the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第14部分

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chastised。　　A　courier　was　immediately　despatched　to　Maulevrier；
commanding　him　to　set　out　for　France。　　He　took　leave　of　the　King　and
Queen　of　Spain　like　a　man　without　hope；　and　left　Spain。　　The　most
remarkable　thing　is；　that　upon　arriving　at　Paris；　and　finding　the　Court
at　Marly；　and　his　wife　there　also；　he　asked　permission　to　go　too；　the
husbands　being　allowed　by　right　to　accompany　their　wives　there；　and　the
King；　to　avoid　a　disturbance；　did　not　refuse　him。

At　first　everything　seemed　to　smile　upon　Maulervrier。　　He　had；　as　I　have
said；　made　friends　with　Madame　des　Ursins　when　he　was　on　the　road　to
Spain。　　He　had　done　so　chiefly　by　vaunting　his　intimacy　with　Madame　de
Bourgogne；　and　by　showing　to　Madame　des　Ursins　that　he　was　in　many　of　the
secrets　of　the　Court。　　Accordingly；　upon　his　return；　she　took　him　by　the
hand　and　showed　a　disposition　towards　him　which　could　not　fail　to
reinstate　him　in　favour。　　She　spoke　well　of　him　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；
who；　always　much　smitten　with　new　friends；　received　him　well；　and　often
had　conversations　with　him　which　lasted　more　than　three　hours。　　Madame　de
Maintenon　mentioned　him　to　the　King；　and　Maulevrier；　who　had　returned　out
of　all　hope；　now　saw　himself　in　a　more　favourable　position　than　ever。

But　the　old　cause　of　trouble　still　existed；　and　with　fresh　complications。
Nangis　was　still　in　favour；　and　his　appearance　made　Maulevrier　miserable。
There　was　a　new　rival　too　in　the　field；　the　Abbe　de　Polignac。

Pleasing；　nay　most　fascinating　in　manner；　the　Abbe　was　a　man　to　gain　all
hearts。　　He　stopped　at　no　flattery　to　succeed　in　this。　　One　day　when
following　the　King　through　the　gardens　of　Marly；　it　came　on　to　rain。
The　King　considerately　noticed　the　Abbe's　dress；　little　calculated　to
keep　off　rain。　　〃It　is　no　matter；　Sire；〃　said　De　Polignac；　〃the　rain　of
Marly　does　not　wet。〃　　People　laughed　much　at　this；　and　these　words　were　a
standing　reproach　to　the　soft…spoken　Abbe。

One　of　the　means　by　which　the　Abbe　gained　the　favour　of　the　King　was　by
being　the　lover　of　Madame　du　Maine。　　His　success　at　length　was　great　in
every　direction。　　He　even　envied　the　situations　of　Nangis　and　Maulevrier；
and　sought　to　participate　in　the　same　happiness。　　He　took　the　same　road。
Madame　d'O　and　the　Marechale　de　Coeuvres　became　his　friends。

He　sought　to　be　heard；　and　was　heard。　　At　last　he　faced　the　danger　of　the
Swiss；　and　on　fine　nights　was　seen　with　the　Duchess　in　the　gardens。
Nangis　diminished　in　favour。　　Maulevrier　on　his　return　increased　in　fury。
The　Abbe　met　with　the　same　fate　as　they：　everything　was　perceived：　people
talked　about　the　matter　in　whispers；　but　silence　was　kept。　　This　triumph；
in　spite　of　his　age；　did　not　satisfy　the　Abbe：　he　aimed　at　something　more
solid。　　He　wished　to　arrive　at　the　cardinalship；　and　to　further　his　views
he　thought　it　advisable　to　ingratiate　himself　into　the　favour　of　Monsieur
de　Bourgogne。　　He　sought　introduction　to　them　through　friends　of　mine；
whom　I　warned　against　him　as　a　man　without　scruple；　and　intent　only　upon
advancing　himself。　　My　warnings　were　in　vain。　　My　friends　would　not　heed
me；　and　the　Abbe　de　Polignac　succeeded　in　gaining　the　confidence　of
Monsieur　de　Bourgogne；　as　well　as　the　favour　of　Madame　de　Bourgogne。

Maulevrier　had　thus　two　sources　of　annoyancethe　Abbe　de　Polignac　and
Nangis。　　Of　the　latter　he　showed　himself　so　jealous；　that　Madame　de
Maulevrier；　out　of　pique；　made　advances　to　him。　　Nangis；　to　screen
himself　the　better；　replied　to　her。　　Maulevrier　perceived　this。　　He　knew
his　wife　to　be　sufficiently　wicked　to　make　him　fear　her。　　So　many
troubles　of　heart　and　brain　transported　him。　　He　lost　his　head。

One　day　the　Marechale　de　Coeuvres　came　to　see　him；　apparently　on　some
message　of　reconciliation。　　He　shut　the　door　upon　her；　barricaded　her
within；　and　through　the　door　quarrelled　with　her；　even　to　abuse；　for　an
hour；　during　which　she　had　the　patience　to　remain　there　without　being
able　to　see　him。　　After　this　he　went　rarely　to　Court；　but　generally　kept
himself　shut　up　at　home。

Sometimes　he　would　go　out　all　alone　at　the　strangest　hours；　take　a　fiacre
and　drive　away　to　the　back　of　the　Chartreux　or　to　other　remote　spots。
Alighting　there；　he　would　whistle；　and　a　grey…headed　old　man　would
advance　and　give　him　a　packet；　or　one　would　be　thrown　to　him　from　a
window；　or　he　would　pick　up　a　box　filled　with　despatches；　hidden　behind　a
post。　　I　heard　of　these　mysterious　doings　from　people　to　whom　he　was　vain
and　indiscreet　enough　to　boast　of　them。　　He　continually　wrote　letters　to
Madame　de　Bourgogne；　and　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；　but　more　frequently　to
the　former。　　Madame　Cantin　was　their　agent；　and　I　know　people　who　have
seen　letters　of　hers　in　which　she　assured　Maulevrier；　in　the　strongest
terms；　that　he　might　ever　reckon　on　the　Duchess。

He　made　a　last　journey　to　Versailles；　where　he　saw　his　mistress　in
private；　and　quarrelled　with　her　cruelly。　　After　dining　with　Torcy　he
returned　to　Paris。　　There；　torn　by　a　thousand　storms　of　love；　of
jealousy；　of　ambition；　his　head　was　so　troubled　that　doctors　were　obliged
to　be　called　in；　and　he　was　forbidden　to　see　any　but　the　most
indispensable　persons；　and　those　at　the　hours　when　he　was　least　ill。
A　hundred　visions　passed　through　his　brain。　　Now　like　a　madman　he　would
speak　only　of　Spain；　of　Madame　de　Bourgogne；　of　Nangis；　whom　he　wished　to
kill　or　to　have　assassinated；　now　full　of　remorse　towards　M。　de
Bourgogne；　he　made　reflections　so　curious　to　hear；　that　no　one　dared　to
remain　with　him；　and　he　was　left　alone。　　At　other　times；　recalling　his
early　days；　he　had　nothing　but　ideas　of　retreat　and　penitence。　　Then　a
confession　was　necessary　in　order　to　banish　his　despair　as　to　the　mercy
of　God。　　Often　he　thought　himself　very　ill　and　upon　the　point　of　death。

The　world；　however；　and　even　his　nearest　friends　persuaded　themselves
that　he　was　only　playing　a　part；　and　hoping　to　put　an　end　to　it；　they
declared　to　him　that　he　passed　for　mad　in　society；　and　that　it　behoved
him　to　rise　out　of　such　a　strange　state　and　show　himself。　　This　was　the
last　blow　and　it　overwhelmed　him。　　Furious　at　finding　that　this　opinion
was　ruining　all　the　designs　of　his　ambition；　he　delivered　himself　up　to
despair。　　Although　watched　with　extreme　care　by　his　wife；　by　particular
friends；　and　by　his　servants；　he　took　his　measures　so　well；　that　on　the
Good　Friday　of　the　year　1706；　at　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he
slipped　away　from　them　all；　entered　a　passage　behind　his　room；　opened　the
window；　threw　himself　into　the　court　below；　and　dashed　out　his　brains
upon　the　pavement。　　Such　was　the　end　of　an　ambitious　man；　who；　by　his
wild　and　dangerous　passions；　lost　his　wits；　and　then　his　life；　a　tragic
victim　of　himself。

Madame　de　Bourgogne　learnt　the　news　at　night。　　In　public　she　showed　no
emotion；　but　in　private　some　tears　escaped　her。　　They　might　have　been　of
pity；　but　were　not　so　charitably　interpreted。　　Soon　after；　it　was　noticed
that　Madame　de　Maintenon　seemed　embarrassed　and　harsh　towards　Madame　de
Bourgogne。　　It　was　no　longer　doubted　that　Madame　de　Maintenon　had　heard
the　whole　story。　　She　often　had　long　interviews　with　Madame　de　Bourgogne；
who　always　left　them　in　tears。　　Her　sadness　grew　so　much；　and　her　eyes
were　so　often　red；　that　Monsieur　de　Bourgogne　at　last　became　alarmed。
But　he　had　no　suspicion　of　the　truth；　and　was　easily　satisfied　with　the
explanation　he　received。　　Madame　de　Bourgogne　felt　the　necessity；
however；　of　appearing　gayer；　and　showed　herself　so。　　As　for　the　Abbe　de
Polignac；　it　was　felt　that　that　dangerous　person　was　best　away。　　He
received　therefore　a　post　which　called　him　away；　as　it　were；　into　exile；
and　though　he　delayed　his　departure　as　long　as　possible；　was　at　length
obliged　to　go。　　Madame　de　Bourgogne　took　leave　of　him　in　a　manner　that
showed　how　much　she　was　affected。　　Some　rather　insolent　verses　were
written　upon　this　event；　and　were　found　written　on　a　balustrade　by
Madame；　who　was　not　discreet　enough　or　good　enough　to　forget　them。　　But
they　made　little　noise；　everybody　loved　Madame　de　Bourgogne；　and　hid
these　verses　as　much　as　possible。




CHAPTER　XXXII

At　the　beginning　of　October；　news　reached　the　Court；　which　was　at
Fontainebleau；　that　M。　de　Duras　was　at　the　point　of　death。　　Upon　hearing
this；　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　and　Madame　de　Lauzun；　who　were　both　related
to　M。　Duras；　wished　to　absent　themselves　from　the　Court　performances　that
were　to　take　place　in　the　palace　that　evening。　　They　expressed　this　wish
to　Madame　de　Bourgogne；　who　approved　of　it；　but　said　she　was　afraid　the
King　would　not　do　the　same。　　He　had　been　very　angry　lately　because　the
ladies　had　neglected　to　go　full　dressed　to　the　Court　performances。　　A　few
words　he　had　spoken　made　everybody　take　good　care　not　to　rouse　his　anger
on　this　point　again。　　He　expected　so　much　accordingly　from　everybody　who
attended　the　Court；　that　Madame　de　Bourgogne　was　afraid　he　would　not
consent　to　dispense　with　the　attendance　of　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　and
Madame　de　Lauzun　on　this　occasion。　　They　compromised　the　matter；
therefore；　by　dressing　themselves；　going　to　the　room　where　the
performance　was　held；　and；　under　pretext　of　not　finding　places；　going
away；　Madame　de　Bourgogne　agreeing　to　explain　their　absence　in　this　way
to　the　King。　　I　notice　this　very　insignificant　bagatelle　to　show　how　the
King　thought　only　of　himself；　and　how　much　he　wished　to　be　obeyed；　and
that　that　which　would　not　have　been　pardoned　to　the　nieces　of　a　dying
man；　except　at　the　Court；　was　a　duty　there；　and　one　which　it　needed　great
address　to　escape　from；　without　seriously　infringing　the　etiquette
established。

After　the　return　of　the　Court　from　Fontainebleau　this　year；　Puysieux　came
back　from　Switzerland；　having　been　sent　there　as　ambassador。　　Puysieux
was　a　little　fat　man；　very　agreeable；　pleasant；　and　witty；　one　of　the
best　fellows　in　the　world；　in　fact。　　As　he　had　much　wit；　and　thoroughly
knew　the　King；　he　bethought　himself　of　making　the　best　of　his　position；
and　as　his　Majesty　testified　much　friendship　for　him　on　his　return；　and
declared　himself　satisfied　with　his　mission　in　Switzerland；　Puysieux
asked　if　what　he　heard　was　not　mere　compliment；　and　whether　he　could
co