the memoirs of marie antoinette-第6章

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ery　unbecoming　act；　and　I　am　sure　there　must　be　simony　in　the　case。''No；　Sire；　there　is　not　the　least　ceremony　in　the　case；　I　assure　you；'　answered　the　poor　man；　in　great　consternation；　'the　abbe　only　said　he　would　give　me　a　hundred　Louis。''D'Aigremont；'　said　the　King；　'I　forgive　you　on　account　of　your　ignorance　and　candour。　　I　will　give　you　the　hundred　Louis　out　of　my　privy　purse；　but　I　will　discharge　you　the　very　next　time　you　venture　to　present　a　memorial　to　me。'

〃Louis　XIV。　was　very　kind　to　those　of　his　servants　who　were　nearest　his　person；　but　the　moment　he　assumed　his　royal　deportment；　those　who　were　most　accustomed　to　see　him　in　his　domestic　character　were　as　much　intimidated　as　if　they　were　appearing　in　his　presence　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives。　　Some　of　the　members　of　his　Majesty's　civil　household；　then　called　'commensalite'；　enjoying　the　title　of　equerry；　and　the　privileges　attached　to　officers　of　the　King's　household；　had　occasion　to　claim　some　prerogatives；　the　exercise　of　which　the　municipal　body　of　St。　Germain；　where　they　resided；　disputed　with　them。　　Being　assembled　in　considerable　numbers　in　that　town；　they　obtained　the　consent　of　the　minister　of　the　household　to　allow　them　to　send　a　deputation　to　the　King；　and　for　that　purpose　chose　from　amongst　them　two　of　his　Majesty's　valets　de　chambre　named　Bazire　and　Soulaigre。　　The　King's　levee　being　over；　the　deputation　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　of　St。　Germain　was　called　in。　They　entered　with　confidence；　the　King　looked　at　them；　and　assumed　his　imposing　attitude。　　Bazire；　one　of　these　valets　de　chambre；　was　about　to　speak；　but　Louis　the　Great　was　looking　on　him。　　He　no　longer　saw　the　Prince　he　was　accustomed　to　attend　at　home；　he　was　intimidated；　and　could　not　find　words；　he　recovered；　however；　and　began　as　usual　with　the　word　Sire。　　But　timidity　again　overpowered　him；　and　finding　himself　unable　to　recollect　the　slightest　particle　of　what　he　came　to　say；　he　repeated　the　word　Sire　several　times；　and　at　length　concluded　by　paying；　'Sire；　here　is　Soulaigre。'　　Soulaigre；　who　was　very　angry　with　Bazire；　and　expected　to　acquit　himself　much　better；　then　began　to　speak；　but　he　also；　after　repeating　'Sire'　several　times；　found　his　embarrassment　increasing　upon　him；　until　his　confusion　equalled　that　of　his　colleague；　he　therefore　ended　with　'Sire；　here　is　Bazire。'　　The　King　smiled；　and　answered；　'Gentlemen；　I　have　been　informed　of　the　business　upon　which　you　have　been　deputed　to　wait　on　me；　and　I　will　take　care　that　what　is　right　shall　be　done。　　I　am　highly　satisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　you　have　fulfilled　your　functions　as　deputies。'〃

Mademoiselle　Genet's　education　was　the　object　of　her　father's　particular　attention。　　Her　progress　in　the　study　of　music　and　of　foreign　languages　was　surprising；　Albaneze　instructed　her　in　singing；　and　Goldoni　taught　her　Italian。　　Tasso；　Milton；　Dante；　and　even　Shakespeare；　soon　became　familiar　to　her。　　But　her　studies　were　particularly　directed　to　the　acquisition　of　a　correct　and　elegant　style　of　reading。　　Rochon　de　Chabannes；　Duclos；　Barthe；　Marmontel；　and　Thomas　took　pleasure　in　hearing　her　recite　the　finest　scenes　of　Racine。　　Her　memory　and　genius　at　the　age　of　fourteen　charmed　them；　they　talked　of　her　talents　in　society；　and　perhaps　applauded　them　too　highly。

She　was　soon　spoken　of　at　Court。　　Some　ladies　of　high　rank；　who　took　an　interest　in　the　welfare　of　her　family；　obtained　for　her　the　place　of　Reader　to　the　Princesses。　　Her　presentation；　and　the　circumstances　which　preceded　it；　left　a　strong　impression　on　her　mind。　　〃I　was　then　fifteen；〃　she　says；　〃my　father　felt　some　regret　at　yielding　me　up　at　so　early　an　age　to　the　jealousies　of　the　Court。　　The　day　on　which　I　first　put　on　my　Court　dress；　and　went　to　embrace　him　in　his　study；　tears　filled　his　eyes；　and　mingled　with　the　expression　of　his　pleasure。　　I　possessed　some　agreeable　talents；　in　addition　to　the　instruction　which　it　had　been　his　delight　to　bestow　on　me。　　He　enumerated　all　my　little　accomplishments；　to　convince　me　of　the　vexations　they　would　not　fail　to　draw　upon　me。〃

Mademoiselle　Genet；　at　fifteen；　was　naturally　less　of　a　philosopher　than　her　father　was　at　forty。　　Her　eyes　were　dazzled　by　the　splendour　which　glittered　at　Versailles。　　〃The　Queen；　Maria　Leczinska；　the　wife　of　Louis　XV。；　died；〃　she　says；　〃just　before　I　was　presented　at　Court。　　The　grand　apartments　hung　with　black；　the　great　chairs　of　state；　raised　on　several　steps；　and　surmounted　by　a　canopy　adorned　with　Plumes；　the　caparisoned　horses；　the　immense　retinue　in　Court　mourning；　the　enormous　shoulder…　knots；　embroidered　with　gold　and　silver　spangles；　which　decorated　the　coats　of　the　pages　and　footmen；all　this　magnificence　had　such　an　effect　on　my　senses　that　I　could　scarcely　support　myself　when　introduced　to　the　Princesses。　　The　first　day　of　my　reading　in　the　inner　apartment　of　Madame　Victoire　I　found　it　impossible　to　pronounce　more　than　two　sentences；　my　heart　palpitated；　my　voice　faltered；　and　my　sight　failed。　　How　well　understood　was　the　potent　magic　of　the　grandeur　and　dignity　which　ought　to　surround　sovereigns！　　Marie　Antoinette；　dressed　in　white；　with　a　plain　straw　hat；　and　a　little　switch　in　her　hand；　walking　on　foot；　followed　by　a　single　servant；　through　the　walks　leading　to　the　Petit　Trianon；　would　never　have　thus　disconcerted　me；　and　I　believe　this　extreme　simplicity　was　the　first　and　only　real　mistake　of　all　those　with　which　she　is　reproached。〃

When　once　her　awe　and　confusion　had　subsided；　Mademoiselle　Genet　was　enabled　to　form　a　more　accurate　judgment　of　her　situation。　　It　was　by　no　means　attractive；　the　Court　of　the　Princesses；　far　removed　from　the　revels　to　which　Louie　XV。　was　addicted；　was　grave；　methodical；　and　dull。　Madame　Adelaide；　the　eldest　of　the　Princesses；　lived　secluded　in　the　interior　of　her　apartments；　Madame　Sophie　was　haughty；　Madame　Louise　a　devotee。　　Mademoiselle　Genet　never　quitted　the　Princesses'　apartments；　but　she　attached　herself　most　particularly　to　Madame　Victoire。　　This　Princess　had　possessed　beauty；　her　countenance　bore　an　expression　of　benevolence；　and　her　conversation　was　kind；　free；　and　unaffected。　　The　young　reader　excited　in　her　that　feeling　which　a　woman　in　years；　of　an　affectionate　disposition；　readily　extends　to　young　people　who　are　growing　up　in　her　sight；　and　who　possess　some　useful　talents。　　Whole　days　were　passed　in　reading　to　the　Princess；　as　she　sat　at　work　in　her　apartment。　Mademoiselle　Genet　frequently　saw　there　Louis　XV。；　of　whom　she　has　related　the　following　anecdote：

〃One　day；　at　the　Chateau　of　Compiegne；　the　King　came　in　whilst　I　was　reading　to　Madame。　　I　rose　and　went　into　another　room。　　Alone；　in　an　apartment　from　which　there　was　no　outlet；　with　no　book　but　a　Massillon；　which　I　had　been　reading　to　the　Princess；　happy　in　all　the　lightness　and　gaiety　of　fifteen；　I　amused　myself　with　turning　swiftly　round；　with　my　court　hoop；　and　suddenly　kneeling　down　to　see　my　rose…coloured　silk　petticoat　swelled　around　me　by　the　wind。　　In　the　midst　of　this　grave　employment　enters　his　Majesty；　followed　by　one　of　the　Princesses。　　I　attempt　to　rise；　my　feet　stumble；　and　down　I　fall　in　the　midst　of　my　robes；　puffed　out　by　the　wind。　　'Daughter；'　said　Louis　XV。；　laughing　heartily；　'I　advise　you　to　send　back　to　school　a　reader　who　makes　cheeses。'〃　　The　railleries　of　Louis　XV。　were　often　much　more　cutting；　as　Mademoiselle　Genet　experienced　on　another　occasion；　which；　thirty　years　afterwards；　she　could　not　relate　without　an　emotion　of　fear。　〃Louis　XV。；〃　she　said；　〃had　the　most　imposing　presence。　　His　eyes　remained　fixed　upon　you　all　the　time　he　was　speaking；　and；　notwithstanding　the　beauty　of　his　features；　he　inspired　a　sort　of　fear。　I　was　very　young；　it　is　true；　when　he　first　spoke　to　me；　you　shall　judge　whether　it　was　in　a　very　gracious　manner。　　I　was　fifteen。　　The　King　was　going　out　to　hunt；　and　a　numerous　retinue　followed　him。　　As　he　stopped　opposite　me　he　said；　'Mademoiselle　Genet；　I　am　assured　you　are　very　learned；　and　understand　four　or　five　foreign　languages。''I　know　only　two；　Sire；'　I　answered；　trembling。　　'Which　are　they？'　English　and　Italian。''Do　you　speak　them　fluently？'　Yes；　Sire；　very　fluently。'　'That　is　quite　enough　to　drive　a　husband　mad。'　　After　thi