the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第49节

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e　furious　Mazarin；　to　be　much　beneath　themselves　and　me。　　And　that　I　may　conform　my　opinion　to　theirs；　I　will　answer　only　by　repeating　a　passage　from　an　ancient　author：　'In　the　worst　of　times　I　did　not　forsake　the　city；　in　the　most　prosperous　I　had　no　particular　views；　and　in　the　most　desperate　times　of　all　I　feared　nothing。'　I　desire　to　be　excused　for　running　into　this　digression。　　I　move　that　you　would　make　humble　remonstrances　to　the　King；　to　desire　him　to　despatch　an　order　immediately　for　setting　the　Princes　at　liberty；　to　make　a　declaration　in　their　favour；　and　to　remove　Cardinal　Mazarin　from　his　person　and　Councils。〃

My　opinion　was　applauded　both　by　the　Frondeurs　and　the　Prince's　party；　and　carried　almost　'nemine　contradicente'。

Talon；　the　Attorney…General；　did　wonders。　　I　never　heard　or　read　anything　more　eloquent　or　nervous。　　He　invoked　the　names　of　Henri　the　Great；　and　upon　his　knees　recommended　the　kingdom　of　France　in　general　to　the　protection　of　Saint　Louis。

Brienne；　who　had　been　sent　by　the　（queen　to　desire　an　interview　with　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　was　dismissed　with　no　other　answer　than　that　the　Duke　would　come　to　pay　his　humble　duty　to　the　Queen　as　soon　as　the　Princes　were　at　liberty；　and　Cardinal　Mazarin　removed　from　the　King's　person　and　Councils。

On　the　5th　of　February　there　was　an　assembly　of　the；　nobility　at　Nemours　for　recovering　their　privileges。　　I　opposed　it　to　the　utmost　of　my　power；　for　I　had　experienced　more　than　once　that　nothing　can　be　more　pernicious　to　a　party　than　to　engage　without　any　necessity　in　such　affairs　as　have　the　bare　appearance　of　faction；　but　I　was　obliged　to　comply。　　This　assembly；　however；　was　so　terrifying　to　the　Court　that　six　companies　of　the　Guards　were　ordered　to　mount；　with　which　the　Duc　d'Orleans　was　so　offended　that　he　sent　word　to　the　officers；　in　his　capacity　of　Lieutenant…General　of　the　State；　to　receive　no　orders　but　from　himself。　They　answered　very　respectfully；　but　as　men　devoted　to　the　Queen's　interest。

On　the　6th；　the　Duke　having　taken　his　place　in　the　Parliament；　the　King's　Council　acquainted　the　House　that；　having　been　sent　to　wait　on　her　Majesty　with　the　remonstrances；　her　Majesty's　answer　was　that　no　person　living　wished　more　for　the　liberty　of　the　Princes　than　herself；　but　that　it　was　reasonable　at　the　same　time　to　consult　the　safety　of　the　State；　that　as　for　Cardinal　Mazarin；　she　was　resolved　to　retain　him　in　her　Council　as　long　as　she　found　his　assistance　necessary　for　the　King's　service；　and　that　it　did　not　belong　to　the　Parliament　to　concern　themselves　with　any　of　her　ministers。

The　First　President　was　shrewdly　attacked　in　the　House　for　not　being　more　resolute　in　speaking　to　the　Queen。　　Some　were　for　sending　him　back　to　demand　another　audience　in　the　afternoon；　and　the　Duc　d'Orleans　having　said　that　the　Marshals　of　France　were　dependent　on　Mazarin；　it　was　resolved　immediately　that　they　should　obey　none　but　his　Royal　Highness。

I　was　informed　that　very　evening　that　the　Cardinal　had　made　his　escape　out　of　Paris　in　disguise；　and　that　the　Court　was　in　a　very　great　consternation。

The　Cardinal's　escape　was　the　common　topic　of　conversation；　and　different　reasons　were　assigned　to　it；　according　to　the　various　interests　of　different　parties。　　As　for　my　part；　I　am　very　well　persuaded　that　fear　was　the　only　reason　of　his　flight；　and　that　nothing　else　hindered　him　from　taking　the　King　and　the　Queen　along　with　him。　　You　will　see　in　the　sequel　of　this　history　that　he　endeavoured　to　get　their　Majesties　out　of　Paris　soon　after　he　had　made　his　escape；　and　that　it　was　concerted　in　all　probability　before　he　left　the　Court；　but　I　could　never　understand　why　he　did　not　put　it　into　execution　at　a　time　when　he　had　no　reason　to　fear　the　least　opposition。

On　the　17th　the　Parliament　ordered　the　thanks　of　the　House　to　be　returned　to　the　Queen　for　removing　the　Cardinal；　and　that　she　should　be　humbly　asked　to　issue　an　order　for　setting　the　Princes　at　liberty；　and　a　declaration　for　excluding　all　foreigners　forever　from　the　King's　Council。　The　First　President　being　deputed　with　the　message；　the　Queen　told　him　that　she　could　return　him　no　answer　till　she　had　conferred　with　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　to　whom　she　immediately　deputed　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　Marechal　Villeroi；　and　Tellier；　but　he　told　them　that　he　could　not　go　to　the　Palais　Royal　till　the　Princes　were　set　at　liberty　and　the　Cardinal　removed　further　from　the　Court。　　For　he　observed　to　the　House　that　the　Cardinal　was　no　further　off　than　at　Saint　Germain；　where　he　governed　all　the　kingdom　as　before；　that　his　nephew　and　his　nieces　were　yet　at　Court；　and　the　Duke　proposed　that　the　Parliament　should　humbly　beseech　the　Queen　to　explain　whether　the　Cardinal's　removal　was　for　good　and　all。　　If　I　had　not　seen　it；　I　could　not　have　imagined　what　a　heat　the　House　was　in　that　day。　　Some　were　for　an　order　that　there　should　be　no　favourites　in　France　for　the　future。　　They　became　at　length　of　the　opinion　of　his　Royal　Highness；　namely；　to　address　the　Queen　to　ask　her　to　explain　herself　with　relation　to　the　removal　of　Cardinal　Mazarin　and　to　solicit　orders　for　the　liberty；　of　the　Princes。

On　the　same　day　the　Queen　sent　again　to　desire　the　Duc　d'Orleans　to　come　and　take　his　place　in　the　Council；　and　to　tell　him　that；　in　case　he　did　not　think　it　convenient；　she　would　send　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　to　concert　necessary　measures　with　him　for　setting　the　Princes　at　liberty。　His　Royal　Highness　accepted　the　second；　but　rejected　the　first　proposal；　and　treated　M。　d'Elbeuf　roughly；　because　he　was　very　pressing　with　his　Royal　Highness　to　go　to　the　King's　Palace。　　The　messengers　likewise　acquainted　the　Duke　that　they　were　ordered　to　assure　him　that　the　removal　of　the　Cardinal　was　forever。　　You　will　see　presently　that；　in　all　probability；　had　his　Royal　Highness　gone　that　day　to　Court；　the　Queen　would　have　left　Paris　and　carried　the　Duke　along　with　her。

On　the　19th　the　Parliament　decreed　that；　in　pursuance　of　the　Queen's　declaration；　the　Cardinal　should；　within　the　space　of　fifteen　days；　depart　from　his　Majesty's　dominions；　with　all　his　relations　and　foreign　servants；　otherwise；　they　should　be　proceeded　against　as　outlaws；　and　it　should　be　lawful　for　anybody　to　despatch　them　out　of　the　way。

I　suspected　that　the　King　would　leave　Paris　that　very　day；　and　I　was　almost　asleep　when　I　was　sent　for　to　go　to　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　whom　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse　went　to　awaken　in　the　meantime；　and；　while　I　was　dressing；　one　of　her　pages　brought　me　a　note　from　her；　containing　only　these　few　words：

〃Make　haste　to　Luxembourg；　and　be　upon　your　guard　on　the　way。〃　　I　found　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse　in　his　chamber；　who　acquainted　me　that　the　King　was　out　of　bed；　and　had　his　boots　on　ready　for　a　journey　from　Paris。

I　waited　on　the　Duke；　and　said；　〃There　is　but　one　remedy；　which　is；　to　secure　the　gates　of　Paris。〃　　Yet　all　that　we　could　obtain　of　him　was　to　send　the　captain　of　the　Swiss　Guards　to　wait　on　the　Queen　and　desire　her　Majesty　to　weigh　the　consequences　of　an　action　of　that　nature。　　His　Duchess；　perceiving　that　this　expedient；　if　not　supported　effectually；　would　ruin　all；　and　that　his　Royal　Highness　was　still　as　irresolute　as　ever；　called　for　pen　and　ink　that　lay　upon　the　table　in　her　cabinet；　and　wrote　these　words　on　a　large　sheet　of　paper：

　　　　　M。　le　Coadjuteur　is　ordered　to　take　arms　to　hinder　the　adherents　of　　　　　　Cardinal　Mazarin；　condemned　by　the　Parliament；　from　carrying　the　　　　　　King　out　of　Paris。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MARGUERITE　DE　LORRAINE。

Des　Touches；　who　found　the　Queen　bathed　in　tears；　was　charged　by　her　Majesty　to　assure　the　Duc　d'Orleans　that　she　never　thought　of　carrying　away　the　King；　and　that　it　was　one　of　my　tricks。

The　Duc　d'Orleans　saying　at　the　House　next　day　that　orders　for　the　Princes'　liberty　would　be　despatched　in　two　hours'　time；　the　First　President　said；　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃The　Prince　de　Conde　is　at　liberty；　but　our　King；　our　sovereign　Lord　and　King；　is　a　prisoner。〃　　The　Duc　d'Orleans；　being　now　not　near　so　timorous　as　before；　because　he　had　received　more　acclamations　in　the　streets　than　ever；　replied；　〃Truly　the　King　has　been　Mazarin's　prisoner；　but；　God　be　praised；　he　is　now　in　better　hands。〃

The　Cardinal；　who　hovered　about　Paris　till　he　heard　the　city　had　taken　up　arms；　posted　to　Havre…de…Grace；　where　he　fawned　upon　the　Prince　de　Conde　with　a　meanness　of　spirit　that　is　hardly　to　be　imagined；　for　he　wept；　and　even　fell　down　on　his　knees　to　the　Prince；　who　treated　him　with　the　utmost　contempt；　giving　him　no　thanks　for　his　release。

On　the　16th　of　February　the　Princes；　being　set　at　liberty；　arrived　in　Paris；　and；　after　waiting　on　the　Queen；　supped　with　M。　de　Beaufort　and　myself　at　the　Duc　d'Orleans's　house；　where　we　drank　the　King's　health　and　〃No　Mazarin！〃

On　the　17th　his　Royal　Highness　carried　them　to　the　Parliament　House；　and　it　is　remarkable　that　the　same　people　who　but　thirteen　months　before　made　bonfires　for　their　confinement　did　the　same　now　for　their　release。

On　the　20th　the　declaration　demanded　of　the　King　against　the　Cardinal；　being　brought　to　be　registered　in　Parliament；　was　sent　back　with　indignation　because　the　reason　of　his　removal　was　coloured　over　with　so　many　encomiums　that　it　was