the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第23节

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continued　to　receive　her　flock。　　But　being　again　detected；　she　was　sent；
without　further　parley；　to　the　Bastille；　well　treated　there；　but　allowed
to　see　nobody；　not　even　to　write。　　Before　being　arrested；　however；　she
had　been　put　into　the　hands　of　M。　de　Meaux；　who　used　all　his　endeavours
to　change　her　sentiments。　　Tired　at　last　of　his　sermons；　she　feigned
conviction；　signed　a　recantation　of　her　opinions；　and　was　set　at　liberty。
Yet；　directly　after；　she　held　her　secret　assemblies　in　the　Faubourg　Saint
Antoine；　and　it　was　in　consequence　of　this　abuse　of　freedom　that　she　was
arrested。　　These　adventures　bring　me　far　into　the　year　1696；　and　the
sequel　extends　into　the　following　year。　　Let　us　finish　this　history　at
once；　and　return　afterwards　to　what　happened　meanwhile。

Monsieur　de　Cambrai；　stunned　but　not　overpowered　by　the　reverse　he　had
sustained；　and　by　his　loss　of　favour　with　Madame　de　Maintenon；　stood　firm
in　his　stirrups。　　After　Madame　Guyon's　abuse　of　her　liberty；　and　the
conferences　of　Issy；　he　bethought　himself　of　confessing　to　M。　de　Meaux；
by　which　celebrated　trick　he　hoped　to　close　that　prelate's　mouth。　　These
circumstances　induced　M。　de　Meaux　to　take　pen　in　hand；　in　order　to　expose
to　the　public　the　full　account　of　his　affair；　and　of　Madame　Guyon's
doctrine；　and　he　did　so　in　a　work　under　the　title　of　'Instruction　sur　les
Etats　d'Oyaison'。

While　the　book　was　yet　unpublished；　M。　de　Cambrai　was　shown　a　copy。　　He
saw　at　once　the　necessity　of　writing　another　to　ward　off　the　effect　of
such　a　blow。　　He　must　have　had　a　great　deal　of　matter　already　prepared；
otherwise　the　diligence　he　used　would　be　incredible。　　Before　M。　de
Meaux's　book　was　ready；　M。　de　Cambrai's；　entitled　'Maximes　des　Saints'；
was　published　and　distributed。　　M。　de　Chevreuse；　who　corrected　the
proofs；　installed　himself　at　the　printer's；　so　as　to　see　every　sheet　as
soon　as　printed。

This　book；　written　in　the　strangest　manner；　did　M。　de　Cambrai　little
service。　　If　people　were　offended　to　find　it　supported　upon　no　authority；
they　were　much　more　so　with　its　confused　and　embarrassed　style；　its
precision　so　restrained　and　so　decided；　its　barbarous　terms　which　seemed
as　though　taken　from　a　foreign　tongue；　above　all；　its　high…flown　and　far…
fetched　thoughts；　which　took　one's　breath　away；　as　in　the　too　subtle　air
of　the　middle　region。　　Nobody；　except　the　theologians；　understood　it；　and
even　they　not　without　reading　it　three　or　four　times。　　Connoisseurs　found
in　it　a　pure　Quietism；　which；　although　wrapped　up　in　fine　language；　was
clearly　visible。　　I　do　not　give　my　own　judgment　of　things　so　much　beyond
me；　but　repeat　what　was　said　everywhere。　　Nothing　else　was　talked　about；
even　by　the　ladies；　and　a　propos　of　this；　the　saying　of　Madame　de　Sevigne
was　revived：　〃Make　religion　a　little　more　palpable；　it　evaporates　by　dint
of　being　over…refined。〃

Not　a　word　was　heard　in　praise　of　the　book；　everybody　was　opposed　to　it；
and　it　was　the　means　of　making　Madame　de　Maintenon　more　unfavourable　to
M。　de　Cambrai　than　ever。　　He　sent　the　King　a　copy；　without　informing　her。
This　completed　her　annoyance　against　him。　　M。　de　Cambrai；　finding　his
book　so　ill…received　by　the　Court　and　by　the　prelates；　determined　to　try
and　support　it　on　the　authority　of　Rome；　a　step　quite　opposed　to　our
manners。　　In　the　mean　time；　M。　de　Meaux's　book　appeared　in　two　volumes
octavo；　well　written；　clear；　modest；　and　supported　upon　the　authority　of
the　Scriptures。　　It　was　received　with　avidity；　and　absolutely　devoured。
There　was　not　a　person　at　the　Court　who　did　not　take　a　pleasure　in
reading　it；　so　that　for　a　long　time　it　was　the　common　subject　of
conversation　of　the　Court　and　of　the　town。

These　two　books；　so　opposed　in　doctrine　and　in　style；　made　such　a　stir　on
every　side　that　the　King　interposed；　and　forced　M。　de　Cambrai　to　submit
his　work　to　an　examination　by　a　council　of　prelates；　whom　he　named。
M。　de　Cambrai　asked　permission　to　go　to　Rome　to　defend　his　cause　in
person；　but　this　the　King　refused。　　He　sent　his　book；　therefore；　to　the
Pope；　and　had　the　annoyance　to　receive　a　dry；　cold　reply；　and　to　see
M。　de　Meaux's　book　triumph。　　His　good　fortune　was　in　effect　at　an　end。
He　remained　at　Court　some　little　time；　but　the　King　was　soon　irritated
against　him；　sent　him　off　post…haste　to　Paris；　and　from　there　to　his
diocese；　whence　he　has　never　returned。　　He　left　behind　him　a　letter　for
one　of　his　friends；　M。　de　Chevreuse　it　was　generally　believed；　which
immediately　after　became　public。　　It　appeared　like　the　manifesto　of　a　man
who　disgorges　his　bile　and　restrains　himself　no　more；　because　he　has
nothing　more　to　hope。　　The　letter；　bold　and　bitter　in　style；　was　besides
so　full　of　ability　and　artifice；　that　it　was　extremely　pleasant　to　read；
without　finding　approvers；　so　true　it　is　that　a　wise　and　disdainful
silence　is　difficult　to　keep　under　reverses。









End