FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2447   2448   2449   2450   2451   2452   2453   2454   2455   2456   2457   2458   2459   2460   2461   2462   2463   2464   2465   2466   2467   2468   2469   2470   2471  
2472   2473   2474   2475   2476   2477   2478   2479   2480   2481   2482   2483   2484   2485   2486   2487   2488   2489   2490   2491   2492   2493   2494   2495   2496   >>   >|  
e Queen of this, and she told me she should not be able to wait for it, as she was to set out in the course of June. She added that, as she had ordered her sister's dressing-case in the presence of all her attendants, she had taken a sufficient precaution, especially by saying that her sister was out of patience at not receiving it, and that therefore her own must be emptied and cleaned, and taken to the charge d'affaires, who would send it off. I executed this order without any, appearance of mystery. I desired the wardrobe woman to take out of the dressing-case all that it contained, because that intended for the Archduchess could not be finished for some time; and to take great care to leave no remains of the perfumes which might not suit that Princess. The woman in question executed her commission punctually; but, on the evening of that very day, the 15th of May, 1791, she informed M. Bailly, the Mayor of Paris, that preparations were making at the Queen's residence for a departure; and that the dressing-case was already sent off, under pretence of its being presented to the Archduchess Christina. [After the return from Varennes M. Bailly put this woman's deposition into the Queen's hands.--MADAME CAMPAN.] It was necessary, likewise, to send off all the diamonds belonging to the Queen. Her Majesty shut herself up with me in a closet in the entresol, looking into the garden of the Tuileries, and we packed all the diamonds, rubies, and pearls she possessed in a small chest. The cases containing these ornaments, being altogether of considerable bulk, had been deposited, ever since the 6th of October, 1789, with the valet de chambre who had the care of the Queen's jewels. That faithful servant, himself detecting the use that was to be made of the valuables, destroyed all the boxes, which were, as usual, covered with red morocco, marked with the cipher and arms of France. It would have been impossible for him to hide them from the eyes of the popular inquisitors during the domiciliary visits in January, 1793, and the discovery might have formed a ground of accusation against the Queen. I had but a few articles to place in the box when the Queen was compelled to desist from packing it, being obliged to go down to cards, which began at seven precisely. She therefore desired me to leave all the diamonds upon the sofa, persuaded that, as she took the key of her closet herself, and there was a sentinel under the window, no danger was to be apprehende
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2447   2448   2449   2450   2451   2452   2453   2454   2455   2456   2457   2458   2459   2460   2461   2462   2463   2464   2465   2466   2467   2468   2469   2470   2471  
2472   2473   2474   2475   2476   2477   2478   2479   2480   2481   2482   2483   2484   2485   2486   2487   2488   2489   2490   2491   2492   2493   2494   2495   2496   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

dressing

 

diamonds

 
Bailly
 

closet

 

executed

 

Archduchess

 

desired

 

sister

 

servant

 

faithful


destroyed

 

packed

 

valuables

 

detecting

 

altogether

 

considerable

 
covered
 

ornaments

 

possessed

 

deposited


rubies

 

chambre

 

pearls

 

October

 
jewels
 

visits

 

obliged

 
packing
 

desist

 
compelled

precisely
 
sentinel
 

window

 

danger

 

apprehende

 

persuaded

 

articles

 
impossible
 
France
 

morocco


marked

 
cipher
 
popular
 

inquisitors

 

formed

 

ground

 
accusation
 

discovery

 

domiciliary

 

January