the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第4部分

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over　that　assembly。　　He　answered　that　deputation　in　the　name　of　the　King；
and　concluded　by　saying　that　the　edict　would　in　no　way　be　altered；　but
would　receive　complete　application。　　The　parliamentary　gentlemen　did　not
expect　so　firm　a　reply；　and　withdrew；　much　mortified。

They　were　not；　however；　vanquished。　　They　reassembled　on　the　11th　and
12th　of　August；　and　spat　forth　all　their　venom　in　another　decree
specially　aimed　at　the　authority　of　the　Regent。　　By　this　decree　the
administration　of　the　finances　was　henceforth　entirely　to　be　at　the　mercy
of　the　Parliament。　　Law；　the　Scotchman；　who；　under　the　favour　of　M。　le
Duc　d'Orleans；　had　been　allowed　some　influence　over　the　State　money
matters；　was　to　possess　that　influence　no　longer；　in　fact；　all　power　on
the　part　of　the　Regent　over　the　finances　was　to　be　taken　from　him。

After　this　the　Parliament　had　to　take　but　one　step　in　order　to　become　the
guardian　of　the　King　and　the　master　of　the　realm　（as　in　fact　it　madly
claimed　to　be）；　the　Regent　more　at　its　mercy　than　the　King；　and　perhaps
as　exposed　as　King　Charles　I。　of　England。　　Our　parliamentary　gentlemen
began　as　humbly　as　those　of　England；　and　though；　as　I　have　said；　their
assembly　was　but　a　simple　court　of　justice；　limited　in　its　jurisdiction
like　the　other　courts　of　the　realm；　to　judge　disputes　between　private
people；　yet　by　dint　of　hammering　upon　the　word　parliament　they　believed
themselves　not　less　important　than　their　English　brethren；　who　form　the
legislative　assembly；　and　represent　all　the　nation。

M。　and　Madame　du　Maine　had　done　not　a　little　to　bring　about　these
fancies；　and　they　continued　in　secret　to　do　more。　　Madame　du　Maine；　it
may　be　recollected；　had　said　that　she　would　throw　the　whole　country　into
combustion；　in　order　not　to　lose　her　husband's　prerogative。　　She　was　as
good　as　her　word。　　Encouraged　doubtless　by　the　support　they　received　from
this　precious　pair；　the　Parliament　continued　on　its　mad　career　of
impudent　presumption；　pride；　and　arrogance。　　It　assembled　on　the　22nd　of
August；　and　ordered　inquiry　to　be　made　of　the　Regent　as　to　what　had
become　of　all　the　state　notes　that　had　been　passed　at　the　Chamber　of
justice；　those　which　had　been　given　for　the　lotteries　that　were　held
every　month；　those　which　had　been　given　for　the　Mississippi　or　Western
Company；　finally；　those　which　had　been　taken　to　the　Mint　since　the　change
in　the　specie。

These　questions　were　communicated　to　the　Regent　by　the　King's　officers。
In　reply　he　turned　his　back　upon　them；　and　went　away　into　his　cabinet；
leaving　these　people　slightly　bewildered。　　Immediately　after　this
occurrence　it　was　rumoured　that　a　Bed　of　justice　would　soon　be　held。　　The
Regent　had　not　then　thought　of　summoning　such　an　important　assembly；　and
his　weakness　and　vacillation　were　such　that　no　one　thought　he　would　dare
to　do　so。

The　memoirs　of　Cardinal　de　Retz；　of　Joly；　of　Madame　Motteville；　had
turned　all　heads。　　These　books　had　become　so　fashionable；　that　in　no
class　was　the　man　or　woman　who　did　not　have　them　continually　in　hand。
Ambition；　the　desire　for　novelty；　the　skill　of　those　who　circulated　these
books；　made　the　majority　of　people　hope　to　cut　a　figure　or　make　a
fortune；　and　persuaded　them　there　was　as　little　lack　of　personages　as　in
the　last　minority。　　People　looked　upon　Law　as　the　Mazarin　of　the　day
（they　were　both　foreign）upon　M。　and　Madame　du　Maine；　as　the　chiefs　of
the　Fronde；　the　weakness　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was　compared　to　that　of
the　Queen…mother；　and　so　on。

To　say　the　truth；　all　tended　towards　whatever　was　extrememoderation
seemed　forgottenand　it　was　high　time　the　Regent　aroused　himself　from　a
supineness　which　rendered　him　contemptible；　and　which　emboldened　his
enemies　and　those　of　the　State　to　brave　all　and　undertake　all。　　This
lethargy；　too；　disheartened　his　servants；　and　made　all　healthy　activity
on　their　part　impossible。　　It　had　at　last　led　him　to　the　very　verge　of
the　precipice；　and　the　realm　he　governed　to　within　an　inch　of　the
greatest　confusion。　　He　had　need；　indeed；　to　be　up　and　doing！

The　Regent；　without　having　the　horrible　vice　or　the　favourites　of　Henry
III。；　had　even　more　than　that　monarch　become　notorious　for　his　daily
debauches；　his　indecency；　and　his　impiety。　　Like　Henry　III。；　too；　he　was
betrayed　by　his　most　intimate　councillors　and　domestics。　　This　treachery
pleased　him　（as　it　had　pleased　that　King）　because　it　induced　him　to　keep
idle；　now　from　fear；　now　from　interest；　now　from　disdain；　and　now　from
policy。　　This　torpor　was　agreeable　to　him　because　it　was　in　conformity
with　his　humour　and　his　tastes；　and　because　he　regarded　those　who
counselled　it　as　good；　wise；　and　enlightened　people；　not　blinded　by　their
private　interests；　but　seeing　clearly　things　as　they　were；　while　he　was
importuned　with　opinions　and　explanations　which　would　have　disclosed　the
true　state　of　affairs　and　suggested　remedies。

He　looked　upon　such　people　as　offered　these　opinions　and　explanations　as
impetuous　counsellors；　who　hurried　everything　and　suggested　everything；
who　wished　to　discount　the　future　in　order　to　satisfy　their　ambition；
their　aversion；　their　different　passions。　　He　kept　on　his　guard　against
them；　he　applauded　himself　for　not　being　their　dupe。　　Now；　he　laughed　at
them；　often　he　allowed　them　to　believe　he　appreciated　their　reasoning；
that　he　was　going　to　act　and　rouse　from　his　lethargy。　　He　amused　them
thus；　gained　time；　and　diverted　himself　afterwards　with　the　others。
Sometimes　he　replied　coldly　to　them；　and　when　they　pressed　him　too　much
he　allowed　his　suspicions　to　peep　out。

Long　since　I　had　perceived　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans'　mode　of　action。　　At　the
first　movements　of　the　Parliament；　of　the　bastards；　and　of　those　who　had
usurped　the　name　of　nobility；　I　had　warned　him。　　I　had　done　so　again　as
soon　as　I　saw　the　cadence　and　the　harmony　of　the　designs　in　progress。　　I
had　pointed　out　to　him　their　inevitable　sequel；　how　easy　it　was　to　hinder
them　at　the　commencement；　how　difficult　after；　especially　for　a　person　of
his　character　and　disposition。　　But　I　was　not　the　man　for　such　work　as
this。　　I　was　the　oldest；　the　most　attached；　the　freest　spoken　of　all　his
servitors；　I　had　given　him　the　best　proofs　of　this　in　the　most　critical
times　of　his　life；　and　in　the　midst　of　his　universal　abandonment；　the
counsels　I　had　offered　him　in　these　sad　days　he　had　always　found　for　his
good；　he　was　accustomed　to　repose　in　me　the　most　complete　confidence；
but；　whatever　opinion　he　might　have　of　me；　and　of　my　truth　and　probity；
he　was　on　his　guard　against　what　he　called　my　warmth；　and　against　the
love　I　had　for　my　dignity；　so　attacked　by　the　usurpations　of　the
bastards；　the　designs　of　the　Parliament；　and　the　modern　fancies　of　a　sham
nobility。　　As　soon　as　I　perceived　his　suspicions　I　told　him　so；　and　I
added　that；　content　with　having　done　my　duty　as　citizen　and　as　his
servitor；　I　would　say　no　more　on　the　subject。　　I　kept　my　word。　　For　more
than　a　year　I　had　not　of　myself　opened　my　mouth　thereon。　　If　he　was
sometimes　spoken　to　before　me；　and　I　could　not　keep　quite　silent　without
being　suspected　of　sulking　or　pique；　I　carelessly　said　something
indefinite；　with　as　little　meaning　in　it　as　possible；　and　calculated　to
make　us　drop　the　subject。

Judge　of　my　surprise；　therefore；　when　as　I　was　working　as　usual　one
afternoon　with　the　Regent；　he　interrupted　me　to　speak　with　bitterness　of
the　Parliament。　　I　replied　with　my　accustomed　coldness　and　pretended
negligence；　and　continued　my　business。　　He　stopped　me；　and　said　that　he
saw　very　well　that　I　would　not　reply　to　him　concerning　the　Parliament。
I　admitted　it　was　true；　and　added　that　he　must　long　since　have　perceived
this。　　Pressed　and　pressed　beyond　measure；　I　coldly　remarked　that　he
could　not　but　remember　what　I　had　said　to　him　of　the　Parliament　both
before　and　after　his　accession　to　the　regency；　that　other　counsels　had
prevailed　over　mine；　and　that　finding　my　opinions　were　misinterpreted　by
him；　I　had　resolved　to　hold　my　tongue；　and　had　done　so。　　As　the　subject
was　now　reopened　I　reminded　him　of　a　prophecy　I　had　uttered　long　before；
that　he　had　missed　the　opportunity　of　governing　the　Parliament　when　he
might　have　done　so　with　a　frown；　and　that　step　by　step　he　would　allow
himself　to　be　conducted　by　his　easy…going　disposition；　until　he　found
himself　on　the　very　verge　of　the　abyss；　that　if　he　wished　to　recover　his
position　he　must　begin　at　once　to　retrace　his　steps；　or　lose　his　footing
for　ever！

Such　strong　words　（from　my　mouth　they　had　been　rare　of　late）；　pronounced
with　a　slow；　firm　coldness；　as　though　I　were　indifferent　to　the　course　he
might　adopt；　made　him　feel　how　little　capable　I　believed　him　of　vigorous
and　sustained　action；　and　what　trifling　trouble　I　took　to　make　him　adopt
my　views。　　Dubois；　Argenson；　and　Law　had　also　spoken　to　him；　urging　him
to　take　strong　measures　against　the　Parliament；　the　effect　of　my　speech
was　therefore　marvellous。

It　was　indeed　high　time　to　do　something；　as　I　have　before　remarked。
The　Parliament；　we　found；　after　passing　its　last　decree；　had　named　a
commission　to　inquire　into　the　financial　edict；　this　commission　was
working　in　the　utmost　secrecy；　a　number　of　witnesses　had　already　been
examined；　and　preparations　were　quietly　making　to　arrest　Law　some　fine
morning；　and　hang　him　three　hours　after　within　the　enclosure　of　the
Palais　de　justice。

Immediately　this　fact　became　known；　the　Duc　de　la　Force　and　Fagon
（Councillor　of　State）　went　to　the　Regent'twas　on　the　19th　of　August；
1718and　spoke　to　him　with　such　effect；　that　he　ordered　them　to　assemble
with　Law　that　very　day　at　my　house　in　order　to　see　what　was　to　be　done。
They　came；　in　fact；　and　this　was　the　first　intimation　I　had　that　the
Regent　had　begun　to　feel　the　gravity　of　his　position；　and　that　he　was
ready　to　do　something。　　In　this　conference　at　my　house　the　firmness　of
Law；　hitherto　so　great；　was　shaken　so　that　tears　escaped　him。　　Arguments
did　not　satisfy　us　at　first；　because　the　question　could　only　be　decided
by　force；　and　we　could　not　rely　upon　that　of　the　Regent。　　The　safe…
conduct　with　which　Law　was　supplied　would　not　have　stopped　the　Parliament
an　instant。　　On　every　side　we　were　embarrassed。　　Law；　more　dead　tha