the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第12部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


this；　and　asked　what　was　the　matter；　but；　for　some　time；　no　one　dared　to
reply。　　At　last　a　valet…de…chambre　grew　bold　enough　to　say　to　Saint
Aignan；　that　the　Abbess；　whose　adventure　had　afforded　so　much　mirth；　was
his　own　daughter；　and　that；　after　he　had　gone　to　the　King；　she　had　sent
for　assistance；　in　order　to　get　out　of　the　place　where　she　was　staying。

It　was　now　the　Duke's　turn　to　be　confused。　　After　having　made　the　King
and　all　the　Court　laugh　at　this　adventure；　he　became　himself　the
laughing…stock　of　everybody。　　He　bore　the　affair　as　well　as　he　could；
carried　away　the　Abbess　and　her　baggage；　and；　as　the　scandal　was　public；
made　her　send　in　her　resignation　and　hide　herself　in　another　convent；
where　she　lived　more　than　forty　years。

That　worthy　man；　Saint…Herem；　died　this　year　at　his　house　in　Auvergne；　to
which　he　had　retired。　　Everybody　liked　him；　and　M。　de　Rochefoucauld　had
reproached　the　King　for　not　making　him　Chevalier　of　the　Order。　　The　King
had　confounded　him　with　Courtine；　his　brother…in…law；　for　they　had
married　two　sisters；　but　when　put　right　had　not　given　the　favour。

Madame　de　Saint…Herem　was　the　most　singular　creature　in　the　world；　not
only　in　face　but　in　manners。　　She　half　boiled　her　thigh　one　day　in　the
Seine；　near　Fontainebleau；　where　she　was　bathing。　　The　river　was　too
cold；　she　wished　to　warm　it；　and　had　a　quantity　of　water　heated　and
thrown　into　the　stream　just　above　her。　　The　water　reaching　her　before　it
could　grow　cold；　scalded　her　so　much　that　she　was　forced　to　keep　her　bed。

When　it　thundered；　she　used　to　squat　herself　under　a　couch　and　make　all
her　servants　lie　above；　one　upon　the　other；　so　that　if　the　thunderbolt
fell；　it　might　have　its　effect　upon　them　before　penetrating　to　her。　　She
had　ruined　herself　and　her　husband；　though　they　were　rich；　through　sheer
imbecility；　and　it　is　incredible　the　amount　of　money　she　spent　in　her
absurdities。

The　best　adventure　which　happened　to　her；　among　a　thousand　others；　was　at
her　house　in　the　Place　Royale；　where　she　was　one　day　attacked　by　a
madman；　who；　finding　her　alone　in　her　chamber；　was　very　enterprising。
The　good　lady；　hideous　at　eighteen；　but　who　was　at　this　time　eighty　and　a
widow；　cried　aloud　as　well　as　she　could。　　Her　servants　heard　her　at　last；
ran　to　her　assistance；　and　found　her　all　disordered；　struggling　in　the
hands　of　this　raging　madman。　　The　man　was　found　to　be　really　out　of　his
senses　when　brought　before　the　tribunal；　and　the　story　amused　everybody。

The　health　of　the　King　of　England　（James　II。）；　which　had　for　some　time
been　very　languishing；　grew　weaker　towards　the　middle　of　August　of　this
year；　and　by　the　8th　of　September　completely　gave　way。　　There　was　no
longer　any　hope。　　The　King；　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　all　the　royal
persons；　visited　him　often。　　He　received　the　last　sacrament　with　a　piety
in　keeping　with　his　past　life；　and　his　death　was　expected　every　instant。
In　this　conjuncture　the　King　made　a　resolve　more　worthy　of　Louis　XII。；　or
Francis　I。；　than　of　his　own　wisdom。　　On　Tuesday；　the　13th　of　September；
he　went　from　Marly　to　Saint　Germain。　　The　King　of　England　was　so　ill　that
when　the　King　was　announced　to　him　he　scarcely　opened　his　eyes　for　an
instant。　　The　King　told　him　that　he　might　die　in　peace　respecting　the
Prince　of　Wales；　whom　he　would　recognise　as　King　of　England；　Scotland；
and　Ireland。

The　few　English　who　were　there　threw　themselves　upon　their　knees；　but　the
King　of　England　gave　no　signs　of　life。　　The　gratitude　of　the　Prince　of
Wales　and　of　his　mother；　when　they　heard　what　the　King　had　said；　may　be
imagined。　　Returned　to　Marly；　the　King　repeated　to　all　the　Court　what　he
had　said。　　Nothing　was　heard　but　praises　and　applause。

Yet　reflections　did　not　fail　to　be　made　promptly；　if　not　publicly。　　It
was　seen；　that　to　recognise　the　Prince　of　Wales　was　to　act　in　direct
opposition　to　the　recognition　of　the　Prince　of　Orange　as　King　of　England；
that　the　King　had　declared　at　the　Peace　of　Ryswick。　　It　was　to　wound　the
Prince　of　Orange　in　the　tenderest　point；　and　to　invite　England　and
Holland　to　become　allies　of　the　Emperor　against　France。　　As　for　the
Prince　of　Wales；　this　recognition　was　no　solid　advantage　to　him；　but　was
calculated　to　make　the　party　opposed　to　him　in　England　only　more　bitter
and　vigilant　in　their　opposition。

The　King　of　England；　in　the　few　intervals　of　intelligence　he　had；
appeared　much　impressed　by　what　the　King　had　done。　　He　died　about　three
o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　the　16th　September　of　this　year；　1701。
He　had　requested　that　there　might　he　no　display　at　his　funeral；　and　his
wish　was　faithfully　observed。　　He　was　buried　on　the　Saturday；　at　seven
o'clock　in　the　evening；　in　the　church　of　the　English　Benedictines　at
Paris；　Rue　St。　Jacques；　without　pomp；　and　attended　by　but　few　mourners。
His　body　rests　in　the　chapel；　like　that　of　the　simplest　private　person；
until　the　time；　apparently　very　distant；　when　it　shall　be　transported　to
England。　　His　heart　is　at　the　Filles　de　Sainte　Marie；　of　Chaillot。

Immediately　afterwards；　the　Prince　of　Wales　was　received　by　the　King　as
King　of　England；　with　all　the　formalities　and　state　with　which　his　father
before　him　had　been　received。　　Soon　afterwards　he　was　recognised　by　the
new　King　of　Spain。

The　Count　of　Manchester；　English　ambassador　in　France；　ceased　to　appear
at　Versailles　after　this　recognition　of　the　Prince　of　Wales　by　the　King；
and　immediately　quitted　his　post　and　left　the　country　without　any　leave…
taking。　　King　William　heard；　while　in　Holland；　of　the　death　of　James　II。
and　of　this　recognition。　　He　was　at　table　with　some　German　princes　and
other　lords　when　the　news　arrived；　did　not　utter　a　word；　except　to
announce　the　death；　but　blushed；　pulled　down　his　hat；　and　could　not　keep
his　countenance。　　He　sent　orders　to　London；　to　drive　out　Poussin；　acting
as　French　ambassador；　immediately；　and　Poussin　directly　crossed　the　sea
and　arrived　at　Calais。

This　event　was　itself　followed　by　the　signing　of　the　great　treaty　of
alliance；　offensive　and　defensive；　against　France　and　Spain；　by　Austria；
England；　and　Holland；　in　which　they　afterwards　succeeded　in　engaging
other　powers；　which　compelled　the　King　to　increase　the　number　of　his
troops。

Just　after　the　return　of　the　Court　from　Fontainebleau；　a　strange　scene
happened　at　St。　Maur；　in　a　pretty　house　there　which　M。　le　Duc　possessed。
He　was　at　this　house　one　night　with　five　or　six　intimate　friends；　whom　he
had　invited　to　pass　the　night　there。　　One　of　these　friends　was　the　Comte
de　Fiesque。　　At　table；　and　before　the　wine　had　begun　to　circulate；　a
dispute　upon　some　historical　point　arose　between　him　and　M。　le　Duc。　　The
Comte　de　Fiesque；　who　had　some　intellect　and　learning；　strongly　sustained
his　opinion。　　M。　le　Duc　sustained　his；　and　for　want　of　better　reasons；
threw　a　plate　at　the　head　of　Fiesque；　drove　him　from　the　table　and　out　of
the　house。　　So　sudden　and　strange　a　scene　frightened　the　guests。　　The
Comte　de　Fiesque；　who　had　gone　to　M。　le　Duc's　house　with　the　intention　of
passing　the　night　there；　had　not　retained　a　carriage；　went　to　ask　shelter
of　the　cure；　and　got　back　to　Paris　the　next　day　as　early　in　the　morning
as　he　could。　　It　may　be　imagined　that　the　rest　of　the　supper　and　of　the
evening　was　terribly　dull。　　M。　le　Duc　remained　fuming　（perhaps　against
himself；　but　without　saying　so）；　and　could　not　be　induced　to　apologise
for　the　affront。　　It　made　a　great　stir　in　society；　and　things　remained
thus　several　months。　　After　a　while；　friends　mixed　themselves　in　the
matter；　M。　le　Duc；　completely　himself　again；　made　all　the　advances
towards　a　reconciliation。　　The　Comte　de　Fiesque　received　them；　and　the
reconciliation　took　place。　　The　most　surprising　thing　is；　that　after　this
they　continued　on　as　good　terms　as　though　nothing　had　passed　between
them。

The　year　1702　commenced　with　balls　at　Versailles；　many　of　which　were
masquerades。　　Madame　du　Maine　gave　several　in　her　chamber；　always　keeping
her　bed　because　she　was　in　the　family…way；　which　made　rather　a　singular
spectacle。　　There　were　several　balls　at　Marly；　but　the　majority　were　not
masquerades。　　The　King　often　witnessed；　but　in　strict　privacy；　and　always
in　the　apartments　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　sacred　dramas　such　as
〃Absalon；〃　〃Athalie；〃　&c。　　Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne；　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans；　the　Comte　and　Comtesse　d'Anjou；　the　young　Comte　de　Noailles；
Mademoiselle　de　Melun；　urged　by　the　Noailles；　played　the　principal
characters　in　very　magnificent　stage　dresses。　　Baron；　the　excellent　old
actor；　instructed　them　and　played　with　them。　　M。　de　Noailles　and　his
clever　wife　were　the　inventors　and　promoters　of　these　interior　pleasures；
for　the　purpose　of　intruding　themselves　more　and　more　into　the　society　of
the　King；　in　support　of　the　alliance　of　Madame　de　Maintenon。

Only　forty　spectators　were　admitted　to　the　representations。　　Madame　was
sometimes　invited　by　the　King；　because　she　liked　plays。　　This　favour　was
much　sought　after。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　wished　to　show　that　she　had
forgotten　the　past。

Longepierre　had　written　a　very　singular　piece　called　〃Electra；〃　which　was
played　on　a　magnificent　stage　erected　in　Madame　de　Conti's　house；　and　all
the　Court　flocked　several　times　to　see　it。　　This　piece　was　without　love；
but　full　of　other　passions　and　of　most　interesting　situations。　　I　think
it　had　been　written　in　the　hopes　that　the　King　would　go　and　see　it。　　But
he　contented　himself　with　hearing　it　talked　about；　and　the　representation
was　confined　to　the　Hotel　de　Conti。　　Longepierre　would　not　allow　it　to　be
given　elsewhere。　　He　was　an　intriguing　fellow　of　much　wit；　gentle；
insinuating；　and　who；　under　a　tranquillity　and　indifference　and　a　very
deceitful　philosophy；　thrust　himself　everywhere；　and　meddled　with
everything　in　order　to　make　his　fortune。　　He　succeeded　in　intruding
himself　into　favour　with　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　but　behaved　so　badly　that　he
was　driven　away。

The　death　of　the　Abbe　de　Vatteville　occurred　at　the　commencement　of　this
year；　and　made　some　noise；　on　account　of　the　prodigies　of　the　Abbe's
life。　　This　Vatteville　was　the　younger　son　of　a　Franche…Comte　family；
early　in　life　he　joined　the　Order　of　the　Chartreux　monks；　and　was
ordained　priest。　　H