the memoirs of marie antoinette-第35节

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　on　learning　her　arrival　at　Versailles；　sent　a　footman　to　desire　my　father　to　bring　her　into　her　presence；　my　father　thought　it　his　duty　first　to　inform　the　Minister　of　her　Majesty's　wish。　　The　Comte　de　Vergennes　expressed　himself　pleased　with　my　father's　prudence；　and　desired　that　he　would　accompany　him　to　the　Queen。　　The　Minister　had　a　few　minutes'　audience；　her　Majesty　came　out　of　her　closet　with　him；　and　condescended　to　express　to　my　father　the　regret　she　felt　at　having　troubled　him　to　no　purpose；　and　added；　smiling；　that　a　few　words　from　M。　de　Vergennes　had　for　ever　cured　her　of　her　curiosity。　The　discovery　in　London　of　the　true　sex　of　this　pretended　woman　makes　it　probable　that　the　few　words　uttered　by　the　Minister　contained　a　solution　of　the　enigma。

The　Chevalier　d'Eon　had　been　useful　in　Russia　as　a　spy　of　Louis　XV。　while　very　young　he　had　found　means　to　introduce　himself　at　the　Court　of　the　Empress　Elizabeth；　and　served　that　sovereign　in　the　capacity　of　reader。　　Resuming　afterwards　his　military　dress；　he　served　with　honour　and　was　wounded。　　Appointed　chief　secretary　of　legation；　and　afterwards　minister　plenipotentiary　at　London；　he　unpardonably　insulted　Comte　de　Guerchy；　the　ambassador。　　The　official　order　for　the　Chevalier's　return　to　France　was　actually　delivered　to　the　King's　Council；　but　Louis　XV。　delayed　the　departure　of　the　courier　who　was　to　be　its　bearer；　and　sent　off　another　courier　privately；　who　gave　the　Chevalier　d'Eon　a　letter　in　his　own　writing；　in　which　he　said；　〃I　know　that　you　have　served　me　as　effectually　in　the　dress　of　a　woman　as　in　that　which　you　now　wear。　Resume　it　instantly；　withdraw　into　the　city；　I　warn　you　that　the　King　yesterday　signed　an　order　for　your　return　to　France；　you　are　not　safe　in　your　hotel；　and　you　would　here　find　too　powerful　enemies。〃　　I　heard　the　Chevalier　d'Eon　repeat　the　contents　of　this　letter；　in　which　Louis　XV。　thus　separated　himself　from　the　King　of　France；　several　times　at　my　father's。　　The　Chevalier；　or　rather　the　Chevalaere　d'Eon　had　preserved　all　the　King's　letters。　　Messieurs　de　Maurepas　and　de　Vergennes　wished　to　get　them　out　of　his　hands；　as　they　were　afraid　he　would　print　them。　　This　eccentric　being　had　long　solicited　permission　to　return　to　France；　but　it　was　necessary　to　find　a　way　of　sparing　the　family　he　had　offended　the　insult　they　would　see　in　his　return；　he　was　therefore　made　to　resume　the　costume　of　that　sex　to　which　in　France　everything　is　pardoned。　　The　desire　to　see　his　native　land　once　more　determined　him　to　submit　to　the　condition；　but　he　revenged　himself　by　combining　the　long　train　of　his　gown　and　the　three　deep　ruffles　on　his　sleeves　with　the　attitude　and　conversation　of　a　grenadier；　which　made　him　very　disagreeable　company。

　　　　　＇The　account　given　by　Madame　Campan　of　the　Chevalier　d'Eon　is　now　　　　　　known　to　be　incorrect　in　many　particulars。　　Enough　details　for　most　　　　　　readers　will　be　found　in　the　Duc　de　Broglie's　〃Secret　of　the　King；〃　　　　　　vol。　　ii。；　chaps。　　vi。　　and　g。；　and　at　p。　　89；　vol。　　ii。　　of　that　　　　　　work；　where　the　Duke　refers　to　the　letter　of　most　dubious　　　　　　authenticity　spoken　of　by　Madame　Campan。　　The　following　details　will　　　　　　be　sufficient　for　these　memoirs：　The　Chevalier　Charles　d'Eon　de　　　　　　Beaumont　（who　was　born　in　1728）　was　an　ex…captain　of　dragoons；　　　　　　employed　in　both　the　open　and　secret　diplomacy　of　Louis　XV。　　When　at　　　　　　the　embassy　in　London　he　quarrelled　with　the　ambassador；　his　　　　　　superior；　the　Comte　de　Guerchy　（Marquis　do　Nangis）；　and　used　his　　　　　　possession　of　papers　concerning　the　secret　diplomacy　to　shield　　　　　　himself。　　It　was　when　hiding　in　London；　in　1765；　on　account　of　this　　　　　　business；　that　he　seems　first　to　have　assumed　woman's　dress；　which　　　　　　he　retained　apparently　chiefly　from　love　of　notoriety。　　In　1775　a　　　　　　formal　agreement　with　the　French　Court；　made　by　the　instrumentality　　　　　　of　Beaumarchais；　of　all　people　in　the　world；　permitted　him　to　return　　　　　　to　France；　retaining　the　dress　of　a　woman。　　He　went　back　to　France；　　　　　　but　again　came　to　England；　and　died　there；　at　his　residence　in　　　　　　Millman　Street；　near　the　Foundling　Hospital；　May　22；　1710。　　He　had　　　　　　been　a　brave　and　distinguished　officer；　but　his　form　and　a　certain　　　　　　coldness　of　temperament　always　remarked　in　him　assisted　him　in　his　　　　　　assumption　of　another　sex。　　There　appears　to　be　no　truth　in　the　　　　　　story　of　his　proceedings　at　the　Russian　Court；　and　his　appearing　in　　　　　　female　attire　was　a　surprise　to　those　who　must　have　known　of　any　　　　　　earlier　affair　of　the　sort。＇

At　last；　the　event　so　long　desired　by　the　Queen；　and　by　all　those　who　wished　her　well；　took　place；　her　Majesty　became　enceinte。　　The　King　was　in　ecstasies。　　Never　was　there　a　more　united　or　happier　couple。　　The　disposition　of　Louis　XVI。　entirely　altered；　and　became　prepossessing　and　conciliatory；　and　the　Queen　was　amply　compensated　for　the　uneasiness　which　the　King's　indifference　during　the　early　part　of　their　union　had　caused　her。

The　summer　of　1778　was　extremely　hot。　　July　and　August　passed；　but　the　air　was　not　cooled　by　a　single　storm。　　The　Queen　spent　whole　days　in　close　rooms；　and　could　not　sleep　until　she　had　breathed　the　fresh　night　air；　walking　with　the　Princesses　and　her　brothers　upon　the　terrace　under　her　apartments。　　These　promenades　at　first　gave　rise　to　no　remark；　but　it　occurred　to　some　of　the　party　to　enjoy　the　music　of　wind　instruments　during　these　fine　summer　nights。　　The　musicians　belonging　to　the　chapel　were　ordered　to　perform　pieces　suited　to　instruments　of　that　description；　upon　steps　constructed　in　the　middle　of　the　garden。　　The　Queen；　seated　on　one　of　the　terrace　benches；　enjoyed　the　effect　of　this　music；　surrounded　by　all　the　royal　family　with　the　exception　of　the　King；　who　joined　them　but；　twice；　disliking　to　change　his　hour　of　going　to　bed。

Nothing　could　be　more　innocent　than　these　parties；　yet　Paris；　France；　nay；　all　Europe；　were　soon　canvassing　them　in　a　manner　most　disadvantageous　to　the　reputation　of　Marie　Antoinette。　　It　is　true　that　all　the　inhabitants　of　Versailles　enjoyed　these　serenades；　and　that　there　was　a　crowd　near　the　spot　from　eleven　at　night　until　two　or　three　in　the　morning。　　The　windows　of　the　ground　floor　occupied　by　Monsieur　and　Madame　＇The　wife　of　Monsieur；　the　Comte　de　Provence。＇　were　kept　open；　and　the　terrace　was　perfectly　well　lighted　by　the　numerous　wax　candles　burning　in　the　two　apartments。　　Lamps　were　likewise　placed　in　the　garden；　and　the　lights　of　the　orchestra　illuminated　the　rest　of　the　place。

I　do　not　know　whether　a　few　incautious　women　might　not　have　ventured　farther；　and　wandered　to　the　bottom　of　the　park；　it　may　have　been　so；　but　the　Queen；　Madame；　and　the　Comtesse　d'Artois　were　always　arm…in…arm；　and　never　left　the　terrace。　　The　Princesses　were　not　remarkable　when　seated　on　the　benches；　being　dressed　in　cambric　muslin　gowns；　with　large　straw　hats　and　muslin　veils；　a　costume　universally　adopted　by　women　at　that　time；　but　when　standing　up　their　different　figures　always　distinguished　them；　and　the　persons　present　stood　on　one　side　to　let　them　pass。　　It　is　true　that　when　they　seated　themselves　upon　the　benches　private　individuals　would　sometimes；　to　their　great　amusement；　sit　down　by　their　side。

A　young　clerk　in　the　War　Department；　either　not　knowing　or　pretending　not　to　know　the　Queen；　spoke　to　her　of　the　beauty　of　the　night；　and　the　delightful　effect　of　the　music。　　The　Queen；　fancying　she　was　not　recognised；　amused　herself　by　keeping　up　the　incognito；　and　they　talked　of　several　private　families　of　Versailles；　consisting　of　persons　belonging　to　the　King's　household　or　her　own。　　After　a　few　minutes　the　Queen　and　Princesses　rose　to　walk；　and　on　leaving　the　bench　curtsied　to　the　clerk。　　The　young　man　knowing；　or　having　subsequently　discovered；　that　he　had　been　conversing　with　the　Queen；　boasted　of　it　in　his　office。　He　was　merely；　desired　to　hold　his　tongue；　and　so　little　attention　did　he　excite　that　the　Revolution　found　him　still　only　a　clerk。

Another　evening　one　of　Monsieur's　body…guard　seated　himself　near　the　Princesses；　and；　knowing　them；　left　the　place　where　he　was　sitting；　and　placed　himself　before　the　Queen；　to　tell　her　that　he　was　very　fortunate　in　being　able　to　seize　an　opportunity　of　imploring　the　kindness　of　his　sovereign；　that　he　was　〃soliciting　at　Court〃at　the　word　soliciting　the　Queen　and　Princesses　rose　hastily　and　withdrew　into　Madame's　apartment。　＇Soulavie　has　most　criminally　perverted　these　two　facts。…MADAME　CAMPAN。＇…　I　was　at　the　Queen's　residence　that　day。　　She　talked　of　this　little　occurrence　all　the　time　of　her　'coucher'；　though　she　only　complained　that　one　of　Monsieur's　guards　should　have　had　the　effrontery　to　speak　to　her。　Her　Majesty　added　that　he　ought　to　have　respected　her　incognito；　and　that　that　was　not　the　place　where　he　should　have　ventured　to　make　a　request。　Madame　had　recognised　him；　and　talked　of　making　a　complaint　to　his　captain；　the　Queen　opposed　it；　attributing　his　error　to　his　ignorance　and　provincial　origin。

The　most　scandalous　libels　were　based　on　these　two　insignificant　occurrences；　which　I　have　related　with　scrupulous　exactness。　　Nothing　could　be　more　false　than　those　calumnies。　　It　must　be　confessed；　however；　that　such　meetings　were　liable　to　ill