登陆注册
4606300000280

第280章

Yet the haughtiness of Louis XV. had been innoculated into him by education; it was not in his nature. When an ambassador presented someone to him, the person thus presented withdrew with the certainty of having been seen by the king, but that was all. Nevertheless, Louis XV. was very polite, particularly with ladies, even with his mistresses, when in public. Whoever failed in respect towards them in the slightest manner was sure of disgrace, and no king ever possessed to a greater extent the grand royal virtue which is called dissimulation. He kept a secret faithfully, and he was delighted when he knew that no one but himself possessed it.

The Chevalier d'Eon is a proof of this, for the king alone knew and had always known that the chevalier was a woman, and all the long discussions which the false chevalier had with the office for foreign affairs was a comedy which the king allowed to go on, only because it amused him.

Louis XV. was great in all things, and he would have had no faults if flattery had not forced them upon him. But how could he possibly have supposed himself faulty in anything when everyone around him repeated constantly that he was the best of kings? A king, in the opinion of which he was imbued respecting his own person, was a being of a nature by far too superior to ordinary men for him not to have the right to consider himself akin to a god. Sad destiny of kings!

Vile flatterers are constantly doing everything necessary to reduce them below the condition of man.

The Princess of Ardore was delivered about that time of a young prince. Her husband, the Neapolitan ambassador, entreated Louis XV.

to be god-father to the child; the king consented and presented his god-son with a regiment; but the mother, who did not like the military career for her son, refused it. The Marshal de Richelieu told me that he had never known the king laugh so heartily as when he heard of that singular refusal.

At the Duchess de Fulvie's I made the acquaintance of Mdlle.

Gaussin, who was called Lolotte. She was the mistress of Lord Albemarle, the English ambassador, a witty and very generous nobleman. One evening he complained of his mistress praising the beauty of the stars which were shining brightly over her head, saying that she ought to know he could not give them to her. If Lord Albemarle had been ambassador to the court of France at the time of the rupture between France and England, he would have arranged all difficulties amicably, and the unfortunate war by which France lost Canada would not have taken place. There is no doubt that the harmony between two nations depends very often upon their respective ambassadors, when there is any danger of a rupture.

As to the noble lord's mistress, there was but one opinion respecting her. She was fit in every way to become his wife, and the highest families of France did not think that she needed the title of Lady Albemarle to be received with distinction; no lady considered it debasing to sit near her, although she was well known as the mistress of the English lord. She had passed from her mother's arms to those of Lord Albemarle at the age of thirteen, and her conduct was always of the highest respectability. She bore children whom the ambassador acknowledged legally, and she died Countess d'Erouville. I shall have to mention her again in my Memoirs.

I had likewise occasion to become acquainted at the Venetian Embassy with a lady from Venice, the widow of an English baronet named Wynne.

She was then coming from London with her children, where she had been compelled to go in order to insure them the inheritance of their late father, which they would have lost if they had not declared themselves members of the Church of England. She was on her way back to Venice, much pleased with her journey. She was accompanied by her eldest daughter--a young girl of twelve years, who, notwithstanding her youth, carried on her beautiful face all the signs of perfection.

She is now living in Venice, the widow of Count de Rosenberg, who died in Venice ambassador of the Empress-Queen Maria Theresa. She is surrounded by the brilliant halo of her excellent conduct and of all her social virtues. No one can accuse her of any fault, except that of being poor, but she feels it only because it does not allow her to be as charitable as she might wish.

The reader will see in the next chapter how I managed to embroil myself with the French police.

同类推荐
  • 大清国籍条例

    大清国籍条例

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 还丹歌诀

    还丹歌诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 神农本草经赞

    神农本草经赞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严一乘教义分齐章复古记

    华严一乘教义分齐章复古记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 永明道迹

    永明道迹

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 解毒宫女惑天下

    解毒宫女惑天下

    “不要如此看我,这样做也是为了大家好。”明皓冷冷地望着那凄楚的女子,真想紧紧地拥她入怀,用自己的爱去温暖她。小文冷笑着,笑得动人,笑得凄凉透骨。他是她深深爱恋的男人,虽然,他强行要了自己。可如今,他却亲手扼杀了她肚里的孩子,她恨,她要将他碎尸万段。
  • 送客偶作

    送客偶作

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 出口成章(开启青少年智慧故事)

    出口成章(开启青少年智慧故事)

    《出口成章》收录了梦李白、西施咏、秋登万山寄张五、江南逢李龟年、瑶瑟怨、夜上受降城闻笛等精美诗篇,读者阅读这些佳句,犹如聆听智者的教诲,智慧如春风化雨滋润心田,让你轻轻松松出口成章,感受语言的魅力和力量。
  • 故事会(2015年3月下)

    故事会(2015年3月下)

    当你读着关于他人的故事时,会产生不同的情绪变化:喜悦、幸福、向往;同情、怜惜、悲戚;愤懑、懊悔、反省……由此,透过这面镜子,你了解了一个不一样的世界,也更加清晰地认识了自己,知道下一步应该怎样去走。如果你也为追求某种意义而迷茫,想看清世界,想看懂自己,不妨先读一读关于他人的故事。
  • 总裁大人不要跑

    总裁大人不要跑

    柳明悦不能接受六年前那夜荒唐的事实,却又不得不奉命贴身保护他。重点是那家伙有事没事就来一句:“你是猪吗?”靠,猪怎么了,猪也是对社会有贡献的,别出了什么事都找猪的麻烦。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 滋养心灵

    滋养心灵

    感动千万人的88个真爱故事。一个个温馨感人的故事,让你荡气回肠;一个个真实平凡的人物,让你唏嘘不已……在这里,你可以慢慢地、细细地读,像品尝美酒一样,一次尝一点。每次啜饮都会给你一点温暖的亮光,每个故事都以不同的方式滋养你的心灵。蕴藏丰富的情感,传递人生的智慧!
  • 大方广佛华严经金师子章

    大方广佛华严经金师子章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 剥豆集(一)

    剥豆集(一)

    吃青,有两种解释。其一,头年打下的口粮告罄,当年的稼禾还没黄熟。去地头掠割些青稞小麦穗头,或摘取少量蚕豆豌豆角煮了吃,以缓解青黄不接的饥谗。其二,品尝新鲜五谷。豆粒将饱未饱,麦穗将黄未黄时节,无论生吞还是熟吃,清爽怡目,香脆可口。拿时尚话说,是十足的绿色食品。吃它,即可解馋,又可愉悦精神。自儿时起,每年仲夏有乡下亲戚送来现摘的青豆角,或者已经煮熟,簸净麦衣的小麦、青稞让我们尝鲜。这些熟麦粒,要么囫囵咀嚼,要么搓成麦梭儿用蒜油炝着吃,爽口的滋味妙不可言。如是青蚕豆角,得煮熟再吃。
  • 桥

    弋舟,1972年生,青年新锐作家。有长中短篇小说200余万字,见于《作家》《花城》《人民文学》《天涯》《青年文学》《上海文学》《大家》《中国作家》《山花》等文学刊物。著有长篇小说若干。
  • 我家公主要经商

    我家公主要经商

    问:堂堂的公主沦为平民老百姓,怎么破?答:自然自然走老百姓的路,我种地养殖发家致富。她,南宫琉璃,就是这般悲催的公主。好在后来她种果园,养鱼。正当小日子过得有滋有味的时候,某个大叔级的人突然来告诉她,她应该去拜堂了。这什么鬼啊!谁来告诉她……本文双洁,1&1。