the memoirs of marie antoinette-第41节
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nly by the French Government to the cause of American independence。 The constitution planned for the new nation was digested at Paris； and while liberty； equality； and the rights of man were commented upon by the Condorcets； Baillys； Mirabeaus； etc。； the minister Segur published the King's edict； which； by repealing that of 1st November； 1750； declared all officers not noble by four generations incapable of filling the rank of captain； and denied all military rank to the roturiers； excepting sons of the chevaliers de St。 Louis。
＇M。 de Segur；〃 says Chamfort； 〃having published an ordinance which prohibited the admission of any other than gentlemen into the artillery corps； and； on the other hand； none but well…educated persons being proper for admission； a curious scene took place： the Abbe Bossat； examiner of the pupils； gave certificates only to plebeians； while Cherin gave them only to gentlemen。 Out of one hundred pupils； there were not above four or five who were qualified in both respects。〃＇
The injustice and absurdity of this law was no doubt a secondary cause of the Revolution。 To understand the despair and rage with which this law inspired the Tiers Etat one should have belonged to that honourable class。 The provinces were full of roturier families； who for ages had lived as people of property upon their own domains； and paid the taxes。 If these persons had several sons； they would place one in the King's service； one in the Church； another in the Order of Malta as a chevalier servant d'armes； and one in the magistracy； while the eldest preserved the paternal manor； and if he were situated in a country celebrated for wine； he would； besides selling his own produce； add a kind of commission trade in the wines of the canton。 I have seen an individual of this justly respected class； who had been long employed in diplomatic business； and even honoured with the title of minister plenipotentiary； the son…in…law and nephew of colonels and town mayors； and； on his mother's side； nephew of a lieutenant…general with a cordon rouge； unable to introduce his sons as sous…lieutenants into a regiment of foot。
Another decision of the Court； which could not be announced by an edict； was that all ecclesiastical benefices； from the humblest priory up to the richest abbey； should in future be appanages of the nobility。 Being the son of a village surgeon； the Abbe de Vermond； who had great influence in the disposition of benefices； was particularly struck with the justice of this decree。
During the absence of the Abbe in an excursion he made for his health； I prevailed on the Queen to write a postscript to the petition of a cure； one of my friends； who was soliciting a priory near his curacy； with the intention of retiring to it。 I obtained it for him。 On the Abbe's return he told me very harshly that I should act in a manner quite contrary to the King's wishes if I again obtained such a favour； that the wealth of the Church was for the future to be invariably devoted to the support of the poorer nobility； that it was the interest of the State that it should be so； and a plebeian priest； happy in a good curacy； had only to remain curate。
Can we be astonished at the part shortly afterwards taken by the deputies of the Third Estate； when called to the States General？
End of The Memoirs of Marie Antoinette； V3 by Madame Campan
MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF MARIE ANTOINETTE； QUEEN OF FRANCE
Being the Historic Memoirs of Madam Campan； First Lady in Waiting to the Queen
BOOK 4。
CHAPTER XI。
About the close of the last century several of the Northern sovereigns took a fancy for travelling。 Christian III。； King of Denmark； visited the Court of France in 1763； during the reign of Louis XV。 We have seen the King of Sweden and Joseph II。 at Versailles。 The Grand Duke of Russia （afterwards Paul I。）； son of Catherine II。； and the Princess of Wurtemberg； his wife； likewise resolved to visit France。 They travelled under the titles of the Comte and Comtesse du Nord。 They were presented on the 20th of May； 1782。 The Queen received them with grace and dignity。 On the day of their arrival at Versailles they dined in private with the King and Queen。
The plain； unassuming appearance of Paul I。 pleased Louis XVI。 He spoke to him with more confidence and cheerfulness than he had spoken to Joseph II。 The Comtesse du Nord was not at first so successful with the Queen。 This lady was of a fine height； very fat for her age； with all the German stiffness； well informed； and perhaps displaying her acquirements with rather too much confidence。 When the Comte and Comtesse du Nord were presented the Queen was exceedingly nervous。 She withdrew into her closet before she went into the room where she was to dine with the illustrious travellers； and asked for a glass of water； confessing 〃she had just experienced how much more difficult it was to play the part of a queen in the presence of other sovereigns； or of princes born to become so； than before courtiers。〃 She soon recovered from her confusion； and reappeared with ease and confidence。 The dinner was tolerably cheerful； and the conversation very animated。
Brilliant entertainments were given at Court in honour of the King of Sweden and the Comte du Nord。 They were received in private by the King and Queen； but they were treated with much more ceremony than the Emperor； and their Majesties always appeared to me to be very； cautious before these personages。 However； the King one day asked the Russian Grand Duke if it were true that he could not rely on the fidelity of any one of those who accompanied him。 The Prince answered him without hesitation； and before a considerable number of persons； that he should be very sorry to have with him even a poodle that was much attached to him； because his mother would take care to have it thrown into the Seine； with a stone round its neck； before he should leave Paris。 This reply； which I myself heard； horrified me； whether it depicted the disposition of Catherine； or only expressed the Prince's prejudice against her。
The Queen gave the Grand Duke a supper at Trianon； and had the gardens illuminated as they had been for the Emperor。 The Cardinal de Rohan very indiscreetly ventured to introduce himself there without the Queen's knowledge。 Having been treated with the utmost coolness ever since his return from Vienna； he had not dared to ask her himself for permission to see the illumination； but he persuaded the porter of Trianon to admit him as soon as the Queen should have set off for Versailles； and his Eminence engaged to remain in the porter's lodge until all the carriages should have left the chateau。 He did not keep his word； and while the porter was busy in the discharge of his duty； the Cardinal； who wore his red stockings and had merely thrown on a greatcoat； went down into the garden； and； with an air of mystery； drew up in two different places to see the royal family and suite pass by。
Her Majesty was highly offended at this piece of boldness； and next day ordered the porter to be discharged。 There was a general feeling of disgust at the Cardinal's conduct； and of commiseration towards the porter for the loss of his place。 Affected at the misfortune of the father of a family； I obtained his forgiveness； and since that time I have often regretted the feeling which induced me to interfere。 The notoriety of the discharge of the porter of Trianon； and the odium that circumstance would have fixed upon the Cardinal； would have made the Queen's dislike to him still more publicly known； and would probably have prevented the scandalous and notorious intrigue of the necklace。
The Queen； who was much prejudiced against the King of Sweden； received him very coldly。
＇Gustavus III。； King of Sweden； travelled in France under the title of Comte d'Haga。 Upon his accession to the throne； he managed the revolution which prostrated the authority of the Senate with equal skill； coolness； and courage。 He was assassinated in 1792； at a masked ball； by Auckarstrum。NOTE BY THE EDITOR。＇
All that was said of the private character of that sovereign； his connection with the Comte de Vergennes； from the time of the Revolution of Sweden； in 1772； the character of his favourite Armfeldt； and the prejudices of the monarch himself against the Swedes who were well received at the Court of Versailles； formed the grounds of this dislike。 He came one day uninvited and unexpected； and requested to dine with the Queen。 The Queen received him in the little closet； and desired me to send for her clerk of the kitchen； that she might be informed whether there was a proper dinner to set before Comte d'Haga； and add to it if necessary。 The King of Sweden assured her that there would be enough for him； and I could not help smiling when I thought of the length of the menu of the dinner of the King and Queen； not half of which would have made its appearance had they dined in private。 The Queen looked significantly at me； and I withdrew。 In the evening she asked me why I had seemed so astonished when she ordered me to add to her dinner； saying that I ought instantl
