the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第17节

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all　my　friends　in　Parliament　that　the　victory　of　Lens　had　only　disposed　the　Court　more　and　more　to　leniency　and　moderation。　　When　I　came　to　the　New　Market；　on　my　way　to　Court；　I　was　surrounded　with　swarms　of　people　making　a　frightful　outcry；　and　had　great　difficulty　in　getting　through　the　crowd　till　I　had　told　them　the　Queen　would　certainly　do　them　justice。　　The　very　boys　hissed　the　soldiers　of　the　Guard　and　pelted　them　with　stones。　　Their　commander；　the　Marechal　de　La　Meilleraye；　perceiving　the　clouds　began　to　thicken　on　all　sides；　was　overjoyed　to　see　me；　and　would　go　with　me　to　Court　and　tell　the　whole　truth　of　the　matter　to　the　Queen。　　The　people　followed　us　in　vast　numbers；　calling　out；　〃Broussel；　Broussel！〃

The　Queen；　whom　we　found　in　her　Cabinet　Council　with　Mazarin　and　others；　received　me　neither　well　nor　ill；　was　too　proud　and　too　much　out　of　temper　to　confess　any　shame　for　what　she　had　told　me　the　night　before；　and　the　Cardinal　had　not　modesty　enough　to　blush。　　Nevertheless　he　seemed　very　much　confused；　and　gave　some　obscure　hints　by　which　I　could　perceive　he　would　have　me　to　believe　that　there　were　very　sudden　and　extraordinary　reasons　which　had　obliged　the　Queen　to　take　such　measures。　　I　simulated　approval　of　what　he　said；　but　all　the　answer　I　returned　was　that　I　had　come　thither；　as　in　duty　bound；　to　receive　the　Queen's　orders　and　to　contribute　all　in　my　power　to　restore　the　public　peace　and　tranquillity。　The　Queen　gave　a　gracious　nod；　but　I　understood　afterwards　that　she　put　a　sinister　interpretation　upon　my　last　speech；　which　was　nevertheless　very　inoffensive　and　perfectly　consonant　to　my　character　as　Coadjutor　of　Paris；　but　it　is　a　true　saying　that　in　the　Courts　of　princes　a　capacity　of　doing　good　is　as　dangerous　and　almost　as　criminal　as　a　will　to　do　mischief。

The　Marechal　de　La　Meilleraye；　finding　that　the　Abbe　de　la　Riviere　and　others　made　mere　jest　and　banter　of　the　insurrection；　fell　into　a　great　passion；　spoke　very　sharply；　and　appealed　to　me。　　I　freely　gave　my　testimony；　confirmed　his　account　of　the　insurrection；　and　seconded　him　in　his　reflections　upon　the　future　consequences。　　We　had　no　other　return　from　the　Cardinal　than　a　malicious　sneer；　but　the　Queen　lifted　up　her　shrill　voice　to　the　highest　note　of　indignation；　and　expressed　herself　to　this　effect：　〃It　is　a　sign　of　disaffection　to　imagine　that　the　people　are　capable　of　revolting。　　These　are　ridiculous　stories　that　come　from　persons　who　talk　as　they　would　have　it；　the　King's　authority　will　set　matters　right。〃

The　Cardinal；　perceiving　that　I　was　a　little　nettled；　endeavoured　to　soothe　me　by　this　address　to　the　Queen：　〃Would　to　God；　madame；　that　all　men　did　but　talk　with　the　same　sincerity　as　the　Coadjutor　of　Paris。　　He　is　greatly　concerned　for　his　flock；　for　the　city；　and　for　your　Majesty's　authority；　and　though　I　am　persuaded　that　the　danger　is　not　so　great　as　he　imagines；　yet　his　scruples　in　this　case　are　to　be　commended　in　him　as　laudable　and　religious。〃　　The　Queen　understood　the　meaning　of　this　cant；　recovered　herself　all　of　a　sudden；　and　spoke　to　me　very　civilly；　to　which　I　answered　with　profound　respect　and　so　innocent　a　countenance　that　La　Riviere　said；　whispering　to　Beautru；　〃See　what　it　is　not　to　be　always　at　Court！　　The　Coadjutor　knows　the　world　and　is　a　man　of　sense；　yet　takes　all　the　Queen　has　said　to　be　in　earnest。〃

The　truth　is；　the　Cabinet　seemed　to　consist　of　persons　acting　the　several　parts　of　a　comedy。　　I　played　the　innocent；　but　was　not　so；　at　least　in　that　affair。　　The　Cardinal　acted　the　part　of　one　who　thought　himself　secure；　but　was　much　less　confident　than　he　appeared。　　The　Queen　affected　to　be　good…humoured；　and　yet　was　never　more　ill…tempered。　　M。　de　Longueville　put　on　the　marks　of　sorrow　and　sadness　while　his　heart　leaped　for　joy；　for　no　man　living　took　a　greater　pleasure　than　he　to　promote　all　broils。　　The　Duc　d'Orleans　personated　hurry　and；　passion　in　speaking　to　the　Queen；　yet　would　whistle　half　an　hour　together　with　the　utmost　indolence。　　The　Marechal　de　Villeroy　put　on　gaiety；　the　better　to　make　his　court　to　the　Prime　Minister；　though　he　privately　owned　to　me；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　that　he　saw　the　State　was　upon　the　brink　of　ruin。　Beautru　and　Nogent　acted　the　part　of　buffoons；　and　to　please　the　Queen；　personated　old　Broussel's　nurse　（for　he　was　eighty　years　of　age）；　stirring　up　the　people　to　sedition；　though　both　of　them　knew　well　enough　that　their　farce　might　perhaps　soon　end　in　a　real　tragedy。

The　Abby　de　la　Riviere　was　the　only　man　who　pretended　to　be　fully　persuaded　that　the　insurrection　of　the　people　was　but　vapour；　and　he　maintained　it　to　the　Queen；　who　was　willing　to　believe　him；　though　she　had　been　satisfied　to　the　contrary；　and　the　conduct　of　the　Queen；　who　had　the　courage　of　a　heroine；　and　the　temper　of　La　Riviere；　who　was　the　most　notorious　poltroon　of　his　time；　furnished　me　with　this　remark：　That　a　blind　rashness　and　an　extravagant　fear　produce　the　same　effects　while　the　danger　is　unknown。

The　Marechal　de　La　Meilleraye　assumed　the　style　and　bravado　of　a　captain　when　a　lieutenant…colonel　of　the　Guards　suddenly　came　to　tell　the　Queen　that　the　citizens　threatened　to　force　the　Guards；　and；　being　naturally　hasty　and　choleric；　was　transported　even　with　fury　and　madness。　　He　cried　out　that　he　would　perish　rather　than　suffer　such　insolence；　and　asked　leave　to　take　the　Guards；　the　officers　of　the　Household；　and　even　all　the　courtiers　he　could　find　in　the　antechambers；　with　whom　he　would　engage　to　rout　the　whole　mob。　　The　Queen　was　greatly　in　favour　of　it；　but　nobody　else；　and　events　proved　that　it　was　well　they　did　not　come　into　it。　　At　the　same　time　entered　the　Chancellor；　a　man　who　had　never　spoken　a　word　of　truth　in　his　whole　life；　but　now；　his　complaisance　yielding　to　his　fear；　he　spoke　directly　according　to　what　he　had　seen　in　the　streets。　I　observed　that　the　Cardinal　was　startled　at　the　boldness　of　a　man　in　whom　he　had　never　seen　anything　like　it　before。　　But　Senneterre；　coming　in　just　after　him；　removed　all　their　apprehensions　in　a　trice　by　assuring　them　that　the　fury　of　the　people　began　to　cool；　that　they　did　not　take　arms；　and　that　with　a　little　patience　all　would　be　well　again。

There　is　nothing　so　dangerous　as　flattery　at　a　juncture　where　he　that　is　flattered　is　in　fear；　because　the　desire　he　has　not　to　be　terrified　inclines　him　to　believe　anything　that　hinders　him　from　applying　any　remedy　to　what　he　is　afraid　of。　　The　news　that　was　brought　every　moment　made　them　trifle　away　that　time　which　should　have　been　employed　for　the　preservation　of　the　State。　　Old　Guitaut；　a　man　of　no　great　sense；　but　heartily　well　affected；　was　more　impatient　than　all　the　rest；　and　said　that　he　did　not　conceive　how　it　was　possible　for　people　to　be　asleep　in　the　present　state　of　affairs；　he　muttered　something　more　which　I　could　not　well　hear；　but　it　seemed　to　bear　very　hard　upon　the　Cardinal；　who　owed　him　no　goodwill。

The　Cardinal　answered；　〃Well；　M。　Guitaut；　what　would　you　have　us　do？〃

Guitaut　said；　very　bluntly；　〃Let　the　old　rogue　Broussel　be　restored　to　the　people；　either　dead　or　alive。〃

I　said　that　to　restore　him　dead　was　inconsistent　with　the　Queen's　piety　and　prudence；　but　to　restore　him　alive　would　probably　put　a　stop　to　the　tumult。

At　these　words　the　Queen　reddened；　and　cried　aloud；　〃I　understand　you；　M。　le　Coadjutor。　　You　would　have　me　set　Broussel　at　liberty；　but　I　will　strangle　him　sooner　with　these　hands；〃throwing　her　head　as　it　were　into　my　face　at　the　last　word；　〃and　those　who〃

The　Cardinal；　believing　that　she　was　going　to　say　all　to　me　that　rage　could　inspire；　advanced　and　whispered　in　her　ear；　upon　which　she　became　composed　to　such　a　degree　that；　had　I　not　known　her　too　well；　I　should　have　thought　her　at　her　ease。　　The　lieutenant　de　police　came　that　instant　into　the　Cabinet　with　a　deadly　pale　aspect。　　I　never　saw　fear　so　well　and　ridiculously　represented　in　any　Italian　comedy　as　the　fright　which　he　appeared　in　before　the　Queen。　　How　admirable　is　the　sympathy　of　fearful　souls！　　Neither　the　Cardinal　nor　the　Queen　were　much　moved　at　what　M。　de　La　Meilleraye　had　strongly　urged　on　them；　but　the　fears　of　the　lieutenant　seized　them　like　an　infection；　so　that　they　were　all　on　a　sudden　metamorphosed。　　They　ridiculed　me　no　longer；　and　suffered　it　to　be　debated　whether　or　no　it　was　expedient　to　restore　Broussel　to　the　people　before　they　took　arms；　as　they　had　threatened　to　do。　　Here　I　reflected　that　it　is　more　natural　to　the　passion　of　fear　to　consult　than　to　determine。

The　Cardinal　proposed　that　I；　as　the　fittest　person；　should　go　and　assure　the　people　that　the　Queen　would　consent　to　the　restoration　of　Broussel；　provided　they　would　disperse。　　I　saw　the　snare；　but　could　not　get　away　from　it；　the　rather　because　Meilleraye　dragged　me；　as　it　were；　to　go　along　with　him；telling　her　Majesty　that　he　would　dare　to　appear　in　the　streets　in　my　company；　and　that　he　did　not　question　but　we　should　do　wonders。　　I　said　that　I　did　not　doubt　it　either；　provided　the　Queen　would　order　a　promise　to　be　drawn　in　due　form　for　restoring　the　prisoners；　because　I　had　not　credit　enough　with　the　people　to　be　believed　upon　my　bare　word。　　They　praised　my　modesty；　Meilleraye　was　assured　of　success；　and　they　said　the　Queen's　word