the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第29节

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8；000　men　to　march　towards　their　frontiers　to　relieve　them　in　case　of　need；　with　orders　nevertheless　to　commit　no　hostilities　upon　the　towns；　etc。；　of　the　most　Christian　King；　though　they　were　for　the　most　part　abandoned；　and　it　being　his　resolution　at　this　juncture　to　show　his　sincere　inclination　for　peace；　he　gave　them　his　word　of　honour　that　his　armies　should　not　stir　during　the　treaty；　but　that　in　case　his　troops　might　be　serviceable　to　the　Parliament；　they　were　at　their　disposal；　to　be　commanded　by　French　officers；　and　that　to　obviate　all　the　reasonable　jealousies　generally；　attending　the　conduct　of　foreigners；　they；　were　at　liberty　to　take　all　other　precautions　they　should　think　proper。

Before　his　admission　the　Prdsident　de　Mesmes　had　loaded　me　with　invectives；　for　secretly　corresponding　with　the　enemies　of　the　State；　for　favouring　his　admission；　and　for　opposing　that　of　my　sovereign's　herald。

I　had　observed　that　when　the　objections　against　a　man　are　capable　of　making　greater　impression　than　his　answers；　it　is　his　best　course　to　say　but　little；　and　that　he　may　talk　as　much　as　he　pleases　when　he　thinks　his　answers　of　greater　force　than　the　objections。　　I　kept　strictly　to　this　rule；　for　though　the　said　President　artfully　pointed　his　satire　at　me；　I　sat　unconcerned　till　I　found　the　Parliament　was　charmed　with　what　the　envoy　had　said；　and　then；　in　my　turn；　I　was　even　with　the　President　by　telling　him　in　short　that　my　respect　for　the　Parliament　had　obliged　me　to　put　up　with　his　sarcasms；　which　I　had　hitherto　endured；　and　that　I　did　not　suppose　he　meant　that　his　sentiments　should　always　be　a　law　to　the　Parliament；　that　nobody　there　had　a　greater　esteem　for　him；　with　which　I　hoped　that　the　innocent　freedom　I　had　taken　to　speak　my　mind　was　not　inconsistent；　that　as　to　the　non…admission　of　the　herald；　had　it　not　been　for　the　motion　made　by　M。　Broussel；　I　should　have　fallen　into　the　snare　through　overcredulity；　and　have　given　my　vote　for　that　which　might　perhaps　have　ended　in　the　destruction　of　the　city；　and　involved　myself　in　what　has　since　fully　proved　to　be　a　crime　by　the　Queen's　late　solemn　approbation　of　the　contrary　conduct；　and　that；　as　to　the　envoy；　I　was　silent　till　I　saw　most　of　them　were　for　giving　him　audience；　when　I　thought　it　better　to　vote　the　same　way　than　vainly　to　contest　it。

This　modest　and　submissive　answer　of　mine　to　all　the　scurrilities　heaped　upon　me　for　a　fortnight　together　by　the　First　President　and　the　President　de　Mesmes　had　an　excellent　effect　upon　the　members；　and　obliterated　for　a　long　time　the　suspicion　that　I　aimed　to　govern　them　by　my　cabals。　　The　President　de　Mesmes　would　have　replied；　but　his　words　were　drowned　in　the　general　clamour。　　The　clock　struck　five；　none　had　dined；　and　many　had　not　broken　their　fast；　which　the　Presidents　had；　and　therefore　had　the　advantage　in　disputation。

The　decree　ordering　the　admission　of　the　Spanish　envoy　to　audience　directed　that　a　copy　of　what　he　said　in　Parliament；　signed　with　his　own　hand；　should　be　demanded　of　him；　to　the　end　that　it　might　be　registered；　and　that；　by　a　solemn　deputation；　it　should　be　sent　to　the　Queen；　with　an　assurance　of　the　fidelity　of　the　Parliament；　beseeching　her　at　the　same　time　to　withdraw　her　troops　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Paris　and　restore　peace　to　her　people。　　It　being　now　very　late；　and　the　members　very　hungry；circumstances　that　have　greater　influence　than　can　be　imagined　in　debates；　they　were　upon　the　point　of　letting　this　clause　pass　for　want　of　due　attention。　　The　President　Le　Coigneux　was　the　first　that　discovered　the　grand　mistake；　and；　addressing　himself　to　a　great　many　councillors；　who　were　rising　up；　said；　〃Gentlemen；　pray　take　your　places　again；　for　I　have　something　to　offer　to　the　House　which　is　of　the　highest　importance　to　all　Europe。〃　　When　they　had　taken　their　places　he　spoke　as　follows：

〃The　King　of　Spain　takes　us　for　arbiters　of　the　general　peace；　it　may　be　he　is　not　in　earnest；　but　yet　it　is　a　compliment　to　tell　us　so。　　He　offers　us　troops　to　march　to　our　relief；　and　it　is　certain　he　does　not　deceive　us　in　this　respect；　but　highly　obliges　us。　　We　have　heard　his　envoy；　and　considering　the　circumstances　we　are　in；　we　think　it　right　so　to　do。　　We　have　resolved　to　give　an　account　of　this　matter　to　the　King；　which　is　but　reasonable；　some　imagine　that　we　propose　to　send　the　original　decree；　but　here　lies　the　snake　in　the　grass。　　I　protest；　monsieur；〃　added　he；　turning　to　the　First　President；　〃that　the　members　did　not　understand　it　so；　but　that　the　copy　only　should　be　carried　to　Court；　and　the　original　be　kept　in　the　register。　　I　could　wish　there　had　been　no　occasion　for　explanation；　because　there　are　some　occasions　when　it　is　not　prudent　to　speak　all　that　one　thinks；　but　since　I　am　forced　to　it；　I　must　say　it　without　further　hesitation；　that　in　case　we　deliver　up　the　original　the　Spaniards　will　conclude　that　we　expose　their　proposals　for　a　general　peace　and　our　own　safety　to　the　caprice　of　Cardinal　Mazarin；　whereas；　by　delivering　only　a　copy；　accompanied　with　humble　entreaties　for　a　general　peace；　as　the　Parliament　has　wisely　ordered；　all　Europe　will　see　that　we　maintain　ourselves　in　a　condition　capable　of　doing　real　service　both　to　our　King　and　country；　if　the　Cardinal　is　so　blind　as　not　to　take　a　right　advantage　of　this　opportunity。〃

This　discourse　was　received　with　the　approbation　of　all　the　members；　who　cried　out　from　all　corners　of　the　House　that　this　was　the　meaning　of　the　House。　　The　gentlemen　of　the　Court　of　Inquests　did　not　spare　the　Presidents。　　M。　Martineau　said　publicly　that　the　tenor　of　this　decree　was　that　the　envoy　of　Spain　should　be　made　much　of　till　they　received　an　answer　from　Saint　Germain；　which　would　prove　to　be　another　taunt　of　the　Cardinal's。　　Pontcarre　said　he　was　not　so　much　afraid　of　a　Spaniard　as　of　a　Mazarin。　　In　short；　the　generals　had　the　satisfaction　to　see　that　the　Parliament　would　not　be　sorry　for　any　advances　they　should　make　towards　an　alliance　with　Spain。

We　sent　a　courier　to　Brussels；　who　was　guarded　ten　leagues　out　of　Paris　by　500　horse；　with　an　account　of　everything　done　in　Parliament；　of　the　conditions　which　the　Prince　de　Conti　and　the　other　generals　desired　for　entering　into　a　treaty　with　Spain；　and　of　what　engagement　I　could　make　in　my　own　private　capacity。

After　he　had　gone　I　had　a　conference　with　M。　de　Bouillon　and　his　lady　about　the　present　state　of　affairs；　which　I　observed　was　very　ticklish；　that　if　we　were　favoured　by　the　general　inclination　of　the　people　we　should　carry　all　before　us；　but　that　the　Parliament；　which　was　our　chief　strength　in　one　sense；　was　in　other　respects　our　main　weakness；　that　they　were　very　apt　to　go　backward；　that　in　the　very　last　debate　they　were　on　the　point　of　twisting　a　rope　for　their　own　necks；　and　that　the　First　President　would　show　Mazarin　his　true　interests；　and　be　glad　to　amuse　us　by　stipulating　with　the　Court　for　our　security　without　putting　us　in　possession　of　it；　and　by　ending　the　civil　war　in　the　confirmation　of　our　slavery。　　〃The　Parliament；〃　I　said；　〃inclines　to　an　insecure　and　scandalous　peace。　　We　can　make　the　people　rise　to…morrow　if　we　please；　but　ought　we　to　attempt　it？　　And　if　we　divest　the　Parliament　of　its　authority；　into　what　an　abyss　of　disorders　shall　we　not　precipitate　Paris？　　But；　on　the　other　hand；　if　we　do　not　raise　the　people；　will　the　Parliament　ever　believe　we　can？　　Will　they　be　hindered　from　taking　any　further　step　in　favour　of　the　Court；　destructive　indeed　to　their　own　interest；　but　infallibly　ruinous　to　us　first？〃

M。　de　Bouillon；　who　did　not　believe　our　affairs　to　be　in　so　critical　a　situation；　was；　together　with　his　lady；　in　a　state　of　surprise。　　The　mild　and　honourable　answer　which　the　Queen　returned　to　the　King's　councillors　in　relation　to　the　herald；　her　protestations　that　she　sincerely　forgave　all　the　world；　and　the　brilliant　gloss　of　Talon　upon　her　said　answer；　in　an　instant　overturned　the　former　resolutions　of　the　Parliament；　and　if　they　regained　sometimes　their　wonted　vigour；　either　by　some　intervening　accidents　or　by　the　skilful　management　of　those　who　took　care　to　bring　them　back　to　the　right　way；　they　had　still　an　inclination　to　recede。　M。　de　Bouillon　being　the　wisest　man　of　the　party；　I　told　him　what　I　thought；　and　with　him　I　concerted　proper　measures。　　To　the　rest；　I　put　on　a　cheerful　air；　and　magnified　every　little　circumstance　of　affairs　to　our　own　advantage。

M。　de　Bouillon　proposed　that　we　should　let　the　Parliament　and　the　Hotel　de　Ville　go　on　in　their　own　way；　and　endeavour　all　we　could　clandestinely　to　make　them　odious　to　the　people；　and　that　we　should　take　the　first　opportunity　to　secure；　by　banishment　or　imprisonment；　such　persons　as　we　could　not　depend　upon。　　He　added　that　Longueville；　too；　was　of　opinion　that　there　was　no　remedy　left　but　to　purge　the　Houses。　　This　was　exactly　like　him；　for　never　was　there　a　man　so　positive　and　violent　in　his　opinion；　and　yet　no　man　living　could　palliate　it　with　smoother　language。　Though　I　thought　of　this　expedient　before　M。　de　Bouillon；　and　perhaps　could　have　said　more　for　it；　because　I　saw　the　possibility　of　it　much　clearer　than　he；　yet　I　would　not　give　him　to　understand　that　I　had　thought　of　it；　because　I　knew　he　had　the　vanity　to　love　to　b