the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第50节

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　indignation　because　the　reason　of　his　removal　was　coloured　over　with　so　many　encomiums　that　it　was　a　perfect　panegyric。　　Honest　Broussel；　who　always　went　greater　lengths　than　anybody；　was　for　excluding　all　cardinals　from　the　Ministry；　as　well　as　foreigners　in　general；　because　they　swear　allegiance　to　the　Pope。　　The　First　President；　thinking　to　mortify　me；　lauded　Broussel　for　a　man　of　admirable　good　sense；　and　espoused　his　opinion；　and　the　Prince　de　Conde；　too；　seemed　to　be　overjoyed；　saying；　〃It　is　a　charming　echo。〃　　Indeed；　I　might　well　be　troubled　to　think　that　the　very　day　after　a　treaty　wherein　the　Duc　d'Orleans　declared　that　he　was　resolved　to　make　me　a　cardinal；　the　Prince　should　second　a　proposition　so　derogatory　to　that　dignity。　　But　the　truth　is；　the　Prince　had　no　hand　in　it；　for　it　came　naturally；　and　was　supported　for　no　other　reason　but　because　nothing　that　was　brought　as　an　argument　against　Mazarin　could　then　fail　of　being　approved　at　the　same　time。　　I　had　some　reason　to　think　that　the　motion　was　concerted　beforehand　by　my　enemies；　to　keep　me　out　of　the　Ministry。　　Nevertheless；　I　was　not　offended　with　the　Parliament；　the　bulk　of　whom　I　knew　to　be　my　friends；　whose　sole　aim　was　to　effectually　demolish　Mazarin；　and　I　acquiesced　in　the　solid　satisfaction　which　I　had　in　being　considered　in　the　world　as　the　expeller　of　Mazarin；　whom　everybody　hated；　and　the　deliverer　of　the　Princes；　who　were　as　much　their　darlings。

The　continual　chicanery　of　the　Court　provoked　the　Parliament　of　Paris　to　write　to　all　the　Parliaments　of　France　to　issue　decrees　against　Cardinal　Mazarin；　which　they　did　accordingly。　　The　Parliament　obliged　the　Court　to　issue　a　declaration　setting　forth　the　innocence　of　the　Princes；　and　another　for　the　exclusion　of　cardinalsFrench　as　well　as　foreigners　from　the　King's　Council；　and　the　Parliament　had　no　rest　till　the　Cardinal　retired　from　Sedan　to　Breule；　a　house　belonging　to　the　Elector　of　Cologne。

I　had　advice　sent　me　from　the　Duchesse　d'Orleans　to　be　upon　my　guard；　and　that　she　was　on　the　point　of　dying　with　fear　lest　the　Duke　should　be　forced　by　the　daily　menaces　of　the　Court　to　abandon　me。　　I　thereupon　waited　on　the　Duke；　and　told　him　that；　having　had　the　honour　and　satisfaction　of　serving　his　Royal　Highness　in　the　two　affairs　which　he　had　most　at　heart；namely；　the　expelling　of　Mazarin　and　the　releasing　of　the　Princes　his　cousins；I　found　myself　now　obliged　to　reassume　the　functions　of　my　profession；　that　the　present　opportunity　seemed　both　to　favour　and　invite　my　retreat；　and　if　I　neglected　it　I　should　be　the　most　imprudent　man　living；　because　my　presence　for　the　future　would　not　only　be　useless　but　even　prejudicial　to　his　Royal　Highness；　whom　I　knew　to　be　daily　importuned　and　irritated　by　the　Court　party　merely　upon　my　account；　and　therefore　I　conjured　him　to　make　himself　easy；　and　give　me　leave　to　retire　to　my　cloister。　　The　Duke　spared　no　kind　words　to　retain　me　in　his　service；　promised　never　to　forsake　me；　confessed　that　he　had　been　urged　to　it　by　the　Queen；　and　that；　though　his　reunion　with　her　Majesty　and　the　Princes　obliged　him　to　put　on　the　mask　of　friendship；　yet　he　could　never　forget　the　great　affronts　and　injuries　which　he　had　received　from　the　Court。　　But　all　this　could　not　dissuade　me；　and　the　Duke　at　last　gave　his　approbation；　with　repeated　assurances　to　allow　me　a　place　next　his　heart　and　to　correspond　with　me　in　secret。

Having　taken　my　leave　of　the　Princes；　I　retired　accordingly　to　my　cloister　of　Notre…Dame；　where　I　did　not　trust　Providence　so　far　as　to　omit　the　use　of　human　means　for　defending　myself　against　the　insults　of　my　enemies。

Except　the　visits　which　I　paid　in　the　night…time　to　the　Hotel　de　Chevreuse；　I　conversed　with　none　but　canons　and　cures。　　I　was　the　object　of　raillery　both　at　Court　and　at　the　Palace　of　Conde；　and　because　I　had　set　up　a　bird…cage　at　a　window；　it　became　a　common　jest　that　〃the　Coadjutor　whistled　to　the　linnets。〃　　The　disposition　of　Paris；　however；　made　amends　for　the　raillery　of　the　Court。　　I　found　myself　very　secure；　while　other　people　were　very　uneasy。　　The　cures；　parish　priests；　and　even　the　mendicants；　informed　themselves　with　diligence　of　the　negotiations　of　the　Prince　de　Conde。　　I　gave　M。　de　Beaufort　a　thrust　now　and　then；　which　he　knew　not　how　to　parry　with　all　his　cunning；　and　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　in　his　heart　was　enraged　against　the　Court；　continued　his　correspondence　with　me　very　faithfully。

Soon　after；　the　Marechal　du　Plessis　came　to　me　at　midnight　and　embraced　me；　saying；　〃I　greet　you　as　our　Prime　Minister。〃　　When　he　saw　that　I　smiled；　he　added；　〃I　do　not　jest；　you　may　be　so　if　you　please。　　The　Queen　has　ordered　me　to　tell　you　that　she　puts　the　King　and　Crown　into　your　hands。〃　　He　showed　me　a　letter　written　in　the　Cardinal's　own　hand　to　the　Queen；　which　concluded　thus：

　　　　　〃You　know；　madame；　that　the　greatest　enemy　I　have　in　the　world　is　　　　　　the　Coadjutor。　　Make　use　of　him　rather　than　treat　with　the　Prince　　　　　　upon　those　conditions　he　demands。　　Make　him　a　cardinal；　give　him　my　　　　　　place；　and　lodge　him　in　my　apartments。　　Perhaps　he　will　be　still　　　　　　more　attached　to　the　Duc　d'Orleans　than　to　your　Majesty；　but　the　　　　　　Duke　is　not　for　the　ruin　of　the　State。　　His　intentions　in　the　main　　　　　　are　not　bad。　　In　a　word；　madame；　do　anything　rather　than　grant　the　　　　　　Prince　his　demand　to　have　the　government　of　Provence　added　to　that　　　　　　of　Guienne。〃

I　told　the　Marshal　that　I　could　not　but　be　highly　obliged　to　his　Eminence；　and　that　I　was　under　infinite　obligations　to　the　Queen；　and　to　show　my　gratitude；　I　humbly　begged　her　Majesty　to　permit　me　to　serve　her　without　any　private　interest　of　my　own；　said　that　I　was　very　incapable　for　the　place　of　Prime　Minister　upon　many　accounts；　and　that　it　was　not　consistent　with　her　Majesty's　dignity　to　raise　a　man　to　that　high　post　who　was　still　reeking；　as　it　were；　with　the　fumes　of　faction。

〃But；〃　said　the　Marshal；　〃the　place　must　be　filled　by　somebody；　and　as　long　as　it　is　vacant　the　Prince　will　be　always　urging　that　Cardinal　Mazarin　is　to　have　it　again。〃

〃You　have；〃　said　I；　〃persons　much　fitter　for　it　than　I。〃　　Then　he　showed　me　a　letter　signed　by　the　Queen；　promising　me　all　manner　of　security　if　I　would　come　to　Court。　　I　went　thither　at　midnight；　according　to　agreement；　and　the　Marshal；　who　introduced　me　to　the　Queen　by　the　back　stairs；　having　withdrawn；　her　Majesty　used　all　the　arguments　she　could　to　persuade　me　to　accept　the　place　of　Prime　Minister；　which　I　was　determined　to　refuse；　because　I　found　that　she　had　the　Cardinal　at　heart　more　than　ever；　for；　as　soon　as　she　saw　I　would　not　accept　the　post　of　Prime　Minister；　she　offered　me　the　cardinal's　hat；　but　with　this　proviso；　that　I　would　use　my　utmost　endeavours　towards　the　restoration　of　Cardinal　Mazarin。　　Then　I　judged　it　high　time　for　me　to　speak　my　mind；　which　I　did　as　follows：

〃It　is　a　great　affliction　to　me；　madame；　that　public　affairs　are　reduced　to　such　a　pass　as　not　only　warrants；　but　even　commands　a　subject　to　speak　to　his　sovereign　in　the　style　in　which　I　am　now　about　to　address　your　Majesty。　　It　is　well　known　to　you　that　one　of　my　worst　crimes　in　the　Cardinal's　opinion　is　that　I　foretold　all　these　things；　and　that　I　have　passed　for　the　author　of　events　of　which　I　was　only　the　prophet。　　Your　Majesty　would　fain　extricate　yourself　with　honour；　and　you　are　in　the　right；　but　permit　me　to　tell　you；　as　my　opinion；　that　it　can　never　be　effected　so　long　as　your　Majesty　entertains　any　thoughts　of　reestablishing　Mazarin。　　I　should　fail　in　the　respect　I　owe　to　your　Majesty　if　I　pretended　to　thwart　your　Majesty's　opinion　with　regard　to　the　Cardinal　in　any　other　way　than　with　my　most　humble　remonstrances；　but　I　humbly　conceive　I　do　but　discharge　my　bounden　duty　while　I　respectfully　represent　to　your　Majesty　wherein　I　may　be　serviceable　or　useless　to　you　at　this　critical　juncture。　　Your　Majesty　has　the　Prince　to　cope　with；　who；　indeed；　is　for　the　restoration　of　the　Cardinal；　but　upon　condition　that　you　give　him　such　powers　beforehand　as　will　enable　him　to　ruin　him　at　pleasure。　　To　resist　the　Prince　you　want　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　is　absolutely　against　the　Cardinal's　reestablishment；　and　who；　provided　he　be　excluded；　will　do　what　your　Majesty　pleases　to　command　him。　　You　will　neither　satisfy　the　Prince　nor　the　Duke。　　I　am　extremely　desirous　to　serve　your　Majesty　against　the　one　and　with　the　other；　but　I　can　do　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　without　making　use　of　proper　means　for　obtaining　those　two　different　ends。〃

〃Come　over　to　me；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　shall　not　care　a　straw　for　all　the　Duke　can　do。〃

I　answered；　〃Should　I　do　so；　and　should　it　appear　never　so　little　that　I　was　on　terms　of　reconciliation　with　the　Cardinal；　I　could　serve　your　Majesty　with　neither　the　Duke　nor　the　people；　for　both　would　hate　me　mortally；　and　I　should　be　as　useless　to　your　Majesty　as　the　Bishop　of　Dole。〃

At　this　the　Queen　was　very　angry；　and　said；　〃Heaven　bless　my　son　the　King；　for　he　is　deserted　by　all　the　world！　　I　do　all　I　can　for　you；　I　offer　you　a　place　in　my　Council；　I　offer　you　the　cardinalship；　pray　what　will　you　do　for　me？〃

I　said　that　I　did　not　come　to　receive　favours；　but　to　try　to　merit　them。

At　this　the　Queen's　countenance　began　to　brighte