the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第18部分

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she　had　done　M。　du　Maine　had　no　knowledge　of；　and　that　its　object　went　no
farther　than　to　obtain　from　the　Regent　such　reforms　in　his　administration
as　were　wanted。

The　Duc　du　Maine；　shorn　of　his　rank　and　of　his　title　of　prince　of　the
blood；　trembled　for　his　life。　　His　crimes　against　the　state；　against　the
blood　royal；　against　the　person　of　the　Regent；　so　long；　so　artfully；　and
so　cruelly　offended；　troubled　him　all　the　more　because　he　felt　they
deserved　severe　punishment。　　He　soon；　therefore；　conceived　the　idea　of
screening　himself　beneath　his　wife's　petticoats。　　His　replies；　and　all
his　observations　were　to　the　same　tune；　perfect　ignorance　of　everything。
Therefore　when　the　Duchess　had　made　her　confessions；　and　they　were
communicated　to　him；　he　cried　out　against　his　wife；her　madness；　her
felony；his　misfortune　in　having　a　wife　capable　of　conspiring；　and
daring　enough　to　implicate　him　in　everything　without　having　spoken　to
him；　making　him　thus　a　criminal　without　being　so　the　least　in　the　world；
and　keeping　him　so　ignorant　of　her　doings；　that　it　was　out　of　his　power
to　stop　them；　to　chide　her；　or　inform　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　if　things　had
been　pushed　so　far　that　he　ought　to　have　done　so！

From　that　time　the　Duc　du　Maine　would　no　longer　hear　talk　of　a　woman　who；
without　his　knowledge；　had　cast　him　and　his　children　into　this　abyss；　and
when　at　their　release　from　prison；　they　were　permitted　to　write　and　send
messages　to　each　other；　he　would　receive　nothing　from　her；　or　give　any
signs　of　life。　　Madame　du　Maine；　on　her　side；　pretended　to　be　afflicted
at　this　treatment；　admitting；　nevertheless；　that　she　had　acted　wrongfully
towards　her　husband　in　implicating　him　without　his　knowledge　in　her
schemes。　　They　were　at　this　point　when　they　were　allowed　to　come　near
Paris。　　M。　du　Maine　went　to　live　at　Clagny；　a　chateau　near　Versailles；
built　for　Madame　de　Montespan。　　Madame　du　Maine　went　to　Sceaux。　　They
came　separately　to　see　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　at　Paris；　without　sleeping
there；　both　played　their　parts；　and　as　the　Abbe　Dubois　judged　the　time
had　come　to　take　credit　to　himself　in　their　eyes　for　finishing　their
disgrace；　he　easily　persuaded　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　to；　appear　convinced　of
the　innocence　of　M。　du　Maine。

During　their　stay　in　the　two　country…houses　above　named；　where　they　saw
but　little　company；　Madame　du　Maine　made　many　attempts　at　reconciliation
with　her　husband；　which　he　repelled。　　This　farce　lasted　from　the　month　of
January　（when　they　arrived　at　Sceaux　and　at　Clagny）　to　the　end　of　July。
Then　they　thought　the　game　had　lasted　long　enough　to　be　put　an　end　to。
They　had　found　themselves　quit　of　all　danger　so　cheaply；　and　counted　so
much　upon　the　Abbe　Dubois；　that　they　were　already　thinking　of　returning
to　their　former　considerations；　and　to　work　at　this　usefully；　they　must
be　in　a　position　to　see　each　other；　and　commence　by　establishing
themselves　in　Paris；　where　they　would　of　necessity　live　together。

The　sham　rupture　had　been　carried　to　this　extent；　that　the　two　sons　of
the　Duc　du　Maine　returned　from　Eu　to　Clagny　a　few　days　after　him；　did　not
for　a　long　time　go　and　see　Madame　du　Maine；　and　subsequently　saw　her　but
rarely；　and　without　sleeping　under　her　roof。

At　last　a　resolution　being　taken　to　put　an　end　to　the　comedy；　this　is　how
it　was　terminated　by　another。

Madame　la　Princesse　made　an　appointment　with　the　Duc　du　Maine；　at
Vaugirard　on　the　last　of　July；　and　in　the　house　of　Landais；　treasurer　of
the　artillery。　　She　arrived　there　a　little　after　him　with　the　Duchesse　du
Maine；　whom　she　left　in　her　carriage。　　She　said　to　M。　du　Maine　she　had
brought　a　lady　with　her　who　much　desired　to　see　him。　　The　thing　was　not
difficult　to　understand；　the　piece　had　been　well　studied。　　The　Duchesse
du　Maine　was　sent　for。　　The　apparent　reconcilement　took　place。　　The　three
were　a　long　time　together。　　To　play　out　the　comedy；　M。　and　Madame　du
Maine　still　kept　apart；　but　saw　and　approached　each　other　by　degrees；
until　at　last　the　former　returned　to　Sceaux；　and　lived　with　his　wife
as　before。








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