Comte de Vegin, Abbe of Saint Germain des Pres.--Revenues Required, but
Not the Cowl.--Discussion between the King and the Marquise.--Madame
Scarron Chosen as Arbiter.--An Unanswerable Argument.
The wealthy abbey of Saint Germain des Pres--[Yielding a revenue of five
hundred thousand livres.]--was vacant; the King appointed thereto his
son, the Comte de Vegin, and as the Benedictine monks secretly complained
that they should have given to them as chief a child almost still in its
cradle, the King instructed the grand almoner to remind them that they
had had as abbes in preceding reigns princes who were married and of
warlike tastes. "Such abuses," said the prelate, "were more than
reprehensible; his Majesty is incapable of wishing to renew them. As to
the Prince's extreme youth, that is in no way prejudicial to you, my
brethren, as monseigneur will be suitably represented by his
vicar-general until such time as he is able to assume the governorship
himself."
"Is it your intention to condemn my son to be an ecclesiastic?" I asked
the King, in amazement.
"Madame, these are my views," he answered: "If the Comte de Vegin as he
grows up should continue to show pluck and a taste for things military,
as by birth he is bound to do, we will relieve him of the abbey on the
eve of his marriage, while he will have profited thereby up to that time.
If, on the contrary, my son should show but inferior mental capacity, and
a pusillanimous character, there will be no harm in his remaining among
the Church folk; he will be far better off there than elsewhere. The
essential thing for a parent is to study carefully and in good time the
proper vocation for his children; the essential thing for the ruler of an
Empire is to employ the right people to do the work in hand."
"Will my son, on receiving this abbey, have to wear the dress of his
office?" I asked. "Imagine the Comte de Vegin an abbe!"
"Do not feel the slightest repugnance on that score," added the King.
"The Electors of the German Empire are nearly all of them ecclesiastics;
our own history of France will show you that the sons of kings were
bishops or mere abbes; the grandson of the Duc de Savoie is a cardinal
and an archbishop, and King Charles X., my grandfather's paternal uncle,
nearly became King of France and cardinal at one and the same time."
At this moment Madame Scarron came in. "Madame, we will make you our
judge in the argument that we are now having," said his Majesty. "Do you
think there is any objection to our giving to little Vegin the dress of
an abbe?"
"On the contrary, Sire," replied the governess, smiling, "such a dress
will inspire him betimes with reserve and modesty, strengthening his
principles, and making far more profitable to him the excellent education
which he is now receiving."
"I am obliged to you for your opinion," said the King, "and I flatter
myself, madame, that you see things in the same light that I do."
When the King had gone, Madame Scarron asked me why I disapproved of this
abbey.
"I do not wish to deny so rich a benefice to my son," I replied, "but it
seems to me that he might enjoy the revenues therefrom, without being
obliged to wear the livery. Is not the King powerful enough to effect
this?"
"You are hardly just, madame," replied the governess, in a serious tone.
"If our religion be a true one, God himself is at the head of it, and for
so supreme a Chief the sons of kings are but of small account."
With an argument such as this she closed my mouth, leaving me quite
amazed, and next day she smiled with delight when she presented the
little Comte de Vegin dressed as a little abbe.
She was careful to see that the crozier, mitre, and cross were painted on
the panels of his carriage, and let the post of vicar-general be given to
one of her pious friends who was presented to me.