the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第12部分

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brilliancy；　which　adorned　all　his　person　and　which　was　evidently　kept
down。　　M。　le　Prince　de　Conti　appeared　dull；　pensive；　his　mind　far　away
perhaps。　　I　was　not　able　during　the　sitting　to　see　them　except　now　and
then；　and　under　pretext　of　looking　at　the　King；　who　was　serious；
majestic；　and　at　the　same　time　as　pretty　as　can　be　imagined；　grave；　with
grace　in　all　his　bearing；　his　air　attentive；　and　not　at　all　wearied；
playing　his　part　very　well　and　without　embarrassment。

When　all　was　ready；　Argenson；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　remained　some
minutes　at　his　desk　motionless；　looking　down；　and　the　fire　which　sprang
from　his　eyes　seemed　to　burn　every　breast。　　An　extreme　silence　eloquently
announced　the　fear；　the　attention；　the　trouble；　and　the　curiosity　of　all
the　expectants。　　The　Parliament；　which　under　the　deceased　King　had　often
summoned　this　same　Argenson；　and　as　lieutenant　of　police　had　often　given
him　its　orders；　he　standing　uncovered　at　the　bar　of　the　house；　the
Parliament；　which　since　the　regency　had　displayed　its　ill…will　towards
him　so　far　as　to　excite　public　remark；　and　which　still　detained　prisoners
and　papers　to　vex　him；　this　Chief　President　so　superior　to　him；　so
haughty；　so　proud　of　his　Duc　du　Maine；　this　Lamoignon；　who　had　boasted　he
would　have　him　hanged　at　his　Chamber　of　justice；　where　he　had　so
completely　dishonoured　himself：　this　Parliament　and　all　saw　him　clad　in
the　ornaments　of　the　chief　office　of　the　robe；　presiding　over　them；
effacing　them；　and　entering　upon　his　functions　to　teach　them　their　duty；
to　read　them　a　public　lesson　the　first　time　he　found　himself　at　their
head！　　These　vain　presidents　were　seen　turning　their　looks　from　a　man　who
imposed　so　strongly　upon　their　pride；　and　who　annihilated　their　arrogance
in　the　place　even　whence　they　drew　it；　and　rendered　them　stupid　by
regards　they　could　not　sustain。

After　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　（according　to　the　manner　of　the　preachers）
had　accustomed　himself　to　this　august　audience；　he　uncovered　himself；
rose；　mounted　to　the　King；　knelt　before　the　steps　of　the　throne；　by　the
side　of　the　middle　of　the　steps；　where　the　grand　chamberlain　was　lying
upon　cushions；　and　took　the　King's　orders；　descended；　placed　himself　in
his　chair　and　covered　himself。　　Let　us　say　it　once　for　all；　he　performed
the　same　ceremony　at　the　commencement　of　each　business；　and　likewise
before　and　after　taking　the　opinion　upon　each；　at　the　bar　of　justice
neither　he　nor　the　chamberlain　ever　speaks　otherwise　to　the　King；　and
every　time　he　went　to　the　King　on　this　occasion　the　Regent　rose　and
approached　him　to　hear　and　suggest　the　orders。　　Having　returned　back　into
his　place；　he　opened；　after　some　moments　of　silence；　this　great　scene　by
a　discourse。　　The　report　of　the　Bed　of　justice；　made　by　the　Parliament
and　printed；　which　is　in　the　hands　of　everybody；　renders　it　unnecessary
for　me　to　give　the　discourse　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　that　of　the
Chief…President；　those　of　the　King's　people；　and　the　different　papers
that　were　read　and　registered。　　I　will　simply　content　myself　with　some
observations。　　This　first　discourse；　the　reading　of　the　letters　of　the
Keeper　of　the　Seals；　and　the　speech　of　the　Advocate…General　Blancmesnil
which　followed；　the　opinions　taken；　the　order　given；　sometimes　reiterated
to　keep　the　two　double　doors　open；　did　not　surprise　anybody；　served　only
as　the　preface　to　all　the　rest；　to　sharpen　curiosity　more　and　more　as　the
moment　approached　in　which　it　was　to　be　satisfied。

This　first　act　finished；　the　second　was　announced　by　the　discourse　of　the
Keeper　of　the　Seals；　the　force　of　which　penetrated　all　the　Parliament。
General　consternation　spread　itself　over　their　faces。　　Scarcely　one　of
the　members　dared　to　speak　to　his　neighbour。　　I　remarked　that　the　Abbe
Pucelle；　who；　although　only　counsellor…clerk；　was　upon　the　forms　in　front
of　me；　stood；　so　that　he　might　hear　better　every　time　the　Keeper　of　the
Seals　spoke。　　Bitter　grief；　obviously　full　of　vexation；　obscured　the
visage　of　the　Chief…President。　　Shame　and　confusion　were　painted　there。

After　the　vote；　and　when　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　had　pronounced；　I　saw
the　principal　members　of　the　Parliament　in　commotion。　　The　Chief…
President　was　about　to　speak。　　He　did　so　by　uttering　the　remonstrance　of
the　Parliament；　full　of　the　most　subtle　and　impudent　malice　against　the
Regent；　and　of　insolence　against　the　King。　　The　villain　trembled；
nevertheless；　in　pronouncing　it。　　His　voice　broken；　his　eyes　constrained；
his　flurry　and　confusion；　contradicted　the　venomous　words　he　uttered；
libations　he　could　not　abstain　from　offering　to　himself　and　his　company。
This　was　the　moment　when　I　relished；　with　delight　utterly　impossible　to
express；　the　sight　of　these　haughty　lawyers　（who　had　dared　to　refuse　us
the　salutation）；　prostrated　upon　their　knees；　and　rendering；　at　our　feet；
homage　to　the　throne；　whilst　we　sat　covered　upon　elevated　seats；　at　the
side　of　that　same　throne。　　These　situations　and　these　postures；　so　widely
disproportioned；　plead　of　themselves　with　all　the　force　of　evidence；　the
cause　of　those　who　are　really　and　truly　'laterales　regis'　against　this
'vas　electum'　of　the　third　estate。　　My　eyes　fixed；　glued；　upon　these
haughty　bourgeois；　with　their　uncovered　heads　humiliated　to　the　level　of
our　feet；　traversed　the　chief　members　kneeling　or　standing；　and　the　ample
folds　of　those　fur　robes　of　rabbit…skin　that　would　imitate　ermine；　which
waved　at　each　long　and　redoubled　genuflexion；　genuflexions　which　only
finished　by　command　of　the　King。

The　remonstrance　being　finished；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　mentioned　to　the
King　their　wishes；　asking　further　opinions；　took　his　place　again；　cast
his　eyes　on　the　Chief…President；　and　said：　The　King　wishes　to　be　obeyed；
and　obeyed　immediately。

This　grand　speech　was　a　thunder…bolt　which　overturned　councillors　and
presidents　in　the　most　marked　manner。　　All　of　them　lowered　their　heads；
and　the　majority　kept　them　lowered　for　a　long　time。　　The　rest　of　the
spectators；　except　the　marshals　of　France；　appeared　little　affected　by
this　desolation。

But　thisan　ordinary　triumphwas　nothing　to　that　which　was　to　follow。
After　an　interval　of　some　few　minutes；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　went　up
again　to　the　King；　returned　to　his　place；　and　remained　there　in　silence
some　little　time。　　Then　everybody　clearly　saw　that　the　Parliamentary
affair　being　finished；　something　else　must　be　in　the　wind。　　Some　thought
that　a　dispute　which　the　Dukes　had　had　with　the　Parliament；　concerning
one　of　its　usurpations；　was　now　to　be　settled　in　our　favour。　　Others　who
had　noticed　the　absence　of　the　bastards；　guessed　it　was　something　that
affected　them；　but　nobody　divined　what；　much　less　its　extent。

At　last　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　opened　his　mouth；　and　in　his　first
sentence　announced　the　fall　of　one　brother　and　the　preservation　of　the
other。　　The　effect　of　this　upon　every　one　was　inexpressible。　　However
occupied　I　might　be　in　containing　mine；　I　lost　nothing。　　Astonishment
prevailed　over　every　other　sentiment。　　Many　appeared　glad；　either　from
hatred　to　the　Duc　du　Maine；　or　from　affection　for　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；
several　were　in　consternation。　　The　Chief…President　lost　all　countenance；
his　visage；　so　self…sufficient　and　so　audacious；　was　seized　with　a
convulsive　movement；　the　excess　alone　of　his　rage　kept　him　from　swooning。
It　was　even　worse　at　the　reading　of　the　declaration。　　Each　word　was
legislative　and　decreed　a　fresh　fall。　　The　attention　was　general；　every
one　was　motionless；　so　as　not　to　lose　a　word；　all　eyes　were　fixed　upon
the　'greffier'　who　was　reading。　　A　third　of　this　reading　over；　the　Chief…
President；　gnashing　the　few　teeth　left　in　his　head；　rested　his　forehead
upon　his　stick　that　he　held　in　both　hands；　and　in　this　singular　and
marked　position　finished　listening　to　the　declaration；　so　overwhelming
for　him；　so　resurrectionary　for　us。

Yet；　as　for　me；　I　was　dying　with　joy。　　I　was　so　oppressed　that　I　feared　I
should　swoon；　my　heart　dilated　to　excess；　and　no　longer　found　room　to
beat。　　The　violence　I　did　myself；　in　order　to　let　nothing　escape　me；　was
infinite；　and；　nevertheless；　this　torment　was　delicious。　　I　compared　the
years　and　the　time　of　servitude；　the　grievous　days；　when　dragged　at　the
tail　of　the　Parliamentary　car　as　a　victim；　I　had　served　as　a　triumph　for
the　bastards；　the　various　steps　by　which　they　had　mounted　to　the　summit
above　our　heads；　I　compared　them；　I　say；　to　this　court　of　justice　and　of
rule；　to　this　frightful　fall　which；　at　the　same　time；　raised　us　by　the
force　of　the　shock。　　I　thanked　myself　that　it　was　through　me　this　had
been　brought　about。　　I　had　triumphed；　I　was　revenged；　I　swam　in　my
vengeance；　I　enjoyed　the　full　accomplishment　of　desires　the　most　vehement
and　the　most　continuous　of　all　my　life。　　I　was　tempted　to　fling　away　all
thought　and　care。　　Nevertheless；　I　did　not　fail　to　listen　to　this
vivifying　reading　（every　note　of　which　sounded　upon　my　heart　as　the　bow
upon　an　instrument）；　or　to　examine；　at　the　same　time；　the　impressions　it
made　upon　every　one。

At　the　first　word　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　said　of　this　affair；　the　eyes
of　the　two　bishop…peers　met　mine。　　Never　did　I　see　surprise　equal　to
theirs；　or　so　marked　a　transport　of　joy。　　I　had　not　been　able　to　speak　to
them　on　account　of　the　distance　of　our　places；　and　they　could　not　resist
the　movement　which　suddenly　seized　them。　　I　swallowed　through　my　eyes　a
delicious　draught　of　their　joy；　and　turned　away　my　glance　from　theirs；
lest　I　should　succumb　beneath　this　increase　of　delight。　　I　no　longer
dared　to　look　at　them。

The　reading　finished；　the　other　declaration　in　favour　of　the　Comte　de
Toulouse　was　immediately　commenced　by　the　'greffier'；　according　to　the
command　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　who　had　given　them　to　him　both
together。　　It　seemed　to　complete　the　confusion　of　the　Chief…President　and
the　friends　of　the　Duc　du　Maine；　by　the　contrast　between　the　treatment　of
the　two　brothers。

After　the　Advocate…General　had　spoken；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　mounted　to
the　King；　with　the　opinions　of　the　Princes　of　the　Blood；　then　came　to　the
Duc　de　Sully　and　me。　　Fortunately　I　had　more　memory　than　he　had；　or
wished　to　have；　therefore　it　was