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第33章

the origins of contemporary france-1-第33章

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guardsmen; Swiss guardsmen; Cent Suisses; light…horse guards;

gendarmes of the guard; gate…guardsmen; in all; 9;050 men;'11' costing

annually 7;681;000 livres。  Four companies of the French guard; and two

of the Swiss guard; parade every day in the court of the ministers

between the two railings; and when the king issues in his carriage to

go to Paris or Fontainebleau the spectacle is magnificent。  Four

trumpeters in front and four behind; the Swiss guards on one side and

the French guards on the other; form a line as far as it can

reach。'12' The Cent Suisses march ahead of the horsemen in the costume

of the sixteenth century; wearing the halberd; ruff; plumed hat; and

the ample parti…colored striped doublet; alongside of these are the

provost…guard with scarlet facings and gold frogs; and companies of

yeomanry bristling with gold and silver。  The officers of the various

corps; the trumpeters and the musicians; covered with gold and silver

lace; are dazzling to look at; the kettledrum suspended at the saddle…

bow; overcharged with painted and gilded ornaments; is a curiosity for

a glass case; the Negro cymbal…player of the French guards resembles

the sultan of a fairy…tale。  Behind the carriage and alongside of it

trot the body…guards; with sword and carbine; wearing red breeches;

high black boots; and a blue coat sewn with white embroidery; all of

them unquestionable gentlemen; there were twelve hundred of these

selected among the nobles and according to size; among them are the

guards de la manche; still more intimate; who at church and on

ceremonial occasions; in white doublets starred with silver and gold

spangles; holding their damascene partisans in their hands; always

remain standing and turned towards the king 〃so as to see his person

from all sides。〃 Thus is his protection ensured。  Being a gentleman the

king is a cavalier; and he must have a suitable stable;'13' 1;857

horses; 217 vehicles; 1;458 men whom he clothes; the liveries costing

540;000 francs a year; besides these there were 20 tutors and sub…

tutors; almoners; professors; cooks; and valets to govern; educate and

serve the pages; and again about thirty physicians; apothecaries;

nurses for the sick; intendants; treasurers; workmen; and licensed and

paid merchants for the accessories of the service; in all more than

1;500 men。  Horses to the amount of 250;000 francs are purchased

yearly; and there are stock…stables in Limousin and in Normandy to

draw on for supplies。  287 horses are exercised daily in the two

riding…halls; there are 443 saddle…horses in the small stable; 437 in

the large one; and these are not sufficient for the 〃vivacity of the

service。〃 The whole cost 4;600;000 livres in 1775; which sum reaches

6;200;000 livres in 1787。'14' Still another spectacle should be seen

with one's own eyes;  …  the pages;'15' the grooms; the laced pupils;

the silver…button pupils; the boys of the little livery in silk; the

instrumentalists and the mounted messengers of the stable。  The use of

the horse is a feudal art; no luxury is more natural to a man of

quality。  Think of the stables at Chantilly; which are palaces。  To

convey an idea of a well…educated and genteel man he was then called

an accomplished cavalier;〃 in fact his importance was fully manifest

only when he was in the saddle; on a blood…horse like himself。  …

Another genteel taste; an effect of the preceding; is the chase。  It

costs the king from 1;100;000 to 1;200;000 livres a year; and requires

280 horses besides those of the two stables。  A more varied or more

complete equipment could not be imagined: a pack of hounds for the

boar; another for the wolf another for the roe…buck; a cast (of hawks)

for the crow; a cast for the magpie; a cast for merlins; a cast for

hares; a cast for the fields。  In 1783; 179;194 livres are expended for

feeding horses; and 53;412 livres for feeding dogs。'16' The entire

territory; ten leagues around Paris; is a game…preserve; 〃not a gun

could be fired there;'17' accordingly the plains are seen covered with

partridges accustomed to man; quietly picking up the grain and never

stirring as he passes。〃 Add to this the princes' captaincies;

extending as far as Villers…Cotterets and Orleans; these form an

almost continuous circle around Paris; thirty leagues in

circumference; where game; protected; replaced and multiplied; swarms

for the pleasure of the king。  The park of Versailles alone forms an

enclosure of more than ten leagues。  The forest of Rambouillet embraces

25;000 arpents (30;000 acres)。  Herds of seventy…five and eighty stags

are encountered around Fontainebleau。  No true hunter could read the

minute…book of the chase without feeling an impulse of envy。  The wolf…

hounds run twice a week; and they take forty wolves a year。  Between

1743 and 1744 Louis XV runs down 6;400 stags。  Louis XVI writes; August

30th; 1781: 〃Killed 460 head to day。〃 In 1780 he brings down 20;534

head; in 1781; 20;291; in fourteen years; 189;251 head; besides 1;254

stags; while boars and bucks are proportionate; and it must be noted

that this is all done by his own hand; since his parks approach his

houses。  …  Such; in fine; is the character of a 〃 well…appointed

household;〃 that is to say; provided with its dependencies and

services。  Everything is within reach; it is a complete world in itself

and self…sufficient。  One exalted being attaches to and gathers around

it; with universal foresight and minuteness of detail; every

appurtenance it employs or can possibly employ。  …  Thus; each prince;

each princess has a professional surgery and a chapel;'18' it would

not answer for the almoner who says mass or the doctor who looks after

their health to be obtained outside。  So much stronger is the reason

that the king should have ministrants of this stamp; his chapel

embraces seventy…five almoners; chaplains; confessors; masters of the

oratory; clerks; announcers; carpet…bearers; choristers; copyists; and

composers of sacred music; his faculty is composed of forty…eight

physicians; surgeons; apothecaries; oculists; operators; bone…setters;

distillers; chiropodists and spagyrists (a species of alchemists)。  We

must still note his department of profane music; consisting of one

hundred and twenty…eight vocalists; dancers; instrumentalists;

directors and superintendents; his library corps of forty…three

keepers; readers; interpreters; engravers; medallists; geographers;

binders and printers; the staff of ceremonial display; sixty…two

heralds; sword…bearers; ushers and musicians; the staff of

housekeepers; consisting of sixty…eight marshals; guides and

commissaries。  I omit other services in haste to reach the most

important;… that of the table; a fine house and good housekeeping

being known by the table。



There are three sections of the table service;'19' the first for

the king and his younger children; the second; called the little

ordinary; for the table of the grand…master; the grand…chamberlain and

the princes and princesses living with the king; the third; called the

great ordinary; for the grand…master's second table; that of the

butlers of the king's household; the almoners; the gentlemen in

waiting; and that of the valets…de…chambre; in all three hundred and

eighty…three officers of the table and one hundred and three waiters;

at an expense of 2;177;771 livres; besides this there are 389;173

livres appropriated to the table of Madame Elisabeth; and 1;093;547

livres for that of Mesdames; the total being 3;660;491 livres for the

table。  The wine…merchant furnished wine to the amount of 300;000

francs per annum; and the purveyor game; meat and fish at a cost of

1;000;000 livres。  Only to fetch water from Ville…d'Avray; and to

convey servants; waiters and provisions; required fifty horses hired

at the rate of 70;591 francs per annum。  The privilege of the royal

princes and princesses 〃to send to the bureau for fish on fast days

when not residing regularly a

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