the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第12部分

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spread　abroad　with　all　the　ridicule　which　attached　to　it。

The　King　was　very　much　annoyed　when　he　learnt　that　his　orders　had　been
thus　disobeyed。　　The　Lorraines　plastered　over　the　affair　by　representing
that　they　feared　an　affront　from　M。　de　Mantua；　and　indeed　it　did　not　seem
at　all　unlikely　that　M。　de　Mantua；　forced　as　it　were　into　compliance　with
their　wishes；　might　have　liked　nothing　better　than　to　reach　Italy　and
then　laugh　at　them。　　Meanwhile；　Madame　d'Elboeuf　and　her　daughter
embarked　on　board　the　royal　galleys　and　started　for　Italy。　　On　the　way
they　were　fiercely　chased　by　some　African　corsairs；　and　it　is　a　great
pity　they　were　not　taken　to　finish　the　romance。

However；　upon　arriving　in　Italy；　the　marriage　was　again　celebrated；　this
time　with　all　the　forms　necessary　for　the　occasion。　　But　Madame　d'Elboeuf
had　no　cause　to　rejoice　that　she　had　succeeded　in　thus　disposing　of　her
daughter。　　The　new　Duchesse　de　Mantua　was　guarded　by　her　husband　with　the
utmost　jealousy。　　She　was　not　allowed　to　see　anybody　except　her　mother；
and　that　only　for　an　hour　each　day。　　Her　women　entered　her　apartment　only
to　dress　and　undress　her。　　The　Duke　walled　up　very　high　all　the　windows
of　his　house；　and　caused　his　wife　to；　be　guarded　by　old　women。　　She
passed　her　days　thus　in　a　cruel　prison。　　This　treatment；　which　I　did　not
expect；　and　the　little　consideration；　not　to　say　contempt；　shown　here　for
M。　de　Mantua　since　his　departure；　consoled　me　much　for　the　invincible
obstinacy　of　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres。　　Six　months　after；　Madame　d'Elboeuf
returned；　beside　herself　with　vexation；　but　too　vain　to　show　it。　　She
disguised　the　misfortune　of　her　daughter；　and　appeared　to　be　offended　if
it　was　spoken　of；　but　all　our　letters　from　the　army　showed　that　the　news
was　true。　　The　strangest　thing　of　all　is；　that　the　Lorraines　after　this
journey　were　as　well　treated　by　the　King　as　if　they　had　never　undertaken
it；　a　fact　which　shows　their　art　and　ascendency。

I　have　dwelt　too　long　perhaps　upon　this　matter。　　It　appeared　to　me　to
merit　attention　by　its　singularity；　and　still　more　so　because　it　is　by
facts　of　this　sort　that　is　shown　what　was　the　composition　of　the　Court　of
the　King。

About　this　time　the　Comtesse　d'Auvergne　finished　a　short　life　by　an
illness　very　strange　and　uncommon。　　When　she　married　the　Comte　d'Auvergne
she　was　a　Huguenot；　and　he　much　wanted　to　make　her　turn　Catholic。
A　famous　advocate　of　that　time；　who　was　named　Chardon；　had　been　a
Huguenot；　and　his　wife　also；　they　had　made　a　semblance；　however；　of
abjuring；　but　made　no　open　profession　of　Catholicism。　　Chardon　was
sustained　by　his　great　reputation；　and　by　the　number　of　protectors　he　had
made　for　himself。

One　morning　he　and　his　wife　were　in　their　coach　before　the　Hotel…Dieu；
waiting　for　a　reply　that　their　lackey　was　a　very　long　time　in　bringing
them。　　Madame　Chardon　glanced　by　chance　upon　the　grand　portal　of　Notre
Dame；　and　little　by　little　fell　into　a　profound　reverie；　which　might　be
better　called　reflection。　　Her　husband；　who　at　last　perceived　this；　asked
her　what　had　sent　her　into　such　deep　thought；　and　pushed　her　elbow　even
to　draw　a　reply　from　her。　　She　told　him　then　what　she　was　thinking　about。
Pointing　to　Notre　Dame；　she　said　that　it　was　many　centuries　before　Luther
and　Calvin　that　those　images　of　saints　had　been　sculptured　over　that
portal；　that　this　proved　that　saints　had　long　since　been　invoked；　the
opposition　of　the　reformers　to　this　ancient　opinion　was　a　novelty；　that
this　novelty　rendered　suspicious　other　dogmas　against　the　antiquity　of
Catholicism　that　they　taught；　that　these　reflections；　which　she　had　never
before　made；　gave　her　much　disquietude；　and　made　her　form　the　resolution
to　seek　to　enlighten　herself。

Chardon　thought　his　wife　right；　and　from　that　day　they　laid　themselves
out　to　seek　the　truth；　then　to　consult；　then　to　be　instructed。　　This
lasted　a　year；　and　then　they　made　a　new　abjuration；　and　both　ever
afterwards　passed　their　lives　in　zeal　and　good　works。　　Madame　Chardon
converted　many　Huguenots。　　The　Comte　d'Auvergne　took　his　wife　to　her。
The　Countess　was　converted　by　her；　and　became　a　very　good　Catholic。　　When
she　died　she　was　extremely　regretted　by　all　the　relatives　of　her　husband；
although　at　first　they　had　looked　upon　her　coldly。

In　the　month　of　this　September；　a　strange　attempt　at　assassination
occurred。　　Vervins　had　been　forced　into　many　suits　against　his　relatives；
and　was　upon　the　point　of　gaining　them　all；　when　one　of　his　cousins…
german；　who　called　himself　the　Abbe　de　Pre；　caused　him　to　be　attacked　as
he　passed　in　his　coach　along　the　Quai　de　la　Tournelle；　before　the
community　of　Madame　de　Miramion。　　Vervins　was　wounded　with　several　sword
cuts；　and　also　his　coachman；　who　wished　to　defend　him。　　In　consequence　of
the　complaint　Vervins　made；　the　Abbe　escaped　abroad；　whence　he　never
returned；　and　soon　after；　his　crime　being　proved；　was　condemned　to　be
broken　alive　on　the　wheel。　　Vervins　had　long　been　menaced　with　an　attack
by　the　Abbe。　　Vervins　was　an　agreeable；　well…made　man；　but　very　idle。
He　had　entered　the　army；　but　quitted　it　soon；　and　retired　to　his　estates
in　Picardy。　　There　he　shut　himself　up　without　any　cause　of　disgust　or　of
displeasure；　without　being　in　any　embarrassment；　for　on　the　contrary　he
was　well　to　do；　and　all　his　affairs　were　in　good　order；　and　he　never
married；　without　motives　of　piety；　for　piety　was　not　at　all　in　his　vein；
without　being　in　bad　health；　for　his　health　was　always　perfect；　without　a
taste　for　improvement；　for　no　workmen　were　ever　seen　in　his　house；　still
less　on　account　of　the　chase；　for　he　never　went　to　it。　　Yet　he　stayed　in
his　house　for　several　years；　without　intercourse　with　a　soul；　and；　what
is　most　incomprehensible；　without　budging　from　his　bed；　except　to　allow
it　to　be　made。　　He　dined　there；　and　often　all　alone；　he　transacted　what
little　business　he　had　to　do　there；　and　received　while　there　the　few
people　he　could　not　refuse　admission　to；　and　each　day；　from　the　moment　he
opened　his　eyes　until　he　closed　them　again；　worked　at　tapestry；　or　read　a
little；　he　persevered　until　his　death　in　this　strange　fashion　of
existence；　so　uniquely　singular；　that　I　have　wished　to　describe　it。




CHAPTER　XXXI

There　presents　itself　to　my　memory　an　anecdote　which　it　would　be　very
prudent　perhaps　to　be　silent　upon；　and　which　is　very　curious　for　anybody
who　has　seen　things　so　closely　as　I　have；　to　describe。　　What　determines
me　to　relate　it　is　that　the　fact　is　not　altogether　unknown；　and　that
every　Court　swarms　with　similar　adventures。　　Must　it　be　said　then？　　We
had　amongst　us　a　charming　young　Princess　who；　by　her　graces；　her
attentions；　and　her　original　manners；　had　taken　possession　of　the　hearts
of　the　King；　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　of　her　husband；　Monseigneur　le
Duc　de　Bourgogne。　　The　extreme　discontent　so　justly　felt　against　her
father；　M。　de　Savoie；　had　not　made　the　slightest　alteration　in　their
tenderness　for　her。　　The　King；　who　hid　nothing　from　her；　who　worked　with
his　ministers　in　her　presence　whenever　she　liked　to　enter；　took　care　not
to　say　a　word　in　her　hearing　against　her　father。　　In　private；　she　clasped
the　King　round　the　neck　at　all　hours；　jumped　upon　his　knees；　tormented
him　with　all　sorts　of　sportiveness；　rummaged　among　his　papers；　opened　his
letters　end　read　them　in　his　presence；　sometimes　in　spite　of　him；　and
acted　in　the　same　manner　with　Madame　de　Maintenon。　　Despite　this　extreme
liberty；　she　never　spoke　against　any　one：　gracious　to　all；　she
endeavoured　to　ward　off　blows　from　all　whenever　she　could；　was　attentive
to　the　private　comforts　of　the　King；　even　the　humblest：　kind　to　all　who
served　her；　and　living　with　her　ladies；　as　with　friends；　in　complete
liberty；　old　and　young；　she　was　the　darling　of　the　Court；　adored　by　all；
everybody；　great　and　small；　was　anxious　to　please　her；　everybody　missed
her　when　she　was　away；　when　she　reappeared　the　void　was　filled　up；　in　a
word；　she　had　attached　all　hearts　to　her；　but　while　in　this　brilliant
situation　she　lost　her　own。

Nangis；　now　a　very　commonplace　Marshal　of　France；　was　at　that　time　in
full　bloom。　　He　had　an　agreeable　but　not　an　uncommon　face；　was　well　made；
without　anything　marvellous；　and　had　been　educated　in　intrigue　by　the
Marechale　de　Rochefort；　his　grandmother；　and　Madame　de　Blansac；　his
mother；　who　were　skilled　mistresses　of　that　art。　　Early　introduced　by
them　into　the　great　world　of　which　they　were；　so　to　speak；　the　centre；
he　had　no　talent　but　that　of　pleasing　women；　of　speaking　their　language；
and　of　monopolising　the　most　desirable　by　a　discretion　beyond　his　years；
and　which　did　not　belong　to　his　time。　　Nobody　was　more　in　vogue　than　he。
He　had　had　the　command　of　a　regiment　when　he　was　quite　a　child。　　He　had
shown　firmness；　application；　and　brilliant　valour　in　war；　that　the　ladies
had　made　the　most　of；　and　they　sufficed　at　his　age；　he　was　of　the　Court
of　Monseigneur　le　Duc　de　Bourgogne；　about　the　same　age；　and　well　treated
by　him。

The　Duc　de　Bourgogne；　passionately　in　love　with　his　wife；　was　not　so　well
made　as　Nangis；　but　the　Princess　reciprocated　his　ardor　so　perfectly　that
up　to　his　death　he　never　suspected　that　her　glances　had　wandered　to　any
one　else。　　They　fell；　however；　upon　Nangis；　and　soon　redoubled。　　Nangis
was　not　ungrateful；　but　he　feared　the　thunderbolt；　and　his　heart；　too；
was　already　engaged。　　Madame　de　la　Vrilliere；　who；　without　beauty；　was
pretty　and　grateful　as　Love；　had　made　this　conquest。　　She　was；　as　I　have
said；　daughter　of　Madame　de　Mailly；　Dame　d'Atours　of　Madame　la　Duchesse
de　Bourgogne；　and　was　always　near　her。　　Jealousy　soon　enlightened　her　as
to　what　was　taking　place。　　Far　from　yielding　her　conquest　to　the　Duchess；
she　made　a　point　of　preserving　it；　of　disputing　its　possession；　and
carrying　it　off。　　This　struggle　threw　Nangis　into　a　terrible
embarrassment。　　He　feared　the　fury　df　Madame　de　la　Vrilliere；　who
affected　to　be　more　ready　to　break　out　than　in　reality　she　was。　　Besides
his　love　for　her；　he　feared　the　result　of　an　outburst；　and　already　saw
his　fortune　lost。　　On　the　other　hand；　any　reserve　of　his　towards　the
Duchess；　who　had　so　much　power　in　her　handsand　seemed　destined　to　have
moreand　who　he