the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第13节

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into　Germany。　　The　surprise　of　the　Marechal　de　Luxembourg　was　without
bounds。　　He　represented　the　facility　with　which　the　Prince　of　Orange
might　now　be　beaten　with　one　army　and　pursued　by　another；　and　how
important　it　was　to　draw　off　detachments　of　the　Imperial　forces　from
Germany　into　Flanders；　and　how；　by　sending　an　army　into　Flanders　instead
of　Germany；　the　whole　of　the　Low　Countries　would　be　in　our　power。　　But
the　King　would　not　change　his　plans；　although　M。　de　Luxembourg　went　down
on　his　knees　and　begged　him　not　to　allow　such　a　glorious　opportunity　to
escape。　　Madame　de　Maintenon；　by　her　tears　when　she　parted　from　his
Majesty；　and　by　her　letters　since；　had　brought　about　this　resolution。

The　news　had　not　spread　on　the　morrow；　June　9th。　　I　chanced　to　go　alone
to　the　quarters　of　M。　de　Luxembourg；　and　was　surprised　to　find　not　a　soul
there；　every　one　had　gone　to　the　King's　army。　　Pensively　bringing　my
horse　to　a　stand；　I　was　ruminating　on　a　fact　so　strange；　and　debating
whether　I　should　return　to　my　tent　or　push　on　to　the　royal　camp；　when　up
came　M。　le　Prince　de　Conti　with　a　single　page　and　a　groom　leading　a
horse。　　〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　cried　he；　laughing　at　my　surprise。
Thereupon　he　told　me　he　was　going　to　say　adieu　to　the　King；　and　advised
me　to　do　likewise。　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　saying　Adieu？〃　　answered　I。
He　sent　his　servants　to　a　little　distance；　and　begged　me　to　do　the　same；
and　with　shouts　of　laughter　told　me　about　the　King's　retreat；　making
tremendous　fun　of　him；　despite　my　youth；　for　he　had　confidence　in　me。
I　was　astonished。　　We　soon　after　met　the　whole　company　coming　back；
and　the　great　people　went　aside　to　talk　and　sneer。　　I　then　proceeded　to
pay　my　respects　to　the　King；　by　whom　I　was　honourably　received。
Surprise；　however；　was　expressed　by　all　faces；　and　indignation　by　some。

The　effect　of　the　King's　retreat；　indeed；　was　incredible；　even　amongst
the　soldiers　and　the　people。　　The　general　officers　could　not　keep　silent
upon　it；　and　the　inferior　officers　spoke　loudly；　with　a　license　that
could　not　be　restrained。　　All　through　the　army；　in　the　towns；　and　even　at
Court；　it　was　talked　about　openly。　　The　courtiers；　generally　so　glad　to
find　themselves　again　at　Versailles；　now　declared　that　they　were　ashamed
to　be　there；　as　for　the　enemy；　they　could　not　contain　their　surprise　and
joy。　　The　Prince　of　Orange　said　that　the　retreat　was　a　miracle　he　could
not　have　hoped　for；　that　he　could　scarcely　believe　in　it；　but　that　it　had
saved　his　army；　and　the　whole　of　the　Low　Countries。　　In　the　midst　of　all
this　excitement　the　King　arrived　with　the　ladies；　on　the　25th　of　June；　at
Versailles。

We　gained　some　successes；　however；　this　year。　　Marechal　de　Villeroy　took
Huy　in　three　days；　losing　only　a　sub…engineer　and　some　soldiers。　　On　the
29th　of　July　we　attacked　at　dawn　the　Prince　of　Orange　at　Neerwinden；　and
after　twelve　hours　of　hard　fighting；　under　a　blazing　sun；　entirely　routed
him。　　I　was　of　the　third　squadron　of　the　Royal　Roussillon；　and　made　five
charges。　　One　of　the　gold　ornaments　of　my　coat　was　torn　away；　but　I
received　no　wound。　　During　the　battle　our　brigadier；　Quoadt；　was　killed
before　my　eyes。　　The　Duc　de　Feuillade　became　thus　commander　of　the
brigade。　　We　missed　him　immediately；　and　for　more　than　half　an　hour　saw
nothing　of　him；　he　had　gone　to　make　his　toilette。　　When　he　returned　he
was　powdered　and　decked　out　in　a　fine　red　surtotxt；　embroidered　with
silver；　and　all　his　trappings　and　those　of　his　horse　were　magnificent；　he
acquitted　himself　with　distinction。

Our　cavalry　stood　so　well　against　the　fire　from　the　enemy's　guns；　that
the　Prince　of　Orange　lost　all　patience；　and　turning　away；　exclaimed
〃Oh；　the　insolent　nation！〃　　He　fought　until　the　last；　and　retired　with
the　Elector　of　Hanover　only　when　he　saw　there　was　no　longer　any　hope。
After　the　battle　my　people　brought　us　a　leg　of　mutton　and　a　bottle　of
wine；　which　they　had　wisely　saved　from　the　previous　evening；　and　we
attacked　them　in　good　earnest；　as　may　be　believed。

The　enemy　lost　about　twenty　thousand　men；　including　a　large　number　of
officers；　our　loss　was　not　more　than　half　that　number。　　We　took　all　their
cannon；　eight　mortars；　many　artillery　waggons；　a　quantity　of　standards；
and　some　pairs　of　kettle…drums。　　The　victory　was　complete。

Meanwhile；　the　army　which　had　been　sent　to　Germany　under　the　command　of
Monseigneur　and　of　the　Marechal　de　Lorges；　did　little　or　nothing。　　The
Marechal　wished　to　attack　Heilbronn；　but　Monseigneur　was　opposed　to　it；
and；　to　the　great　regret　of　the　principal　generals　and　of　the　troops；　the
attack　was　not　made。　　Monseigneur　returned　early　to　Versailles。

At　sea　we　were　more　active。　　The　rich　merchant　fleet　of　Smyrna　was
attacked　by　Tourville；　fifty　vessels　were　burnt　or　sunk；　and　twenty…seven
taken；　all　richly　freighted。　　This　campaign　cost　the　English　and　Dutch
dear。　　It　is　believed　their　loss　was　more　than　thirty　millions　of　ecus。

The　season　finished　with　the　taking　of　Charleroy。　　On　the　16th　of
September　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　supported　by　M。　de　Luxembourg；　laid
siege　to　it；　and　on　the　11th　of　October；　after　a　good　defence；　the　place
capitulated。　　Our　loss　was　very　slight。　　Charleroy　taken；　our　troops　went
into　winter…quarters；　and　I　returned　to　Court；　like　the　rest。　　The　roads
and　the　posting　service　were　in　great　disorder。　　Amongst　other　adventures
I　met　with；　I　was　driven　by　a　deaf　and　dumb　postillion；　who　stuck　me　fast
in　the　mud　when　near　Quesnoy。　　At　Pont　Saint…Maxence　all　the　horses　were
retained　by　M。　de　Luxembourg。　　Fearing　I　might　be　left　behind；　I　told　the
postmaster　that　I　was　governor　（which　was　true）；　and　that　I　would　put　him
in　jail　if　he　did　not　give　me　horses。　　I　should　have　been　sadly　puzzled
how　to　do　it；　but　he　was　simple　enough　to　believe　me；　and　gave　the
horses。　　I　arrived；　however；　at　last　at　Paris；　and　found　a　change　at　the
Court；　which　surprised　me。

Daquinfirst　doctor　of　the　King　and　creature　of　Madame　de　Montespanhad
lost　nothing　of　his　credit　by　her　removal；　but　had　never　been　able　to　get
on　well　with　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who　looked　coldly　upon　all　the　friends
of　her　predecessor。　　Daquin　had　a　son；　an　abbe；　and　wearied　the　King　with
solicitations　on　his　behalf。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　seized　the　opportunity；
when　the　King　was　more　than　usually　angry　with　Daquin；　to　obtain　his
dismissal：　it　came　upon　him　like　a　thunderbolt。　　On　the　previous　evening
the　King　had　spoken　to　him　for　a　long　time　as　usual；　and　had　never
treated　him　better。　　All　the　Court　was　astonished　also。　　Fagon；　a　very
skilful　and　learned　man；　was　appointed　in　his　place　at　the　instance　of
Madame　de　Maintenon。

Another　event　excited　less　surprise　than　interest。　　On　Sunday；　the　29th
of　November；　the　King　learned　that　La　Vauguyon　had　killed　himself　in　his
bed；　that　morning；　by　firing　twice　into　his　throat。　　I　must　say　a　few
words　about　this　Vauguyon。　　He　was　one　of　the　pettiest　and　poorest
gentlemen　of　France：　he　was　well…made；　but　very　swarthy；　with　Spanish
features；　had　a　charming　voice；　played　the　guitar　and　lute　very　well；　and
was　skilled　in　the　arts　of　gallantry。　　By　these　talents　he　had　succeeded；
in　finding　favour　with　Madame　de　Beauvais；　much　regarded　at　the　Court　as
having　been　the　King's　first　mistress。　　I　have　seen　herold；　blear…eyed；
and　half　blind；at　the　toilette　of　the　Dauphiness　of　Bavaria；　where
everybody　courted　her；　because　she　was　still　much　considered　by　the　King。
Under　this　protection　La　Vauguyon　succeeded　well；　was　several　times　sent
as　ambassador　to　foreign　countries；　was　made　councillor　of　state；　and　to
the　scandal　of　everybody；　was　raised　to　the　Order　in　1688。　　Of　late
years；　having　no　appointments；　he　had　scarcely　the　means　of　living；　and
endeavoured；　but　without　success；　to　improve　his　condition。

Poverty　by　degrees　turned　his　brain；　but　a　long　time　passed　before　it　was
perceived。　　The　first　proof　that　he　gave　of　it　was　at　the　house　of　Madame
Pelot；　widow　of　the　Chief　President　of　the　Rouen　parliament。　　Playing　at
brelan　one　evening；　she　offered　him　a　stake；　and　because　he　would　not
accept　it　bantered　him；　and　playfully　called　him　a　poltroon。　　He　said
nothing；　but　waited　until　all　the　rest　of　the　company　had　left　the　room；
and　when　he　found　himself　alone　with　Madame　Pelot；　he　bolted　the　door；
clapped　his　hat　on　his　head；　drove　her　up　against　the　chimney；　and
holding　her　head　between　his　two　fists；　said　he　knew　no　reason　why　he
should　not　pound　it　into　a　jelly；　in　order　to　teach　her　to　call　him
poltroon　again。　　The　poor　woman　was　horribly　frightened；　and　made
perpendicular　curtseys　between　his　two　fists；　and　all　sorts　of　excuses。
At　last　he　let　her　go；　more　dead　than　alive。　　She　had　the　generosity　to
say　no　syllable　of　this　occurrence　until　after　his　death；　she　even
allowed　him　to　come　to　the　house　as　usual；　but　took　care　never　to　be
alone　with　him。

One　day；　a　long　time　after　this；　meeting；　in　a　gallery；　at　Fontainebleau；
M。　de　Courtenay；　La　Vauguyon　drew　his　sword；　and　compelled　the　other　to
draw　also；　although　there　had　never　been　the　slightest　quarrel　between
them。　　They　were　soon　separated　and　La　Vauguyon　immediately　fled　to　the
King；　who　was　just　then　in　his　private　closet；　wher