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THE MEMOIRS OF MARIE ANTOINETTE - V3
THE MEMOIRS OF MARIE ANTOINETTE - V3 MADAME CAMPAN [NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks or pointers at the end of the
file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making an
entire meal of them. D.W.]
MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF MARIE ANTOINETTE QUEEN OF FRANCE
Being the Historic Memoirs of Madam Campan
First Lady in Waiting to the Queen
BOOK 3.
CHAPTER VI.
During the first few months of his reign Louis XVI. dwelt at La Muette
Marly and Compiegne. When settled at Versailles he occupied himself
with a general examination of his grandfather's papers. He had promised
the Queen to communicate to her all that he might discover relative to
the history of the man with the iron mask who he thought had become so
inexhaustible a source of conjecture only in consequence of the interest
which the pen of a celebrated writer had excited respecting the detention
of a prisoner of State who was merely a man of whimsical tastes and
habits.
I was with the Queen when the King having finished his researches
informed her that he had not found anything among the secret papers
elucidating the existence of this prisoner; that he had conversed on the
matter with M. de Maurepas whose age made him contemporary with the
epoch during which the story must have been known to the ministers;
and that M. de Maurepas had assured him he was merely a prisoner of a
very dangerous character in consequence of his disposition for intrigue.
He was a subject of the Duke of Mantua and was enticed to the frontier
arrested there and kept prisoner first at Pignerol and afterwards in
the Bastille. This transfer took place in consequence of the appointment
of the governor of the former place to the government of the latter.
It was for fear the prisoner should profit by the inexperience of a new
governor that he was sent with the Governor of Pignerol to the Bastille.
Such was in fact the truth about the man on whom people have been
pleased to fix an iron mask. And thus was it related in writing and
published by M. ----- twenty years ago. He had searched the archives of
the Foreign Office and laid the real story before the public; but the
public prepossessed in favour of a marvellous version would not
acknowledge the authenticity of his account. Every man relied upon the
authority of Voltaire; and it was believed that a natural or a twin
brother of Louis XIV. lived many years in prison with a mask over his
face. The story of this mask perhaps had its origin in the old custom
among both men and women in Italy of wearing a velvet mask when they
exposed themselves to the sun. It is possible that the Italian captive
may have sometimes shown himself upon the terrace of his prison with his
face thus covered. As to the silver plate which this celebrated prisoner
is said to have thrown from his window it is known that such a
circumstance did happen but it happened at Valzin in the time of
Cardinal Richelieu. This anecdote has been mixed up with the inventions
respecting the Piedmontese prisoner.
In this survey of the papers of Louis XV. by his grandson some very
curious particulars relative to his private treasury were found. Shares
in various financial companies afforded him a revenue and had in course
of time produced him a capital of some amount which he applied to his
secret expenses. The King collected his vouchers of title to these
shares and made a present of them to M. Thierry de Ville d'Avray his
chief valet de chambre.
The Queen was desirous to secure the comfort of Mesdames the daughters
of Louis XV. who were held in the highest respect. About this period
she contributed to furnish them with a revenue sufficient to provide them
an easy pleasant existence: The King gave them the Chateau of Bellevue;
and added to the produce of it which was given up to them the expenses
of their table and equipage and payment of all the charges of their
household the number of which was even increased. During the lifetime
of Louis XV. who was a very selfish prince his daughters although they
had attained forty years of age had no other place of residence than
their apartments in the Chateau of Versailles; no other walks than such
as they could take in the large park of that palace; and no other means
of gratifying their taste for the cultivation of plants but by having
boxes and vases filled with them in their balconies or their closets.
They had therefore reason to be much pleased with the conduct of Marie
Antoinette who had the greatest influence in the King's kindness towards
his aunts.
Paris did not cease during the first years of the reign to give proofs
of pleasure whenever the Queen appeared at any of the plays of the
capital. At the representation of "Iphigenia in Aulis" the actor who
sang the words "Let us sing let us celebrate our Queen!" which were
repeated by the chorus directed by a respectful movement the eyes of the
whole assembly upon her Majesty. Reiterated cries of 'Bis'! and clapping
of hands were followed by such a burst of enthusiasm that many of the
audience added their voices to those of the actors in order to celebrate
it might too truly be said another Iphigenia. The Queen deeply
affected covered her eyes with her handkerchief; and this proof of
sensibility raised the public enthusiasm to a still higher pitch.
The King gave Marie Antoinette Petit Trianon.
[The Chateau of Petit Trianon which was built for Louis XV. was
not remarkably handsome as a building. The luxuriance of the
hothouses rendered the place agreeable to that Prince. He spent a
few days there several times in the year. It was when he was
setting off from Versailles for Petit Trianon that he was struck in
the side by the knife of Damiens and it was there that he was
attacked by the smallpox of which he died on the 10th of May
1774.--MADAME CAMPAN.]
Henceforward she amused herself with improving the gardens without
allowing any addition to the building or any change in the furniture
which was very shabby and remained in 1789 in the same state as during
the reign of Louis XV. Everything there without exception was
preserved; and the Queen slept in a faded bed which had been used by the
Comtesse du Barry. The charge of extravagance generally made against
the Queen is the most unaccountable of all the popular errors respecting
her character. She had exactly the contrary failing; and I could prove
that she often carried her economy to a degree of parsimony actually
blamable especially in a sovereign. She took a great liking for
Trianon and used to go there alone followed by a valet; but she found
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