the memoirs of marie antoinette-第9章

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In　order　to　console　the　people　under　their　sufferings；　and　to　shut　their　eyes　to　the　real　depredations　on　the　treasury；　the　ministers　occasionally　pressed　the　most　extravagant　measures　of　reform　in　the　King's　household；　and　even　in　his　personal　expenses。

Cardinal　Fleury；　who　in　truth　had　the　merit　of　reestablishing　the　finances；　carried　this　system　of　economy　so　far　as　to　obtain　from　the　King　the　suppression　of　the　household　of　the　four　younger　Princesses。　They　were　brought　up　as　mere　boarders　in　a　convent　eighty　leagues　distant　from　the　Court。　　Saint　Cyr　would　have　been　more　suitable　for　the　reception　of　the　King's　daughters；　but　probably　the　Cardinal　shared　some　of　those　prejudices　which　will　always　attach　to　even　the　most　useful　institutions；　and　which；　since　the　death　of　Louis　XIV。；　had　been　raised　against　the　noble　establishment　of　Madame　de　Maintenon。　　Madame　Louise　often　assured　me　that　at　twelve　years　of　age　she　was　not　mistress　of　the　whole　alphabet；　and　never　learnt　to　read　fluently　until　after　her　return　to　Versailles。

Madame　Victoire　attributed　certain　paroxysms　of　terror；　which　she　was　never　able　to　conquer；　to　the　violent　alarms　she　experienced　at　the　Abbey　of　Fontevrault；　whenever　she　was　sent；　by　way　of　penance；　to　pray　alone　in　the　vault　where　the　sisters　were　interred。

A　gardener　belonging　to　the　abbey　died　raving　mad。　　His　habitation；　without　the　walls；　was　near　a　chapel　of　the　abbey；　where　Mesdames　were　taken　to　repeat　the　prayers　for　those　in　the　agonies　of　death。　　Their　prayers　were　more　than　once　interrupted　by　the　shrieks　of　the　dying　man。

When　Mesdames；　still　very　young；　returned　to　Court；　they　enjoyed　the　friendship　of　Monseigneur　the　Dauphin；　and　profited　by　his　advice。　　They　devoted　themselves　ardently　to　study；　and　gave　up　almost　the　whole　of　their　time　to　it；　they　enabled　themselves　to　write　French　correctly；　and　acquired　a　good　knowledge　of　history。　　Italian；　English；　the　higher　branches　of　mathematics；　turning　and　dialing；　filled　up　in　succession　their　leisure　moments。　　Madame　Adelaide；　in　particular；　had　a　most　insatiable　desire　to　learn；　she　was　taught　to　play　upon　all　instruments；　from　the　horn　（will　it　be　believed！）　to　the　Jew's…harp。

Madame　Adelaide　was　graced　for　a　short　time　with　a　charming　figure；　but　never　did　beauty　so　quickly　vanish。　　Madame　Victoire　was　handsome　and　very　graceful；　her　address；　mien；　and　smile　were　in　perfect　accordance　with　the　goodness　of　her　heart。　　Madame　Sophie　was　remarkably　ugly；　never　did　I　behold　a　person　with　so　unprepossessing　an　appearance；　she　walked　with　the　greatest　rapidity；　and；　in　order　to　recognise　the　people　who　placed　themselves　along　her　path　without　looking　at　them；　she　acquired　the　habit　of　leering　on　one　side；　like　a　hare。　　This　Princess　was　so　exceedingly　diffident　that　a　person　might　be　with　her　daily　for　years　together　without　hearing　her　utter　a　single　word。　　It　was　asserted；　however；　that　she　displayed　talent；　and　even　amiability；　in　the　society　of　some　favourite　ladies。　　She　taught　herself　a　great　deal；　but　she　studied　alone；　the　presence　of　a　reader　would　have　disconcerted　her　very　much。　　There　were；　however；　occasions　on　which　the　Princess；　generally　so　intractable；　became　all　at　once　affable　and　condescending；　and　manifested　the　most　communicative　good…nature；　this　would　happen　during　a　storm；　so　great　was　her　alarm　on　such　an　occasion　that　she　then　approached　the　most　humble；　and　would　ask　them　a　thousand　obliging　questions；　a　flash　of　lightning　made　her　squeeze　their　hands；　a　peal　of　thunder　would　drive　her　to　embrace　them；　but　with　the　return　of　the　calm；　the　Princess　resumed　her　stiffness；　her　reserve；　and　her　repellent　air；　and　passed　all　by　without　taking　the　slightest　notice　of　any　one；　until　a　fresh　storm　restored　to　her　at　once　her　dread　and　her　affability。　＇Which　reminds　one　of　the　elder　（and　puritanic）　Cato　who　said　that　he　〃embraced〃　his　wife　only　when　it　thundered；　but　added　that　he　did　enjoy　a　good　thunderstorm。　D。W。＇

Mesdames　found　in　a　beloved　brother；　whose　rare　attainments　are　known　to　all　Frenchmen；　a　guide　in　everything　wanting　to　their　education。　　In　their　august　mother；　Maria　Leczinska；　they　possessed　the　noblest　example　of　every　pious　and　social　virtue；　that　Princess；　by　her　eminent　qualities　and　her　modest　dignity；　veiled　the　failings　of　the　King；　and　while　she　lived　she　preserved　in　the　Court　of　Louis　XV。　that　decorous　and　dignified　tone　which　alone　secures　the　respect　due　to　power。　　The　Princesses；　her　daughters；　were　worthy　of　her；　and　if　a　few　degraded　beings　did　aim　the　shafts　of　calumny　at　them；　these　shafts　dropped　harmless；　warded　off　by　the　elevation　of　their　sentiments　and　the　purity　of　their　conduct。

If　Mesdames　had　not　tasked　themselves　with　numerous　occupations；　they　would　have　been　much　to　be　pitied。　　They　loved　walking；　but　could　enjoy　nothing　beyond　the　public　gardens　of　Versailles；　they　would　have　cultivated　flowers；　but　could　have　no　others　than　those　in　their　windows。

The　Marquise　de　Durfort；　since　Duchesse　de　Civrac；　afforded　to　Madame　Victoire　agreeable　society。　　The　Princess　spent　almost　all　her　evenings　with　that　lady；　and　ended　by　fancying　herself　domiciled　with　her。

Madame　de　Narbonne　had；　in　a　similar　way；　taken　pains　to　make　her　intimate　acquaintance　pleasant　to　Madame　Adelaide。

Madame　Louise　had　for　many　years　lived　in　great　seclusion；　I　read　to　her　five　hours　a　day。　　My　voice　frequently　betrayed　the　exhaustion　of　my　lungs；　the　Princess　would　then　prepare　sugared　water　for　me；　place　it　by　me；　and　apologise　for　making　me　read　so　long；　on　the　score　of　having　prescribed　a　course　of　reading　for　herself。

One　evening；　while　I　was　reading；　she　was　informed　that　M。　Bertin；　'ministre　des　parties　casuelles'；　desired　to　speak　with　her；　she　went　out　abruptly；　returned；　resumed　her　silks　and　embroidery；　and　made　me　resume　my　book；　when　I　retired　she　commanded　me　to　be　in　her　closet　the　next　morning　at　eleven　o'clock。　　When　I　got　there　the　Princess　was　gone　out；　I　learnt　that　she　had　gone　at　seven　in　the　morning　to　the　Convent　of　the　Carmelites　of　St。　Denis；　where　she　was　desirous　of　taking　the　veil。　I　went　to　Madame　Victoire；　there　I　heard　that　the　King　alone　had　been　acquainted　with　Madame　Louise's　project；　that　he　had　kept　it　faithfully　secret；　and　that；　having　long　previously　opposed　her　wish；　he　had　only　on　the　preceding　evening　sent　her　his　consent；　that　she　had　gone　alone　into　the　convent；　where　she　was　expected；　and　that　a　few　minutes　afterwards　she　had　made　her　appearance　at　the　grating；　to　show　to　the　Princesse　de　Guistel；　who　had　accompanied　her　to　the　convent　gate；　and　to　her　equerry；　the　King's　order　to　leave　her　in　the　monastery。

Upon　receiving　the　intelligence　of　her　sister's　departure；　Madame　Adelaide　gave　way　to　violent　paroxysms　of　rage；　and　reproached　the　King　bitterly　for　the　secret；　which　he　had　thought　it　his　duty　to　preserve。　Madame　Victoire　missed　the　society　of　her　favourite　sister；　but　she　shed　tears　in　silence　only。　　The　first　time　I　saw　this　excellent　Princess　after　Madame　Louise's　departure；　I　threw　myself　at　her　feet；　kissed　her　hand；　and　asked　her；　with　all　the　confidence　of　youth；　whether　she　would　quit　us　as　Madame　Louise　had　done。　　She　raised　me；　embraced　me；　and　said；　pointing　to　the　lounge　upon　which　she　was　extended；　〃Make　yourself　easy；　my　dear；　I　shall　never　have　Louise's　courage。　　I　love　the　conveniences　of　life　too　well；　this　lounge　is　my　destruction。〃　　As　soon　as　I　obtained　permission　to　do　so；　I　went　to　St。　Denis　to　see　my　late　mistress；　she　deigned　to　receive　me　with　her　face　uncovered；　in　her　private　parlour；　she　told　me　she　had　just　left　the　wash…house；　and　that　it　was　her　turn　that　day　to　attend　to　the　linen。　　〃I　much　abused　your　youthful　lungs　for　two　years　before　the　execution　of　my　project；〃　added　she。　〃I　knew　that　here　I　could　read　none　but　books　tending　to　our　salvation；　and　I　wished　to　review　all　the　historians　that　had　interested　me。〃

She　informed　me　that　the　King's　consent　for　her　to　go　to　St。　Denis　had　been　brought　to　her　while　I　was　reading；　she　prided　herself；　and　with　reason；　upon　having　returned　to　her　closet　without　the　slightest　mark　of　agitation；　though　she　said　she　felt　so　keenly　that　she　could　scarcely　regain　her　chair。　　She　added　that　moralists　were　right　when　they　said　that　happiness　does　not　dwell　in　palaces；　that　she　had　proved　it；　and　that；　if　I　desired　to　be　happy；　she　advised　me　to　come　and　enjoy　a　retreat　in　which　the　liveliest　imagination　might　find　full　exercise　in　the　contemplation　of　a　better　world。　　I　had　no　palace；　no　earthly　grandeur　to　sacrifice　to　God；　nothing　but　the　bosom　of　a　united　family；　and　it　is　precisely　there　that　the　moralists　whom　she　cited　have　placed　true　happiness。　　I　replied　that；　in　private　life；　the　absence　of　a　beloved　and　cherished　daughter　would　be　too　cruelly　felt　by　her　family。　The　Princess　said　no　more　on　the　subject。

The　seclusion　of　Madame　Louise　was　attributed　to　various　motives；　some　were　unkind　enough　to　suppose　it　to　have　been　occasioned　by　her　mortification　at　being；　in　point　of　rank；　the　last　of　the　Princesses。　I　think　I　penetrated　the　true　cause。　　Her　aspirations　were　lofty；　she　loved　everything　sublime；　often　while　I　was　reading　she　would　interrupt　me　to　exclaim；　〃That　is　beautiful！　that　is　noble！〃　　There　was　but　one　brilliant　action　that　she　could　perform；to　quit　a　palace　for　a　cell；　and　rich　garments　for　a　stuff　gown。　　She　achieved　it！

I　saw　Madame　Louise　two　or　three　times　more　at　the　grating。　　I　was　informed　of　her　death　by　Louis　XVI。　　〃My　Aunt　Louise；　〃　said　he　to　me；　〃your　old　mistress；　is　just　dead　at　St。　　Denis。　　I　have　this　moment　received　intelligence　of　it。　　Her　piety　and　resignation　were　admirable；　and　yet　the　delirium　of　my　good　aunt　recalled　to　her　recollection　that　she　was　a　princess；　for　her　last　words　were；　'To　paradise；　haste；　haste；　full　speed。'　　No　doubt　she　thought　she　was　again　giving　orders　to　her　equerry。〃

　　　　　＇The　retirement　of　Madame　Louise；　and　her　removal　from　Court；　had　　　　　　only　served　to　give　her　up　entirely　to　the　intrigues　of　the　clergy。　　　　　　She　received　incessant　visits　from　bishops；　archbishops；　and　　　　　　ambitious　priests　of　every　rank；　she　prevailed　on　the　King；　her　　　　　　father；　to　grant　many　ecclesiastical　preferments；　and　probably　　　　　　looked　forward　to　playing　an　important　part　when　the　King；　weary　of　　　　　　his　licentious　course　of　life；　should　begin　to　think　of　religion。　　　　　　This；　perhaps；　might　have　been　the　case　had　not　a　sudden　and　　　　　　unexpected　death　put　an　end　to　his　career。　　The　project　of　Madame　　　　　　Louise　fell　to　the　ground　in　consequence　of　this　event。　　She　　　　　　remained　in　her　convent；　whence　she　continued　to　solicit　favours；　　　　　　as　I　knew　from　the　complaints　of　the　Queen；　who　often　said　to　me；　　　　　　〃Here　is　another　letter　from　my　Aunt　Louise。　　She　is　certainly　the　　　　　　most　intriguing　little　Carmelite　in　the　kingdom。〃　　The　Court　went　to　　　　　　visit　her　about　three　times　a　year；　and　I　recollect　that　the　Queen；　　　　　　intending　to　take　her　daughter　there；　ordered　me　to　get　a　doll　　　　　　dressed　like　a　Carmelite　for　her；　that　the　young　Princess　might　be　　　　　　accustomed；　before　she　went　into　the　convent；　to　the　habit　of　her　　　　　　aunt；　the　nun。MADAME　CAMPAN＇

Madame　Victoire；　good；　sweet…tempered；　and　affa