the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第6节

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The　celebrated　Jean　Bart　pledged　himself　to　take　him　safely；　despite　the
enemy's　fleet；　and　kept　his　word。　　The　convoy　was　of　five　frigates。　　The
Chevalier　de　Sillery；　before　starting；　married　Mademoiselle　Bigot；　rich
and　witty；　with　whom　he　had　been　living　for　some　time。　　Meanwhile　the
best　news　arrived　from　our　ambassador；　the　Abbe　de　Polignac；　to　the　King；
but　all　answers　were　intercepted　at　Dantzic　by　the　retired　Queen　of
Poland；　who　sent　on　only　the　envelopes！　　However；　the　Prince　de　Conti
passed　up　the　Sound；　and　the　King　and　Queen　of　Denmark　watched　them　from
the　windows　of　the　Chateau　de　Cronenbourg。　　Jean　Bart；　against　custom；
ordered　a　salute　to　be　fired。　　It　was　returned；　and　as　some　light　vessels
passing　near　the　frigates　said　that　the　King　and　Queen　were　looking　on；
the　Prince　ordered　another　salvo。

There　was；　however；　another　claimant　to　the　throne　of　Poland；　I　mean　the
Elector　of　Saxony；　who　had　also　been　elected；　and　who　had　many　partisans；
so　many；　indeed；　that　when　the　Prince　de　Conti　arrived　at　Dantzic；　he
found　himself　almost　entirely　unsupported。　　The　people　even　refused
provision　to　his　frigates。　　However；　the　Prince's　partisans　at　length
arrived　to　salute　him。　　The　Bishop　of　Plosko　gave　him　a　grand　repast；
near　the　Abbey　of　Oliva。　　Marege；　a　Gascon　gentleman　of　the　Prince's
suite；　was　present；　but　had　been　ill。　　There　was　drinking　in　the　Polish
fashion；　and　he　tried　to　be　let　off。　　The　Prince　pleaded　for　him；　but
these　Poles；　who；　in　order　to　make　themselves　understood；　spoke　Latin
and　very　bad　Latin　indeedwould　not　accept　such　an　excuse；　and　forcing
him　to　drink；　howled　furiously　'Bibat　et　Moriatur！　　Marege；　who　was　very
jocular　and　yet　very　choleric；　used　to　tell　this　story　in　the　same
spirit；　and　made　everyone　who　heard　it　laugh。

However；　the　party　of　the　Prince　de　Conti　made　no　way；　and　at　length　he
was　fain　to　make　his　way　back　to　France　with　all　speed。　　The　King
received　him　very　graciously；　although　at　heart　exceeding　sorry　to　see
him　again。　　A　short　time　after；　the　Elector　of　Saxony　mounted　the　throne
of　Poland　without　opposition；　and　was　publicly　recognised　by　the　King；
towards　the　commencement　of　August。

By　the　above…mentioned　peace　of　Ryswick；　the　King　acknowledged　the　Prince
of　Orange　as　King　of　England。　　It　was；　however；　a　bitter　draught　for　him
to　swallow；　and　for　these　reasons：　Some　years　before；　the　King　had
offered　his　illegitimate　daughter；　the　Princesse　de　Conti；　in　marriage　to
the　Prince　of　Orange；　believing　he　did　that　Prince　great　honour　by　the
proposal。　　The　Prince　did　not　think　in　the　same　manner；　and　flatly
refused；　saying；　that　the　House　of　Orange　was　accustomed　to　marry　the
legitimate　daughters　of　great　kings；　and　not　their　bastards。　　These　words
sank　so　deeply　into　the　heart　of　the　King；　that　he　never　forgot　them；　and
often；　against　even　his　most　palpable　interest；　showed　how　firmly　the
indignation　he　felt　at　them　had　taken　possession　of　his　mind：　Since　then；
the　Prince　of　Orange　had　done　all　in　his　power　to　efface　the　effect　his
words　had　made；　but　every　attempt　was　rejected　with　disdain。　　The　King's
ministers　in　Holland　had　orders　to　do　all　they　could　to　thwart　the
projects　of　the　Prince　of　Orange；　to　excite　people　against　him；　to
protect　openly　those　opposed　to　him；　and　to　be　in　no　way　niggard　of　money
in　order　to　secure　the　election　of　magistrates　unfavourable　to　him。　　The
Prince　never　ceased；　until　the　breaking…out　of　this　war；　to　use　every
effort　to　appease　the　anger　of　the　King。　　At　last；　growing　tired；　and
hoping　soon　to　make　his　invasion　into　England；　he　said　publicly；　that　he
had　uselessly　laboured　all　his　life　to　gain　the　favours　of　the　King；　but
that　he　hoped　to　be　more　fortunate　in　meriting　his　esteem。　　It　may　be
imagined；　therefore；　what　a　triumph　it　was　for　him　when　he　forced　the
King　to　recognise　him　as　monarch　of　England；　and　what　that　recognition
cost　the　King。

M。　le　Duc　presided　this　year　over　the　Assembly　of　the　States　of　Burgundy；
in　place　of　his　father　M。　le　Prince；　who　did　not　wish　to　go　there。　　The
Duke　gave　on　that　occasion　a　striking　example　of　the　friendship　of
princes；　and　a　fine　lesson　to　those　who　seek　it。　　Santeuil；　Canon　of
Saint　Victor；　and　the　greatest　Latin　poet　who　has　appeared　for　many
centuries；　accompanied　him。　　Santeuil　was　an　excellent　fellow；　full　of
wit　and　of　life；　and　of　pleasantries；　which　rendered　him　an　admirable
boon…companion。　　Fond　of　wine　and　of　good　cheer；　he　was　not　debauched；
and　with　a　disposition　and　talents　so　little　fitted　for　the　cloister；
was　nevertheless；　at　bottom；　as　good　a　churchman　as　with　such　a　character
he　could　be。　　He　was　a　great　favourite　with　all　the　house　of　Conde；　and
was　invited　to　their　parties；　where　his　witticisms；　his　verses；　and　his
pleasantries　had　afforded　infinite　amusement　for　many　years。

M。　le　Duc　wished　to　take　him　to　Dijon。　　Santeuil　tried　to　excuse　himself；
but　without　effect；　he　was　obliged　to　go；　and　was　established　at　the
house　of　the　Duke　while　the　States　were　held。　　Every　evening　there　was　a
supper；　and　Santeuil　was　always　the　life　of　the　company。　　One　evening　M。
le　Duc　diverted　himself　by　forcing　Santeuil　to　drink　champagne；　and
passing　from　pleasantry　to　pleasantry；　thought　it　would　be　a　good　joke　to
empty　his　snuff…box；　full　of　Spanish　snuff；　into　a　large　glass　of　wine；
and　to　make　Santeuil　drink　it；　in　order　to　see　what　would　happen。　　It　was
not　long　before　he　was　enlightened　upon　this　point。　　Santeuil　was　seized
with　vomiting　and　with　fever；　and　in　twice　twenty…four　hours　the　unhappy
man　died…suffering　the　tortures　of　the　damned；　but　with　sentiments　of
extreme　penitence；　in　which　he　received　the　sacrament；　and　edified　a
company　little　disposed　towards　edification；　but　who　detested　such　a
cruel　joke。

In　consequence　of　the　peace　just　concluded　at　Ryswick；　many　fresh
arrangements　were　made　about　this　time　in　our　embassies　abroad。　　This
allusion　to　our　foreign　appointments　brings　to　my　mind　an　anecdote　which
deserves　to　be　remembered。　　When　M。　de　Vendome　took　Barcelona；　the
Montjoui　（which　is　as　it　were　its　citadel）　was　commanded　by　the　Prince　of
Darmstadt。　　He　was　of　the　house　of　Hesse；　and　had　gone　into　Spain　to　seek
employment；　he　was　a　relative　of　the　Queen　of　Spain；　and；　being　a　very
well…made　man；　had　not；　it　was　said；　displeased　her。　　It　was　said　also；
and　by　people　whose　word　was　not　without　weight；　that　the　same　council　of
Vienna；　which　for　reasons　of　state　had　made　no　scruple　of　poisoning　the
late　Queen　of　Spain　（daughter　of　Monsieur）；　because　she　had　no　children；
and　because　she　had；　also；　too　much　ascendancy　over　the　heart　of　her
husband；　it　was　said；　I　say；　that　this　same　council　had　no　scruples　upon
another　point。　　After　poisoning　the　first　Queen；　it　had　remarried　the
King　of　Spain　to　a　sister　of　the　Empress。　　She　was　tall；　majestic；　not
without　beauty　and　capacity；　and；　guided　by　the　ministers　of　the　Emperor；
soon　acquired　much　influence　over　the　King　her　husband。　　So　far　all　was
well；　but　the　most　important　thing　was　wantingshe　had　no　children。　　The
council　had　hoped　some　from　this　second　marriage；　because　it　had　lured
itself　into　the　belief　that　previously　the　fault　rested　with　the　late
Queen。　　After　some　years；　this　same　council；　being　no　longer　able　to
disguise　the　fact　that　the　King　could　have　no　children；　sent　the　Prince
of　Darmstadt　into　Spain；　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　himself　there；
and　of　ingratiating　himself　into　the　favour　of　the　Queen　to　such　an
extent　that　this　defect　might　be　remedied。　　The　Prince　of　Darmstadt　was
well　received；　he　obtained　command　in　the　army；　defended；　as　I　have　said；
Barcelona；　and　obtained　a　good　footing　at　the　Court。　　But　the　object　for
which　he　had　been　more　especially　sent　he　could　not　accomplish。　　I　will
not　say　whether　the　Queen　was　inaccessible　from　her　own　fault　or　that　of
others。　　Nor　will　I　say；　although　I　have　been　assured；　but　I　believe　by
persons　without　good　knowledge　of　the　subject；　that　naturally　it　was
impossible　for　her　to　become　a　mother。　　I　will　simply　say　that　the　Prince
of　Darmstadt　was　on　the　best　terms　with　the　King　and　the　Queen；　and　had
opportunities　very　rare　in　that　country；　without　any　fruit　which　could
put　the　succession　of　the　monarchy　in　safety　against　the　different
pretensions　afloat；　or　reassure　on　that　head　the　politic　council　of
Vienna。

But　to　return　to　France。

Madame　de　Maintenon；　despite　the　height　to　which　her　insignificance　had
risen；　had　yet　her　troubles。　　Her　brother；　who　was　called　the　Comte
d'Aubigne；　was　of　but　little　worth；　yet　always　spoke　as　though　no　man
were　his　equal；　complained　that　he　had　not　been　made　Marechal　of　France
sometimes　said　that　he　had　taken　his　baton　in　money；　and　constantly
bullied　Madame　de　Maintenon　because　she　did　not　make　him　a　duke　and　a
peer。　　He　spent　his　time　running　after　girls　in　the　Tuileries；　always　had
several　on　his　hands；　and　lived　and　spent　his　money　with　their　families
and　friends　of　the　same　kidney。　　He　was　just　fit　for　a　strait…waistcoat；
but　comical；　full　of　wit　and　unexpected　repartees。　　A　good；　humorous
fellow；　and　honest…polite；　and　not　too　impertinent　on　account　of　his
sister's　fortune。　　Yet　it　was　a　plea