ball；　it　was　agreed　that　the　King　should　hold　not　only　the　grand　but　the　petit　coucher；　as　if　actually　going　to　bed。　　The　Queen　went　to　his　apartment　through　the　inner　corridors　of　the　palace；　followed　by　one　of　her　women　with　a　black　domino；　she　assisted　him　to　put　it　on；　and　they　went　alone　to　the　chapel　court；　where　a　carriage　waited　for　them；　with　the　captain　of　the　Guard　of　the　quarter；　and　a　lady　of　the　palace。　　The　King　was　but　little　amused；　spoke　only　to　two　or　three　persons；　who　knew　him　immediately；　and　found　nothing　to　admire　at　the　masquerade　but　Punches　and　Harlequins；　which　served　as　a　joke　against　him　for　the　royal　family；　who　often　amused　themselves　with　laughing　at　him　about　it。

An　event；　simple　in　itself；　brought　dire　suspicion　upon　the　Queen。　　She　was　going　out　one　evening　with　the　Duchesse　de　Lupnes；　lady　of　the　palace；　when　her　carriage　broke　down　at　the　entrance　into　Paris；　she　was　obliged　to　alight；　the　Duchess　led　her　into　a　shop；　while　a　footman　called　a　'fiacre'。　　As　they　were　masked；　if　they　had　but　known　how　to　keep　silence；　the　event　would　never　have　been　known；　but　to　ride　in　a　fiacre　is　so　unusual　an　adventure　for　a　queen　that　she　had　hardly　entered　the　Opera…house　when　she　could　not　help　saying　to　some　persons　whom　she　met　there：　〃That　I　should　be　in　a　fiacre！　　Is　it　not　droll？〃

From　that　moment　all　Paris　was　informed　of　the　adventure　of　the　fiacre。　It　was　said　that　everything　connected　with　it　was　mysterious；　that　the　Queen　had　kept　an　assignation　in　a　private　house　with　the　Duc　de　Coigny。　He　was　indeed　very　well　received　at　Court；　but　equally　so　by　the　King　and　Queen。　　These　accusations　of　gallantry　once　set　afloat；　there　were　no　longer　any　bounds　to　the　calumnies　circulated　at　Paris。　　If；　during　the　chase　or　at　cards；　the　Queen　spoke　to　Lord　Edward　Dillon；　De　Lambertye；　or　others；　they　were　so　many　favoured　lovers。　　The　people　of　Paris　did　not　know　that　none　of　those　young　persons　were　admitted　into　the　Queen's　private　circle　of　friends；　the　Queen　went　about　Paris　in　disguise；　and　had　made　use　of　a　fiacre；　and　a　single　instance　of　levity　gives　room　for　the　suspicion　of　others。

Conscious　of　innocence；　and　well　knowing　that　all　about　her　must　do　justice　to　her　private　life；　the　Queen　spoke　of　these　reports　with　contempt；　contenting　herself　with　the　supposition　that　some　folly　in　the　young　men　mentioned　had　given　rise　to　them。　　She　therefore　left　off　speaking　to　them　or　even　looking　at　them。　　Their　vanity　took　alarm　at　this；　and　revenge　induced　them　either　to　say；　or　to　leave　others　to　think；　that　they　were　unfortunate　enough　to　please　no　longer。　　Other　young　coxcombs；　placing　themselves　near　the　private　box　which　the　Queen　occupied　incognito　when　she　attended　the　public　theatre　at　Versailles；　had　the　presumption　to　imagine　that　they　were　noticed　by　her；　and　I　have　known　such　notions　entertained　merely　on　account　of　the　Queen's　requesting　one　of　those　gentlemen　to　inquire　behind　the　scenes　whether　it　would　be　long　before　the　commencement　of　the　second　piece。

The　list　of　persons　received　into　the　Queen's　closet　which　I　gave　in　the　preceding　chapter　was　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　ushers　of　the　chamber　by　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　and　the　persons　there　enumerated　could　present　themselves　to　enjoy　the　distinction　only　on　those　days　when　the　Queen　chose　to　be　with　her　intimates　in　a　private　manner；　and　this　was　only　when　she　was　slightly　indisposed。　　People　of　the　first　rank　at　Court　sometimes　requested　special　audiences　of　her；　the　Queen　then　received　them　in　a　room　wit