the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第56节

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e　magistrates　were　assembled　to　consider　if　they　should　admit　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals。　　By　this　means　she　turned　the　scale；　and　MM。　de　Beaufort　and　de　Nemours　joined　her。

The　Prince　de　Conde　arriving　at　Paris　from　Guienne　on　the　11th　of　April；　the　magistrates　had　a　meeting　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　in　which　they　resolved　that　the　Governor　should　wait　on　his　Royal　Highness；　and　tell　him　that　the　company　thought　it　contrary　to　order　to　receive　him　into　the　city　before　he　had　cleared　himself　from　the　King's　declaration；　which　had　been　verified　in　Parliament　against　him。

The　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　was　overjoyed　at　this　speech；　said　that　the　Prince　had　only　come　to　discourse　with　him　about　private　affairs；　and　that　he　would　stay　but　twenty…four　hours　at　Paris。　　M。　de　Chavigni　informed　the　Duke　that　the　Prince　was　able　to　stand　his　ground　as　long　as　he　pleased；　without　being　obliged　to　anybody；　and　he　gathered　together　a　mob　of　scoundrels　upon　the　Pont…Neuf；　whose　fingers　itched　to　be　plundering　the　house　of　M。　du　Plessis　Guenegaut；　and　by　whom　the　Duke　was　frightened　to　a　great　degree。

The　reflections　I　had　leisure　to　make　upon　my　new　dignity　obliged　me　to　take　great　care　of　my　hat；　whose　dazzling　flame　of　colour　turns　the　heads　of　many　that　are　honoured　with　it。　　The　most　palpable　of　those　delusions　is　the　claiming　precedence　of　Princes　of　the　blood；　who　may　become　our　masters　the　next　moment；　and　who　at　the　same　time　are　generally　the　masters　of　all　our　kindred。　　I　have　a　veneration　for　the　cardinals　of　my　family；　who　made　me　suck　in　humility　after　their　example　with　my　mother's　milk；　and　I　found　a　very　happy　opportunity　to　practise　it　on　the　very　day　that　I　received　the　news　of　my　promotion。　　Chateaubriant　said　to　me；　before　a　vast　number　of　people　at　my　levee；　〃Now　we　will　pay　our　respects　no　more　to　the　best　of　them；〃　which　he　said　because；　though　I　was　upon　ill　terms　with　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　though　I　always　went　well　attended；　I　yet　saluted　him　wherever　I　met　him　with　all　the　respect　due　to　him　on　the　score　of　so　many　titles。　　I　said　to　him：

〃Pray　pardon　me；　monsieur；　we　shall　pay　our　respects　to　the　great　men　with　greater　complaisance　than　ever。　　God　forbid　that　the　red　hat　should　turn　my　head　to　that　degree　as　to　make　me　dispute　precedence　with　the　Princes　of　the　blood。　　It　is　honour　enough　for　a　gentleman　to　walk　side　by　side　with　them。〃　　This　expression；　I　verily　believe；　afterwards　secured　the　rank　of　precedence　to　the　hat　in　the　kingdom　of　France；　by　the　courtesy　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　his　friendship　for　me。

Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse；　the　most　fantastical　lady　upon　earth；　suspecting　that　I　held　a　secret　correspondence　with　the　Queen；　could　not　forbear　murmuring　and　threatening　what　she　would　do。　　She　said　I　had　declared　to　her　a　thousand　times　that　I　could　not　imagine　how　it　was　possible　for　anybody　to　be　in　love　with　that　Swiss　woman。　　In　short；　she　said　this　so　often　that　the　Queen　had　a　notion　from　somebody　or　other　that　I　had　called　her　by　that　name。　　She　never　forgave　me　for　it；　as　you　will　perceive　in　the　sequel。　　You　may　easily　conceive　that　this　circumstance；　which　gave　me　no　encouragement　to　hope　for　a　very　gracious　reception　at　Court　for　the　time　to　come；　did　not　weaken　those　resolutions　which　I　had　already　taken　to　retire　from　public　business。　　The　place　of　my　retreat　was　agreeable　enough：　the　shadow　of　the　towers　of　Notre…Dame　was　a　refreshment　to　it；　and；　moreover；　the　Cardinal's　hat　sheltered　it　from　bad　weather。　　I　had　fine　ideas　of　the　sweetness　of　such　a　retirement；　and　I　would　gladly　have　laid　hold　of　it；　but　my　stars　would　not　have　it　so。　　I　return　to　my　narrative。

On　the　12th　of　April　the　Duc　d'Orleans　took　the　Prince　de　Conde　with　him　to　the　Parliament；　assuring　them　that　he　had　not；　nor　ever　would　have；　any　other　intention　than　to　serve　his　King　and　country；　that　he　would　always　follow　the　sentiments　of　the　Parliament；　and　that　he　was　willing　to　lay　down　his　arms　as　soon　as　the　decrees　against　Cardinal　Mazarin　were　put　into　execution。

The　President　Bailleul　said　that　the　members　always　thought　it　an　honour　to　see　the　Prince　de　Conde　in　his　place；　but　that　they　could　not　dissemble　their　real　concern　to　see　his　hands　stained　with　the　blood　of　the　King's　soldiers　who　were　killed　at　Bleneau。　　Upon　this　a　storm　arose　from　the　benches；　which　fell　with　such　fury　upon　the　poor　President　that　he　had　scarcely　room　to　put　in　a　word　for　himself；　for　fifty　or　sixty　voices　disowned　him　at　one　volley。

On　the　13th　the　Parliament　agreed　that　the　declaration　made　by　the　Duc　d'Orleans　and　the　Prince　should　be　carried　to　the　King；　that　the　remonstrances　they　had　sent　to　the　King　should　likewise　be　sent　to　all　the　sovereign　companies　of　Paris；　and　to　all　the　Parliaments　of　the　kingdom；　to　invite　them　also　to　send　a　deputation　on　their　own　behalf；　and　that　a　general　assembly　should　be　immediately　held　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　to　which　the　Duc　d'Orleans　and　the　Prince　should　be　invited　to　make　the　same　declarations　as　they　made　to　the　Parliament；　and　that；　in　the　meantime；　the　King's　declaration　against　Cardinal　Mazarin；　and　all　the　decrees　passed　against　him；　should　be　put　into　execution。

On　the　13th　of　May　a　councillor　of　Parliament　and　captain　of　his　ward；　having　brought　his　company　to　the　Palace　to　act　as　ordinary　guard；　was　abandoned　by　all　the　burghers　that　composed　it；　who　said　they　were　not　created　to　guard　Mazarins。

The　mob；　who　at　the　same　time　appeared　ready　enough　to　murder　some　of　the　magistrates　in　the　streets；　had　nothing　in　their　mouths　but　the　names　and　services　of　the　Princes；　who　next　day　disowned　their　humble　servants　in　the　assemblies　of　the　several　courts。　　Though　this　conduct　gave　occasion　to　severe　decrees；　which　the　Parliament　issued　at　every　turn　against　the　seditious；　it　did　not　hinder　the　same　Parliament　from　believing　that　those　who　disowned　the　sedition　were　the　authors　of　it；　and　consequently　did　not　lessen　the　hatred　which　many　private　men　conceived　against　them。　Such　were　the　various　and　complicated　views　every　one　had　concerning　the　then　position　of　affairs；　that　I　wrapped　myself　up；　as　one　may　say；　in　my　great　dignities；　to　which　I　abandoned　the　hopes　of　my　fortune；　and　I　remember　one　day　the　President　Bellievre　telling　me　that　I　ought　not　to　be　so　indolent。　　I　answered　him：　〃We　are　in　a　great　storm；　where；　methinks；　we　all　row　against　the　wind。　　I　have　two　good　oars　in　my　hand；　one　of　which　is　the　Cardinal's　dignity；　and　the　other　the　Archiepiscopal。　I　am　not　willing　to　break　them；　and　all　I　have　to　do　now　is　to　support　myself。〃

At　the　same　time　I　had　other　disquietings　of　a　more　private　nature。　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse　fell　in　love　with　my　rival；　the　Abbe　Fouquet。　Little　De　Roye；　who　was　a　very；　pretty　German　lass　at　her　house；　informed　me　of　it；　and　made　me　amends　for　the　infidelity　of　the　mistress；　whose　choice；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　did　not　mortify　me　much；　because　she　had　nothing　but　beauty；　which　cloys　when　it　comes　alone。　　She　cared　for　nobody　besides　him　she　loved；　but　as　she　was　never　long　in　love；　so　neither　was　it　long　that　she　was　in　good　temper。　　She　used　her　cast…off　lovers　as　she　did　her　old　clothes；　which　other　women　lay　aside；　but　she　burnt；　so　that　her　daughters　had　much　ado　to　save　a　petticoat；　head…　dress；　gloves；　or　Venice　point。　　And　I　verily　believe　that　if　she　could　have　committed　her　lovers　to　the　flames　when　she　left　them　off；　she　would　have　done　it　with　all　her　heart。　　Madame　her　mother；　who　endeavoured　to　set　her　at　variance　with　me　when　she　was　resolved　to　unite　herself　entirely　with　the　Court；　could　not　succeed；　though　she　went　so　far　that　Madame　de　Guemenee　caused　a　letter　to　be　read　to　her　in　my　handwriting；　whereby　I　devoted　myself　body　and　soul　to　her；　as　witches　give　themselves　to　the　devil。

It　was　at　that　time　that　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　seeing　herself　neglected　at　Paris；　resolved　to　retire　to　Dampierre；　where；　depending　upon　what　had　been　told　her　from　Court；　she　hoped　to　be　well　received。　　I　gave　vent　to　my　passion；　which；　in　truth；　was　not　very　great；　to　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse；　and　I　took　care　to　have　both　the　mother　and　daughter　accompanied　out　of　Paris；　quite　to　Dampierre；　by　all　the　nobility　and　gentlemen　I　had　with　me。

I　cannot　finish　this　slight　sketch　of　the　condition　I　was　in　at　Paris　without　acknowledging　the　debt　I　owe　to　the　generosity　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　who；　finding　that　a　person　was　come　from　the　Prince　de　Conti；　at　Bordeaux；　with　a　design　to　attack　me；　told　him　that　he　would　have　him　hanged　if　he　did　not　go　back　to　his　master　in　two　hours'　time。

Marigny　told　me；　almost　at　the　same　time；　that；　observing　the　Prince　de　Conde　to　be　very　intent　upon　reading　a　book；　he　took　the　liberty　to　tell　him　that　it　must　needs　be　a　very　choice　one；　because　he　took　such　delight　in　it；　and　that　the　Prince　answered　him；　〃It　is　true　I　am　very　fond　of　it；　for　it　shows　me　my　faults；　which　nobody　has　the　courage　to　tell　me。〃　This　book　was　entitled　〃The　Right　and　False　Steps　of　the　Prince　de　Conde　and　of　the　Cardinal　de　Retz。〃

There　were　divers　negotiations　between　the　parties；　during　which　Mazarin　gave　himself　the　pleasure　of　letting　the　public　see　MM。　de　Rohan；　de　Chavigni；　and　de　Goulas　conferring　with　him；　before