the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第12节

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foucault　to　marry　the　Queen　of　England；＇Henriette　Marie　of　France；　daughter　of　Henri　IV。；　died　1669。＇　nevertheless　I　was　ordered　by　a　'lettre　de　cachet'　to　prepare　the　said　Church　of　Notre　Dame　for　the　Bishop　of　Warmia；　which　order　ran　in　the　same　style　as　that　given　to　the　'prevot　des　marchands'　when　he　is　to　prepare　the　Hotel　de　Ville　for　a　public　ball。　　I　showed　the　letter　to　the　deans　and　canons；　and　said　I　did　not　doubt　but　it　was　a　stratagem　of　one　or　other　of　the　Secretary　of　State's　clerks　to　get　a　gift　of　money。

I　thereupon　went　to　the　Cardinal；　pressed　him　with　both　reasons　and　precedents；　and　said　that；　as　I　was　his　particular　humble　servant；　I　hoped　he　would　be　pleased　to　lay　them　before　her　Majesty；　making　use　of　all　other　persuasionwhich　I　thought　would　dispose　him　to　a　compliance。　It　was　then　that　I　learned　that　he　only　wanted　an　opportunity　to　embroil　me　with　the　Queen；　for　though　I　saw　plainly　that　he　was　sorry　he　had　given　such　orders　before　he　knew　their　consequence；　yet；　after　some　pause；　he　reassumed　his　former　obstinacy　to　the　very　last　degree；　and；　because　I　spoke　in　the　name　of　the　Archbishop　and　of　the　whole　Church　of　Paris；　he　stormed　as　much　as　if　a　private　person　upon　his　own　authority　had　presumed　to　make　a　speech　to　him　at　the　head　of　fifty　malcontents。　I　endeavoured　with　all　respect　to　show　him　that　our　case　was　quite　different；　but　he　was　so　ignorant　of　our　manners　and　customs　that　he　took　everything　by　the　wrong　handle。　　He　ended　the　conversation　very　abruptly　and　rudely；　and　referred　me　to　the　Queen。　　I　found　her　Majesty　in　a　fretful　mood；　and　all　I　could　get　out　of　her　was　a　promise　to　hear　the　chapter　upon　this　affair；　without　whose　consentI　had　declared　I　could　not　conclude　anything。

I　sent　for　them　accordingly；　and　having　introduced　them　to　the　Queen；　they　spoke　very　discreetly　and　to　the　purpose。　　The　Queen　sent　us　back　to　the　Cardinal；　who　entertained　us　only　with　impertinences；　and　as　he　had　but　a　superficial　knowledge　of　the　French　language；　he　concluded　by　telling　me　that　I　had　talked　very　insolently　to　him　the　night　before。　You　may　imagine　that　that　word　was　enough　to　vex　me；　but　having　resolved　beforehand　to　keep　my　temper；　I　smiled；　and　said　to　the　deputies；　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　fine　language。〃　　He　was　nettled　at　my　smile；　and　said　to　me　in　aloud　tone；　〃Do　you　know　whom　you　talk　to？　　I　will　teach　you　how　to　behave。〃　　Now；　I　confess；　my　blood　began　to　boil。　　I　told　him　that　the　Coadjutor　of　Paris　was　talking　to　Cardinal　Mazarin；　but　that　perhaps　he　thought　himself　the　Cardinal　de　Lorraine；　and　me　the　Bishop　of　Metz；　his　suffragan。

Then　we　went　away　and　met　the　Marechal　d'Estrees　coming　up　to　us；　who　came　to　advise　me　not　to　break　with　the　Court；　and　to　tell　me　that　things　might　be　arranged；　and　when　he　found　I　was　of　another　opinion；　he　told　me　in　plain　terms　that　he　had　orders　from　the　Queen　to　oblige　me　to　come　to　her。　　I　went　without　more　ado；　accompanied　by　the　deputies；　and　found　her　more　gracious　and　better　humoured　than　I　am　able　to　express。　　She　told　me　that　she　had　a　mind　to　see　me；　not　so　much　in　relation　to　our　affair；　which　might　be　easily　accommodated；　as　to　reprimand　me　for　using　such　language　to　the　poor　Cardinal；　who　was　as　meek　as　a　lamb；　and　loved　me　as　his　own　son。　　She　added　all　the　kind　things　possible；　and　ordered　the　dean　and　deputies　to　go　along　with　me　to　the　Cardinal's　house；　that　we　might　consult　together　what　course　to　take。　　This　was　so　much　against　my　inclination　that　I　gave　the　Queen　to　understand　that　no　person　in　the　world　but　her　Majesty　could　have　persuaded　me　to　it。

We　found　the　Minister　even　milder　than　his　mistress。　　He　made　a　world　of　excuses　for　the　word　〃insolent；〃　by　which　he　said；　and　perhaps　it　may　be　true；　that　he　meant　no　more　than　'insolito'；　a　word　signifying　〃somewhat　uncommon。〃　　He　showed　me　all　the　civility　imaginable；　but；　instead　of　coming　to　any　determination；　put　us　off　to　another　opportunity。　　A　few　days　after；　a　letter　was　brought　me　at　midnight　from　the　Archbishop；　commanding　me　to　let　the　Bishop　of　Warmia　perform　the　marriage　without　any　more　opposition。

Had　I　been　wise　I　should　have　stopped　there；　because　a　man　ought　in　prudence　to　make　his　peace　with　the　Court　upon　any　terms　consistent　with　honour。　　But　I　was　young；　and　the　more　provoked　because　I　perceived　that　all　the　fair　words　given　me　at　Fontainebleau　were　but　a　feint　to　gain　time　to　write　about　the　affair　to　my　uncle；　then　at　Angers。　　However；　I　said　nothing　to　the　messenger；　more　than　that　I　was　glad　my　uncle　had　so　well　brought　me　off。　　The　chapter　being　likewise　served　with　the　same　order；　we　sent　the　Court　this　answer：　That　the　Archbishop　might　do　what　he　listed　in　the　nave　of　the　church；　but　that　the　choir　belonged　to　the　chapter；　and　they　would　yield　it　to　no　man　but　himself　or　his　coadjutor。　The　Cardinal　knew　the　meaning　of　this；　and　thereupon　resolved　to　have　the　marriage　solemnised　in　the　Chapel　Royal；　whereof　he　said　the　Great　Almoner　was　bishop。　　But　this　being　a　yet　more　important　question　than　the　other；　I　laid　the　inconveniences　of　it　before　him　in　a　letter。　　This　nettled　him；　and　he　made　a　mere　jest　of　my　letter。　　I　gave　the　Queen　of　Poland　to　understand　that；　if　she　were　married　in　that　manner；　I　should　be　forced；　even　against　my　will；　to　declare　the　marriage　void；　but　that　there　remained　one　expedient　which　would　effectually　remove　all　difficulties；that　the　marriage　might　be　performed　in　the　King's　Chapel；　and　should　stand　good　provided　that　the　Bishop　of　Warmia　came　to　me　for　a　license。

The　Queen；　resolving　to　lose　no　more　time　by　awaiting　new　orders　from　Angers；　and　fearing　the　least　flaw　in　her　marriage；　the　Court　was　obliged　to　comply　with　my　proposal；　and　the　ceremony　was　performed　accordingly。

Not　long　after　this　marriage　I　was　unhappily　embroiled　with　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　upon　an　occasion　of　no　greater　importance　than　my　foot…cloth　in　the　Church　of　Notre…Dame；　which　was　by　mistake　removed　to　his　seat。　I　complained　of　it　to　him；　and　he　ordered　it　to　be　restored。　Nevertheless　the　Abby　de　la　Riviere　made　him　believe　I　had　put　an　affront　upon　him　that　was　too　public　to　be　pardoned。　　The　Duke　was　so　simple　as　to　believe　it；　and；　while　the　courtiers　turned　all　into　banter；　he　swore　he　would　receive　incense　before　me　at　the　said　church　for　the　future。　In　the　meantime　the　Queen　sent　for　me；　and　told　me　that　the　Duke　was　in　a　terrible　passion；　for　which　she　was　very　sorry；　but　that　nevertheless　she　could　not　help　being　of　his　opinion；　and　therefore　insisted　upon　it　that　I　ought　to　give　him　satisfaction　in　the　Church　of　Notre…Dame　the　Sunday　following。　　Upon　the　whole　she　referred　me　to　Cardinal　Mazarin；　who　declared　to　me　at　first　that　he　was　very　sorry　to　see　me　in　so　much　trouble；　blamed　the　Abby　for　having　incensed　the　Duke　to　such　a　degree；　and　used　all　the　arguments　he　could　to　wheedle　me　to　give　my　consent　to　being　degraded。　　And　when　he　saw　I　was　not　to　be　led；　he　endeavoured　to　drive　me　into　the　snare。　　He　stormed　with　an　air　of　authority；　and　would　fain　have　bullied　me　into　compliance；　telling　me　that　hitherto　he　had　spoken　as　a　friend；　but　that　I　had　forced　him　henceforth　to　speak　as　a　minister。　　He　also　began　to　threaten；　and　the　conversation　growing　warm；　he　sought　to　pick　a　quarrel　by　insinuating　that　if　I　would　do　as　Saint　Ambrose　did；　I　ought　to　lead　a　life　like　him。　　As　he　spoke　this　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　some　bishops　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　I　likewise　raised　my　voice；　and　told　him　I　would　endeavour　to　make　the　best　use　of　his　advice；　but　he　might　assure　himself　I　was　fully　resolved　so　to　imitate　Saint　Ambrose　in　this　affair　that　I　might；　through　his　means；　obtain　grace　to　be　able　to　imitate　him　in　all　others。

I　had　not　been　long　gone　home　when　the　Marechal　d'Estrees　and　M。　Senneterre　came；　furnished　with　all　the　flowers　of　rhetoric；　to　persuade　me　that　degradation　was　honourable；　and　finding　me　immovable；　they　insinuated　that　my　obstinacy　might　oblige　his　Highness　to　use　force；　and　order　his　guards　to　carry　me；　in　spite　of　myself；　to　Notre…Dame；　and　place　me　there　on　a　seat　below　his。　　I　thought　this　suggestion　too　ridiculous　to　mind　it　at　first；　but　being　forewarned　of　it　that　very　evening　by　the　Duke's　Chancellor；　I　put　myself　upon　the　defensive；　which　I　think　is　the　most　ridiculous　piece　of　folly　I　was　ever　guilty　of；　considering　it　was　against　a　son　of　France；　and　when　there　was　a　profound　tranquillity　in　the　State；　without　the　least　appearance　of　any　commotion。　The　Duke；　to　whom　I　had　the　honour　of　being　related；　was　pleased　with　my　boldness。　　He　remembered　the　Abby　de　la　Riviere　for　his　insolence　in　complaining　that　the　Prince　de　Conti　was　marked　down　for　a　cardinal　before　him；　besides；　the　Duke　knew　I　was　in　the　right；　having　made　it　very　evident　in　a　statement　I　had　published　upon　this　head。　　He　acquainted　the　Cardinal　with　it；　said　he　would　not　suffer　the　least　violence　to　be　offered　to　me；　that　I　was　both　his　kinsman　and　devoted　servant；　and　that　he　would　not　set　out　for　the　army　till　he　saw　the　affair　at　an　end。

All　the　Court　was　in　consternation　for　fear　of　a　rupture；　especially　when　the　Prince　de　Conde　had　been　informed　by　the　Queen　of　what　his　son　had　said；　and　when　he　came　to　my　house　and　found　the