the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第2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！


a　fresh　will；　and　to　destroy　that　which　he　had　previously　made　in　favour
of　the　Archduke。　　The　new　will　accordingly　was　at　once　drawn　up　and
signed；　and　the　old　one　burned　in　the　presence；　of　several　witnesses。
Matters　having　arrived　at　this　point；　it　was　thought　opportune　to　admit
others　to　the　knowledge　of　what　had　taken　place。　　The　council　of　state；
consisting　of　eight　members；　four　of　whom　were　already　in　the　secret；　was
made　acquainted　with　the　movements　of　the　new　party；　and；　after　a　little
hesitation；　were　gained　over。

The　King；　meantime；　was　drawing　near　to　his　end。　　A　few　days　after　he　had
signed　the　new　will　he　was　at　the　last　extremity；　and　in　a　few　days　more
he　died。　　In　his　last　moments　the　Queen　had　been　kept　from　him　as　much　as
possible；　and　was　unable　in　any　way　to　interfere　with　the　plans　that　had
been　so　deeply　laid。　　As　soon　as　the　King　was　dead　the　first　thing　to　be
done　was　to　open　his　will。　　The　council　of　state　assembled　for　that
purpose；　and　all　the　grandees　of　Spain　who　were　in　the　capital　took　part
in　it；　The　singularity　and　the　importance　of　such　an　event；　interesting
many　millions　of　men；　drew　all　Madrid　to　the　palace；　and　the　rooms
adjoining　that　in　which　the　council　assembled　were　filled　to　suffocation。
All　the　foreign　ministers　besieged　the　door。　　Every　one　sought　to　be　the
first　to　know　the　choice　of　the　King　who　had　just　died；　in　order　to　be
the　first　to　inform　his　court。　　Blecourt；　our　ambassador；　was　there　with
the　others；　without　knowing　more　than　they；　and　Count　d'Harrach；
ambassador　from　the　Emperor；　who　counted　upon　the　will　in　favour　of　the
Archduke；　was　there　also；　with　a　triumphant　look；　just　opposite　the　door；
and　close　by　it。

At　last　the　door　opened；　and　immediately　closed　again。　　The　Duc
d'Abrantes；　a　man　of　much　wit　and　humour；　but　not　to　be　trifled　with；
came　out。　　He　wished　to　have　the　pleasure　of　announcing　upon　whom　the
successorship　had　fallen；　and　was　surrounded　as　soon　as　he　appeared。
Keeping　silence；　and　turning　his　eyes　on　all　sides；　he　fixed　them　for　a
moment　on　Blecourt；　then　looked　in　another　direction；　as　if　seeking　some
one　else。　　Blecourt　interpreted　this　action　as　a　bad　omen。　　The　Duc
d'Abrantes　feigning　at　last　to　discover　the　Count　d'Harrach；　assumed　a
gratified　look；　flew　to　him；　embraced　him；　and　said　aloud　in　Spanish；
〃Sir；　it　is　with　much　pleasure；〃　then　pausing；　as　though　to　embrace　him
better；　he　added：　〃Yes；　sir；　it　is　with　an　extreme　joy　that　for　all　my
life；〃　here　the　embraces　were　redoubled　as　an　excuse　for　a　second　pause；
after　which　he　went　on〃and　with　the　greatest　contentment　that　I　part
from　you；　and　take　leave　of　the　very　august　House　of　Austria。〃　　So　saying
he　clove　the　crowd；　and　every　one　ran　after　him　to　know　the　name　of　the
real　heir。

The　astonishment　and　indignation　of　Count　d'Harrach　disabled　him　from
speaking；　but　showed　themselves　upon　his　face　in　all　their　extent。　　He
remained　motionless　some　moments；　and　then　went　away　in　the　greatest
confusion　at　the　manner　in　which　he　had　been　duped。

Blecourt；　on　the　other　hand；　ran　home　without　asking　other　information；
and　at　once　despatched　to　the　King　a　courier；　who　fell　ill　at　Bayonne；
and　was　replaced　by　one　named　by　Harcourt；　then　at　Bayonne　getting　ready
for　the　occupation　of　Guipuscoa。　　The　news　arrived　at　Court
（Fontainebleau）　in　the　month　of　November。　　The　King　was　going　out
shooting　that　day；　but；　upon　learning　what　had　taken　place；　at　once
countermanded　the　sport；　announced　the　death　of　the　King　of　Spain；　and　at
three　o'clock　held　a　council　of　the　ministers　in　the　apartments　of　Madame
de　Maintenon。　　This　council　lasted　until　past　seven　o'clock　in　the
evening。　　Monseigneur；　who　had　been　out　wolf…hunting；　returned　in　time　to
attend　it。　　On　the　next　morning；　Wednesday；　another　council　was　held；　and
in　the　evening　a　third；　in　the　apartments　of　Madame　de　Maintenon。
However　accustomed　persons　were　at　the　Court　to　the　favour　Madame　de
Maintenon　enjoyed　there；　they　were　extremely　surprised　to　see　two
councils　assembled　in　her　rooms　for　the　greatest　and　most　important
deliberation　that　had　taken　place　during　this　long　reign；　or　indeed
during　many　others。

The　King；　Monseigneur；　the　Chancellor；　the　Duc　de　Brinvilliers；　Torcy；
and　Madame　de　Maintenon；　were　the　only　persons　who　deliberated　upon　this
affair。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　preserved　at　first　a　modest　silence；　but　the
King　forced　her　to　give　her　opinion　after　everybody　had　spoken　except
herself。　　The　council　was　divided。　　Two　were　for　keeping　to　the　treaty
that　had　been　signed　with　King　William；　two　for　accepting　the　will。
Monseigneur；　drowned　as　he　was　in　fat　and　sloth；　appeared　in　quite
another　character　from　his　usual　ones　at　these　councils。　　To　the　great
surprise　of　the　King　and　his　assistants；　when　it　was　his　turn　to　speak　he
expressed　himself　with　force　in　favour　of　accepting　the　testament。　　Then；
turning　towards　the　King　in　a　respectful　but　firm　manner；　he　said　that　he
took　the　liberty　of　asking　for　his　inheritance；　that　the　monarchy　of
Spain　belonged　to　the　Queen　his　mother；　and　consequently　to　him；　that　he
surrendered　it　willingly　to　his　second　son　for　the　tranquillity　of
Europe；　but　that　to　none　other　would　he　yield　an　inch　of　ground。　　These
words；　spoken　with　an　inflamed　countenance；　caused　excessive　surprise；
The　King　listened　very　attentively；　and　then　said　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；
〃And　you；　Madame；　what　do　you　think　upon　all　this？〃　　She　began　by
affecting　modesty；　but　pressed；　and　even　commanded　to　speak；　she
expressed　herself　with　becoming　confusion；　briefly　sang　the　praises　of
Monseigneur；　whom　she　feared　and　liked　but　littlesentiments　perfectly
reciprocatedand　at　last　was　for　accepting　the　will。

The　King　did　not　yet　declare　himself。　　He　said　that　the　affair　might　well
be　allowed　to　sleep　for　four…and…twenty　hours；　in　order　that　they　might
ascertain　if　the　Spaniards　approved　the　choice　of　their　King。　　He
dismissed　the　council；　but　ordered　it　to　meet　again　the　next　evening　at
the　same　hour　and　place。　　Next　day；　several　couriers　arrived　from　Spain；
and　the　news　they　brought　left　no　doubt　upon　the　King's　mind　as　to　the
wishes　of　the　Spanish　nobles　and　people　upon　the　subject　of　the　will。
When　therefore　the　council　reassembled　in　the　apartments　of　Madame　de
Maintenon；　the　King；　after　fully　discussing　the　matter；　resolved　to
accept　the　will。

At　the　first　receipt　of　the　news　the　King　and　his　ministers　had　been
overwhelmed　with　a　surprise　that　they　could　not　recover　from　for　several
days。　　When　the　news　was　spread　abroad；　the　Court　was　equally　surprised。
The　foreign　ministers　passed　whole　nights　deliberating　upon　the　course
the　King　would　adopt。　　Nothing　else　was　spoken　of　but　this　matter。　　The
King　one　evening；　to　divert　himself；　asked　the　princesses　their　opinion。
They　replied　that　he　should　send　M。　le　Duc　d'Anjou　（the　second　son　of
Monseigneur）；　into　Spain；　and　that　this　was　the　general　sentiment。
〃I　am　sure；〃　replied　the　King；　〃that　whatever　course　I　adopt　many　people
will　condemn　me。〃

At　last；　on　Tuesday；　the　16th　of　November；　the　King　publicly　declared
himself。　　The　Spanish　ambassador　had　received　intelligence　which　proved
the　eagerness　of　Spain　to　welcome　the　Duc　d'Anjou　as　its　King。　　There
seemed　to　be　no　doubt　of　the　matter。　　The　King；　immediately　after　getting
up；　called　the　ambassador　into　his　cabinet；　where　M。　le　Duc　d'Anjou　had
already　arrived。　　Then；　pointing　to　the　Duke；　he　told　the　ambassador　he
might　salute　him　as　King　of　Spain。　　The　ambassador　threw　himself　upon　his
knees　after　the　fashion　of　his　country；　and　addressed　to　the　Duke　a
tolerably　long　compliment　in　the　Spanish　language。　　Immediately
afterwards；　the　King；　contrary　to　all　custom；　opened　the　two　folding
doors　of　his　cabinet；　and　commanded　everybody　to　enter。　　It　was　a　very
full　Court　that　day。　　The　King；　majestically　turning　his　eyes　towards　the
numerous　company；　and　showing　them　M。　le　Duc　d'Anjou　said〃Gentlemen；
behold　the　King　of　Spain。　　His　birth　called　him　to　that　crown：　the　late
King　also　has　called　him　to　it　by　his　will；　the　whole　nation　wished　for
him；　and　has　asked　me　for　him　eagerly；　it　is　the　will　of　heaven：　I　have
obeyed　it　with　pleasure。〃　　And　then；　turning　towards　his　grandson；　he
said；　〃Be　a　good　Spaniard；　that　is　your　first　duty；　but　remember　that　you
are　a　Frenchman　born；　in　order　that　the　union　between　the　two　nations　may
be　preserved；　it　will　be　the　means　of　rendering　both　happy；　and　of
preserving　the　peace　of　Europe。〃　　Pointing　afterwards　with　his　finger　to
the　Duc　d'Anjou；　to　indicate　him　to　the　ambassador；　the　King　added；　〃If
he　follows　my　counsels　you　will　be　a　grandee；　and　soon；　he　cannot　do
better　than　follow　your　advice。〃

When　the　hubbub　of　the　courtiers　had　subsided；　the　two　other　sons　of
France；　brothers　of　M。　d'Anjou；　arrived；　and　all　three　embraced　one
another　tenderly　several　times；　with　tears　in　their　eyes。　　The　ambassador
of　the　Emperor　immediately　entered；　little　suspecting　what　had　taken
place；　and　was　confounded　when　he　learned　the　news。　　The　King　afterwards
went　to　mass；　during　which　at　his　right　hand　was　the　new　King　of　Spain；
who　during　the　rest　of　his　stay　in　France；　was　publicly　treated　in　every
respect　as　a　sovereign；　by　the　King　and　all　the　Court。

The　joy　of　Monseigneur　at　all　this　was　very　great。　　He　seemed　beside
himself；　and　continually　repeated　that　no　man　had　ever　found　himself　in　a
condition　to　say　as　he　could；　〃The　King　my　father；　and　the　King　my　son。〃
If　he　had　known　the　prophecy　which　from　his　birth　had　been　said　of　him；
〃A　King's　son；　a　King's　father；　and　never　a　King；〃　which　everybody　had
heard　repeated　a　thousand　times；　I　think　he　would　not　have　so　much
rejoiced；　however　vain　may　be　such　prophecies。　　The　King　himself　was　so
overcome；　that　at　supper　he　turned　to　the　Spanish　ambassador　and　said
that　the　whole　affair　seemed　to　him　like　a　dream。　　In　public；　as　I　have
observed；　the　new　King　of　Spain　was　treated　in　every　respect　as　a
sovereign；　but　in　private　he　was　still　the　Duc　d'Anjou。　　He　passed　his
evenings　in　the　apartments　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　where　he　played　at　all
sorts　of　children's　games；　scampering　to　and　fro　with　Messeigneurs　his
brothers；　with　Madame