the origins of contemporary france-1-第40章
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present day。 〃The king gives 50;000 crowns to the great embassies。 The
Duc de Duras received even 200;000 livres per annum for that of
Madrid; also; besides this; 100;000 crowns gratuity; 50;000 livres for
secret service; and he had the loan of furniture and effects valued at
400;000 and 500;000 livres; of which he kept one…half。〃'65' The
outlays and salaries of the ministers are similar。 In 1789; the
Chancellor gets 120;080 livres salary and the Keeper of the Seals
135;000。 〃 M。 de Villedeuil; as Secretary of State; was to have had
180;670 livres; but as he represented that this sum would not cover
his expenses; his salary was raised to 226;000 livres; everything
included。〃'66' Moreover; the rule is; that on retiring from office the
king awards them a pension of 20;000 livres and gives a dowry of
200;000 livres to their daughters。 This is not excessive considering
the way they live。 〃They are obliged to maintain such state in their
households; for they cannot enrich themselves by their places。 All
keep open table at Paris three days in the week; and at Fontainebleau
every day。〃'67' M。 de Lamoignon being appointed Chancellor with a
salary of 100;000 livres; people at once declare that he will be
ruined;'68' 〃for he has taken all the officials of M。 d'Aguesseau's
kitchen; whose table alone cost 80;000 livres。 The banquet he gave at
Versailles to the first council held by him cost 6;000 livres; and he
must always have seats at table; at Versailles and at Paris; for
twenty persons。〃 At Chambord;'69' Marshal de Saxe always has two
tables; one for sixty; and the other for eighty persons; also four
hundred horses in his stables; a civil list of more than 100;000
crowns; a regiment of Uhlans for his guard; and a theater costing over
600;000 livres; while the life he leads; or which is maintained around
him; resembles one of Rubens's bacchanalian scenes。 As to the special
and general provincial governors we have seen that; when they reside
on the spot; they fulfill no other duty than to entertain; alongside
of them the intendant; who alone attends to business; likewise
receives; and magnificently; especially for the country of a States…
General。 Commandants; lieutenants…general; the envoys of the central
government throughout; are equally induced by habit and propriety; as
well as by their own lack of occupation; to maintain a drawing…room;
they bring along with them the elegance and hospitality of Versailles。
If the wife follows them she becomes weary and 〃vegetates in the midst
of about fifty companions; talking nothing but commonplace; knitting
or playing lotto; and sitting three hours at the dinner table。〃 But
〃all the military men; all the neighboring gentry and all the ladies
in the town;〃 eagerly crowd to her balls and delight in commending
〃her grace; her politeness; her equality。〃'70' These sumptuous habits
prevail even among people of secondary position。 By virtue of
established usage colonels and captains entertain their subordinates
and thus expend 〃much beyond their salaries。〃'71' This is one of the
reasons why regiments are reserved for the sons of the best families;
and companies in them for wealthy gentlemen。 The vast royal tree;
expanding so luxuriantly at Versailles; sends forth its offshoots to
overrun France by thousands; and to bloom everywhere; as at
Versailles; in bouquets of finery and of drawing room sociability。
VII。 PROVINCIAL NOBILITY。
Prelates; seigniors and minor provincial nobles。 … The feudal
aristocracy transformed into a drawing room group。
Following this pattern; and as well through the effect of
temperature; we see; even in remote provinces; all aristocratic
branches having a flourishing social life。 Lacking other employment;
the nobles exchange visits; and the chief function of a prominent
seignior is to do the honors of his house creditably。 This applies as
well to ecclesiastics as to laymen。 The one hundred and thirty…one
bishops and archbishops; the seven hundred abbés…commendatory; are all
men of the world; they behave well; are rich; and are not austere;
while their episcopal palace or abbey is for them a country…house;
which they repair or embellish with a view to the time they pass in
it; and to the company they welcome to it。'72' At Clairvaux; Dom
Rocourt; very affable with men and still more gallant with the ladies;
never drives out except with four horses; and with a mounted groom
ahead; his monks do him the honors of a Monseigneur; and he maintains
a veritable court。 The chartreuse of Val Saint…Pierre is a sumptuous
palace in the center of an immense domain; and the father…procurator;
Dom Effinger; passes his days in entertaining his guests。'73' At the
convent of Origny; near Saint…Quentin;'74' 〃the abbess has her
domestics and her carriage and horses; and receives men on visits; who
dine in her apartments。〃 The princess Christine; abbess of Remiremont;
with her lady canonesses; are almost always traveling; and yet 〃they
enjoy themselves in the abbey;〃 entertaining there a good many people
〃in the private apartments of the princess; and in the strangers'
rooms。〃'75' The twenty…five noble chapters of women; and the nineteen
noble chapters of men; are as many permanent drawing…rooms and
gathering places incessantly resorted to by the fine society which a
slight ecclesiastical barrier scarcely divides from the great world
from which it is recruited。 At the chapter of Alix; near Lyons; the
canonesses wear hoopskirts into the choir; 〃dressed as in the world
outside;〃 except that their black silk robes and their mantles are
lined with ermine。'76' At the chapter of Ottmarsheim in Alsace; 〃our
week was passed in promenading; in visiting the traces of Roman roads;
in laughing a good deal; and even in dancing; for there were many
people visiting the abbey; and especially talking over dresses。〃 Near
Sarrebuis; the canonesses of Loutre dine with the officers and are
anything but prudish。'77' Numbers of convents serve as agreeable and
respectable asylums for widowed ladies; for young women whose husbands
are in the army; and for young ladies of rank; while the superior;
generally some noble damsel; wields; with ease and dexterity; the
scepter of this pretty feminine world。 But nowhere is the pomp of
hospitality or the concourse greater; than in the episcopal palaces。 I
have described the situation of the bishops; with their opulence;
possessors of the like feudal rights; heirs and successors to the
ancient sovereigns of the territory; and besides all this; men of the
world and frequenters of Versailles; why should they not keep a court?
A Cicé; archbishop of Bordeaux; a Dillon; archbishop of Narbonne; a
Brienne; archbishop of Toulouse; a Castellane; bishop of Mende and
seignior…suzerain of the whole of Gévaudan; an archbishop of Cambrai;
duke of Cambray; seignior…suzerain of the whole of Cambrésis; and
president by birth of the provincial States…General; are nearly all
princes ; why not parade themselves like princes? Hence; they build;
hunt and have their clients and guests; a lever; an antechamber;
ushers; officers; a free table; a complete household; equipages; and;
oftener still; debts; the finishing touch of a grand seignior。 In the
almost regal palace which the Rohans; hereditary bishops of Strasbourg
and cardinals from uncle to nephew; erected for themselves at
Saverne;'78' there are 700 beds; 180 horses; 14 butlers; and 25
valets。 〃The whole province assembles there;〃 the cardinal lodges as
many as two hundred guests at a time; without counting the valets; at
all times there are found under his roof 〃from twenty to thirty ladies
the most agreeable of the province; and this number is often increased
by those of the court and from Paris。 。 。 。 The entire company sup
together at nine o'clock in the evening; which always looks like a
fête;〃 and the cardinal himself is its chief ornament。 Splendidly
dressed; fine…l