the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第7节

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fellow；　and　honest…polite；　and　not　too　impertinent　on　account　of　his
sister's　fortune。　　Yet　it　was　a　pleasure　to　hear　him　talk　of　the　time　of
Scarron　and　the　Hotel　d'Albret；　and　of　the　gallantries　and　adventures　of
his　sister；　which　he　contrasted　with　her　present　position　and　devotion。
He　would　talk　in　this　manner；　not　before　one　or　two；　but　in　a
compromising　manner；　quite　openly　in　the　Tuileries　gardens；　or　in　the
galleries　of　Versailles；　before　everybody；　and　would　often　drolly　speak
of　the　King　as　〃the　brother…in…law。〃　　I　have　frequently　heard　him　talk　in
this　manner；　above　all；　when　he　came　（more　often　than　was　desired）　to
dine　with　my　father　and　mother；　who　were　much　embarrassed　with　him；　at
which　I　used　to　laugh　in　my　sleeve。

A　brother　like　this　was　a　great　annoyance　to　Madame　de　Maintenon。　　His
wife；　an　obscure　creature；　more　obscure；　if　possible；　than　her　birth；
foolish　to　the　last　degree；　and　of　humble　mien；　was　almost　equally　so。
Madame　de　Maintenon　determined　to　rid　herself　of　both。　　She　persuaded　her
brother　to　enter　a　society　that　had　been　established　by　a　M。　Doyen；　at
St。　Sulpice；　for　decayed　gentlemen。　　His　wife　at　the　same　time　was
induced　to　retire　into　another　community；　where；　however；　she　did　not
fail　to　say　to　her　companions　that　her　fate　was　very　hard；　and　that　she
wished　to　be　free。　　As　for　d'Aubigne　he　concealed　from　nobody　that　his
sister　was　putting　a　joke　on　him　by　trying　to　persuade　him　that　he　was
devout；　declared　that　he　was　pestered　by　priests；　and　that　he　should　give
up　the　ghost　in　M。　Doyen's　house。　　He　could　not　stand　it　long；　and　went
back　to　his　girls　and　to　the　Tuileries；　and　wherever　he　could；　but　they
caught　him　again；　and　placed　him　under　the　guardianship　of　one　of　the
stupidest　priests　of　St。　Sulpice；　who　followed　him　everywhere　like　his
shadow；　and　made　him　miserable。　　The　fellow's　name　was　Madot：　he　was　good
for　no　other　employment；　but　gained　his　pay　in　this　one　by　an　assiduity
of　which　perhaps　no　one　else　would　have　been　capable。　　The　only　child　of
this　Comte　d'Aubigne　was　a　daughter；　taken　care　of　by　Madame　de
Maintenon；　and　educated　under　her　eyes　as　though　her　own　child。

Towards　the　end　of　the　year；　and　not　long　after　my　return　from　the　army；
the　King　fixed　the　day　for　the　marriage　of　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne　to　the
young　Princesse　de　Savoy。　　He　announced　that　on　that　occasion　he　should
be　glad　to　see　a　magnificent　Court；　and　he　himself；　who　for　a　long　time
had　worn　only　the　most　simple　habits；　ordered　the　most　superb。　　This　was
enough；　no　one　thought　of　consulting　his　purse　or　his　state；　everyone
tried　to　surpass　his　neighbour　in　richness　and　invention。　　Gold　and
silver　scarcely　sufficed：　the　shops　of　the　dealers　were　emptied　in　a　few
days；　in　a　word　luxury　the　most　unbridled　reigned　over　Court　and　city；
for　the　fete　had　a　huge　crowd　of　spectators。　　Things　went　to　such　a
point；　that　the　King　almost　repented　of　what　he　had　said；　and　remarked；
that　he　could　not　understand　how　husbands　could　be　such　fools　as　to　ruin
themselves　by　dresses　for　their　wives；　he　might　have　added；　by　dresses
for　themselves。　　But　the　impulse　had　been　given；　there　was　now　no　time　to
remedy　it；　and　I　believe　the　King　at　heart　was　glad；　for　it　pleased　him
during　the　fetes　to　look　at　all　the　dresses。　　He　loved　passionately　all
kinds　of　sumptuosity　at　his　Court；　and　he　who　should　have　held　only　to
what　had　been　said；　as　to　the　folly　of　expense；　would　have　grown　little
in　favour。　　There　was　no　means；　therefore；　of　being　wise　among　so　many
fools。　　Several　dresses　were　necessary。　　Those　for　Madame　Saint…Simon　and
myself　cost　us　twenty　thousand　francs。　　Workmen　were　wanting　to　make　up
so　many　rich　habits。　　Madame　la　Duchesse　actually　sent　her　people　to　take
some　by　force　who　were　working　at　the　Duc　de　Rohan's！　　The　King　heard　of
it；　did　not　like　it；　and　had　the　workmen　sent　back　immediately　to　the
Hotel　de　Rohan；　although　the　Duc　de　Rohan　was　one　of　the　men　he　liked　the
least　in　all　France。　　The　King　did　another　thing；　which　showed　that　he
desired　everybody　to　be　magnificent：　he　himself　chose　the　design　for　the
embroidery　of　the　Princess。　　The　embroiderer　said　he　would　leave　all　his
other　designs　for　that。　　The　King　would　not　permit　this；　but　caused　him
to　finish　the　work　he　had　in　hand；　and　to　set　himself　afterwards　at　the
other；　adding；　that　if　it　was　not　ready　in　time；　the　Princess　could　do
without　it。

The　marriage　was　fixed　for　Saturday；　the　7th　of　December；　and；　to　avoid
disputes　and　difficulties；　the　King　suppressed　all　ceremonies。　　The　day
arrived。　　At　an　early　hour　all　the　Court　went　to　Monseigneur　the　Duc　de
Bourgogne；　who　went　afterwards　to　the　Princess。　　A　little　before　mid…day
the　procession　started　from　the　salon；　and　proceeded　to　the　chapel。

Cardinal　de　Coislin　performed　the　marriage　service。

As　soon　as　the　ceremony　was　finished；　a　courier；　ready　at　the　door　of　the
chapel；　started　for　Turin。　　The　day　passed　wearily。　　The　King　and　Queen
of　England　came　about　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　some　time
afterwards　supper　was　served。　　Upon　rising　from　the　table；　the　Princess
was　shown　to　her　bed；　none　but　ladies　being　allowed　to　remain　in　the
chamber。　　Her　chemise　was　given　her　by　the　Queen　of　England　through　the
Duchesse　de　Lude。　　The　Duc　de　Bourgogne　undressed　in　another　room；　in　the
midst　of　all　the　Court；　and　seated　upon　a　folding…chair。　　The　King　of
England　gave　him　his　shirt；　which　was　presented　by　the　Duc　de
Beauvilliers。　　As　soon　as　the　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne　was　in　bed；　the　Duc
de　Bourgogne　entered；　and　placed　himself　at　her　side；　in　the　presence　of
all　the　Court。　　Immediately　afterwards　everybody　went　away　from　the
nuptial　chamber；　except　Monseigneur；　the　ladies　of　the　Princess；　and　the
Duc　de　Beauvilliers；　who　remained　at　the　pillow　by　the　side　of　his　pupil；
with　the　Duchesse　de　Lude　on　the　other　side。　　Monseigneur　stopped　a
quarter　of　an　hour　talking　with　the　newly…married　couple；　then　he　made
his　son　get　up；　after　having　told　him　to　kiss　the　Princess；　in　spite　of
the　opposition　of　the　Duchesse　de　Lude。　　As　it　proved；　too；　her
opposition　was　not　wrong。　　The　King　said　he　did　not　wish　that　his
grandson　should　kiss　the　end　of　the　Princess's　finger　until　they　were
completely　on　the　footing　of　man　and　wife。　　Monsieur　le　Duc　de　Bourgogne
after　this　re…dressed　himself　in　the　ante…chamber；　and　went　to　his　own
bed　as　usual。　　The　little　Duc　de　Berry；　spirited　and　resolute；　did　not
approve　of　the　docility　of　his　brother；　and　declared　that　he　would　have
remained　in　bed。　　The　young　couple　were　not；　indeed；　allowed　to　live
together　as　man　and　wife　until　nearly　two　years　afterwards。　　The　first
night　that　this　privilege　was　granted　them；　the　King　repaired　to　their
chamber　hoping　to　surprise　them　as　they　went　to　bed；　but　he　found　the
doors　closed；　and　would　not　allow　them　to　be　opened。　　The　marriage…fetes
spread　over　several　days。　　On　the　Sunday　there　was　an　assembly　in　the
apartments　of　the　new　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne。　　It　was　magnificent　by　the
prodigious　number　of　ladies　seated　in　a　circle；　or　standing　behind　the
stools；　gentlemen　in　turn　behind　them；　and　the　dresses　of　all　beautiful。
It　commenced　at　six　o'clock。　　The　King　came　at　the　end；　and　led　all　the
ladies　into　the　saloon　near　the　chapel；　where　was　a　fine　collation；　and
the　music。　　At　nine　o'clock　he　conducted　Monsieur　and　Madame　la　Duchesse
de　Bourgogne　to　the　apartment　of　the　latter；　and　all　was　finished　for　the
day。　　The　Princess　continued　to　live　just　as　before；　and　the　ladies　had
strict　orders　never　to　leave　her　alone　with　her　husband。

On　the　Wednesday　there　was　a　grand　ball　in　the　gallery；　superbly
ornamented　for　the　occasion。　　There　was　such　a　crowd；　and　such　disorder；
that　even　the　King　was　inconvenienced；　and　Monsieur　was　pushed　and
knocked　about　in　the　crush。　　How　other　people　fared　may　be　imagined。　　No
place　was　keptstrength　or　chance　decided　everythingpeople　squeezed　in
where　they　could。　　This　spoiled　all　the　fete。　　About　nine　o'clock
refreshments　were　handed　round；　and　at　half…past　ten　supper　was　served。
Only　the　Princesses　of　the　blood　and　the　royal　family　were　admitted　to
it。　　On　the　following　Sunday　there　was　another　ball；　but　this　time
matters　were　so　arranged　that　no　crowding　or　inconvenience　occurred。　　The
ball　commenced　at　seven　o'clock　and　was　admirable；　everybody　appeared　in
dresses　that　had　not　previously　been　seen。　　The　King　found　that　of　Madame
de　Saint…Simon　much　to　his　taste；　and　gave　it　the　palm　over　all　the
others。

Madame　de　Maintenon　did　not　appear　at　these　balls；　at　least　only　for　half
an　hour　at　each。　　On　the　following　Tuesday　all　the　Court　went　at　four
o'clock　in　the　afternoon　to　Trianon；　where　all　gambled　until　the　arrival
of　the　King　and　Queen　of　England。　　The　King　took　them　into　the　theatre；
where　Destouches's　opera　of　Isse　was　very　well　performed。　　The　opera
being　finished；　everybody　went　his　way；　and　thus　these　marriage…fetes
were　brought　to　an　end。

Tesse　had　married　his　eldest　daughter　to　La　Varenne　last　year；　and　now
married　his　second　daughter　to　Maulevrier；　son　of　a　brother　of　Colbert。
This　mention　of　La　Varenne　brings　to　my　recollection　a　very　pleasant
anecdote　of　his　ancestor；　the