the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第7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！


nothing。　　I　have　known　the　Court　and　mankind　many　years；　and　am　not　to　be
imposed　upon：　I　see　clearly　where　matters　point：〃　and　this　with　turns　and
inflections　of　voice　which　thoroughly　embarrassed　M。　le　Prince；　who
defended　himself　as　he　could。　　Every　one　crowded　to　hear　what　was　going
on；　and　at　last　Rose；　taking　M。　le　Prince　respectfully　by　his　arm；　said；
with　a　cunning　and　meaning　smile；　〃Is　it　not　that　you　wish　to　be　made
first　Prince　of　the　blood　royal？〃　　Then　he　turned　on　his　heel；　and
slipped　off。　　The　Prince　was　stupefied；　and　all　present　tried　in　vain　to
restrain　their　laughter。

Rose　had　never　pardoned　M。　de　Duras　an　ill　turn　the　latter　had　served
him。　　During　one　of　the　Court　journeys；　the　carriage　in　which　Rose　was
riding　broke　down。　　He　took　a　horse；　but；　not　being　a　good　equestrian；
was　very　soon　pitched　into　a　hole　full　of　mud。　　While　there　M。　de　Duras
passed；　and　Rose　from　the　midst　of　the　mire　cried　for　help。　　But　M。　de
Duras；　instead　of　giving　assistance；　looked　from　his　coach…window；　burst
out　laughing；　and　cried　out：　〃What　a　luxurious　horse　thus　to　roll　upon
Roses！〃and　with　this　witticism　passed　gently　on　through　the　mud。　　The
next　comer；　the　Duc　de　Coislin；　was　more　charitable；　he　picked　up　the
worthy　man；　who　was　so　furious；　so　carried　away　by　anger；　that　it　was
some　time　before　he　could　say　who　he　was。　　But　the　worst　was　to　come；　for
M。　de　Duras；　who　feared　nobody；　and　whose　tongue　was　accustomed　to　wag　as
freely　as　that　of　Rose；　told　the　story　to　the　King　and　to　all　the　Court；
who　much　laughed　at　it。　　This　outraged　Rose　to　such　a　point；　that　he
never　afterwards　approached　M。　de　Duras；　and　only　spoke　of　him　in　fury。
Whenever　he　hazarded　some　joke　upon　M。　de　Duras；　the　King　began　to　laugh；
and　reminded　him　of　the　mud…ducking　he　had　received。

Towards　the　end　of　his　life；　Rose　married　his　granddaughter；　who　was　to
be　his　heiress；　to　Portail；　since　Chief　President　of　the　Parliament。
The　marriage　was　not　a　happy　one；　the　young　spouse　despised　her　husband；
and　said　that　instead　of　entering　into　a　good　house；　she　had　remained　at
the　portal。　　At　last　her　husband　and　his　father　complained　to　Rose。　　He
paid　no　attention　at　first；　but；　tired　out　at　last；　said　if　his
granddaughter　persisted　in　her　bad　conduct；　he　would　disinherit　her。
There　were　no　complaints　after　this。

Rose　was　a　little　man；　neither　fat　nor　lean；　with　a　tolerably　handsome
face；　keen　expression；　piercing　eyes　sparkling　with　cleverness；　a　little
cloak；　a　satin　skull…cap　over　his　grey　hairs；　a　smooth　collar；　almost
like　an　Abbe's；　and　his　pocket…handkerchief　always　between　his　coat　and
his　vest。　　He　used　to　say　that　it　was　nearer　his　nose　there。　　He　had
taken　me　into　his　friendship。　　He　laughed　very　freely　at　the　foreign
princes；　and　always　called　the　Dukes　with　whom　he　was　familiar；　〃Your
Ducal　Highness；〃　in　ridicule　of　the　sham　Highnesses。　　He　was　extremely
neat　and　brisk；　and　full　of　sense　to　the　last；　he　was　a　sort　of
personage。




CHAPTER　XXI

On　Saturday；　the　19th　of　March；　in　the　evening；　the　King　was　about　to
undress　himself；　when　he　heard　cries　in　his　chamber；　which　was　full　of
courtiers；　everybody　calling　for　Fagon　and　Felix。　　Monseigneur　had　been
taken　very　ill。　　He　had　passed　the　day　at　Meudon；　where　he　had　eaten　only
a　collation；　at　the　King's　supper　he　had　made　amends　by　gorging　himself
nigh　to　bursting　with　fish。　　He　was　a　great　eater；　like　the　King；　and
like　the　Queens　his　mother　and　grandmother。　　He　had　not　appeared　after
supper；　but　had　jest　gone　down　to　his　own　room　from　the　King's　cabinet；
and　was　about　to　undress　himself；　when　all　at　once　he　lost　consciousness。
His　valets；　frightened　out　of　their　wits；　and　some　courtiers　who　were
near；　ran　to　the　King's　chambers；　to　his　chief　physician　and　his　chief
surgeon　with　the　hubbub　which　I　have　mentioned　above。　　The　King；　all
unbuttoned；　started　to　his　feet　immediately；　and　descended　by　a　little
dark；　narrow；　and　steep　staircase　towards　the　chamber　of　Monseigneur。
Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne　arrived　at　the　same　time；　and　in　an
instant　the　chamber；　which　was　vast；　was　filled。

They　found　Monseigneur　half　naked：　his　servants　endeavouring　to　make　him
walk　erect；　and　dragging　rather　than　leading　him　about。　　He　did　not　know
the　King；　who　spoke　to　him；　nor　anybody　else；　and　defended　himself　as
long　as　he　could　against　Felix；　who；　in　this　pressing　necessity；　hazarded
bleeding　him；　and　succeeded。　　Consciousness　returned。　　Monseigneur　asked
for　a　confessor；　the　King　had　already　sent　for；　the　cure。　　Many　emetics
were　given　to　him：　but　two　hours　passed　before　they　operated。　　At　half…
past　two　in　the　morning；　no　further　danger　appearing；　the　King；　who　had
shed　tears；　went　to　bed；　leaving　orders　that　he　was　to　be　awakened　if　any
fresh　accident　happened。　　At　five　o'clock；　however；　all　the　effect　having
passed；　the　doctors　went　away；　and　made　everybody　leave　the　sick　chamber。
During　the　night　all　Paris　hastened　hither。　　Monseigneur　was　compelled　to
keep　his　room　for　eight　or　ten　days；　and　took　care　in　future　not　to　gorge
himself　so　much　with　food。　　Had　this　accident　happened　a　quarter　of　an
hour　later；　the　chief　valet　de　chambre；　who　slept　in　his　room；　would　have
found　him　dead　in　his　bed。

Paris　loved　Monseigneur；　perhaps　because　he　often　went　to　the　opera。
The　fish…fags　of　the　Halles　thought　it　would　be　proper　to　exhibit　their
affection；　and　deputed　four　stout　gossips　to　wait　upon　him：　they　were
admitted。　　One　of　them　took　him　round　the　neck　and　kissed　him　on　both
cheeks；　the　others　kissed　his　hand。　　They　were　all　very　well　received。
Bontems　showed　them　over　the　apartments；　and　treated　them　to　a　dinner。
Monseigneur　gave　them　some　money；　and　the　King　did　so　also。　　They
determined　not　to　remain　in　debt；　and　had　a　fine　Te　Deum　sung　at　Saint
Eustache；　and　then　feasted。

For　some　time　past　Monsieur　had　been　sorely　grieved　that　his　son；　M。　le
Duc　de　Chartres；　had　not　been　appointed　to　the　command　of　an　army。　　When
M。　de　Chartres　married；　the　King；　who　had　converted　his　nephew　by　force
into　a　son…in…law；　promised　him　all　kinds　of　favours；　but　except　those
which　were　written　down　in　black　and　white　had　not　given　him　any。　　M。　de
Chartres；　annoyed　at　this；　and　at　the　manner　m　which　the　illegitimate
children　were　promoted　over　his　head；　had　given　himself　up　to　all　kinds
of　youthful　follies　and　excesses。　　The　King　was　surprised　to　find
Monsieur　agree　with　his　son's　ambition；　but　gave　a　flat　refusal　when
overtures　were　made　to　him　on　the　subject。　　All　hope　of　rising　to　a　high
command　was　thus　forbidden　to　the　Duc　de　Chartres；　so　that　Madame　had　a
fine　excuse　for　sneering　at　the　weakness　which　had　been　shown　by
Monsieur；　who；　on　his　part；　had　long　before　repented　of　it。　　He　winked；
therefore；　at　all　the　escapades　performed　or　threatened　by　his　son；　and
said　nothing；　not　being　sorry　that　the　King　should　become　uneasy；　which
was　soon　the　case。

The　King　at　last　spoke　to　Monsieur；　and　being　coldly　received；　reproached
him　for　not　knowing　how　to　exercise　authority　over　his　son。　　Upon　this
Monsieur　fired　up；　and；　quite　as　much　from　foregone　decision　as　from
anger；　in　his　turn　asked　the　King　what　was　to　be　done　with　a　son　at　such
an　age：　who　was　sick　of　treading　the　galleries　of　Versailles　and　the
pavement　of　the　Court；　of　being　married　as　he　was；　and　of　remaining；　as
it　were；　naked；　whilst　his　brothers…in…law　were　clothed　in　dignities；
governments；　establishments；　and　offices；against　all　policy　and　all
example。　　His　son；　he　said；　was　worse　off　than　any　one　in　the　King's
service；　for　all　others　could　earn　distinction；　added；　that　idleness　was
the　mother　of　all　vice；　and　that　it　gave　him　much　pain　to　see　his　only
son　abandon　himself　to　debauchery　and　bad　company；　but　that　it　would　be
cruel　to　blame　a　young　man；　forced　as　it　were　into　these　follies；　and　to
say　nothing　against　him　by　whom　he　was　thus　forced。

Who　was　astonished　to　hear　this　straightforward　language？　　Why；　the　King。
Monsieur　had　never　let　out　to　within　a　thousand　leagues　of　this　tone；
which　was　only　the　more　annoying　because　supported　by　unanswerable
reasons　that　did　not　convince。　　Mastering　his　embarrassments　however；　the
King　answered　as　a　brother　rather　than　as　a　sovereign；　endeavouring；　by
gentle　words；　to　calm　the　excitement　of　Monsieur。　　But　Monsieur　was　stung
to　the　quick　by　the　King's　neglect　of　M。　de　Chartres；　and　would　not　be
pacified；　yet　the　real　subject　of　the　annoyance　was　never　once　alluded
to；　whilst　the　one　kept　it　steadily　in　his　mind；　and　the　other　was
determined　not　to　yield。　　The　conversation　lasted　very　long；　and　was
pushed　very　far；　Monsieur　throughout　taking　the　high　tone；　the　King　very
gentle。　　They　separated　in　this　manner；Monsieur　frowning；　but　not
daring　to　burst　out；　the　King　annoyed；　but　not　wishing　to　estrange　his
brother；　much　less　to　let　their　squabble　be　known。

As　Monsieur　passed　most　of　his　summers　at　Saint　Cloud；　the　separation
which　this　occasioned　put　them　at　their　ease　whilst　waiting　for　a
reconciliation；　and　Monsieur　came　less　often　than　before；　but　when　he　did
filled　all　their　private　interviews　with　bitter　talk。　　In　public　little
or　nothing　appeared；　except　that　familiar　people　remarked　politeness　and
attention　on　the　King's　part；　coldness　on　that　of　Monsieurmoods　not
common　to　either。　　Nevertheless；　being　advised　not　to　push　matters　too
far；　he　read　a　lecture　to　his　son；　and　made　him　change　his　conduct　by
degrees。　　But　Monsieur　still　remained　irritated　against　the　King；　and
this　completely　upset　him；　accustomed　as　he　always　had　been　to　live　on
the　best　of　terms　with　his　brother；　and　to　be　treated　by　him　in　every
respect　as　suchexcept　that　the　King　would　not　allow　Monsieur　to　become
a　great　personage。

Ordinarily；　whenever　Monsieur　or　Madame　were　unwell；　even　if　their　little
finger　ached；　the　King　visited　them　at　once；　and　continued　his　visits　if
the　sickness　lasted。　　But　now；　Madame　had　been　laid　up　for　six　weeks　with
a　tertian　fever；　for　which　she　would　do　nothing；　because　she　treated
herself　in　her　German　fashion；　and　despised　physic　and　doctors。　　The
King；　who；　besides　the　affair　of　M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres；　was　secretly
angered　with　her；　as　will　presently　be　se