the origins of contemporary france-1-第39章
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Ile…Adam； the Condés at the Palais…Bourbon and at Chantilly； the Duc
de Penthièvre at Sceaux； Anet and Chateauvilain。 I omit one…half of
these residences。 At the Palais…Royal those who are presented may come
to the supper on opera days。 At Chateauvilain all those who come to
pay court are invited to dinner； the nobles at the duke's table and
the rest at the table of his first gentleman。 At the Temple one
hundred and fifty guests attend the Monday suppers。 Forty or fifty
persons； said the Duchesse de Maine； constitute 〃a prince's private
company。〃＇56＇ The princes' train is so inseparable from their persons
that it follows them even into camp。 〃The Prince de Condé；〃 says M。 de
Luynes； 〃sets out for the army to…morrow with a large suite： he has
two hundred and twenty…five horses； and the Comte de la Marche one
hundred。 M。 le duc d'Orléans leaves on Monday； he has three hundred
and fifty horses for himself and suite。〃＇57＇ Below the rank of the
king's relatives all the grandees who figure at the court figure as
well in their own residences； at their hotels at Paris or at
Versailles； also in their chateaux a few leagues away from Paris。 On
all sides； in the memoirs； we obtain a foreshortened view of some one
of these seignorial existences。 Such is that of the Duc de Gèvres；
first gentleman of the bedchamber； governor of Paris； and of the Ile…
de…France； possessing besides this the special governorships of Laon；
Soissons； Noyon； Crespy and Valois； the captainry of Mousseaux； also a
pension of 20；000 livres； a veritable man of the court； a sort of
sample in high relief of the people of his class； and who； through his
appointments； his airs； his luxury； his debts； the consideration he
enjoys； his tastes； his occupations and his turn of mind presents to
us an abridgment of the fashionable world。＇58＇ His memory for
relationships and genealogies is surprising； he is an adept in the
precious science of etiquette； and on these two grounds he is an
oracle and much consulted。 〃He greatly increased the beauty of his
house and gardens at Saint…Ouen。 At the moment of his death；〃 says the
Duc de Luynes； 〃he had just added twenty…five arpents to it which he
had begun to enclose with a covered terrace。 。 。 。 He had quite a
large household of gentlemen； pages； and domestic of various kinds；
and his expenditure was enormous。 。 。 。 He gave a grand dinner every
day。 。 。 。 He gave special audiences almost daily。 There was no one at
the court； nor in the city； who did not pay his respects to him。 The
ministers； the royal princes themselves did so。 He received company
whilst still in bed。 He wrote and dictated amidst a large assemblage。
。 。 。 His house at Paris and his apartment at Versailles were never
empty from the time be arose till the time he retired。〃 2 or 300
households at Paris； at Versailles and in their environs； offer a
similar spectacle。 Never is there solitude。 It is the custom in
France； says Horace Walpole； to burn your candle down to its snuff in
public。 The mansion of the Duchesse de Gramont is besieged at day…
break by the noblest seigniors and the noblest ladies。 Five times a
week； under the Duc de Choiseul's roof； the butler enters the drawing
room at ten o'clock in the evening to bestow a glance on the immense
crowded gallery and decide if he shall lay the cloth for fifty； sixty
or eighty persons；＇59＇ with this example before them all the rich
establishments soon glory in providing an open table for all comers。
Naturally the parvenus； the financiers who have purchased or taken the
name of an estate； all those traffickers and sons of traffickers who；
since Law； associate with the nobility； imitate their ways。 And I do
not allude to the Bourets； the Beaujons； the St。 Jameses and other
financial wretches whose paraphernalia effaces that of the princes；
but take a plain associé des fermes； M。 d'Epinay； whose modest and
refined wife refuses such excessive display。＇60＇ He had just completed
his domestic arrangements； and was anxious that his wife should take a
second maid； but she resisted； nevertheless； in this curtailed
household；
〃the officers； women and valets； amounted to sixteen。 。 。 。 When M。
d'Epinay gets up his valet enters on his duties。 Two lackeys stand by
awaiting his orders。 The first secretary enters for the purpose of
giving an account of the letters received by him and which he has to
open； but he is interrupted two hundred times in this business by all
sorts of people imaginable。 Now it is a horse…jockey with the finest
horses to sell。 。 。 。 Again some saucy girl who calls to bawl out a
piece of music； and on whose behalf some influence has been exerted to
get her into the opera； after giving her a few lessons in good taste
and teaching her what is proper in French music。 This young lady has
been made to wait to ascertain if I am still at home。 。 。 。 I get up
and go out。 Two lackeys open the folding doors to let me make it
through this eye of a needle； while two servants bawl out in the ante…
chamber； 'Madame； gentlemen； Madame！' All form a line； the gentlemen
consisting of dealers in fabrics； in instruments； jewellers； hawkers；
lackeys； shoeblacks； creditors； in short everything imaginable that is
most ridiculous and annoying。 The clock strikes twelve or one before
this toilet matter is over； and the secretary； who； doubtless； knows
by experience the impossibility of rendering a detailed statement of
his business； hands to his master a small memorandum informing him
what he must say in the assembly of fermiers。〃
Indolence； disorder； debts； ceremony； the tone and ways of the
patron； all seems a parody of the real thing。 We are beholding the
last stages of aristocracy。 And yet the court of M。 d'Epinay is a
miniature resemblance of that of the king。
So much more essential is it that the ambassadors； ministers and
general officers who represent the king should display themselves in a
grandiose manner。 No circumstance rendered the ancient régime so
brilliant and more oppressive； in this； as in all the rest； Louis XIV
is the principal originator of evil as of good。 The policy which
fashioned the court prescribed ostentation。
〃A display of dress； table； equipages； buildings and play was made
purposely to please； these afforded opportunities for entering into
conversation with him。 The contagion had spread from the court into
the provinces and to the armies； where people of any position were
esteemed only in proportion to their table and magnificence。〃＇61＇
During the year passed by the Marshal de Belle…Isle at Frankfort；
on account of the election of Charles VI； he expended 750；000 livres
in journeys； transportations； festivals and dinners； in constructing a
kitchen and dining…hall； and besides all this； 150；000 livres in
snuff…boxes； watches and other presents； by order of Cardinal Fleury；
so economical； he had in his kitchens one hundred and one
officials。＇62＇ At Vienna； in 1772； the ambassador； the Prince de
Rohan； had two carriages costing together 40；000 livres； forty horses；
seven noble pages； six gentlemen； five secretaries； ten musicians；
twelve footmen； and four grooms whose gorgeous liveries each cost
4；000 livres； and the rest in proportion。＇63＇ We are familiar with the
profusion； the good taste； the exquisite dinners； and the admirable
ceremonial display of the Cardinal de Bernis in Rome。 〃He was called
the king of Rome； and indeed he was such through his magnificence and
in the consideration he enjoyed。 。 。 。 His table afforded an idea of
what is possible。 。 。 In festivities； ceremonies and illuminations he
was always beyond comparison。〃 He himself remarked； smiling； 〃I keep a
French inn on the cross…roads of Europe。〃＇64＇ Accordingly their
salaries and indemnities are two or three times more ample than at the
present day。 〃The king gives 50；000 crowns to the great embassies。 The
Duc
