the memoirs of marie antoinette-第57节

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　the　lowest　class；　were　metamorphosed　into　lieutenants　or　captains；　almost　all　the　musicians　of　the　chapel　ventured　one　day　to　make　their　appearance　at　the　King's　mass　in　a　military　costume；　and　an　Italian　soprano　adopted　the　uniform　of　a　grenadier　captain。　　The　King　was　very　much　offended　at　this　conduct；　and　forbade　his　servants　to　appear　in　his　presence　in　so　unsuitable　a　dress。

The　departure　of　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac　naturally　left　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　exposed　to　all　the　dangers　of　favouritism。　　He　was　already　talked　of　as　an　adviser　dangerous　to　the　nation。　　The　Queen　was　alarmed　at　it；　and　recommended　him　to　remove　to　Valenciennes；　where　Count　Esterhazy　was　in　command。　　He　was　obliged　to　leave　that　place　in　a　few　days　and　set　off　for　Vienna；　where　he　remained。

On　the　night　of　the　17th　of　July　the　Queen；　being　unable　to　sleep；　made　me　watch　by　her　until　three　in　the　morning。　　I　was　extremely　surprised　to　hear　her　say　that　it　would　be　a　very　long　time　before　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　would　make　his　appearance　at　Court　again；　even　if　the　existing　ferment　should　subside；　because　he　would　not　readily　be　forgiven　for　his　attachment　to　the　Archbishop　of　Sens；　and　that　she　had　lost　in　him　a　very　devoted　servant。　　Then　she　suddenly　remarked　to　me；　that　although　he　was　not　much　prejudiced　against　me　I　could　not　have　much　regard　for　him；　because　he　could　not　bear　my　father…in…law　to　hold　the　place　of　secretary　of　the　closet。　　She　went　on　to　say　that　I　must　have　studied　the　Abbe's　character；　and；　as　I　had　sometimes　drawn　her　portraits　of　living　characters；　in　imitation　of　those　which　were　fashionable　in　the　time　of　Louis　XIV。；　she　desired　me　to　sketch　that　of　the　Abbe；　without　any　reserve。　　My　astonishment　was　extreme；　the　Queen　spoke　of　the　man　who；　the　day　before；　had　been　in　the　greatest　intimacy　with　her　with　the　utmost　coolness；　and　as　a　person　whom；　perhaps；　she　might　never　see　again！　　I　remained　petrified；　the　Queen　persisted；　and　told　me　that　he　had　been　the　enemy　of　my　family　for　more　than　twelve　years；　without　having　been　able　to　injure　it　in　her　opinion；　so　that　I　had　no　occasion　to　dread　his　return；　however　severely　I　might　depict　him。　　I　promptly　summarised　my　ideas　about　the　favourite；　but　I　only　remember　that　the　portrait　was　drawn　with　sincerity；　except　that　everything　which　could　denote　antipathy　was　kept　out　of　it。　　I　shall　make　but　one　extract　from　it：　I　said　that　he　had　been　born　talkative　and　indiscreet；　and　had　assumed　a　character　of　singularity　and　abruptness　in　order　to　conceal　those　two　failings。　　The　Queen　interrupted　me　by　saying；　〃Ah！　how　true　that　is！〃　　I　have　since　discovered　that；　notwithstanding　the　high　favour　which　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　enjoyed；　the　Queen　took　precautions　to　guard　herself　against　an　ascendency　the　consequences　of　which　she　could　not　calculate。

On　the　death　of　my　father…in…law　his　executors　placed　in　my　hands　a　box　containing　a　few　jewels　deposited　by　the　Queen　with　M。　Campan　on　the　departure　from　Versailles　of　the　6th　of　October；　and　two　sealed　packets；　each　inscribed；　〃Campan　will　take　care　of　these　papers　for　me。〃　　I　took　the　two　packets　to　her　Majesty；　who　kept　the　jewels　and　the　larger　packet；　and；　returning　me　the　smaller；　said；　〃Take　care　of　that　for　me　as　your　father…in…law　did。〃

After　the　fatal　10th　of　August；　1792；＇The　day　of　the　attack　on　the　Tuileries；　slaughter　of　the　Swiss　guard；　and　suspension　of　the　King　from　his　functions。＇　when　my　house　was　about　to　be　surrounded；　I　determined　to　burn　the　most　interesting　papers　of　which　I　was　the　depositary；　I　thought　it　my　duty；　however；　to　open　this　packet；　which　it　might　perhaps　be　necessary　for　me　to　preserve　at　all　hazards。　I　saw　that　it　contained　a　letter　from　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　to　the　Queen。　I　have　already　related　that　in　the　earlier　days　of　Madame　de　Polignac's　favour　he　determined　to　remove　from　Versailles；　and　that　the　Queen　recalled　him　by　means　of　the　Comte　de　Mercy。　　This　letter　contained　nothing　but　certain　conditions　for　his　return；　it　was　the　most　whimsical　of　treaties；　I　confess　I　greatly　regretted　being　under　the　necessity　of　destroying　it。　　He　reproached　the　Queen　for　her　infatuation　for　the　Comtesse　Jules；　her　family；　and　society；　and　told　her　several　truths　about　the　possible　consequences　of　a　friendship　which　ranked　that　lady　among　the　favourites　of　the　Queens　of　France；　a　title　always　disliked　by　the　nation。　　He　complained　that　his　advice　was　neglected；　and　then　came　to　the　conditions　of　his　return　to　Versailles；　after　strong　assurances　that　he　would　never；　in　all　his　life；　aim　at　the　higher　church　dignities；　he　said　that　he　delighted　in　an　unbounded　confidence；　and　that　he　asked　but　two　things　of　her　Majesty　as　essential：　the　first　was；　not　to　give　him　her　orders　through　any　third　person；　and　to　write　to　him　herself；　he　complained　much　that　he　had　had　no　letter　in　her　own　hand　since　he　had　left　Vienna；　then　he　demanded　of　her　an　income　of　eighty　thousand　livres；　in　ecclesiastical　benefices；　and　concluded　by　saying　that；　if　she　condescended　to　assure　him　herself　that　she　would　set　about　procuring　him　what　he　wished；　her　letter　would　be　sufficient　in　itself　to　show　him　that　her　Majesty　had　accepted　the　two　conditions　he　ventured　to　make　respecting　his　return。　　No　doubt　the　letter　was　written；　at　least　it　is　very　certain　that　the　benefices　were　granted；　and　that　his　absence　from　Versailles　lasted　only　a　single　week。

In　the　course　of　July；　1789；　the　regiment　of　French　guards；　which　had　been　in　a　state　of　insurrection　from　the　latter　end　of　June；　abandoned　its　colours。　　One　single　company　of　grenadiers　remained　faithful；　to　its　post　at　Versailles。　　M。　le　Baron　de　Leval　was　the　captain　of　this　company。　　He　came　every　evening　to　request　me　to　give　the　Queen　an　account　of　the　disposition　of　his　soldiers；　but　M。　de　La　Fayette　having　sent　them　a　note；　they　all　deserted　during　the　night　and　joined　their　comrades；　who　were　enrolled　in　the　Paris　guard；　so　that　Louis　XVI。　on　rising　saw　no　guard　whatever　at　the　various　posts　entrusted　to　them。

The　decrees　of　the　4th　of　August；　by　which　all　privileges　were　abolished；　are　well　known。

　　　　　＇It　was　during　the　night　of　the　4th　of　August；〃　says　Rivarol；　〃that　　　　　　the　demagogues　of　the　nobility；　wearied　with　a　protracted　discussion　　　　　　upon　the　rights　of　man；　and　burning　to　signalise　their　zeal；　rose　　　　　　all　at　once；　and　with　loud　exclamations　called　for　the　last　sighs　of　　　　　　the　feudal　system。　　This　demand　electrified　the　Assembly。　　All　heads　　　　　　were　frenzied。　　The　younger　sons　of　good　families；　having　nothing；　　　　　　were　delighted　to　sacrifice　their　too　fortunate　elders　upon　the　　　　　　altar　of　the　country；　a　few　country　cures　felt　no　less　pleasure　in　　　　　　renouncing　the　benefices　of　others；　but　what　posterity　will　hardly　　　　　　believe　is　that　the　same　enthusiasm　infected　the　whole　nobility；　　　　　　zeal　walked　hand　in　hand　with　malevolence；　they　made　sacrifice　upon　　　　　　sacrifice。　　And　as　in　Japan　the　point　of　honour　lies　in　a　man's　　　　　　killing　himself　in　the　presence　of　the　person　who　has　offended　him；　　　　　　so　did　the　deputies　of　the　nobility　vie　in　striking　at　themselves　　　　　　and　their　constituents。　　The　people　who　were　present　at　this　noble　　　　　　contest　increased　the　intoxication　of　their　new　allies　by　their　　　　　　shouts；　and　the　deputies　of　the　commons；　seeing　that　this　memorable　　　　　　night　would　only　afford　them　profit　without　honour；　consoled　their　　　　　　self…love　by　wondering　at　what　Nobility；　grafted　upon　the　Third　　　　　　Estate；　could　do。　　They　named　that　night　the　'night　of　dupes'；　the　　　　　　nobles　called　it　the　'night　of　sacrifices'。〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

The　King　sanctioned　all　that　tended　to　the　diminution　of　his　own　personal　gratifications；　but　refused　his　consent　to　the　other　decrees　of　that　tumultuous　night；　this　refusal　was　one　of　the　chief　causes　of　the　ferments　of　the　month　of　October。

In　the　early　part　of　September　meetings　were　held　at　the　Palais　Royal；　and　propositions　made　to　go　to　Versailles；　it　was　said　to　be　necessary　to　separate　the　King　from　his　evil　counsellors；　and　keep　him；　as　well　as　the　Dauphin；　at　the　Louvre。　　The　proclamations　by　the　officers　of　the　commune　for　the　restoration　of　tranquillity　were　ineffectual；　but　M。　de　La　Fayette　succeeded　this　time　in　dispersing　the　populace。　　The　Assembly　declared　itself　permanent；　and　during　the　whole　of　September；　in　which　no　doubt　the　preparations　were　made　for　the　great　insurrections　of　the　following　month；　the　Court　was　not　disturbed。

The　King　had　the　Flanders　regiment　removed　to　Versailles；　unfortunately　the　idea　of　the　officers　of　that　regiment　fraternising　with　the　Body　Guards　was　conceived；　and　the　latter　invited　the　former　to　a　dinner；　which　was　given　in　the　great　theatre　of　Versailles；　and　not　in　the　Salon　of　Hercules；　as　some　chroniclers　say。　　Boxes　were　appropriated　to　various　persons　who　wished　to　be　present　at　this　entertainment。　　The　Queen　told　me　she　had　been　advised　to　make　her　appearance　on　the　occasion；　but　that　under　existing　circumstances　she　thought　such　a　step　might　do　more　harm　than　good；　and　that；　moreover；　neither　she　nor　the　King　ought　directly　to　have　anything　to　do　with　such　a　festival。　　She　ordered　me　to　go；　and　desired　me　to　observe　everything　closely；　in　order　to　give