A RÊVERIE
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imprinted on her memory. She had wandered up the lane past the logement des corps de gardes, and had noticed on the ground near the lodge gates the old plough,—a reminiscence of Louis XVI.'s boyhood.[1] Coming towards the porte du jardinier, she had seen Rodolphe and Fidel Bersy[2] in the long green coats of the petite livrée of the gardes.[3] They were directing some strangers. These guards were special friends of hers. Had she not paid all expenses out of her own purse when Rodolphe's children had been ill with smallpox?[4] Whilst passing them she had noticed Marie Anne Lemaignan[5]
- ↑ Histoire de Marie Antoinette, Rocheterie, pages 289, 290. Vol. i.
- ↑ The brothers Bersy with Bréval were generally selected for guarding the porte du jardinier whenever the Queen was at Trianon, Arch. Nat. O1, 1880. They had the title of garçons jardiniers de la Chambre, O1, 1878.
- ↑ Probably green, as it was worn by the Suisses, piqueurs, gardes des portes, garçons jardiniers, and such royal servants as filled the minor parts at the royal theatre at Versailles, Arch. Nat. O1, 1883. The traditional dress is still to be seen at the Comédie Française, which is the descendant of the old Royal Theatre. The Comte d'Artois was captain of the guards (including the gardes des portes) in 1789, and his livery was green.
- ↑ In 1785, Arch. Nat. O1, 1883.
- ↑ The names "Lemonguin" and "Magny" are to be found in the old lists of under-gardeners at Trianon, Arch. Nat. O1,
