t　with　thirty　years　of　victories；　in　vain　asked　for　peace　and　repose。　　The　army　which　had　triumphed　in　the　sands　of　Egypt；　on　the　summits　of　the　Alps；　and　in　the　marshes　of　Holland；　was　to　perish　amidst　the　snows　of　Russia。　Nations　combined　against　a　single　man。　　The　territory　of　France　was　invaded。　　The　orphans　of　Ecouen；　from　the　windows　of　the　mansion　which　served　as　their　asylum；　saw　in　the　distant　plain　the　fires　of　the　Russian　bivouacs；　and　once　more　wept　the　deaths　of　their　fathers。　　Paris　capitulated。　　France　hailed　the　return　of　the　descendants　of　Henri　IV。；　they　reascended　the　throne　so　long　filled　by　their　ancestors；　which　the　wisdom　of　an　enlightened　prince　established　on　the　empire　of　the　laws。
  ＇A　lady；　connected　with　the　establishment　of　St。　Denis；　told　Madame　　　　　　Campan　that　Napoleon　visited　it　during　the　Hundred　Days；　and　that　　　　　　the　pupils　were　so　delighted　to　see　him　that　they　crowded　round　him；　　　　　　endeavouring　to　touch　his　clothes；　and　evincing　the　most　extravagant　　　　　　joy。　　The　matron　endeavoured　to　silence　them；　but　Napoleon　said；　　　　　　'Let　them　alone；　let　them　alone。　　This　may　weaken　the　head；　but　it　　　　　　strengthens　the　heart。〃＇
  This　moment；　which　diffused　joy　amongst　the　faithful　servants　of　the　royal　family；　and　brought　them　the　rewards　of　their　devotion；　proved　to　Madame　Campan　a　period　of　bitter　vexation。　　The　hatred　of　her　enemies　had　revived。　　The　suppression　of　the　school　at　Ecouen　had　deprived　her　of　her　position；　the　most　absurd　calumnies　followed　her　into　her　retreat；　her　attachment　to　the　Queen　was　suspected；　she　was　accused　not　only　of　ingratitude　but　of　perfidy。　　Slander　has　little　effect　on　youth；　but　in　the　decline　of　life　its　darts　are　envenomed　with　a　mortal　poison。　　The　wounds　which　Madame　Campan　had　received　were　deep。　　Her　sister；　Madame　Auguie；　had　destroyed　herself；　M。　Rousseau；　her　brother…in…law；　had　perished；　a　victim　of　the　reign　of　terror。　　In　1813　a　dreadful　accident　had　deprived　her　of　her　niece；　Madame　de　Broc；　one　of　the　most　amiable　and　interesting　beings　that　ever　adorned　the　earth。　　Madame　Campan　seemed　destined　to　behold　those　whom　she　loved　go　down　to　the　grave　before　her。
  Beyond　the　walls　of　the　mansion　of　Ecouen；　in　the　village　which　surrounds　it；　Madame　Campan　had　taken　a　small　house　where　she　loved　to　pass　a　few　hours　in　solitary　retirement。　　There；　at　liberty　to　abandon　herself　to　the　memory　of　the　past；　the　superintendent　of　the　imperial　establishment　became；　once　more；　for　the　moment；　the　first　lady　of　the　chamber　to　Marie　Antoinette。　　To　the　few　friends　whom　she　admitted　into　this　retreat　she　would　show；　with　emotion；　a　plain　muslin　gown　which　the　Queen　had　worn；　and　which　was　made　from　a　part　of　Tippoo　Saib's　present。　　A　cup；　out　of　which　Marie　Antoinette　had　drunk；　a　writing…stand；　which　she　had　long　used；　were；　in　her　eyes；　of　inestimable　value；　and　she　has　often　been　discovered　sitting；　in　tears；　before　the　portrait　of　her　royal　mistress。
  After　so　many　troubles　Madame　Campan　sought　a　peaceful　retreat。　　Paris　had　become　odious　to　her。
  She　paid　a　visit　to　one　of　her　most　beloved　pupils；　Mademoiselle　Crouzet；　who　had　married　a　physician　at　Mantes；　a　man　of　talent；　distinguished　for　his　intelligence；　frankness；　and　cordiality。
  ＇M。　Maigne；　physician　to　the　infirmaries　at　Mantes。　　Madame　Campan　　　　　　found　in　him　a　friend　and　comforter；　of　whose　merit　and　affection　　　　　　she　knew　the　value。＇
  Mantes　is　a　cheerful　place　of　residence；　and　the　idea　of　an　abode　there　pleased　her。　　A　few　intimate　friends　formed　a　pleasant　society；　and　she　enjoyed　a　little　tranquillity　after　so　many　disturbances。　　The　revisal　of　her　〃Memoirs；〃　the　arrangement　of　the　interesting　anecdotes　of　which　her　〃Recollections　〃　were　to　consist；　alone　diverted　her　mind　from　the　one　powerful　sentiment　which　attached　her　to　life。　　She　lived　only　for　her　son。　　M。　Campan　deserved　the　tenderness　of；　his　mother。　　No　sacrifice　had　been　spared　for　his　education。　　After　having　pursued　that　course　of　study　which；　under　the　Imperial　Government；　produced　men　of　such　distinguished　merit；　he　was　waiting　till　time　and　circumstances　should　afford　him　an　opportunity　of　devoting　his　services　to　his　country。　　Although　the　state　of　his　health　was　far　from　good；　it　did　not　threaten　any　rapid　or　premature　decay；　he　was；　however；　after　a　few　days'　illness；　suddenly　taken　from　his　family。　　〃I　never　witnessed　so　heartrending　a　scene；〃　M。　Maigne　says；　〃as　that　which　took　place　when　Marechal　Ney's　lady；　her　niece；　and　Madame　Pannelier；　her　sister；　came　to　acquaint　her　with　this　misfortune。＇The　wife　of　Marechal　Ney　was　a　daughter　of　Madame　Auguie；　and　had　been　an　intimate　friend　of　Hortense　Beauharnais。＇　When　they　entered　her　apartment　she　was　in　bed。　　All　three　at　once　uttered　a　piercing　cry。　　The　two　ladies　threw　themselves　on　their　knees；　and　kissed　her　hands；　which　they　bedewed　with　tears。　　Before　they　could　speak　to　her　she　read　in　their　faces　that　she　no　longer　possessed　a　son。　　At　that　instant　her　large　eyes；　opening　wildly；　seemed　to　wander。　　Her　face　grew　pale；　her　features　changed；　her　lips　lost　their　colour；　she　struggled　to　speak；　but　uttered　only　inarticulate　sounds；　accompanied　by　piercing　cries。　　Her　gestures　were　wild；　her　reason　was　suspended。　　Every　part　of　her　being　was　in　agony。　　To　this　state　of　anguish　and　despair　no　calm　succeeded；　until　her　tears　began　to　flow。　　Friendship　and　the　tenderest　cares　succeeded　for　a　moment　in　calming　her　grief；　but　not　in　diminishing　its　power。
  This　violent　crisis　had　disturbed　her　whole　organisation。　　A　cruel　disorder；　which　required　a　still　more　cruel　operation；　soon　manifested　itself。　　The　presence　of　her　family；　a　tour　which　she　made　in　Switzerland；　a　residence　at　Baden；　and；　above　all；　the　sight；　the　tender　and　charming　conversation　of　a　person　by　whom　she　was　affectionately　beloved；　occasionally　diverted　her　mind；　and　in　a　slight　degree　relieved　her　suffering。〃　　She　underwent　a　serious　operation；　performed　with　extraordinary　promptitude　and　the　most　complete　success。　　No　unfavourable　symptoms　appeared；　Madame　Campan　was　thought　to　be　restored　to　her　friends；　but　the　disorder　was　in　the　blood；　it　took　another　course：　the　chest　became　affected。　　〃From　that　moment；〃　says　M。　Maigne；　〃I　could　never　look　on　Madame　Campan　as　living；　she　herself　felt　that　she　belonged　no　more　to　this　world。〃
  〃My　friend；〃　she　said　to　her　physician　the　day　before　her　death；　〃I　am　attached　to　the　simplicity　of　religion。　　I　hate　all　that　savours　of　fanaticism。〃　　When　her　codicil　was　presented　for　her　signature；　her　hand　trembled；　〃It　would　be　a　pity；〃　she　said；　〃to　stop　when　so　fairly　on　the　road。〃
  Madame　Campan　died　on　the　16th　of　March；　1822。　　The　cheerfulness　she　displayed　throughout　her　malady　had　nothing　affected　in　it。　　Her　character　was　naturally　powerful　and　elevated。　　At　the　approach　of　death　she　evinced　the　soul　of　a　sage；　without　abandoning　for　an　instant　her　feminine　character。
  End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Marie　Antoinette；　V1　by　Madame　Campan
  MEMOIRS　OF　THE　COURT　OF　MARIE　ANTOINETTE；　QUEEN　OF　FRANCE
  Being　the　Historic　Memoirs　of　Madam　Campan；　First　Lady　in　Waiting　to　the　Queen
  BOOK　2。
  CHAPTER　I。
  I　was　fifteen　years　of　age　when　I　was　appointed　reader　to　Mesdames。　I　will　begin　by　describing　the　Court　at　that　period。
  Maria　Leczinska　was　just　dead；　the　death　of　the　Dauphin　had　preceded　hers　by　three　years；　the　Jesuits　were　suppressed；　and　piety　was　to　be　found　at　Court　only　in　the　apartments　of　Mesdames。　　The　Duc　de　Choiseuil　ruled。
  Etiquette　still　existed　at　Court　with　all　the　forms　it　had　acquired　under　Louis　XIV。；　dignity　alone　was　wanting。　　As　to　gaiety；　there　was　none。　Versailles　was　not　the　place　at　which　to　seek　for　assemblies　where　French　spirit　and　grace　were　displayed。　　The　focus　of　wit　and　intelligence　was　Paris。
  The　King　thought　of　nothing　but　the　pleasures　of　the　chase：　it　might　have　been　imagined　that　the　courtiers　indulged　themselves　in　making　epigrams　by　hearing　them　say　seriously；　on　those　days　when　the　King　did　not　hunt；　〃The　King　does　nothing　to…day。〃＇In　sporting　usance　（see　SOULAIRE；　p。　316）。＇
  The　arrangement　beforehand　of　his　movements　was　also　a　matter　of　great　importance　with　Louis　XV。　　On　the　first　day　of　the　year　he　noted　down　in　his　almanac　the　days　of　departure　for　Compiegne；　Fontainebleau；　Choisy；　etc。　　The　weightiest　matters；　the　most　serious　events；　never　deranged　this　distribution　of　his　time。
  Since　the　death　of　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour；　the　King　had　no　titled　mistress；　he　contented　himself　with　his　seraglio　in　the　Parc…aux…Cerfs。　It　is　well　known　that　the　monarch　found　the　separation　of　Louis　de　Bourbon　from　the　King　of　France　the　most　animating　feature　of　his　royal　existence。　　〃They　would　have　it　so；　they　thought　it　for　the　best；〃　was　his　way　of　expressing　himself　when　the　measures　of　his　ministers　were　unsuccessful。　　The　King　delighted　to　manage　the　most　disgraceful　points　of　his　private　expenses　himself；　he　one　day　sold　to　a　head　clerk　in　the　War　Department　a　house　in　which　one　of　his　mistresses　had　lodged；　the　contract　ran　in　the　name　of　Louis　de　Bourbon；　and　the　purchaser　himself　took　in　a　bag　the　price　of　the　house　in　gold　to　the　King　in　his　private　closet。