the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第5部分

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an　instant。　　On　every　side　we　were　embarrassed。　　Law；　more　dead　than
alive；　knew　not　what　to　say；　much　less　what　to　do。　　His　safety　appeared
to　us　the　most　pressing　matter　to　ensure。　　If　he　had　been　taken　it　would
have　been　all　over　with　him　before　the　ordinary　machinery　of　negotiation
（delayed　as　it　was　likely　to　be　by　the　weakness　of　the　Regent）　could　have
been　set　in　motion；　certainly；　before　there　would　have　been　leisure　to
think　of　better；　or　to　send　a　regiment　of　guards　to　force　open　the　Palais
de　justice；　a　critical　remedy　at　all　times；　and　grievous　to　the　last
degree；　even　when　it　succeeds；　frightful；　if　instead　of　Law；　only　his
suspended　corpse　had　been　found！

I　advised　Law；　therefore；　to　retire　to　the　Palais　Royal；　and　occupy　the
chamber　of　Nancre；　his　friend；　then　away　in　Spain。　　Law　breathed　again　at
this　suggestion　（approved　by　de　la　Force　and　Fagon）；　and　put　it　in
execution　the　moment　he　left　my　house。　　He　might　have　been　kept　in　safety
at　the　Bank；　but　I　thought　the　Palais　Royal　would　be　better：　that　his
retirement　there　would　create　more　effect；　and　induce　the　Regent　to　hold
firm　to　his　purpose；　besides　allowing　his　Royal　Highness　to　see　the
financier　whenever　he　pleased。




CHAPTER　XCI

This　done　I　proposed；　and　the　others　approved　my　proposition；　that　a　Bed
of　Justice　should　be　held　as　the　only　means　left　by　which　the　abrogation
of　the　parliamentary　decrees　could　be　registered。　　But　while　our
arguments　were　moving；　I　stopped　them　all　short　by　a　reflection　which
came　into　my　mind。　　I　represented　to　my　guests　that　the　Duc　du　Maine　was
in　secret　the　principal　leader　of　the　Parliament；　and　was　closely　allied
with　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　that　both　would　oppose　might　and　main　the
assembling　of　a　Bed　of　justice；　so　contrary　to　their　views；　to　their
schemes；　to　their　projects；　that　to　hinder　it　they；　as　guardians　of　the
young　King；　would　plead　on　his　behalf；　the　heat；　which　was　in　fact
extreme；　the　fear　of　the　crowd；　of　the　fatigue；　of　the　bad　air；　that　they
would　assume　a　pathetic　tone　in　speaking　of　the　King's　health；　calculated
to　embarrass　the　Regent；　that　if　he　persisted　they　would　protest　against
everything　which　might　happen　to　His　Majesty；　declare；　perhaps；　that　in
order　not　to　share　the　blame；　they　would　not　accompany　him；　that　the
King；　prepared　by　them；　would　grow　frightened；　perhaps；　and　would　not　go
to　the　Parliament　without　them；　that　then　all　would　be　lost；　and　the
powerlessness　of　the　Regent；　so　clearly　manifested；　might　rapidly　lead　to
the　most　disastrous　results。

These　remarks　stopped　short　our　arguments；　but　I　had　not　started
objections　without　being　prepared　with　a　remedy　for　them。　　I　said；　〃Let
the　Bed　of　justice　be　held　at　the　Tuileries；　let　it　be　kept　a　profound
secret　until　the　very　morning　it　is　to　take　place；　and　let　those　who　are
to　attend　it　be　told　so　only　a　few　hours　before　they　are　to　assemble。
By　these　means　no　time　will　be　allowed　for　anybody　to　object　to　the
proceeding；　to　plead　the　health　of　the　King；　the　heat　of　the　weather；
or　to　interfere　with　the　arrangement　of　the　troops　which　it　will　be
necessary　to　make。〃

We　stopped　at　this：　Law　went　away；　and　I　dictated　to　Fagon　the　full
details　of　my　scheme；　by　which　secrecy　was　to　be　ensured　and　all
obstacles　provided　against。　　We　finished　about　nine　o'clock　in　the
evening；　and　I　counselled　Fagon　to　carry　what　he　had　written　to　the　Abbe
Dubois；　who　had　just　returned　from　England　with　new　credit　over　the　mind
of　his　master。

The　next　day　I　repaired　to　the　Palais　Royal　about　four　o'clock。　　A　moment
after　La　Vrilliere　came　and　relieved　me　of　the　company　of　Grancey　and
Broglio；　two　roues；　whom　I　had　found　in　the　grand　cabinet；　in　the　cool；
familiarly；　without　wigs。　　When　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was　free　he　led　me
into　the　cabinet；　behind　the　grand　salon；　by　the　Rue　de　Richelieu；　and　on
entering　said　he　was　at　the　crisis　of　his　regency；　and　that　everything
was　needed　in　order　to　sustain　him　on　this　occasion。　　He　added　that　he
was　resolved　to　strike　a　heavy　blow　at　the　Parliament；　that　he　much
approved　my　proposition　respecting　the　Bed　of　justice　at　the　Tuileries；
and　that　it　would　be　held　exactly　as　I　had　suggested。

I　was　delighted　at　his　animation；　and　at　the　firmness　he　appeared　to
possess；　and　after　having　well　discussed　with　him　all　the　inconveniences
of　my　plan；　and　their　remedy；　we　came　at　last　to　a　very　important　matter；
the　mechanical　means；　so　to　speak；　by　which　that　plan　was　to　be　put　in
force。　　There　was　one　thing　to　be　provided　for；　which　may　appear　an
exceedingly　insignificant　matter；　but　which　in　truth　was　of　no　light
importance。　　When　a　Bed　of　justice　is　held；　seats　one　above　another　must
be　provided　for　those　who　take　part　in　it。　　No　room　in　the　Tuileries
possessed　such　seats　and　how　erect　them　without　noise；　without　exciting
remarks；　without　causing　inquiries　and　suspicions；　which　must　inevitably
lead　to　the　discovery　and　perhaps　thereby　to　the　failure　of　our　project？
I　had　not　forgotten　this　difficulty；　however；　and　I　said　to　the　Regent
I　would　go　in　secret　to　Fontanieu；　who　controlled　the　crown　furniture；
explain　all　to　him；　and　arrange　matters　with　him　so　that　these　seats
should　be　erected　at　the　very　last　moment；　in　time　for　our　purpose；　but
too　late　to　supply　information　that　could　be　made　use　of　by　our　enemies。
I　hurried　off　accordingly；　as　soon　as　I　could　get　away；　in　search　of
Fontanieu。

I　had　already　had　some　relations　with　him；　for　he　had　married　his
daughter　to　the　son　of　the　sister　of　my　brother…in…law；　M。　de　Lauzun。
I　had　done　him　some　little　service；　and　had　therefore　every　reason　to
expect　he　would　serve　me　on　this　occasion。　　Judge　of　my　annoyance　when
upon　reaching　his　house　I　learned　that　he　had　gone　almost　to　the　other
end　of　the　town；　to　the　Marais；　to　conduct　a　suit　at　law；　in　which
Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Lauzun　were　concerned；　respecting　an　estate　at
Rondon　they　claimed！

The　porter　seeing　me　so　vexed　at　being　obliged　to　journey　so　far　in
search　of　Fontanieu；　said；　that　if　I　would　go　and　speak　to　Madame
Fontanieu；　he　would　see　if　his　master　was　not　still　in　the　neighbourhood；
at　a　place　he　intended　to　visit　before　going　to　the　Marais。　　I　acted　upon
this　suggestion　and　went　to　Madame　Fontanieu；　whom　I　found　alone。　　I　was
forced　to　talk　to　her　of　the　suit　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Lauzun；　which
I　pretended　was　the　business　I　came　upon；　and　cruelly　did　I　rack　my
brains　to　say　enough　to　keep　up　the　conversation。　　When　Fontanieu
arrived；　for　he　was　soon　found；　fortunately；　I　was　thrown　into　another
embarrassment；　for　I　had　all　the　pains　in　the　world　to　get　away　from
Madame　Fontanieu；　who；　aided　by　her　husband；　begged　me　not　to　take　the
trouble　to　descend　but　to　discuss　the　subject　where　I　was　as　she　was　as
well　informed　upon　the　case　as　he；　I　thought　once　or　twice　I　should　never
escape　her。　　At　last；　however；　I　led　away　Fontanieu；　by　dint　of
compliments　to　his　wife；　in　which　I　expressed　my　unwillingness　to　weary
her　with　this　affair。

When　Fontanieu　and　I　were　alone　down　in　his　cabinet；　I　remained　some
moments　talking　to　him　upon　the　same　subject；　to　allow　the　valets　who　had
opened　the　doors　for　us　time　to　retire。　　Then；　to　his　great　astonishment；
I　went　outside　to　see　if　there　were　no　listeners；　and　carefully　closed
the　doors。　　After　this　I　said　to　Fontanieu　that　I　had　not　come　concerning
the　affair　of　Madame　de　Lauzun；　but　upon　another　very　different；　which
demanded　all　his　industry；　a　secrecy　proof　against　every　trial；　and　which
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　charged　me　to　communicate　to　him；　but　that　before
explaining　myself　he　must　know　whether　his　Royal　Highness　could　certainly
count　upon　him。

It　is　strange　what　an　impression　the　wildest　absurdities　leave　if　they
are　spread　abroad　with　art。　　The　first　thing　Fontanieu　did　was　to　tremble
violently　all　over　and　become　whiter　than　his　shirt。　　With　difficulty　he
stammered　out　a　few　words　to　the　effect　that　he　would　do　for　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　as　much　as　his　duty　would　permit　him　to　do。　　I　smiled；　looking
fixedly　at　him；　and　this　smile　warned　him　apparently　that　he　owed　me　an
excuse　for　not　being　quite　at　ease　upon　any　affair　that　passed　through　my
hands；　he　directly　made　me　one；　at　all　events；　and　with　the　confusion　of
a　man　who　sees　that　his　first　view　has　dazzled　the　second；　and　who；　full
of　this　first　view；　does　not　show　anything；　yet　lets　all　be　seen。

I　reassured　him　as　well　as　I　could；　and　said　that　I　had　answered　for　him
to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　afterwards　that　a　Bed　of　justice　was　wanted；
for　the　construction　of　which　we　had　need　of　him。

Scarcely　had　I　explained　this；　than　the　poor　fellow　began　to　take　breath；
as　though　escaping　from　stifling　oppression；　or　a　painful　operation　for
the　stone；　and　asked　me　if　that　was　what　I　wanted？

He　promised　everything；　so　glad　was　he　to　be　let　off　thus　cheaply；　and　in
truth　he　kept　to　his　word；　both　as　to　the　secret　and　the　work。　　He　had
never　seen　a　Bed　of　justice；　and　had　not　the　slightest　notion　what　it　was
like。　　I　sat　down　on　his　bureau；　and　drew　out　the　design　of　one。　　I
dictated　to　him　the　explanations　in　the　margin；　because　I　did　not　wish
them　to　be　in　my　handwriting。　　I　talked　more　than　an　hour　with　him；　I
disarranged　his　furniture；　the　better　to　show　to　him　the　order　of　the
assembly；　and　explained　to　him　what　was　to　be　done；　so　that　all　might　be
carried　to　the　Tuileries　and　erected　in　a　very；　few　moments。　　When　I
found　I　had　made　everything　sufficiently　clear；　and　he　had　understood　me；
I　returned　to　the　Palais　Royal　as　though　recollecting　something；　being
already　in　the　streets；　to　deceive　my　people。

A　servant　awaited　me　at　the　top　of　the　staircase；　and　the　concierge　of
the　Palais　Royal　at　the　door　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans'　room；　with　orders　to
beg　me　to　write。　　It　was　the　sacred　hour　of　the　roues　and　the　supper；
at　which　all　idea　of　business　was　banished。　　I　wrote；　therefore；　to　the
Regent　in　his　winter　cabinet　what　I　had　just　done；　not　without　some
little　indignation　that　he　could　not　give　up　his　pleasure　for　an　affair
of　this　importance。　　I　was　obliged　to　beg　the　concierge　not　to　give　my
note　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　unless　he　were　in　a　state　to　read　it　and　to