the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第43节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lieve　a　word　of　what　he　said；　but　I　assured　his　Eminence　that　I　would　speak　to　him　as　if　he　were　my　father；　and　I　was　as　good　as　my　word。　　I　told　him　I　had　no　personal　interest　in　view　but　to　disengage　myself　from　the　public　disturbances　without　any　private　advantage；　and　that　for　the　same　reason　I　thought　myself　obliged　to　come　off　with　reputation　and　honour。　I　desired　him　to　consider　that　my　age　and　want　of　skill　in　public　affairs　could　not　give　him　any　jealousy　that　I　aimed　to　be　the　First　Minister。　I　conjured　him　to　consider　also　that　the　influence　I　had　over　the　people　of　Paris；　supported　by　mere　necessity；　did　rather　reflect　disgrace　than　honour　upon　my　dignity；　and　that　he　ought　to　believe　that　this　one　reason　was　enough　to　make　me　impatient　to　be　rid　of　all　these　public　broils；　besides　a　thousand　other　inconveniences　arising　every　moment；　which　disgusted　me　with　faction。　　And　as　for　the　dignity　of　cardinal；　which　might　peradventure　give　him　some　umbrage；　I　could　tell　him　very　sincerely　what　had　been　and　what　was　still　my　notion　of　this　dignity；　which　I　once　foolishly　imagined　would　be　more　honourable　for　me　to　despise　than　to　enjoy。　　I　mentioned　this　circumstance　to　let　him　see　that　in　my　tender　years　I　was　no　admirer　of　the　purple；　and　not　very　fond　of　it　now；　because　I　was　persuaded　that　an　Archbishop　of　Paris　could　hardly　miss　obtaining　that　dignity　some　time　or　other；　according　to　form；　by　actions　purely　ecclesiastical；　and　that　he　should　be　loth　to　use　any　other　means　to　procure　it。

I　said　that　I　should　be　extremely　sorry　if　my　purple　were　stained　with　the　least　drop　of　blood　spilt　in　the　civil　wars；　that　I　was　resolved　to　clear　my　hands　of　everything　that　savoured　of　intrigue　before　I　would　make　or　suffer　any　step　which　had　any　tendency　that　way；　that　he　knew　that　for　the　same　reason　I　would　neither　accept　money　nor　abbeys；　and　that；　consequently；　I　was　engaged　by　the　public　declarations　I　had　made　upon　all　those　heads　to　serve　the　Queen　without　any　interest；　that　the　only　end　I　had　in　view；　and　in　which　I　never　wavered；　was　to　come　off　with　honour；　so　that　I　might　resume　the　spiritual　functions　belonging　to　my　profession　with　safety；　that　I　desired　nothing　from　him　but　the　accomplishment　of　an　affair　which　would　be　more　for　the　King's　service　than　for　my　particular　interest；　that　he　knew　that　the　day　after　the　arrest　of　the　Prince　he　sent　me　with　his　promise　to　the　annuitants　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　that　for　want　of　performance　those　men　were　persuaded　that　I　was　in　concert　with　the　Court　to　deceive　them。　　Lastly；　I　told　him　that　the　access　I　had　to　the　Duc　d'Orleans　might　perhaps　give　him　umbrage；　but　I　desired　him　to　consider　that　I　never　sought　that　honour；　and　that　I　was　very　sensible　of　the　inconveniences　attending　it。　I　enlarged　upon　this　head；　which　is　the　most　difficult　point　to　be　understood　by　Prime　Ministers；　who　are　so　fond　of　being　freely　admitted　into　a　Prince's　presence　that；　notwithstanding　all　the　experience　in　the　world；　they　cannot　help　thinking　that　therein　consists　the　essence　of　happiness。

When　truth　has　come　to　a　certain　point；　it　darts　such　powerful　rays　of　light　as　are　irresistible；　but　I　never　knew　a　man　who　had　so　little　regard　for　truth　as　Mazarin。　　He　seemed；　however；　more　regardful　of　it　than　usual；　and　I　laid　hold　of　the　occasion　to　tell　him　of　the　dangerous　consequences　of　the　disturbances　of　Guienne；　and　that　if　he　continued　to　support　M。　d'Epernon；　the　Prince's　faction　would　not　let　this　opportunity　slip；　that　if　the　Parliament　of　Bordeaux　should　engage　in　their　party；　it　would　not　be　long　before　that　of　Paris　would　do　the　same；　that；　after　the　late　conflagration　in　this　metropolis；　he　could　not　suppose　but　that　there　was　still　some　fire　hidden　under　the　ashes；　and　that　the　factious　party　had　reason　to　fear　the　heavy　punishment　to　which　the　whole　body　of　them　was　liable；　as　we　ourselves　were　two　or　three　months　ago。　　The　Cardinal　began　to　yield；　especially　when　he　was　told　that　M。　de　Bouillon　began　to　make　a　disturbance　in　the　Limousin；　where　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　had　joined　him　with　some　troops。

To　confirm　our　reconciliation；　a　marriage　was　proposed　between　my　niece　and　his　nephew；　to　which　he；　gave　his　consent；　but　I　was　much　averse　to　it；　being　not　yet　resolved　to　bury　my　family　in　that　of　Mazarin；　nor　did　I　set　so　great　a　value　on　grandeur　as　to　purchase　it　with　the　public　odium。　　However；　it　produced　no　animosity　on　either　side；　and　his　friends　knew　that　I　should　be　very　glad　to　be　employed　in　making　a　general　peace；　they　acted　their　parts　so　well　that　the　Cardinal；　whose　love…fit　for　me　lasted　about　a　fortnight；　promised　me；　as　it　were　of　his　own　accord；　that　I　should　be　gratified。

News　came　about　this　time　from　Guienne　that　the　Ducs　de　Bouillon　and　de　La　Rochefoucault　had　taken　Madame　la　Princesse　into　Bordeaux；　together　with　M。　le　Duc；　her　son。　　The　Parliament　was　not　displeased　with　the　people　for　receiving　into　their　city　M。　le　Duc；　yet　they　observed　more　decorum　than　could　be　expected　from　the　inhabitants　of　Gascogne；　so　irritated　as　they　were　against　M。　d'Epernon。　　They　ordered　that　Madame　la　Princesse；　M。　le　Duc；　MM。　de　Bouillon　and　de　La　Rochefoucault　should　have　liberty　to　stay　in　Bordeaux；　provided　they　would　promise　to　undertake　nothing　against　the　King's　service；　and　that　the　petition　of　Madame　la　Princesse　should　be　sent　to　the　King　with　a　most　humble　remonstrance　from　the　Parliament　against　the　confinement　of　the　Princes。

At　the　same　time；　one　of　the　Presidents　sent　word　to　Senneterre　that　the　Parliament　was　not　so　far　enraged　but　that　they　would　still　remember　their　loyalty　to　the　King；　provided　he　did　but　remove　M。　d'Epernon。　　But　in　case　of　any　further　delay　he　would　not　answer　for　the　Parliament；　and　much　less　for　the　people；　who；　being　now　managed　and　supported　by　the　Prince's　party；　would　in　a　little　time　make　themselves　masters　of　the　Parliament。　　Senneterre　did　what　he　could　to　induce　the　Cardinal　to　make　good　use　of　this　advice；　and　M。　de　Chateauneuf；　who　was　now　Chancellor；　talked　wonderfully　well　upon　the　point；　but　seeing　the　Cardinal　gave　no　return　to　his　reasons　but　by　exclaiming　against　the　Parliament　of　Bordeaux　for　sheltering　men　condemned　by　the　King's　declaration；　he　said　to　him　very　plainly；　〃Set　out　to…morrow；　monsieur；　if　you　do　not　arrange　matters　to…day；　you　should　have　been　by　this　time　upon　the　Garonne。〃

The　event　proved　that　Chateauneuf　was　in　the　right；　for　though　the　Parliament　was　very　excited；　they　stood　out　a　long　time　against　the　madness　of　the　people；　spurred　on　by　M。　de　Bouillon；　and　issued　a　decree　ordering　an　envoy　of　Spain；　who　was　sent　thither　to　commence　a　treaty　with　the　Duc　de　Bouillon；　to　depart　the　city；　and　forbade　any　of　their　body　to　visit　such　as　had　correspondence　with　Spain；　the　Princess　herself　not　excepted。　　Moreover；　the　mob　having　undertaken　to　force　the　Parliament　to　unite　with　the　Princes；　the　Parliament　armed　the　magistracy；　who　fired　upon　the　people　and　made　them　retire。

A　little　time　before　the　King　departed　for　Guienne；　which　was　in　the　beginning　of　July；　word　came　that　the　Parliament　of　Bordeaux　had　consented　to　a　union　with　the　Princes；　and　had　sent　a　deputy　to　the　Parliament　of　Paris；　who　had　orders　to　see　neither　the　King　nor　the　ministers；　and　that　the　whole　province　was　disposed　for　a　revolt。　　The　Cardinal　was　in　extreme　consternation；　and　commended　himself　to　the　favour　of　the　meanest　man　of　the　Fronde　with　the　greatest　suppleness　imaginable。

As　soon　as　the　King　came　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Bordeaux　the　deputies　of　Parliament；　who　went　to　meet　the　Court　at　Lebourne；　were　peremptorily　commanded　to　open　the　gates　of　the　city　to　the　King　and　to　all　his　troops。　　They　answered　that　one　of　their　privileges　was　to　guard　the　King　themselves　while　he　was　in　any　of　their　towns。　　Upon　this；　Marechal　de　La　Meilleraye　seized　the　castle　of　Vaire；　in　the　command　of　Pichon；　whom　the　Cardinal　ordered　to　be　hanged；　and　M。　de　Bouillon　hanged　an　officer　in　Meilleraye's　army　by　way　of　reprisal。

After　that　the　Marshal　besieged　the　city　in　form；　which；　despairing　of　succour　from　Spain；　was　forced　to　capitulate　upon　the　following　terms：

That　a　general　pardon　should　be　granted　to　all　who　had　taken　up　arms　and　treated　with　Spain；　that　all　the　soldiers　should　be　disbanded　except　those　whom　the　King　had　a　mind　to　keep　in　his　pay；　that　Madame　la　Princesse　and　the　Duke　should　be　at　liberty　to　reside　either　in　Anjou　or　at　Mouzon；　with　no　more　than　two　hundred　foot　and　sixty　horse；　and　that　M。　d'Epernon　should　be　recalled　from　the　government　of　Guienne。

The　Princess　had　an　interview　with　both　the　King　and　Queen；　at　which　there　were　great　conferences　between　the　Cardinal　and　the　Ducs　de　Bouillon　and　de　La　Rochefoucault。

The　deputy　from　Bordeaux；　arriving　at　Paris　soon　after　the　King's　departure；　went　immediately；　to　Parliament；　and；　after　an　eloquent　harangue；　presented　a　letter　from　the　Parliament　of　Bordeaux；　together　with　their　decrees；　and　demanded　a　union　between　the　two　Parliaments。　After　some　debates　it　was　resolved　that　the　deputy　should　deliver　his　credentials　in　writing；　which　should　be　presented　to　his　Majesty　by　the　deputies　of　the　Parliament　of　Paris；　who　would；　at　the　same　time；　most