bearers，rug—bearersandothervaletsitcomprisesmostofthesuperiorofficials，thegrand—almoner，thealmonersonduty，thechaplain，themasteroftheoratory，thecaptainandmajorofthebody—guard，thecolonel—generalandmajoroftheFrenchguards，thecoloneloftheking’sregiment，thecaptainoftheCentSuisses，thegrand—huntsman，thegrandwolf—huntsman，thegrand—provost，thegrand—
masterandmasterofceremonies，thefirstbutler，thegrand—masterofthepantry，theforeignambassadors，theministersandsecretariesofstate，themarshalsofFranceandmostoftheseigniorsandprelatesofdistinction。Ushersplacetheranksinorderand，ifnecessary，imposesilence。Meanwhilethekingwasheshishandsandbeginshistoilet。Twopagesremovehisslippers；thegrand—masterofthewardrobedrawsoffhisnight—shirtbytherightarm，andthefirstvaletofthewardrobebytheleftarm，andbothofthemhandittoanofficerofthewardrobe，whilstavaletofthewardrobefetchestheshirtwrappedupinwhitetaffeta。Thingshavenowreachedthesolemnpoint，theculminationoftheceremony；thefifthentryhasbeenintroduced，and，inafewmoments，afterthekinghasputhisshirton，allthatisleftofthosewhoareknown，withotherhouseholdofficerswaitinginthegallery，completetheinflux。Thereisquiteaformalityinregardtothisshirt。ThehonorofhandingitisreservedtothesonsandgrandsonsofFrance；indefaultofthesetotheprincesofthebloodorthoselegitimized；intheirdefaulttothegrand—chamberlainortothefirstgentlemanofthebedchamber；—thelattercase，itmustbeobserved，beingveryrare，theprincesbeingobligedtobepresentattheking’slever，asweretheprincessesatthatofthequeen。[40]Atlasttheshirtispresentedandavaletcarriesofftheoldone；thefirstvaletofthewardrobeandthefirstvalet—de—chambreholdthefreshone，eachbyarightandleftarmrespectively，[41]whiletwoothervalets，duringthisoperation，extendhisdressing—gowninfrontofhimtoserveasascreen。Theshirtisnowonhisbackandthetoiletcommences。Avalet—de—chambresupportsamirrorbeforethekingwhiletwoothersonthetwosideslightitup，ifoccasionrequires，withflambeaux。Valetsofthewardrobefetchtherestoftheattire；thegrand—masterofthewardrobeputsthevestonandthedoublet，attachestheblueribbon，andclaspshisswordaroundhim；thenavaletassignedtothecravatsbringsseveraloftheseinabasket，whilethemasterofthewardrobearrangesaroundtheking’sneckthatwhichthekingselects。Afterthisavaletassignedtothehandkerchiefsbringsthreeoftheseonasilversalver，whilethegrand—masterofthewardrobeoffersthesalvertotheking，whochoosesone。Finallythemasterofthewardrobehandstothekinghishat，hisglovesandhiscane。Thekingthenstepstothesideofthebed，kneelsonacushionandsayshisprayers，whilstanalmonerinalowvoicerecitestheorisonQuoesumus，deusomnipotens。Thisdone，thekingannouncestheorderoftheday，andpasseswiththeleadingpersonsofhiscourtintohiscabinet，wherehesometimesgivesaudience。Meanwhiletherestofthecompanyawaithiminthegalleryinordertoaccompanyhimtomasswhenhecomesout。
Suchisthelever，apieceinfiveacts。—Nothingcouldbecontrivedbettercalculatedtofillupthevoidofanaristocraticlife；ahundredorthereaboutsofnotableseigniorsdisposeofacoupleofhoursincoming，inwaiting，inentering，indefiling，intakingpositions，instandingontheirfeet，inmaintaininganairofrespectandofeasesuitabletoasuperiorclassofwalkinggentlemen，whilethosebestqualifiedareabouttodothesamethingoverinthequeen’sapartment。
[42]—Theking，however，asanindirectconsequence，suffersthesametortureandthesameinactionasheimposes。Healsoisplayingapart；allhisstepsandallhisgestureshavebeendeterminedbeforehand；hehasbeenobligedtoarrangehisphysiognomyandhisvoice，nevertodepartfromanaffableanddignifiedair，toawardjudiciouslyhisglancesandhisnods，tokeepsilentortospeakonlyofthechase，andtosuppresshisownthoughts，ifhehasany。Onecannotindulgeinreverie，meditateorbeabsent—mindedwhenoneisbeforethefootlights；thepartmusthavedueattention。Besides，inadrawingroomthereisonlydrawingroomconversation，andthemaster’sthoughts，insteadofbeingdirectedinaprofitablechannel，mustbescatteredaboutliketheholywaterofthecourt。Allhoursofhisdayarepassedinasimilarmanner，exceptthreeorfourduringthemorning，duringwhichheisatthecouncilorinhisprivateroom；itmustbenoted，too，thatonthedaysafterhishunts，onreturninghomefromRambouilletatthreeo’clockinthemorning，hemustsleepthefewhourshehaslefttohim。TheambassadorMercy，[43]nevertheless，amanofcloseapplication，seemstothinkitsufficient；he，atleast，thinksthat\"LouisXVIisamanoforder，losingnotimeinuselessthings；\"hispredecessor，indeed，workedmuchless，scarcelyanhouraday。Three—quartersofhistimeisthusgivenuptoshow。Thesameretinuesurroundshimwhenheputsonhisboots，whenhetakesthemoff；whenhechangeshisclothestomounthishorse，whenhereturnshometodressfortheevening，andwhenhegoestohisroomatnighttoretire。\"Everyeveningforsixyears，saysapage，[44]eithermyselforoneofmycomradeshasseenLouisXVIgetintobedinpublic，\"withtheceremonialjustdescribed。
\"Itwasnotomittedtentimestomyknowledge，andthenaccidentallyorthroughindisposition。\"Theattendanceisyetmorenumerouswhenhedinesandtakessupper；for，besidesmentherearewomenpresent，duchessesseatedonthefolding—chairs，alsoothersstandingaroundthetable。Itisneedlesstostatethatintheeveningwhenheplays，orgivesaball，oraconcert，thecrowdrushesinandoverflows。Whenhehunts，besidestheladiesonhorsesandinvehicles，besidesofficersofthehunt，oftheguards，theequerry，thecloak—bearer，gun—bearer，surgeon，bone—setter，lunch—bearerandIknownothowmanyothers，allthegentlemenwhoaccompanyhimarehispermanentguests。
......购买会员看全站小说，或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载，搜索"The Origins of Contemporary France",免费读到尾