the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第6部分

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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
burn　it　afterwards。

Our　preparations　for　the　Bed　of　justice　continued　to　be　actively　but
silently　made　during　the　next　few　days。　　In　the　course　of　the　numberless
discussions　which　arose　upon　the　subject；　it　was　agreed；　after　much
opposition　on　my　part；　to　strike　a　blow；　not　only　at　the　Parliament；　but
at　M。　du　Maine；　who　had　fomented　its　discontent。　　M。　le　Duc；　who　had　been
admitted　to　our　councils；　and　who　was　heart　and　soul　against　the
bastards；　proposed　that　at　the　Bed　of　justice　the　education　of　the　young
King　should　be　taken　out　of　the　control　of　M。　du　Maine　and　placed　in　his
hands。　　He　proposed　also　that　the　title　of　Prince　of　the　Blood　should　be
taken　from　him；　with　all　the　privileges　it　conferred；　and　that　he　should
be　reduced　to　the　rank　of　a　simple　Duke　and　Peer；　taking　his　place　among
the　rest　according　to　the　date　of　his　erection；　thus；　at　a　bound；　going
down　to　the　bottom　of　the　peerage！

Should　these　memoirs　ever　see　the　light；　every　one　who　reads　them　will　be
able　to　judge　how　such　a　proposition　as　this　harmonised　with　my　personal
wishes。　　I　had　seen　the　bastards　grow　in　rank　and　importance　with　an
indignation　and　disgust　I　could　scarcely　contain。　　I　had　seen　favour
after　favour　heaped　upon　them　by　the　late　King；　until　he　crowned　all　by
elevating　them　to　the　rank　of　Princes　of　the　Blood　in　defiance　of　all
law；　of　all　precedent；　of　all　decency；　if　I　must　say　the　word。　　What　I
felt　at　this　accumulation　of　honours　I　have　more　than　once　expressed；
what　I　did　to　oppose　such　monstrous　innovations　has　also　been　said。　　No
man　could　be　more　against　M。　du　Maine　than　I；　and　yet　I　opposed　this
proposition　of　M。　le　Duc　because　I　thought　one　blow　was　enough　at　a　time；
and　that　it　might　be　dangerous　to　attempt　the　two　at　once。　　M。　du　Maine
had　supporters；　nay；　he　was　at　the　head　of　a　sort　of　party；　strip　him　of
the　important　post　he　held；　and　what　might　not　his　rake；　his
disappointment；　and　his　wounded　ambition　lead　him　to　attempt？　　Civil　war；
perhaps；　would　be　the　result　of　his　disgrace。

Again　and　again　I　urged　these　views；　not　only　upon　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；
but　upon　M。　le　Duc。　　Nay；　with　this　latter　I　had　two　long　stolen
interviews　in　the　Tuileries　Gardens；　where　we　spoke　without　constraint；
and　exhausted　all　our　arguments。　　But　M。　le　Duc　was　not　to　be　shaken；　and
as　I　could　do　no　more　than　I　had　done　to　move　him；　I　was　obliged　at　last
to　give　in。　　It　was　resolved；　however；　that　disgrace　should　fall　upon　M。
du　Maine　alone；　that　his　brother；　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　an　account　of
the　devotion　to　the　State　he　had　ever　exhibited；　and　his　excellent
conduct　since　the　death　of　the　late　King；　should；　when　stripped　of　his
title　like　the　other；　receive　it　back　again　the　moment　after；　in
acknowledgment　of　the　services　he　had　rendered　to　the　Regent　as
Councillor　of　State；　and　as　an　expression　of　personal　good　feeling
towards　him；　which　his　excellent　qualities　so　justly　merited。

I　returned　home　from　my　last　interview　with　M。　le　Duc；　and　went　to　mass
at　the　Jacobins；　to　which　I　entered　from　my　garden。　　It　was　not　without　a
distracted　mind。　　But　I　prayed　to　God　sincerely　and　earnestly　to　guide　my
steps；　so　that　I　might　labour　for　His　glory　and　the　good　of　the　State
without　private　ends。　　My　prayer　was　heard；　and　in　the　sequel　I　had
nothing　to　reproach　myself　with。　　I　followed　the　straight　road　without
turning　to　the　right　or　to　the　left。

Fontanieu　was　waiting　for　me　in　my　house　as　I　returned　home　from　mass；
and　I　was　obliged　to　listen　to　his　questions　and　to　reply　to　them；　as
though　I　had　nothing　on　my　mind。　　I　arranged　my　chamber　like　a　Bed　of
Justice；　I　made　him　understand　several　things；　connected　with　the
ceremonial　that　he　had　not　under　stood　before；　and　that　it　was　essential
he　should　in　no　way　omit。　　Thus　everything　went　on　satisfactorily；　and　I
began　to　count　the　hours；　by　day　as　well　as　by　night；　until　the　great　day
was　to　arrive　on　which　the　arrogant　pride　of　the　Parliament　was　to
receive　a　check；　and　the　false　plumage　which　adorned　the　bastards　was　to
be　plucked　from　them。

In　the　midst　of　the　sweet　joy　that　I　felt；　no　bitterness　entered。　　I　was
satisfied　with　the　part　I　had　played　in　this　affair；　satisfied　that　I　had
acted　sincerely；　honestly；　that　I　had　not　allowed　my　own　private　motives
to　sway　me；　that　in　the　interests　of　the　State；　as　opposed　to　my　own
interests；　I　had　done　all　in　my　power　to　save　the　Duc　du　Maine。　　And　yet
I　did　not　dare　to　give　myself　up　to　the　rosy　thoughts　suggested　by　the
great　event；　now　so　rapidly　approaching。　　I　toyed　with　them　instead　of
allowing　myself　to　embrace　them。　　I　shrunk　from　them　as　it　were　like　a
cold　lover　who　fears　the　too　ardent　caresses　of　his　mistress。　　I　could
not　believe　that　the　supreme　happiness　I　had　so　long　pined　for　was　at
last　so　near。　　Might　not　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　falter　at　the　last　moment？
Might　not　all　our　preparations；　so　carefully　conducted；　so　cleverly
planned；　weigh　upon　his　feebleness　until　they　fell　to　the　ground？　　It　was
not　improbable。　　He　was　often　firm　in　promises。　　How　often　was　he　firm　in
carrying　them　out？　　All　these　questions；　all　these　restless　doubts
natural　as　it　appears　to　me　under　the　circumstanceswinged　their　way
through　my　mind；　and　kept　me　excited　and　feverish　as　though　life　and
death　were　hanging　on　one　thread。

In　the　midst　of　my　reflections；　a　messenger　from　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；
Millain　by　name；　arrived　at　my　house。　　It　was　on　the　afternoon　of
Thursday；　the　25th　of　August；　1718。　　His　message　was　simple。　　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　was　in　the　same　mood　as　ever；　and　I　was　to　join　him　at　the
Palais　Royal；　according　to　previous　agreement；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the
evening。　　The　Bed　of　justice　was　to　be　held　on　the　morrow。

Never　was　kiss　given　to　a　beautiful　mistress　sweeter　than　that　which　I
imprinted　upon　the　fat　old　face　of　this　charming　messenger！　　A　close
embrace；　eagerly　repeated；　was　my　first　reply；　followed　afterwards　by　an
overflow　of　feeling　for　M。　le　Duc；　and　for　Millain　even；　who　had　worthily
served　in　this　great　undertaking。

The　rest　of　the　day　I　passed　at　home　with　the　Abbe　Dubois；　Fagon；　and　the
Duc　de　la　Force；　one　after　the　other　finishing　up　our　work。　　We　provided
against　everything：　If　the　Parliament　refused　to　come　to　the　Tuileries；
its　interdiction　was　determined　on：　if　any　of　the　members　attempted　to
leave　Paris　they　were　to　be　arrested；　troops　were　to　be　assembled　in
order　to　carry　out　the　Regent's　orders；　we　left　no　accident　without　its
remedy。

The　Abbe　Dubois　arranged　a　little　code　of　signals；　such　as　crossing　the
legs；　shaking　a　handkerchief；　or　other　simple　gestures；　to　be　given　the
first　thing　in　the　morning　to　the　officers　of　the　body…guards　chosen　to
be　in　attendance　in　the　room　where　the　Bed　of　Justice　was　to　be　held。
They　were　to　fix　their　eyes　upon　the　Regent；　and　when　he　made　any　of　the
above　signals；　immediately　to　act　upon　it　according　to　their　written
instructions。　　The　Abbe　Dubois　also　drew　out　a　sort　of　programme　for　M。
le　Duc　d'Orleans；　of　the　different　orders　he　was　to　give　during　the
night；　fixing　the　hour　for　each；　so　that　they　might　not　arrive　a　minute
too　soon　or　a　minute　too　late；　and　secrecy　thus　be　maintained　to　the　very
latest　moment。

Towards　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　I　went　to　they　Palais　Royal。　　I　was
horror…struck　to　find　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　in　bed　with　fever；　as　he　said；
I　felt　his　pulse。　　Fever；　he　had；　sure　enough；　perhaps　from　excitement
caused　by　the　business　in　hand。　　I　said　to　him　it　was　only　fatigue　of
body　and　mind；　of　which　he　would　be　quit　in　twenty…four　hours；　he；　on　his
side；　protested　that　whatever　it　might　be；　he　would　hold　the　Bed　of
justice　on　the　morrow。　　M。　le　Duc；　who　had　just　entered；　was　at　his
pillow；　the　chamber　lighted　by　a　single　wax　candle。　　We　sat　down；　M。　le
Duc　and　I；　and　passed　in　review　the　orders　given　and　to　give；　not　without
much　apprehension　on　account　of　this　fever；　come　so　strangely　out　of
season　to　the　healthiest　man　in　the　world；　and　who　had　never　had　it
before。

I　exhorted　the　Regent　to　take　as　much　repose　as　he　could；　so　that　he
might　be　fully　able　to　execute　the　great　work　of　the　morrow；　the　safety
of　the　Regency　itself　being　at　stake。　　After　this　I　felt　his　pulse　again；
not　without　fear。　　I　assured　him；　however；　his　illness　would　be　nothing；
without；　it　is　true；　being　too　sure　of　it　myself。　　I　took　my　leave　about
ten　o'clock；　and　went　out　of　the　room　with　Millain。　　When　I　found　myself
alone　with　him　in　the　cabinet；　through　which　we　passed；　I　embraced　him
with　an　extreme　pleasure。　　We　had　entered　by　the　backstairs；　we　descended
by　the　same；　so　as　not　to　be　observed。　　It　was　dark；　so　that　on　both
occasions　we　were　obliged　to　grope　our　way。　　Upon　arriving　at　the　bottom
I　could　not　refrain　from　again　embracing　Millain；　so　great　was　my
pleasure；　and　we　separated　each　to　his　home。

The　arrangements　respecting　the　troops　and　for　summoning　the　Parliament；
etc。；　were　all　carried　out　to　the　letter　during　the　night　and　early
morning。　　At　the　hours　agreed　upon　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　gave　the　various
orders。　　About　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　Duc　du　Maine；　as　colonel…
general　of　the　Swiss　guards；　was　aroused。　　He　had　not　been　in　bed　above
an　hour；　having　just　returned　from　a　fete　given　at　the　arsenal　by　Madame
du　Maine。　　He　was　doubtless　much　astonished；　but　contained　himself；　hid
his　fear；　and　sent　at　once　to　instruct　his　companies　of　Swiss　guards　of
the　orders　they　were　to　execute。　　I　don't　think　he　slept　very　well　after
this；　uncertain　as　he　must　have　been　what　was　going　to　happen。　　But　I
never　knew　what　he　or　Madame　du　Maine　did　after　being　thus　rudely
disturbed。

Towards　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　drums　began　to　be　heard　throughout
the　town；　and　soon　soldiers　were　seen　in　movement。　　At　six　o'clock　a
message　was　sent　to　the　Parliament　requesting　it　to　attend　at　the
Tuileries。　　The　reply　was　that　the　request　should　be　obeyed。　　The　members
thereupon　debated　whether　they　should　go　to　the　Tuileries　in　coaches　or
on　foot。　　The　last　mode　was　adopted　as　being　the　most　ordinary；　and　in