the origins of contemporary france-1-第36章

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fine　busts；　and　on　the　capacious；　sparkling　and　garlanded　dresses。　　The

skirts　of　the　ladies　ranged　in　a　circle；　or　in　tiers　on　the　benches；

〃form　a　rich　espalier　covered　with　pearls；　gold；　silver；　jewels；

spangles；　flowers　and　fruits；　with　their　artificial　blossoms；

gooseberries；　cherries；　and　strawberries；〃　a　gigantic　animated　bouquet

of　which　the　eye　can　scarcely　support　the　brilliancy。　　There　are　no

black　coats；　as　nowadays；　to　disturb　the　harmony。　　With　the　hair

powdered　and　dressed；　with　buckles　and　knots；　with　cravats　and　ruffles

of　lace；　in　silk　coats　and　vests　of　the　hues　of　fallen　leaves；　or　of　a

delicate　rose　tint；　or　of　celestial　blue；　embellished　with　gold　braid

and　embroidery；　the　men　are　as　elegant　as　the　women。　　Men　and　women；

each　is　a　selection；　they　all　are　of　the　accomplished　class；　gifted

with　every　grace　which　good　blood；　education；　fortune；　leisure　and

custom　can　bestow；　they　are　perfect　of　their　kind。　　There　is　no　toilet；

no　carriage　of　the　head；　no　tone　of　the　voice；　no　expression　in

language　which　is　not　a　masterpiece　of　worldly　culture；　the　distilled

quintessence　of　all　that　is　exquisitely　elaborated　by　social　art。

Polished　as　the　high　society　of　Paris　may　be；　it　does　not　approach

this；＇36＇　compared　with　the　court；　it　seems　provincial。　　It　is　said

that　a　hundred　thousand　roses　are　required　to　make　an　ounce　of　the

unique　perfume　used　by　Persian　kings；　such　is　this　drawing…room；　the

frail　vial　of　crystal　and　gold　containing　the　substance　of　a　human

vegetation。　　To　fill　it；　a　great　aristocracy　had　to　be　transplanted　to

a　hot…house　and　become　sterile　in　fruit　and　flowers；　and　then；　in　the

royal　alembic；　its　pure　sap　is　concentrated　into　a　few　drops　of　aroma。

The　price　is　excessive；　but　only　at　this　price　can　the　most　delicate

perfumes　be　manufactured。



IV。　　EVERYDAY　LIFE　IN　COURT。



The　king's　occupations。　　…　Rising　in　the　morning；　mass；　dinner；

walks；　hunting；　supper；　play；　evening　receptions。　　…　He　is　always　on

parade　and　in　company。



An　operation　of　this　kind　absorbs　him　who　undertakes　it　as　well　as

those　who　undergo　it。　　A　nobility　for　useful　purposes　is　not

transformed　with　impunity　into　a　nobility　for　ornament；＇37＇　one　falls

himself　into　the　ostentation　which　is　substituted　for　action。　　The　king

has　a　court　which　he　is　compelled　to　maintain。　　So　much　the　worse　if　it

absorbs　all　his　time；　his　intellect；　his　soul；　the　most　valuable

portion　of　his　active　forces　and　the　forces　of　the　State。　　To　be　the

master　of　a　house　is　not　an　easy　task；　especially　when　five　hundred

persons　are　to　be　entertained；　one　must　necessarily　pass　one's　life　in

public　and　all　the　time　being　on　exhibition。　　Strictly　speaking　it　is

the　life　of　an　actor　who　is　on　the　stage　the　entire　day。　　To　support

this　load；　and　work　besides；　required　the　temperament　of　Louis　XIV；

the　vigor　of　his　body；　the　extraordinary　firmness　of　his　nerves；　the

strength　of　his　digestion；　and　the　regularity　of　his　habits；　his

successors　who　come　after　him　grow　weary　or　stagger　under　the　same

load。　　But　they　cannot　throw　it　off；　an　incessant；　daily　performance　is

inseparable　from　their　position　and　it　is　imposed　on　them　like　a

heavy；　gilded；　ceremonial　coat。　　The　king　is　expected　to　keep　the

entire　aristocracy　busy；　consequently　to　make　a　display　of　himself；　to

pay　back　with　his　own　person；　at　all　hours；　even　the　most　private；

even　on　getting　out　of　bed；　and　even　in　his　bed。　　In　the　morning；　at

the　hour　named　by　himself　beforehand；＇38＇　the　head　valet　awakens　him；

five　series　of　persons　enter　in　turn　to　perform　their　duty；　and；

〃although　very　large；　there　are　days　when　the　waiting…rooms　can　hardly

contain　the　crowd　of　courtiers。〃　　…　　The　first　admittance　is　〃l'entrée

familière；〃　consisting　of　the　children　of　France；　the　princes　and

princesses　of　the　blood；　and；　besides　these；　the　chief　physician；　the

chief　surgeon　and　other　serviceable　persons。＇39＇　Next；　comes　the

〃grande　entrée；'　which　comprises　the　grand…chamberlain；　the　grand…

master　and　master　of　the　wardrobe；　the　first　gentlemen　of　the

bedchamber；　the　Ducs　d'Orleans　and　de　Penthièvre；　some　other　highly

favored　seigniors；　the　ladies　of　honor　and　in　waiting　of　the　queen；

Mesdames　and　other　princesses；　without　enumerating　barbers　tailors　and

various　descriptions　of　valets。　　Meanwhile　spirits　of　wine　are　poured

on　the　king's　hands　from　a　service　of　plate；　and　he　is　then　handed　the

basin　of　holy　water；　he　crosses　himself　and　repeats　a　prayer。　　Then　he

gets　out　of　bed　before　all　these　people　and　puts　on　his　slippers。　　The

grand…chamberlain　and　the　first　gentleman　hand　him　his　dressing…gown；

he　puts　this　on　and　seats　himself　in　the　chair　in　which　he　is　to　put

on　his　clothes。　　At　this　moment　the　door　opens　and　a　third　group

enters；　which　is　the　〃entrée　des　brevets；〃　the　seigniors　who　compose

this　enjoy；　in　addition；　the　precious　privilege　of　assisting　at　the

〃petite　coucher；〃　while；　at　the　same　moment　there　enters　a　detachment

of　attendants；　consisting　of　the　physicians　and　surgeons　in　ordinary；

the　intendants　of　the　amusements；　readers　and　others；　and　among　the

latter　those　who　preside　over　physical　requirements；　the　publicity　of

a　royal　life　is　so　great　that　none　of　its　functions　can　be　exercised

without　witnesses。　　At　the　moment　of　the　approach　of　the　officers　of

the　wardrobe　to　dress　him　the　first　gentleman；　notified　by　an　usher；

advances　to　read　to　the　king　the　names　of　the　grandees　who　are　waiting

at　the　door：　this　is　the　fourth　entry　called　〃la　chambre；〃　and　larger

than　those　preceding　it；　for；　not　to　mention　the　cloak…bearers；　gun…

bearers；　rug…bearers　and　other　valets　it　comprises　most　of　the

superior　officials；　the　grand…almoner；　the　almoners　on　duty；　the

chaplain；　the　master　of　the　oratory；　the　captain　and　major　of　the

body…guard；　the　colonel…general　and　major　of　the　French　guards；　the

colonel　of　the　king's　regiment；　the　captain　of　the　Cent　Suisses；　the

grand…huntsman；　the　grand　wolf…huntsman；　the　grand…provost；　the　grand…

master　and　master　of　ceremonies；　the　first　butler；　the　grand…master　of

the　pantry；　the　foreign　ambassadors；　the　ministers　and　secretaries　of

state；　the　marshals　of　France　and　most　of　the　seigniors　and　prelates

of　distinction。　　Ushers　place　the　ranks　in　order　and；　if　necessary；

impose　silence。　　Meanwhile　the　king　washes　his　hands　and　begins　his

toilet。　　Two　pages　remove　his　slippers；　the　grand…master　of　the

wardrobe　draws　off　his　night…shirt　by　the　right　arm；　and　the　first

valet　of　the　wardrobe　by　the　left　arm；　and　both　of　them　hand　it　to　an

officer　of　the　wardrobe；　whilst　a　valet　of　the　wardrobe　fetches　the

shirt　wrapped　up　in　white　taffeta。　　Things　have　now　reached　the　solemn

point；　the　culmination　of　the　ceremony；　the　fifth　entry　has　been

introduced；　and；　in　a　few　moments；　after　the　king　has　put　his　shirt

on；　all　that　is　left　of　those　who　are　known；　with　other　house　hold

officers　waiting　in　the　gallery；　complete　the　influx。　　There　is　quite　a

formality　in　regard　to　this　shirt。　　The　honor　of　handing　it　is　reserved

to　the　sons　and　grandsons　of　France；　in　default　of　these　to　the

princes　of　the　blood　or　those　legitimized；　in　their　default　to　the

grand…chamberlain　or　to　the　first　gentleman　of　the　bedchamber　；　…　　the

latter　case；　it　must　be　observed；　being　very　rare；　the　princes　being

obliged　to　be　present　at　the　king's　lever；　as　were　the　princesses　at

that　of　the　queen。＇40＇　At　last　the　shirt　is　presented　and　a　valet

carries　off　the　old　one；　the　first　valet　of　the　wardrobe　and　the　first

valet…de…chambre　hold　the　fresh　one；　each　by　a　right　and　left　arm

respectively；＇41＇　while　two　other　valets；　during　this　operation；

extend　his　dressing…gown　in　front　of　him　to　serve　as　a　screen。　　The

shirt　is　now　on　his　back　and　the　toilet　commences。　　A　valet…de…chambre

supports　a　mirror　before　the　king　while　two　others　on　the　two　sides

light　it　up；　if　occasion　requires；　with　flambeaux。　　Valets　of　the

wardrobe　fetch　the　rest　of　the　attire；　the　grand…mast