she stands accused(她是被告)-第30节
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revolution of 1830 sent him into exile。 But up to the last month or so of
those six years he steadfastly refused to have anything to do with the
Baronne de Feucheresnot that Sophie ever gave up manoeuvring and
wheedling for a return to Court favour。
About 1826 Sophie had a secret proposition made to the King that she
should try to persuade the Prince de Conde to adopt as his heir one of the
brothers of the Duchesse de Berry； widow of the King's second sonor
would his Majesty mind if a son of the Duc d'Orleans was adopted？ The
King did not care at all。
After that Sophie pinned her faith in the power possessed by the Duc
d'Orleans。 She was not ready to pursue the course whereby her return to
Court might have been securednamely； to abandon her equivocal
position in the Prince de Conde's household； and thus her power over the
Prince。 She wanted first to make sure of her share of the fortune he
would leave。 She knew her power over the old man。 Already she had
persuaded him to buy and make over to her the estates of Saint…Leu and
Boissy； as well as to make her legacies to the amount of a million francs。
Much as she wanted to be received again at Court； she wanted more just as
much as she could grab from the Prince's estate。 To make her inheritance
secure she needed the help of the Duc d'Orleans。
The Duc d'Orleans was nothing loth。 He had the mind of a French
bourgeois； and all the bourgeois itch for money。 He knew that the Prince
de Conde hated him； hated his politics； hated his very name。 But during
the seven years it took Sophie to bring the Prince to the point of signing
the will she had in mind the son of Philippe…Egalite fawned like a huckster
on his elderly and； in more senses than one； distant relative。 The scheme
was to have the Prince adopt the little Duc d'Aumale； already his godchild；
as his heir。
The ways by which Sophie went about the job of persuading her old
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lover do not read pleasantly。 She was a termagant。 The Prince was
stubborn。 He hated the very idea of making a willit made him think of
death。 He was old； ill； friendless。 Sophie made his life a hell； but he
had become dependent upon her。 She ill…used him； subjecting him to
physical violence； but yet he was afraid she might； as she often threatened；
leave him。 Her way of persuading him reached the point； it is on record；
of putting a knife to his throat。 Not once but several times his servants
found him scratched and bruised。 But the old man could not summon up
the strength of mind to be quit of this succubine virago。
At last； on the 29th of August； 1829； Sophie's ‘persuasions' succeeded。
The Prince consented to sign the will； and did so the following morning。
In its terms the Duc d'Aumale became residuary legatee； and 2；000；000
francs； free of death…duty； were bequeathed to the Prince's ‘‘faithful
companion； Mme la baronne de Feucheres；'' together with the chateaux
and estates of Saint…Leu…Taverny； Boissy； Enghien； Montmorency； and
Mortefontaine； and the pavilion in the Palais…Bourbon； besides all the
Prince's furniture； carriages； horses； and so on。 Moreover； the estate and
chateau of Ecouen was also given her； on condition that she allowed the
latter to be used as an orphanage for the descendants of soldiers who had
served with the Armies of Conde and La Vendee。 The cost of running
this establishment； however； was to be borne by the Duc d'Aumale。
It might be thought that Sophie； having got her way； would have
turned to kindness in her treatment of her old lover。 But no。 All her
mind was now concentrated on working； through the Duc d'Orleans； for
being received again at Court。 She ultimately succeeded in this。 On the
7th of February； 1830； she appeared in the presence of the King； the
Dauphin and Dauphine。 In the business of preparing for this great day
Chantilly and the Prince de Conde were greatly neglected。 The beggar
on horseback had to be about Paris。
But events were shaping in France at that time which were to be
important to the royal family； to Sophie and her supporters of the house of
Orleans； and fatal in consequence to the old man at Chantilly。
On the 27th of July revolution broke out in France。 Charles X and
his family had to seek shelter in England； and Louis…Philippe； Duc
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d'Orleans； becamenot King of France； but ‘‘King of the French'' by
election。 This consummation had not been achieved without intrigue on
the part of Egalite's son。 It was not an achievement calculated to abate
the Prince de Conde's hatred for him。 Rather did it inflame that hatred。
In the matter of the famous will； moreover； as the King's son the little Duc
d'Aumale would be now in no need of the provision made for him by his
unwilling godfather； while members of the exiled royal familynotably
the grandson of Charles； the Duc de Bordeaux； certainly cut out of the
Prince's will by the intrigues of Sophie and familywere in want of
assistance。 This is a point to be remembered in the light of subsequent
events。
％ IV
While she had been looking after herself Sophie Dawes had not been
unmindful ofthe advancement of hangers…on of her own family。 She had
about her a nephew and a niece。 The latter； supposed by some to have a
closer relationship to Sophie than that of mere niece； she had contrived to
marry off to a marquis。 The Marquise de Chabannes de la Palice need
not here concern us further。 But notice must be taken of the nephew。 A
few million francs； provided by the Prince de Conde； had secured for this
James Dawes the title of Baron de Flassans； from a domain also bestowed
upon him by Sophie's elderly lover。 De Flassans； with some minor post
in the Prince's household； acted as his aunt's jackal。
If Sophie； after the election to kingship of Louis…Philippe； found it
necessary to be in Paris a great deal to worship at the throne her nephew
kept her well informed about the Prince de Conde's activities。 The old
man； it appeared； had suddenly developed the habit of writing letters。
The Prince； then at the chateau of Saint…Leu expressed a desire to remove
to Chantilly。 He was behaving very oddly all round； was glad to have
Sophie out of his sight； and seemed unwilling even to hear her name。
The projected move to Chantilly； as a fact； was merely a blind to cover a
flight out of Sophie's reach and influence。 Rumour arose about Saint…
Leu and in Paris that the Prince had made another willone in which
neither Sophie nor the Duc d'Aumale was mentioned。 This was a move
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of which Sophie had been afraid。 She saw to it that the Prince did not get
away from Saint…Leu。 Rumour and the Prince's conduct made Sophie
very anxious。 She tried to get him to make over to her in his lifetime
those properties which he had left to her in his will； and it is probable
enough that she would have forced this request but for the fact that； to
raise the legal costs； the property of Saint…Leu would have had to be sold。
This was the position of affairs about the middle of August 1830。 It
was believed the Prince had already signed a will in favour of the exiled
little Duc de Bordeaux； but that he had kept the act secret from his
mistress。
On the morning of the 11th of the month the Prince was met outside
his bedroom in hi
