the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第10节

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La　Trappe；　and　I　replied　to　him　with　such　warmth；　that　on　the　instant　he
was　seized　with　a　fit；　tottered；　stammered；　his　throat　swelled；　his　eyes
seemed　starting　from　his　head；　and　his　tongue　from　his　mouth。　　Madame　de
Saint…Simon　and　the　other　ladies　who　were　present　flew　to　his　assistance；
one　unfastened　his　cravat　and　his　shirt…collar；　another　threw　a　jug　of
water　over　him　and　made　him　drink　something；　but　as　for　me；　I　was　struck
motionless　at　the　sudden　change　brought　about　by　an　excess　of　anger　and
infatuation。　　Charost　was　soon　restored；　and　when　he　left　I　was　taken　to
task　by　the　ladies。　　In　reply　I　simply　smiled。　　I　gained　this　by　the
occurrence；　that　Charost　never　committed　himself　again　upon　the　subject
of　M。　de　La　Trappe。

Before　quitting　this　theme；　I　will　relate　an　anecdote　which　has　found
belief。　　It　has　been　said；　that　when　M。　de　La　Trappe　was　the　Abbe　de
Rance　he　was　much　in　love　with　the　beautiful　Madame　de　Montbazon；　and
that　he　was　well　treated　by　her。　　On　one　occasion　after　leaving　her；　in
perfect　health；　in　order　to　go　into　the　country；　he　learnt　that　she　had
fallen　ill。　　He　hastened　back；　entered　hurriedly　into　her　chamber；　and
the　first　sight　he　saw　there　was　her　head；　that　the　surgeons；　in　opening
her；　had　separated　from　her　body。　　It　was　the　first　intimation　he　had　had
that　she　was　dead；　and　the　surprise　and　horror　of　the　sight　so　converted
him　that　immediately　afterwards　he　retired　from　the　world。　　There　is
nothing　true　in　all　this　except　the　foundation　upon　which　the　fiction
arose。　　I　have　frankly　asked　M。　de　La　Trappe　upon　this　matter；　and　from
him　I　have　learned　that　he　was　one　of　the　friends　of　Madame　de　Montbazon；
but　that　so　far　from　being　ignorant　of　the　time　of　her　death；　he　was　by
her　side　at　the　time；　administered　the　sacrament　to　her；　and　had　never
quitted　her　during　the　few　days　she　was　ill。　　The　truth　is；　her　sudden
death　so　touched　him；　that　it　made　him　carry　out　his　intention　of
retiring　from　the　worldan　intention；　however；　he　had　formed　for　many
years。

The　affair　of　M。　de　Cambrai　was　not　finally　settled　until　the
commencement　of　the　following　year；　1699；　but　went　on　making　more　noise
day　by　day。　　At　the　date　I　have　named　the　verdict　from　Rome　arrived
Twenty…three　propositions　of　the　'Maximes　des　Saints'　were　declared　rash；
dangerous；　erroneous；'in　globo'；and　the　Pope　excommunicated　those　who
read　the　book　or　kept　it　in　their　houses。　　The　King　was　much　pleased　with
this　condemnation；　and　openly　expressed　his　satisfaction。　　Madame　de
Maintenon　appeared　at　the　summit　of　joy。　　As　for　M。　de　Cambrai；　he　learnt
his　fate　in　a　moment　which　would　have　overwhelmed　a　man　with　less
resources　in　himself。　　He　was　on　the　point　of　mounting　into　the　pulpit：
he　was　by　no　means　troubled；　put　aside　the　sermon　he　had　prepared；　and；
without　delaying　a　moment；　took　for　subject　the　submission　due　to　the
Church；　he　treated　this　theme　in　a　powerful　and　touching　manner；
announced　the　condemnation　of　his　book；　retracted　the　opinions　he　had
professed；　and　concluded　his　sermon　by　a　perfect　acquiescence　and
submission　to　the　judgment　the　Pope　had　just　pronounced。　　Two　days
afterwards　he　published　his　retraction；　condemned　his　book；　prohibited
the　reading　of　it；　acquiesced　and　submitted　himself　anew　to　his
condemnation；　and　in　the　clearest　terms　took　away　from　himself　all　means
of　returning　to　his　opinions。　　A　submission　so　prompt；　so　clear；　so
perfect；　was　generally　admired；　although　there　were　not　wanting　censors
who　wished　he　had　shown　less　readiness　in　giving　way。　　His　friends
believed　the　submission　would　be　so　flattering　to　the　Pope；　that　M。　de
Cambrai　might　rely　upon　advancement　to　a　cardinalship；　and　steps　were
taken；　but　without　any　good　result；　to　bring　about　that　event。




CHAPTER　XIII

About　this　time　the　King　caused　Charnace　to　be　arrested　in　a　province　to
which　he　had　been　banished。　　He　was　accused　of　many　wicked　things；　and；
amongst　others；　of　coining。　　Charnace　was　a　lad　of　spirit；　who　had　been
page　to　the　King　and　officer　in　the　body…guard。　　Having　retired　to　his
own　house；　he　often　played　off　many　a　prank。　　One　of　these　I　will
mention；　as　being　full　of　wit　and　very　laughable。

He　had　a　very　long　and　perfectly　beautiful　avenue　before　his　house　in
Anjou；　but　in　the　midst　of　it　were　the　cottage　and　garden　of　a　peasant；
and　neither　Charnace；　nor　his　father　before　him；　could　prevail　upon　him
to　remove；　although　they　offered　him　large　sums。　　Charnace　at　last
determined　to　gain　his　point　by　stratagem。　　The　peasant　was　a　tailor；
and　lived　all　alone；　without　wife　or　child。　　One　day　Charnace　sent　for
him；　said　he　wanted　a　Court　suit　in　all　haste；　and；　agreeing　to　lodge　and
feed　him；　stipulated　that　he　should　not　leave　the　house　until　it　was
done。　　The　tailor　agreed；　and　set　himself　to　the　work。　　While　he　was　thus
occupied；　Charnace　had　the　dimensions　of　his　house　and　garden　taken　with
the　utmost　exactitude；　made　a　plan　of　the　interior；　showing　the　precise
position　of　the　furniture　and　the　utensils；　and；　when　all　was　done；
pulled　down　the　house　and　removed　it　a　short　distance　off。

Then　it　was　arranged　as　before　with　a　similar　looking　garden；　and　at　the
same　time　the　spot　on　which　it　had　previously　stood　was　smoothed　and
levelled。　　All　this　was　done　before　the　suit　was　finished。　　The　work
being　at　length　over　on　both　sides；　Charnace　amused　the　tailor　until　it
was　quite　dark；　paid　him；　and　dismissed　him　content。　　The　man　went　on　his
way　down　the　avenue；　but；　finding　the　distance　longer　than　usual；　looked
about；　and　perceived　he　had　gone　too　far。　　Returning；　he　searched
diligently　for　his　house；　but　without　being　able　to　find　it。　　The　night
passed　in　this　exercise。　　When　the　day　came；　he　rubbed　his　eyes；　thinking
they　might　have　been　in　fault；　but　as　he　found　them　as　clear　as　usual；
began　to　believe　that　the　devil　had　carried　away　his　house；　garden　and
all。　　By　dint　of　wandering　to　and　fro；　and　casting　his　eyes　in　every
direction；　he　saw　at　last　a　house　which　was　as　like　to　his　as　are　two
drops　of　water　to　each　other。　　Curiosity　tempted　him　to　go　and　examine
it。　　He　did　so；　and　became　convinced　it　was　his　own。　　He　entered；　found
everything　inside　as　he　had　left　it；　and　then　became　quite　persuaded　he
had　been　tricked　by　a　sorcerer。　　The　day　was　not；　however；　very　far
advanced　before　he　learned　the　truth　through　the　banter　of　his
neighbours。　　In　fury　he　talked　of　going　to　law；　or　demanding　justice；　but
was　laughed　at　everywhere。　　The　King　when　he　heard　of　it　laughed　also；
and　Charnace　had　his　avenue　free。　　If　he　had　never　done　anything　worse
than　this；　he　would　have　preserved　his　reputation　and　his　liberty。

A　strange　scene　happened　at　Meudon　after　supper　one　evening；　towards　the
end　of　July。　　The　Prince　de　Conti　and　the　Grand　Prieur　were　playing；　and
a　dispute　arose　respecting　the　game。　　The　Grand　Prieur；　inflated　by　pride
on　account　of　the　favours　the　King　had　showered　upon　him；　and　rendered
audacious　by　being　placed　almost　on　a　level　with　the　Princes　of　the
blood；　used　words　which　would　have　been　too　strong　even　towards　an　equal。
The　Prince　de　Conti　answered　by　a　repartee；　in　which　the　other's　honesty
at　play　and　his　courage　in　warboth；　in　truth；　little　to　boast　about
were　attacked。　　Upon　this　the　Grand　Prieur　flew　into　a　passion；　flung
away　the　cards；　and　demanded　satisfaction；　sword　in　hand。　　The　Prince　de
Conti；　with　a　smile　of　contempt；　reminded　him　that　he　was　wanting　in
respect；　and　at　the　same　time　said　he　could　have　the　satisfaction　he
asked　for　whenever　he　pleased。　　The　arrival　of　Monseigneur；　in　his
dressing…gown；　put　an　end　to　the　fray。　　He　ordered　the　Marquis　de
Gesvres；　who　was　one　of　the　courtiers　present；　to　report　the　whole　affair
to　the　King；　and　that　every　one　should　go　to　bed。　　On　the　morrow　the　King
was　informed　of　what　had　taken　place；　and　immediately　ordered　the　Grand
Prieur　to　go　to　the　Bastille。　　He　was　obliged　to　obey；　and　remained　in
confinement　several　days。　　The　affair　made　a　great　stir　at　Court。　　The
Princes　of　the　blood　took　a　very　high　tone；　and　the　illegitimates　were
much　embarrassed。　　At　last；　on　the　7th　of　August；　the　affair　was　finally
accommodated　through　the　intercession　of　Monseigneur。　　The　Grand　Prieur
demanded　pardon　of　the　Prince　de　Conti　in　the　presence　of　his　brother；　M。
de　Vendome；　who　was　obliged　to　swallow　this　bitter　draught；　although
against　his　will；　in　order　to　appease　the　Princes　of　the　blood；　who　were
extremely　excited。

Nearly　at　the　same　time；　that　is　to　say；　on　the　29th　of　May；　in　the
morning　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　was　happily　delivered　of　a　child。　　God　did
us　the　grace　to　give　us　a　son。　　He　bore；　as　I　had；　the　name　of　Vidame　of
Chartres。　　I　do　not　know　why　people　have　the　fancy　for　these　odd　names；
but　they　seduce　in　all　nations；　and　they　who　feel　the　triviality　of　them；
imitate　them。　　It　is　true　that　the　titles　of　Count　and　Marquis　have
fallen　into　the　dust　because　of　the　quantity　of　people　without　wealth；
and　even　without　land；　who　usurp　them；　and　that　they　have　become　so
worthless；　that　people　of　quality　who　are　Marquises　or　Counts　（if　they
will　permit　me　to　say　it）　are　silly　enough　to　be　annoyed　if　those　titles
are　given　t