the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第2部分

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The　Cardinal　insisting；　and　without　success；　took　him　by　the　arm　to　make
him　go。　　The　Marquis　said　he　was　very　insolent　to　wish　to　hinder　him　from
seeing　the　King；　and　perform　his　duties。　　The　Cardinal；　stronger　than　his
adversary；　turned　the　Marquis　round；　hurried　him　towards　the　door；　both
talking　the　while；　the　Cardinal　with　measure；　the　Marquis　in　no　way
mincing　his　words。　　Tired　of　being　hauled　out　in　this　manner；　the　Marquis
struggled；　called　Alberoni　a　〃little　scoundrel；〃　to　whom　he　would　teach
manners；　and　in　this　heat　and　dust　the　Marquis；　who　was　weak；　fortunately
fell　into　an　armchair　hard　by。　　Angry　at　his　fall；　he　raised　his　little
stick　and　let　it　fall　with　all　his　force　upon　the　ears　and　the　shoulders
of　the　Cardinal；　calling　him　a　little　scoundrela　little　rascal
a　little　blackguard；　deserving　a　horsewhipping。

The　Cardinal；　whom　he　held　with　one　hand；　escaped　as　well　as　he　could；
the　Marquis　continuing　to　abuse　him；　and　shaking　the　stick　at　him。　　One
of　the　valets　came　and　assisted　him　to　rise　from　his　armchair；　and　gain
the　door；　for　after　this　accident　his　only　thought　was　to　leave　the　room。

The　Queen　looked　on　from　her　chair　during　all　this　scene；　without
stirring　or　saying　a　word；　and　the　privileged　few　in　the　chamber　did　not
dare　to　move。　　I　learned　all　this　from　every　one　in　Spain；　and　moreover　I
asked　the　Marquis　de　Villena　himself　to　give　me　the　full　details；　and　he；
who　was　all　uprightness　and　truth；　and　who　had　conceived　some　little
friendship　for　me；　related　with　pleasure　all　I　have　written。　　The　two
gentlemen　of　the　chamber　present　also　did　the　same；　laughing　in　their
sleeves。　　One　had　refused　to　tell　the　Marquis　to　leave　the　room；　and　the
other　had　accompanied　him　to　the　door。　　The　most　singular　thing　is；　that
the　Cardinal；　furious；　but　surprised　beyond　measure　at　the　blows　he　had
received；　thought　only　of　getting　out　of　reach。　　The　Marquis　cried　to　him
from　a　distance；　that　but　for　the　respect　he　owed　to　the　King；　and　to　the
state　in　which　he　was；　he　would　give　him　a　hundred　kicks　in　the　stomach；
and　haul　him　out　by　the　ears。　　I　was　going　to　forget　this。　　The　King　was
so　ill　that　he　saw　nothing。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　after　the　Marquis　had　returned　home；　he　received　an
order　to　retire　to　one　of　his　estates　at　thirty　leagues　from　Madrid。　　The
rest　of　the　day　his　house　was　filled　with　the　most　considerable　people　of
Madrid；　arriving　as　they　learned　the　news；　which　made　a　furious　sensation
through　the　city。　　He　departed　the　next　day　with　his　children。　　The
Cardinal；　nevertheless；　remained　so　terrified；　that；　content　with　the
exile　of　the　Marquis；　and　with　having　got　rid　of　him；　he　did　not　dare　to
pass　any　censure　upon　him　for　the　blows　he　had　received。　　Five　or　six
months　afterwards　he　sent　him　an　order　of　recall；　though　the　Marquis　had
not　taken　the　slightest　steps　to　obtain　it。　　What　is　incredible　is；　that
the　adventure；　the　exile；　the　return；　remained　unknown　to　the　King　until
the　fall　of　the　Cardinal！　　The　Marquis　would　never　consent　to　see　him；　or
to　hear　him　talked　of；　on　any　account；　after　returning；　though　the
Cardinal　was　the　absolute　master。　　His　pride　was　much　humiliated　by　this
worthy　and　just　haughtiness；　and　he　was　all　the　more　piqued　because　he
left　nothing　undone　in　order　to　bring　about　a　reconciliation；　without　any
other　success　than　that　of　obtaining　fresh　disdain；　which　much　increased
the　public　estimation　in　which　this　wise　and　virtuous　nobleman　was　held。




CHAPTER　LXXXIX

I　must　not　omit　to　mention　an　incident　which　occurred　during　the　early
part　of　the　year　1718；　and　which　will　give　some　idea　of　the　character　of
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　already　pretty　amply　described　by　me。

One　day　（when　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans　had　gone　to　Montmartre；　which
she　quitted　soon　after）　I　was　walking　alone　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　in
the　little　garden　of　the　Palais　Royal；　chatting　upon　various　affairs；
when　he　suddenly　interrupted　me；　and　turning　towards　me；　said；　〃I　am
going　to　tell　you　something　that　will　please　you。〃

Thereupon　he　related　to　me　that　he　was　tired　of　the　life　he　led；　which
was　no　longer　in　harmony　with　his　age　or　his　desires；　and　many　similar
things；　that　he　was　resolved　to　give　up　his　gay　parties；　pass　his
evenings　more　soberly　and　decently；　sometimes　at　home；　often　with　Madame
la　Duchesse　d'Orleans；　that　his　health　would　gain　thereby；　and　he　should
have　more　time　for　business；　that　in　a　little　while　I　might　rely　upon　it
there　would　be　no　more　suppers　of　〃roues　and　harlots〃　（these　were　his
own　terms）；　and　that　he　was　going　to　lead　a　prudent　and　reasonable　life
adapted　to　his　age　and　state。

I　admit　that　in　my　extreme　surprise　I　was　ravished；　so　great　was　the
interest　I　took　in　him。　　I　testified　this　to　him　with　overflowing　heart；
thanking　him　for　his　confidence。　　I　said　to　him　that　he　knew　I　for　a　long
time　had　not　spoken　to　him　of　the　indecency　of　his　life；　or　of　the　time
he　lost；　because　I　saw　that　in　so　doing　I　lost　my　own；　that　I　had　long
since　despaired　of　his　conduct　changing；　that　this　had　much　grieved　me；
that　he　could　not　be　ignorant　from　all　that　had　passed　between　us　at
various　times；　how　much　I　desired　a　change；　and　that　he　might　judge　of
the　surprise　and　joy　his　announcement　gave　me。　　He　assured　me　more　and
more　that　his　resolution　was　fixed；　and　thereupon　I　took　leave　of　him；
the　hour　for　his　soiree　having　arrived。

The　next　day　I　learned　from　people　to　whom　the　roues　had　just　related　it；
that　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was　no　sooner　at　table　than　he　burst　out
laughing；　and　applauded　his　cleverness；　saying　that　he　had　just　laid　a
trap　for　me　into　which　I　had　fallen　full　length。　　He　recited　to　them　our
conversation；　at　which　the　joy　and　applause　were　marvellous。　　It　is　the
only　time　he　ever　diverted　himself　at　my　expense　（not　to　say　at　his　own）
in　a　matter　in　which　the　fib　he　told　me；　and　which　I　was　foolish　enough
to　swallow；　surprised　by　a　sudden　joy　that　took　from　me　reflection；　did
honour　to　me；　though　but　little　to　him。　　I　would　not　gratify　him　by
telling　him　I　knew　of　his　joke；　or　call　to　his　mind　what　he　had　said　to
me；　accordingly　he　never　dared　to　speak　of　it。

I　never　could　unravel　what　fantasy　had　seized　him　to　lead　him　to　hoax　me
in　this　manner；　since　for　many　years　I　had　never　opened　my　mouth
concerning　the　life　he　led；　whilst　he；　on　his　side；　had　said　not　a　word
to　me　relating　to　it。　　Yet　it　is　true　that　sometimes　being　alone　with
confidential　valets；　some　complaints　have　escaped　him　（but　never　before
others）　that　I　ill…treated　him；　and　spoke　hastily　to　him；　but　all　was
said　in　two　words；　without　bitterness；　and　without　accusing　me　of
treating　him　wrongfully。　　He　spoke　truly　also；　sometimes；　when　I　was
exasperated　with　stupidity　or　error　in　important　matters　which　affected
him　or　the　State；　or　when　he　had　agreed　（having　been　persuaded　and
convinced　by　good　reasons）　to　do　or　not　to　do　some　essential　thing；　and
was　completely　turned　from　it　by　his　feebleness；　his　easy…going　nature
（which　he　appreciated　as　well　as　I）cruelly　did　I　let　out　against　him。
But　the　trick　he　most　frequently　played　me　before　others；　one　of　which　my
warmth　was　always　dupe；　was　suddenly　to　interrupt　an　important　argument
by　a　'sproposito'　of　buffoonery。　　I　could　not　stand　it；　sometimes　being
so　angry　that　I　wished　to　leave　the　room。　　I　used　to　say　to　him　that　if
he　wished　to　joke　I　would　joke　as　much　as　he　liked；　but　to　mix　the　most
serious　matters　with　tomfoolery　was　insupportable。　　He　laughed　heartily；
and　all　the　more　because；　as　the　thing　often　happened；　I　ought　to　have
been　on　my　guard；　but　never　was；　and　was　vexed　both　at　the　joke　and　at
being　surprised；　then　he　returned　to　business。　　But　princes　must
sometimes　banter　and　amuse　themselves　with　those　whom　they　treat　as
friends。　　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　his　occasional　banter；　he　entertained
really　sincere　esteem　and　friendship　for　me。

By　chance　I　learnt　one　day　what　he　really　thought　of　me。　　I　will　say　it
now；　so　as　to　leave　at　once　all　these　trifles。　　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans
returning　one　afternoon　from　the　Regency　Council　at　the　Tuileries　to　the
Palais　Royal　with　M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres　（his　son）　and　the　Bailli　de
Conflans　（then　first　gentleman　of　his　chamber）　began　to　talk　of　me；
passing　an　eulogium　upon　me　I　hardly　dare　to　repeat。　　I　know　not　what　had
occurred　at　the　Council　to　occasion　it。　　All　that　I　can　say　is　that　he
insisted　upon　his　happiness　in　having　a　friend　so　faithful；　so　unchanging
at　all　times；　so　useful　to　him　as　I　was；　and　always　had　been；　so　sure；　so
true；　so　disinterested；　so　firm；　such　as　he　could　meet　with　in　no　one
else；　and　upon　whom　he　could　always　count。　　This　eulogy　lasted　from　the
Tuileries　to　the　Palais　Royal；　the　Regent　saying　to　his　son　that　he
wished　to　teach　him　how　to　make　my　acquaintance；　as　a　support　and　a
source　of　happiness　（all　that　I　relate　here　is　in　his　own　words）；　such　as
he　had　always　found　in　my　friendship　and　counsel。　　The　Bailli　de
Conflans；　astonished　at　this　abundant　eloquence；　repeated　it　to　me　two
days　after；　and　I　admit　that　I　never　have　forgotten　it。　　And　here　I　will
say　that　whatever　others　might　do；　whatever　I　myself　（from　disgust　and
vexation　at　what　I　saw　ill　done）　might　do；　the　Regent　always　sought
reconciliation　with　me　with　shame；　confidence；　confusion；　and　he　has
never　found　himself　in　any　perplexity　that　he　has　not　opened　his　heart　to
me；　and　consulted　me；　without　however　always　following　my　advice；　for　he
was　frequently　turned　from　it　by　others。

He　would　never　content　himself　with　one　mistress。　　He　needed　a　variety　in
order　to　stimulate　his　taste。　　I　had　no　more　intercourse　with　them　than
with　his　roues。　　He　never　spoke　of　them　to　me；　nor　I　to　him。　　I　scarcely
ever　knew　anything　of　their　adventures。　　His　roues　and　valets　were　always
eager　to　present　fresh　mistresses　to　him；　from　which　he　generally
selected　one。　　Amongst　these　was　Madame　de　Sabran；　who　had　married　a　man
of　high　rank；　but　without　wealth　or　merit；　in　order　to　be　at　liberty。
There　never　was　a　woman　so　beautiful　as　she；　or　of　a　beauty　more　regular；
more　agreeable；　more　touching；　or　of　a　grander　or　nobler　bearing；　and　yet
without　affectation。　　Her　air　and　her　manners　we