the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第14节

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Guards；　suddenly　disappeared；　and　could　not　be　found　anywhere；　although
the　utmost　care　was　taken　to　search　for　him。　　　He　loved　gaming。　　He　had
lost　what　he　could　not　pay。　　He　was　a　man　of　honour；　and　could　not
sustain　his　misfortune。　　Twelve　or　fifteen　years　afterwards　he　was
recognised　among　the　Bavarian　troops；　in　which　he　was　serving　in　order　to
gain　his　bread　and　to　live　unknown。　　The　other　case　was　still　worse。
Permillac；　a　man　of　much　intelligence　and　talent；　had　lost　more　than　he
possessed；　and　blew　his　brains　out　one　morning　in　bed。　　He　was　much　liked
throughout　the　army；　had　taken　a　friendship　for　me；　and　I　for　him。
Everybody　pitied　him；　and　I　much　regretted　him。

Nearly　at　the　same　time　we　lost　the　celebrated　Racine；　so　known　by　his
beautiful　plays。　　No　one　possessed　a　greater　talent　or　a　more　agreeable
mien。　　There　was　nothing　of　the　poet　in　his　manners：　he　had　the　air　of　a
well…bred　and　modest　man；　and　at　last　that　of　a　good　man。　　He　had
friends；　the　most　illustrious；　at　the　Court　as　well　as　among　men　of
letters。　　I　leave　it　to　the　latter　to　speak　of　him　in　a　better　way　than　I
can。　　He　wrote；　for　the　amusement　of　the　King　and　Madame　de　Maintenon；
and　to　exercise　the　young　ladies　of　Saint　Cyr；　two　dramatic　masterpieces；
Esther　and　Athalie。　　They　were　very　difficult　to　write；　because　there
could　be　no　love　in　them；　and　because　they　are　sacred　tragedies；　in
which；　from　respect　to　the　Holy　Scriptures；　it　was　necessary　rigidly　to
keep　to　the　historical　truth。　　They　were　several　times　played　at　Saint
Cyr　before　a　select　Court。　　Racine　was　charged　with　the　history　of　the
King；　conjointly　with　Despreaux；　his　friend。　　This　employment；　the　pieces
I　have　just　spoken　of；　and　his　friends；　gained　for　Racine　some　special
favours：　It　sometimes　happened　that　the　King　had　no　ministers　with　him；
as　on　Fridays；　and；　above　all；　when　the　bad　weather　of　winter　rendered
the　sittings　very　long；　then　he　would　send　for　Racine　to　amuse　him　and
Madame　de　Maintenon。　　Unfortunately　the　poet　was　oftentimes　very　absent。
It　happened　one　evening　that；　talking　with　Racine　upon　the　theatre；　the
King　asked　why　comedy　was　so　much　out　of　fashion。　　Racine　gave　several
reasons；　and　concluded　by　naming　the　principal；namely；　that　for　want　of
new　pieces　the　comedians　gave　old　ones；　and；　amongst　others；　those　of
Scarron；　which　were　worth　nothing；　and　which　found　no　favour　with
anybody。　　At　this　the　poor　widow　blushed；　not　for　the　reputation　of　the
cripple　attacked；　but　at　hearing　his　name　uttered　in　presence　of　his
successor！　　The　King　was　also　embarrassed；　and　the　unhappy　Racine；　by　the
silence　which　followed；　felt　what　a　slip　he　had　made。　　He　remained　the
most　confounded　of　the　three；　without　daring　to　raise　his　eyes　or　to　open
his　mouth。　　This　silence　did　not　terminate　for　several　moments；　so　heavy
and　profound　was　the　surprise。　　The　end　was　that　the　King　sent　away
Racine；　saying　he　was　going　to　work。　　The　poet　never　afterwards　recovered
his　position。　　Neither　the　King　nor　Madame　de　Maintenon　ever　spoke　to　him
again；　or　even　looked　at　him；　and　he　conceived　so　much　sorrow　at　this；
that　he　fell　into　a　languor；　and　died　two　years　afterwards。　　At　his
death；　Valincourt　was　chosen　to　work　in　his　place　with　Despreaux　upon　the
history　of　the　King。

The　King；　who　had　just　paid　the　heavy　gaming　and　tradesmen's　debts　of
Madame　la　Duchesse；　paid　also　those　of　Monseigneur；　which　amounted　to
fifty　thousand　francs；　undertook　the　payment　of　the　buildings　at　Meudon；
and；　in　lieu　of　fifteen　hundred　pistoles　a　month　which　he　had　allowed
Monseigneur；　gave　him　fifty　thousand　crowns。　　M。　de　la　Rochefoucauld；
always　necessitous　and　pitiful　in　the　midst　of　riches；　a　prey　to　his
servants；　obtained　an　increase　of　forty…two　thousand　francs　a…year　upon
the　salary　he　received　as　Grand　Veneur；　although　it　was　but　a　short　time
since　the　King　had　paid　his　debts。　　The　King　gave　also；　but　in　secret；
twenty　thousand　francs　a…year　to　M。　de　Chartres；　who　had　spent　so　much　in
journeys　and　building　that　he　feared　he　should　be　unable　to　pay　his
debts。　　He　had　asked　for　an　abbey；　but　as　he　had　already　one；　the　King
did　not　like　to　give　him　another；　lest　it　should　be　thought　too　much。

M。　de　Vendome　began　at　last　to　think　about　his　health；　which　his
debauches　had　thrown　into　a　very　bad　state。　　He　took　public　leave　of　the
King　and　of　all　the　Court　before　going　away；　to　put　himself　in　the　hands
of　the　doctors。　　It　was　the　first　and　only　example　of　such　impudence。
From　this　time　he　lost　ground。　　The　King　said；　at　parting；　that　he　hoped
he　would　come　back　in　such　a　state　that　people　might　kiss　him　without
danger！　　His　going　in　triumph；　where　another　would　have　gone　in　shame　and
secrecy；　was　startling　and　disgusting。　　He　was　nearly　three　months　under
the　most　skilful　treatment…and　returned　to　the　Court　with　half　his　nose；
his　teeth　out；　and　a　physiognomy　entirely　changed；　almost　idiotic。　　The
King　was　so　much　struck　by　this　change；　that　he　recommended　the　courtiers
not　to　appear　to　notice　it；　for　fear　of　afflicting　M。　de　Vendome。　　That
was　taking　much　interest　in　him　assuredly。　　As；　moreover；　he　had　departed
in　triumph　upon　this　medical　expedition；　so　he　returned　triumphant　by　the
reception　of　the　King；　which　was　imitated　by　all　the　Court。　　He　remained
only　a　few　days；　and　then；　his　mirror　telling　sad　tales；　went　away　to
Anet；　to　see　if　nose　and　teeth　would　come　back　to　him　with　his　hair。

A　strange　adventure；　which　happened　at　this　time；　terrified　everybody；
and　gave　rise　to　many　surmises。　　Savary　was　found　assassinated　in　his
house　at　Paris　he　kept　only　a　valet　and　a　maid…servant；　and　they　were
discovered　murdered　at　the　same　time；　quite　dressed；　like　their　master；
and　in　different　parts　of　the　house。　　It　appeared　by　writings　found
there；　that　the　crime　was　one　of　revenge：　it　was　supposed　to　have　been
committed　in　broad　daylight。　　Savary　was　a　citizen　of　Paris；　very　rich；
without　occupation；　and　lived　like　an　epicurean。　　He　had　some　friends　of
the　highest　rank；　and　gave　parties；　of　all　kinds　of　pleasure；　at　his
house；　politics　sometimes　being　discussed。　　The　cause　of　this
assassination　was　never　known；　but　so　much　of　it　was　found　out；　that　no
one　dared　to　search　for　more。　　Few　doubted　but　that　the　deed　had　been
done　by　a　very　ugly　little　man；　but　of　a　blood　so　highly　respected；　that
all　forms　were　dispensed　with；　in　the　fear　lest　it　should　be　brought　home
to　him；　and；　after　the　first　excitement；　everybody　ceased　to　speak　of
this　tragic　history。

On　the　night　between　the　3rd　and　4th　of　June；　a　daring　robbery　was
effected　at　the　grand　stables　of　Versailles。　　All　the　horse…cloths　and
trappings；　worth　at　least　fifty　thousand　crowns；　were　carried　off；　and　so
cleverly　and　with　such　speed；　although　the　night　was　short；　that　no
traces　of　them　could　ever　afterwards　be　found。　　This　theft　reminds　me　of
another　which　took　place　a　little　before　the　commencement　of　these
memoirs。　　The　grand　apartment　at　Versailles；　that　is　to　say；　from　the
gallery　to　the　tribune；　was　hung　with　crimson　velvet；　trimmed　and　fringed
with　gold。　　One　fine　morning　the　fringe　and　trimmings　were　all　found　to
have　been　cut　away。　　This　appeared　extraordinary　in　a　place　so　frequented
all　day；　so　well　closed　at　night；　and　so　well　guarded　at　all　times。
Bontems；　the　King's　valet；　was　in　despair；　and　did　his　utmost　to　discover
the　thieves；　but　without　success。

Five　or　six　days　afterwards；　I　was　at　the　King's　supper；　with　nobody　but
Daqum；　chief　physician；　between　the　King　and　me；　and　nobody　at　all
between　one　and　the　table。　　Suddenly　I　perceived　a　large　black　form　in
the　air；　but　before　I　could　tell　what　it　was；　it　fell　upon　the　end　of　the
King's　table　just　before　the　cover　which　had　been　laid　for　Monseigneur
and　Madame。　　By　the　noise　it　made　in　falling；　and　the　weight　of　the　thing
itself；　it　seemed　as　though　the　table　must　be　broken。　　The　plates　jumped
up；　but　none　were　upset；　and　the　thing；　as　luck　would　have　it；　did　not
fall　upon　any　of　them；　but　simply　upon　the　cloth。　　The　King　moved　his
head　half　round；　and　without　being　moved　in　any　way　said；　〃I　think　that
is　my　fringe！〃

It　was　indeed　a　bundle；　larger　than　a　flat…brimmed　priest's　hat；　about
two　feet　in　height；　and　shaped　like　a　pyramid。　　It　had　come　from　behind
me；　from　towards　the　middle　door　of　the　two　ante…chambers；　and　a　piece　of
fringe　getting　loose　in　the　air；　had　fallen　upon　the　King's　wig；　from
which　it　was　removed　by　Livry；　a　gentleman…in…waiting。　　Livry　also　opened
the　bundle；　and　saw　that　it　did　indeed　contain　the　fringes　all　twisted
up；　and　everybody　saw　likewise。　　A　murmur　was　heard。　　Livry　wishing　to
take　away　the　bundle　found　a　paper　attached　to　it。　　He　took　the　paper　and
left　the　bundle。　　The　King　stretched　out　his　hand　and　said；　〃Let　us　see。〃
Livry；　and　with　reason；　would　not　give　up　the　paper；　but　stepped　back；
read　it；　and　then　passed　it　to　Daquin；　in　whose　hands　I　read　it。　　The
writing；　counterfeited　and　long　like　that　of　a　woman；　was　in　these
words：〃　Take　back　your　fringes；　Bontems；　they　are　not　worth　the　trouble
of　keepingmy　compliments　to　the　King。〃

The　paper　was　rolled　up；　not　folded：　the　King　wished　to　take　it　from
Daquin；　who；　after　muc