the essays of montaigne, v1-第13节
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them： whereof your majesty is in part aware。 What I have done for your
predecessors I shall do still more readily for you。 I am as rich； Sire；
as I desire to be。 When I shall have exhausted my purse in attendance on
your Majesty at Paris； I will take the liberty to tell you； and then； if
you should regard me as worthy of being retained any longer in your
suite； you will find me more modest in my claims upon you than the
humblest of your officers。
Sire； I pray God for your prosperity and health。 Your very humble and
very obedient servant and subject；
MONTAIGNE。
From Montaigne； this 2d of September ＇1590＇。
XVI。
To the Governor of Guienne。
MONSEIGNEUR；I have received this morning your letter； which I have
communicated to M。 de Gourgues； and we have dined together at the house
of M。＇the mayor＇ of Bourdeaux。 As to the inconvenience of transporting
the money named in your memorandum； you see how difficult a thing it is
to provide for； but you may be sure that we shall keep as close a watch
over it as possible。 I used every exertion to discover the man of whom
you spoke。 He has not been here； and M。 de Bordeaux has shown me a
letter in which he mentions that he could not come to see the Director of
Bordeaux； as he intended； having been informed that you mistrust him。
The letter is of the day before yesterday。 If I could have found him； I
might perhaps have pursued the gentler course； being uncertain of your
views； but I entreat you nevertheless to feel no manner of doubt that I
refuse to carry out any wishes of yours； and that； where your commands
are concerned； I know no distinction of person or matter。 I hope that
you have in Guienne many as well affected to you as I am。 They report
that the Nantes galleys are advancing towards Brouage。 M。 the Marshal de
Biron has not yet left。 Those who were charged to convey the message to
M。 d'Usee say that they cannot find him； and I believe that； if he has
been here； he is so no longer。 We keep a vigilant eye on our gates and
guards； and we look after them a little more attentively in your absence；
which makes me apprehensive； not merely on account of the preservation of
the town； but likewise for your oven sake； knowing that the enemies of
the king feel how necessary you are to his service； and how ill we should
prosper without you。 I am afraid that； in the part where you are； you
will be overtaken by so many affairs requiring your attention on every
side； that it will take you a long time and involve great difficulty
before you have disposed of everything。 If there is any important news；
I will despatch an express at once； and you may conclude that nothing is
stirring if you do not hear from me： at the same time begging you to bear
in mind that movements of this kind are wont to be so sudden and
unexpected that； if they occur； they will grasp me by the throat； before
they say a word。 I will do what I can to collect news； and for this
purpose I will make a point of visiting and seeing men of every shade of
opinion。 Down to the present time nothing is stirring。 M。 de Londel has
seen me this morning； and we have been arranging for some advances for
the place； where I shall go to…morrow morning。 Since I began this
letter； I have learnt from Chartreux that two gentlemen； describing
themselves as in the service of M。 de Guise； and coming from Agen； have
passed near Chartreux； but I was not able to ascertain which road they
have taken。 They are expecting you at Agen。 The Sieur de Mauvesin came
as far as Canteloup； and thence returned； having got some intelligence。
I am in search of one Captain Rous； to whom 。 。 。 wrote； trying to
draw him into his cause by all sorts of promises。 The rumour of the two
Nantes galleys ready to descend on Brouage is confirmed as certain； they
carry two companies of foot。 M。 de Mercure is at Nantes。 The Sieur de
la Courbe said to M。 the President Nesmond that M。 d'Elbeuf is on this
side of Angiers； and lodges with his father。 He is drawing towards Lower
Poictou with 4000 foot and 400 or 500 horse； having been reinforced by
the troops of M。 de Brissac and others； and M。 de Mercure is to join him。
The report goes also that M。 du Maine is about to take the command of all
the forces they have collected in Auvergne； and that he will cross Le
Foret to advance on Rouergue and us； that is to say； on the King of
Navarre； against whom all this is being directed。 M。 de Lansac is at
Bourg； and has two war vessels； which remain in attendance on him。 His
functions are naval。 I tell you what I learn； and mix up together the
more or less probable hearsay of the town with actual matter of fact；
that you may be in possession of everything。 I beg you most humbly to
return directly affairs may allow you to do so； and assure you that；
meanwhile； we shall not spare our labour； or （if that were necessary） our
life； to maintain the king's authority throughout。 Monseigneur； I kiss
your hands very respectfully； and pray God to have you in His keeping。
From Bordeaux； Wednesday night； 22d May （1590…91）。Your very humble
servant；
MONTAIGNE。
I have seen no one from the king of Navarre； they say that M。 de Biron
has seen him。
THE AUTHOR TO THE READER
READER； thou hast here an honest book； it doth at the outset forewarn
thee that； in contriving the same； I have proposed to myself no other
than a domestic and private end： I have had no consideration at all
either to thy service or to my glory。 My powers are not capable of any
such design。 I have dedicated it to the particular commodity of my
kinsfolk and friends； so that； having lost me （which they must do
shortly）； they may therein recover some traits of my conditions and
humours； and by that means preserve more whole； and more life…like； the
knowledge they had of me。 Had my intention been to seek the world's
favour； I should surely have adorned myself with borrowed beauties： I
desire therein to be viewed as I appear in mine own genuine； simple； and
ordinary manner； without study and artifice： for it is myself I paint。
My defects are therein to be read to the life； and any imperfections and
my natural form； so far as public reverence hath permitted me。 If I had
lived among those nations； which （they say） yet dwell under the sweet
liberty of nature's primitive laws； I assure thee I would most willingly
have painted myself quite fully and quite naked。 Thus； reader； myself am
the matter of my book： there's no reason thou shouldst employ thy leisure
about so frivolous and vain a subject。 Therefore farewell。
From Montaigne； the 12th June 1580＇So in the edition of 1595； the
edition of 1588 has 12th June 1588＇
From Montaigne； the 1st March 1580。
＇See Bonnefon； Montaigne； 1893； p。 254。 The book had been
licensed for the press on the 9th May previous。 The edition of 1588
has 12th June 1588；＇
End
