the memoirs of marie antoinette-第24章

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nd　she　was　of　course　imitated　by　other　women。

All　wished　instantly　to　have　the　same　dress　as　the　Queen；　and　to　wear　the　feathers　and　flowers　to　which　her　beauty；　then　in　its　brilliancy；　lent　an　indescribable　charm。　　The　expenditure　of　the　younger　ladies　was　necessarily　much　increased；　mothers　and　husbands　murmured　at　it；　some　few　giddy　women　contracted　debts；　unpleasant　domestic　scenes　occurred；　in　many　families　coldness　or　quarrels　arose；　and　the　general　report　was；that　the　Queen　would　be　the　ruin　of　all　the　French　ladies。

Fashion　continued　its　fluctuating　progress；　and　head…dresses；　with　their　superstructures　of　gauze；　flowers；　and　feathers；　became　so　lofty　that　the　women　could　not　find　carriages　high　enough　to　admit　them；　and　they　were　often　seen　either　stooping；　or　holding　their　heads　out　of　the　windows。　Others　knelt　down　in　order　to　manage　these　elevated　objects　of　ridicule　with　less　danger。

　　　　　＇If　the　use　of　these　extravagant　feathers　and　head…dresses　had　　　　　　continued；　say　the　memoirs　of　that　period　very　seriously；　it　would　　　　　　have　effected　a　revolution　in　architecture。　　It　would　have　been　　　　　　found　necessary　to　raise　the　doors　and　ceilings　of　the　boxes　at　the　　　　　　theatre；　and　particularly　the　bodies　of　carriages。　　It　was　not　　　　　　without　mortification　that　the　King　observed　the　Queen's　adoption　of　　　　　　this　style　of　dress：　she　was　never　so　lovely　in　his　eyes　as　when　　　　　　unadorned　by　art。　　One　day　Carlin；　performing　at　Court　as　harlequin；　　　　　　stuck　in　his　hat；　instead　of　the　rabbit's　tail；　its　prescribed　　　　　　ornament；　a　peacock's　feather　of　excessive　length。　　This　new　　　　　　appendage；　which　repeatedly　got　entangled　among　the　scenery；　gave　　　　　　him　an　opportunity　for　a　great　deal　of　buffoonery。　　There　was　some　　　　　　inclination　to　punish　him；　but　it　was　presumed　that　he　had　not　　　　　　assumed　the　feather　without　authority。…NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

Innumerable　caricatures；　exhibited　in　all　directions；　and　some　of　which　artfully　gave　the　features　of　the　Queen；　attacked　the　extravagance　of　fashion；　but　with　very　little　effect。　　It　changed　only；　as　is　always　the　case；　through　the　influence　of　inconstancy　and　time。

The　Queen's　toilet　was　a　masterpiece　of　etiquette；　everything　was　done　in　a　prescribed　form。　　Both　the　dame　d'honneur　and　the　dame　d'atours　usually　attended　and　officiated；　assisted　by　the　first　femme　de　chambre　and　two　ordinary　women。　　The　dame　d'atours　put　on　the　petticoat；　and　handed　the　gown　to　the　Queen。　　The　dame　d'honneur　poured　out　the　water　for　her　hands　and　put　on　her　linen。　　When　a　princess　of　the　royal　family　happened　to　be　present　while　the　Queen　was　dressing；　the　dame　d'honneur　yielded　to　her　the　latter　act　of　office；　but　still　did　not　yield　it　directly　to　the　Princesses　of　the　blood；　in　such　a　case　the　dame　d'honneur　was　accustomed　to　present　the　linen　to　the　first　femme　de　chambre；　who；　in　her　turn；　handed　it　to　the　Princess　of　the　blood。　　Each　of　these　ladies　observed　these　rules　scrupulously　as　affecting　her　rights。　　One　winter's　day　it　happened　that　the　Queen；　who　was　entirely　undressed；　was　just　going　to　put　on　her　shift；　I　held　it　ready　unfolded　for　her；　the　dame　d'honneur　came　in；　slipped　off　her　gloves；　and　took　it。　　A　scratching　was　heard　at　the　door；　it　was　opened；　and　in　came　the　Duchesse　d'Orleans：　her　gloves　were　taken　off；　and　she　came　forward　to　take　the　garment；　but　as　it　would　have　been　wrong　in　the　dame　d'honneur　to　hand　it　to　her　she　gave　it　to　me；　and　I　handed　it　to　the　Princess。　　More　scratching　it　was　Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Provence；　the　Duchesse　d'Orl4ans　handed　her　the　linen。　　All　this　while　the　Queen　kept　her　arms　crossed　upon　her　bosom；　and　appeared　to　feel　cold；　Madame　observed　her　uncomfortable　situation；　and；　merely　laying　down　her　handkerchief　without　taking　off　her　gloves；　she　put　on　the　linen；　and　in　doing　so　knocked　the　Queen's　cap　off。　　The　Queen　laughed　to　conceal　her　impatience；　but　not　until　she　had　muttered　several　times；　〃How　disagreeable！　　how　tiresome！〃

All　this　etiquette；　however　inconvenient；　was　suitable　to　the　royal　dignity；　which　expects　to　find　servants　in　all　classes　of　persons；　beginning　even　with　the　brothers　and　sisters　of　the　monarch。

Speaking　here　of　etiquette；　I　do　not　allude　to　majestic　state；　appointed　for　days　of　ceremony　in　all　Courts。　　I　mean　those　minute　ceremonies　that　were　pursued　towards　our　Kings　in　their　inmost　privacies；　in　their　hours　of　pleasure；　in　those　of　pain；　and　even　during　the　most　revolting　of　human　infirmities。

These　servile　rules　were　drawn　up　into　a　kind　of　code；　they　offered　to　a　Richelieu；　a　La　Rochefoucauld　and　a　Duras；　in　the　exercise　of　their　domestic　functions；　opportunities　of　intimacy　useful　to　their　interests；　and　their　vanity　was　flattered　by　customs　which　converted　the　right　to　give　a　glass　of　water；　to　put　on　a　dress；　and　to　remove　a　basin；　into　honourable　prerogatives。

Princes　thus　accustomed　to　be　treated　as　divinities　naturally　ended　by　believing　that　they　were　of　a　distinct　nature；　of　a　purer　essence　than　the　rest　of　mankind。

This　sort　of　etiquette；　which　led　our　Princes　to　be　treated　in　private　as　idols；　made　them　in　public　martyrs　to　decorum。　　Marie　Antoinette　found　in　the　Chateau　of　Versailles　a　multitude　of　established　customs　which　appeared　to　her　insupportable。

The　ladies…in…waiting；　who　were　all　obliged　to　be　sworn；　and　to　wear　full　Court　dresses；　were　alone　entitled　to　remain　in　the　room；　and　to　attend　in　conjunction　with　the　dame　d'honneur　and　the　tirewoman。　　The　Queen　abolished　all　this　formality。　　When　her　head　was　dressed；　she　curtsied　to　all　the　ladies　who　were　in　her　chamber；　and；　followed　only　by　her　own　women；　went　into　her　closet；　where　Mademoiselle　Bertin；　who　could　not　be　admitted　into　the　chamber；　used　to　await　her。　　It　was　in　this　inner　closet　that　she　produced　her　new　and　numerous　dresses。　　The　Queen　was　also　desirous　of　being　served　by　the　most　fashionable　hairdresser　in　Paris。　　Now　the　custom　which　forbade　all　persons　in　inferior　offices；　employed　by　royalty；　to　exert　their　talents　for　the　public；　was　no　doubt　intended　to　cut　off　all　communication　between　the　privacy　of　princes　and　society　at　large；　the　latter　being　always　extremely　curious　respecting　the　most　trifling　particulars　relative　to　the　private　life　of　the　former。　The　Queen；　fearing　that　the　taste　of　the　hairdresser　would　suffer　if　he　should　discontinue　the　general　practice　of　his　art；　ordered　him　to　attend　as　usual　certain　ladies　of　the　Court　and　of　Paris；　and　this　multiplied　the　opportunities　of　learning　details　respecting　the　household；　and　very　often　of　misrepresenting　them。

One　of　the　customs　most　disagreeable　to　the　Queen　was　that　of　dining　every　day　in　public。　　Maria　Leczinska　had　always　submitted　to　this　wearisome　practice；　Marie　Antoinette　followed　it　as　long　as　she　was　Dauphiness。　　The　Dauphin　dined　with　her；　and　each　branch　of　the　family　had　its　public　dinner　daily。　　The　ushers　suffered　all　decently　dressed　people　to　enter；　the　sight　was　the　delight　of　persons　from　the　country。　At　the　dinner…hour　there　were　none　to　be　met　upon　the　stairs　but　honest　folks；　who；　after　having　seen　the　Dauphiness　take　her　soup；　went　to　see　the　Princes　eat　their　'bouilli'；　and　then　ran　themselves　out　of　breath　to　behold　Mesdames　at　their　dessert。

Very　ancient　usage；　too；　required　that　the　Queens　of　France　should　appear　in　public　surrounded　only　by　women；　even　at　meal…times　no　persons　of　the　other　sex　attended　to　serve　at　table；　and　although　the　King　ate　publicly　with　the　Queen；　yet　he　himself　was　served　by　women　with　everything　which　was　presented　to　him　directly　at　table。　　The　dame　d'honneur；　kneeling；　for　her　own　accommodation；　upon　a　low　stool；　with　a　napkin　upon　her　arm；　and　four　women　in　full　dress；　presented　the　plates　to　the　King　and　Queen。　The　dame　d'honneur　handed　them　drink。　　This　service　had　formerly　been　the　right　of　the　maids　of　honour。　　The　Queen；　upon　her　accession　to　the　throne；　abolished　the　usage　altogether。　　She　also　freed　herself　from　the　necessity　of　being　followed　in　the　Palace　of　Versailles　by　two　of　her　women　in　Court　dresses；　during　those　hours　of　the　day　when　the　ladies…in…　waiting　were　not　with　her。　　From　that　time　she　was　accompanied　only　by　a　single　valet　de　chambre　and　two