the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第14部分

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constancy。　　The　great　number　of　medals　that　had　been　struck　on　all
occasionsthe　most　ordinary　not　having　been　forgottenwere　collected；
engraved；　and　destined　for　a　medallic　history。　　The　Abbes　Tallemant；
Toureil；　and　Dacier；　three　learned　members　of　the　Academy；　were　charged
with　the　explanation　to　be　placed　opposite　each　of　these　medals；　in　a
large　volume　of　the　most　magnificent　impression　of　the　Louvre。　　As　the
history　commenced　at　the　death　of　Louis　XIII。；　his　medal　was　placed　at
the　head　of　the　book；　and　thus　it　became　necessary　to　say　something　of
him　in　the　preface。

As　it　was　known　that　I　had　a　correct　knowledge　of　Louis　XIII。；　I　was
asked　to　write　that　portion　of　the　preface　which　related　to　him。　　I
consented　to　this；　but　on　condition　that　I　should　be　spared　the　ridicule
of　it　in　society；　and　that　the　matter　should　be　faithfully　kept　secret。
I　wrote　my　theme　then；　which　cost　me　little　more　than　a　morning；　being　of
small　extent。　　I　had　the　fate　of　authors：　my　writing　was　praised；　and
appeared　to　answer　all　expectations。　　I　congratulated　myself；　delighted
at　having　devoted　two　or　three　hours　to　a　grateful　dutyfor　so　I
considered　it。

But　when　my　essay　was　examined；　the　three　gentlemen　above…named　were
affrighted。　　There　are　truths　the　unstudied　simplicity　of　which　emits　a
lustre　which　obscures　all　the　results　of　an　eloquence　which　exaggerates
or　extenuates；　Louis　XIII。　furnished　such　proofs　in　abundance。　　I　had
contented　myself　by　showing　them　forth；　but　this　picture　tarnished　those
which　followedso　at　least　it　appeared　to　those　who　had　gilded　the
latter。　　They　applied　themselves；　therefore；　to　cut　out；　or　weaken；
everything　that　might；　by　comparison；　obscure　their　hero。　　But　as　they
found　at　last　that　it　was　not　me　they　had　to　correct；　but　the　thing
itself；　they　gave　up　the　task　altogether；　threw　aside　my　writing；　and
printed　the　history　without　any　notice　whatever　of　Louis　XIII。　under　his
portraitexcept　to　note　that　his　death　caused　his　son　to　ascend　the
throne。

Reflections　upon　this　kind　of　iniquity　would　carry　me　too　far。

In　the　early　part　of　this　year　（1702）；　King　William　（of　England）；　worn
out　before　his　time　with　labours　and　business；　in　which　he　had　been
engaged　all　his　life；　and　which　he　had　carried　on　with　a　capacity；　an
address；　a　superiority　of　genius　that　acquired　for　him　supreme　authority
in　Holland；　the　crown　of　England；　the　confidence；　and；　to　speak　the
truth；　the　complete　dictatorship　of　all　Europeexcept　France；King
William；　I　say；　had　fallen　into　a　wasting　of　strength　and　of　health
which；　without　attacking　or　diminishing　his　intellect；　or　causing　him　to
relax　the　infinite　labours　of　his　cabinet；　was　accompanied　by　a
deficiency　of　breath；　which　aggravated　the　asthma　he　had　had　for　several
years。　　He　felt　his　condition；　and　his　powerful　genius　did　not　disavow
it。　　Under　forged　names　he　consulted　the　most　eminent　physicians　of
Europe；　among　others；　Fagon；　who；　having　to　do；　as　he　thought；　with　a
cure；　replied　in　all　sincerity；　and　with　out　dissimulation；　that　he　must
prepare　for　a　speedy　death。　　His　illness　increasing；　William　consulted
Fagon；　anew；　but　this　time　openly。　　The　physician　recognised　the　malady
of　the　curehe　did　not　change　his　opinion；　but　expressed　it　in　a　less
decided　manner；　and　prescribed　with　much　feeling　the　remedies　most　likely
if　not　to　cure；　at　least　to　prolong。　　These　remedies　were　followed　and
gave　relief；　but　at　last　the　time　had　arrived　when　William　was　to　feel
that　the　greatest　men　finish　like　the　humblest　and　to　see　the　nothingness
of　what　the　world　calls　great　destinies。

He　rode　out　as　often　as　he　could；　but　no　longer　having　the　strength　to
hold　himself　on　horseback；　received　a　fall；　which　hastened　his　end　by　the
shock　it　gave　him。　　He　occupied　himself　with　religion　as　little　as　he　had
all　his　life。　　He　ordered　everything；　and　spoke　to　his　ministers　and　his
familiars　with　a　surprising　tranquillity；　which　did　not　abandon　him　until
the　last　moment。　　Although　crushed　with　pain；　he　had　the　satisfaction　of
thinking　that　he　had　consummated　a　great　alliance；　which　would　last　after
his　death；　and　that　it　would　strike　the　great　blow　against　France；　which
he　had　projected。　　This　thought；　which　flattered　him　even　in　the　hour　of
death；　stood　in　place　of　all　other　consolation；a　consolation　frivolous
and　cruelly　deceitful；　which　left　him　soon　the　prey　to　eternal　truths！
For　two　days　he　was　sustained　by　strong　waters　and　spirituous　liquors。
His　last　nourishment　was　a　cup　of　chocolate。　　He　died　the　19th　March；
1702；　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。

The　Princess　Anne；　his　sister…in…law；　wife　of　Prince　George　of　Denmark；
was　at　the　same　time　proclaimed　queen。　　A　few　days　after；　she　declared
her　husband　Grand　Admiral　and　Commander…in…Chief　（generalissimo）；
recalled　the　Earl　of　Rochester；　her　maternal　uncle；　and　the　Earl　of
Sunderland；　and　sent　the　Count　of　Marlborough；　afterwards　so　well　known；
to　Holland　to　follow　out　there　all　the　plans　of　his　predecessor。

The　King　did　not　learn　this　death　until　the　Saturday　morning　following；
by　a　courier　from　Calais。　　A　boat　had　escaped；　in　spite　of　the　vigilance
which　had　closed　the　ports。　　The　King　was　silent　upon　the　news；　except　to
Monseigneur　and　to　Madame　de　Maintenon。　　On　the　next　day　confirmation　of
the　intelligence　arrived　from　all　parts。　　The　King　no　longer　made　a
secret　of　it；　but　spoke　little　on　the　subject；　and　affected　much
indifference　respecting　it。　　With　the　recollection　of　all　the　indecent
follies　committed　in　Paris　during　the　last　war；　when　it　was　believed　that
William　had　been　killed　at　the　battle　of　the　Boyne　in　Ireland；　the
necessary　precautions　against　falling　into　the　same　error　were　taken　by
the　King's　orders。

The　King　simply　declared　that　he　would　not　wear　mourning；　and　prohibited
the　Duc　de　Bouillon；　the　Marechal　de　Duras　and　the　Marechal　de　Lorges；
who　were　all　related　to　William；　from　doing　soan　act　probably　without
example。　　Nearly　all　England　and　the　United　Provinces　mourned　the　loss　of
William。　　Some　good　republicans　alone　breathed　again　with　joy　in　secret；
at　having　recovered　their　liberty。　　The　grand　alliance　was　very　sensibly
touched　by　this　loss；　but　found　itself　so　well　cemented；　that　the　spirit
of　William　continued　to　animate　it；　and　Heinsius；　his　confidant；
perpetuated　it；　and　inspired　all　the　chiefs　of　the　republic；　their　allies
and　their　generals；　with　it；　so　that　it　scarcely　appeared　that　William
was　no　more。

I　have　related；　in　its　proper　place；　all　that　happened　to　Catinat　in
Italy；　when　the　schemes　of　Tesse　and　M。　de　Vaudemont　caused　him　to　be
dismissed　from　the　command　of　the　army。　　After　the　signing　of　the
alliance　against　France　by　the　Emperor；　England；　and　Holland；　the　war
took　a　more　extended　field。　　It　became　necessary　to　send　an　army　to　the
Rhine。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　have　recourse　to　Catinat。

Since　his　return　from　Italy；　he　had　almost　always　lived　at　his　little
house　of　Saint　Gratien；　beyond　Saint　Denis；　where　he　bore　with　wisdom　the
injury　that　had　been　done　him　and　the　neglect　he　had　experienced　upon　his
return；　surrounded　by　his　family　and　a　small　number　of　friends。
Chamillart　one　day　sent　for　him；　saying　that　he　had　the　King's　order　to
talk　with　him。　　Catinat　went　accordingly　to　Chamillart；　from　whom　he
learned　that　he　was　destined　for　the　Rhine；　he　refused　the　command；　and
only　accepted　it　after　a　long　dispute；　by　the　necessity　of　obedience。

On　the　morrow；　the　11th　of　March；　the　King　called　Catinat　into　his
cabinet。　　The　conversation　was　amiable　on　the　part　of　the　King；　serious
and　respectful　on　the　part　of　Catinat。　　The　King；　who　perceived　this；
wished　to　make　him　speak　about　Italy；　and　pressed　him　to　explain　what　had
really　passed　there。　　Catinat　excused　himself；　saying　that　everything
belonged　to　the　past；　and　that　it　was　useless　now　to　rake　up　matters
which　would　give　him　a　bad　opinion　of　the　people　who　served　him；　and
nourish　eternal　enmity。　　The　King　admired　the　sagacity　and　virtue　of
Catinat；　but；　wishing　to　sound　the　depths　of　certain　things；　and　discover
who　was　really　to　blame；　pressed　him　more　and　more　to　speak　out；
mentioning　certain　things　which　Catinat　had　not　rendered　an　account　of；
and　others　he　had　been　silent　upon；　all　of　which　had　come　to　him　from
other　sources。

Catinat；　who；　by　his　conversation　of　the　previous　evening　with
Chamillart；　suspected　that　the　King　would　say　something　to　him；　had
brought　his　papers　to　Versailles。　　Sure　of　his　position；　he　declared　that
he　had　not　in　any　way　failed　to　render　account　to　Chamillart　or　to　the
King；　and　detailed　the　very　things　that　had　just　been　mentioned　to　him。
He　begged　that　a　messenger　might　be　despatched　in　order　to　search　his
cassette；　in　which　the　proofs　of　what　he　had　advanced　could　be　seen；
truths　that　Chamillart；　if　present；　he　said；　would　not　dare　to　disavow。
The　King　took　him　at　his　word；　and　sent　in　search　of　Chamillart。

When　he　arrived；　the　King　related　to　him　the　conversation　that　had　just
taken　place。　　Chamillart　replied　with　an　embarrassed　voice；　that　there
was　no　necessity　to　wait　for　the　cassette　of　Catinat；　for　he　admitted
that　the　accusation　against　him　was　true　in　every　respect。　　The　King；
much　astonished；　reproved　him　for　his　infidelity　in　keeping　silence　upon
these　comments；　whereby　Catinat　had　lost　his　favour。

Chamillart；　his　eyes　lowered；　allowed　the　King　to　say　on；　but　as　he　felt
that　his　anger　was　rising；　said。　　〃Sire；　you　are　right；　but　it　is　not　my
fault。〃

〃And　whose　is　it；　then？〃　replied　the　King　warmly。　　〃Is　it　mine？〃

〃Certainly　not；　Sire；〃　said　Chamillart；　trembling；　〃but　I　am　bold　enough
to　tell　you；　with　the　most　exact　truth；　that　it　is　not　mine。〃

The　King　insisting；　Chamillart　was　obliged　to　explain；　that　having　shown
the　letters　of　Catinat　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；　she　had　commanded　him　to
keep　them　from　his　Majesty；　and　to　say　not　a　syllable　about　them。
Chamillart　added；　that　Madame　de　Maintenon　was　not　far　off；　and
supplicated　the　King　to　ask　her　the　truth　of　this　matter。

In　his　turn；　the　King　was　now　more　embarrassed　than　Chamillart；　lowering
his　voice；　he　said　that　it　was　inconceivable　how　Madame　de　Maintenon　felt
interested　in　hi