the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第15部分

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the　chief　cause　of　what　had　occurred；　and　would　not　see　me。　　I　remained
ever　afterwards　at　variance　with　her。　　I　had　nothing　to　reproach　myself
with；　however；　so　that　her　enmity　did　not　very　deeply　penetrate　me。




CHAPTER　XCV

It　was　scarcely　to　be　expected；　perhaps；　that　M。　du　Maine　would　remain
altogether　quiet　under　the　disgrace　which　had　been　heaped　upon　him　by　the
proceedings　at　the　Bed　of　Justice。　　Soon　indeed　we　found　that　he　had　been
secretly　working　out　the　most　perfidious　and　horrible　schemes　for　a　long
time　before　that　assembly；　and　that　after　his　fall；　he　gave　himself　up
with　redoubled　energy　to　his　devilish　devices。

Towards　the　end　of　this　memorable　year；　1718；　it　was　discovered　that
Alberoni；　by　means　of　Cellamare；　Spanish　Ambassador　at　our　Court；　was
preparing　a　plot　against　the　Regent。　　The　scheme　was　nothing　less　than　to
throw　all　the　realm　into　revolt　against　the　government　of　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans；　to　put　the　King　of　Spain　at　the　head　of　the　affairs　of　France；
with　a　council　and　ministers　named　by　him；　and　a　lieutenant；　who　would　in
fact　have　been　regent；　this　self…same　lieutenant　to　be　no　other　than　the
Duc　du　Maine！

This　precious　plot　was；　fortunately；　discovered　before　it　had　come　to
maturity。　　Had　such　not　happened；　the　consequences　might　have　been　very
serious；　although　they　could　scarcely　have　been　fatal。　　The　conspirators
counted　upon　the　Parliaments　of　Paris　and　of　Brittany；　upon　all　the　old
Court　accustomed　to　the　yoke　of　the　bastards；　and　to　that　of　Madame　de
Maintenon；　and　they　flung　about　promises　with　an　unsparing　hand　to　all
who　supported　them。　　After　all；　it　must　be　admitted；　however；　that　the
measures　they　took　and　the　men　they　secured；　were　strangely　unequal　to
the　circumstances　of　the　case；　when　the　details　became　known；　in　fact；
there　was　a　general　murmur　of　surprise　among　the　public；　at　the
contemptible　nature　of　the　whole　affair。

But　let　me　relate　the　circumstances　accompanying　the　discovery　of　M。　du
Maine's　pitiable　treachery。

Cellamare；　as　I　have　said；　was　Spanish　Ambassador　at　our　Court。　　He　had
been　one　of　the　chief　movers　in　the　plot。　　He　had　excited；　as　much　as　lay
in　his　power；　discontent　against　the　Regent's　government；　he　had　done　his
best　to　embroil　France　with　Spain；　he　had　worked　heart　and　soul　with　M。
du　Maine；　to　carry　out　the　common　end　they　had　in　view。　　So　much
preparation　had　been　made；　so　much　of　the　treason　train　laid；　that　at
last　it　became　necessary　to　send　to　Alberoni　a　full　and　clear　account　of
all　that　had　been　done；　so　as　to　paint　exactly　the　position　of　affairs；
and　determine　the　measures　that　remained　to　be　taken。　　But　how　to　send
such　an　account　as　this？　　To　trust　it　to　the　ordinary　channels　of
communication　would　have　been　to　run　a　great　risk　of　exposure　and
detection。　　To　send　it　by　private　hand　would　have　been　suspicious；　if　the
hand　were　known；　and　dangerous　if　it　were　not：　Cellamare　had　long　since
provided　for　this　difficulty。

He　had　caused　a　young　ecclesiastic　to　be　sent　from　Spain；　who　came　to
Paris　as　though　for　his　pleasure。　　There　he　was　introduced　to　young
Monteleon；　son　of　a　former　ambassador　at　our　Court；　who　had　been　much
liked。　　The　young　ecclesiastic　was　called　the　Abbe　Portocarrero；　a　name
regarded　with　favour　in　France。　　Monteleon　came　from　the　Hague；　and　was
going　to　Madrid。　　Portocarrero　came　from　Madrid；　and　was　going　back
there。　　What　more　natural　than　that　the　two　young　men　should　travel　in
company？　　What　less　natural　than　that　the　two　young　men；　meeting　each
other　by　pure　accident　in　Paris；　should　be　charged　by　the　ambassador　with
any　packet　of　consequence；　he　having　his　own　couriers；　and　the　use；　for
the　return　journey；　of　those　sent　to　him　from　Spain？　　In　fact；　it　may　be
believed　that　these　young　people　themselves　were　perfectly　ignorant　of
what　they　were　charged　with；　and　simply　believed　that；　as　they　were　going
to　Spain；　the　ambassador　merely　seized　the　occasion　to　entrust　them　with
some　packet　of　no　special　importance。

They　set　out；　then；　at　the　commencement　of　December；　furnished　with
passports　from　the　King（for　Alberoni　had　openly　caused　almost　a　rupture
between　the　two　Courts）with　a　Spanish　banker；　who　had　been　established
in　England；　where　he　had　become　bankrupt　for　a　large　amount；　so　that　the
English　government　had　obtained　permission　from　the　Regent　to　arrest　him；
if　they　could；　anywhere　in　France。　　It　will　sometimes　be　perceived　that　I
am　ill…instructed　in　this　affair；　but　I　can　only　tell　what　I　know：　and　as
for　the　rest；　I　give　my　conjectures。　　In　fact；　the　Abbe　Dubois　kept
everybody　so　much　in　the　dark；　that　even　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was　not
informed　of　all。

Whether　the　arrival　of　the　Abbe　Portocarrero　in　Paris；　and　his　short　stay
there；　seemed　suspicious　to　the　Abbe　Dubois　and　his　emissaries；　or
whether　he　had　corrupted　some　of　the　principal　people　of　the　Spanish
Ambassador　and　this　Court；　and　learned　that　these　young　men　were　charged
with　a　packet　of　importance；　whether　there　was　no　other　mystery　than　the
bad　company　of　the　bankrupt　banker；　and　that　the　anxiety　of　Dubois　to
oblige　his　friends　the　English；　induced　him　to　arrest　the　three
travellers　and　seize　their　papers；　lest　the　banker　should　have　confided
his　to　the　young　men；　I　know　not：　but　however　it　may　have　been；　it　is
certain　that　the　Abbe　Dubois　arrested　the　three　travellers　at　Poitiers；
and　carried　off　their　papers；　a　courier　bringing　these　papers　to　him
immediately　afterwards。

Great　things　sometimes　spring　from　chance。　　The　courier　from　Poitiers
entered　the　house　of　the　Abbe　Dubois　just　as　the　Regent　entered　the
opera。　　Dubois　glanced　over　the　papers；　and　went　and　related　the　news　of
this　capture　to　M。　le　Duc　Orleans；　as　he　left　his　box。　　This　prince；　who
was　accustomed　to　shut　himself　up　with　his　roues　at　that　hour；　did　so
with　a　carelessness　to　which　everything　yielded；　under　pretext　that
Dubois　had　not　had　sufficient　time　to　examine　all　the　papers。　　The　first
few　hours　of　the　morning　he　was　not　himself。　　His　head；　still　confused　by
the　fumes　of　the　wine　and　by　the　undigested　supper　of　the　previous　night；
was　not　in　a　state　to　understand　anything；　and　the　secretaries　of　state
have　often　told　me　that　was　the　time　they　could　make　him　sign　anything。
This　was　the　moment　taken　by　Dubois　to　acquaint　the　Regent　with　as　much
or　as　little　of　the　contents　of　the　papers　as　he　thought　fit。　　The　upshot
of　their　interview　was；　that　the　Abbe　was　allowed　by　the　Duc　d'Orleans　to
have　the　control　of　this　matter　entirely　in　his　own　hands。

The　day　after　the　arrival　of　the　courier　from　Poitiers；　Cellamare；
informed　of　what　had　occurred；　but　who　flattered　himself　that　the
presence　of　the　banker　had　caused　the　arrest　of　the　young　men；　and　the
seizure　of　their　papers；　hid　his　fears　under　a　very　tranquil　bearing；　and
went；　at　one　o'clock　in　the　day；　to　M。　le　Blanc；　to　ask　for　a　packet　of
letters　he　had　entrusted　to　Portocarrero　and　Monteleon　on　their　return　to
Spain。　　Le　Blanc　（who　had　had　his　lesson　prepared　beforehand　by　the　Abbe
Dubois）　replied　that　the　packet　had　been　seen；　that　it　contained
important　things；　and　that；　far　from　being　restored　to　him；　he　himself
must　go　back　to　his　hotel　under　escort；　to　meet　there　M。　l'Abbe　Dubois。
The　ambassador；　who　felt　that　such　a　compliment　would　not　be　attempted
with　out　means　having　been　prepared　to　put　it　in　execution；　made　no
difficulty；　and　did　not　lose　for　a　moment　his　address　or　his
tranquillity。

During　the　three　hours；　at　least；　passed　in　his　house；　in　the　examination
of　all　his　bureaux　and　his　boxes；　and　his　papers；　Cellamare；　like　a　man
who　fears　nothing；　and　who　is　sure　of　his　game；　treated　M。　le　Blanc　very
civilly；　as　for　the　Abbe　Dubois；　with　whom　he　felt　he　had　no　measure　to
keep　（all　the　plot　being　discovered）；　he　affected　to　treat　him　with　the
utmost　disdain。　　Thus　Le　Blanc；　taking　hold　of　a　little　casket；　Cellamare
cried；　〃M。　le　Blanc；　M。　le　Blanc；　leave　that　alone；　that　is　not　for　you；
that　is　for　the　Abbe　Dubois〃　（who　was　then　present）。　　Then　looking　at
him；　he　added；　〃He　has　been　a　pander　all　his　life；　and　there　are　nothing
but　women's　letters　there。〃

The　Abbe　Dubois　burst　out　laughing；　not　daring　to　grow　angry。

When　all　was　examined；　the　King's　seal；　and　that　of　the　ambassador；　were
put　upon　all　the　bureaux　and　the　caskets　which　contained　papers。　　The
Abbe　Dubois　and　Le　Blanc　went　off　together　to　give　an　account　of　their
proceedings　to　the　Regent；　leaving　a　company　of　musketeers　to　guard　the
ambassador　and　his　household。

I　heard　of　the　capture　effected　at　Poitiers；　at　home；　the　morning　after
it　occurred；　without　knowing　anything　of　those　arrested。　　As　I　was　at
table；　a　servant　came　to　me　from　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　summoning　me　to　a
council　of　the　regency；　at　four　o'clock　that　day。　　As　it　was　not　the
usual　day　for　the　council；　I　asked　what　was　the　matter。　　The　messenger
was　surprised　at　my　ignorance　and　informed　me　that　the　Spanish　ambassador
was　arrested。　　As　soon　as　I　had　eaten　a　morsel；　I　quitted　my　company；　and
hastened　to　the　Palais　Royal；　where　I　learnt　from　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　all
that　I　have　just　related。　　Our　conversation　took　up　time；　and；　when　it
was　over；　I　went　away　to　the　Tuileries。　　I　found　there　astonishment
painted　upon　several　faces；　little　groups　of　two；　three；　and　four　people
together；　and　the　majority　struck　by　the　importance　of　the　arrest；　and
little　disposed　to　approve　it。

M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　arrived　shortly　after。　　He　had；　better　than　any　man　I
have　ever　known；　the　gift　of　speech；　and　without　needing　any　preparation
he　said　exactly　what　he　wanted　to　say；　neither　more　nor　less；　his
expressions　were　just　and　precise；　a　natural　grace　accompanied　them　with
an　air　of　proper　dignity；　always　mixed　with　an　air　of　politeness。　　He
opened　the　council　with　a　discourse　upon　the　people　and　the　papers　seized
at　Poitiers；　the　latter　proving　that　a　very　dangerous　conspiracy　against
the　state　was　on　the　eve　of　bursting；　and　of　which　the　Ambassador　of
Spain　was　the　principal　promoter。　　His　Royal　Highness　alleged　the
pressing　reasons　which　had　induced　him　to　secure　the　person　of　this
ambassador；　to　examine　his　papers；　and　to　place　them　under　guard。　　He