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pieces of furniture for the decoration of the apartment。 Some of them
fetch the mall and the balls； others hold the mantle and cane； others
comb the king's hair and dry him off after a bath； others drive the
mules which transport his bed； others watch his pet greyhounds in his
room； others fold； put on and tie his cravat； and others fetch and
carry off his easy chair。＇20＇ Some there are whose sole business it is
to fill a corner which must not be left empty。 Certainly； with respect
to ease of deportment and appearance these are the most conspicuous of
all； being so close to the master they are under obligation to appear
well； in such proximity their bearing must not create a discord。 …
Such is the king's household； and I have only described one of his
residences； he has a dozen of them besides Versailles； great and
small； Marly； the two Trianons； la Muette； Meudon； Choisy； Saint…
Hubert； Saint…Germain； Fontainebleau； Compiègne； Saint…Cloud；
Rambouillet；＇21＇ without counting the Louvre； the Tuileries and
Chambord； with their parks and hunting…grounds； their governors；
inspectors； comptrollers； concierges； fountain tenders； gardeners；
sweepers； scrubbers； mole…catchers； wood…rangers； mounted and foot…
guards； in all more than a thousand persons。 Naturally he entertains；
plans and builds； and； in this way expends 3 or 4 millions per
annum。＇22＇ Naturally； also； he repairs and renews his furniture； in
1778； which is an average year； this costs him 1；936；853 livres。
Naturally； also； he takes his guests along with him and defrays their
expenses； they and their attendants； at Choisy； in 1780； there are
sixteen tables with 345 seats besides the distributions； at Saint…
Cloud； in 1785； there are twenty…six tables； 〃an excursion to Marly of
twenty…one days is a matter of 120；000 livres extra expense；〃 the
excursion to Fontainebleau has cost as much as 400；000 and 500；000
livres。 His removals； on the average； cost half a million and more per
annum。＇23＇ … To complete our idea of this immense paraphernalia it
must be borne in mind that the artisans and merchants belonging to
these various official bodies are obliged； through the privileges they
enjoy； to follow the court 〃on its journeys that it may be provided on
the spot with apothecaries； armorers； gunsmiths； sellers of silken and
woollen hosiery； butchers； bakers； embroiderers； publicans； cobblers；
belt…makers； candle…makers； hatters； pork…dealers； surgeons；
shoemakers； curriers； cooks； pinkers； gilders and engravers； spur…
makers； sweetmeat…dealers； furbishers； old…clothes brokers； glove…
perfumers； watchmakers； booksellers； linen…drapers； wholesale and
retail wine…dealers； carpenters； coarse…jewelry haberdashers；
jewellers； parchment…makers； dealers in trimmings； chicken…roasters；
fish…dealers； purveyors of hay； straw and oats； hardware…sellers；
saddlers； tailors； gingerbread and starch…dealers； fruiterers； dealers
in glass and in violins。〃＇24＇ One might call it an oriental court
which； to be set in motion； moves an entire world： 〃when it is to move
one must； if one wants to travel anywhere； take the post in well in
advance。〃 The total is near 4；000 persons for the king's civil
household； 9；000 to 10；000 for his military household； at least 2；000
for those of his relatives； in all 15；000 individuals； at a cost of
between forty and fifty million livres； which would be equal to double
the amount to day； and which； at that time； constituted one…tenth of
the public revenue。＇25＇ We have here the central figure of the
monarchical show。 However grand and costly it may be； it is only
proportionate to its purpose； since the court is a public institution；
and the aristocracy； with nothing to do； devotes itself to filling up
the king's drawing…room。
III。 THE KING'S ASSOCIATES。
The society of the king。 … Officers of the household。 … Invited
guests。
Two causes maintain this affluence； one the feudal form still
preserved； and the other the new centralization just introduced； one
placing the royal service in the hands of the nobles； and the other
converting the nobles into place…hunters。 … Through the duties of
the palace the highest nobility live with the king； residing under his
roof； the grand…almoner is M。 de Montmorency…Laval； bishop of Metz；
the first almoner is M。 de Bussuéjouls； bishop of Senlis； the grand…
master of France is the Prince de Condé； the first royal butier is the
Comte d'Escars； the second is the Marquis de Montdragon； the master of
the pantry is the Duke de Brissac； the chief cup…bearer is the Marquis
de Vemeuil； the chief carver is the Marquis de la Chesnaye； the first
gentlemen of the bedchamber are the Ducs de Richelieu； de Durfort； de
Villequier； and de Fleury； the grand…master of the wardrobe is the Duc
de la Rochefoucauld…Liancourt； the masters of the wardrobe are the
Comte de Boisgelin and the Marquis de Chauvelin。 The captain of the
falconry is the Chevalier du Forget； the captain of the boar…hunt is
the Marquis d'Ecquevilly； the superintendent of edifices is the Comte
d'Angevillier； the grand…equerry is the Prince de Lambesc； the master
of the hounds is the Duc de Penthièvre； the grand…master of ceremonies
is the Marquis de Brèze； the grand…master of the household is the
Marquis de la Suze； the captains of the guards are the Ducs d'Agen； de
Villery； de Brissac； d'Aguillon； and de Biron； the Princes de Poix； de
Luxembourg and de Soubise。 The provost of the hotel is the Marquis de
Tourzel； the governors of the residences and captains of the chase are
the Duc de Noailles； Marquis de Champcenetz； Baron de Champlost； Duc
de Coigny； Comte de Modena； Comte de Montmorin； Duc de Laval； Comte de
Brienne； Duc d'Orléans； and the Duc de Gèsvres。＇26＇ All these
seigniors are the king's necessary intimates； his permanent and
generally hereditary guests； dwelling under his roof； in close and
daily intercourse with him； for they are 〃his folks〃 （gens）＇27＇ and
perform domestic service about his person。 Add to these their equals；
as noble and nearly as numerous； dwelling with the queen； with
Mesdames； with Mme。 Elisabeth； with the Comte and Comtesse de Provence
and the Comte and Comtesse d'Artois。 … And these are only the heads
of the service； if； below them in rank and office； I count the titular
nobles； I find； among others； 68 almoners or chaplains； 170 gentlemen
of the bedchamber or in waiting； 117 gentlemen of the stable or of the
hunting…train； 148 pages； 114 titled ladies in waiting； besides all
the officers； even to the lowest of the military household； without
counting 1；400 ordinary guards who； verified by the genealogist； are
admitted by virtue of their title to pay their court。＇28＇ Such is the
fixed body of recruits for the royal receptions； the distinctive trait
of this régime is the conversion of its servants into guests； the
drawing room being filled from the anteroom。
Not that the drawing room needs all that to be filled。 Being