the origins of contemporary france-1-第34章
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princes and princesses 〃to send to the bureau for fish on fast days
when not residing regularly at the court；〃 amounts in 1778 to 175；116
livres。 On reading in the Almanach the titles of these officials we
see a Gargantua's feast spread out before us。 The formal hierarchy of
the kitchens； so many grand officials of the table； … the butlers；
comptrollers and comptroller…pupils； the clerks and gentlemen of the
pantry； the cup…bearers and carvers； the officers and equerries of the
kitchen； the chiefs； assistants and head…cooks； the ordinary
scullions； turnspits and cellarers； the common gardeners and salad
gardeners； laundry servants； pastry…cooks； plate…changers； table…
setters； crockery…keepers； and broach…bearers； the butler of the table
of the head…butler； … an entire procession of broad…braided backs
and imposing round bellies； with grave countenances； which； with order
and conviction； exercise their functions before the saucepans and
around the buffets。
One step more and we enter the sanctuary； the king's apartment。 Two
principal dignitaries preside over this； and each has under him about
a hundred subordinates。 On one side is the grand chamberlain with his
first gentlemen of the bedchamber； the pages of the bedchamber； their
governors and instructors； the ushers of the antechamber； with the
four first valets…de…chambre in ordinary； sixteen special valets
serving in turn； his regular and special cloak…bearers； his barbers；
upholsterers； watch…menders； waiters and porters； on the other hand is
the grand…master of the wardrobe； with the masters of the wardrobe and
the valets of the wardrobe regular and special； the ordinary trunk…
carriers； mail…bearers； tailors； laundry servants； starchers； and
common waiters； with the gentlemen； officers and secretaries in
ordinary of the cabinet； in all 198 persons for domestic service； like
50 many domestic utensils for every personal want； or as sumptuous
pieces of furniture for the decoration of the apartment。 Some of them
fetch the mall and the balls； others hold the mantle and cane； others
comb the king's hair and dry him off after a bath； others drive the
mules which transport his bed； others watch his pet greyhounds in his
room； others fold； put on and tie his cravat； and others fetch and
carry off his easy chair。＇20＇ Some there are whose sole business it is
to fill a corner which must not be left empty。 Certainly； with respect
to ease of deportment and appearance these are the most conspicuous of
all； being so close to the master they are under obligation to appear
well； in such proximity their bearing must not create a discord。 …
Such is the king's household； and I have only described one of his
residences； he has a dozen of them besides Versailles； great and
small； Marly； the two Trianons； la Muette； Meudon； Choisy； Saint…
Hubert； Saint…Germain； Fontainebleau； Compiègne； Saint…Cloud；
Rambouillet；＇21＇ without counting the Louvre； the Tuileries and
Chambord； with their parks and hunting…grounds； their governors；
inspectors； comptrollers； concierges； fountain tenders； gardeners；
sweepers； scrubbers； mole…catchers； wood…rangers； mounted and foot…
guards； in all more than a thousand persons。 Naturally he entertains；
plans and builds； and； in this way expends 3 or 4 millions per
annum。＇22＇ Naturally； also； he repairs and renews his furniture； in
1778； which is an average year； this costs him 1；936；853 livres。
Naturally； also； he takes his guests along with him and defrays their
expenses； they and their attendants； at Choisy； in 1780； there are
sixteen tables with 345 seats besides the distributions； at Saint…
Cloud； in 1785； there are twenty…six tables； 〃an excursion to Marly of
twenty…one days is a matter of 120；000 livres extra expense；〃 the
excursion to Fontainebleau has cost as much as 400；000 and 500；000
livres。 His removals； on the average； cost half a million and more per
annum。＇23＇ … To complete our idea of this immense paraphernalia it
must be borne in mind that the artisans and merchants belonging to
these various official bodies are obliged； through the privileges they
enjoy； to follow the court 〃on its journeys that it may be provided on
the spot with apothecaries； armorers； gunsmiths； sellers of silken and
woollen hosiery； butchers； bakers； embroiderers； publicans； cobblers；
belt…makers； candle…makers； hatters； pork…dealers； surgeons；
shoemakers； curriers； cooks； pinkers； gilders and engravers； spur…
makers； sweetmeat…dealers； furbishers； old…clothes brokers； glove…
perfumers； watchmakers； booksellers； linen…drapers； wholesale and
retail wine…dealers； carpenters； coarse…jewelry haberdashers；
jewellers； parchment…makers； dealers in trimmings； chicken…roasters；
fish…dealers； purveyors of hay； straw and oats； hardware…sellers；
saddlers； tailors； gingerbread and starch…dealers； fruiterers； dealers
in glass and in violins。〃＇24＇ One might call it an oriental court
which； to be set in motion； moves an entire world： 〃when it is to move
one must； if one wants to travel anywhere； take the post in well in
advance。〃 The total is near 4；000 persons for the king's civil
household； 9；000 to 10；000 for his military household； at least 2；000
for those of his relatives； in all 15；000 individuals； at a cost of
between forty and fifty million livres； which would be equal to double
the amount to day； and which； at that time； constituted one…tenth of
the public revenue。＇25＇ We have here the central figure of the
monarchical show。 However grand and costly it may be； it is only
proportionate to its purpose； since the court is a public institution；
and the aristocracy； with nothing to do； devotes itself to filling up
the king's drawing…room。
III。 THE KING'S ASSOCIATES。
The society of the king。 … Officers of the household。 … Invited
guests。
Two causes maintain this affluence； one the feudal form still
preserved； and the other the new centralization just introduced； one
placing the royal service in the hands of the nobles； and the other
converting the nobles into place…hunters。 … Through the duties of
the palace the highest nobility live with the king； residing under his
roof； the grand…almoner is M。 de Montmorency…Laval； bishop of Metz；
the first almoner is M。 de Bussuéjouls； bishop of Senlis； the grand…
master of France is the Prince de Condé； the first royal butier is the
Comte d'Escars； the second is the Marquis de Montdragon； the master of
the pantry is the Duke de Brissac； the chief cup…bearer is the Marquis
de Vemeuil； the chief carver is the Marquis de la Chesnaye； the first
gentlemen of the bedchamber are the Ducs de Richelieu； de Durfort； de
Villequier； and de Fleury； the grand…master of the wardrobe is the Duc
de la Rochefoucauld…Liancourt； the masters of the wardrobe are the
Comte de Boisgelin and the Marquis de Chauvelin。 The captain of the
falconry is the Chevalier du Forget； the captain of the boar…hunt is
the Marquis d'Ecquevilly； the superintendent of edifices is the Comte
d'Angevillier； the grand…equerry is the Prince de Lambesc； the master
of the hounds is the Duc de Penthièvre； the grand…master of ceremonies
is the Marquis de Brèze； the grand…master of the household is the
Marquis de la Suze； the captains of the guards are the Ducs d'Agen； de
Villery； de Brissac； d'Aguillon； and de Biron； the Princes de Poix； de
Luxembourg and de Soubise。 The provost of the hotel is the Marquis de
Tourzel； the governors of the residences and captains of the chase are
the Duc de Noailles； Marquis de Champcenetz； Baron de Champlost； Duc
de Coigny； Comte de Modena； Comte de Montmorin； Duc de Laval； Comte de
Brienne； Duc d'Orléans； and the Duc de Gèsvres。＇26＇ All these
seigniors are the king's necessary intimates； his permanent and
generally hereditary guests； dwelling under his roof； in close and
daily intercourse with him； for they are 〃his folks〃 （gens）＇27＇ and
perform domestic service about his person。 Add to
