按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
indeed； no end to them。 On reading various memoirs day after day it
seems as if the treasury was open to plunder。 The courtiers；
unremitting in their attentions to the king； force him to sympathize
with their troubles。 They are his intimates； the guests of his
drawing…room； men of the same stamp as himself； his natural clients；
the only ones with whom he can converse； and whom it is necessary to
make contented； he cannot avoid helping them。 He must necessarily
contribute to the dowries of their children since he has signed their
marriage contracts； he must necessarily enrich them since their
profusion serves for the embellishment of his court。 Nobility being
one of the glories of the throne； the occupant of the throne is
obliged to regild it as often as is necessary。＇17＇ In this connection
a few figures and anecdotes among a thousand speak most
eloquently。＇18＇ … 〃The Prince de Pons had a pension of 25；000 livres；
out of the king's bounty； on which his Majesty was pleased to give
6；000 to Mme。 de Marsan； his daughter； Canoness of Remiremont。 The
family represented to the king the bad state of the Prince de Pons's
affairs； and his Majesty was pleased to grant to his son Prince
Camille； 15；000 livres of the pension vacated by the death of his
father； and 5；000 livres increase to Mme。 de Marsan。〃 … M。 de
Conflans espouses Mlle。 Portail。 〃In honor of this marriage the king
was pleased to order that out of the pension of 10；000 livres granted
to Mme。 la Presidente Portail； 6；000 of it should pass to M。 de
Conflans after the death of Mme。 Portail。〃 … M。 de Séchelles； a
retiring minister； 〃had 12；000 livres on an old pension which the king
continued； he has； besides this； 20；000 livres pension as minister；
and the king gives him in addition to all this a pension of 40；000
livres。〃 The motives； which prompt these favors； are often remarkable。
M。 de Rouillé has to be consoled for not having participated in the
treaty of Vienna； this explains why 〃a pension of 6；000 livres is
given to his niece； Mme。 de Castellane； and another of 10；000 to his
daughter； Mme。 de Beuvron； who is very rich。〃 … 〃M。 de Puisieux
enjoys about 76；000 or 77；000 livres income from the bounty of the
king； it is true that he has considerable property； but the revenue of
this property is uncertain； being for the most part in vines。〃 … 〃A
pension of 10；000 livres has just been awarded to the Marquise de Lède
because she is disagreeable to Mme。 Infante； and to secure her
resignation。〃 … The most opulent stretch out their hands and take
accordingly。 〃It is estimated that last week 128；000 livres in
pensions were bestowed on ladies of the court； while for the past two
years the officers have not received the slightest pension： 8；000
livres to the Duchesse de Chevreuse； whose husband has an income of
500；000 livres； 12；000 livres to Mme。 de Luynes； that she may not be
jealous； 10；000 to the Duchesse de Brancas； 10；000 to the dowager
Duchesse de Brancas； mother of the preceding；〃 etc。 At the head of
these leeches come the princes of the blood。 〃The king has just given
1；500；000 livres to M。 le Prince de Conti to pay his debts； 1；000；000
of which is under the pretext of indemnifying him for the injury done
him by the sale of Orange； and 500；000 livres as a gratuity。〃 〃The Duc
d'Orléans formerly had 50；000 crowns pension； as a poor man； and
awaiting his father's inheritance。 This event making him rich； with an
income of more than 3；000；000 livres； he gave up his pension。 But
having since represented to the king that his expenditure exceeded his
income； the king gave him back his 50；000 crowns。〃 … Twenty years
later； in 1780； when Louis XVI。； desirous of relieving the treasury；
signs 〃the great reformation of the table； 600；000 livres are given to
Mesdames for their tables。〃 This is what the dinners； cut down； of
three old ladies； cost the public！ For the king's two brothers；
8；300；000 livres； besides 2；000；000 income in appanages； for the
Dauphin； Madame Royale； Madame Elisabeth； and Mesdames 3；500；000
livres； for the queen； 4；000；000： such is the statement of Necker in
1784。 Add to this the casual donations； admitted or concealed； 200；000
francs to M。 de Sartines； to aid him in paying his debts； 200；000 to
M。 Lamoignon； keeper of the seals； 100；000 to M。 de Miromesnil for
expenses in establishing himself； 166；000 to the widow of M。 de
Maurepas； 400；000 to the Prince de Salm； 1；200；000 to the Duc de
Polignac for the pledge of the county Fenestranges； 754；337 to
Mesdames to pay for Bellevue。＇19＇ M。 de Calonne；〃 says Augeard； a
reliable witness；＇20＇ 〃scarcely entered on his duties； raised a loan
of 100；000；000 livres； one…quarters of which did not find its way into
the royal treasury； the rest was eaten up by people at the court； his
donations to the Comte Artois are estimated at 56；000；000； the portion
of Monsieur is 5；000；000； he gave to the Prince de Condé； in exchange
for 300；000 livres income； 12；000；000 paid down and 600；000 livres
annuity； and he causes the most burdensome acquisition to be made for
the State； in exchanges of which the damage is more than five to one。〃
We must not forget that in actual rates all these donations； pensions；
and salaries are worth double the amount。 … Such is the use of the
great in relation to the central power； instead of constituting
themselves representatives of the people； they aimed to be the
favorites of the Sovereign； and they shear the flock which they ought
to preserve。
IV。
Isolation of the Chiefs … Sentiments of subordinates… Provincial
nobility … The Curates。
The fleeced flock is to discover finally what is done with its
wool。 〃Sooner or later；〃 says a parliament of 1764；＇21＇ 〃the people
will learn that the remnants of our finances continue be wasted in
donations which are frequently undeserved； in excessive and multiplied
pensions for the same persons； in dowries and promises of dowry； and
in useless offices and salaries。〃 Sooner or later they will thrust
back 〃these greedy hands which are always open and never full； that
insatiable crowd which seems to be born only to seize all and possess
nothing； and pitiless as it is shameless。〃 … And when this day
arrives the extortioners will find that they stand alone。 For the
characteristic of an aristocracy which cares only for itself is to
live aloof in a closed circle。 Having forgotten the public； it also
neglects its subordinates； after being separated from the nation it
separates itself from its own adherents。 Like a group of staff…
officers on furlough； it indulges in Sports without giving itself
further concern about inferior officers； when the hour of battle comes
nobody will march under its orders； and chieftains are sought
elsewhere。 Such is the isolation of the seigniors of the court and of
the prelates among the lower grades of the nobility and the clergy；
they appropriate to themselves too large a share； and g