The Memory Palace by Hollis Edward;

Author:Hollis, Edward; [Hollis, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Counterpoint

Lever

THERE WAS ONE ROOM IN VERSAILLES THAT NEVER CHANGED; AND when, some time in the 1890s, Nolhac was showing the Duc d’Aumale around, the old man stopped him there, at the gilded balustrade, with a memory.

It wasn’t his own memory. His father had told him about it, he said, when he’d been an old man himself. He’d been a boy, he’d told him, and he’d stood here, right where they were now, before the bed, to watch the King rise in the morning.

Nolhac sighed. He knew exactly how he’d remember it.

* * *

In the early morning, it is silent throughout the palace, and dark. At seven, the Valet who has spent the night sleeping at the foot of the bed wakes and, without making a sound, he dresses himself. At a quarter past seven, he creeps to the door, and opens it, slowly, so that it does not creak, to let the servants in. They fold up his cot, and remove it from the room; and they take the food that has been left out should Louis rise hungry, in the night.

Then they light the fire and the candles, and open the shutters to admit the sun that is rising in the three windows that face the royal bed. The light kindles the golden embroidery of the hangings, and gleams on the gilding of the balustrades. The scene is set.

At half past seven, the valet approaches the great bed. He does not touch it, but whispers into the heavy folds. ‘Sire, voilà l’heure,’ he murmurs: ‘Sire, the hour has come.’

And if he has heard anything, the valet informs Louis of new arrivals at the palace. And if Louis wills it, the valet admits the royal surgeon, who examines the royal body, still enfolded, still half asleep, in the soft gloom. His old nurse rubs his back, and changes his nightshirt for him, since he sweats a great deal in the night.

At a quarter past eight the first gentleman of the chamber enters, along with the grand chamberlain and Louis’ closest relatives; and when they are assembled in the order proper to their rank, the chamberlain opens the curtains of the bed so that they can see him.

He stares and blinks at them for a moment, bald, short, old. The grand chamberlain passes him a vial of holy water, and then he gestures with his hand, and they retreat into the council chamber next door, where they say their morning prayers. If he thinks they have missed anything, or anyone, Louis shouts prayers of his own through the open door.

At half past eight they come back into the room. The barber and his perruquier enter, and Louis chooses his wigs for the day. He gets out of his high bed, and makes his way to one of the armchairs on either side. They are gilded, and upholstered with rich brocade to match the tentures of the rest of the room.

When he is sitting on his chair, the doors open into the antechamber for the seconde entrée; and suddenly, the room is crowded.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.