the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第53节

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　service；　but　it　is　not　reasonable　that　the　two　greatest　fools　in　the　kingdom　should　be　of　the　same　side。〃　　The　Prince　came　to　the　House　with　a　numerous　attendance；　and　though　I　believe　he　had　not　so　many　as　I；　he　had　more　persons　of　quality；　for　I　had　only　the　Fronde　nobility　on　my　side；　except　three　or　four　who；　though　in　the　Queen's　interest；　were　nevertheless　my　particular　friends；　this　disadvantage；　however；　was　abundantly　made　up　by　the　great　interest　I　had　among　the　people　and　the　advantageous　posts　I　was　possessed　of。　　After　the　Prince　had　taken　his　place；　he　said　that　he　was　surprised　to　see　the　Parliament　House　look　more　like　a　camp　than　a　temple　of　justice；　that　there　were　posts　taken；　and　men　under　command；　and　that　he　hoped　there　were　not　men　in　the　kingdom　so　insolent　as　to　dispute　the　precedence　with　him。　　Whereupon　I　humbly　begged　his　pardon；　and　told　him　that　I　believed　there　was　not　a　man　in　France　so　insolent　as　to　do　it；　but　that　there　were　some　who　could　not；　nor　indeed　ought　not；　on　account　of　their　dignity；　yield　the　precedence　to　any　man　but　the　King。　　The　Prince　replied　that　he　would　make　me　yield　it　to　him。　　I　told　him　he　would　find　it　no　easy　matter。　Upon　this　there　was　a　great　outcry；　and　the　young　councillors　of　both　parties　interested　themselves　in　the　contest；　which；　you　see；　began　pretty　warmly。　　The　Presidents　interposed　between　us；　conjuring　him　to　have　some　regard　to　the　temple　of　justice　and　the　safety　of　the　city；　and　desiring　that　all　the　nobility　and　others　in　the　hall　that　were　armed　might　be　turned　out。　　He　approved　of　it；　and　bade　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　go　and　tell　his　friends　so　from　him。　　Upon　which　I　said；　〃I　will　order　my　friends　to　withdraw　also。〃　　Young　D'Avaux；　now　President　de　Mesmes；　then　in　the　Prince's　interest；　said；　〃What！　monsieur；　are　you　armed？〃　〃Without　doubt；〃　I　said；　though　I　had　better　have　held　my；　tongue；　because　an　inferior　ought　to　be　respectful　in　words　to　his　superior；　though　he　may　equal　him　in　actions。　　Neither　is　it　allowable　in　a　Churchman　when　armed　to　confess　it。　　There　are　some　things　wherein　men　are　willing　to　be　deceived。　　Actions　very　often　vindicate　men's　reputations　in　what　they　do　against　the　dignity　of　their　profession；　but　nothing　can　justify　words　that　are　inconsistent　with　their　character。

As　I　had　desired　my　friends　to　withdraw；　and　was　entering　into　the　Court　of　Judicature；　I　heard　an　uproar　in　the　hall　of　people　crying　out　〃To　arms！〃　　I　had　a　mind　to　go　back　to　see　what　was　the　matter；　but　I　had　not　time　to　do　it；　for　I　found　myself　caught　by　the　neck　between　the　folding　doors；　which　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　had　shut　on　me；　crying　out　to　MM。　Coligny　and　Ricousse　to　kill　me。

　　　　　＇This　action　is　very　much　disguised　and　softened　in　the　Memoirs　of　　　　　　Rochefoucault。　　M。　Joly；　in　his　Memoirs；　vol。　i。；　p。　155；　tells　it　　　　　　almost　in。。。　　the　same　manner　as　the　Cardinal　de　Retz。＇

The　first　thought　he　was　not　in　earnest；　and　the　other　told　him　he　had　no　such　order　from　the　Prince。　　M。　Champlatreux；　running　into　the　hall　and　seeing　me　in　that　condition；　vigorously　pushed　back　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault；　telling　him　that　a　murder　of　that　nature　was　horrible　and　scandalous。　　He　opened　the　door　and　let　me　in。　　But　this　was　not　the　greatest　danger　I　was　in；　as　you　will　see　after　I　have　told　you　the　beginning　and　end　of　it。

Two　or　three　of　the　Prince　de　Conde's　mob　cried　out；　as　soon　as　they　saw　me；　〃A　Mazarin！〃　　Two　of　the　Prince's　soldiers　drew　their　swords；　those　next　to　them　cried　out；　〃To　your　arms！〃　and　in　a　trice　all　were　in　a　fighting　posture。　　My　friends　drew　their　swords；　daggers；　and　pistols；　and　yet；　as　it　were　by　a　miracle；　they　stopped　their　hands　on　a　sudden　from　action；　for　in　that　very　instant　of　time；　Crenan；　one　of　my　old　friends；　who　commanded　a　company　of　the　Prince　de　Conti's　gendarmes；　said　to　Laigues；　〃What　are　we　doing？　　Must　we　let　the　Prince　de　Conde　and　the　Coadjutor　be　murdered？　　Whoever　does　not　put　up　his　sword　is　a　rascal！〃　This　expression　coming　from　a　man　of　great　courage　and　reputation；　every　one　did　as　he　bade　them。　　Nor　is　Argenteuil's　courage　and　presence　of　mind　to　be　less　admired。　　He　being　near　me　when　I　was　caught　by　the　neck　between　the　folding　doors；　and　observing　one　Peche；＇Joly　calls　him　〃The　great　clamourer　of　the　Prince。〃　　See　his　Memoirs；　p。　157。＇　a　brawling　fellow　of　the　Prince's　party；　looking　for　me　with　a　dagger　in　his　hand；　screened　me　with　his　cloak；　and　thereby　saved　my　life；　which　was　in　the　more　danger　because　my　friends；　who　supposed　I　was　gone　into　the　Great　Chamber；　stayed　behind　to　engage　with　the　Prince　de　Conde's　party。　　The　Prince　told　me　since　that　it　was　well　I　kept　on　the　defensive；　and　that　had　the　noise　in　the　hall　continued　but　a　minute　longer；　he　would　himself　have　taken　me　by　the　throat　and　made　me　pay　for　all；　but　I　am　fully　persuaded　that　the　consequences　would　have　been　fatal　to　both　parties；　and　that　he　himself　had　had　a　narrow　escape。

As　soon　as　I　reentered　the　Great　Chamber　I　told　the　First　President　that　I　owed　my　life　to　his　son；　who　on　that　occasion　did　the　most　generous　action　that　a　man　of　honour　was　capable　of；　because　he　was　passionately　attached　to　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　was　persuaded；　though　without　a　cause；　that　I　was　concerned　in　above　twenty　editions　against　his　father　during　the　siege　of　Paris。　　There　are　few　actions　more　heroic　than　this；　the　memory　of　which　I　shall　carry　to　my　grave。　　I　also　added　that　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　had　done　all　he　could　to　murder　me。'

　　　　　＇The　Duke　answered；　as　he　says　himself　in　his　Memoirs；　that　fear　had　　　　　　disturbed　his　judgment；　etc。　　See　in　the　Memoirs　of　M。　de　La　　　　　　Rochefoucault；　the　relation　of　what　passed　after　the　confinement　of　　　　　　the　Princes。＇

He　answered　me　these　very　words：　〃Thou　traitor；　I　don't　care　what　becomes　of　thee。〃　　I　replied；　〃Very　well；　Friend　Franchise　〃　（we　gave　him　that　nickname　in　our　party）；　〃you　are　a　coward　〃　（I　told　a　lie；　for　he　was　certainly　a　brave　man）；　〃and　I　am　a　priest；　but　dueling　is　not　allowed　us。〃　　M。　de　Brissac　threatened　to　cudgel　him；　and　he　to　kick　Brissac。　The　President；　fearing　these　words　would　end　in　blows；　got　between　us。　The　First　President　conjured　the　Prince　pathetically；　by　the　blood　of　Saint　Louis；　not　to　defile　with　blood　that　temple　which　he　had　given　for　the　preservation　of　peace　and　the　protection　of　justice；　and　exhorted　me；　by　my　sacred　character；　not　to　contribute　to　the　massacre　of　the　people　whom　God　had　committed　to　my　charge。　　Both　the　Prince　and　I　sent　out　two　gentlemen　to　order　our　friends　and　servants　to　retire　by　different　ways。　The　clock　struck　ten；　the　House　rose；　and　thus　ended　that　morning's　work；　which　was　likely　to　have　ruined　Paris。

You　may　easily　guess　what　a　commotion　Paris　was　in　all　that　morning。　Tradesmen　worked　in　their　shops　with　their　muskets　by　them；　and　the　women　were　at　prayers　in　the　churches。　　Sadness　sat　on　the　brows　of　all　who　were　not　actually　engaged　in　either　party。　　The　Prince；　if　we　may　believe　the　Comte　de　Fiesque；　told　him　that　Paris　narrowly　escaped　being　burnt　that　day。　　〃What　a　fine　bonfire　this　would　have　been　for　the　Cardinal；〃　said　he；　〃especially　to　see　it　lighted　by　the　two　greatest　enemies　he　had！〃

The　Duc　d'Orleans；　quite　tired　out　with　the　cries　of　the　people；　who　ran　affrighted　to　his　palace；　and　fearing　that　the　commotion　would　not　stop　at　the　Parliament　House；　made　the　Prince　promise　that　he　would　not　go　next　day　to　the　Parliament　with　above　five　in　company；　provided　I　would　engage　to　carry　no　more。　　I　begged　his　Royal　Highness　to　excuse　me　if　I　did　not　comply；　because　I　should　be　wanting　in　my　respect　to　the　Prince；　with　whom　I　ought　not　to　make　any　comparison；　and　because　I　should　be　still　exposed　to　a　pack　of　seditious　brawlers；　who　cried　out　against　me；　having　no　laws　nor　owning　any　chief。　　I　added　that　it　was　only　against　this　sort　of　people　that　I　armed；　that　there　was　so　little　comparison　between　a　private　gentleman　and　his　Highness　that　five　hundred　men　were　less　to　the　Prince　than　a　single　lackey　to　me。　　The　Duke；　who　owned　I　was　in　the　right；　went　to　the　Queen　to　represent　to　her　the　evil　consequences　that　would　inevitably　attend　such　measures。

The　Queen；　who　neither　feared　nor　foresaw　dangers；　made　no　account　of　his　remonstrances；　for　she　was　glad　in　the　main　of　the　dangers　which　seemed　to　be　so　near　at　hand。　　When　Bertet　and　Brachet；　who　crept　up　to　the　garrets　of　the　Palais　Royal　for　fear　of　having　their　throats　cut　in　the　general　commotion；　had　made　her　sensible　that　if　the　Prince　and　myself　should　perish　in　such　a　juncture　it　would　occasion　such　a　confusion　that　the　very　name　of　Mazarin　might　become　fatal　to　the　royal　family；　she　yielded　rather　to　her　fears　than　to　her　convictions；　and　consented　to　send　an　order　in　the　King's　name　to　forbid　both　the　Prince　and　me　to　go　to　the　House。　　The　First　President；　who　was　well　assured　that　the　Prince　would　not　obey　an　order　of　that　nature；　which　could　not　be　forced　upon　him　with　justice；　because　his　presence　was　necessary　in　the　Parliament；　went　to　the　Queen　and　made　her　sensible　that　it　would　be　against　all　justice　and　equity　to　forbid　the　Prince　to　be　present　in　an　assembly　where　he　went　only　to　clear　himself　from　a　crime　laid　to　his　charge。