the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第3部分

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more　agreeable；　more　touching；　or　of　a　grander　or　nobler　bearing；　and　yet
without　affectation。　　Her　air　and　her　manners　were　simple　and　natural；
making　you　think　she　was　ignorant　of　her　beauty　and　of　her　figure　（this
last　the　finest　in　the　world）；　and　when　it　pleased　her　she　was
deceitfully　modest。　　With　much　intellect　she　was　insinuating；　merry；
overflowing；　dissipated；　not　bad…hearted；　charming；　especially　at　table。
In　a　word；　she　was　all　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　wanted；　and　soon　became　his
mistress　without　prejudice　to　the　rest。

As　neither　she　nor　her　husband　had　a　rap；　they　were　ready　for　anything；
and　yet　they　did　not　make　a　large　fortune。　　One　of　the　chamberlains　of
the　Regent；　with　an　annual　salary　of　six　thousand　livres；　having　received
another　appointment；　Madame　de　Sabran　thought　six　thousand　livres　a　year
too　good　to　be　lost；　and　asked　for　the　post　for　her　husband。　　She　cared
so　little　for　him；　by　the　way；　that　she　called　him　her　〃mastiff。〃　　It　was
she；　who；　supping　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　and　his　roues；　wittily　said；
that　princes　and　lackeys　had　been　made　of　one　material；　separated　by
Providence　at　the　creation　from　that　out　of　which　all　other　men　had　been
made。

All　the　Regent's　mistresses　had　one　by　one　their　turn。　　Fortunately　they
had　little　power；　were　not　initiated　into　any　state　secrets；　and　received
but　little　money。

The　Regent　amused　himself　with　them；　and　treated　them　in　other　respects
exactly　as　they　deserved　to　be　treated。




CHAPTER　XC

It　is　time　now　that　I　should　speak　of　matters　of　very　great　importance；
which　led　to　changes　that　filled　my　heart　with　excessive　joy；　such　as　it
had　never　known　before。

For　a　long　time　past　the　Parliament　had　made　many　encroachments　upon　the
privileges　belonging　to　the　Dukes。　　Even　under　the　late　King　it　had　begun
these　impudent　enterprises；　and　no　word　was　said　against　it；　for　nothing
gave　the　King　greater　pleasure　than　to　mix　all　ranks　together　in　a
caldron　of　confusion。　　He　hated　and　feared　the　nobility；　was　jealous　of
their　power；　which　in　former　reigns　had　often　so　successfully　balanced
that　of　the　crown；　he　was　glad　therefore　of　any　opportunity　which
presented　itself　that　enabled　him　to　see　our　order　weakened　and　robbed　of
its　dignity。

The　Parliament　grew　bolder　as　its　encroachments　one　by　one　succeeded。
It　began　to　fancy　itself　armed　with　powers　of　the　highest　kind。　　It　began
to　imagine　that　it　possessed　all　the　authority　of　the　English　Parliament；
forgetting　that　that　assembly　is　charged　with　the　legislative
administration　of　the　country；　that　it　has　the　right　to　make　laws　and
repeat　laws；　and　that　the　monarch　can　do　but　little；　comparatively
speaking；　without　the　support　and　sanction　of　this　representative
chamber；　whereas；　our　own　Parliament　is　but　a　tribunal　of　justice；　with
no　control　or　influence　over　the　royal　authority　or　state　affairs。

But；　as　I　have　said；　success　gave　it　new　impudence。　　Now　that　the　King
was　dead；　at　whose　name　alone　it　trembled；　this　assembly　thought　that　a
fine　opportunity　had　come　to　give　its　power　the　rein。　　It　had　to　do　with
a　Regent；　notorious　for　his　easy…going　disposition；　his　indifference　to
form　and　rule；　his　dislike　to　all　vigorous　measures。　　It　fancied　that
victory　over　such　an　opponent　would　be　easy；　that　it　could　successfully
overcome　all　the　opposition　he　could　put　in　action；　and　in　due　time　make
his　authority　secondary　to　its　own。　　The　Chief…President　of　the
Parliament；　I　should　observe；　was　the　principal　promoter　of　these
sentiments。　　He　was　the　bosom　friend　of　M。　and　Madame　du　Maine；　and　by
them　was　encouraged　in　his　views。　　Incited　by　his　encouragement；　he
seized　an　opportunity　which　presented　itself　now；　to　throw　down　the　glove
to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　in　the　name　of　the　Parliament；　and　to　prepare　for
something　like　a　struggle。　　The　Parliament　of　Brittany　had　recently
manifested　a　very　turbulent　spirit；　and　this　was　an　additional
encouragement　to　that　of　Paris。

At　first　the　Parliament　men　scarcely　knew　what　to　lay　hold　of　and　bring
forward；　as　an　excuse　for　the　battle。　　They　wished　of　course　to　gain　the
applause　of　the　people　as　protectors　of　their　interestslikewise　those
who　for　their　private　ends　try　to　trouble　and　embroil　the　Statebut
could　not　at　first　see　their　way　clear。　　They　sent　for　Trudaine；　Prevot
des　Marchand；　Councillor　of　State；　to　give　an　account　to　them　of　the
state　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville　funds。　　He　declared　that　they　had　never　been
so　well　paid；　and　that　there　was　no　cause　of　complaint　against　the
government。　　Baffled　upon　this　point；　they　fastened　upon　a　edict；
recently　rendered；　respecting　the　money　of　the　realm。　　They　deliberated
thereon；　deputed　a　commission　to　examine　the　matter；　made　a　great　fuss；
and　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　edict　would；　if　acted　upon；　be　very
prejudicial　to　the　country。

Thus　much　done；　the　Parliament　assembled　anew　on　Friday　morning；　the　17th
of　June；　1718；　and　again　in　the　afternoon。　　At　the　end　they　decided　upon
sending　a　deputation　to　the　Regent；　asking　him　to　suspend　the　operation
of　the　edict；　introduce　into　it　the　changes　suggested　by　their　body；　and
then　send　it　to　them　to　be　registered。　　The　deputation　was　sent；　and　said
all　it　had　to　say。

On　the　morrow　the　Parliament　again　assembled；　morning　and　afternoon；　and
sent　a　message　to　the　Regent；　saying；　it　would　not　separate　until　it　had
received　his　reply。　　That　reply　was　very　short　and　simple。　　The　Regent
sent　word　that　he　was　tired　of　the　meddling　interference　of　the
Parliament　（this　was　not　the　first　time；　let　me　add；　that　he　experienced
it）；　that　he　had　ordered　all　the　troops　in　Paris；　and　round　about；　to
hold　themselves　ready　to　march；　and　that　the　King　must　be　obeyed。　　Such
was　in　fact　true。　　He　had　really　ordered　the　soldiers　to　keep　under　arms
and　to　be　supplied　with　powder　and　shot。

The　message　did　not　intimidate　the　Parliament。　　The　next　day；　Sunday；　the
Chief…President；　accompanied　by　all　the　other　presidents；　and　by　several
councillors；　came　to　the　Palais　Royal。　　Although；　as　I　have　said；　the
leader　of　his　company；　and　the　right…hand　man　of　M。　and　Madame　du　Maine；
he　wished　for　his　own　sake　to　keep　on　good　terms　with　the　Regent；　and　at
the　same　time　to　preserve　all　authority　over　his　brethren；　so　as　to　have
them　under　his　thumb。　　His　discourse　then　to　the　Regent　commenced　with
many　praises　and　much　flattery；　in　order　to　smooth　the　way　for　the　three
fine　requests　he　wound　up　with。　　The　first　of　these　was　that　the　edict
should　be　sent　to　the　Parliament　to　be　examined；　and　to　suffer　such
changes　as　the　members　should　think　fit　to　introduce；　and　then　be
registered；　the　second；　that　the　King　should　pay　attention　to　their
remonstrances　in　an　affair　of　this　importance；　which　they　believed
prejudicial　to　the　State；　the　third；　that　the　works　recently　undertaken
at　the　mint　for　recasting　the　specie　should　be　suspended！

To　these　modest　requests　the　Regent　replied　that　the　edict　had　been
registered　at　the　Cour　des　Monnaies；　which　is　a　superior　court；　and
consequently　sufficient　for　such　registration；　that　there　was　only　a
single　instance　of　an　edict　respecting　the　money　of　the　realm　having　been
sent　before　the　Parliament；　and　then　out　of　pure　civility；　that　the
matter　had　been　well　sifted；　and　all　its　inconveniences　weighed；　that　it
was　to　the　advantage　of　the　State　to　put　in　force　this　edict；　that　the
works　of　the　Mint　could　not　be　interfered　with　in　any　way；　finally；　that
the　King　must　be　obeyed！　　It　was　quite　true　that　the　edict　had　been　sent
to　the　Parliament　out　of　courtesy；　but　at　the　suggestion　of　the　Regent's
false　and　treacherous　confidants；　valets　of　the　Parliament；　such　as　the
Marechals　de　Villeroy；　and　Huxelles；　and　Besons；　Canillac；　Effiat；　and
Noailles。

Notwithstanding　the　decisive　answer　they　had　received；　the　Parliament　met
the　very　next　day；　and　passed　a　decree　against　the　edict。　　The　council　of
the　regency；　at　its　sitting　on　the　afternoon　of　the　same　day；　abrogated
this　decree。　　Thus；　since　war　was　in　a　measure　declared　between　the
Regent's　authority　and　that　of　the　Parliament；　the　orders　emanating　from
the　one　were　disputed　by　the　other；　and　vice　versa。　　A　nice　game　of
shuttlecock　this；　which　it　was　scarce　likely　could　last　long！

The　Regent　was　determined　to　be　obeyed。　　He　prohibited；　therefore；　the
printing　and　posting　up　of　the　decree　of　the　Parliament。　　Soldiers　of　the
guards；　too；　were　placed　in　the　markets　to　hinder　the　refusal　of　the　new
money　which　had　been　issued。　　The　fact　is；　by　the　edict　which　had　been
passed；　the　Louis　worth　thirty　livres　was　taken　at　thirty…six　livres；　and
the　crown　piece；　worth　a　hundred　sous；　at　six　livres　instead　of　five。　　By
this　edict　also　government　notes　were　made　legal　tender　until　the　new
money　should　be　ready。　　The　finances　were　thus　relieved；　and　the　King
gained　largely　from　the　recasting　of　the　coin。　　But　private　people　lost
by　this　increase；　which　much　exceeded　the　intrinsic　value　of　the　metal
used；　and　which　caused　everything　to　rise　in　price。　　Thus　the　Parliament
had　a　fine　opportunity　for　trumpeting　forth　its　solicitude　for　the　public
interest；　and　did　not　fail　to　avail　itself　of　it。

During　the　night　a　councillor　of　the　Parliament　was　surprised　on
horseback　in　the　streets　tearing　down　and　disfiguring　the　decree　of　the
Regency　Council；　which　abrogated　that　of　the　Parliament。　　He　was　taken　to
prison。

On　Monday；　the　27th　of　June；　the　Chief…President；　at　the　head　of　all　the
other　presidents；　and　of　forty　councillors；　went　to　the　Tuileries；　and　in
the　presence　of　the　Regent　read　the　wire…drawn　remonstrance　of　the
Parliament　upon　this　famous　edict。　　The　Keeper　of　the　Seals　said　that　in
a　few　days　the　King　would　reply。　　Accordingly　on　Saturday；　the　2nd　of
July；　the　same　deputation　came　again　to　the　Tuileries　to　hear　the　reply。
The　Regent　and　all　the　Princes　of　the　blood　were　there；　the　bastards
also。　　Argenson；　who　from　lieutenant　of　police　had　been　made　keeper　of
the　seals；　and　who　in　his　former　capacity　had　often　been　ill…usednay；
even　attacked　by　the　Parliamenttook　good　care　to　show　his　superiority
over　that　assembly。　　He　answered　that　deputation　in　the　name　of　the　King；
and　concluded　by　sayin