登陆注册
5288200000030

第30章 CHAPTER III.(5)

From this time the closest intimacy subsisted between the three young families. They took their meals together, except on those days when they dined in public. This manner of living en famille continued until the Queen sometimes indulged herself in going to dine with the Duchesse de Polignac, when she was governess; but the evening meetings at supper were never interrupted; they took place at the house of the Comtesse de Provence. Madame Elisabeth made one of the party when she had finished her education, and sometimes Mesdames, the King's aunts, were invited.

The custom, which had no precedent at Court, was the work of Marie Antoinette, and she maintained it with the utmost perseverance.

The Court of Versailles saw no change in point of etiquette during the reign of Louis XV. Play took place at the house of the Dauphiness, as being the first lady of the State. It had, from the death of Queen Maria Leczinska to the marriage of the Dauphin, been held at the abode of Madame Adelade. This removal, the result of an order of precedence not to be violated, was not the less displeasing to Madame Adelaide, who established a separate party for play in her apartments, and scarcely ever went to that which not only the Court in general, but also the royal family, were expected to attend. The full-dress visits to the King on his 'debotter' were continued. High mass was attended daily. The airings of the Princesses were nothing more than rapid races in berlins, during which they were accompanied by Body Guards, equerries, and pages on horseback. They galloped for some leagues from Versailles. Calashes were used only in hunting.

The young Princesses were desirous to infuse animation into their circle of associates by something useful as well as pleasant. They adopted the plan of learning and performing all the best plays of the French theatre.

The Dauphin was the only spectator. The three Princesses, the two brothers of the King, and Messieurs Campan, father and son, were the sole performers, but they endeavoured to keep this amusement as secret as an affair of State; they dreaded the censure of Mesdames, and they had no doubt that Louis XV. would forbid such pastimes if he knew of them. They selected for their performance a cabinet in the entresol which nobody had occasion to enter.

A kind of proscenium, which could be taken down and shut up in a closet, formed the whole theatre. The Comte de Provence always knew his part with imperturbable accuracy; the Comte d'Artois knew his tolerably well, and recited elegantly; the Princesses acted badly. The Dauphiness acquitted herself in some characters with discrimination and feeling.

The chief pleasure of this amusement consisted in all the costumes being elegant and accurate. The Dauphin entered into the spirit of these diversions, and laughed heartily at the comic characters as they came on the scene; from these amusements may be dated his discontinuance of the timid manner of his youth, and his taking pleasure in the society of the Dauphiness.

It was not till a long time afterwards that I learnt these particulars, M. Campan having kept the secret; but an unforeseen event had well-nigh exposed the whole mystery. One day the Queen desired M. Campan to go down into her closet to fetch something that she had forgotten; he was dressed for the character of Crispin, and was rouged. A private staircase led direct to the entresol through the dressing-room. M.

Campan fancied he heard some noise, and remained still, behind the door, which was shut. A servant belonging to the wardrobe, who was, in fact, on the staircase, had also heard some noise, and, either from fear or curiosity, he suddenly opened the door; the figure of Crispin frightened him so that he fell down backwards, shouting with his might, "Help! help!" My father-in-law raised him up, made him recognise his voice, and laid upon him an injunction of silence as to what he had seen.

He felt himself, however, bound to inform the Dauphiness of what had happened, and she was afraid that a similar occurrence might betray their amusements. They were therefore discontinued.

The Princess occupied her time in her own apartment in the study of music and the parts in plays which she had to learn; the latter exercise, at least, produced the beneficial effect of strengthening her memory and familiarising her with the French language.

While Louis XV. reigned, the enemies of Marie Antoinette made no attempt to change public opinion with regard to her. She was always popular with the French people in general, and particularly with the inhabitants of Paris, who went on every opportunity to Versailles, the majority of them attracted solely by the pleasure of seeing her. The courtiers did not fully enter into the popular enthusiasm which the Dauphiness had inspired; the disgrace of the Duc de Choiseul had removed her real support from her; and the party which had the ascendency at Court since the exile of that minister was, politically, as much opposed to her family as to herself. The Dauphiness was therefore surrounded by enemies at Versailles.

Nevertheless everybody appeared outwardly desirous to please her; for the age of Louis XV., and the apathetic character of the Dauphin, sufficiently warned courtiers of the important part reserved for the Princess during the following reign, in case the Dauphin should become attached to her.

同类推荐
  • 辩中边论述记

    辩中边论述记

    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。
  • 外科精要

    外科精要

    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。
  • 于役志

    于役志

    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。
  • 天台九祖传

    天台九祖传

    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。
  • The Life of the Fly

    The Life of the Fly

    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
  • 我有分身在江湖

    我有分身在江湖

    十八年前,晋国大帝赵天武第九嫡子赵南出生,不过外人不知道的是,这一胎其实是一对双胞胎,可是却只有一个人意识。
  • 重生之佞妃有毒

    重生之佞妃有毒

    前世,她被钉上不守妇道、与人私通的罪名,五马分尸活活痛死!重生,她不要善名甘做毒妇!惩继母,斗继妹,虐渣男!不守妇道?好!万千美男等她来挑!心肠歹毒?她只爱值得爱之人,渣男恶女,毒死活该!权倾天下,美男相随,痛痛快快过一生!
  • 近忧远虑

    近忧远虑

    全书涉及历史人文、地理风俗、城市建设、时事热点、教育文化等诸多方面,上至人大、政协,下至机关、学校、民间团体,有感而发,有的放矢,拨云见日,提振人心!充分体现了他忧国忧民的人文情怀,以及作为政协常委、知名学者强烈的社会责任感。
  • 毓老师说易经(第3卷)

    毓老师说易经(第3卷)

    《毓老师说易经》根据毓老自1993年至2000年讲授《易经》课程内容整理而成。毓老认为,《大易》与《春秋》弄明白,中国思想左右逢源!读《易经》的目的有三:一、自强不息,厚德载物;二、智周万物,道济天下;三、裁成天地之道,辅相天地之宜。《易经》是智海,绝非假话,是智慧的产物。书有古今,智慧无古今。以古人智慧,启发今人的智慧,把人生问题解答明白,就能明白一切。《毓老师说易经》告诉我们,要懂用脑,读完一篇,真得其好处。以一公式,可以推演很多。多读书,存肥料。读书,懂用道理简单,做到可难。
  • 血液系统疾病诊治绝招

    血液系统疾病诊治绝招

    本丛书共8册,包括《呼吸系统疾病诊治绝招》、《消化系统疾病诊治绝招》、《循环系统疾病诊治绝招》、《泌尿系统疾病诊治绝招》、《内分泌系统疾病诊治绝招》、《血液系统疾病诊治绝招》、《神经系统疾病诊治绝招》、《风湿性疾病诊治绝招》。每书均以现代医学病名为纲,以病统方,意在切合临床实际。每病先介绍该病的基本概念、病因、临床表现、辅助检查等内容,而后顺序介绍全国各地的老中医经效验方,以供辨证选用,每首方剂均注明【处方】、【主治】、【用法】等内容。本书旨在总结临证有效方剂,而不以学术探讨为目的,因此,药物组成、用量或比例均严格忠实于原方创制者,不做任何调整或补充。
  • 佳偶天成之老公不好惹

    佳偶天成之老公不好惹

    业界出了个‘女神’,话说她妖娆百媚,听说她清纯可人,手腕惊人。可谁知,她只是个半路出家的事务员,接的也都是感情的案子,自以为对感情了如指掌,奈何真正在意的感情来了,从未有过初恋的她就被打的措手不及。起因:手贱的接了个后妈的单子,引来了老妈的不满,不想和她拉上一点关系的谪仙表哥被迫抓人,无奈,她被迫‘妥协’了一个月的约定!经过:本以为后妈的案子了解,求着黑道老爷子把自己神不知鬼不觉的送出去,奈何表哥太牛,无法逃遁,顺手就拿出多金暖男的KISS,搪塞了过去,结果。。暖男兽弟恋上了她。看他们矜持的样子,女主当局者迷的不懂了!便宜儿子心心念念的要找到她,弄死她!结果,一场聚会,暖男在怀,气质出众的安天染,迷瞎了便宜儿子的眼,“这。。是她?”神秘感太重,很容易出事,SO。。便宜儿子拿钱拿势,拿对自己对她的了解,开始诱惑她!谪仙表哥暗地里帮她惑男,但却越帮越不对自己胃口,为什么?。。结果:安天染是谁?没钱没势?笑话,你们的身家,怎么和她比?没品没德?笑话,她的闪光,又是几个人能得见的?于是:谪仙表哥对着被自己‘禁锢’的她说了:“安天染,我的家世,能力,染姨会同意的!”但奈何从小的恩仇,不是这一朝一夕能化解的!火爆儿子抓着她,也说了,“安天染,你不就是要钱吗?我给,你要一手遮天,我煌家就是你的,你的本性怎样,我们心知肚明,你确定,在别人的怀里,你不累吗?”但奈何她不要钱,也不要他煌家的天。多金暖男以退为进,“不管你喜欢什么人,我都支持你,如果你觉得累,我在这里,不论何时我都等着你!”‘内向’弟弟借傻逼近,博取同情,“你不是说要照顾我吗?你难道不准备对我负责吗?我只要一直在你身边待着就行!”一一一一一一一一一一一一一一一一一一口罩新文,没什么经验,请多支持!
  • 三界天书

    三界天书

    相传,天书的宿主都活不过十八岁......于是本文的主角他……一切不可思议的仙侠传奇尽在三界天书……
  • 跟刘太医学养生

    跟刘太医学养生

    刘氏家族是中国金朝医学家刘完素的后裔,也是明朝永乐太医刘纯的后裔;更是中国少见的历史悠久的中医家族。刘纯创立的养生之道与三分治七分养学说,至今是全世界华人的口头语;也是中医预防疾病和治疗慢性病的理论。
  • 刘乘风修仙传

    刘乘风修仙传

    修真界刘乘风被老祖无情夺舍后意外附体重生,发现熟悉的世界已经变样,这里不是修真界,而是地球。仙路无情,他从地球开始,重新踏上无情修仙大道。
  • 落花生

    落花生

    许地山,民国最富盛名、也最有特色的才子之一,以佛的空灵思辨的笔墨,展示出散文的美与光、诗歌的色与香。 他早年受佛教思想影响,文笔风格绮丽空灵。作品往往取材独特,想象丰富,充满浪漫气息,呈现出浓郁的南国风味和异域情调。