the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第7节

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army　under　the　King　himself。　　The　Duc　de　Luxembourg；　sole　general　of　his
own　army；　covered　the　siege　operations；　and　observed　the　enemy。　　The
ladies　went　away　to　Dinant。　　On　the　third　day　of　the　march　M。　le　Prince
went　forward　to　invest　the　place。

The　celebrated　Vauban；　the　life　and　soul　of　all　the　sieges　the　King　made；
was　of　opinion　that　the　town　should　be　attacked　separately　from　the
castle；　and　his　advice　was　acted　upon。　　The　Baron　de　Bresse；　however；
who　had　fortified　the　place；　was　for　attacking　town　and　castle　together。
He　was　a　humble　down…looking　man；　whose　physiognomy　promised　nothing；　but
who　soon　acquired　the　confidence　of　the　King；　and　the　esteem　of　the　army。

The　Prince　de　Conde；　Marechal　d'Humieres；　and　the　Marquis　de　Boufflers
each　led　an　attack。　　There　was　nothing　worthy　of　note　during　the　ten　days
the　siege　lasted。　　On　the　eleventh　day；　after　the　trenches　had　been
opened；　a　parley　was　beaten　and　a　capitulation　made　almost　as　the
besieged　desired　it。　　They　withdrew　to　the　castle；　and　it　was　agreed　that
it　should　not　be　attacked　from　the　town…side；　and　that　the　town　was　not
to　be　battered　by　it。　　During　the　siege　the　King　was　almost　always　in　his
tent；　and　the　weather　remained　constantly　warm　and　serene。　　We　lost
scarcely　anybody　of　consequence。　　The　Comte　de　Toulouse　received　a　slight
wound　in　the　arm　while　quite　close　to　the　King；　who　from　a　prominent
place　was　witnessing　the　attack　of　a　half…moon；　which　was　carried　in
broad　daylight　by　a　detachment　of　the　oldest　of　the　two　companies　of
Musketeers。

The　siege　of　the　castle　next　commenced。　　The　position　of　the　camp　was
changed。　　The　King's　tents　and　those　of　all　the　Court　were　pitched　in　a
beautiful　meadow　about　five　hundred　paces　from　the　monastery　of
Marlaigne。　　The　fine　weather　changed　to　rain；　which　fell　with　an
abundance　and　perseverance　never　before　known　by　any　one　in　the　army。
This　circumstance　increased　the　reputation　of　Saint　Medard；　whose　fete
falls　on　the　8th　of　June。　　It　rained　in　torrents　that　day；　and　it　is　said
that　when　such　is　the　case　it　will　rain　for　forty　days　afterwards。　　By
chance　it　happened　so　this　year。　　The　soldiers　in　despair　at　this　deluge
uttered　many　imprecations　against　the　Saint；　and　looked　for　images　of
him；　burning　and　breaking　as　many　as　they　could　find。　　The　rains　sadly
interfered　with　the　progress　of　the　siege。　　The　tents　of　the　King　could
only　be　communicated　with　by　paths　laid　with　fascines　which　required　to
be　renewed　every　day；　as　they　sank　down　into　the　soil。　　The　camps　and
quarters　were　no　longer　accessible；　the　trenches　were　full　of　mud　and
water；　and　it　took　often　three　days　to　remove　cannon　from　one　battery　to
another。　　The　waggons　became　useless；　too；　so　that　the　transport　of
bombs；　shot；　and　so　forth；　could　not　be　performed　except　upon　the　backs
of　mules　and　of　horses　taken　from　the　equipages　of　the　Court　and　the
army。　　The　state　of　the　roads　deprived　the　Duc　de　Luxembourg　of　the　use
of　waggons　and　other　vehicles。　　His　army　was　perishing　for　want　of　grain。
To　remedy　this　inconvenience　the　King　ordered　all　his　household　troops　to
mount　every　day　on　horseback　by　detachments；　and　to　take　sacks　of　grain
upon　their　cruppers　to　a　village　where　they　were　to　be　received　and
counted　by　the　officers　of　the　Duc　de　Luxembourg。　　Although　the　household
of　the　King　had　scarcely　any　repose　during　this　siege；　what　with　carrying
fascines；　furnishing　guards；　and　other　daily　services；　this　increase　of
duty　was　given　to　it　because　the　cavalry　served　continually　also；　and　was
reduced　almost　entirely　to　leaves　of　trees　for　provender。

The　household　of　the　King；　accustomed　to　all　sorts　of　distinctions；
complained　bitterly　of　this　task。　　But　the　King　turned　a　deaf　ear　to
them；　and　would　be　obeyed。　　On　the　first　day　some　of　the　Gendarmes　and　of
the　light　horse　of　the　guard　arrived　early　in　the　morning　at　the　depot　of
the　sacks；　and　commenced　murmuring　and　exciting　each　other　by　their
discourses。　　They　threw　down　the　sacks　at　last　and　flatly　refused　to
carry　them。　　I　had　been　asked　very　politely　if　I　would　be　of　the
detachment　for　the　sacks　or　of　some　other。　　I　decided　for　the　sacks；
because　I　felt　that　I　might　thereby　advance　myself；　the　subject　having
already　made　much　noise。　　I　arrived　with　the　detachment　of　the　Musketeers
at　the　moment　of　the　refusal　of　the　others；　and　I　loaded　my　sack　before
their　eyes。　　Marin；　a　brigadier　of　cavalry　and　lieutenant　of　the　body
guards；　who　was　there　to　superintend　the　operation；　noticed　me；　and　full
of　anger　at　the　refusal　he　had　just　met　with；　exclaimed　that　as　I　did　not
think　such　work　beneath　me；　the　rest　would　do　well　to　imitate　my　example。
Without　a　word　being　spoken　each　took　up　his　sack；　and　from　that　time
forward　no　further　difficulty　occurred　in　the　matter。　　As　soon　as　the
detachment　had　gone；　Marin　went　straight　to　the　King　and　told　him　what
had　occurred。　　This　was　a　service　which　procured　for　me　several　obliging
discourses　from　his　Majesty；　who　during　the　rest　of　the　siege　always
sought　to　say　something　agreeable　every　time　he　met　me。

The　twenty…seventh　day　after　opening　the　trenches；　that　is；　the　first　of
July；　1692；　a　parley　was　sounded　by　the　Prince　de　Barbanqon；　governor　of
the　place；　a　fortunate　circumstance　for　the　besiegers；　who　were　worn
out　with　fatigue；　and　destitute　of　means；　on　account　of　the　wretched
weather　which　still　continued；　and　which　had　turned　the　whole　country
round　into　a　quagmire。　　Even　the　horses　of　the　King　lived　upon　leaves；
and　not　a　horse　of　all　our　numerous　cavalry　ever　thoroughly　recovered
from　the　effects　of　such　sorry　fare。　　It　is　certain　that　without　the
presence　of　the　King　the　siege　might　never　have　been　successful；　but　he
being　there；　everybody　was　stimulated。　　Yet　had　the　place　held　out　ten
days　longer；　there　is　no　saying　what　might　have　happened。　　Before　the　end
of　the　siege　the　King　was　so　much　fatigued　with　his　exertions；　that　a　new
attack　of　gout　came　on；　with　more　pain　than　ever；　and　compelled　him　to
keep　his　bed；　where；　however；　he　thought　of　everything；　and　laid　out　his
plans　as　though　he　had　been　at　Versailles。

During　the　entire　siege；　the　Prince　of　Orange　（William　III。　of　England）
had　unavailingly　used　all　his　science　to　dislodge　the　Duc　de　Luxembourg；
but　he　had　to　do　with　a　man　who　in　matters　of　war　was　his　superior；　and
who　continued　so　all　his　life。　　Namur；　which；　by　the　surrender　of　the
castle；　was　now　entirely　in　our　power；　was　one　of　the　strongest　places　in
the　Low　Countries；　and　had　hitherto　boasted　of　having　never　changed
masters。　　The　inhabitants　could　not　restrain　their　tears　of　sorrow。　　Even
the　monks　of　Marlaigne　were　profoundly　moved；　so　much　so；　that　they　could
not　disguise　their　grief。　　The　King；　feeling　for　the　loss　of　their　corn
that　they　had　sent　for　safety　into　Namur；　gave　them　double　the　quantity；
and　abundant　alms。　　He　incommoded　them　as　little　as　possible；　and　would
not　permit　the　passage　of　cannon　across　their　park；　until　it　was　found
impossible　to　transport　it　by　any　other　road。　　Notwithstanding　these　acts
of　goodness；　they　could　scarcely　look　upon　a　Frenchman　after　the　taking
of　the　place；　and　one　actually　refused　to　give　a　bottle　of　beer　to　an
usher　of　the　King's　antechamber；　although　offered　a　bottle　of　champagne
in　exchange　for　it！

A　circumstance　happened　just　after　the　taking　of　Namur；　which　might　have
led　to　the　saddest　results；　under　any　other　prince　than　the　King。　　Before
he　entered　the　town；　a　strict　examination　of　every　place　was　made；
although　by　the　capitulation　all　the　mines；　magazines；　&c。；　had　to　be
shown。　　At　a　visit　paid　to　the　Jesuits；　they　pretended　to　show
everything；　expressing；　however；　surprise　and　something　more；　that　their
bare　word　was　not　enough。　　But　on　examining　here　and　there；　where　they
did　not　expect　search　would　be　made；　their　cellars　were　found　to　be
stored　with　gunpowder；　of　which　they　had　taken　good　care　to　say　no　word。
What　they　meant　to　do　with　it　is　uncertain。　　It　was　carried　away；　and　as
they　were　Jesuits　nothing　was　done。

During　the　course　of　this　siege；　the　King　suffered　a　cruel
disappointment。　　James　II。　of　England；　then　a　refugee　in　France；　had
advised　the　King　to　give　battle　to　the　English　fleet。　　Joined　to　that　of
Holland　it　was　very　superior　to　the　sea　forces　of　France。　　Tourville；　our
admiral；　so　famous　for　his　valour　and　skill；　pointed　this　circumstance
out　to　the　King。　　But　it　was　all　to　no　effect。　　He　was　ordered　to　attack
the　enemy。　　He　did　so。　　Many　of　his　ships　were　burnt；　and　the　victory　was
won　by　the　English。　　A　courier　entrusted　with　this　sad　intelligence　was
despatched　to　the　King。　　On　his　way　he　was　joined　by　another　courier；　who
pressed　him　for　his　news。　　The　first　courier　knew　that　if　he　gave　up　his
news；　the　other；　who　was　better　mounted；　would　outstrip　him；　and　be　the
first　to　carry　it　to　the　King。　　He　told　his　companion；　therefore；　an　idle
tale；　very　different　indeed　from　the　truth；　for　he　changed　the　defeat
into　a　great　victory。　　Having　gained　this　wonderful　intelligence；　the
second　courier　put　spurs　to　his　horse；　and　hurried　away　to　the　King's
camp；　eager　to　be　the　bearer　of　good　tidings。　　He　reached　the　camp　first；
and　was