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！
royal palaces； and a number of others； all of them for ostentation and
empty honors。 They are all in the hands of the nobles； all lucrative；
not only through salaries paid by the treasury； but also through local
profits。 Here； again； the nobility allowed itself to evade the
authority； the activity and the usefulness of its charge on the
condition of retaining its title； pomp and money。＇10＇ The intendant is
really the governor； 〃the titular governor； exercising a function with
special letters of command；〃 is only there to give dinners； and again
he must have permission to do that； 〃the permission to go and reside
at his place of government。〃 The place； however； yields fruit。 The
government…general of Berry is worth 35；000 livres income； that of
Guyenne 120；000； that of Languedoc 160；000； a small special
government； like that of Havre； brings in 35；000 livres； besides the
accessories； a medium lieutenancy…general； like that of Roussillon；
13；000 to 14；000 livres； one special government from 12；000 to 18；000
livres； and observe that； in the Isle of France alone； there are
thirty…four； at Vervins； Senlis； Melun； Fontainebleau； Dourdan； Sens；
Limours； Etampes； Dreux； Houdan and other towns as insignificant as
they are pacific； it is the staff of the Valois dynasty which； since
the time of Richelieu； has ceased to perform any service； but which
the treasury continues to pay。 … Consider these sinecures in one
province alone； in Languedoc； a country with its own provincial
assembly； which ought to provide some protection the taxpayer's purse。
There are three sub…commandants at Tournon； Alais； and Montpelier；
〃each one paid 16；000 livres； although without any functions since
their places were established at the time of the religious wars and
troubles； to keep down the Protestants。〃 Twelve royal lieutenants are
equally useless； and only for parade。 The same with three lieutenants…
general； each one 〃receiving in his turn； every three years； a
gratuity of 30；000 livres； for services rendered in the said province。
These are vain and chimerical； they are not specified〃 because none of
them reside there； and； if they are paid； it is to secure their
support at the court。 〃Thus the Comte de Caraman； who has more than
600；000 livres income as proprietor of the Languedoc canal； receives
30；000 livres every three years； without legitimate cause； and
independently of frequent and ample gifts which the province awards to
him for repairs on his canal。〃 … The province likewise gives to the
commandant； Comte de Périgord； a gratuity of 12；000 livres in addition
to his salary； and to his wife another gratuity of 12；000 livres on
her honoring the states for the first time with her presence。 It
again pays； for the same commandant； forty guards； 〃of which twenty…
four only serve during his short appearance at the Assembly；〃 and who；
with their captain； annually cost 15；000 livres。 It pays likewise for
the Governor from eighty to one hundred guards； 〃 who each receive 300
or 400 livres； besides many exemptions； and who are never on service；
since the Governor is a non…resident。〃 The expense of these lazy
subalterns is about 24；000 livres； besides 5；000 to 6；000 for their
captain； to which must be added 7；500 for gubernatorial secretaries；
besides 60；000 livres salaries； and untold profits for the Governor
himself。 I find everywhere secondary idlers swarming in the shadow of
idlers in chief；＇11＇ and deriving their vigor from the public purse
which is the common nurse。 All these people parade and drink and eat
copiously； in grand style； it is their principal service； and they
attend to it conscientiously。 The sessions of the Assembly are
junketings of six weeks' duration； in which the intendant expends
25；000 livres in dinners and receptions。＇12＇
Equally lucrative and useless are the court offices＇13＇； so many
domestic sinecures； the profits and accessories of which largely
exceed the emoluments。 I find in the printed register 295 cooks；
without counting the table…waiters of the king and his people； while
〃the head butler obtains 84；000 livres a year in billets and
supplies；〃 without counting his salary and the 〃grand liveries〃 which
he receives in money。 The head chambermaids to the queen； inscribed in
the Almanac for 150 livres and paid 12；000 francs； make in reality
50；000 francs by the sale of the candles lighted during the day。
Augeard； private secretary； and whose place is set down at 900 livres
a year； confesses that it is worth to him 200；000。 The head huntsman
at Fontainebleau sells for his own benefit each year 20；000 francs
worth of rabbits。 〃On each journey to the king's country residences
the ladies of the bedchamber gain eighty per cent on the expenses of
moving； it is said that the coffee and bread for each of these ladies
costs 2；000 francs a year； and so on with other things。〃 〃Mme。 de
Tallard made 115；000 livres income out of her place of governess to
the children of France； because her salary was increased 35；000 livres
for each child。〃 The Duc de Penthièvre； as grand admiral； received an
anchorage due on all vessels 〃entering the ports and rivers of
France；〃 which produced annually 91；484 francs。 Mme。 de Lamballe；
superintendent of the queen's household； inscribed for 6；000 francs；
gets 50；000。＇14＇ The Duc de Gèvres gets 50；000 crowns＇15＇ by one show
of fireworks out of the fragments and scaffolding which belong to him
by virtue of his office。＇16＇ … Grand officers of the palace；
governors of royal establishments； captains of captaincies；
chamberlains； equerries； gentlemen in waiting； gentlemen in ordinary；
pages； governors； almoners； chaplains； ladies of honor； ladies of the
bedchamber； ladies in waiting on the King； the Queen； on Monsieur； on
Madame； on the Comte D'Artois； on the Comtesse D'Artois； on Mesdames；
on Madame Royale； on Madame Elisabeth； in each princely establishment
and elsewhere； hundreds of places provided with salaries and
accessories are without any service to perform； or simply answer a
decorative purpose。 〃Mme。 de Laborde has just been appointed keeper of
the queen's bed； with 12；000 francs pension out of the king's privy
purse； nothing is known of the duties of this position； as there has
been no place of this kind since Anne of Austria。〃 The eldest son of
M。 de Machault is appointed intendant of the classes。 〃This is one of
the employments called complimentary： it is worth 18；000 livres income
to sign one's name twice a year。〃 And likewise with the post of
secretary…general of the Swiss guards； worth 30；000 livres a year and
assigned to the Abbé Barthélemy； and the same with the post of
secretary…general of the dragoons； worth 20；000 livres a year； held in
turn by Gentil Bernard and by Laujon； two small pocket poets。？ … It
would be simpler to give the money without the place。 There is；
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 Castell