the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第33节

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tters　for　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　de　Bouillon　and　myself；　by　which　we　were　assured　that　M。　de　Turenne　and　his　army；　which　was　without　dispute　the　finest　at　that　time　in　all　Europe；　had　declared　for　us；　that　Erlach；　Governor　of　Brisac；　had　with　him　1；000　or　1；200　men；　who　were　all　he　had　been　able　to　seduce；　that　my　dear　friend　and　kinsman；　the　Vicomte　de　Lamet；　was　marching　directly　to　our　assistance　with　2；000　horse；　and　that　M。　de　Turenne　was　to　follow　on　such　a　day　with　the　larger　part　of　the　army。　　You　will　be　surprised；　without　doubt；　to　hear　that　M。　de　Turenne；　General　of　the　King's　troops；　one　who　was　never　a　party　man；　and　would　never　hear　talk　of　party　intrigues；　should　now　declare　against　the　Court　and　perform　an　action　which；　I　am　sure；　Le　Balafre

　　　　　＇Henri　de　Lorraine；　first　of　that　name；　Duc　de　Guise；　surnamed　Le　　　　　　Balafre；　because　of　a　wound　he　received　in　the　left　cheek　at　the　　　　　　battle　of　Dormans；　the　scar　of　which　he　carried　to　his　grave。　　He　　　　　　formed　the　League；　and　was　stabbed　at　an　assembly　of　the　States　of　　　　　　Blois　in　1588。＇

and　Amiral　de　Coligny　would　not　have　undertaken　without　hesitation。　Your　wonder　will　increase　yet　more　when　I　tell　you　that　the　motive　of　this　surprising　conduct　of　his　is　a　secret　to　this　day。　　His　behaviour　also　during　his　declaration；　which　he　supported　but　five　days；　is　equally　surprising　and　mysterious。　　This　shows　that　it　is　possible　for　some　extraordinary　characters　to　be　raised　above　the　malice　and　envy　of　vulgar　souls；　for　the　merit　of　any　person　inferior　to　the　Marshal　must　have　been　totally　eclipsed　by　such　an　unaccountable　event。

Upon　the　arrival　of　this　express　from　Turenne　I　told　M。　de　Bouillon　it　was　my　opinion　that；　if　the　Spaniards　would　engage　to　advance　as　far　as　Pont…a…Verre　and　act　on　this　side　of　it　in　concert　only　with　us；　we　should　make　no　scruple　of　pledging　ourselves　not　to　lay　down　our　arms　till　the　conclusion　of　a　general　peace；　provided　they　kept　their　promise　given　to　the　Parliament　of　referring　themselves　to　its　arbitration。　〃The　true　interest　of　the　public；〃　said　I；　〃is　a　general　peace；　that　of　the　Parliament　and　other　bodies　is　the　reestablishment　of　good　order；　and　that　of　your　Grace　and　others；　with　myself；　is　to　contribute　to　the　before…mentioned　blessings　in　such　manner　that　we　may　be　esteemed　the　authors　of　them；　all　other　advantages　are　necessarily　attached　to　this；　and　the　only　way　to　acquire　them　is　to　show　that　we　do　not　value　them。　You　know　that　I　have　frequently　vowed　I　had　no　private　interest　to　serve　in　this　affair；　and　I　will　keep　my　vow　to　the　end。　　Your　circumstances　are　different　from　mine；　you　aim　at　Sedan；　and　you　are　in　the　right。　M。　de　Beaufort　wants　to　be　admiral；　and　I　cannot　blame　him。　M。　de　Longueville　has　other　demandswith　all　my　heart。　　The　Prince　de　Conti　and　Madame　de　Longueville　would　be；　for　the　future；　independent　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　that　independence　they　shall　have。

〃Now；　in　order　to　attain　to　these　ends；　the　only　means　is　to　look　another　way；　to　turn　all　our　thoughts　to　bring　about　a　general　peace；　and　to　sign　to…morrow　the　most　solemn　and　positive　engagement　with　the　enemy；　and；　the　better　to　please　the　public；　to　insert　in　the　articles　the　expulsion　of　Cardinal　Mazarin　as　their　mortal　enemy；　to　cause　the　Spanish　forces　to　come　up　immediately　to　Pont…a…Verre；　and　those　of　M。　de　Turenne　to　advance　into　Champagne；　and　to　go　without　any　loss　of　time　to　propose　to　the　Parliament　what　Don　Josh　d'Illescas　has　offered　them　already　in　relation　to　a　general　peace；　to　dispose　them　to　vote　as　we　would　have　them；　which　they　will　not　fail　to　do　considering　the　circumstances　we　are　now　in；　and　to　send　orders　to　our　deputies　at　Ruel　either　to　get　the　Queen　to　nominate　a　place　to　confer　about　a　general　peace　or　to　return　the　next　day　to　their　seats　in　Parliament。　　I　am　willing　to　think　that　the　Court；　seeing　to　what　an　extremity　they　are　reduced；　will　comply；　than　which　what　can　be　more　for　our　honour？

〃And　if　the　Court　should　refuse　this　proposition　at　present；　will　they　not　be　of　another　mind　before　two　months　are　at　an　end？　　Will　not　the　provinces；　which　are　already　hesitating；　then　declare　in　our　favour？　And　is　the　army　of　the　Prince　de　Conde　in　a　condition　to　engage　that　of　Spain　and　ours　in　conjunction　with　that　of　M。　de　Turenne？　　These　two　last；　when　joined；　will　put　us　above　all　the　apprehensions　from　foreign　forces　which　have　hitherto　made　us　uneasy；　they　will　depend　much　more　on　us　than　we　on　them；　we　shall　continue　masters　of　Paris　by　our　own　strength；　and　the　more　securely　because　the　intervening　authority　of　Parliament　will　the　more　firmly　unite　us　to　the　people。　　The　declaration　of　M。　de　Turenne　is　the　only　means　to　unite　Spain　with　the　Parliament　for　our　defence；　which　we　could　not　have　as　much　as　hoped　for　otherwise；　it　gives　us　an　opportunity　to　engage　with　Parliament；　in　concert　with　whom　we　cannot　act　amiss；　and　this　is　the　only　moment　when　such　an　engagement　is　both　possible　and　profitable。　　The　First　President　and　De　Mesmes　are　now　out　of　the　way；　and　it　will　be　much　easier　for　us　to　obtain　what　we　want　in　Parliament　than　if　they　were　present；　and　if　what　is　commanded　in　the　Parliamentary　decree　is　faithfully　executed；　we　shall　gain　our　point；　and　unite　the　Chambers　for　that　great　work　of　a　general　peace。　　If　the　Court　still　rejects　our　proposals；　and　those　of　the　deputies　who　are　for　the　Court　refuse　to　follow　our　motion　or　to　share　in　our　fortune；　we　shall　gain　as　much　in　another　respect；　we　shall　keep　ourselves　still　attached　to　the　body　of　the　Parliament；　from　which　they　will　be　deemed　deserters；　and　we　shall　have　much　greater　weight　in　the　House　than　now。

〃This　is　my　opinion；　which　I　am　willing　to　sign　and　to　offer　to　the　Parliament　if　you　seize　this；　the　only　opportunity。　　For　if　M。　de　Turenne　should　alter　his　mind　before　it　be　done；　I　should　then　oppose　this　scheme　with　as　much　warmth　as　I　now　recommend　it。〃

The　Duke　said　in　answer：　〃Nothing　can　have　a　more　promising　aspect　than　what　you　have　now　proposed；　it　is　very　practicable；　but　equally　pernicious　for　all　private　persons。　　Spain　will　promise　all；　but　perform　nothing　after　we　have　once　promised　to　enter　into　no　treaty；　with　the　Court　but　for　a　general　peace。　　This　being　the　only　thing　the　Spaniards　have　in　view；　they　will　abandon　us　as　soon　as　they；　can　obtain　it；　and　if　we　urge　on　this　great　scheme　at　once；　as　you　would　have　us；　they　would　undoubtedly　obtain　it　in　a　fortnight's　time；　for　France　would　certainly　make　it　with　precipitation；　and　I　know　the　Spaniards　would　be　glad　to　purchase　it　on　any　terms。　　This　being　the　case；　in　what　a　condition　shall　we　be　the　next　day　after　we　have　made　and　procured　this　general　peace？　We　should　indeed　have　the　honour　of　it；　but　would　this　honour　screen　us　against　the　hatred　and　curses　of　the　Court？　　Would　the　house　of　Austria　take　up　arms　again　to　rescue　you　and　me　from　a　prison？　　You　will　say；　perhaps；　we　may　stipulate　some　conditions　with　Spain　which　may　secure　us　from　all　insults　of　this　kind；　but　I　think　I　shall　have　answered　this　objection　when　I　assure　you　that　Spain　is　so　pressed　with　home　troubles　that　she　would　not　hesitate；　for　the　sake　of　peace；　to　break　the　most　solemn　promises　made　to　us；　and　this　is　an　inconvenience　for　which　I　see　no　remedy。

〃If　Spain　should　be　worse　than　her　word　with　respect　to　the　expulsion　of　Mazarin；　what　will　become　of　us？　　And　will　the　honour　of　our　contributing　to　the　general　peace　atone　for　the　preservation　of　a　minister　to　get　rid　of　whom　they　took　up　arms？　　You　know　how　they　abhor　the　Cardinal；　and；　suppose　the　Cardinal　be　excluded　from　the　Ministry；　according　to　promise；　shall　we　not　still　be　exposed　to　the　hatred　of　the　Queen；　to　the　resentment　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　to　all　the　evil　consequences　that　may　be　expected　from　an　enraged　Court　for　such　an　action？　　There　is　no　true　glory　but　what　is　durable；　transitory　honour　is　mere　smoke。　　Of　this　sort　is　that　which　we　shall　acquire　by　this　peace；　if　we　do　not　support　it　by　such　alliances　as　will　gain　us　the　reputation　of　wisdom　as　well　as　of　honesty。　　I　admire　your　disinterestedness　above　all；　and　esteem　it；　but　I　am　very　well　assured　that　if　mine　went　the　length　of　yours　you　would　not；　approve　of　it。　　Your　family　is　settled；　consider　mine；　and　cast　your　eyes　on　the　condition　of　this　lady　and　on　that　of　both　the　father　and　children。〃

I　answered：　〃The　Spaniards　must　needs　have　great　regard　for　us；　seeing　us　absolute　masters　of　Paris；　with　eight　thousand　foot　and　three　thousand　horse　at　its　gates；　and　the　best　disciplined　troops　in　the　world　marching　to　our　assistance。〃　　I　did　all　I　could　to　bring　him　over　to　my　opinion；　and　he　strove　as　much　to　persuade　me　to　enter　into　his　measures；　namely；　to　pretend　to　the　envoys　that　we　were　absolutely　resolved　to　act　in　concert　with　them　for　a　general　peace；　but　to　tell　them　at　the　same　time　that　we　thought　it　more　proper　that　the　Parliament　should　likewise　be　consulted；　and；　as　that　would　require　some　time；　we　might　in　the　meanwhile　occupy　the　envoys　by　signing　a　treaty　with　them；　previous　to　coming　to　terms　with。　　The　Parliament；　which　by　its　tenor　would　not　tie　us　up　to　conclude　anything　positively　in　relation　to　the　general　peace；　〃yet　this；〃　said