FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2285   2286   2287   2288   2289   2290   2291   2292   2293   2294   2295   2296   2297   2298   2299   2300   2301   2302   2303   2304   2305   2306   2307   2308   2309  
2310   2311   2312   2313   2314   2315   2316   2317   2318   2319   2320   2321   2322   2323   2324   2325   2326   2327   2328   2329   2330   2331   2332   2333   2334   >>   >|  
the waiter went again from the lady of honour into the hands of the Princess before it reached the Queen. It must be observed, however, that if a princess of the blood instead of a princess of the family entered, the service went directly from the first woman to the princess of the blood, the lady of honour being excused from transferring to any but princesses of the royal family. Nothing was presented directly to the Queen; her handkerchief or her gloves were placed upon a long salver of gold or silver gilt, which was placed as a piece of furniture of ceremony upon a side-table, and was called a gantiere. The first woman presented to her in this manner all that she asked for, unless the tirewoman, the lady of honour, or a princess were present, and then the gradation pointed out in the instance of the glass of water was always observed. Whether the Queen breakfasted in bed or up, those entitled to the petites entrees were equally admitted; this privilege belonged of right to her chief physician, chief surgeon, physician in ordinary, reader, closet secretary, the King's four first valets de chambre and their reversioners, and the King's chief physicians and surgeons. There were frequently from ten to twelve persons at this first entree. The lady of honour or the superintendent, if present, placed the breakfast equipage upon the bed; the Princesse de Lamballe frequently performed that office. As soon as the Queen rose, the wardrobe woman was admitted to take away the pillows and prepare the bed to be made by some of the valets de chambre. She undrew the curtains, and the bed was not generally made until the Queen was gone to mass. Generally, excepting at St. Cloud, where the Queen bathed in an apartment below her own, a slipper bath was rolled into her room, and her bathers brought everything that was necessary for the bath. The Queen bathed in a large gown of English flannel buttoned down to the bottom; its sleeves throughout, as well as the collar, were lined with linen. When she came out of the bath the first woman held up a cloth to conceal her entirely from the sight of her women, and then threw it over her shoulders. The bathers wrapped her in it and dried her completely. She then put on a long and wide open chemise, entirely trimmed with lace, and afterwards a white taffety bed-gown. The wardrobe woman warmed the bed; the slippers were of dimity, trimmed with lace. Thus dressed, the Queen went to bed again, and the bathers and servants of the c
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2285   2286   2287   2288   2289   2290   2291   2292   2293   2294   2295   2296   2297   2298   2299   2300   2301   2302   2303   2304   2305   2306   2307   2308   2309  
2310   2311   2312   2313   2314   2315   2316   2317   2318   2319   2320   2321   2322   2323   2324   2325   2326   2327   2328   2329   2330   2331   2332   2333   2334   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

honour

 

princess

 
bathers
 

present

 

chambre

 

bathed

 

trimmed

 

wardrobe

 

physician

 

admitted


valets

 

frequently

 

family

 

directly

 

presented

 

observed

 
brought
 

slipper

 

reached

 

rolled


Princess

 

bottom

 

sleeves

 

buttoned

 
English
 

flannel

 

generally

 
curtains
 

undrew

 
Generally

apartment
 
excepting
 

silver

 

waiter

 

chemise

 

taffety

 

dressed

 
servants
 
dimity
 

warmed


slippers

 
completely
 
collar
 

conceal

 

shoulders

 

wrapped

 
excused
 

entitled

 

transferring

 

breakfasted