the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第5节

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the　marriage　of　his　son　with　the　Duchesse　de　Valentinois；　daughter　of　M。
le　Grand；　and　who　enjoyed；　as　it　were；　the　sovereignty　of　a　rockbeyond
whose　narrow　limits　anybody　might　spit；　so　to　speak；　whilst　standing　in
the　middlesoon　found；　and　his　son　still　more　so；　that　they　had　bought
the　title　very　dearly。　　The　Duchess　was　charming；　gallant；　and　was
spoiled　by　the　homage　of　the　Court；　in　a　house　open　night　and　day；　and　to
which　her　beauty　attracted　all　that　was　young　and　brilliant。　　Her
husband；　with　much　intelligence；　was　diffident；　his　face　and　figure　had
acquired　for　him　the　name　of　Goliath；　he　suffered　for　a　long　time　the
haughtiness　and　the　disdain　of　his　wife　and　her　family。　　At　last　he　and
his　father　grew　tired　and　took　away　Madame　de　Valentinois　to　Monaco。　　She
grieved；　and　her　parents　also；　as　though　she　had　been　carried　off　to　the
Indies。　　After　two　years　of　absence　and　repentance；　she　promised　marvels；
and　was　allowed　to　return　to　Paris。　　I　know　not　who　counselled　her；　but；
without　changing　her　conduct；　she　thought　only　how　to　prevent　a　return　to
Monaco；　and　to　insure　herself　against　this；　she　accused　her　father…in…law
of　having　made　vile　proposals　to　her；　and　of　attempting　to　take　her　by
force。　　This　charge　made　a　most　scandalous　uproar；　but　was　believed　by
nobody。　　M。　de　Monaco　was　no　longer　young；　he　was　a　very　honest　man；　and
had　always　passed　for　such；　besides；　he　was　almost　blind　in　both　eyes；
and　had　a　huge　pointed　belly；　which　absolutely　excited　fear；　it　jutted
out　so　far！

After　some　time；　as　Madame　de　Valentinois　still　continued　to　swim　in　the
pleasures　of　the　Court　under　the　shelter　of　her　family；　her　husband
redemanded　her；　and　though　he　was　laughed　at　at　first；　she　was　at　last
given　up　to　him。

A　marriage　took　place　at　this　time　between　the　son　of　Pontchartrain　and
the　daughter　of　the　Comte　de　Roye。　　The　Comte　de　Roye　was　a　Huguenot；
and；　at　the　revocation　of　the　edict　of　Nantes；　had　taken　refuge；　with　his
wife；　in　Denmark；　where　he　had　been　made　grand　marshal　and　commander　of
all　the　troops。　　One　day；　as　the　Comte　de　Roye　was　dining　with　his　wife
and　daughter　at　the　King's　table；　the　Comtesse　de　Roye　asked　her　daughter
if　she　did　not　think　the　Queen　of　Denmark　and　Madame　Panache　resembled
each　other　like　two　drops　of　water？　　Although　she　spoke　in　French　and　in
a　low　tone；　the　Queen　both　heard　and　understood　her；　and　inquired　at　once
who　was　Madame　Panache。　　The　Countess　in　her　surprise　replied；　that　she
was　a　very　amiable　woman　at　the　French　Court。　　The　Queen；　who　had　noticed
the　surprise　of　the　Countess；　was　not　satisfied　with　this　reply。　　She
wrote　to　the　Danish　minister　at　Paris；　desiring　to　be　informed　of　every
particular　respecting　Madame　Panache；　her　face；　her　age；　her　condition；
and　upon　what　footing　she　was　at　the　French　Court。　　The　minister；　all
astonished　that　the　Queen　should　have　heard　of　Madame　Panache；　wrote　word
that　she　was　a　little　and　very　old　creature；　with　lips　and　eyes　so
disfigured　that　they　were　painful　to　look　upon；　a　species　of　beggar　who
had　obtained　a　footing　at　Court　from　being　half…witted；　who　was　now　at
the　supper　of　the　King；　now　at　the　dinner　of　Monseigneur；　or　at　other
places；　where　everybody　amused　themselves　by　tormenting　her：　She　in　turn
abused　the　company　at　these　parties；　in　order　to　cause　diversion；　but
sometimes　rated　them　very　seriously　and　with　strong　words；　which
delighted　still　more　those　princes　and　princesses；　who　emptied　into　her
pockets　meat　and　ragouts；　the　sauces　of　which　ran　all　down　her
petticoats：　at　these　parties　some　gave　her　a　pistole　or　a　crown；　and
others　a　filip　or　a　smack　in　the　face；　which　put　her　in　a　fury；　because
with　her　bleared　eyes　not　being　able　to　see　the　end　of　her　nose；　she
could　not　tell　who　had　struck　her；she　was；　in　a　word；　the　pastime　of
the　Court！

Upon　learning　this；　the　Queen　of　Denmark　was　so　piqued；　that　she　could　no
longer　suffer　the　Comtesse　de　Roye　near　her；　she　complained　to　the　King：
he　was　much　offended　that　foreigners；　whom　he　had　loaded　with　favour；
should　so　repay　him。　　The　Comte　de　Roye　was　unable　to　stand　up　against
the　storm；　and　withdrew　to　England；　where　he　died　a　few　years　after。

The　King　at　this　time　drove　away　the　company　of　Italian　actors；　and　would
not　permit　another　in　its　place。　　So　long　as　the　Italians　had　simply
allowed　their　stage　to　overflow　with　filth　or　impiety　they　only　caused
laughter；　but　they　set　about　playing　a　piece　called　〃The　False　Prude；〃　in
which　Madame　de　Maintenon　was　easily　recognised。　　Everybody　ran　to　see
the　piece；　but　after　three　or　four　representations；　given　consecutively
on　account　of　the　gain　it　brought；　the　Italians　received　orders　to　close
their　theatre　and　to　quit　the　realm　in　a　month。　　This　affair　made　a　great
noise；　and　if　the　comedians　lost　an　establishment　by　their　boldness　and
folly；　they　who　drove　them　away　gained　nothingsuch　was　the　licence　with
which　this　ridiculous　event　was　spoken　of！




CHAPTER　XI

The　disposition　of　the　armies　was　the　same　this　year　as　last；　except　that
the　Princes　did　not　serve。　　Towards　the　end　of　May　I　joined　the　army　of
the　Rhine；　under　the　Marechal　de　Choiseul；　as　before。　　We　made　some
skilful　manoeuvres；　but　did　little　in　the　way　of　fighting。　　For　sixteen
days　we　encamped　at　Nieder…buhl；　where　we　obtained　a　good　supply　of
forage。　　At　the　end　of　that　time　the　Marechal　de　Choiseul　determined　to
change　his　position。　　Our　army　was　so　placed；　that　the　enemy　could　see
almost　all　of　it　quite　distinctly；　yet；　nevertheless；　we　succeeded　in
decamping　so　quickly；　that　we　disappeared　from　under　their　very　eyes　in
open　daylight；　and　in　a　moment　as　it　were。　　Such　of　the　Imperial　Generals
as　were　out　riding　ran　from　all　parts　to　the　banks　of　the　Murg；　to　see
our　retreat；　but　it　was　so　promptly　executed　that　there　was　no　time　for
them；　to　attempt　to　hinder　us。　　When　the　Prince　of　Baden　was　told　of　our
departure　he　could　not　credit　it。　He　had　seen　us　so　lately；　quietly
resting　in　our　position；　that　it　seemed　impossible　to　him　we　had　left　it
in　such　a　short　space　of　time。　　When　his　own　eyes　assured　him　of　the
fact；　he　was　filled　with　such　astonishment　and　admiration；　that　he　asked
those　around　him　if　they　had　ever　seen　such　a　retreat；　adding；　that　he
could　not　have　believed；　until　then；　that　an　army　so　numerous　and　so
considerable　should　have　been　able　to　disappear　thus　in　an　instant。
This　honourable　and　bold　retreat　was　attended　by　a　sad　accident。　　One　of
our　officers；　named　Blansac；　while　leading　a　column　of　infantry　through
the　wood；　was　overtaken　by　night。　　A　small　party　of　his　men　heard　some
cavalry　near　them。　　The　cavalry　belonged　to　the　enemy；　and　had　lost　their
way。　　Instead　of　replying　when　challenged；　they　said　to　each　other　in
German；　〃Let　us　run　for　it。〃　　Nothing　more　was　wanting　to　draw　upon　them
a　discharge　from　the　small　body　of　our　men；　by　whom　they　had　been　heard。
To　this　they　replied　with　their　pistols。　　Immediately；　and　without
orders；　the　whole　column　of　infantry　fired　in　that　direction；　and；　before
Blansac　could　inquire　the　cause；　fired　again。　　Fortunately　he　was　not
wounded；　but　five　unhappy　captains　were　killed；　and　some　subalterns
wounded。

Our　campaign　was　brought　to　an　end　by　the　peace　of　Ryswick。　　The　first
news　of　that　event　arrived　at　Fontainebleau　on　the　22nd　of　September。
Celi；　son　of　Harlay；　had　been　despatched　with　the　intelligence；　but　he
did　not　arrive　until　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　the　26th　of
September。　　He　had　amused　himself　by　the　way　with　a　young　girl　who　had
struck　his　fancy；　and　with　some　wine　that　he　equally　relished。　　He　had
committed　all　the　absurdities　and　impertinences　which　might　be　expected
of　a　debauched；　hare…brained　young　fellow；　completely　spoiled　by　his
father；　and　he　crowned　all　by　this　fine　delay。

A　little　time　before　the　signing　of　peace；　the　Prince　de　Conti；　having
been　elected　King　of　Poland；　set　out　to　take　possession　of　his　throne。
The　King；　ravished　with　joy　to　see　himself　delivered　from　a　Prince　whom
he　disliked；　could　not　hide　his　satisfactionhis　eagernessto　get　rid
of　a　Prince　whose　only　faults　were　that　he　had　no　bastard　blood　in　his
veins；　and　that　he　was　so　much　liked　by　all　the　nation　that　they　wished
him　at　the　head　of　the　army；　and　murmured　at　the　little　favour　he
received；　as　compared　with　that　showered　down　upon　the　illegitimate
children。

The　King　made　all　haste　to　treat　the　Prince　to　royal　honours。　　After　an
interview　in　the　cabinet　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　he　presented　him　to　a
number　of　ladies；　saying；　〃I　bring　you　a　king。〃　　The　Prince　was　all　along
doubtful　of　the　validity　of　his　election；　and　begged　that　the　Princess
might　not　be　treated　as　a　queen；　until　he　should　have　been　crowned。
He　received　two　millions　in　cash　from　the　King；　and　other　assistances。
Samuel　Bernard　undertook　to　make　the　necessary　payments　in　Poland。　　The
Prince　started　by　way　of　Dunkerque；　and　went　to　that　place　at　such　speed；
that　an　ill…closed　chest　opened；　and　two　thousand　Louis　were　scattered　on
the　road；　a　portion　only　of　which　was　brought　back　to　the　Hotel　Conti。
The　celebrated　Jean　Bart　pledged　himself　to　take　him　safely；　despite　the
enemy's　fleet；　and　kept　his　w