the origins of contemporary france-1-第33章

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together。　　。　　。　　。　　His　last　arrangement　concerning　the　vingtième　was　only

talked　about　for　one　day；　while　everybody　is　still　talking　about　his

fête；　at　Paris；　as　well　as　in　Versailles；　its　attractions　are　dwelt　on

in　detail；　people　emphatically　declaring　that　Monsieur　and　Mme。　　Necker

are　a　grace　to　society。〃＇10＇　Good　society　devoted　to　pleasure　imposes

on　those　in　office　the　obligation　of　providing　pleasures　for　it。　　It

might　also　say；　in　a　half…serious；　half…ironical　tone；　with　Voltaire；

〃that　the　gods　created　kings　only　to　give　fêtes　every　day；　provided

they　varied；　that　life　is　too　short　to　make　any　other　use　of　it；　that

lawsuits；　intrigues；　warfare；　and　the　quarrels　of　priests；　which

consume　human　life；　are　absurd　and　horrible　things；　that　man　is　born

only　to　enjoy　himself；〃　and　that　among　the　essential　things　we　must

put　the　〃superfluous〃　in　the　first　rank。



According　to　this；　we　can　easily　foresee　that　they　will　be　as

little　concerned　with　their　private　affairs　as　with　public　affairs。

Housekeeping；　the　management　of　property；　domestic　economy；　are　in

their　eyes　vulgar；　insipid　in　the　highest　degree；　and　only　suited　to

an　intendant　or　a　butler。　　Of　what　use　are　such　persons　if　we　must　have

such　cares？　Life　is　no　longer　a　festival　if　one　has　to　provide　the

ways　and　means。　　Comforts；　luxuries；　the　agreeable　must　flow　naturally

and　greet　our　lips　of　their　own　accord。　　As　a　matter　of　course　and

without　his　intervention；　a　man　belonging　to　this　world　should　find

gold　always　in　his　pocket；　a　handsome　coat　on　his　toilet　table；

powdered　valets　in　his　antechamber；　a　gilded　coach　at　his　door；　a　fine

dinner　on　his　table；　so　that　he　may　reserve　all　his　attention　to　be

expended　in　favors　on　the　guests　in　his　drawing…room。　　Such　a　mode　of

living　is　not　to　be　maintained　without　waste；　and　the　domestics；　left

to　themselves；　make　the　most　of　it。　　What　matter　is　it；　so　long　as　they

perform　their　duties？　Moreover；　everybody　must　live；　and　it　is

pleasant　to　have　contented　and　obsequious　faces　around　one。　　…　　Hence

the　first　houses　in　the　kingdom　are　given　up　to　pillage。　　Louis　XV；　on

a　hunting　expedition　one　day；　accompanied　by　the　Duc　de　Choiseul；＇11＇

inquired　of　him　how　much　he　thought　the　carriage　in　which　they　were

seated　had　cost。　　M。　de　Choiseul　replied　that　he　should　consider

himself　fortunate　to　get　one　like　it　for　5；000　or　6；000　francs；　but；

〃His　Majesty　paying　for　it　as　a　king；　and　not　always　paying　cash；

might　have　paid　8；000　francs　for　it。〃　　…　　〃You　are　wide　of　the　mark；〃

rejoined　the　king；　〃for　this　vehicle；　as　you　see　it；　cost　me　30；000

francs。　　。　　。　　。　　The　robberies　in　my　household　are　enormous；　but　it　is

impossible　to　put　a　stop　to　them。〃　　…　　So　the　great　help　themselves　as

well　as　the　little；　either　in　money；　or　in　kind；　or　in　services。　　There

are　in　the　king's　household　fifty…four　horses　for　the　grand　equerry；

thirty…eight　of　them　being　for　Mme。　　de　Brionne；　the　administratrix　of

the　office　of　the　stables　during　her　son's　minority；　there　are　two

hundred　and　fifteen　grooms　on　duty；　and　about　as　many　horses　kept　at

the　king's　expense　for　various　other　persons；　entire　strangers　to　the

department。＇12＇　What　a　nest　of　parasites　on　this　one　branch　of　the

royal　tree！　Elsewhere　I　find　Madame　Elisabeth；　so　moderate；　consuming

fish　amounting　to　30；000　francs　per　annum；　meat　and　game　to　70；000

francs；　candles　to　60；000　francs；　Mesdames　burn　white　and　yellow

candles　to　the　amount　of　215；068　francs；　the　light　for　the　queen　comes

to　157；109　francs。　　The　street　at　Versailles　is　still　shown；　formerly

lined　with　stalls；　to　which　the　king's　valets　resorted　to　nourish

Versailles　by　the　sale　of　his　dessert。　　There　is　no　article　from　which

the　domestic　insects　do　not　manage　to　scrape　and　glean　something。　　The

king　is　supposed　to　drink　orgeat　and　lemonade　to　the　value　of　2；190

francs。　　〃The　grand　broth；　day　and　night；〃　which　Mme。　　Royale；　aged　six

years；　sometimes　drinks；　costs　5；201　francs　per　annum。　　Towards　the　end

of　the　preceding　reign＇13＇　the　femmes…de…chambre　enumerate　in　the

Dauphine's　outlay　〃four　pairs　of　shoes　per　week；　three　ells　of　ribbon

per　diem；　to　tie　her　dressing…gown；　two　ells　of　taffeta　per　diem；　to

cover　the　basket　in　which　she　keeps　her　gloves　and　fan。〃　A　few　years

earlier　the　king　paid　200；000　francs　for　coffee；　lemonade；　chocolate；

barley…water；　and　water…ices；　several　persons　were　inscribed　on　the

list　for　ten　or　twelve　cups　a　day；　while　it　was　estimated　that　the

coffee；　milk　and　bread　each　morning　for　each　lady　of　the　bed…chamber

cost　2；000　francs　per　annum。＇14＇　We　can　readily　understand　how；　in

households　thus　managed；　the　purveyors　are　willing　to　wait。　　They　wait

so　well　that　often　under　Louis　XV　they　refuse　to　provide　and　〃hide

themselves。〃　Even　the　delay　is　so　regular　that；　at　last；　they　are

obliged　to　pay　them　five　per　cent。　　interest　on　their　advances；　at　this

rate；　in　1778；　after　all　Turgot's　economic　reforms；　the　king　still

owes　nearly　800；000　livres　to　his　wine　merchant；　and　nearly　three

millions　and　a　half　to　his　purveyor。＇15＇　The　same　disorder　exists　in

the　houses　which　surround　the　throne。　　〃Mme。　　de　Guéménée　owes　60；000

livres　to　her　shoe…maker；　16；000　livres　to　her　paper…hanger；　and　the

rest　in　proportion。〃　Another　lady；　whom　the　Marquis　de　Mirabeau　sees

with　hired　horses；　replies　at　his　look　of　astonishment；　〃It　is　not

because　there　are　not　seventy　horses　in　our　stables；　but　none　of　them

are　able　to　walk　to　day。〃＇16＇　Mme。　　de　Montmorin；　on　ascertaining　that

her　husband's　debts　are　greater　than　his　property；　thinks　she　can　save

her　dowry　of　200；000　livres；　but　is　informed　that　she　had　given

security　for　a　tailor's　bill；　which；　〃incredible　and　ridiculous　to

say；　amounts　to　the　sum　of　180；000　livres。〃＇17＇　〃One　of　the　decided

manias　of　these　days；〃　says　Mme。　　d'Oberkirk；　〃is　to　be　ruined　in

everything　and　by　everything。〃　〃The　two　brothers　Villemer　build

country　cottages　at　from　500；000　to　600；000　livres；　one　of　them　keeps

forty　horses　to　ride　occasionally　in　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　on

horseback。〃＇18＇　In　one　night　M。　de　Chenonceaux；　son　of　M。　et　Mme。

Dupin；　loses　at　play　700；000　livres。　　〃M。　de　Chenonceaux　and　M。　de

Francueil　ran　through　seven　or　eight　millions　at　this　epoch。　　〃＇19＇

〃The　Duc　de　Lauzun；　at　the　age　of　twenty…six；　after　having　run　through

the　capital　of　100；000　crowns　revenue；　is　prosecuted　by　his　creditors

for　nearly　two　millions　of　indebtedness。〃＇20＇　〃M。　le　Prince　de　Conti

lacks　bread　and　wood；　although　with　an　income　of　600；000　livres；〃　for

the　reason　that　〃he　buys　and　builds　wildly　on　all　sides。〃＇21＇　Where

would　be　the　pleasure　if　these　people　were　reasonable？　What　kind　of　a

seignior　is　he　who　studies　the　price　of　things？　And　how　can　the

exquisite　be　reached　if　one　grudges　money？　Money；　accordingly；　must

flow　and　flow　on　until　it　is　exhausted；　first　by　the　innumerable

secret　or　tolerated　bleedings　through　domestic　abuses；　and　next　in

broad　streams　of　the　master's　own　prodigality；　through　structures；

furniture；　toilets；　hospitality；　gallantry；　and　pleasures。　　The　Comte

d'Artois；　that　he　may　give　the　queen　a　fête；　demolishes；　rebuilds；

arranges；　and　furnishes　Bagatelle　from　top　to　bottom；　employing　nine

hundred　workmen；　day　and　night；　and；　as　there　is　no　time　to　go　any

distance　for　lime；　plaster；　and　cut　stone；　he　sends　patrols　of　the

Swiss　guards　on　the　highways　to　seize；　pay　for；　and　immediately　bring

in　all　carts　thus　loaded。＇22＇　The　Marshal　de　Soubise；　entertaining　the

king　one　day　at　dinner　and　over　night；　in　his　country　house；　expends

200；000　livres。＇23＇　Mme。　　de　Matignon　makes　a　contract　to　be　furnished

every　day　with　a　new　head…dress　at　24；000　livres　per　annum。　　Cardinal

de　Rohan　has　an　alb　bordered　with　point　lace；　which　is　valued　at　more

than　100；000　livres；　while　his　kitchen　utensils　are　of　massive

silver。＇24＇　　…　　Nothing　is　more　natural；　considering　their　ideas　of

money；　hoarded　and　piled　up；　instead　of　being　a　fertilizing　stream；　it

is　a　useless　marsh　exhaling　bad　odors。　　The　queen；　having　presented　the

Dauphin　with　a　carriage　whose　silver…gilt　trappings　are　decked　with

rubies　and　sapphires；　naively　exclaims；　〃Has　not　the　king　added

200；000　livres　to　my　treasury？　That　is　no　reason　for　keeping

them！〃＇25＇　　They　would　rather　throw　it　out　of　the　window。　　Which　was

actually　done　by　the　Marshal　de　Richelieu　with　a　purse　he　had　given　to

his　grandson；　and　which　the　lad；　not　knowing　how　to　use；　brought　back

intact。　　Money；　on　this　occasion；　was　at　least　of　service　to　the

passing　street…sweeper　that　picked　it　up。　　But　had　there　been　no

passer…by　to　pick　it　up；　it　would　have　been　thrown　into　the　river。　　One

day　Mme。　　de　B　…　；　being　with　the　Prince　de　Conti；　hinted　that　she

would　like　a　miniature　of　her　canary　bird　set　in　a　ring。　　The　Prince

offers　to　have　it　made。　　His　offer　is　accepted；　but　on　condition　that

the　miniature　be　set　plain　and　without　jewels。　　Accordingly　the

miniature　is　placed　in　a　simple　rim　of　gold。　　But；　to　cover　over　the

painting；　a　large　diamond；　made　very　thin；　serves　as　a　glass。　　Mme。　　de

B　…　；　having　returned　the　diamond；　〃M。　le　Prince　de　Conti　had　it

ground　to　powder　which　he　used　to　dry　the　ink　of　the　note　he　wrote　to

Mme。　　de　B　…　　on　the　subject。〃　This　pinch　of　powder　cost　4　or　5；000

livres；　but　we　may　divine　the　turn　and　tone　of　the　note。　　The　extreme

of　profusion　must　accompany　the　height　of　gallantry；　the　man　of　the

world　being　so　much　the　more　important　according　to　his　contempt　for

money。



III。　　UNIVERSAL　PLEASURE　SEEKING。



Moral　divorce　of　husband　and　wife。　　…　Gallantry。　　…　Separation　of

parents　and　children。　　…　Education；　its　object　and　omissions。　　…　The

tone　of　servants　and　purveyors。　　…　Pleasure　seeking　universal。



In　a　drawing　room　the　woman　who　receives　the　least　attention　from　a

man　is　his　own　wife；　and　she　returns　the　compliment。　　Hence　at　a　time

like　this；　when　people　live　for　society　and　in　society；　there　is　no

place　for　conjugal　intimacy。　　…　　　Moreover；　when　a　married　couple

occupy　an　exalted　position　they　are　separated　by　custom　and　decorum。

Each　party　has　his　or　her　own　household；　or　at　least　their　own

apartments；　servants；　equipage；　receptions　and　distinct　society；　and；

as　entertainment　entails　ceremony；　they　stand　towards　each　other　in

deference　to　their　rank　on　the　footing　of　polite　strangers。　　They　are

each　announced　in　each　other's　apartment；　they　address　each　other

〃Madame；　Monsieur；〃　and　not　alone　in　public；　but　in　private；　they

shrug　their　shoulders　when；　sixty　leagues　out　from　Paris；　they

encounter　in　some　old　chateau　a　provincial　wife　ignorant　enough　to　say

〃my　dear　〃　to　her　husband　before　company。＇26＇　　…　　Already　separated　at

the　fireside；　the　two　lives　diverge　beyond　it　at　an　ever　increasing

radius。　　The　husband　has　a　government　of　his　own：　his　private　command；

his　private　regiment；　his　post　at　court；　which　keeps　him　absent　from

home；　only　in　his　declining　years　does