the memoirs of marie antoinette-第4节

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sentiment　induced　her　to　insist　on　the　observation　of　all　the　forms　of　respect　due　to　royal　birth；　whereas　in　other　princes　the　consciousness　of　that　birth　often　induces　them　to　disdain　the　ceremonies　of　etiquette；　and　to　prefer　habits　of　ease　and　simplicity。　　There　was　a　striking　contrast　in　this　respect　between　Maria　Leczinska　and　Marie　Antoinette；　as　has　been　justly　and　generally　observed。　　The　latter　unfortunate　Queen；　perhaps；　carried　her　disregard　of　everything　belonging　to　the　strict　forms　of　etiquette　too　far。　　One　day；　when　the　Marechale　de　Mouchy　was　teasing　her　with　questions　relative　to　the　extent　to　which　she　would　allow　the　ladies　the　option　of　taking　off　or　wearing　their　cloaks；　and　of　pinning　up　the　lappets　of　their　caps；　or　letting　them　hang　down；　the　Queen　replied　to　her；　in　my　presence：　'Arrange　all　those　matters；　madame；　just　as　you　please；　but　do　not　imagine　that　a　queen；　born　Archduchess　of　Austria；　can　attach　that　importance　to　them　which　might　be　felt　by　a　Polish　princess　who　had　become　Queen　of　France。'

〃The　virtues　and　information　of　the　great　are　always　evinced　by　their　conduct；　their　accomplishments；　coming　within　the　scope　of　flattery；　are　difficult　to　be　ascertained　by　any　authentic　proofs；　and　those　who　have　lived　near　them　may　be　excused　for　some　degree　of　scepticism　with　regard　to　their　attainments　of　this　kind。　　If　they　draw　or　paint；　there　is　always　an　able　artist　present；　who；　if　he　does　not　absolutely　guide　the　pencil　with　his　own　hand；　directs　it　by　his　advice。　　If　a　princess　attempt　a　piece　of　embroidery　in　colours；　of　that　description　which　ranks　amongst　the　productions　of　the　arts；　a　skilful　embroideress　is　employed　to　undo　and　repair　whatever　has　been　spoilt。　　If　the　princess　be　a　musician；　there　are　no　ears　that　will　discover　when　she　is　out　of　tune；　at　least　there　is　no　tongue　that　will　tell　her　so。　　This　imperfection　in　the　accomplishments　of　the　great　is　but　a　slight　misfortune。　　It　is　sufficiently　meritorious　in　them　to　engage　in　such　pursuits；　even　with　indifferent　success；　because　this　taste　and　the　protection　it　extends　produce　abundance　of　talent　on　every　side。　　Maria　Leczinska　delighted　in　the　art　of　painting；　and　imagined　she　herself　could　draw　and　paint。　　She　had　a　drawing…master；　who　passed　all　his　time　in　her　cabinet。　　She　undertook　to　paint　four　large　Chinese　pictures；　with　which　she　wished　to　ornament　her　private　drawing…room；　which　was　richly　furnished　with　rare　porcelain　and　the　finest　marbles。　　This　painter　was　entrusted　with　the　landscape　and　background　of　the　pictures；　he　drew　the　figures　with　a　pencil；　the　faces　and　arms　were　also　left　by　the　Queen　to　his　execution；　she　reserved　to　herself　nothing　but　the　draperies；　and　the　least　important　accessories。　　The　Queen　every　morning　filled　up　the　outline　marked　out　for　her；　with　a　little　red；　blue；　or　green　colour；　which　the　master　prepared　on　the　palette；　and　even　filled　her　brush　with；　constantly　repeating；　'Higher　up；　Madamelower　down；　Madamea　little　to　the　rightmore　to　the　left。'　After　an　hour's　work；　the　time　for　hearing　mass；　or　some　other　family　or　pious　duty；　would　interrupt　her　Majesty；　and　the　painter；　putting　the　shadows　into　the　draperies　she　had　painted；　softening　off　the　colour　where　she　had　laid　too　much；　etc。；　finished　the　small　figures。　　When　the　work　was　completed　the　private　drawing…room　was　decorated　with　her　Majesty's　work；　and　the　firm　persuasion　of　this　good　Queen　that　she　had　painted　it　herself　was　so　entire　that　she　left　this　cabinet；　with　all　its　furniture　and　paintings；　to　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles；　her　lady　of　honour。　　She　added　to　the　bequest：　'The　pictures　in　my　cabinet　being　my　own　work；　I　hope　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles　will　preserve　them　for　my　sake。'　　Madame　de　Noailles；　afterwards　Marechale　de　Mouchy；　had　a　new　pavilion　constructed　in　her　hotel　in　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　in　order　to　form　a　suitable　receptacle　for　the　Queen's　legacy；　and　had　the　following　inscription　placed　over　the　door；　in　letters　of　gold：　'The　innocent　falsehood　of　a　good　princess。'

〃Maria　Leczinska　could　never　look　with　cordiality　on　the　Princess　of　Saxony；　who　married　the　Dauphin；　but　the　attentive　behaviour　of　the　Dauphiness　at　length　made　her　Majesty　forget　that　the　Princess　was　the　daughter　of　a　king　who　wore　her　father's　crown。　　Nevertheless；　although　the　Queen　now　saw　in　the　Princess　of　Saxony　only　a　wife　beloved　by　her　son；　she　never　could　forget　that　Augustus　wore　the　crown　of　Stanislaus。　One　day　an　officer　of　her　chamber　having　undertaken　to　ask　a　private　audience　of　her　for　the　Saxon　minister；　and　the　Queen　being　unwilling　to　grant　it；　he　ventured　to　add　that　he　should　not　have　presumed　to　ask　this　favour　of　the　Queen　had　not　the　minister　been　the　ambassador　of　a　member　of　the　family。　　'Say　of　an　enemy　of　the　family；'　replied　the　Queen；　angrily；　'and　let　him　come　in。'

〃Comte　de　Tesse；　father　of　the　last　Count　of　that　name；　who　left　no　children；　was　first　equerry　to　Queen　Maria　Leczinska。　　She　esteemed　his　virtues；　but　often　diverted　herself　at　the　expense　of　his　simplicity。　One　day；　when　the　conversation　turned　on　the　noble　military；　actions　by　which　the　French　nobility　was　distinguished；　the　Queen　said　to　the　Count：　'And　your　family；　M。　de　Tesse；　has　been　famous；　too；　in　the　field。'　'Ah；　Madame；　we　have　all　been　killed　in　our　masters'　service！''How　rejoiced　I　am；'　replied　the　Queen；　'that　you　have　revived　to　tell　me　of　it。'　　The　son　of　this　worthy　M。　de　Tesse　was　married　to　the　amiable　and　highly　gifted　daughter　of　the　Duc　d'Ayen；　afterwards　Marechale　de　Noailles。　　He　was　exceedingly　fond　of　his　daughter…in…law；　and　never　could　speak　of　her　without　emotion。　　The　Queen；　to　please　him；　often　talked　to　him　about　the　young　Countess；　and　one　day　asked　him　which　of　her　good　qualities　seemed　to　him　most　conspicuous。　　'Her　gentleness；　Madame；　her　gentleness；'　said　he；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　'she　is　so　mild；　so　soft；as　soft　as　a　good　carriage。''Well；'　said　her　Majesty；　'that's　an　excellent　comparison　for　a　first　equerry。'

〃In　1730　Queen　Maria　Leczinska；　going　to　mass；　met　old　Marechal　Villars；　leaning　on　a　wooden　crutch　not　worth　fifteen　pence。　　She　rallied　him　about　it；　and　the　Marshal　told　her　that　he　had　used　it　ever　since　he　had　received　a　wound　which　obliged　him　to　add　this　article　to　the　equipments　of　the　army。　　Her　Majesty；　smiling；　said　she　thought　this　crutch　so　unworthy　of　him　that　she　hoped　to　induce　him　to　give　it　up。　　On　returning　home　she　despatched　M。　Campan　to　Paris　with　orders　to　purchase　at　the　celebrated　Germain's　the　handsomest　cane；　with　a　gold　enamelled　crutch；　that　he　could　find；　and　carry　it　without　delay　to　Mardchal　Villars's　hotel；　and　present　it　to　him　from　her。　　He　was　announced　accordingly；　and　fulfilled　his　commission。　　The　Marshal；　in　attending　him　to　the　door；　requested　him　to　express　his　gratitude　to　the　Queen；　and　said　that　he　had　nothing　fit　to　offer　to　an　officer　who　had　the　honour　to　belong　to　her　Majesty；　but　he　begged　him　to　accept　of　his　old　stick；　saying　that　his　grandchildren　would　probably　some　day　be　glad　to　possess　the　cane　with　which　he　had　commanded　at　Marchiennes　and　Denain。　　The　known　frugality　of　Marechal　Villars　appears　in　this　anecdote；　but　he　was　not　mistaken　with　respect　to　the　estimation　in　which　his　stick　would　be　held。　　It　was　thenceforth　kept　with　veneration　by　M。　Campan's　family。　　On　the　10th　of　August；　1792；　a　house　which　I　occupied　on　the　Carrousel；　at　the　entrance　of　the　Court　of　the　Tuileries；　was　pillaged　and　nearly　burnt　down。　　The　cane　of　Marechal　Villars　was　thrown　into　the　Carrousel　as　of　no　value；　and　picked　up　by　my　servant。　　Had　its　old　master　been　living　at　that　period　we　should　not　have　witnessed　such　a　deplorable　day。

〃Before　the　Revolution　there　were　customs　and　words　in　use　at　Versailles　with　which　few　people　were　acquainted。　　The　King's　dinner　was　called　'The　King's　meat。'　　Two　of　the　Body　Guard　accompanied　the　attendants　who　carried　the　dinner；　every　one　rose　as　they　passed　through　the　halls；　saying；　'There　is　the　King's　meat。'　　All　precautionary　duties　were　distinguished　by　the　words　'in　case。'　　One　of　the　guards　might　be　heard　to　say；　'I　am　in　case　in　the　forest　of　St。　Germain。'　　In　the　evening　they　always　brought　the　Queen　a　large　bowl　of　broth；　a　cold　roast　fowl；　one　bottle　of　wine；　one　of　orgeat；　one　of　lemonade；　and　some　other　articles；　which　were　called　the　'in　case'　for　the　night。　　An　old　medical　gentleman；　who　had　been　physician　in　ordinary　to　Louis　XIV。；　and　was　still　living　at　the　time　of　the　marriage　of　Louis　XV。；　told　M。　Campan's　father　an　anecdote　which　seems　too　remarkable　to　have　remained　unknown；　nevertheless　he　was　a　man　of　honour；　incapable　of　inventing　this　story。　His　name　was　Lafosse。　　He　said　that　Louis　XIV。　was　informed　that　the　officers　of　his　table　evinced；　in　the　most　disdainful　and　offensive　manner；　the　mortification　they　felt　at　being　obliged　to　eat　at　the　table　of　the　comptroller　of　the　kitchen　along　with　Moliere；　valet　de　chambre　to　his　Majesty；　because　Moliere　had　performed　on　the　stage；　and　that　this　celebrated　author　consequently　declined　appearing　at　that　table。　　Louis　XIV。；　determined　to　put　an　end　to　insults　which　ought　never　to　have　been　offered　to　one　of　the　greatest　geniuses　of　the　age；　said　to　h