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the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第9部分

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could scarcely stand; and was dragged; almost carried; to the carriage;
all trembling。

The King arrived at Saint Cloud before three o'clock in the morning。
Monsieur had not had a moment's consciousness since his attack。  A ray of
intelligence came to him for an instant; while his confessor; Pere du
Trevoux; went to say mass; but it returned no more。  The most horrible
sights have often ridiculous contrasts。  When the said confessor came
back; he cried; 〃Monsieur; do you not know your confessor?  Do you not
know the good little Pere du Trevoux; who is speaking to you?〃 and thus
caused the less afflicted to laugh indecently。

The King appeared much moved; naturally he wept with great facility; he
was; therefore; all tears。  He had never had cause not to love his
brother tenderly; although on bad terms with him for the last two months;
these sad moments recalled all his tenderness; perhaps; too; he
reproached himself for having hastened death by the scene of the morning。
And finally; Monsieur was younger than he by two years; and all his life
had enjoyed as good health as he; and better!  The King heard mass at
Saint Cloud;  and; towards eight o'clock in the morning; Monsieur being
past all hope; Madame de Maintenon and Madame la Duchesse de Bourgogne
persuaded the King to stay no longer; and accordingly returned with him
in his carriage to Marly。  As he was going out and was showing some sign
of affection to M。 de Chartresboth weeping very muchthat young Prince
did not fail to take advantage of the opportunity。  〃Oh Sire!〃 he
exclaimed; embracing the King's thighs; 〃what will become of me?  I lose
Monsieur; and I know that you do not like me。〃  The King; surprised and
much touched; embraced him; and said all the tender things he could。

On arriving at Marly; the King went with the Duchesse de Bourgogne to
Madame de Maintenon。  Three hours after came M。 Fagon; who had been
ordered not to leave Monsieur until he was dead or betterwhich could
not be but by miracle。  The King said; as soon as he saw him: 〃Well!
M。 Fagon; my brother is dead?〃〃Yes; Sire;〃 said Fagon; 〃no remedy has
taken effect。〃

The King wept a good deal。  He was pressed to dine with Madame de
Maintenon; but he would not do so; and had his dinner; as usual; with the
ladies。  The tears often ran down his cheek; during the meal; which was
short。  After this; he shut himself up in Madame de Maintenon's rooms
until seven o'clock; and then took a turn in his garden。  Afterwards he
worked with Chamillart and Pontchartrain; and arranged all the funeral
ceremonies of Monsieur。  He supped an hour before his customary time; and
went to bed soon afterwards。

At the departure from St。 Cloud of the King; all the crowd assembled
there little by little withdrew; so that Monsieur dying; stretched upon a
couch in his cabinet; remained exposed to the scullions and the lower
officers of the household; the majority of whom; either by affection or
interest; were much afflicted。  The chief officers and others who lost
posts and pensions filled the air with their cries; whilst all the women
who were at Saint Cloud; and who lost their consideration and their
amusement; ran here and there; crying; with dishevelled hair; like
Bacchantes。  The Duchesse de la Ferme; who had basely married her
daughter to one of Monsieur's minions; named La Carte; came into the
cabinet; and; whilst gazing on the Prince; who still palpitated there;
exclaimed; giving vent to her profound reflections; 〃Pardi!  Here is a
daughter well married!〃

〃A very important matter!〃 cried Chatillon; who himself lost everything
by this death。  〃Is this a moment to consider whether your daughter is
well married or not?〃

Madame; who had never had great affection or great esteem for Monsieur;
but who felt her loss and her fall; meanwhile remained in her cabinet;
and in the midst of her grief cried out; with all her might; 〃No convent!
Let no one talk of a convent!  I will have nothing to do with a convent!〃
The good Princess had not lost her judgment。  She knew that; by her
compact of marriage; she had to choose; on becoming a widow; between a
convent and the chateau of Montargis。  She liked neither alternative; but
she had greater fear of the convent than of Montargis; and perhaps
thought it would be easier to escape from the latter than the former。
She knew she had much to fear from the King; although she did not yet
know all; and although he had been properly polite to her; considering
the occasion。

Next morning; Friday; M。 de Chartres; came to the King; who was still in
bed; and who spoke to him in a very friendly manner。  He said that the
Duke must for the future regard him as his father; that he would take
care of his position and his interests; that he had forgotten all the
little causes of anger he had had against him; that he hoped the Duke
would also forget them; that he begged that the advances of friendship he
made; might serve to attach him to him; and make their two hearts belong
to one another again。  It may easily be conceived how well M。 de Chartres
answered all this。




CHAPTER XXII

After such a frightful spectacle as had been witnessed; so many tears and
so much tenderness; nobody doubted that the three; days which remained of
the stay at Marly would be exceedingly sad。  But; on the very morrow of
the day on which Monsieur died; some ladies of the palace; upon entering
the apartments of Madame de Maintenon; where was the King with the
Duchesse de Bourgogne; about twelve o'clock; heard her from the chamber
where they were; next to hers; singing opera tunes。  A little while
after; the King; seeing the Duchesse de Bourgogne very sad in a corner of
the room; asked Madame de Maintenon; with surprise; why the said Duchess
was so melancholy; set himself to work to rouse her; then played with her
and some ladies of the palace he had called in to join in the sport。
This was not all。  Before rising from the dinner table; at a little after
two o'clock; and twenty…six hours after the death of Monsieur;
Monseigneur the Duc de Bourgogne asked the Duc de Montfort if he would
play at brelan。

〃At brelan!〃 cried Montfort; in extreme astonishment; 〃you cannot mean
it!  Monsieur is still warm。〃

〃Pardon me;〃 replied the Prince; 〃I do mean it though。  The King does not
wish that we should be dull here at Marly; and has ordered me to make
everybody play; and; for fear that nobody should dare to begin; to set;
myself; the example;〃 and with this he began to play at brelan; and the
salon was soon filled with gaming tables。

Such was the affection of the King: such that of Madame de Maintenon!
She felt the loss of Monsieur as a deliverance; and could scarcely
restrain her joy; and it was with the greatest difficulty she succeeded
in putting on a mournful countenance。  She saw that the King was already
consoled; nothing could therefore be more becoming than for her to divert
him; and nothing suited her better than to bring things back into their
usual course; so that there might be no more talk of Monsieur nor of
affliction。  For propriety of appearance she cared nothing。  The thing
could not fail; however; to be scandalous; and in whispers was found so。
Monseigneur; though he had appeared to like Monsieur; who had given him
all sorts of balls and amusements; and shown him every kind of attention
and complaisance; went out wolf hunting the very day after his death;
and; upon his return; finding play going on in the salons; went without
hesitation and played himself like the rest。  Monseigneur le Duc de
Bourgogne and M。 le Duc de Berry only saw Monsieur on public occasions;
and therefore could not be much moved by his loss。  But Madame la
Duchesse was extremely touched by this event。  He was her grandfather;
and she tenderly loved her mother; who loved Monsieur; and Monsieur had
always been very kind to her; and provided all kinds of diversion for
her。  Although not very loving to anybody; she loved Monsieur; and was
much affected not to dare to show her grief; which she indulged a long
time in private。  What the grief of Madame was has already been seen。

As for M。 de Chartres; he was much affected by his loss。  The father and
son loved each other extremely。  Monsieur was a gentle and indulgent
parent; who had never constrained his son。  But if the Duke's heart was
touched; his reason also was。  Besides the great assistance it was to him
to have a father; brother of the King; that father was; as it were;
a barrier between him and the King; under whose hand he now found himself
directly placed。  His greatness; his consideration; the comfort of his
house and his life; would; therefore; depend on him alone。  Assiduity;
propriety of conduct; a certain manner; and; above all; a very different
deportment towards his wife; would now become the price of everything he
could expect to obtain from the King。  Madame la Duchesse de Chartres;
although well treated by Monsieur; was glad to be delivered from him; for
he was a barrier betwixt her and the King; that left her at the mercy of
her husband。  She was charmed to be quit of the duty of following
Monsieur to Paris or Saint Cloud; where she found herself; as it were; in
a foreign country; with faces which she never saw anywhere else; which
did not make her welcome; and where she was exposed to the contempt and
humour of Madame; who little spared her。  She expected for the future
never to leave the Court; and to be not only exempt from paying her court
to Monsieur; but that Madame and her husband would for the future be
obliged to treat her in quite another manner。

The bulk of the Court regretted Monsieur; for it was he who set all
pleasure a…going; and when he left it; life and merriment seemed to have
disappeared likewise。  Setting aside his obstinacy with regard to the
Princes; he loved the order of rank; preferences; and distinctions: he
caused them to be observed as much as possible; and himself set the
example。  He loved great people; and was so affable and polite; that
crowds came to him。  The difference which he knew how to make; and which
he never failed to make; between every one according to his position;
contributed greatly to h
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