the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第11部分

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that　after　being　so　friendly　with　her　a　long　time　ago；　she　had　suddenly
ceased　to　bestow　any　regard　upon　her；　and　had　continued　to　treat　her　with
coldness　ever　since。　　At　this；　Madame　thinking　herself　quite　safe；　said
that　the　coldness　was　on　the　part　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who　had　all　on
a　sudden　discontinued　the　friendly　intercourse　which　formerly　existed
between　them。　　As　before；　Madame　de　Maintenon　allowed　Madame　to　talk　her
fill　before　she　replied。　　She　then　said　she　was　about　to　divulge　a　secret
which　had　never　escaped　her　mouth；　although　she　had　for　ten　years　been　at
liberty　to　tell　it；　and　she　forthwith　related　a　thousand　most　offensive
things　which　had　been　uttered　against　her　by　Madame　to　the　late　Madame　la
Dauphine。　　This　latter；　falling　out　with　Madame；　had　related　all　these
things　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who　now　brought　them　forward　triumphantly。

At　this　new　blow；　Madame　was　thunderstruck；　and　stood　like　a　statue。
There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　behave　as　beforethat　is　to　say；　shed
tears；　cry；　ask　pardon；　humble　herself；　and　beg　for　mercy。　　Madame　de
Maintenon　triumphed　coldly　over　her　for　a　long　time；allowing　her　to
excite　herself　in　talking；　and　weeping；　and　taking　her　hands；　which　she
did　with　increasing　energy　and　humility。　　This　was　a　terrible　humiliation
for　such　a　haughty　German。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　at　last　gave　way；　as　she
had　always　meant　to　do　after　having　satiated　her　vengeance。　　They
embraced；　promised　forgetfulness　on　both　sides；　and　a　new　friendship　from
that　time。　　The　King；　who　was　not　ignorant　of　what　had　occurred；　took
back　Madame　into　favour。　　She　went　neither　to　a　convent　nor　to　Montargis；
but　was　allowed　to　remain　in　Paris；　and　her　pension　was　augmented。　　As
for　M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres；　he　was　prodigiously　well　treated。　　The　King
gave　him　all　the　pensions　Monsieur　had　enjoyed；　besides　allowing　him　to
retain　his　own；　so　that　he　had　one　million　eight　hundred　thousand　livres
a　year；　added　to　the　Palais　Royal；　Saint　Cloud；　and　other　mansions。　　He
had　a　Swiss　guard；　which　none　but　the　sons　of　France　had　ever　had　before；
in　fact　he　retained　all　the　privileges　his　father　had　enjoyed；　and　he
took　the　name　of　Duc　d'Orleans。　　The　pensions　of　Madame　de　Chartres　were
augmented。　　All　these　honours　so　great　and　so　unheard　of　bestowed　on　M。
de　Chartres；　and　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　crowns　more　than　his
father；　were　due　solely　to　the　quarrel　which　had　recently　taken　place
between　Monsieur　and　the　King；　as　to　the　marriage　M。　de　Chartres　had
made。　　People　accustom　themselves　to　everything；　but　this　prodigious　good
fortune　infinitely　surprised　everybody。　　The　Princes　of　the　blood　were
extremely　mortified。　　To　console　them；　the　King　immediately　gave　to　M。　le
Prince　all　the　advantages　of　a　first　Prince　of　the　blood；　and　added　ten
thousand　crowns　to　his　pension。

Madame　wore　deep　mourning　for　forty　days；　after　which　she　threw　it　almost
entirely　aside；　with　the　King's　permission。　　He　did　not　like　to　see　such
sad…looking　things　before　his　eyes　every　day。　　Madame　went　about　in
public；　and　with　the　Court；　in　her　half…mourning；　under　pretence　that
being　with　the　King；　and　living　under　his　roof；　she　was　of　the　family。
But　her　conduct　was　not　the　less　thought　strange　in　spite　of　this　excuse。
During　the　winter；　as　the　King　could　not　well　go　to　the　theatre；　the
theatre　cane　to　him；　in　the　apartments　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　where
comedies　with　music　were　played。　　The　King　wore　mourning　for　six　months；
and　paid　all　the　expenses　of　the　superb　funeral　which　took　place　on　the
13th　of　June。

While　upon　the　subject　of　Monsieur；　I　will　relate　an　anecdote　known　to
but　few　people；　concerning　the　death　of　his　first　wife；　Henriette
d'Angleterre；　whom　nobody　doubts　was　poisoned。　　Her　gallantries　made
Monsieur　jealous；　and　his　tastes　made　her　furious。　　His　favourites；　whom
she　hated；　did　all　in　their　power　to　sow　discord　between　them；　in　order
to　dispose　of　Monsieur　at　their　will。　　The　Chevalier　de　Lorraine；　then　in
the　prime　of　his　first　youth　（having　been　born　in　1643）　completely　ruled
over　Monsieur；　and　made　Madame　feel　that　he　had　this　power。　　She；
charming　and　young；　could　not　suffer　this；　and　complained　to　the　King；
so　that　M。　de　Lorraine　was　exiled。　　When　Monsieur　heard　this；　he　swooned；
then　melted　into　tears；　and　throwing　himself　at　the　feet　of　the　King；
implored　him　to　recall　M。　de　Lorraine。　　But　his　prayers　were　useless；
and；　rushing　away　in　fury；　he　retired　into　the　country　and　remained　there
until；　ashamed　of　a　thing　so　publicly　disgraceful；　he　returned　to　Paris
and　lived　with　Madame　as　before。

Although　M。　de　Lorraine　was　banished；　two　of　his　intimate　friends；
D'Effiat　and　the　Count　de　Beuvron；　remained　in　the　household　of　Monsieur。
The　absence　of　M。　de　Lorraine　nipped　all　their　hopes　of　success；　and　made
them　fear　that　some　other　favourite　might　arrive　from　whom　they　could
hope　for　nothing。　　They　saw　no　chance　that　M。　de　Lorraine's　exile　would
speedily　terminate；　for　Madame　（Henriette　d'Angleterre）　was　in　greater
favour　with　the　King　than　ever；　and　had　just　been　sent　by　him　into
England　on　a　mysterious　errand　in　which　she　had　perfectly　succeeded。
She　returned　triumphant　and　very　well　in　health。　　This　gave　the　last　blow
to　the　hopes　of　D'Effiat　and　Beuvron；　as　to　the　return　of　M。　de　Lorraine；
who　had　gone　to　Italy　to　try　to　get　rid　of　his　vexation。　　I　know　not
which　of　the　three　thought　of　it　first；　but　the　Chevalier　de　Lorraine
sent　a　sure　and　rapid　poison　to　his　two　friends　by　a　messenger　who　did
not　probably　know　what　he　carried。

At　Saint　Cloud；　Madame　was　in　the　habit　of　taking　a　glass　of　endive…
water；　at　about　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening。　　A　servant　of　hers　used　to
make　it；　and　then　put　it　away　in　a　cupboard　where　there　was　some　ordinary
water　for　the　use　of　Madame　if　she　found　the　other　too　bitter。　　The
cupboard　was　in　an　antechamber　which　served　as　the　public　passage　by
which　the　apartments　of　Madame　were　reached。　　D'Effiat　took　notice　of　all
these　things；　and　on　the　29th　of　June；　1670；　he　went　to　the　ante…chamber；
saw　that　he　was　unobserved　and　that　nobody　was　near；　and　threw　the　poison
into　the　endive…water；　then　hearing　some　one　approaching；　he　seized　the
jug　of　common　water　and　feigned　to　be　putting　it　back　in　its　place　just
as　the　servant；　before　alluded　to；　entered　and　asked　him　sharply　what　he
was　doing　in　that　cupboard。　　D'Effiat；　without　losing　countenance；　asked
his　pardon；　and　said；　that　being　thirsty；　and　knowing　there　was　some
water　in　the　cupboard；　he　could　not　resist　drinking。　　The　servant
grumbled；　and　D'Effiat；　trying　to　appease　him；　entered　the　apartments　of
Madame；　like　the　other　courtiers；　and　began　talking　without　the　slightest
emotion。

What　followed　an　hour　afterwards　does　not　belong　to　my　subject；　and　has
made　only　too　much　stir　throughout　all　Europe。　　Madame　died　on　the
morrow；　June　30；　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　King　was
profoundly　prostrated　with　grief。　　Apparently　during　the　day；　some
indications　showed　him　that　Purnon；　chief　steward　of　Madame；　was　in　the
secret　of　her　decease。　　Purnon　was　brought　before　him　privately；　and　was
threatened　with　instant　death；　unless　he　disclosed　all；　full　pardon　being
on　the　contrary　promised　him　if　he　did。　　Purnon；　thus　pressed；　admitted
that　Madame　had　been　poisoned；　and　under　the　circumstance　I　have　just
related。　　〃And　my　brother；〃　said　the　King；　〃did　he　know　of　this？〃
〃No；　Sire；　not　one　of　us　was　stupid　enough　to　tell　him；　he　has　no
secrecy；　he　would　have　betrayed　us。〃　　On　hearing　this　answer　the　King
uttered　a　great　〃ah！〃　like　a　man　oppressed；　who　suddenly　breathes　again。

Purnon　was　immediately　set　at　liberty；　and　years　afterwards　related　this
narrative　to　M。　Joly　de　Fleury；　procureur…general　of　the　Parliament；　by
which　magistrate　it　was　related　to　me。　　From　this　same　magistrate　I
learned　that；　a　few　days　before　the　second　marriage　of　Monsieur；　the　King
took　Madame　aside　and　told　her　that　circumstance；　assuring　her　that　he
was　too　honest　a　man　to　wish　her　to　marry　his　brother；　if　that　brother
could　be　capable　of　such　a　crime。　　Madame　profited　by　what　she　heard。
Purnon　remained　in　her　service；　but　after　a　time　she　pretended　to　find
faults　in　him；　and　made　him　resign；　he　sold　his　post　accordingly；　towards
the　end　of　1674；　to　Maurel　de　Vaulonne；　and　quitted　her　service。




CHAPTER　XXIII

A　the　breaking　out　of　the　war　in　Italy　this　year　Segur　bought　the
government　of　the　Foix　country　from　Tallard；　one　of　the　generals　called
away　to　serve　in　that　war。　　Segur　had　been　in　his　youth　a　very　handsome
fellow；　he　was　at　that　time　in　the　Black　Musketeers；　and　this　company　was
always　quartered　at　Nemours　while　the　Court　was　at　Fontainebleau。　　Segur
played　very　well　upon　the　lute；　but　found　life　dull；　nevertheless；　at
Nemours；　made　the　acquaintance　of　the　Abbesse　de　la　Joye；　a　place　hard
by；　and　charmed　her　ears　and　eyes　so　much　that　she　became　with　child　by
him。　　After　some　months　the　Abbess　pleaded　illness；　left　the　convent；　and
set　out　for　the　waters；　as　she　said。　　Putting　off　her　journey　too　long；
she　was　obliged　to　stop　a　night　at　Fontainebleau；　and　in　consequence　of
the　Court　being　there；　could　find　no　accommodation；　except　in　a　wretched
little　inn　already　full　of　company。　　She　had　delayed　so　long　that　the
pangs　of　labour　seized　her　in　the　night；　and　the　cries　she　uttered
brought　all　the　house　to　her　assistance。　　She　was　delivered　of　a　child
then　and　there；　and　the　next　morning　this　fact　was　the　talk　of　the　town。

The　Duc　de　Saint　Aignan；　one　of　the　first　of　the　courtiers　who　learned
it；　went　straight　to　the　King；　who　was　brisk　and　free　enough　in　those
days；　and　related　to　him　what　had　occurred；　the　King　laughed　heartily　at
the　poor　Abbess；　who；　while　trying　to　hide　her　shame；　had　come　into　the
very　midst　of　the　Court。　　Nobody　knew　then　that　her　abbey　was　only　four
leagues　distant；　but　everybody　learned　it　soon；　and　the　Duc　de　Saint
Aignan　among　the　first。

When　he　returned　to　his　house；　he　found　long　faces　on　every　side。　　His
servants　made　signs　one　to　another；　but　nobody　said　a　word。　　He　perceived
this；　and　asked　what　was　the　matter；　but；　for　some　time；　no　one　dared　to
reply。　　At　last　a　vale