the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第10节

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she　grafted　thereon　an　immense　conceit；　caused　by　the　favour　of　Madame　de
Maintenon。　　To　complete　the　household；　came　M。　de　Fontaine…Martel；　poor
and　gouty；　who　was　first　master　of　the　horse。

On　the　Monday　before　Shrove　Tuesday；　all　the　marriage　party　and　the　bride
and　bridegroom；　superbly　dressed；　repaired；　a　little　before　mid…day；　to
the　closet　of　the　King；　and　afterwards　to　the　chapel。　　It　was　arranged；
as　usual；　for　the　Mass　of　the　King；　excepting　that　between　his　place　and
the　altar　were　two　cushions　for　the　bride　and　bridegroom；　who　turned
their　backs　to　the　King。　　Cardinal　de　Bouillon；　in　full　robes；　married
them；　and　said　Mass。　　From　the　chapel　all　the　company　went　to　table：　it
was　of　horse…shoe　shape。　　The　Princes　and　Princesses　of　the　blood　were
placed　at　the　right　and　at　the　left；　according　to　their　rank；　terminated
by　the　two　illegitimate　children　of　the　King；　and；　for　the　first　time；
after　them；　the　Duchesse　de　Verneuil；　so　that　M。　de　Verneuil；
illegitimate　son　of　Henry　IV。；　became　thus　〃Prince　of　the　blood〃　so　many
years　after　his　death；　without　having　ever　suspected　it。　　The　Duc　d'Uzes
thought　this　so　amusing　that　he　marched　in　front　of　the　Duchess；　crying
out；　as　loud　as　he　could〃Place；　place　for　Madame　Charlotte　Seguier！〃
In　the　afternoon　the　King　and　Queen　of　England　came　to　Versailles　with
their　Court。　　There　was　a　great　concert；　and　the　play…tables　were　set
out。　　The　supper　was　similar　to　the　dinner。　　Afterwards　the　married
couple　were　led　into　the　apartment　of　the　new　Duchesse　de　Chartres。　　The
Queen　of　England　gave　the　Duchess　her　chemise；　and　the　shirt　of　the　Duke
was　given　to　him　by　the　King；　who　had　at　first　refused　on　the　plea　that
he　was　in　too　unhappy　circumstances。　　The　benediction　of　the　bed　was
pronounced　by　the　Cardinal　de　Bouillon；　who　kept　us　all　waiting　for　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　which　made　people　say　that　such　airs　little　became　a
man　returned　as　he　was　from　a　long　exile；　to　which　he　had　been　sent
because　he　had　had　the　madness　to　refuse　the　nuptial　benediction　to
Madame　la　Duchesse　unless　admitted　to　the　royal　banquet。

On　Shrove　Tuesday；　there　was　a　grand　toilette　of　the　Duchesse　de
Chartres；　to　which　the　King　and　all　the　Court　came；　and　in　the　evening　a
grand　ball；　similar　to　that　which　had　just　taken　place；　except　that　the
new　Duchesse　de　Chartres　was　led　out　by　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne。　　Every　one
wore　the　same　dress；　and　had　the　same　partner　as　before。

I　cannot　pass　over　in　silence　a　very　ridiculous　adventure　which　occurred
at　both　of　these　balls。　　A　son　of　Montbron；　no　more　made　to　dance　at
Court　than　his　father　was　to　be　chevalier　of　the　order　（to　which　however；
he　was　promoted　in　1688）；　was　among　the　company。　　He　had　been　asked　if　he
danced　well；　and　he　had　replied　with　a　confidence　which　made　every　one
hope　that　the　contrary　was　the　case。　　Every　one　was　satisfied。　　From　the
very　first　bow；　he　became　confused；　and　he　lost　step　at　once。　　He　tried
to　divert　attention　from　his　mistake　by　affected　attitudes；　and　carrying
his　arms　high；　but　this　made　him　only　more　ridiculous；　and　excited　bursts
of　laughter；　which；　in　despite　of　the　respect　due　to　the　person　of　the
King　（who　likewise　had　great　difficulty　to　hinder　himself　from　laughing）；
degenerated　at　length　into　regular　hooting。　　On　the　morrow；　instead　of
flying　the　Court　or　holding　his　tongue；　he　excused　himself　by　saying　that
the　presence　of　the　King　had　disconcerted　him；　and　promised　marvels　for
the　ball　which　was　to　follow。　　He　was　one　of　my　friends；　and　I　felt　for
him；　I　should　even　have　warned　him　against　a　second　attempt；　if　the　very
indifferent　success　I　had　met　with　had　not　made　me　fear　that　my　advice
would　be　taken　in　ill　part。　　As　soon　as　he　began　to　dance　at　the　second
ball；　those　who　were　near　stood　up；　those　who　were　far　off　climbed
wherever　they　could　get　a　sight；　and　the；　shouts　of　laughter　were　mingled
with　clapping　of　hands。　　Every　one；　even　the　King　himself；　laughed
heartily；　and　most　of　us　quite　loud；　so　that　I　do　not　think　any　one　was
ever　treated　so　before。　　Montbron　disappeared　immediately　afterwards；　and
did　not　show　himself　again　for　a　long　time；　It　was　a　pity　he　exposed
himself　to　this　defeat；　for　he　was　an　honourable　and　brave　man。

Ash　Wednesday　put　an　end　to　all　these　sad　rejoicings　by　command；　and　only
the　expected　rejoicings　were　spoken　of。　　M。　du　Maine　wished　to　marry。
The　King　tried　to　turn　him　from　it；　and　said　frankly　to　him；　that　it　was
not　for　such　as　he　to　make　a　lineage。　　But　pressed　M。　by　Madame　de
Maintenon；　who　had　educated　Maine；　and　who　felt　for　him　as　a　nurse　the
King　resolved　to　marry　him　to　a　daughter　of　the　Prince　de　Conde。　　The
Prince　was　greatly　pleased　at　the　project。　　He　had　three　daughters　for
M。　du　Maine　to　choose　from：　all　three　were　extremely　little。　An　inch　of
height；　that　the　second　had　above　the　others；　procured　for　her　the
preference；　much　to　the　grief　of　the　eldest；　who　was　beautiful　and
clever；　and　who　dearly　wished　to　escape　from　the　slavery　in　which　her
father　kept　her。　　The　dignity　with　which　she　bore　her　disappointment　was
admired　by　every　one；　but　it　cost　her　an　effort　that　ruined　her　health。
The　marriage　once　arranged；　was　celebrated　on　the　19th　of　March；　much　in
the　same　manner　as　had　been　that　of　the　Duc　de　Chartres。　　Madame　de
Saint…Vallery　was　appointed　lady　of　honour　to　Madame　du　Maine；　and　M。　de
Montchevreuil　gentleman　of　the　chamber。　　This　last　had　been　one　of　the
friends　of　Madame　de　Maintenon　when　she　was　Madame　Scarron。
Montchevreuil　was　a　very　honest　man；　modest；　brave；　but　thick…headed。
His　wife　was　a　tall　creature；　meagre；　and　yellow；　who　laughed　sillily；
and　showed　long　and　ugly　teeth；　who　was　extremely　devout；　of　a　compassed
mien；　and　who　only　wanted　a　broomstick　to　be　a　perfect　witch。　　Without
possessing　any　wit；　she　had　so　captivated　Madame　de　Maintenon；　that　the
latter　saw　only　with　her　eyes。　　All　the　ladies　of　the　Court　were　under
her　surveillance：　they　depended　upon　her　for　their　distinctions；　and
often　for　their　fortunes。　　Everybody；　from　the　ministers　to　the　daughters
of　the　King；　trembled　before　her。　　The　King　himself　showed　her　the　most
marked　consideration。　　She　was　of　all　the　Court　journeys；　and　always　with
Madame　de　Maintenon。

The　marriage　of　M。　du　Maine　caused　a　rupture　between　the　Princess　de
Conde　and　the　Duchess　of　Hanover　her　sister；　who　had　strongly　desired
M。　du　Maine　for　one　of　her　daughters；　and　who　pretended　that　the　Prince
de　Conde　had　cut　the　grass　from　under　her　feet。　　She　lived　in　Paris；
making　a　display　quite　unsuited　to　her　rank；　and　had　even　carried　it　so
far　as　to　go　about　with　two　coaches　and　many　liveried　servants。　　With
this　state　one　day　she　met　in　the　streets　the　coach　of　Madame　de
Bouillon；　which　the　servants　of　the　German　woman　forced　to　give　way　to
their　mistress's。　　The　Bouillons；　piqued　to　excess；　resolved　to　be
revenged。　　One　day；　when　they　knew　the　Duchess　was　going　to　the　play；
they　went　there　attended　by　a　numerous　livery。　　Their　servants　had　orders
to　pick　a　quarrel　with　those　of　the　Duchess。　　They　executed　these　orders
completely；　the　servants　of　the　Duchess　were　thoroughly　thrashedthe
harness　of　her　horses　cuther　coaches　maltreated。　　The　Duchess　made　a
great　fuss；　and　complained　to　the　King；　but　he　would　not　mix　himself　in
the　matter。　　She　was　so　outraged；　that　she　resolved　to　retire　into
Germany；　and　in　a　very　few　months　did　so。

My　year　of　service　in　the　Musketeers　being　over；　the　King；　after　a　time；
gave　me；　without　purchase；　a　company　of　cavalry　in　the　Royal　Roussillon；
in　garrison　at　Mons；　and　just　then　very　incomplete。　　I　thanked　the　King；
who　replied　to　me　very　obligingly。　　The　company　was　entirely　made　up　in　a
fortnight。　　This　was　towards　the　middle　of　April。

A　little　before；　that　is；　on　the　27th　of　March；　the　King　made　seven　new
marechals　of　France。　　They　were　the　Comte　de　Choiseul；　the　Duc　de
Villeroy；　the　Marquis　de　Joyeuse；　Tourville；　the　Duc　de　Noailles；　the
Marquis　de　Boufllers；　and　Catinat。　　These　promotions　caused　very　great
discontent。　　Complaint　was　more　especially　made　that　the　Duc　de　Choiseul
had　not　been　named。　　The　cause　of　his　exclusion　is　curious。　　His　wife；
beautiful；　with　the　form　of　a　goddessnotorious　for　the　number　of　her
gallantrieswas　very　intimate　with　the　Princess　de　Conti。　　The　King；　not
liking　such　a　companion　for　his　daughter；　gave　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　to
understand　that　the　public　disorders　of　the　Duchess　offended　him。　　If　the
Duke　would　send　her　into　a　convent；　the　Marechal's　baton　would　be　his。
The　Duc　de　Choiseul；　indignant　that　the　reward　of　his　services　in　the　war
was　attached　to　a　domestic　affair　which　concerned　himself　alone；　refused
promotion　on　such　terms。　　He　thus　lost　the　baton；　and；　what　was　worse　for
him；　the　Duchess　soon　after　was　driven　from　Court；　and　so　misbehaved
herself；　that　at　last　he　could　endure　her　no　longer；　drove　her　away
himself；　and　separated　from　her　for　ever。

Mademoiselle　la　grande　Mademoiselle；　as　she　was　called；　to　distinguish
her　from　the　daughter　of　Monsieuror　to　call　her　by　her　name；
Mademoiselle　de　Montpensier；　died　on　Sunday　the　5th　of　April；　at　her
palace　in　the　Luxembourg；　sixty…three　years　of　age；　and　the　riche