the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第10部分

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he　never　failed　to　make；　between　every　one　according　to　his　position；
contributed　greatly　to　his　popularity。　　In　his　receptions；　by　his　greater
or　less；　or　more　neglectful　attention；　and　by　his　words；　he　always　marked
in　a　flattering　manner　the　differences　made　by　birth　and　dignity；　by　age
and　merit；　and　by　profession；　and　all　this　with　a　dignity　natural　to　him；
and　a　constant　facility　which　he　had　acquired。　　His　familiarity　obliged；
and　yet　no　rash　people　ever　ventured　to　take　advantage　of　it。　　He　visited
or　sent　exactly　when　it　was　proper；　and　under　his　roof　he　allowed　a
complete　liberty；　without　injury　to　the　respect　shown　him；　or　to　a
perfect　court　air。

He　had　learned　from　the　Queen　his　mother；　and　well　remembered　this　art。
The　crowd；　therefore；　constantly　flocked　towards　the　Palais　Royal。

At　Saint　Cloud；　where　all　his　numerous　household　used　to　assemble；　there
were　many　ladies　who；　to　speak　the　truth；　would　scarcely　have　been
received　elsewhere；　but　many　also　of　a　higher　set；　and　great　store　of
gamblers。　　The　pleasures　of　all　kinds　of　games；　and　the　singular　beauty
of　the　place；　where　a　thousand　caleches　were　always　ready　to　whirl　even
the　most　lazy　ladies　through　the　walks；　soft　music　and　good　cheer；　made
it　a　palace　of　delight；　grace；　and　magnificence。

All　this　without　any　assistance　from　Madame；　who　dined　and　supped　with
the　ladies　and　Monsieur；　rode　out　sometimes　in　a　caleche　with　one　of
them；　often　sulked　with　the　company；　made　herself　feared　for　her　harsh
and　surly　temperfrequently　even　for　her　words；　and　passed　her　days　in　a
little　cabinet　she　had　chosen；　where　the　windows　were　ten　feet　from　the
ground；　gazing　perpetually　on　the　portraits　of　Paladins　and　other　German
princes；　with　which　she　had　tapestried　the　walls；　and　writing　every　day
with　her　own　hand　whole　volumes　of　letters；　of　which　she　always　kept
autograph　copies。　　Monsieur　had　never　been　able　to　bend　her　to　a　more
human　way　of　life；　and　lived　decently　with　her；　without　caring　for　her
person　in　any　way。

For　his　part；　Monsieur；　who　had　very　gallantly　won　the　battle　of　Cassel；
and　who　had　always　shown　courage　in　the　sieges　where　he　had　served；　had
only　the　bad　qualities　that　distinguish　women。　　With　more　knowledge　of
the　world　than　wit；　with　no　reading；　though　he　had　a　vast　and　exact
acquaintance　with　noble　houses；　their　births　and　marriages；　he　was　good
for　nothing。　　Nobody　was　so　flabby　in　body　and　mind；　no　one　so　weak；
so　timid；　so　open　to　deception；　so　led　by　the　nose；　so　despised　by　his
favourites；　often　so　roughly　treated　by　them。　　He　was　quarrelsome　in
small　matters；　incapable　of　keeping　any　secret；　suspicious；　mistrustful；
fond　of　spreading　reports　in　his　Court　to　make　mischief；　to　learn　what
was　really　going　on　or　just　to　amuse　himself：　he　fetched　and　carried　from
one　to　the　other。　　With　so　many　defects；　unrelated　to　any　virtue；　he　had
such　an　abominable　taste；　that　his　gifts　and　the　fortunes　that　he　gave　to
those　he　took　into　favour　had　rendered　him　publicly　scandalous。　　He
neither　respected　times　nor　places。　　His　minions；　who　owed　him
everything；　sometimes　treated　him　most　insolently；　and　he　had　often　much
to　do　to　appease　horrible　jealousies。　　He　lived　in　continual　hot　water
with　his　favourites；　to　say　nothing　of　the　quarrels　of　that　troop　of
ladies　of　a　very　decided　charactermany　of　whom　were　very　malicious；
and；　most；　more　than　maliciouswith　whom　Monsieur　used　to　divert
himself；　entering　into　all　their　wretched　squabbles。

The　Chevaliers　de　Lorraine　and　Chatillon　had　both　made　a　large　fortune　by
their　good　looks；　with　which　he　was　more　smitten　than　with　those　of　any
other　of　his　favourites。　　Chatillon；　who　had　neither　head；　nor　sense；　nor
wit；　got　on　in　this　way；　and　acquired　fortune。　　The　other　behaved　like　a
Guisard；　who　blushes　at　nothing　provided　he　succeeds；　and　governed
Monsieur　with　a　high　hand　all　his　life；　was　overwhelmed　with　money　and
benefices；　did　what　he　liked　for　his　family；　lived　always　publicly　as　the
master　with　Monsieur；　and　as　he　had；　with　the　pride　of　the　Guises；　their
art　and　cleverness；　he　contrived　to　get　between　the　King　and　Monsieur；
to　be　dealt　with　gingerly；　if　not　feared　by　both；　and　was　almost　as
important　a　man　with　the　one　as　with　the　other。　　He　had　the　finest
apartments　in　the　Palais　Royal　and　Saint　Cloud；　and　a　pension　of　ten
thousand　crowns。　　He　remained　in　his　apartments　after　the　death　of
Monsieur；　but　would　not　from　pride　continue　to　receive　the　pension；　which
from　pride　was　offered　him。　　Although　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　be
more　timid　and　submissive　than　was　Monsieur　with　the　Kingfor　he
flattered　both　his　ministers　and　his　mistresseshe；　nevertheless；
mingled　with　his　respectful　demeanour　the　demeanour　of　a　brother；　and　the
free　and　easy　ways　of　one。　　In　private；　he　was　yet　more　unconstrained；
always　taking　an　armed　chair；　and　never　waiting　until　the　King　told　him
to　sit。　　In　the　Cabinet；　after　the　King　appeared；　no　other　Prince　sat
besides　him；　not　even　Monseigneur。　　But　in　what　regarded　his　service；　and
his　manner　of　approaching　and　leaving　the　King；　no　private　person　could
behave　with　more　respect；　and　he　naturally　did　everything　with　grace　and
dignity。　　He　never；　however；　was　able　to　bend　to　Madame　de　Maintenon
completely；　nor　avoid　making　small　attacks　on　her　to　the　King；　nor　avoid
satirising　her　pretty　broadly　in　person。　　It　was　not　her　success　that
annoyed　him；　but　simply　the　idea　that　La　Scarron　had　become　his　sister…
in…law；　this　was　insupportable　to　him。　　Monsieur　was　extremely　vain；　but
not　haughty；　very　sensitive；　and　a　great　stickler　for　what　was　due　to
him。　　Upon　one　occasion　he　complained　to　the　King　that　M。　le　Duc　had　for
some　time　neglected　to　attend　upon　him；　as　he　was　bound；　and　had　boasted
that　he　would　not　do　it。　　The　King　replied；　that　it　was　not　a　thing　to　be
angry　about；　that　he　ought　to　seek　an　opportunity　to　be　served　by　M。　le
Duc；　and　if　he　would　not；　to　affront　him。　　Accordingly；　one　morning　at
Marly；　as　he　was　dressing；　seeing　M。　le　Duc　walking　in　the　garden；
Monsieur　opened　the　window　and　called　to　him。　　Monsieur　le　Duc　came　up；
and　entered　the　room。　　Then；　while　one　remark　was　leading　to　another；
Monsieur　slipped　off　his　dressing…gown；　and　then　his　shirt。　　A　valet　de
chambre　standing　by；　at　once　slipped　a　clean　shirt　into　the　hands　of　M。
le　Duc；　who；　caught　thus　in　a　trap；　was　compelled　to　offer　the　garment　to
Monsieur；　as　it　was　his　duty　to　do。　　As　soon　as　Monsieur　had　received　it；
he　burst　out　laughing；　and　said〃Good…bye；　cousin；　go　away。　　I　do　not
want　to　delay　you　longer。〃　　M。　le　Duc　felt　the　point　of　this；　and　went
away　very　angry；　and　continued　so　in　consequence　of　the　high　tone
Monsieur　afterwards　kept　up　on　the　subject。

Monsieur　was　a　little　round…bellied　man；　who　wore　such　high…heeled　shoes
that　he　seemed　mounted　always　upon　stilts；　was　always　decked　out　like　a
woman；　covered　everywhere　with　rings；　bracelets；　jewels；　with　a　long
black　wig；　powdered；　and　curled　in　front；　with　ribbons　wherever　he　could
put　them；　steeped　in　perfumes；　and　in　fine　a　model　of　cleanliness。　　He
was　accused　of　putting　on　an　imperceptible　touch　of　rouge。　　He　had　a　long
nose；　good　eyes　and　mouth；　a　full　but　very　long　face。　　All　his　portraits
resembled　him。　　I　was　piqued　to　see　that　his　features　recalled　those　of
Louis　XIII。；　to　whom；　except　in　matters　of　courage；　he　was　so　completely
dissimilar。

On　Saturday；　the　11th　of　June；　the　Court　returned　to　Versailles。　　On
arriving　there　the　King　went　to　visit　Madame　and　her　son　and　daughter…in…
law　separately。　　Madame；　very　much　troubled　by　reflection　on　her　position
with　regard　to　the　King；　had　sent　the　Duchesse　de　Ventadour　to　Madame　de
Maintenon。　　The　latter　replied　to　the　message　only　in　general　terms；　said
she　would　visit　Madame　after　dinner；　and　requested　that　the　Duchess　might
be　present　at　the　interview。　　It　was　Sunday；　the　morning　after　the　return
from　Marly。　　After　the　first　compliments；　every　one　went　out　except
Madame　de　Ventadour。　　Then　Madame　requested　Madame　de　Maintenon　to　sit
down；　and　she　must　have　felt　her　position　keenly　to　bring　her　to　this。

She　began　the　conversation　by　complaining　of　the　indifference　with　which
the　King　had　treated　her　during　her　illness。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　allowed
her　to　talk　on；　and　when　she　had　finished；　said　that　the　King　had
commanded　her　to　say　that　their　common　loss　effaced　all　the　past；
provided　that　he　had　reason　to　be　better　satisfied　for　the　future；　not
only　as　regarded　M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres；　but　other　matters　also。　　Upon
this　Madame　exclaimed　and　protested　that；　except　in　as　far　as　regarded
her　son；　she　had　never　given　cause　for　displeasure；　and　went　on
alternating　complaints　and　justifications。　　Precisely　at　the　point　when
she　was　most　emphatic；　Madame　de　Maintenon　drew　forth　a　letter　from　her
pocket　and　asked　if　the　handwriting　was　known　to　her。　　It　was　a　letter
from　Madame　to　the　Duchess　of　Hanover；　in　which　she　said；　after　giving
news　of　the　Court；　that　no　one　knew　what　to　say　of　the　intercourse
between　the　King　and　Madame　de　Maintenon；　whether　it　was　that　of　marriage
or　of　concubinage；　and　then；　touching　upon　other　matters；　launched　out
upon　the　misery　of　the　realm：　that；　she　said；　was　too　great　to　be
relieved。　　This　letter　had　been　opened　at　the　postas　almost　all　letters
were　at　that　time；　and　are　indeed　stilland　sent　to　the　King。　　It　may　be
imagined　that　this　was　a　thunderstroke　to　Madame：　it　nearly　killed　her。
She　burst　into　tears；　and　Madame　de　Maintenon　very　quietly　and　demurely
began　to　represent　to　her　the　contents　of　the　letter　in　all　its　parts；
especially　as　it　was　addressed　to　a　foreign　country。　　Madame　de　Ventadour
interposed　with　some　twaddle；　to　give　Madame　time　to　breathe　and　recover
sufficiently　to　say　something。　　The　best　excuse　was　the　admission　of　what
could　not　be　denied；　with　supplications　for　pardon；　expressions　of
repentance；　prayers；　promises。　　But　Madame　de　Maintenon　had　not　finished
yet。　　Having　got　rid　of　the　commission　she　had　been　charged　with　by　the
King；　she　next　turned　to　her　own　business：　she　asked　Madame　how　it　was；
that　after　being　so　friendly　with　her　a　long　time　ago；　she　had　suddenly
ceased　to　bestow　any　regard