the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第52节

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ed；　and　of　giving　the　Prince　de　Conti　to　understand　that　it　was　to　his　interest　to　keep　his　party　for　the　future　from　committing　the　like　insolence。　Montresor；　who　happened　to　be　with　us；　did　all　he　could　to　convince　the　ladies　how　dangerous　it　was　to　make　a　private　quarrel　of　a　public　one；　especially　at　a　time　when　a　Prince　of　the　blood　might　possibly　lose　his　life　in　the　fray。　　When　he　found　that　he　could　not　prevail　upon　them；　he　used　all　means　to　persuade　me　to　put　off　my　resentment；　for　which　end　he　drew　me　aside　to　tell　me　what　joy　and　triumph　it　would　be　to　my　enemies　to　suffer　myself　to　be　captivated　or　led　away　by　the　violence　of　the　ladies'　passion。　　I　made　him　the　following　answer：　〃I　am　certainly　to　blame；　both　with　regard　to　my　profession　and　on　account　of　my　having　my　hands　full；　to　be　so　far　engaged　with　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse；　but；　considering　the　obligation　I　am　under　to　her；　and　that　it　is　too　late　to　recede　from　it；　I　am　in　the　right　in　demanding　satisfaction　in　this　present　juncture。　　I　will　not　by　any　means　assassinate　the　Prince　de　Conti；　but　she　may　command　me　to　do　anything　except　poisoning　or　assassinating；　and　therefore　speak　no　more　to　me　on　this　head。〃

The　ladies　went　again；　therefore；　next　day；　being　accompanied　by　four　hundred　gentlemen　and　above　four　thousand　of　the　most　substantial　burghers。　　The　rabble　that　was　hired　to　make　a　clamour　in　the　Great　Hall　sneaked　out　of　sight；　and　the　Prince　de　Conti；　who　had　not　been　apprised　of　this　assembly；　which　was　formed　with　great　secrecy；　was　fain　to　pass　by　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse　with　demonstrations　of　the　profoundest　respect；　and　to　suffer　Maillard；　who　was　caught　on　the　stairs　of　the　chapel；　to　be　soundly　cudgelled。

I　return　to　the　issue　of　the　remonstrances。　　The　Queen　told　the　deputies　that　she　would　next　morning　send　to　the　House　a　declaration　against　Cardinal　Mazarin。

On　the　21st　the　Prince　de　Conde　came　to　Parliament　accompanied　by　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　and　fifty　or　sixty　gentlemen；　and　congratulated　them　upon　the　removal　of　the　ministers；　but　said　that　it　could　not　be　effectual　without　inserting　an　article　in　the　declaration　which　the　Queen　had　promised　to　send　to　the　Parliament。　　The　First　President　said　that　it　would　be　both　unjust　and　inconsistent　with　the　respect　due　to　the　Queen　to　demand　new　conditions　of　her　every　day；　that　her　Majesty's　promise；　of　which　she　had　made　the　Parliament　a　depositary；　was　a　sufficient　security；　that　it　was　to　be　wished　that　the　Prince　had　shown　a　due　confidence　therein　by　repairing　to　the　Palais　Royal　rather　than　to　a　court　of　justice；　and　that　the　post　he　was　in　obliged　him　to　express　his　surprise　at　such　conduct。　　The　Prince　replied　that　the　First　President　had　no　reason　to　wonder　at　his　great　precautions；　since　he　（the　Prince）　knew　by　recent　woeful　experience　what　it　was　to　live　in　a　prison；　and　that　it　was　notorious　that　the　Cardinal　ruled　now　in　the　Cabinet　more　absolutely　than　ever　he　did　before。

The　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　was　gone　to　Limours　on　pretence　of　taking　the　air；　though　on　purpose　to　be　absent　from　Parliament；　being　informed　that　the　very　women　cried　at　the　King's　coach　〃No　Mazarin！〃　and　that　the　Prince　de　Conde；　as　well　attended　as　his　Majesty；　had　met　the　King　in　the　park；　was　so　frightened　that　he　returned　to　Paris；　and　on　the　2d　of　August　went　to　Parliament；　where　I　appeared　with　all　my　friends　and　a　great　number　of　wealthy　citizens。　　The　First　President　mightily　extolled　the　Queen's　goodness　in　making　the　Parliament　the　depositary　of　her　promise　for　the　security　of　the　Prince；　who；　being　there　present；　was　asked　by　the　First　President　if　he　had　waited　on　the　King？　　The　Prince　said　he　had　not；　because　he　knew　there　would　be　danger　in　it；　having　been　well　informed　that　secret　conferences　had　been　held　to　arrest　him；　and　that　in　a　proper　time　and　place　he　would　name　the　authors。　　The　Prince　added　that　messengers　were　continually　going　and　coming　betwixt　the　Court　and　Mazarin　at　Breule；　and　that　Marechal　d'Aumont　had　orders　to　cut　to　pieces　the　regiments　of　Conde；　Conti；　and　Enghien；　which　was　the　only　reason　that　had　hindered　them　from　joining　the　King's　army。

The　First　President　told　him　that　he　was　sorry　to　see　him　there　before　he　had　waited　on　the　King；　and　that　it　seemed　as　if　he　were　for　setting　up　altar　against　altar。　　This　nettled　the　Prince　to　that　degree　that　he　said　that　those　who　talked　against　him　had　only　self…interests　in　view。　　The　First　President　denied　that　he　had　any　such　aim；　and　said　that　he　was　accountable　to　the　King　only　for　his　actions。　　Then　he　exaggerated　the　danger　of　the　State　from　the　unhappy　division　of　the　royal　family。

Finally　it　was　resolved；　'nemine　contradicente'；　that　the　Solicitor…　General　should　be　commissioned　to　prosecute　those　who　had　advised　the　arrest　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　that　the　Queen's　promise　for　the　safety　of　the　Prince　should　be　registered；　that　his　Royal　Highness　should　be　desired　by　the　whole　assembly　to　go　and　wait　on　the　King；　and　that　the　decrees　passed　against　the　servitors　of　Mazarin　should　be　put　into　execution。　　The　Prince；　who　seemed　very　well　satisfied；　said　that　nothing　less　than　this　could　assure　him　of　his　safety。　　The　Duc　d'Orleans　carried　him　to　the　King　and　the　Queen；　from　whom　he　met　with　but　a　cold　reception。

At　the　close　of　this　session　the　declaration　against　the　Cardinal　was　read　and　sent　back　to　the　Chancellor；　because　it　was　not　inserted　that　the　Cardinal　had　hindered　the　Peace　of　Munster；　and　advised　the　King　to　undertake　the　journey　and　siege　of　Bordeaux；　contrary　to　the　opinion　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans。

The　Queen；　provoked　by　the　conduct　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　who　rode　through　the　streets　of　Paris　better　attended　than　the　King；　and　also　by　that　of　the　Duke；　whom　she　found　continually　given　to　change；　resolved；　in　a　fit　of　despair；　to　hazard　all　at　once。　　M。　de　Chateauneuf　flattered　her　inclination　on　that　point；　and　she　was　confirmed　in　it　by　a　fiery　despatch　from　Mazarin　at　Bruele。　　She　told　the　Duc　d'Orleans　plainly　that　she　could　no　longer　continue　in　her　present　condition；　demanded　his　express　declaration　for　or　against　her；　and　charged　me；　in　his　presence；　to　keep　the　promise　I　had　made　her；　to　declare　openly　against　the　Prince　if　he　continued　to　go　on　as　he　had　begun。

Her　Majesty　was　convinced　that　I　acted　sincerely　for　her　service；　and　that　I　made　no　scruple　to　keep　my　promise；　and　she　condescended　to　make　apologies　for　the　distrust　she　had　entertained　of　my　conduct；　and　for　the　injustice　she　owned　she　had　done　me。

On　the　19th；　the　Prince　de　Conde　having　taxed　me　with　being　the　author　of　a　paper　against　him；　which　was　read　that　day　in　the　House；　said　he　had　a　paper；　signed　by　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　which　contained　his　justification；　and　that　he　should　be　much　obliged　to　the　Parliament　if　they　would　be　pleased　to　desire　her　Majesty　to　name　his　accusers；　against　whom　he　demanded　justice。　　As　to　the　paper　of　which　he　charged　me　with　being　the　author；　he　said　it　was　a　composition　worthy　of　a　man　who　had　advised　the　arming　of　the　Parisians　and　the　wresting　of　the　seals　from　him　with　whom　the　Queen　had　entrusted　them。

The　Prince　de　Conti　was　observed　to　press　his　brother　to　resent　what　I　said　in　my　defence；　but　he　kept　his　temper；　for　though　I　was　very　well　accompanied；　yet　he　was　considerably　superior　to　me　in　numbers；　so　that　if　the　sword　had　been　drawn　he　must　have　had　the　advantage。　　But　I　resolved　to　appear　there　the　next　day　with　a　greater　retinue。　　The　Queen　was　transported　with　joy　to　hear　that　there　were　men　who　had　the　resolution　to　dispute　the　wall　with　the　Prince。

　　　　　＇〃The　Queen；〃　says　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　in　his　Memoirs；　〃　was　　　　　　overjoyed　to　see　two　men　at　variance　whom　in　her　heart　she　hated　　　　　　almost　equally　。。。。　　Nevertheless；　she　seemed　to　protect　the　　　　　　Coadjutor。〃＇

She　ordered　thirty　gendarmes　and　as　many　Light…horse　to　be　posted　where　I　pleased；　I　had　forty　men　sent　me；　picked　out　of　the　sergeants　and　bravest　soldiers　of　one　of　the　regiments　of　Guards；　and　some　of　the　officers　of　the　city　companies；　and　assembled　a　great　number　of　substantial　burghers；　all　of　whom　had　pistols　and　daggers　under　their　cloaks。　　I　also　sent　many　of　my　men　to　the　eating…houses　thereabouts；　so　that　the　Great　Hall　was；　as　it　were；　invested　on　every　side　with　my　friends。　　I　posted　thirty　gentlemen　as　a　reserve　in　a　convenient　chamber；　who；　in　case　of　an　attack；　were　to　assault　the　party　of　the　Prince　in　flank　and　rear。　　I　had　also　laid　up　a　store　of　grenades。　　In　a　word；　my　measures　were　so　nicely　concerted；　both　within　and　without　the　Parliament　House；　that　Pont　Notre…　Dame　and　Pont　Saint　Michel；　who　were　passionately　in　my；　interest；　only　waited　for　the　signal；　so　that　in　all　likelihood　I　could　not　fail　of　being　conqueror。

On　the　morning　of　the　21st　all　the　Prince　de　Conde's　humble　servants　repaired　to　his　house；　and　my　friends　did　the　like　to　mine；　particularly　the　Marquises　of　Rouillac　and　Camillac；　famous　both　for　their　courage　and　extravagances。　　As　soon　as　the　latter　saw　Rouillac；　he　made　me　a　low　bow　in　a　withdrawing　posture；　saying；　〃Monsieur；　I　came　to　offer　you　my　service；　but　it　is　not　reasonable　that　the　two　greatest　fools　in　the　kingdom　should　be　of　the　same