the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Mademoiselle　de　Montpensier；　died　on　Sunday　the　5th　of　April；　at　her
palace　in　the　Luxembourg；　sixty…three　years　of　age；　and　the　richest
private　princess　in　Europe。　　She　interested　herself　much　in　those　who
were　related　to　her；　even　to　the　lowest　degree；　and　wore　mourning　for
them；　however　far　removed。　　It　is　well　known；　from　all　the　memoirs　of　the
time；　that　she　was　greatly　in　love　with　M。　de　Lauzun；　and　that　she
suffered　much　when　the　King　withheld　his　permission　to　their　marriage。
M。　de　Lauzun　was　so　enraged；　that　he　could　not　contain　himself；　and　at
last　went　so　far　beyond　bounds；　that　he　was　sent　prisoner　to　Pignerol；
where　he　remained；　extremely　ill…treated；　for　ten　years。　　The　affection
of　Mademoiselle　did　not　grow　cold　by　separation。　　The　King　profited　by
it；　to　make　M。　de　Lauzun　buy　his　liberty　at　her　expense；　and　thus
enriched　M。　du　Maine。　　He　always　gave　out　that　he　had　married
Mademoiselle；　and　appeared　before　the　King；　after　her　death；　in　a　long
cloak；　which　gave　great　displeasure。　　He　also　assumed　ever　afterwards　a
dark　brown　livery；　as　an　external　expression　of　his　grief　for
Mademoiselle；　of　whom　he　had　portraits　everywhere。　　As　for　Mademoiselle；
the　King　never　quite　forgave　her　the　day　of　Saint　Antoine；　and　I　heard
him　once　at　supper　reproach　her　in　jest；　for　having　fired　the　cannons　of
the　Bastille　upon　his　troops。　　She　was　a　little　embarrassed；　but　she　got
out　of　the　difficulty　very　well。

Her　body　was　laid　out　with　great　state；　watched　for　several　days；　two
hours　at　a　time；　by　a　duchess　or　a　princess；　and　by　two　ladies　of
quality。　　The　Comtesse　de　Soissons　refused　to　take　part　in　this　watching；
and　would　not　obey　until　the　King　threatened　to　dismiss　her　from　the
Court。　　A　very　ridiculous　accident　happened　in　the　midst　of　this
ceremony。　　The　urn　containing　the　entrails　fell　over；　with　a　frightful
noise　and　a　stink　sudden　and　intolerable。　　The　ladies；　the　heralds；　the
psalmodists；　everybody　present　fled；　in　confusion。　　Every　one　tried　to
gain　the　door　first。　　The　entrails　had　been　badly　embalmed；　and　it　was
their　fermentation　which　caused　the　accident。　　They　were　soon　perfumed
and　put　in　order；　and　everybody　laughed　at　this　mishap。　　These　entrails
were　in　the　end　carried　to　the　Celestins；　the　heart　to　Val　de　Grace；　and
the　body　to　the　Cathedral　of　Saint　Denis；　followed　by　a　numerous　company。




CHAPTER　III

On　May　3d　1693；　the　King　announced　his　intention　of　placing　himself　at
the　head　of　his　army　in　Flanders；　and；　having　made　certain　alterations　in
the　rule　of　precedence　of　the　marechale　of　France；　soon　after　began　the
campaign。　　I　have　here；　however；　to　draw　attention　to　my　private　affairs；
for　on　the　above…mentioned　day；　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　I　had　the
misfortune　to　lose　my　father。　　He　was　eighty…seven　years　of　age；　and　had
been　in　bad　health　for　some　time；　with　a　touch　of　gout　during　the　last
three　weeks。　　On　the　day　in　question　he　had　dined　as　usual　with　his
friends；　had　retired　to　bed；　and；　while　talking　to　those　around　him
there；　all　at　once　gave　three　violent　sighs。　　He　was　dead　almost　before
it　was　perceived　that　he　was　ill；　there　was　no　more　oil　in　the　lamp。

I　learned　this　sad　news　after　seeing　the　King　to　bed；　his　Majesty　was　to
purge　himself　on　the　morrow。　　The　night　was　given　to　the　just　sentiments
of　nature；　but　the　next　day　I　went　early　to　visit　Bontems；　and　then　the
Duc　de　Beauvilliers；　who　promised　to　ask　the　King；　as　soon　as　his
curtains　were　opened；　to　grant　me　theoffices　my　father　had　held。　　The
King　very　graciously　complied　with　his　request；　and　in　the　afternoon　said
many　obliging　things　to　me；　particularly　expressing　his　regret　that　my
father　had　not　been　able　to　receive　the　last　sacraments。　　I　was　able　to
say　that　a　very　short　time　before；　my　father　had　retired　for　several　days
to　Saint　Lazare；　where　was　his　confessor；　and　added　something　on　the
piety　of　his　life。　　The　King　exhorted　me　to　behave　well；　and　promised　to
take　care　of　me。　　When　my　father　was　first　taken　ill；　several　persons；
amongst　others；　D'Aubigne；　brother　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　had　asked　for
the　governorship　of　Blaye。　　But　the　King　refused　them　all；　and　said　very
bluntly　to　D'Aubigne；　〃Is　there　not　a　son？〃　　He　had；　in　fact；　always
given　my　father　to　understand　I　should　succeed　him；　although　generally　he
did　not　allow　offices　to　descend　from　father　to　son。

Let　me　say　a　few　words　about　my　father。　　Our　family　in　my　grandfather's
time　had　become　impoverished；　and　my　father　was　early　sent　to　the　Court
as　page　to　Louis　XIII。　　It　was　very　customary　then　for　the　sons　of
reduced　gentlemen　to　accept　this　occupation。　　The　King　was　passionately
fond　of　hunting；　an　amusement　that　was　carried　on　with　far　less　state；
without　that　abundance　of　dogs；　and　followers；　and　convenience　of　all
kinds　which　his　successor　introduced；　and　especially　without　roads
through　the　forests。　　My　father；　who　noticed　the　impatience　of　the　King
at　the　delays　that　occurred　in　changing　horses；　thought　of　turning　the
head　of　the　horse　he　brought　towards　the　crupper　of　that　which　the　King
quitted。　　By　this　means；　without　putting　his　feet　to　the　ground；　his
Majesty；　who　was　active；　jumped　from　one　horse　to　another。　　He　was　so
pleased　that　whenever　he　changed　horses　he　asked　for　this　same　page。
From　that　time　my　father　grew　day　by　day　in　favour。　　The　King　made　him
Chief　Ecuyer；　and　in　course　of　years　bestowed　other　rewards　upon　him；
created　him　Duke　and　peer　of　France；　and　gave　him　the　Government　of
Blaye。　　My　father；　much　attached　to　the　King；　followed　him　in　all　his
expeditions；　several　times　commanded　the　cavalry　of　the　army；　was
commander…in…chief　of　all　the　arrierebans　of　the　kingdom；　and　acquired
great　reputation　in　the　field　for　his　valour　and　skill。　　With　Cardinal
Richelieu　he　was　intimate　without　sympathy；　and　more　than　once；　but
notably　on　the　famous　Day　of　the　Dupes；　rendered　signal　service　to　that
minister。　　My　father　used　often　to　be　startled　out　of　his　sleep　in　the
middle　of　the　night　by　a　valet；　with　a　taper　in　his　hand；　drawing　the
curtainhaving　behind　him　the　Cardinal　de　Richelieu；　who　would　often
take　the　taper　and　sit　down　upon　the　bed　and　exclaim　that　he　was　a　lost
man；　and　ask　my　father's　advice　upon　news　that　he　had　received　or　on
quarrels　he　had　had　with　the　King。　　When　all　Paris　was　in　consternation
at　the　success　of　the　Spaniards；　who　had　crossed　the　frontier；　taken
Corbie；　and　seized　all　the　country　as　far　as　Compiegne；　the　King　insisted
on　my　father　being　present　at　the　council　which　was　then　held。　　The
Cardinal　de　Richelieu　maintained　that　the　King　should　retreat　beyond　the
Seine；　and　all　the　assembly　seemed　of　that　opinion。　　But　the　King　in　a
speech　which　lasted　a　quarter　of　an　hour　opposed　this；　and　said　that　to
retreat　at　such　a　moment　would　be　to　increase　the　general　disorder。　　Then
turning　to　my　father　he　ordered　him　to　be　prepared　to　depart　for　Corbie
on　the　morrow；　with　as　many　of　his　men　as　he　could　get　ready。　　The
histories　and　the　memoirs　of　the　time　show　that　this　bold　step　saved　the
state。　　The　Cardinal；　great　man　as　he　was；　trembled；　until　the　first
appearance　of　success；　when　he　grew　bold　enough　to　join　the　King。　　This
is　a　specimen　of　the　conduct　of　that　weak　King　governed　by　that　first
minister　to　whom　poets　and　historians　have　given　the　glory　they　have
stripped　from　his　master；　as；　for　instance；　all　the　works　of　the　siege　of
Rochelle；　and　the　invention　and　unheard…of　success　of　the　celebrated
dyke；　all　solely　due　to　the　late　King！

Louis　XIII。　loved　my　father；　but　he　could　scold　him　at　times。　　On　two
occasions　he　did　so。　　The　first；　as　my　father　has　related　to　me；　was　on
account　of　the　Duc　de　Bellegarde。　　The　Duke　was　in　disgrace；　and　had　been
exiled。　　My　father；　who　was　a　friend　of　his；　wished　to　write　to　him　one
day；　and　for　want　of　other　leisure；　being　then　much　occupied；　took　the
opportunity　of　the　King's　momentary　absence　to　carry　out　his　desire。
Just　as　he　was　finishing　his　letter；　the　King　came　in；　my　father　tried　to
hide　the　paper；　but　the　eyes　of　the　King　were　too　quick　for　him。　　〃What
is　that　paper？〃　　said　he。　　My　father；　embarrassed；　admitted　that　it　was　a
few　words　he　had　written　to　M。　de　Bellegarde。

〃Let　me　see　it；〃　said　the　King；　and　he　took　the　paper　and　read　it。
〃I　don't　find　fault　with　you；〃　said　he；　〃for　writing　to　your　friends；
although　in　disgrace；　for　I　know　you　will　write　nothing　improper；　but
what　displeases　me　is；　that　you　should　fail　in　the　respect　you　owe　to　a
duke　and　peer；　in　that；　because　he　is　exiled；　you　should　omit　to　address
him　as　Monseigneur；〃　and　then　tearing　the　letter　in　two；　he　added；　〃Write
it　again　after　the　hunt；　and　put；　Monseigneur；　as　you　ought。〃　　My　father
was　very　glad　to　be　let　off　so　easily。

The　other　reprimand　was　upon　a　more　serious　subject。　　The　King　was　really
enamoured　of　Mademoiselle　d'Hautefort。　　My　father；　young　and　gallant；
could　not　comprehend　why　he　did　not　gratify　his　love。　　He　believed　his
reserve　to　arise　from　timidity；　and　under　this　impression　proposed　one
day　to　the　King　to　be　his　ambassador　and　to　bring　the　affair　to　a
satisfactory　conclusion。　　The　King　allowed　him　to　speak　to　the　end；　and
then　assumed　a　severe