The king is expected to keep the entire aristocracy busy;
consequently, to make a display of himself, to pay back with his own
person, at all hours even the most private, even on getting out of
bed, and even in his bed. In the morning, at the hour named by himself
beforehand, the head valet awakens him; five series of persons enter
in turn to perform their duty, and, "altho very large, there are days
when the waiting-rooms can hardly contain the crowd of courtiers." The
first one admitted is "l'entrée familière," consisting of the children
of France, the prince and princesses of the blood, and besides these,
the chief physician, the chief surgeon, and other serviceable persons.
Next comes the "grande entrée," which comprizes the grand chamberlain,
the grand master and master of the wardrobe, the first gentlemen of
the bed-chamber, the dukes of Orleans and Penthièvre, some other
highly favored seigniors, the ladies of honor and in waiting of the
queen, mesdames, and other princesses, without enumerating barbers,
tailors, and various descriptions of valets. Meanwhile spirits of wine
are poured on the king's hands from a service of plate, and he is then
handed the basin of holy-water; he crosses himself and repeats a
prayer.
[Footnote 8: From "The Ancient Régime." Translated by John Durand.
Copyright, 1876, by Henry Holt & Company.]
Then he gets out of bed before all these people, and puts on his
slippers. The grand chamberlain and the first gentleman hand him his
dressing-gown; he puts this on and seats himself in the chair in which
he is to put on his clothes. At this moment the door opens, and a
third group enters, which is the "entrée des brevets"--the seigniors
who compose this enjoy in addition the precious privilege of assisting
at the "petit coucher"; while at the same moment there enters a
detachment of attendants, consisting of the physicians and surgeons in
ordinary, the intendants of the amusements, readers, and others, and
among the latter those who preside over physical requirements. The
publicity of a royal life is so great that none of its functions can
be exercised without witnesses.
At the moment of the approach of the officers of the wardrobe to dress
the king, the first gentleman, notified by an usher, advances to read
him the names of the grandees who are waiting at the door: this is the
fourth entry, called "la chambre," and larger than those preceding it;
for, not to mention the cloak-bearers, gun-bearers, rug-bearers, and
other valets, it comprizes most of the superior officials, the grand
almoner, the almoners on duty, the chaplain, the master of the
oratory, the captain and major of the bodyguard, the colonel-general
and major of the French guards, the colonel of the king's regiment,
the captain of the _Cent Suisses_, the grand huntsman, the grand
wolf-huntsman, the grand provost, the grand master and master of
ceremonies, the first butler, the grand master of the pantry, the
foreign ambassadors, the ministers and secretaries of state, the
marshals of France, and most of the seigniors and prelates of
distinction. Ushers place the ranks in order, and if necessary, impose
silence.
Meanwhile the king washes his hands and begins his toilet. Two pages
remove his slippers; the grand master of the wardrobe draws off his
night-shirt by the right arm, and the first valet of the wardrobe by
the left arm, and both of them hand it to an officer of the wardrobe,
while a valet of the wardrobe fetches the shirt, wrapt up in white
taffeta. Things have now reached the solemn point, the culmination of
the ceremony: the fifth entry has been introduced; and in a few
moments, after the king has put his shirt on, all that is left of
those who are known, with other household officers waiting in the
gallery, complete the influx.
There is quite a formality in regard to this shirt. The honor of
handing it is reserved to the sons and grandsons of France; in default
of these, to the princes of the blood or those legitimated; in their
default, to the grand chamberlain or to the first gentleman of the
bed-chamber; the latter case, it must be observed, being very rare,
the princes being obliged to be present at the king's _lever_ as well
as the princesses at that of the queen. At last the shirt is
presented, and a valet carries off the old one; the first valet of the
wardrobe and the first valet de chambre hold the fresh one, each by a
right and left arm respectively; while two other valets, during this
operation, extend his dressing-gown in front of him to serve as a
screen. The shirt is now on his back, and the toilet commences.
A valet de chambre supports a mirror before the king, while two
others on the two sides light it up, if occasion requires with
flambeaux. Valets of the wardrobe fetch the rest of the attire; the
grand master of the wardrobe puts the vest on and the doublet,
attaches the blue ribbon, and clasps his sword around him; then a
valet assigned to the cravats brings several of these in a basket,
while the master of the wardrobe arranges around the king's neck that
which the king selects. After this a valet assigned to the
handkerchiefs brings three of these on a silver salver; while the
grand master of the wardrobe offers the salver to the king, who
chooses one. Finally the master of the wardrobe hands to the king his
hat, his gloves, and his cane. The king then steps to the side of the
bed, kneels on a cushion, and says his prayers; while an almoner in a
low voice recites the orison _Quæsumus, deus omnipotens_. This done,
the king announces the order of the day, and passes with the leading
persons of his court into his cabinet, where he sometimes gives
audience. Meanwhile the rest of the company await him in the gallery,
in order to accompany him to mass when he comes out.
Such is the _lever_, a piece in five acts. Nothing could be contrived
better calculated to fill up the void of an aristocratic life: a
hundred or thereabouts of notable seigniors dispose of a couple of
hours in coming, in waiting, in entering, in defiling, in taking
positions, in standing on their feet, in maintaining an air of respect
and of ease suitable to a superior class of walking gentlemen, while
those best qualified are about to do the same thing over in the
queen's apartment. The king, however, to offset this, suffers the
same torture and the same inaction as he imposes. He also is playing a
part: all his steps and all his gestures have been determined
beforehand; he has been obliged to arrange his physiognomy and his
voice, never to depart from an affable and dignified air, to award
judiciously his glances and his nods, to keep silent or to speak only
of the chase, and to suppress his own thoughts if he has any. One can
not indulge in reverie, meditate, or be absent-minded when before the
footlights: the part must have due attention.