the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第4部分

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submitting　to　this　treatment　for　five　or　six　days；　conferred　with　the
other　servants；　and　one　morning；　while　in　her　mistress's　room；　locked　the
door　without　being　perceived；　said　something　to　bring　down　punishment
upon　her；　and　at　the　first　box　on　the　ear　she　received；　flew　upon　the
Princesse　d'Harcourt；　gave　her　no　end　of　thumps　and　slaps；　knocked　her
down；　kicked　her；　mauled　her　from　her　head　to　her　feet；　and　when　she　was
tired　of　this　exercise；　left　her　on　the　ground；　all　torn　and　dishevelled；
howling　like　a　devil。　　The　chambermaid　then　quitted　the　room；　double…
locked　the　door　on　the　outside；　gained　the　staircase；　and　fled　the　house。

Every　day　the　Princess　was　fighting；　or　mixed　up　in　some　adventures。
Her　neighbours　at　Marly　said　they　could　not　sleep　for　the　riot　she　made
at　night；　and　I　remember　that；　after　one　of　these　scenes；　everybody　went
to　see　the　room　of　the　Duchesse　de　Villeroy　and　that　of　Madame　d'Espinoy；
who　had　put　their　bed　in　the　middle　of　their　room；　and　who　related　their
night　vigils　to　every　one。

Such　was　this　favourite　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　so　insolent　and　so
insupportable　to　every　one；　but　who　had　favours　and　preferences　for　those
who　brought　her　over；　and　who　had　raised　so　many　young　men；　amassed　their
wealth；　and　made　herself　feared　even　by　the　Prince　and　minister。





CHAPTER　XXVII

In　a　previous　page　I　have　alluded　to　the　Princesse　des　Ursins；　when　she
was　appointed　'Camerera　Mayor'　to　the　Queen　of　Spain　on　her　marriage。
As　I　have　now　to　occupy　myself　more　particularly　with　her；　it　may　be　as
well　to　give　a　description　of　this　extraordinary　woman；　which　I　omitted
when　I　first　spoke　of　her。

Anne　Marie　de　la　Tremoille；　was　daughter　of　M。　de　Noirmoutiers；　who
figured　sufficiently　in　the　troubles　of　the　minority　to　be　made　a　'Duc　a
brevet'。　　She　first　married　M。　Talleyrand；　who　called　himself　Prince　de
Chalais；　and　who　was　obliged　to　quit　the　kingdom　for　engaging　in　the
famous　duel　against　Messieurs　de　la　Frette。　　She　followed　her　husband　to
Spain；　where　he　died。　　Having　gone　to　Rome；　she　got　into　favour　with　the
Cardinals　de　Bouillon　and　d'Estrees；　first　on　account　of　her　name　and
nation；　and　afterwards　for　more　tender　reasons。　　In　order　to　detain　her
at　Rome；　these　dignitaries　thought　of　obtaining　her　an　establishment。
She　had　no　children；　and　almost　no　fortune；　they　wrote　to　Court　that　so
important　a　man　as　the　Duc　de　Bracciano；　Prince　des　Ursins；　was　worth
gaining；　and　that　the　way　to　arrive　at　this　result　was　to　have　him
married　to　Madame　de　Chalais。　　The　Duke　was　persuaded　by　the　two
Cardinals　that　he　was　in　love　with　Madame　de　Chalais：　and　so　the　affair
was　arranged。　　Madame　des　Ursins　displayed　all　her　wit　and　charms　at
Rome；　and　soon　her　palace　became　a　sort　of　court；　where　all　the　best
company　assembled。　　It　grew　to　be　the　fashion　to　go　there。

The　husband　amidst　all　this　counts　for　not　much。　　There　was　sometimes　a
little　disagreement　between　the　two；　without　open　rupture；　yet　they　were
now　and　then　glad　to　separate。　　This　is　why　the　Duchesse　de　Bracciano
made　two　journeys　to　France：　the　second　time　she　spent　four　or　five　years
there。　　It　was　then　I　knew　her；　or　rather　formed　a　particular　friendship
with　her。　　My　mother　had　made　her　acquaintance　during　her　previous　visit。
She　lodged　near　us。　　Her　wit；　her　grace；　her　manners　enchanted　me：　she
received　me　with　tenderness　and　I　was　always　at　her　house。　　It　was　she
who　proposed　to　me　a　marriage　with　Mlle。　de　Royan；　which　I　rejected　for
the　reason　already　given。

When　Madame　des　Ursins　was　appointed　'Camerera　Mayor'；　she　was　a　widow；
without　children。　　No　one　could　have　been　better　suited　for　the　post。
A　lady　of　our　court　would　not　have　done：　a　Spanish　lady　was　not　to　be
depended　on；　and　might　have　easily　disgusted　the　Queen。　　The　Princesse
des　Ursins　appeared　to　be　a　middle　term。　　She　was　French；　had　been　in
Spain；　and　she　passed　a　great　part　of　her　life　at　Rome；　and　in　Italy。
She　was　of　the　house　of　La　Tremoille：　her　husband　was　chief　of　the　house
of　Ursins；　a　grandee　of　Spain；　and　Prince　of　the　Soglio。　　She　was　also　on
very　good　terms　with　the　Duchess　of　Savoy；　and　with　the　Queen　of
Portugal。　　The　Cardinal　d'Estrees；　also；　was　known　to　have　remained　her
friend；　after　having　been　something　more　in　their　youth；　and　he　gave
information　that　the　Cardinal　Portocarrero　had　been　much　in　love　with　her
at　Rome；　and　that　they　were　then　on　very　good　terms。　　As　it　was　through
the　latter　Cardinal　that　it　was　necessary　to　govern　everything；　this
circumstance　was　considered　very　important。

Age　and　health　were　also　appropriate；　and　likewise　her　appearance。　　She
was　rather　tall　than　otherwise；　a　brunette；　with　blue　eyes　of　the　most
varied　expression；　in　figure　perfect；　with　a　most　exquisite　bosom；　her
face；　without　being　beautiful；　was　charming；　she　was　extremely　noble　in
air；　very　majestic　in　demeanour；　full　of　graces　so　natural　and　so
continual　in　everything；　that　I　have　never　seen　any　one　approach　her；
either　in　form　or　mind。　　Her　wit　was　copious　and　of　all　kinds：　she　was
flattering；　caressing；　insinuating；　moderate；　wishing　to　please　for
pleasing's　sake；　with　charms　irresistible　when　she　strove　to　persuade　and
win　over；　accompanying　all　this；　she　had　a　grandeur　that　encouraged
instead　of　frightening；　a　delicious　conversation；　inexhaustible　and　very
amusing；　for　she　had　seen　many　countries　and　persons；　a　voice　and　way　of
speaking　extremely　agreeable；　and　full　of　sweetness。　　She　had　read　much；
and　reflected　much。　　She　knew　how　to　choose　the　best　society；　how　to
receive　them；　and　could　even　have　held　a　court；　was　polite；
distinguished；　and　above　all　was　careful　never　to　take　a　step　in　advance
without　dignity　and　discretion。　　She　was　eminently　fitted　for　intrigue；
in　which；　from　taste；　she　had　passed　her　time　at　Rome；　with　much
ambition；　but　of　that　vast　kind；　far　above　her　sex；　and　the　common　run　of
mena　desire　to　occupy　a　great　position　and　to　govern。　　A　love　for
gallantry　and　personal　vanity　were　her　foibles；　and　these　clung　to　her
until　her　latest　day；　consequently；　she　dressed　in　a　way　that　no　longer
became　her；　and　as　she　advanced　in　life；　removed　further　from　propriety
in　this　particular。　　She　was　an　ardent　and　excellent　friendof　a
friendship　that　time　and　absence　never　enfeebled；　and；　consequently；　an
implacable　enemy；　pursuing　her　hatred　to　the　infernal　regions。　　While
caring　little　for　the　means　by　which　she　gained　her　ends；　she　tried　as
much　as　possible　to　reach　them　by　honest　means。　　Secret；　not　only　for
herself；　but　for　her　friends；　she　was　yet；　of　a　decorous　gaiety；　and　so
governed　her　humours；　that　at　all　times　and　in　everything　she　was
mistress　of　herself。　　Such　was　the　Princesse　des　Ursins。

From　the　first　moment　on　which　she　entered　the　service　of　the　Queen　of
Spain；　it　became　her　desire　to　govern　not　only　the　Queen；　but　the　King；
and　by　this　means　the　realm　itself。　　Such　a　grand　project　had　need　of
support　from　our　King；　who；　at　the　commencement；　ruled　the　Court　of　Spain
as　much　as　his　own　Court；　with　entire　influence　over　all　matters。

The　young　Queen　of　Spain　had　been　not　less　carefully　educated　than　her
sister；　the　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne。　　She　had　even　when　so　young　much
intelligence　and　firmness；　without　being　incapable　of　restraint；　and　as
time　went　on；　improved　still　further；　and　displayed　a　constancy　and
courage　which　were　admirably　set　off　by　her　meekness　and　natural　graces。
According　to　everything　I　have　heard　said　in　France　and　in　Spain；　she
possessed　all　qualities　that　were　necessary　to　make　her　adored。　　Indeed
she　became　a　divinity　among　the　Spaniards；　and　to　their　affection　for
her；　Philip　V。　was　more　than　once　indebted　for　his　crown。　　Lords；　ladies；
soldiers；　and　the　people　still　remember　her　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　and
even　after　the　lapse　of　so　many　years；　are　not　yet　consoled　for　her　loss。

Madame　des　Ursins　soon　managed　to　obtain　the　entire　confidence　of　this
Queen；　and　during　the　absence　of　Philip　V。　in　Italy；　assisted　her　in　the
administration　of　all　public　offices。　　She　even　accompanied　her　to　the
junta；　it　not　being　thought　proper　that　the　Queen　should　be　alone　amid
such　an　assemblage　of　men。　　In　this　way　she　became　acquainted　with
everything　that　was　passing；　and　knew　all　the　affairs　of　the　Government。

This　step　gained；　it　will　be　imagined　that　the　Princesse　des　Ursins　did
not　forget　to　pay　her　court　most　assiduously　to　our　King　and　to　Madame　de
Maintenon。　　She　continually　sent　them　an　exact　account　of　everything
relating　to　the　Queenmaking　her　appear　in　the　most　favourable　light
possible。　　Little　by　little　she　introduced　into　her　letters　details
respecting　public　events；　without；　however；　conveying　a　suspicion　of　her
own　ambition；　or　that　she　wished　to　meddle　in　these　matters。　　Anchored　in
this　way；　she　next　began　to　flatter　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　by　degrees
to　hint　that　she　might　rule　over　Spain；　even　more　firmly　than　she　ruled
over　France；　if　she　would　entrust　her　commands　to　Madame　des　Ursins。
Madame　des　Ursins　offered；　in　fact；　to　be　the　instrument　of　Madame　de
Maintenon；　representing　how　much　better　it　would　be　to　rule　affairs　in
this　manner；　than　through　the　instrumentality　of　the　ministers　of　either
country。

Madame　de　Maintenon；　whose　passion　it　was　to　know　everything；　to　mix
herself　in　everything；　and　to　govern　everything；　was；　enchanted　by　the
siren。　　This　method　of　governing　Spain　without　ministers　appeared　to　her
an　admirable　idea。　　She　embraced　it　with　avidity；　without　reflecting　that
she　would　govern　only　in　appearance；　since　she　would　know　nothing　except
through　the　Princesse　des　Ursins；　see　nothing　except　in　the　light　in
which　she　presented　it。　　From　that　time　dates　the　intimate　union　which
existed　between　these　two　important　women；　the　unbounded　authority　of
Madame　des　Ursins；　the　fall　of　all　those　who　had　placed　Philip　V。　upon
the　throne；　and　of　all　our　ministers　in　Spain　who　stood　in　the　way　of　the
new　power。

Such　an　alliance　being　made　between　the　two　women；　it　was　necessary　to
draw　the　King　of　Spain　into　the　same　net。　　This　was　not　a　very　arduous
task。　　Nature　and　art　indeed　had　combined　to　make　it　easy。

Younger　brother　of　an　excitable；　vi