the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第22节

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s　I　honoured　him；　and　clearly　saw　the　precipice。

I　had　divers　conferences　with　him；　in　which　I　found　that　his　disgust　was　turned　into　wrath　and　indignation。　　He　swore　there　was　no　bearing　with　the　insolence　and　impertinence　of　those　citizens　who　struck　at　the　royal　authority；　that　as　long　as　he　thought　they　aimed　only　at　Mazarin　he　was　on　their　side；　that　I　myself　had　often　confessed　that　no　certain　measures　could　be　concerted　with　men　who　changed　their　opinions　every　quarter　of　an　hour；　that　he　could　never　condescend　to　be　General　of　an　army　of　fools；　with　whom　no　wise　man　would　entrust　himself；　besides　that；　he　was　a　Prince　of　the　blood；　and　would　not　be　instrumental　in　giving　a　shock　to　the　Throne；　and　that　the　Parliament　might　thank　themselves　if　they　were　ruined　through　not　observing　the　measures　agreed　on。

This　was　the　substance　of　my　answer：　〃No　men　are　more　bound　by　interest　than　the　Parliament　to　maintain　the　royal　authority；　so　that　they　cannot　be　thought　to　have　a　design　to　ruin　the　State；　though　their　proceedings　may　have　a　tendency　that　way。　　It　must　be　owned；　therefore；　that　if　the　sovereign　people　do　evil；　it　is　only　when　they　are　not　able　to　act　as　well　as　they　would。　　A　skilful　minister；　who　knows　how　to　manage　large　bodies　of　men　as　well　as　individuals；　keeps　up　such　a　due　balance　between　the　Prince's　authority　and　the　people's　obedience　as　to　make　all　things　succeed　and　prosper。　　But　the　present　Prime　Minister　has　neither　judgment　nor　strength　to　adjust　the　pendulum　of　this　State　clock；　the　springs　of　which　are　out　of　order。　　His　business　is　to　make　it　go　slower；　which；　I　own；　he　attempts　to　do；　but　very　awkwardly；　because　he　has　not　the　brains　for　it。　　In　this　lies　the　fault　of　our　machine。　　Your　Highness　is　in　the　right　to　set　about　the　mending　of　it；　because　nobody　else　is　capable　of　doing　it；　but　in　order　to　do　this　must　you　join　with　those　that　would　knock　it　in　pieces？

〃You　are　convinced　of　the　Cardinal's　extravagances；　and　that　his　only　view　is　to　establish　in　France　a　form　of　government　known　nowhere　but　in　Italy。　　If　he　should　succeed；　will　the　State　be　a　gainer　by　it；　according　to　its　only　true　maxims？　　Would　it　be　an　advantage　to　the　Princes　of　the　blood　in　any　sense？　　But；　besides；　has　he　any　likelihood　of　succeeding？　Is　he　not　loaded　with　the　odium　and　contempt　of　the　public？　　and　is　not　the　Parliament　the　idol　they　revere？　　I　know　you　despise　them　because　the　Court　is　so　well　armed；　but　let　me　tell　you　that　they　are　so　confident　of　their　power　that　they　feel　their　importance。　　They　are　come　to　that　pass　that　they　do　not　value　your　forces；　and　though　the　evil　is　that　at　present　their　strength　consists　only　in　their　imagination；　yet　a　time　may　come　when　they　may　be　able　to　do　whatever　they　now　think　it　in　their　power　to　do。

〃Your　Highness　lately　told　me　that　this　disposition　of　the　people　was　only　smoke；　but　be　assured　that　smoke　so　dark　and　thick　proceeds　from　a　brisk　fire；　which　the　Parliament　blows；　and；　though　they　mean　well；　may　blaze　up　into　such　a　flame　as　may　consume　themselves　and　again　hazard　the　destruction　of　the　State；　which　has　been　the　case　more　than　once。　　Bodies　of　men；　when　once　exasperated　by　a　Ministry；　always　aggravate　their　failures；　and　scarcely　ever　show　them　any　favour；　which；　in　some　cases；　is　enough　to　ruin　a　kingdom。

〃If；　when　the　proposition　was　formerly　made　to　the　Parliament　by　the　Cardinal　to　declare　whether　they　intended　to　set　bounds　to　the　royal　authority；　if；　I　say；　they　had　not　wisely　eluded　the　ridiculous　and　dangerous　question；　France　would　have　run　a　great　risk；　in　my　opinion；　of　being　entirely　ruined；　for　had　they　answered　in　the　affirmative；　as　they　were　on　the　point　of　doing；　they　would　have　rent　the　veil　that　covers　the　mysteries　of　State。　　Every　monarchy　has　its　peculiar　veil；　that　of　France　consists　in　a　kind　of　religious　and　sacred　silence；　which；　by　the　subjects　generally　paying　a　blind　obedience　to　their　Kings；　muffles　up　that　right　which　they　think　they　have　to　dispense　with　their　obedience　in　cases　where　a　complaisance　to　their　Kings　would　be　a　prejudice　to　themselves。　　It　is　a　wonder　that　the　Parliament　did　not　strip　off　this　veil　by　a　formal　decree。　　This　has　had　much　worse　consequences　since　the　people　have　taken　the　liberty　to　look　through　it。

〃Your　Highness　cannot　by　the　force　of　arms　prevent　these　dangerous　consequences；　which；　perhaps；　are　already　too　near　at　hand。　　You　see　that　even　the　Parliament　can　hardly　restrain　the　people　whom　they　have　roused；　that　the　contagion　is　spread　into　the　provinces；　and　you　know　that　Guienne　and　Provence　are　entirely　governed　by　the　example　of　Paris。　Every　thing　shakes　and　totters；　and　it　is　your　Highness　only　that　can　set　us　right；　because　of　the　splendour　of　your　birth　and　reputation；　and　the　generally　received　opinion　that　none　but　you　can　do　it。

〃The　Queen　shares　with　the　Cardinal　in　the　common　hatred；　and　the　Duc　d'Orleans　with　La　Riviere　in　the　universal　contempt　of　the　people。　　If；　out　of　mere　complaisance；　you　abet　their　measures；　you　will　share　in　the　hatred　of　the　public。　　It　is　true　that　you　are　above　their　contempt；　but　then　their　dread　of　you　will　be　so　great　that　it　will　grievously　embitter　the　hatred　they　will　then　bear　to　you；　and　the　contempt　they　have　already　for　the　others；　so　that　what　is　at　present　only　a　serious　wound　in　the　State　will　perhaps　become　incurable　and　mortal。　　I　am　sensible　you　have　grounds　to　be　diffident　of　the　behaviour　of　a　body　consisting　of　above　two　hundred　persons；　who　are　neither　capable　of　governing　nor　being　governed。　　I　own　the　thought　is　perplexing；　but　such　favourable　circumstances　seem　to　offer　themselves　at　this　juncture　that　matters　are　much　simplified。

〃Supposing　that　manifestoes　were　published；　and　your　Highness　declared　General　of　the　Parliamentary　Army；　would　you；　monseigneur；　meet　with　greater　difficulties　than　your　grandfather　and　great…grandfather　did；　in　accommodating　themselves　to　the　caprice　of　the　ministers　of　Rochelle　and　the　mayors　of　Nimes　and　Montauban？　　And　would　your　Highness　find　it　a　greater　task　to　manage　the　Parliament　of　Paris　than　M。　de　Mayenne　did　in　the　time　of　the　League；　when　there　was　a　factious　opposition　made　to　all　the　measures　of　the　Parliament？　　Your　birth　and　merit　raise　you　as　far　above　M。　de　Mayenne　as　the　cause　in　hand　is　above　that　of　the　League；　and　the　circumstances　of　both　are　no　less　different。　　The　head　of　the　League　declared　war　by　an　open　and　public　alliance　with　Spain　against　the　Crown；　and　against　one　of　the　best　and　bravest　kings　that　France　ever　had。　　And　this　head　of　the　League；　though　descended　from　a　foreign　and　suspected　family；　kept；　notwithstanding；　that　same　Parliament　in　his　interest　for　a　considerable　time。

〃You　have　consulted　but　two　members　of　the　whole　Parliament；　and　them　only　upon　their　promise　to　disclose　your　intentions　to　no　man　living。　How　then　can　your　Highness　think　it　possible　that　your　sentiments；　locked　up　so　closely　in　the　breasts　of　two　members；　can　have　any　influence　upon　the　whole　body　of　the　Parliament？　　I　dare　answer　for　it；　monseigneur；　that　if　you　will　but　declare　yourself　openly　the　protector　of　the　public　and　of　the　sovereign　companies；　you　might　govern　themat　least；　for　a　considerable　timewith　an　absolute　and　almost　sovereign　authority。　But　this；　it　seems；　is　not　what　you　have　in　view；　you　are　not　willing　to　embroil　yourself　with　the　Court。　　You　had　rather　be　of　the　Cabinet　than　of　a　party。　　Do　not　take　it　ill；　then；　that　men　who　consider　you　only　in　this　light　do　not　conduct　themselves　as　you　would　like。　　You　ought　to　conform　your　measures　to　theirs；　because　theirs　are　moderate；　and　you　may　safely　do　it；　for　the　Cardinal　can　hardly　stand　under　the　heavy　weight　of　the　public　hatred；　and　is　too　weak　to　oblige　you　against　your　will　to　any　sudden　and　precipitate　rupture。　　La　Riviere；　who　governs　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　is　a　most　dangerous　man。　　Continue；　then；　to　introduce　moderate　measures；　and　let　them　take　their　course；　according　to　your　first　plan。　　Is　a　little　more　or　less　heat　in　Parliamentary　proceedings　sufficient　reason　to　make　you　alter　it？　　For　whatever　be　the　consequence；　the　worst　that　can　happen　is　that　the　Queen　may　believe　you　not　zealous　enough　for　her　interest；　but　are　there　not　remedies　enough　for　that？　　Are　there　not　excuses　and　appearances　ready　at　hand；　and　such　as　cannot　fail？

〃And　now；　I　pray　your　Highness　to　give　me　leave　to　add　that　there　never　was　so　excellent；　so　innocent；　so　sacred；　and　so　necessary　a　project　as　this　formed　by　your　Highness；　and；　in　my　humble　opinion；　there　never　were　such　weak　reasons　as　those　you　have　now　urged　to　hinder　its　execution；　for　I　take　this　to　be　the　weakest　of　all；　which；　perhaps；　you　think　a　very　strong　one；　namely；　that　if　Mazarin　miscarries　in　his　designs　you　may　be　ruined　along　with　him；　and　if　he　does　succeed　he　will　destroy　you　by　the　very　means　which　you　took　to　raise　him。〃

It　had　not　the　intended　effect　on　the　Prince；　who　was　already　prepossessed；　and　who　only　answered　me　in　general　terms。　　But　heroes　have　their　faults　as　well　as　other　men；　and　so　had　his　Highness；　who　had　one　of　the　finest　geniuses　in　the　world；　but　little　or　no　forethought。　　He　did　not　seek　to　aggravate　matters　in　order　to　re