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THE DUCHESS OF BERRY
THE DUCHESS OF BERRY IMBERT DE ST-AMAND Robert Rowe Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
THE DUCHESS OF BERRY AND THE COURT OF CHARLES X
BY IMBERT DE SAINT-AMAND
CONTENTS
I. THE ACCESSION OF CHARLES X
II. THE ENTRY INTO PARIS
III. THE TOMBS OF SAINT-DENIS
IV. THE FUNERAL OF LOUIS XVIII
V. THE KING
VI. THE DAUPHIN AND DAUPHINESS
VII. MADAME
VIII. THE ORLEANS FAMILY
IX. THE PRINCE OF CONDE
X. THE COURT
XI. THE DUKE OF DOUDEAUVILLE
XII. THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE DUCHESS OF BERRY
XIII. THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE CORONATION
XIV. THE CORONATION
XV. CLOSE OF THE SOJOURN AT RHEIMS
XVI. THE RE-ENTRANCE INTO PARIS
XVII. THE JUBILEE OF 1826
XVIII. THE DUCHESS OF GONTAUT
XIX. THE THREE GOVERNORS
XX. THE REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL GUARD
XXI. THE FIRST DISQUIETUDE
XXII. THE MARTIGNAC MINISTRY
XXIII. THE JOURNEY IN THE WEST
XXIV. THE MARY STUART BALL
XXV. THE FINE ARTS
XXVI. THE THEATRE OF MADAME
XXVII. DIEPPE
XXVIII. THE PRINCE DE POLIGNAC
XXIX. GENERAL DE BOURMONT
XXX. THE JOURNEY IN THE SOUTH
THE DUCHESS OF BERRY AND THE COURT OF CHARLES X
I
THE ACCESSION OF CHARLES X
Thursday the 16th of September 1824 at the moment when Louis
XVIII. was breathing his last in his chamber of the Chateau des
Tuileries the courtiers were gathered in the Gallery of Diana. It
was four o'clock in the morning. The Duke and the Duchess of
Angouleme the Duchess of Berry the Duke and the Duchess of
Orleans the Bishop of Hermopolis and the physicians were in the
chamber of the dying man. When the King had given up the ghost
the Duke of Angouleme who became Dauphin threw himself at the
feet of his father who became King and kissed his hand with
respectful tenderness. The princes and princesses followed this
example and he who bore thenceforward the title of Charles X.
sobbing embraced them all. They knelt about the bed. The De
Profundis was recited. Then the new King sprinkled holy water on
the body of his brother and kissed the icy hand. An instant later
M. de Blacas opening the door of the Gallery of Diana called
out: "Gentlemen the King!" And Charles X. appeared.
Let us listen to the Duchess of Orleans. "At these words in the
twinkling of an eye all the crowd of courtiers deserted the
Gallery to surround and follow the new King. It was like a
torrent. We were borne along by it and only at the door of the
Hall of the Throne my husband bethought himself that we no longer
had aught to do there. We returned home reflecting much on the
feebleness of our poor humanity and the nothingness of the things
of this world."
Marshal Marmont who was in the Gallery of Diana at the moment of
the King's death was much struck by the two phrases pronounced at
an instant's interval by M. de Damas: "Gentlemen the King is
dead! The King gentlemen!"
He wrote in his Memoirs: "It is difficult to describe the
sensation produced by this double announcement in so brief a time.
The new sovereign was surrounded by his officers and everything
except the person of the King was in the accustomed order.
Beautiful and great thought this uninterrupted life of the
depository of the sovereign power! By this fiction there is no
break in this protecting force so necessary to the preservation
of society." The Marshal adds: "The government had been in fact
for a year and more in the hands of Monsieur. Thus the same order
of things was to continue; nevertheless there was emotion
perceptible on the faces of those present; one might see hopes
spring up and existences wither. Every one accompanied the new
King to his Pavilion of Marsan. He announced to his ministers that
he confirmed them in their functions. Then every one withdrew."
While the Duchess of Berry was present at the death of Louis
XVIII. the Duke of Bordeaux and his sister Mademoiselle then
the one four the other five years of age remained at the Chateau
of Saint Cloud with the Governess of the Children of France the
Viscountess of Gontaut-Biron. This lady passed the night of the
15th of September in great anxiety. She listened on the balcony
awaiting and dreading the news.
At the moment that the day began to dawn she heard afar the
gallop of a horse that drew near passed the bridge ascended the
avenue reached the Chateau and in response to the challenge of
the guard she distinguished the words: "An urgent message for
Madame the Governess." It was a letter from the new King. Madame
de Gontaut trembled as she opened it. Charles X. announced to her
in sad words that Louis XVIII. was no more and directed her to
made ready for the arrival of the royal family. "Lodge me where
you and the governor shall see fit. We shall probably pass three
or four days at Saint Cloud. Communicate my letter to the Marshal.
I have not strength to write another word."
"The day was beginning to break" we read in the unpublished
Memoirs of the Governess of the Children of France. "I went to the
bed of Monseigneur. He was awakened. He was not surprised and
said nothing and allowed himself to be dressed. Not so with
Mademoiselle. I told her gently of the misfortune that had come
upon her family. I was agitated. She questioned me asking where
was bon-papa. I told her that he was still in Paris but was
coming to Saint Cloud; then I added: 'Your bon-papa Mademoiselle
is King since the King is no more.' She reflected then
repeating the word: 'King! Oh! that indeed is the worst of the
story.' I was astonished and wished her to explain her idea; she
simply repeated it. I thought then she had conceived the notion of
a king always rolled about in his chair."
The same day the court arrived. It was no longer the light
carriage that used almost daily to bring Monsieur to the great
joy of his grandchildren. It was the royal coach with eight
horses livery escort and body-guard. The Duke of Bordeaux and
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