the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第11部分

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wait　for　fresh　news　before　deciding；　but；　pressed　more　closely；　he
declared　for　the　interdiction；　with　an　air　of　warmth　and　vexation；
extremely　marked。　　Nobody　after　this　dared　to　hesitate；　and　the　majority
voted　by　an　inclination　of　the　head。

A　short　time　afterwards　it　was　announced　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　that　the
Parliament　had　set　out　on　foot；　and　had　begun　to　defile　through　the
palace。　　This　news　much　cooled　the　blood　of　the　company；　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　more　than　that　of　any　one　else。

After　this　the　Regent；　in　a　cheerful　manner；　called　upon　the　Presidents
of　the　Councils　to　bring　forward　any　business　they　might　have　on　hand；
but　not　one　had　any。　　The　Marechal　de　Villars　said；　however；　that　he　had
a　matter　to　produce；　and　he　produced　it　accordingly；　but　with　a　clearness
which；　under　the　circumstances；　was　extraordinary。　　I　fancy；　however；
that　very　few　knew　what　he　was　talking　about。　　We　were　all　too　much
occupied　with　more　interesting　matters；　and　each　voted　without　speaking。
Bad　luck　to　those　who　had　had　business　to　bring　forward　this　day；　they
who　conducted　it　would　have　known　but　little　what　they　said：　they　who
listened；　still　less。

The　Council　finished　thus；　from　lack　of　matter；　and　a　movement　was　made
to　adjourn　it　as　usual。　　I　stepped　in　front　of　M。　le　Prince　de　Conti　to
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　understood　me；　and　who　begged　the　company　to
keep　their　seats。　　La　Vrilliere　went　out　by　order　for　news；　but　there　was
nothing　fresh。




CHAPTER　XCIII

It　was　now　a　little　after　ten。　　We　remained　a　good　half…hour　in　our
places；　talking　a　little　with　each　other；　but　on　the　whole　rather　silent。
At　the　end　some　grew　fidgety　and　anxious；　rose　and　went　to　the　windows。
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　restrained　them　as　well　as　he　could；　but　at　length
Desgranges　entered　to　say　that　the　Chief…President　had　already　arrived；
in　his　coach；　and　that　the　Parliament　was　near。　　So　soon　as　he　had
retired；　the　Council　rose　by　groups；　and　could　no　longer　be　kept　seated。
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　himself　at　last　rose；　and　all　he　could　do　was　to
prohibit　everybody　from　leaving　the　room　under　any　pretext；　and　this
prohibition　he　repeated　two　or　three　times。

Scarcely　had　we　risen　when　M。　le　Duc　came　to　me；　rejoiced　at　the　success
that　had　hitherto　been　had；　and　much　relieved　by　the　absence　of　the
bastards。　　Soon　after　I　quitted　him　the　Duc　d'Orleans　came　to　me；
overpowered　with　the　same　sentiment。　　I　said　what　I　thought　of　the
consternation　of　every　one；　and　painted　the　expression　of　M。　d'Effiat；　at
which　he　was　not　surprised。　　He　was　more　so　about　Besons。　　I　asked　if　he
was　not　afraid　the　bastards　would　come　to　the　Bed　of　justice；　but　he　was
certain　they　would　not。　　I　was　resolved；　however；　to　prepare　his　mind
against　that　contingency。

I　walked　about；　slowly　and　incessantly　without　fixing　myself　on　any　one；
in　order　that　nothing　should　escape　me；　principally　attending　to　the
doors。　　I　took　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　say　a　word　here　and　a　word
there；　to　pass　continually　near　those　who　were　suspected；　to　skim　and
interrupt　all　conversations。　　D'Antin　was　often　joined　by　the　Duc　de
Noailles；　who　had　resumed　his　habit　of　the　morning；　and　continually
followed　me　with　his　eyes。　　He　had　an　air　of　consternation；　was　agitated
and　embarrassed　in　countenancehe　commonly　so　free　and　easy！　　D'Antin
took　me　aside　to　see　whether　he　could　not；　considering　his　position；　be
excused　from　attending　the　Bed　of　Justice。　　He　received　permission　from
the　Regent　on　certain　conditions。

I　went　then　to　break　in　upon　the　colloquy　of　D'Effiat　and　his　friends；
and　taking　them　by　surprise；　caused　D'Effiat　to　say　that　he　had　just
heard　strange　resolutions；　that　he　did　not　know　who　had　advised　them；
that　he　prayed　that　M。　d'Orleans　would　find　them　advantageous。
I　replied；　agreeing　with　him。　　The　Marechal　de　Villeroy　sighed；　muttered；
and　shook　his　wig；　Villars　spoke　more　at　length；　and　blamed　sharply　what
had　been　done。　　I　assented　to　everything；　being　there　not　to　persuade　but
to　watch。

Nevertheless　we　grew　weary　of　the　slowness　of　the　Parliament；　and　often
sent　out　for　news。　　Several　of　the　Council　tried　to　leave　the　room；
perhaps　to　blab；　but　the　Regent　would　allow　no　one　but　La　Vrilliere　to　go
out；　and　seeing　that　the　desire　to　leave　increased；　stood　at　the　door
himself。　　I　suggested　to　him　that　Madame　d'Orleans　would　be　in　a　great
state　of　uneasiness；　and　suggested　that　he　should　write　to　her；　but　he
could　not　be　persuaded　to　do　it；　though　he　promised。

At　last　the　Parliament　arrived；　and　behold　us！　　like　children；　all　at　the
windows。　　The　members　came　in　red　robes；　two　by　two；　by　the　grand　door　of
the　court；　which　they　passed　in　order　to　reach　the　Hall　of　the
Ambassadors；　where　the　Chief…President；　who　had　come　in　his　carriage　with
the　president　Haligre；　awaited　them。

The　Parliament　being　in　its　place；　the　peers　having　arrived；　and　the
presidents　having　put　on　their　furs　behind　the　screens　arranged　for　that
purpose　in　an　adjoining　room；　a　messenger　came　to　inform　us　that　all　was
ready。　　The　question　had　been　agitated；　whether　the　King　should　dine
meanwhile；　and　I　had　it　carried　in　the　negative；　fearing　lest　coming
immediately　after　to　the　Bed　of　justice；　and　having　eaten　before　his
usual　hour；　he　might　be　ill；　which　would　have　been　a　grievous
inconvenience。　　As　soon　as　it　was　announced　to　the　Regent　that　we　could
set　out；　his　Royal　Highness　sent　word　to　the　Parliament；　to　prepare　the
deputation　to　receive　the　King；　and　then　said　aloud　to　the　company；　that
it　was　time　to　go　in　search　of　his　Majesty。

At　these　words　I　felt　a　storm　of　joy　sweep　over　me；　at　the　thought　of　the
grand　spectacle　that　was　going　to　pass　in　my　presence；　which　warned　me　to
be　doubly　on　my　guard。　　I　tried　to　furnish　myself　with　the　strongest　dose
of　seriousness；　gravity；　and　modesty。　　I　followed　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；
who　entered　the　King's　room　by　the　little　door；　and　who　found　the　King　in
his　cabinet。　　On　the　way　the　Duc　d'Albret　made　me　some　very　marked
compliments；　with　evident　desire　to　discover　something。　　I　put　him　off
with　politeness；　complaints　of　the　crowd；　of　the　annoyance　of　my　dress；
and　gained　thus　the　King's　cabinet。

The　King　was　dressed　as　usual。　　When　the　Duc　d'Orleans　had　been　a　few
moments　with　him；　he　asked　him　if　he　would　be　pleased　to　go：　and　the　way
was　instantly'　cleared；　a　procession　formed；　and　the　King　moved　towards
the　Hall　of　the　Swiss　Guard。

I　now　hastened　to　the　chamber；　where　the　Bed　of　justice　was　to　be　held。
The　passage　to　it　was　tolerably；　free。　　The　officers　of　the　body…guard
made　place　for　me　and　for　the　Duc　de　la　Force；　and　Marechal　de　Villars；
who　followed　me；　one　by　one。　　I　stopped　a　moment　in　the　passage　at　the
entrance　to　the　room；　seized　with　joy　upon　seeing　this　grand　spectacle；
and　at　the　thought　of　the　grand　movement　that　was　drawing　nigh；　I　needed
a　pause　in　order　to　recover　myself　sufficiently　to　see　distinctly　what
I　looked　at；　and　to　put　on　a　new　coat　of　seriousness　and　of　modesty。
I　fully　expected　I　should　be　well　examined　by　a　company　which　had　been
carefully　taught　not　to　like　me；　and　by　the　curious　spectators　waiting　to
see　what　was　to　be　hatched　out　of　so　profound　a　secret；　in　such　an
important　assembly；　summoned　so　hastily。　　Moreover；　nobody　was　ignorant
that　I　knew　all；　at　least　from　the　Council　of　the　Regency　I　had　just
left。

I　did　not　deceive　myself。　　As　soon　as　I　appeared；　all　eyes　were　fixed
upon　me。　　I　slowly　advanced　towards　the　chief　greffier；　and　introducing
myself　between　the　two　seats；　I　traversed　the　length　of　the　room；　in
front　of　the　King's　people；　who　saluted　me　with　a　smiling　air；　and　I
ascended　over　three　rows　of　high　seats；　where　all　the　peers　were　in　their
places；　and　who　rose　as　I　approached　the　steps。　　I　respectfully　saluted
them　from　the　third　row。

Seated　in　my　elevated　place；　and　with　nothing　before　me；　I　was　able　to
glance　over　the　whole　assembly。　　I　did　so　at　once；　piercing　everybody
with　my　eyes。　　One　thing　alone　restrained　me；　it　was　that　I　did　not　dare
to　fix　my　eyes　upon　certain　objects。　　I　feared　the　fire　and　brilliant
significance　of　my　looks　at　that　moment　so　appreciated　by　everybody：　and
the　more　I　saw　I　attracted　attention；　the　more　anxious　was　I　to　wean
curiosity　by　my　discreetness。　　I　cast；　nevertheless；　a　glittering　glance
upon　the　Chief…President　and　his　friends；　for　the　examination　of　whom　I
was　admirably　placed。　　I　carried　my　looks　over　all　the　Parliament；
and　saw　there　an　astonishment；　a　silence；　a　consternation；　such　as　I　had
not　expected；　and　which　was　of　good　augury　to　me。　　The　Chief…President；
insolently　crest…fallen；　the　other　presidents　disconcerted；　and　attentive
to　all；　furnished　me　the　most　agreeable　spectacle。　　The　simply　curious
（among　which　I　rank　those　who　had　no　vote）　appeared　to　me　not　less
surprised　（but　without　the　bewilderment　of　the　others）；　calmly　surprised；
in　a　word；　everybody　showed　much　expectation　and　desire　to　divine　what
had　passed　at　the　Council。

I　had　but　little　leisure　for　this　examination；　for　the　King　immediately
arrived。　　The　hubbub　which　followed　his　entrance；　and　which　lasted　until
his　Majesty　and　all　who　accompanied　him　were　in　their　places；　was　another
singularity。　　Everybody　sought　to　penetrate　the　Regent；　the　Keeper　of　the
Seals；　and　the　principal　personages。　　The　departure　of　the　bastards　from
the　cabinet　of　the　Council　had　redoubled　attention；　but　everybody　did　not
know　of　that　departure；　now　everybody　perceived　their　absence。　　The
consternation　of　the　Marechalsof　their　senior（the　governor　of　the
King）　was　evident。　　It　augmented　the　dejection　of　the　Chief…President；
who　not　seeing　his　master　the　Duc　du　Maine；　cast　a　terrible　glance　upon
M。　de　Sully　and　me；　who　exactly　occupied　the　places　of　the　two　brothers。
In　an　instant　all　the　eyes　of　the　assembly　were　cast；　at　the　same　time；
upon　us；　and　I　remarked　that　the　meditativeness　and　expectation　increased
in　every　face。　　That　of　the　Regent　had　an　air　of　gentle　but　resolute
majesty　completely　new　to　it；　his　eyes　attentive；　his　deportment　grave；
but　easy。　　M。　le　Duc；　sage；　measured；　but　encircled　by　I　know　not　what
brilliancy；　which　adorned　all　his　person　and　which　was　evi