the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第13部分

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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。　　He　had　much　intellect；　but　was　of　an　impetuous　spirit；
and　soon　began　to　chafe　under　the　yoke　of　a　religious　life。　　He
determined；　therefore；　to　set　himself　free　from　it；　and　procured　some
secular　habits；　pistols；　and　a　horse。　　Just　as　he　was　about　to　escape
over　the　walls　of　the　monastery　by　means　of　a　ladder；　the　prior　entered
his　cell。

Vatteville　made　no　to…do；　but　at　once　drew　a　pistol；　shot　the　prior　dead；
and　effected　his　escape。

Two　or　three　days　afterwards；　travelling　over　the　country　and　avoiding
as　much　as　possible　the　frequented　places；　he　arrived　at　a　wretched
roadside　inn；　and　asked　what　there　was　in　the　house。　　The　landlord
replied〃A　leg　of　mutton　and　a　capon。〃〃Good！〃　replied　our　unfrocked
monk；　〃put　them　down　to　roast。〃

The　landlord　replied　that　they　were　too　much　for　a　single　person；　and
that　he　had　nothing　else　for　the　whole　house。　　The　monk　upon　this　flew
into　a　passion；　and　declared　that　the　least　the　landlord　could　do　was　to
give　him　what　he　would　pay　for；　and　that　he　had　sufficient　appetite　to
eat　both　leg　of　mutton　and　capon。　　They　were　accordingly　put　down　to　the
fire；　the　landlord　not　daring　to　say　another　word。　　While　they　were
cooking；　a　traveller　on　horseback　arrived　at　the　inn；　and　learning　that
they　were　for　one　person；　was　much　astonished。　　He　offered　to　pay　his
share　to　be　allowed　to　dine　off　them　with　the　stranger　who　had　ordered
this　dinner；　but　the　landlord　told　him　he　was　afraid　the　gentleman　would
not　consent　to　the　arrangement。　　Thereupon　the　traveller　went　upstairs；
and　civilly　asked　Vatteville　if　he　might　dine　with　him　on　paying　half　of
the　expense。　　Vatteville　would　not　consent；　and　a　dispute　soon　arose
between　the　two；　to　be　brief；　the　monk　served　this　traveller　as　he　had
served　the　prior；　killed　him　with　a　pistol　shot。　　After　this　he　went
downstairs　tranquilly；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　fright　of　the　landlord　and
of　the　whole　house；　had　the　leg　of　mutton　and　capon　served　up　to　him；
picked　both　to　the　very　bone；　paid　his　score；　remounted　his　horse；　and
went　his　way。

Not　knowing　what　course　to　take；　he　went　to　Turkey；　and　in　order　to
succeed　there；　had　himself　circumcised；　put　on　the　turban；　and　entered
into　the　militia。　　His　blasphemy　advanced　him；　his　talents　and　his　colour
distinguished　him；　he　became　Bacha；　and　the　confidential　man　in　the
Morea；　where　the　Turks　were　making　war　against　the　Venetians。　　He
determined　to　make　use　of　this　position　in　order　to　advance　his　own
interests；　and　entering　into　communication　with　the　generalissimo　of　the
Republic；　promised　to　betray　into　his　hands　several　secret　places
belonging　to　the　Turks；　but　on　certain　conditions。　　These　were；
absolution　from　the　Pope　for　all　crimes　of　his　life；　his　murders　and　his
apostasy　included；　security　against　the　Chartreux　and　against　being
placed　in　any　other　Order；　full　restitution　of　his　civil　rights；　and
liberty　to　exercise　his　profession　of　priest　with　the　right　of　possessing
all　benefices　of　every　kind。　　The　Venetians　thought　the　bargain　too　good
to　be　refused；　and　the　Pope；　in　the　interest　of　the　Church；　accorded　all
the　demands　of　the　Bacha。　　When　Vatteville　was　quite　assured　that　his
conditions　would　be　complied　with；　he　took　his　measures　so　well　that　he
executed　perfectly　all　he　had　undertaken。　　Immediately　after　he　threw
himself　into　the　Venetian　army；　and　passed　into　Italy。　　He　was　well
received　at　Rome　by　the　Pope；　and　returned　to　his　family　in　Franche…
Comte；　and　amused　himself　by　braving　the　Chartreux。

At　the　first　conquest　of　the　Franche…Comte；　he　intrigued　so　well　with　the
Queen…mother　and　the　ministry；　that　he　was　promised　the　Archbishopric　of
Besancon；　but　the　Pope　cried　out　against　this　on　account　of　his　murders；
circumcision；　and　apostasy。　　The　King　sided　with　the　Pope；　and　Vatteville
was　obliged　to　be　contented　with　the　abbey　of　Baume；　another　good　abbey
in　Picardy；　and　divers　other　advantages。

Except　when　he　came　to　the　Court；　where　he　was　always　received　with　great
distinction；　he　remained　at　his　abbey　of　Baume；　living　there　like　a　grand
seigneur；　keeping　a　fine　pack　of　hounds；　a　good　table；　entertaining
jovial　company；　keeping　mistresses　very　freely；　tyrannising　over　his
tenants　and　his　neighbours　in　the　most　absolute　manner。　　The　intendants
gave　way　to　him；　and　by　express　orders　of　the　Court　allowed　him　to　act
much　as　he　pleased；　even　with　the　taxes；　which　he　regulated　at　his　will；
and　in　his　conduct　was　oftentimes　very　violent。　　With　these　manners　and
this　bearing；　which　caused　him　to　be　both　feared　and　respected；　he　would
often　amuse　himself　by　going　to　see　the　Chartreux；　in　order　to　plume
himself　on　having　quitted　their　frock。　　He　played　much　at　hombre；　and
frequently　gained　'codille'　（a　term　of　the　game）；　so　that　the　name　of　the
Abbe　Codille　was　given　to　him。　　He　lived　in　this　manner　always　with　the
same　licence　and　in　the　same　consideration；　until　nearly　ninety　years　of
age。




CHAPTER　XXIV

The　changes　which　took　place　in　the　army　after　the　Peace　of　Ryswick；　were
very　great　and　very　strange。　　The　excellence　of　the　regiments；　the　merits
of　the　officers；　those　who　commanded；　all　were　forgotten　by　Barbezieux；
young　and　impetuous；　whom　the　King　allowed　to　act　as　he　liked。　　My
regiment　was　disbanded；　and　my　company　was　incorporated　with　that　of
Count　d'Uzes；　brother…in…law　of　Duras；　who　looked　well　after　the
interests　of　his　relative。　　I　was　thus　deprived　of　command；　without
regiment；　without　company；　and　the　only　opportunity　offered　me　was　to
serve　in　a　regiment　commanded　by　Saint　Morris；　where　I　should　have　been；
as　it　were；　at　the　lowest　step　of　the　ladder；　with　my　whole　military
career　to　begin　over　again。

I　had　served　at　the　head　of　my　regiment　during　four　campaigns；　with
applause　and　reputation；　I　am　bold　enough　to　say　it。　　I　thought　therefore
I　was　entitled　to　better　treatment　than　this。　　Promotions　were　made；　five
officers；　all　my　juniors；　were　placed　over　my　head。　　I　resolved　then　to
leave　the　service；　but　not　to　take　a　rash　step。　　I　consulted　first　with
several　friends　before　sending　in　my　resignation。　　All　whom　I　consulted
advised　me　to　quit　the　service；　but　for　a　long　time　I　could　not　resolve
to　do　so。　　Nearly　three　months　passed；　during　which　I　suffered　cruel
anguish　of　mind　from　my　irresolution。　　I　knew　that　if　I　left　the　army　I
should　be　certain　to　incur　the　anger　of　the　King；　and　I　do　not　hesitate
to　say　that　this　was　not　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me。　　The　King　was
always　annoyed　when　anybody　ceased　to　serve；　he　called　it　〃quitting　him；〃
and　made　his　anger　felt　for　a　long　time。　　At　last；　however；　I　determined
on　my　course　of　action。

I　wrote　a　short　letter　to　the　King；　in　which；　without　making　any
complaints；　I　said　that　as　my　health　was　not　good　（it　had　given　me　some
trouble　on　different　occasions）　I　begged　to　be　allowed　to　quit　his
service；　and　said　that　I　hoped　I　should　be　permitted　to　console　myself
for　leaving　the　army　by　assiduously　attending　upon　him　at　the　Court：
After　despatching　this　letter　I　went　away　immediately　to　Paris。

I　learnt　afterwards　from　my　friends；　that　upon　receiving　my　letter　the
King　called　Chamillart　to　him；　and　said　with　emotion：　〃Well！　　Monsieur；
here　is　another　man　who　quits　us！〃　and　he　read　my　letter　word　for　word。
I　did　not　learn　that　anything　else　escaped　him。

As　for　me；　I　did　not　return　to　Versailles　for　a　whole　week；　or　see　the
King　again　until　Easter　Monday。　　After　his　supper　that　evening；　and　when
about　to　undress　himself；　he　paid　me　a　distinction；　a　mere　trifle　I
admit；　and　which　I　should　be　ashamed　to　mention　if　it　did　not　under　the
circumstances　serve　as　a　characteristic　of　him。

Although　the　place　he　undressed　in　was　very　well　illuminated；　the
chaplain　at　the　evening　prayers　there　held　in　his　hand　a　lighted　candle；
which　he　gave　afterwards　to　the　chief　valet…de…chambre；　who　carried　it
before　the　King　until　he　reached　his　arm…chair；　and　then　handed　it　to
whomever　the　King　ordered　him　to　give　it　to。　　On　this　evening　the　King；
glancing　all　around　him；　cast　his　eye　upon　me；　and　told　the　valet　to　give
the　candle　to　me。　　It　was　an　honour　which　he　bestowed　sometimes　upon　one；
sometimes　upon　another；　according　to　his　whim；　but　which；　by　his　manner
of　bestowing　it；　was　always　coveted；　as　a　great　distinction。　　My　surprise
may　be　imagined　when　I　heard　myself　named　aloud　for　this　office；　not　only
on　this　but　on　many　other　occasions。　　It　was　not　that　there　was　any　lack
of　people　of　consideration　to　hold　the　candle；　but　the　King　was
sufficiently　piqued　by　my　retirement　not　to　wish　everybody　to　see　that
he　was　so。

For　three　years　he　failed　not　to　make　me　feel　to　what　extent　he　was　angry
with　me。　　He　spoke　to　me　no　longer；　he　scarcely　bestowed　a　glance　upon
me；　and　never　once　alluded　to　my　letter。　　To　show　that　his　annoyance　did
not　extend　to　my　wife；　but　that　it　was　solely　and　wholly　directed　against
me；　he　bestowed；　about　eight　months　after；　several　marks　of　favour　upon
Madame　de　Saint…Simon。　　She　was　continually　invited　to　the　suppers　at
Trianonan　honour　which　had　never　before　been　granted　her。　　I　only
laughed　at　this。　　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　was　not　invited　to　Marly；　because
the　husbands　always；　by　right；　accompanied　their　wives　there；　apartments
being　given　for　both。　　At　Trianon　it　was　different。　　Nobody　was　allowed
to　sleep　there　except　those　absolutely　in　attendance。　　The　King　wished；
therefore；　the　better　to　mark　by　this　distinction　that　the　exclusion　was
intended　for　me　alone；　and　that　my　wife　had　no　part　in　it。

Notwithstanding　this；　I　persevered　in　my　ordinary　assiduity；　without　ever
asking　to　be　invited　to　Marly；　and　lived　agreeably　with　my　wife　and　my
friends。　　I　have　thought　it　best　to　finish　with　this　subject　at　oncenow
I　must　go　back　to　my　starting　point。

At　the　commencement　of　this　year　（1702）　it　seemed　as　though　the
flatterers　of　the　King　foresaw　that　the　prosperity　of　his　reign　was　at
an　end；　and　that　henceforth　they　would　only　have　to　praise　him　for　his
constancy。　　The　great　number　of　medals　that　had　been　struck　on　all