the memoirs of marie antoinette-第29章

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King's　letters。　　Messieurs　de　Maurepas　and　de　Vergennes　wished　to　get　them　out　of　his　hands；　as　they　were　afraid　he　would　print　them。　　This　eccentric　being　had　long　solicited　permission　to　return　to　France；　but　it　was　necessary　to　find　a　way　of　sparing　the　family　he　had　offended　the　insult　they　would　see　in　his　return；　he　was　therefore　made　to　resume　the　costume　of　that　sex　to　which　in　France　everything　is　pardoned。　　The　desire　to　see　his　native　land　once　more　determined　him　to　submit　to　the　condition；　but　he　revenged　himself　by　combining　the　long　train　of　his　gown　and　the　three　deep　ruffles　on　his　sleeves　with　the　attitude　and　conversation　of　a　grenadier；　which　made　him　very　disagreeable　company。

　　　　　＇The　account　given　by　Madame　Campan　of　the　Chevalier　d'Eon　is　now　　　　　　known　to　be　incorrect　in　many　particulars。　　Enough　details　for　most　　　　　　readers　will　be　found　in　the　Duc　de　Broglie's　〃Secret　of　the　King；〃　　　　　　vol。　　ii。；　chaps。　　vi。　　and　g。；　and　at　p。　　89；　vol。　　ii。　　of　that　　　　　　work；　where　the　Duke　refers　to　the　letter　of　most　dubious　　　　　　authenticity　spoken　of　by　Madame　Campan。　　The　following　details　will　　　　　　be　sufficient　for　these　memoirs：　The　Chevalier　Charles　d'Eon　de　　　　　　Beaumont　（who　was　born　in　1728）　was　an　ex…captain　of　dragoons；　　　　　　employed　in　both　the　open　and　secret　diplomacy　of　Louis　XV。　　When　at　　　　　　the　embassy　in　London　he　quarrelled　with　the　ambassador；　his　　　　　　superior；　the　Comte　de　Guerchy　（Marquis　do　Nangis）；　and　used　his　　　　　　possession　of　papers　concerning　the　secret　diplomacy　to　shield　　　　　　himself。　　It　was　when　hiding　in　London；　in　1765；　on　account　of　this　　　　　　business；　that　he　seems　first　to　have　assumed　woman's　dress；　which　　　　　　he　retained　apparently　chiefly　from　love　of　notoriety。　　In　1775　a　　　　　　formal　agreement　with　the　French　Court；　made　by　the　instrumentality　　　　　　of　Beaumarchais；　of　all　people　in　the　world；　permitted　him　to　return　　　　　　to　France；　retaining　the　dress　of　a　woman。　　He　went　back　to　France；　　　　　　but　again　came　to　England；　and　died　there；　at　his　residence　in　　　　　　Millman　Street；　near　the　Foundling　Hospital；　May　22；　1710。　　He　had　　　　　　been　a　brave　and　distinguished　officer；　but　his　form　and　a　certain　　　　　　coldness　of　temperament　always　remarked　in　him　assisted　him　in　his　　　　　　assumption　of　another　sex。　　There　appears　to　be　no　truth　in　the　　　　　　story　of　his　proceedings　at　the　Russian　Court；　and　his　appearing　in　　　　　　female　attire　was　a　surprise　to　those　who　must　have　known　of　any　　　　　　earlier　affair　of　the　sort。＇

At　last；　the　event　so　long　desired　by　the　Queen；　and　by　all　those　who　wished　her　well；　took　place；　her　Majesty　became　enceinte。　　The　King　was　in　ecstasies。　　Never　was　there　a　more　united　or　happier　couple。　　The　disposition　of　Louis　XVI。　entirely　altered；　and　became　prepossessing　and　conciliatory；　and　the　Queen　was　amply　compensated　for　the　uneasiness　which　the　King's　indifference　during　the　early　part　of　their　union　had　caused　her。

The　summer　of　1778　was　extremely　hot。　　July　and　August　passed；　but　the　air　was　not　cooled　by　a　single　storm。　　The　Queen　spent　whole　days　in　close　rooms；　and　could　not　sleep　until　she　had　breathed　the　fresh　night　air；　walking　with　the　Princesses　and　her　brothers　upon　the　terrace　under　her　apartments。　　These　promenades　at　first　gave　rise　to　no　remark；　but　it　occurred　to　some　of　the　party　to　enjoy　the　music　of　wind　instruments　during　these　fine　summer　nights。　　The　musicians　belonging　to　the　chapel　were　ordered　to　perform　pieces　suited　to　instruments　of　that　description；　upon　steps　constructed　in　the　middle　of　the　garden。　　The　Queen；　seated　on　one　of　the　terrace　benches；　enjoyed　the　effect　of　this　music；　surrounded　by　all　the　royal　family　with　the　exception　of　the　King；　who　joined　them　but；　twice；　disliking　to　change　his　hour　of　going　to　bed。

Nothing　could　be　more　innocent　than　these　parties；　yet　Paris；　France；　nay；　all　Europe；　were　soon　canvassing　them　in　a　manner　most　disadvantageous　to　the　reputation　of　Marie　Antoinette。　　It　is　true　that　all　the　inhabitants　of　Versailles　enjoyed　these　serenades；　and　that　there　was　a　crowd　near　the　spot　from　eleven　at　night　until　two　or　three　in　the　morning。　　The　windows　of　the　ground　floor　occupied　by　Monsieur　and　Madame　＇The　wife　of　Monsieur；　the　Comte　de　Provence。＇　were　kept　open；　and　the　terrace　was　perfectly　well　lighted　by　the　numerous　wax　candles　burning　in　the　two　apartments。　　Lamps　were　likewise　placed　in　the　garden；　and　the　lights　of　the　orchestra　illuminated　the　rest　of　the　place。

I　do　not　know　whether　a　few　incautious　women　might　not　have　ventured　farther；　and　wandered　to　the　bottom　of　the　park；　it　may　have　been　so；　but　the　Queen；　Madame；　and　the　Comtesse　d'Artois　were　always　arm…in…arm；　and　never　left　the　terrace。　　The　Princesses　were　not　remarkable　when　seated　on　the　benches；　being　dressed　in　cambric　muslin　gowns；　with　large　straw　hats　and　muslin　veils；　a　costume　universally　adopted　by　women　at　that　time；　but　when　standing　up　their　different　figures　always　distinguished　them；　and　the　persons　present　stood　on　one　side　to　let　them　pass。　　It　is　true　that　when　they　seated　themselves　upon　the　benches　private　individuals　would　sometimes；　to　their　great　amusement；　sit　down　by　their　side。

A　young　clerk　in　the　War　Department；　either　not　knowing　or　pretending　not　to　know　the　Queen；　spoke　to　her　of　the　beauty　of　the　night；　and　the　delightful　effect　of　the　music。　　The　Queen；　fancying　she　was　not　recognised；　amused　herself　by　keeping　up　the　incognito；　and　they　talked　of　several　private　families　of　Versailles；　consisting　of　persons　belonging　to　the　King's　household　or　her　own。　　After　a　few　minutes　the　Queen　and　Princesses　rose　to　walk；　and　on　leaving　the　bench　curtsied　to　the　clerk。　　The　young　man　knowing；　or　having　subsequently　discovered；　that　he　had　been　conversing　with　the　Queen；　boasted　of　it　in　his　office。　He　was　merely；　desired　to　hold　his　tongue；　and　so　little　attention　did　he　excite　that　the　Revolution　found　him　still　only　a　clerk。

Another　evening　one　of　Monsieur's　body…guard　seated　himself　near　the　Princesses；　and；　knowing　them；　left　the　place　where　he　was　sitting；　and　placed　himself　before　the　Queen；　to　tell　her　that　he　was　very　fortunate　in　being　able　to　seize　an　opportunity　of　imploring　the　kindness　of　his　sovereign；　that　he　was　〃soliciting　at　Court〃at　the　word　soliciting　the　Queen　and　Princesses　rose　hastily　and　withdrew　into　Madame's　apartment。　＇Soulavie　has　most　criminally　perverted　these　two　facts。…MADAME　CAMPAN。＇…　I　was　at　the　Queen's　residence　that　day。　　She　talked　of　this　little　occurrence　all　the　time　of　her　'coucher'；　though　she　only　complained　that　one　of　Monsieur's　guards　should　have　had　the　effrontery　to　speak　to　her。　Her　Majesty　added　that　he　ought　to　have　respected　her　incognito；　and　that　that　was　not　the　place　where　he　should　have　ventured　to　make　a　request。　Madame　had　recognised　him；　and　talked　of　making　a　complaint　to　his　captain；　the　Queen　opposed　it；　attributing　his　error　to　his　ignorance　and　provincial　origin。

The　most　scandalous　libels　were　based　on　these　two　insignificant　occurrences；　which　I　have　related　with　scrupulous　exactness。　　Nothing　could　be　more　false　than　those　calumnies。　　It　must　be　confessed；　however；　that　such　meetings　were　liable　to　ill　consequences。　　I　ventured　to　say　as　much　to　the　Queen；　and　informed　her　that　one　evening；　when　her　Majesty　beckoned　to　me　to　go　and　speak　to　her；　I　thought　I　recognised　on　the　bench　on　which　she　was　sitting　two　women　deeply　veiled；　and　keeping　profound　silence；　that　those　women　were　the　Comtesse　du　Barry　and　her　sister…in…law；　and　that　my　suspicions　were　confirmed；　when；　at　a　few　paces　from　the　seat；　and　nearer　to　her　Majesty；　I　met　a　tall　footman　belonging　to　Madame　du　Barry；　whom　I　had　seen　in　her　service　all　the　time　she　resided　at　Court。

My　advice　was　disregarded。　　Misled　by　the　pleasure　she　found　in　these　promenades；　and　secure　in　the　consciousness　of　blameless　conduct；　the　Queen　would　not　see　the　lamentable　results　which　must　necessarily　follow。　This　was　very　unfortunate；　for　besides　the　mortifications　they　brought　upon　her；　it　is　highly　probable　that　they　prompted　the　vile　plot　which　gave　rise　to　the　Cardinal　de　Rohan's　fatal　error。

Having　enjoyed　these　evening　promenades　about　a　month；　the　Queen　ordered　a　private　concert　within　the　colonnade　which　contained　the　group　of　Pluto　and　Proserpine。　　Sentinels　were　placed　at　all　the　entrances；　and　ordered　to　admit　within　the　colonnade　only　such　persons　as　should　produce　tickets　signed　by　my　father…in…law。　　A　fine　concert　was　performed　there　by　the　musicians　of　the　chapel　and　the　female　musicians　belonging　to　the。　Queen's　chamber。　　The　Queen　went　with　Mesdames　de　Polignac；　de　Chalon；　and　d'Andlau；　and　Messieurs　de　Polignac；　de　Coigny；　de　Besenval；　and　de　Vaudreuil；　there　were　also　a　few　equerries　present。　　Her　Majesty　gave　me　permission　to　attend　the　concert　with　some　of　my　female　relations。　　There　was　no　music　upon　the　terrace。　　The　crowd　of　inquisitive　people；　whom　the　sentinels　kept　at　a　distance　from　the　enclosure　of　the　colonnade；　went　away　highly　discontented；　the　small　number　of　persons　admitted　no　doubt　occasioned　jealousy；　and　gave　rise　to　offensive　comments　which　were　caught　up　by　the　public　with　avidity。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　apologise　for　the　kind　of　amusements　with　which　the　Queen　indulged　herself　during　this　and　the　following　summer；　the　consequences　were　so　lamentable　that　the　error　was　no　doubt　very　great；　but　what　I　have　said　respecting　the　character　of　these　promenades　may　be　relied　on　as　true。

When　the　season　for　evening　walks　was　at　an　end；　odious　couplets　were　circulated　in　Paris；　the　'Queen　was　treated　in　them　in　the　most　insulting　manner；　her　situation　ranked　among　her　enemies　persons　attached　to　the　only　prince　who　for　several　years　had　appeared　likely　to　give　heirs　to　the　crown。　　People　uttered　the　most　inconsiderate　language；　and　those　improper　conversations　took　place　in　societies　wherein　the　imminent　danger　of　violating　to　so　criminal　an　extent　both　truth　and　the　respect　due　to　sovereigns　ought　to　have　been　better　understood。　　A　few　days　before　the　Queen's　confinement　a　whole　volume　of　manuscript　songs；　concerning　her　and　all　the　ladies　about　her　remarkable　for　rank　or　station　was；　thrown　down　in　the　oiel…de…boeuf。＇A　large　room　at　Versailles　lighted　by　a　bull's…eye　window；　and　used　as　a　waiting…room。＇　This　manuscript　was　immediately　put　into　the　hands　of　the　King；　who　was　highly　incensed　at　it；　and　said　that　he　had　himself　been　at　those　promenades；　that　he　had　seen　nothing　connected　with　them　but　what　was　perfectly　harmless；　that　such　songs　would　disturb　the　harmony　of　twenty　families　in　the　Court　and　city；　that　it　was　a　capital　crime　to　have　made　any　against　the　Queen　herself；　and　that　he　wished　the　author　of　the　infamous　libels　to　be　discovered　and　punished。　　A　fortnight　afterwards　it　was　known　publicly　that　the　verses　were　by　M。　Champcenetz　de　Riquebourg；　who　was　not　even　reprimanded。

　　　　　＇The　author　of　a　great　many　songs；　some　of　which　are　very　well　　　　　　written。　　Lively　and　satirical　by　nature；　he　did　not　lose　either　his　　　　　　cheerfulness　or　his　carelessness　before　the　revolutionary　tribunal。　　　　　　After　hearing　his　own　sentence　read；　he　asked　his　judges　if　he　might　　　　　　not　be　allowed　to　find　a　substitute。MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

I