the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第13部分

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Duc　de　Sully　and　me。　　Fortunately　I　had　more　memory　than　he　had；　or
wished　to　have；　therefore　it　was　exactly　my　affair。　　I　presented　to　him
my　hat　with　a　bunch　of　feathers　in　the　front；　in　an　express　manner　very
marked；　saying　to　him　loudly　enough：　〃No；　Monsieur；　we　cannot　be　judges；
we　are　parties　to　the　cause；　and　we　have　only　to　thank　the　King　for　the
justice　he　renders　us。〃

He　smiled　and　made　an　excuse。　　I　pushed　him　away　before　the　Duc　de　Sully
had　time　to　open　his　mouth；　and　looking　round　I　saw　with　pleasure　that　my
refusal　had　been　marked　by　everybody。　　The　Keeper　of　the　Seals　retired　as
he　came；　and　without　taking　the　opinions　of　the　peers；　or　of　the　bishop…
peers；　went　to　the　marshals　of　France；　thence　descended　to　the　Chief…
President　and　to　the　'presidents　a　mortier'；　and　so　to　the　rest　of　the
lower　seats；　after　which；　having　been　to　the　King　and　returned　to　his
place；　he　pronounced　the　decree　of　registration；　and　thus　put　the
finishing　touch　to　my　joy。

Immediately　after　M。　le　Duc　rose；　and　having　made　his　reverences　to　the
King　forgot　to　sit　down　and　cover　himself　to　speak；　according　to　the
uninterrupted　right　and　usage　of　the　peers　of　France；　therefore　not　one
of　us　rose。　　He　made；　then；　slowly　and　uncovered；　the　speech　which　has
been　printed　at　the　end　of　the　preceding　ones；　and　read　it　not　very
intelligibly　because　his　organ　was　not　favourable。　　As　soon　as　he　had
finished；　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　rose；　and　committed　the　same　fault。　　He
said；　also　standing　and　uncovered；　that　the　request　of　M。　le　Duc　appeared
to　him　just；　and　after　some　praises　added；　that　M。　le　Duc　du　Maine　was
now　reduced　to　the　rank　given　to　him　by　his　peerage；　M。　le　Marechal　de
Villeroy；　his　senior；　could　no　longer　remain　under　him；　which　was　a　new
and　very　strong　reason　in　addition　to　those　M。　le　Duc　had　alleged。　　This
request　had　carried　to　the　highest　point　the　astonishment　of　the　assembly
and　the　despair　of　the　Chief…President；　and　the　handful　of　people　who
appeared　by　their　embarrassment　to　be　interested　in　the　Duc　du　Maine。
The　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　without　knitting　his　brow；　had　a　disturbed
look；　and　the　eyes　of　the　chief　accuser　oftener　were　inundated　with
tears。　　I　was　not　able　to　distinguish　well　his　cousin　and　intimate　friend
the　Marechal　d'Huxelles；　who　screened　himself　beneath　the　vast　brim　of
his　hat；　thrust　over　his　eyes；　and　who　did　not　stir。　　The　Chief…
President；　stunned　by　this　last　thunder…bolt；　elongated　his　face　so
surprisingly；　that　I　thought　for　a　moment　his　chin　had　fallen　upon　his
knees。

However；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　having　called　upon　the　King's　people　to
speak；　they　replied　that　they　had　not　heard　the　proposition　of　M。　le　Duc；
therefore　his　paper　was　passed　to　them　from　hand　to　hand；　during　which
the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　repeated　very　kindly　what　the　Regent　had　added
upon　the　seniority　of　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy　over　the　Duc　du　Maine。
Blancmesnil　merely　threw　his　eyes　upon　the　paper　of　M。　le　Duc；　and　spoke；
after　which　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　put　it　to　the　vote。　　I　gave　mine　loud
enough；　and　said；　〃As　for　this　affair　I　vote　with　all　my　heart　for　giving
the　superintendence　of　the　King's　education　to　M。　le　Duc。〃

The　votes　being　taken；　the　Keeper；　of　the　Seals　called　the　chief
'greffier'；　ordered　him　to　bring　his　paper　and　his　little　bureau　near
his；　so　as　to　do　all　at　once；　and　in　presence　of　the　King　register
everything　that　had　been　read　and　resolved；　and　signed　also。　　This　was
done　without　any　difficulty；　according　to　forms；　under　the　eyes　of　the
Keeper　of　the　Seals；　who　never　raised　them：　but　as　there　were　five　or　six
documents　to　register　they　took　up　a　long　time。

I　had　well　observed　the　King　when　his　education　was　in　question；　and　I
remarked　in　him　no　sort　of　alteration；　change；　or　constraint。　　This　was
the　last　act　of　the　drama：　he　was　quite　lively　now　the　registrations
commenced。　　However；　as　there　were　no　more　speeches　to　occupy　him；　he
laughed　with　those　near；　amused　himself　with　everything；　even　remarking
that　the　Duc　de　Louvigny　had　on　a　velvet　coat；　and　laughed　at　the　heat　he
must　feel；　and　all　this　with　grace。　　This　indifference　for　M。　du　Maine
struck　everybody；　and　publicly　contradicted　what　his　partisans　tried　to
publish；　viz。；　that　his　eyes　had　been　red；　but　that　neither　at　the　Bed　of
justice；　nor　since；　he　had　dared　to　show　his　trouble。　　The　truth　is　he
had　his　eyes　dry　and　serene　the　whole　time；　and　pronounced　the　name　of
the　Duc　du　Maine　only　once　since；　which　was　after　dinner　the　same　day；
when　he　asked　where　he　had　gone；　with　a　very　indifferent　air；　without
saying　a　word　more；　then　or　since；　or　naming　his　children；　who　took
little　trouble　to　see　him；　and　when　they　went　it　was　in　order　to　have
even　in　his　presence　their　little　court　apart；　and　to　divert　themselves
among　themselves。　　As　for　the　Duc　du　Maine；　either　from　policy　or　because
he　thought　it　not　yet　time；　he　only；　saw　the　King　in　the　morning；
sometimes　in　his　bed；　and　not　at　all　during　the　rest　of　the　day；　except
when　obliged　by　his　functions。

During　the　registration　I　gently　passed　my　eyes　over　the　whole　assembly。；
and　though　I　constantly　constrained　them；　I　could　not　resist　the
temptation　to　indemnify　myself　upon　the　Chief…President；　I　perseveringly
overwhelmed　him；　therefore；　a　hundred　different　times　during　the　sitting；
with　my　hard…hitting　regards。　　Insult；　contempt；　disdain；　triumph；　were
darted　at　him　from　my　eyes；and　pierced　him　to　the　very　marrow　often　he
lowered　his　eyes　when　he　caught　my　gaze　once　or　twice　he　raised　his　upon
me；　and　I　took　pleasure　in　annoying　him　by　sly　but　malicious　smiles　which
completed　his　vexation。　　I　bathed　myself　in　his　rage；　and　amused　myself
by　making　him　feel　it。　　I　sometimes　played　with　him　by　pointing　him　out
to　my　two　neighbours　when　he　could　perceive　this　movement；　in　a　word；　I
pressed　upon　him　without　mercy；　as　heavily　as　I　could。

At　last　the　registration　finished；　the　King　descended　the　throne；　and　was
followed　by　the　Regent；　the　two　Princes　of　the　Blood；　and　the　necessary
gentlemen　of　the　suite。　　At　the　same　time　the　Marshals　of　France
descended；　and　while　the　King　traversed　the　room；　accompanied　by　the
deputation　which　had　received　him；　they　passed　between　the　seats　of　the
councillors　opposite　us；　to　follow　him　to　the　door　by　which　his　Majesty
departed；　and　at　the　same　time　the　two　bishop…peers；　passing　before　the
throne；　came　to　put　themselves　at　our　head；　and　squeezed　my　hands　and
my　head　（in　passing　before　me）　with　warm　gratification。

We　followed　them　two　by　two　according　to　seniority；　and　went　straight
forward　to　the　door。　　The　Parliament　began　to　move　directly　afterwards。
Place　was　made　for　us　to　the　steps。　　The　crowd；　the　people；　the　display
contrasted　our　conversation　and　our　joy。　　I　was　sorry　for　it。

I　immediately　gained　my　coach；　which　I　found　near；　and　which　took　me
skilfully　out　of　the　court；　so　that　I　met　with　no　check；　and　in　a　quarter
of　an　hour　after　leaving　the　sitting；　I　was　at　home。

I　had　need　of　a　little　rest；　for　pleasure　even　is　fatigue；　and　happiness；
pure　and　untroubled　as　it　may　be；　wearies　the　spirit。　　I　entered　my
house；　then；　at　about　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　intending　to　repose
myself；　and　in　order　to　do　so　in　security；　I　closed　my　door　to　everybody。

Alas！　　I　had　not　been　many　minutes　at　home　when　I　was　called　away　to
perform　one　of　the　most　painful　and　annoying　commissions　it　was　ever　my
ill　fortune　to　be　charged　with。




CHAPTER　XCIV。

A　little　while　before　leaving　the　Cabinet　of　the　Council　for　the　Bed　of
Justice；　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　begged　me　to　go　to　the　Palais　Royal　with
the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　immediately　after　the　ceremony　had　ended。　　As　I
saw　that　nothing　had　been　undertaken；　I　thought　myself　free　of　this
conference；　and　was　glad　to　avoid　a　new　proof　that　I　had　been　in　a
secret　which　had　excited　envy。　　I　went；　therefore；　straight　home；
arriving　between　two　and　three。　　I　found　at　the　foot　of　the　steps
the　Duc　d'Humieres；　Louville；　and　all　my　family；　even　my　mother；　whom
curiosity　had　drawn　from　her　chamber；　which　she　had　not　left　since　the
commencement　of　the　winter。　　We　remained　below　in　my　apartment；　where；
while　changing　my　coat　and　my　shirt；　I　replied　to　their　eager　questions；
when；　lo！　　M。　de　Biron；　who　had　forced　my　door　which　I　had　closed　against
everybody；　in　order　to　obtain　a　little　repose；　was　announced。

Biron　put　his　head　in　at　my　door；　and　begged　to　be　allowed　to　say　a　word
to　me。　　I　passed；　half…dressed；　into　my　chamber　with　him。　　He　said　that
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　expected　me　at　the　Palais　Royal　immediately　after
the　Bed　of　justice；　and　was　surprised　I　had　not　appeared。　　He　added　that
there　was　no　great　harm　done；　and　that　the　Regent　wished　to　see　me　now；
in　order　that　I　might　execute　a　commission　for　him。　　I　asked　Biron　what
it　was？　　He　replied　that　it　was　to　go　to　Saint…Clerc　to　announce　what　had
taken　place　to　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans！

This　was　a　thunder…bolt　for　me。　　I　disputed　with　Biron；　who　exhorted　me
to　lose　no　time；　but　to　go　at　once　to　the　Palais　Royal；　where　I　was
expected　with　impatience。　　I　returned　into　my　cabinet　with　him；　so
changed　in　aspect　that　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　was　alarmed。　　I　explained
what　was　the　matter；　and　after　Biron　had　chatted　a　moment；　and　again
pressed　me　to　set　out　at　once；　he　went　away　to　eat　his　dinner。　　Ours　was
served。　　I　waited　a　little　time　in　order　to　recover　myself；　determined
not　to　vex　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　by　dawdling；　took　some　soup　and　an　egg；
and　went　off　to　the　Palais　Royal。

It　was　in　vain　that；　using　all　the　eloquence　I　could　command　and　all　the
liberty　I　dared　employ；　I　protested　against　being　employed　for　this　duty。
I　represented　to　the　Regent　what　an　ill…chosen　messenger　I　should　be　to
carry　to　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans　news　of　the　disgrace　of　her　brother
the　Duc　du　Maine；　I；　who　had　always　been　such　an　open　and　declared　enemy
to　the　bastards！　　I　represented　to　him　that　people　would　say　I　went　on
purpose　to　triumph　over　her　at　what　had　been　done；　and　that　she　herself
would　look　upon　my　presence　as　a　kind　of　insult。　　In　vain！　in　vain！　were
my　arguments；　my　entreaties；　my　instances。　　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had
dete