the origins of contemporary france-1-第25章
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the Governor from eighty to one hundred guards； 〃 who each receive 300
or 400 livres； besides many exemptions； and who are never on service；
since the Governor is a non…resident。〃 The expense of these lazy
subalterns is about 24；000 livres； besides 5；000 to 6；000 for their
captain； to which must be added 7；500 for gubernatorial secretaries；
besides 60；000 livres salaries； and untold profits for the Governor
himself。 I find everywhere secondary idlers swarming in the shadow of
idlers in chief；＇11＇ and deriving their vigor from the public purse
which is the common nurse。 All these people parade and drink and eat
copiously； in grand style； it is their principal service； and they
attend to it conscientiously。 The sessions of the Assembly are
junketings of six weeks' duration； in which the intendant expends
25；000 livres in dinners and receptions。＇12＇
Equally lucrative and useless are the court offices＇13＇； so many
domestic sinecures； the profits and accessories of which largely
exceed the emoluments。 I find in the printed register 295 cooks；
without counting the table…waiters of the king and his people； while
〃the head butler obtains 84；000 livres a year in billets and
supplies；〃 without counting his salary and the 〃grand liveries〃 which
he receives in money。 The head chambermaids to the queen； inscribed in
the Almanac for 150 livres and paid 12；000 francs； make in reality
50；000 francs by the sale of the candles lighted during the day。
Augeard； private secretary； and whose place is set down at 900 livres
a year； confesses that it is worth to him 200；000。 The head huntsman
at Fontainebleau sells for his own benefit each year 20；000 francs
worth of rabbits。 〃On each journey to the king's country residences
the ladies of the bedchamber gain eighty per cent on the expenses of
moving； it is said that the coffee and bread for each of these ladies
costs 2；000 francs a year； and so on with other things。〃 〃Mme。 de
Tallard made 115；000 livres income out of her place of governess to
the children of France； because her salary was increased 35；000 livres
for each child。〃 The Duc de Penthièvre； as grand admiral； received an
anchorage due on all vessels 〃entering the ports and rivers of
France；〃 which produced annually 91；484 francs。 Mme。 de Lamballe；
superintendent of the queen's household； inscribed for 6；000 francs；
gets 50；000。＇14＇ The Duc de Gèvres gets 50；000 crowns＇15＇ by one show
of fireworks out of the fragments and scaffolding which belong to him
by virtue of his office。＇16＇ … Grand officers of the palace；
governors of royal establishments； captains of captaincies；
chamberlains； equerries； gentlemen in waiting； gentlemen in ordinary；
pages； governors； almoners； chaplains； ladies of honor； ladies of the
bedchamber； ladies in waiting on the King； the Queen； on Monsieur； on
Madame； on the Comte D'Artois； on the Comtesse D'Artois； on Mesdames；
on Madame Royale； on Madame Elisabeth； in each princely establishment
and elsewhere； hundreds of places provided with salaries and
accessories are without any service to perform； or simply answer a
decorative purpose。 〃Mme。 de Laborde has just been appointed keeper of
the queen's bed； with 12；000 francs pension out of the king's privy
purse； nothing is known of the duties of this position； as there has
been no place of this kind since Anne of Austria。〃 The eldest son of
M。 de Machault is appointed intendant of the classes。 〃This is one of
the employments called complimentary： it is worth 18；000 livres income
to sign one's name twice a year。〃 And likewise with the post of
secretary…general of the Swiss guards； worth 30；000 livres a year and
assigned to the Abbé Barthélemy； and the same with the post of
secretary…general of the dragoons； worth 20；000 livres a year； held in
turn by Gentil Bernard and by Laujon； two small pocket poets。？ … It
would be simpler to give the money without the place。 There is；
indeed； no end to them。 On reading various memoirs day after day it
seems as if the treasury was open to plunder。 The courtiers；
unremitting in their attentions to the king； force him to sympathize
with their troubles。 They are his intimates； the guests of his
drawing…room； men of the same stamp as himself； his natural clients；
the only ones with whom he can converse； and whom it is necessary to
make contented； he cannot avoid helping them。 He must necessarily
contribute to the dowries of their children since he has signed their
marriage contracts； he must necessarily enrich them since their
profusion serves for the embellishment of his court。 Nobility being
one of the glories of the throne； the occupant of the throne is
obliged to regild it as often as is necessary。＇17＇ In this connection
a few figures and anecdotes among a thousand speak most
eloquently。＇18＇ … 〃The Prince de Pons had a pension of 25；000 livres；
out of the king's bounty； on which his Majesty was pleased to give
6；000 to Mme。 de Marsan； his daughter； Canoness of Remiremont。 The
family represented to the king the bad state of the Prince de Pons's
affairs； and his Majesty was pleased to grant to his son Prince
Camille； 15；000 livres of the pension vacated by the death of his
father； and 5；000 livres increase to Mme。 de Marsan。〃 … M。 de
Conflans espouses Mlle。 Portail。 〃In honor of this marriage the king
was pleased to order that out of the pension of 10；000 livres granted
to Mme。 la Presidente Portail； 6；000 of it should pass to M。 de
Conflans after the death of Mme。 Portail。〃 … M。 de Séchelles； a
retiring minister； 〃had 12；000 livres on an old pension which the king
continued； he has； besides this； 20；000 livres pension as minister；
and the king gives him in addition to all this a pension of 40；000
livres。〃 The motives； which prompt these favors； are often remarkable。
M。 de Rouillé has to be consoled for not having participated in the
treaty of Vienna； this explains why 〃a pension of 6；000 livres is
given to his niece； Mme。 de Castellane； and another of 10；000 to his
daughter； Mme。 de Beuvron； who is very rich。〃 … 〃M。 de Puisieux
enjoys about 76；000 or 77；000 livres income from the bounty of the
king； it is true that he has considerable property； but the revenue of
this property is uncertain； being for the most part in vines。〃 … 〃A
pension of 10；000 livres has just been awarded to the Marquise de Lède
because she is disagreeable to Mme。 Infante； and to secure her
resignation。〃 … The most opulent stretch out their hands and take
accordingly。 〃It is estimated that last week 128；000 livres in
pensions were bestowed on ladies of the court； while for the past two
years the officers have not received the slightest pension： 8；000
livres to the Duchesse de Chevreuse； whose husband has an income of
500；000 livres； 12；000 livres to Mme。 de Luynes； that she may not be
jealous； 10；000 to the Duchesse de Brancas； 10；000 to the dowager
Duchesse de Brancas； mother of the preceding；〃 etc。 At the head of
these leeches come the princes of the blood。 〃The king has just given
1；500；000 livres to M。 le Prince de Conti to pay his debts； 1；000；000
of which is under the pretext of indemnifying him for the injury done
him by the sale of Orange； and 500；000 livres as a gratuity。〃 〃The Duc
d'Orléans formerly had 50；000 crowns pension； as a poor man； and
awaiting his father's inheritance。 This event making him rich； with an
income of more than 3；000；000 livres； he gave up his pension。 But
having since represented to the king that his expenditure exceeded his
income； the king gave him back his 50；000 crowns。〃 … Twenty years
later； in 1780； when Louis XVI。； desirous of relieving the treasury；
signs 〃the great reformation of the table； 600；000 livres are given to
Mesdames for their tables。〃 This is what the dinners； cut down； of
three old ladies； cost the public！ For the king's two brothers；
8；300；000 livres； besides 2；000；000 income in appanages； for the
Dauphin；
