the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第10节

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y；　before　an　audience　which　could　not　but　be　numerous　in　a　populous　city；　where　it　is　a　wonder　to　see　the　Archbishop　in　the　pulpit。　　I　began　now　to　think　seriously　upon　my　future　conduct。　　I　found　the　archbishopric　sunk　both　in　its　temporals　and　spirituals　by　the　sordidness；　negligence；　and　incapacity　of　my　uncle。　　I　foresaw　infinite　obstacles　to　its　reestablishment；　but　perceived　that　the　greatest　and　most　insuperable　difficulty　lay　in　myself。　　I　considered　that　the　strictest　morals　are　necessarily　required　in　a　bishop。　　I　felt　myself　the　more　obliged　to　be　strictly　circumspect　as　my　uncle　had　been　very　disorderly　and　scandalous。　I　knew　likewise　that　my　own　corrupt　inclinations　would　bear　down　all　before　them；　and　that　all　the　considerations　drawn　from　honour　and　conscience　would　prove　very　weak　defences。　　At　last　I　came　to　a　resolution　to　go　on　in　my　sins；　and　that　designedly；　which　without　doubt　is　the　more　sinful　in　the　eyes　of　God；　but　with　regard　to　the　world　is　certainly　the　best　policy；　because　he　that　acts　thus　always　takes　care　beforehand　to　cover　part　of　his　failings；　and　thereby　to　avoid　the　jumbling　together　of　sin　and　devotion；　than　which　nothing　can　be　more　dangerous　and　ridiculous　in　a　clergyman。　　This　was　my　disposition；　which　was　not　the　most　pious　in　the　world　nor　yet　the　wickedest；　for　I　was　fully　determined　to　discharge　all　the　duties　of　my　profession　faithfully；　and　exert　my　utmost　to　save　other　souls；　though　I　took　no　care　of　my　own。

The　Archbishop；　who　was　the　weakest　of　mortals；　was；　nevertheless；　by　a　common　fatality　attending　such　men；　the　most　vainglorious；　he　yielded　precedence　to　every　petty　officer　of　the　Crown；　and　yet　in　his　own　house　would　not　give　the　right…hand　to　any　person　of　quality　that　came　to　him　about　business。　　My　behaviour　was　the　reverse　of　his　in　almost　everything；　I　gave　the　right…hand　to　all　strangers　in　my　own　house；　and　attended　them　even　to　their　coach；　for　which　I　was　commended　by　some　for　my　civility　and　by　others　for　my　humility。　　I　avoided　appearing　in　public　assemblies　among　people　of　quality　till　I　had　established　a　reputation。　When　I　thought　I　had　done　so；　I　took　the　opportunity　of　the　sealing　of　a　marriage　contract　to　dispute　my　rank　with　M。　de　Guise。　　I　had　carefully　studied　the　laws　of　my　diocese　and　got　others　to　do　it　for　me；　and　my　right　was　indisputable　in　my　own　province。　　The　precedence　was　adjudged　in　my　favour　by　a　decree　of　the　Council；　and　I　found；　by　the　great　number　of　gentlemen　who　then　appeared　for　me；　that　to　condescend　to　men　of　low　degree　is　the　surest　way　to　equal　those　of　the　highest。

I　dined　almost　every　day　with　Cardinal　Mazarin；　who　liked　me　the　better　because　I　refused　to　engage　myself　in　the　cabal　called　〃The　Importants；〃　though　many　of　the　members　were　my　dearest　friends。　　M。　de　Beaufort；　a　man　of　very　mean　parts；　was　so　much　out　of　temper　because　the　Queen　had　put　her　confidence　in　Cardinal　Mazarin；　that；　though　her　Majesty　offered　him　favours　with　profusion；　he　would　accept　none；　and　affected　to　give　himself　the　airs　of　an　angry　lover。　　He　held　aloof　from　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　insulted　the　late　Prince；　and；　in　order　to　support　himself　against　the　Queen…regent；　the　chief　minister；　and　all　the　Princes　of　the　blood；　formed　a　cabal　of　men　who　all　died　mad；　and　whom　I　never　took　for　conjurers　from　the　first　time　I　knew　them。　　Such　were　Beaupre；　Fontrailles；　Fiesque；　Montresor；　who　had　the　austerity　of　Cato；　but　not　his　sagacity；　and　M。　de　Bethune；　who　obliged　M。　de　Beaufort　to　make　me　great　overtures；　which　I　received　very　respectfully；　but　entered　into　none。　I　told　Montresor　that　I　was　indebted　to　the　Queen　for　the　coadjutorship　of　Paris；　and　that　that　was　enough　to　keep　me　from　entering　into　any　engagement　that　might　be　disagreeable　to　her　Majesty。　　Montresor　said　I　was　not　obliged　for　it　to　the　Queen；　it　having　been　ordered　before　by　the　late　King；　and　given　me　at　a　crisis　when　she　was　not　in　a　condition　to　refuse　it。　　I　replied；　〃Permit　me；　monsieur；　to　forget　everything　that　may　diminish　my　gratitude；　and　to　remember　that　only　which　may　increase　it。〃　　These　words　were　afterwards　repeated　to　Cardinal　Mazarin；　who　was　so　pleased　with　me　that　he　repeated　them　to　the　Queen。

The　families　of　Orleans　and　Conde；　being　united　by　interest；　made　a　jest　of　that　surly　look　from　which　Beaufort's　cabal　were　termed　〃The　Importants；〃　and　at　the　same　time　artfully　made　use　of　the　grand　appearance　which　Beaufort　（like　those　who　carry　more　sail　than　ballast）　never　failed　to　assume　upon　the　most　trifling　occasions。　　His　counsels　were　unseasonable；　his　meetings　to　no　purpose；　and　even　his　hunting　matches　became　mysterious。　　In　short；　Beaufort　was　arrested　at　the　Louvre　by　a　captain　of　the　Queen's　Guards；　and　carried　on　the　2d　of　September；　1643；　to　Vincennes。　　The　cabal　of　〃The　Importants〃　was　put　to　flight　and　dispersed；　and　it　was　reported　over　all　the　kingdom　that　they　had　made　an　attempt　against　the　Cardinal's　life；　which　I　do　not　believe；　because　I　never　saw　anything　in　confirmation　of　it；　though　many　of　the　domestics　of　the　family　of　Vendome　were　a　long　time　in　prison　upon　this　account。

The　Marquis　de　Nangis；　who　was　enraged　both　against　the　Queen　and　Cardinal；　for　reasons　which　I　shall　tell　you　afterwards；　was　strongly　tempted　to　come　into　this　cabal　a　few　days　before　Beaufort　was　arrested；　but　I　dissuaded　him　by　telling　him　that　fashion　is　powerful　in　all　the　affairs　of　life；　but　more　remarkably　so　as　to　a　man's　being　in　favour　or　disgrace　at　Court。　　There　are　certain　junctures　when　disgrace；　like　fire；　purifies　all　the　bad　qualities；　and　sets　a　lustre　on　all　the　good　ones；　and　also　there　are　times　when　it　does　not　become　an　honest　man　to　be　out　of　favour　at　Court。　　I　applied　this　to　the　gentlemen　of　the　aforesaid　cabal。

I　must　confess；　to　the　praise　of　Cardinal　de　Richelieu；　that　he　had　formed　two　vast　designs　worthy　of　a　Caesar　or　an　Alexander：　that　of　suppressing　the　Protestants　had　been　projected　before　by　Cardinal　de　Retz；　my　uncle；　but　that　of　attacking　the　formidable　house　of　Austria　was　never　thought　of　by　any　before　the　Cardinal。　　He　completed　the　first　design；　and　had　made　great　progress　in　the　latter。

That　the　King's　death　made　no　alteration　in　affairs　was　owing　to　the　bravery　of　the　Prince　de　Conde　and　the　famous　battle　of　Rocroi；　in　1643；　which　contributed　both　to　the　peace　and　glory　of　the　kingdom；　and　covered　the　cradle　of　the　present　King　with　laurels。　　Louis　XIV。's　father；　who　neither　loved　nor　esteemed　his　Queen；　provided　him　a　Council；　upon　his　death…bed；　for　limiting　the　authority　of　the　Regency；　and　named　the　Cardinal　Mazarin；　M。　Seguier；　　M。　Bouthillier；　　and　M。　de　Chavigni；　but　being　all　Richelieu's　creatures；　they　were　so　hated　by　the　public　that　when　the　King　was　dead　they　were　hissed　at　by　all　the　footmen　at　Saint　Germain；　and　if　De　Beaufort　had　had　a　grain　of　sense；　or　if　De　Beauvais　had　not　been　a　disgraceful　bishop；　or　if　my　father　had　but　entered　into　the　administration；　these　collateral　Regents　would　have　been　undoubtedly　expelled　with　ignominy；　and　the　memory　of　Cardinal　de　Richelieu　been　branded　by　the　Parliament　with　shouts　of　joy。

The　Queen　was　adored　much　more　for　her　troubles　than　for　her　merit。　　Her　admirers　had　never　seen　her　but　under　persecution；　and　in　persons　of　her　rank；　suffering　is　one　of　the　greatest　virtues。　　People　were　apt　to　fancy　that　she　was　patient　to　a　degree　of　indolence。　　In　a　word；　they　expected　wonders　from　her；　and　Bautru　used　to　say　she　had　already　worked　a　miracle　because　the　most　devout　had　forgotten　her　coquetry。　　The　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　made　a　show　as　if　he　would　have　disputed　the　Regency　with　the　Queen；　was　contented　to　be　Lieutenant…General　of　the　Kingdom。　　The　Prince　de　Conde　was　declared　President　of　the　Council；　and　the　Parliament　confirmed　the　Regency　to　the　Queen　without　limitation。　　The　exiles　were　called　home；　prisoners　set　at　liberty；　and　criminals　pardoned。　　They　who　had　been　turned　out　were　replaced　in　their　respective　employments；　and　nothing　that　was　asked　was　refused。　　The　happiness　of　private　families　seemed　to　be　fully　secured　in　the　prosperity　of　the　State。　　The　perfect　union　of　the　royal　family　settled　the　peace　within　doors；　and　the　battle　of　Rocroi　was　such　a　blow　to　the　Spanish　infantry　that　they　could　not　recover　in　an　age。　　They　saw　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；　where　the　fierce　and　terrible　Richelieu　used　to　thunder　rather　than　govern；　a　mild　and　gentle　successor；＇Cardinal　Julius　Mazarin；　Minister　of　State；　who　died　at　Vincennes　in　1661。＇　who　was　perfectly　complacent　and　extremely　troubled　that　his　dignity　of　Cardinal　did　not　permit　him　to　be　as　humble　to　all　men　as　he　desired；　and　who；　when　he　went　abroad；　had　no　other　attendants　than　two　footmen　behind　his　coach。　　Had　not　I；　then；　reason　for　saying　that　it　did　not　become　an　honest　man　to　be　on　bad　terms　with　the　Court　at　that　time　of　day？

You　will　wonder；　no　doubt；　that　nobody　was　then　aware　of　the　consequence　of　imprisoning　M。　de　Beaufort；　when　the　prison　doors　were　set　open　to　all　others。　　This　bold　strokeat　a　time　when　the　Government　was　so　mild　that　its　authority　was　hardly　felthad　a　very　great　effect。　　Though　nothing　was　more　easy；　as　you　have　seen；　yet　it　looked　grand；　and　all　acts　of　this　nature　are　v