the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第1部分

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The　Memoirs　of　Louis　XIV。；　His　Court　and　The　Regency；　V4

by　Duc　de　Saint…Simon





　　　　　　　　　　MEMOIRS　OF　LOUIS　XIV　AND　HIS　COURT　AND　OF　THE　REGENCY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BY　THE　DUKE　OF　SAINT…SIMON

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VOLUME　4。


CHAPTER　XXV

Anecdote　of　Canaples。Death　of　the　Duc　de　Coislin。Anecdotes　of　His
Unbearable　Politeness。Eccentric　Character。President　de　Novion。
Death　of　M。　de　Lorges。Death　of　the　Duchesse　de　Gesvres。


CHAPTER　XXVI

The　Prince　d'Harcourt。His　Character　and　That　of　His　Wife。Odd　Court
Lady。She　Cheats　at　Play。Scene　at　Fontainebleau。Crackers　at　Marly。
Snowballing　a　Princess。Strange　Manners　of　Madame　d'Harcourt。
Rebellion　among　Her　Servants。A　Vigorous　Chambermaid。


CHAPTER　XXVII

Madame　des　Ursins。Her　Marriage　and　Character。The　Queen　of　Spain。
Ambition　of　Madame　de　Maintenon。Coronation　of　Philip　V。A　Cardinal
Made　Colonel。Favourites　of　Madame　des　Ursins。Her　Complete　Triumph。
A　Mistake。A　Despatch　Violated。Madame　des　Ursins　in　Disgrace。


CHAPTER　XXVIII

Appointment　of　the　Duke　of　Berwick。Deception　Practised　by　Orry。Anger
of　Louis　XIV。Dismissal　of　Madame　des　Ursins。Her　Intrigues　to　Return。
Annoyance　of　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain。Intrigues　at　Versailles。
Triumphant　Return　of　Madame　des　Ursins　to　Court。Baseness　of　the
Courtiers。Her　Return　to　Spain　Resolved　On。


CHAPTER　XXIX

An　Honest　Courtier。Robbery　of　Courtin　and　Fieubet。An　Important
Affair。My　Interview　with　the　King。His　Jealousy　of　His　Authority。
Madame　La　Queue；　the　King's　Daughter。Battle　of　Blenheim　or　Hochstedt。
Our　Defeat。Effect　of　the　News　on　the　King。Public　Grief　and　Public
Rejoicing。Death　of　My　Friend　Montfort。


CHAPTER　XXX

Naval　Battle　of　Malaga。Danger　of　Gibraltar。Duke　of　Mantua　in　Search
of　a　Wife。Duchesse　de　Lesdiguieres。Strange　Intrigues。Mademoiselle
d'Elboeuf　Carries　off　the　Prize。A　Curious　Marriage。Its　Result。
History　of　a　Conversion　to　Catholicism。Attempted　Assassination。　
Singular　Seclusion


CHAPTER　XXXI

Fascination　of　the　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne。Fortunes　of　Nangis。He　Is
Loved　by　the　Duchesse　and　Her　Dame　d'Atours。Discretion　of　the　Court。
Maulevrier。His　Courtship　of　the　Duchess。Singular　Trick。Its　Strange
Success。Mad　Conduct　of　MaulevrierHe　Is　Sent　to　Spain。His　Adventures
There。His　Return　and　Tragical　Catastrophe。


CHAPTER　XXXII

Death　of　M。　de　Duras。Selfishness　of　the　King。Anecdote　of　Puysieux。
Character　of　Pontchartrain。Why　He　Ruined　the　French　Fleet。Madame　des
Ursins　at　Last　Resolves　to　Return　to　Spain。Favours　Heaped　upon　Her。
M。　de　Lauzun　at　the　Army。His　bon　mot。Conduct　of　M。　de　Vendome。
Disgrace　and　Character　of　the　Grand　Prieur。




CHAPTER　XXV

Canaples；　brother　of　the　Marechal　de　Crequi；　wished　to　marry　Mademoiselle
de　Vivonne　who　was　no　longer　young；　but　was　distinguished　by　talent；
virtue　and　high　birth；　she　had　not　a　penny。　　The　Cardinal　de　Coislin；
thinking　Canaples　too　old　to　marry；　told　him　so。　　Canaples　said　he　wanted
to　have　children。　　〃Children！〃　exclaimed　the　Cardinal。　　〃But　she　is　so
virtuous！〃　　Everybody　burst　out　laughing；　and　the　more　willingly；　as　the
Cardinal；　very　pure　in　his　manners；　was　still　more　so　in　his　language。
His　saying　was　verified　by　the　event：　the　marriage　proved　sterile。

The　Duc　de　Coislin　died　about　this　time。　　I　have　related　in　its　proper
place　an　adventure　that　happened　to　him　and　his　brother；　the　Chevalier　de
Coislin：　now　I　will　say　something　more　of　the　Duke。　　He　was　a　very　little
man；　of　much　humour　and　virtue；　but　of　a　politeness　that　was　unendurable；
and　that　passed　all　bounds；　though　not　incompatible　with　dignity。　　He　had
been　lieutenant…general　in　the　army。　　Upon　one　occasion；　after　a　battle
in　which　he　had　taken　part；　one　of　the　Rhingraves　who　had　been　made
prisoner；　fell　to　his　lot。　　The　Duc　de　Coislin　wished　to　give　up　to　the
other　his　bed；　which　consisted　indeed　of　but　a　mattress。　　They
complimented　each　other　so　much；　the　one　pressing；　the　other　refusing；
that　in　the　end　they　both　slept　upon　the　ground；　leaving　the　mattress
between　them。　　The　Rhingrave　in　due　time　came　to　Paris　and　called　on　the
Duc　de　Coislin。　　When　he　was　going；　there　was　such　a　profusion　of
compliments；　and　the　Duke　insisted　so　much　on　seeing　him　out；　that　the
Rhingrave；　as　a　last　resource；　ran　out　of　the　room；　and　double　locked　the
door　outside。　　M。　de　Coislin　was　not　thus　to　be　outdone。　　His　apartments
were　only　a　few　feet　above　the　ground。　　He　opened　the　window　accordingly；
leaped　out　into　the　court；　and　arrived　thus　at　the　entrance…door　before
the　Rhingrave；　who　thought　the　devil　must　have　carried　him　there。　　The
Duc　de　Coislin；　however；　had　managed　to　put　his　thumb　out　of　joint　by
this　leap。　　He　called　in　Felix；　chief　surgeon　of　the　King；　who　soon　put
the　thumb　to　rights。　　Soon　afterwards　Felix　made　a　call　upon　M。　de
Coislin　to　see　how　he　was；　and　found　that　the　cure　was　perfect。　　As　he
was　about　to　leave；　M。　de　Coislin　must　needs　open　the　door　for　him。
Felix；　with　a　shower　of　bows；　tried　hard　to　prevent　this；　and　while　they
were　thus　vying　in　politeness；　each　with　a　hand　upon　the　door；　the　Duke
suddenly　drew　back；　he　had　put　his　thumb　out　of　joint　again；　and　Felix
was　obliged　to　attend　to　it　on　the　spot！　　It　may　be　imagined　what
laughter　this　story　caused　the　King；　and　everybody　else；　when　it　became
known。

There　was　no　end　to　the　outrageous　civilities　of　M。　de　Coislin。　　On
returning　from　Fontainebleau　one　day；　we；　that　is　Madame　de　Saint…Simon
and　myself；　encountered　M。　de　Coislin　and　his　son；　M。　de　Metz；　on　foot
upon　the　pavement　of　Ponthierry；　where　their　coach　had　broken　down。　　We
sent　word；　accordingly；　that　we　should　be　glad　to　accommodate　them　in
ours。　　But　message　followed　message　on　both　sides；　and　at　last　I　was
compelled　to　alight　and　to　walk　through　the　mud；　begging　them　to　mount
into　my　coach。　　M。　de　Coislin；　yielding　to　my　prayers；　consented　to　this。
M。　de　Metz　was　furious　with　him　for　his　compliments；　and　at　last
prevailed　on　him。　　When　M。　de　Coislin　had　accepted　my　offer　and　we　had
nothing　more　to　do　than　to　gain　the　coach；　he　began　to　capitulate；　and　to
protest　that　he　would　not　displace　the　two　young　ladies　he　saw　seated　in
the　vehicle。　　I　told　him　that　the　two　young　ladies　were　chambermaids；　who
could　well　afford　to　wait　until　the　other　carriage　was　mended；　and　then
continue　their　journey　in　that。　　But　he　would　not　hear　of　this；　and　at
last　all　that　M。　de　Metz　and　I　could　do　was　to　compromise　the　matter；　by
agreeing　to　take　one　of　the　chambermaids　with　us。　　When　we　arrived　at　the
coach；　they　both　descended；　in　order　to　allow　us　to　mount。　　During　the
compliments　that　passedand　they　were　not　shortI　told　the　servant　who
held　the　coach…door　open；　to　close　it　as　soon　as　I　was　inside；　and　to
order　the　coachman　to　drive　on　at　once。　　This　was　done；　but　M。　de　Coislin
immediately　began　to　cry　aloud　that　he　would　jump　out　if　we　did　not　stop
for　the　young　ladies；　and　he　set　himself　to　do　so　in　such　an　odd　manner；
that　I　had　only　time　to　catch　hold　of　the　belt　of　his　breeches　and　hold
him　back；　but　he　still；　with　his　head　hanging　out　of　the　window；
exclaimed　that　he　would　leap　out；　and　pulled　against　me。　　At　this
absurdity　I　called　to　the　coachman　to　stop；　the　Duke　with　difficulty
recovered　himself；　and　persisted　that　he　would　have　thrown　himself　out。
The　chambermaid　was　ordered　to　mount；　and　mount　she　did；　all　covered　with
mud；　which　daubed　us；　and　she　nearly　crushed　M。　de　Metz　and　me　in　this
carriage　fit　only　for　four。

M。　de　Coislin　could　not　bear　that　at　parting　anybody　should　give　him　the
〃last　touch；〃　a　piece　of　sport；　rarely　cared　for　except　in　early　youth；
and　out　of　which　arises　a　chase　by　the　person　touched；　in　order　to　catch
him　by　whom　he　has　been　touched。　　One　evening；　when　the　Court　was　at
Nancy；　and　just　as　everybody　was　going　to　bed；　M。　de　Longueville　spoke　a
few　words　in　private　to　two　of　his　torch…bearers；　and　then　touching　the
Duc　de　Coislin；　said　he　had　given　him　the　last　touch；　and　scampered　away；
the　Duke　hotly　pursuing　him。　　Once　a　little　in　advance；　M。　de　Longueville
hid　himself　in　a　doorway；　allowed　M。　de　Coislin　to　pass　on；　and　then　went
quietly　home　to　bed。　　Meanwhile　the　Duke；　lighted　by　the　torch…bearers；
searched　for　M。　de　Longueville　all　over　the　town；　but　meeting　with　no
success；　was　obliged　to　give　up　the　chase；　and　went　home　all　in　a　sweat。
He　was　obliged　of　course　to　laugh　a　good　deal　at　this　joke；　but　he
evidently　did　not　like　it　over　much。

With　all　his　politeness；　which　was　in　no　way　put　on；　M。　de　Coislin　could；
when　he　pleased；　show　a　great　deal　of　firmness；　and　a　resolution　to
maintain　his　proper　dignity　worthy　of　much　praise。　　At　Nancy；　on　this
same　occasion；　the　Duc　de　Crequi；　not　finding　apartments　provided　for　him
to　his　taste　on　arriving　in　town；　went；　in　his　brutal　manner；　and　seized
upon　those　allotted　to　the　Duc　de　Coislin。　　The　Duke；　arriving　a　moment
after；　found　his　servants　turned　into　the　street；　and　soon　learned　who
had　sent　them　there。　　M。　de　Crequi　had　precedence　of　him　in　rank；　he　said
not　a　word；　therefore；　but　went　to　the　apartments　provided　for　the
Marechal　de　Crequi　（brother　of　the　other）；　served　him　exactly　as　he
himself　had　just　been　served；　and　took　up　his　quarters　there。　　The
Marechal　de　Crequi　arrived　in　his　turn；　learned　what　had　occurred；　and
immediately　seized　upon　the　apartments　of　Cavoye；　in　order　to　teach　him
how　to　provide　quarters　in　future　so　as　to　avoid　all　disputes。

On　another　occasion；　M。　de　Coislin　went　to　the　Sorbonne　to　listen　to　a
thesis　sustained　by　the　second　son　of　M。　de　Bouillon。　　When　persons　of
distinction　gave　these　discourses；　it　was　customary　for　the　Princes　of
the　blood；　and　for　many　of　the　Court；　to　go　and　hear　them。　　M。　de　Coislin
was　at　that　time　almost　last　in　order　of　precedence　among　the　Dukes。
When　he　took　his　seat；　therefore；　knowing　that　a　number　of　them　would
probably　arrive；　he　left　several　rows　of　vacant　places　in　front　of　him；
and　sat　himself　down。　　Immediately　afterwards；　Novion；　Chief　President　of
the　Parliament；　arrived；　and　seated　himself　in　front　of　M。　de　Coislin。
Astonished　at　this　act　of　madness；　M。　de　Coislin　said　not　a　word；　but
took　an　arm…chair；　and；　while　Novion　turned　his　head　to　speak