the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第10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！


the　Princess　of　the　Asturias；　and　the　children；　followed　and　waited　for
them　in　the　inner　apartment。　　This　company　withdrew　in　less　than　half　a
quarter　of　an　hour。　　Grimaldo　came　and　worked　ordinarily　for　a　long　time；
it　was　the　time　for　the　real　work　of　the　day。　　When　the　Queen　went　to
confession　this　also　was　the　time　she　selected。　　Except　what　related　to
the　confession；　she　and　her　confessor　had　no　time　to　say　anything　to　each
other。　　The　cabinet　in　which　she　confessed　to　him　was　contiguous　to　the
room　occupied　by　the　King；　and　when　the　latter　thought　the　confession　too
long；　he　opened　the　door　and　called　her。　　Grimaldo　being　gone；　they
prayed　together；　or　sometimes　occupied　themselves　with　spiritual　reading
until　supper。　　It　was　served　like　the　dinner。　　At　both　meals　there　were
more　dishes　in　the　French　style　than　in　the　Spanish；　or　even　the　Italian。

After　supper；　conversation　or　prayers　conducted　them　to　the　hour　for　bed；
when　nearly　the　same　observances　took　place　as　in　the　morning。　　Finally；
their　Catholic　Majesties　everywhere　had　but　one　wardrobe　between　them；
and　were　never　in　private　one　from　another。

These　uniform　days　were　the　same　in　all　places；　and　even　during　the
journeys　taken　by　their　Majesties；　who　were　thus　never　separated；　except
for　a　few　minutes　at　a　time。　　They　passed　their　lives　in　one　long　tete…a…
tete。　　When　they　travelled　it　was　at　the　merest　snail's　pace；　and　they
slept　on　the　road；　night　after　night；　in　houses　prepared　for　them。　　In
their　coach　they　were　always　alone；　when　in　the　palace　it　was　the　same。

The　King　had　been　accustomed　to　this　monotonous　life　by　his　first　queen；
and　he　did　not　care　for　any　other。　　The　new　Queen；　upon　arriving；　soon
found　this　out；　and　found　also　that　if　she　wished　to　rule　him；　she　must
keep　him　in　the　same　room；　confined　as　he　had　been　kept　by　her
predecessor。　　Alberoni　was　the　only　person　admitted　to　their　privacy。
This　second　marriage　of　the　King　of　Spain；　entirely　brought　about　by
Madame　des　Ursins；　was　very　distasteful　to　the　Spaniards；　who　detested
that　personage　most　warmly；　and　were　in　consequence　predisposed　to　look
unfavourably　upon　anyone　she　favoured。　　It　is　true；　the　new　Queen；　on
arriving；　drove　out　Madame　des　Ursins；　but　this　showed　her　to　be
possessed　of　as　much　power　as　the　woman　she　displaced；　and　when　she　began
to　exercise　that　power　in　other　directions　the　popular　dislike　to　her　was
increased。　　She　made　no　effort　to　mitigate　ithating　the　Spaniards　as
much　as　they　hated　herand　it　is　incredible　to　what　an　extent　this
reciprocal　aversion　stretched。

When　the　Queen　went　out　with　the　King　to　the　chase　or　to　the　atocha；　the
people　unceasingly　cried；　as　well　as　the　citizens　in　their　shops；　〃Viva
el　Re　y　la　Savoyana；　y　la　Savoyana；〃　and　incessantly　repeated；　with　all
their　lungs；　〃la　Savoyana；〃　which　is　the　deceased　Queen　（I　say　this　to
prevent　mistake）；　no　voice　ever　crying　〃Viva　la　Reina。〃　　The　Queen
pretended　to　despise　this；　but　inwardly　raged　（as　people　saw）；　she　could
not　habituate　herself　to　it。　　She　has　said　to　me　very　frequently　and　more
than　once：　〃The　Spaniards　do　not　like　me；　and　in　return　I　hate　them；〃
with　an　air　of　anger　and　of　pique。

These　long　details　upon　the　daily　life　of　the　King　and　Queen　may　appear
trivial；　but　they　will　not　be　judged　so　by　those　who　know；　as　I　do；　what
valuable　information　is　to　be　gained　from　similar　particulars。　　I　will
simply　say　in　passing；　that　an　experience　of　twenty　years　has　convinced
me　that　the　knowledge　of　such　details　is　the　key　to　many　others；　and　that
it　is　always　wanting　in　histories；　often　in　memoirs　the　most　interesting
and　instructive；　but　which　would　be　much　more　so　if　they　had　not
neglected　this　chapter；　regarded　by　those　who　do　not　know　its　price；　as　a
bagatelle　unworthy　of　entering　into　a　serious　recital。　　Nevertheless；　I
am　quite　certain；　that　there　is　not　a　minister　of　state；　a　favourite；　or
a　single　person　of　whatever　rank；　initiated　by　his　office　into　the
domestic　life　of　sovereigns；　who　will　not　echo　my　sentiments。

And　now　let　me　give　a　more　distinct　account　of　the　King　of　Spain　than　I
have　yet　written。

Philip　V。　was　not　gifted　with　superior　understanding　or　with　any　stock　of
what　is　called　imagination。　　He　was　cold；　silent；　sad；　sober；　fond　of　no
pleasure　except　the　chase；　fearing　society；　fearing　himself；　unexpansive；
a　recluse　by　taste　and　habits；　rarely　touched　by　others；　of　good　sense
nevertheless；　and　upright；　with　a　tolerably　good　knowledge　of　things；
obstinate　when　he　liked；　and　often　then　not　to　be　moved；　nevertheless；
easy　at　other　times　to　govern　and　influence。

He　was　cold。　　In　his　campaigns　he　allowed　himself　to　be　led　into　any
position；　even　under　a　brisk　fire；　without　budging　in　the　slightest；　nay；
amusing　himself　by　seeing　whether　anybody　was　afraid。　　Secured　and
removed　from　danger　he　was　the　same；　without　thinking　that　his　glory
could　suffer　by　it。　　He　liked　to　make　war；　but　was　indifferent　whether　he
went　there　or　not；　and　present　or　absent；　left　everything　to　the　generals
without　doing　anything　himself。

He　was　extremely　vain；　could　bear　no　opposition　in　any　of　his
enterprises；　and　what　made　me　judge　he　liked　praise；　was　that　the　Queen
invariably　praised　himeven　his　face；　and　asked　me　one　day；　at　the　end
of　an　audience　which　had　led　us　into　conversation；　if　I　did　not　think　him
very　handsome；　and　more　so　than　any　one　I　knew？　His　piety　was　only
custom；　scruples；　fears；　little　observances；　without　knowing　anything　of
religion：　the　Pope　a　divinity　when　not　opposed　to　him；　in　fact　he　had　the
outside　religion　of　the　Jesuits；　of　whom　he　was　passionately　fond。

Although　his　health　was　very　good；　he　always　feared　for　it；　he　was　always
looking　after　it。　　A　physician；　such　as　the　one　Louis　XI。　　enriched　so
much　at　the　end　of　his　life；　a　Maitre　Coythier　would　have　become　a　rich
and　powerful　personage　by　his　side；　fortunately　his　physician　was　a
thoroughly　good　and　honourable　man；　and　he　who　succeeded　him　devoted　to
the　Queen。　　Philip　V。　could　speak　wellvery　well；　but　was　often　hindered
by　idleness　and　self…mistrust。　　To　the　audiences　I　had　with　him；　however；
he　astonished　me　by　the　precision；　the　grace；　the　easiness　of　his　words。
He　was　good；　easy　to　serve；　familiar　with　a　few。　　His　love　of　France
showed　itself　in　everything。　　He　preserved　much　gratitude　and　veneration
for　the　deceased　King；　and　tenderness　for　the　late　Monsieur；　above　all
for　the　Dauphin；　his　brother；　for　whose　loss　he　was　never　consoled。
I　noticed　nothing　in　him　towards　any　other　of　the　royal　family；　except
the　King；　and　he　never　asked　me　concerning　anybody　in　the　Court；　except；
and　then　in　a　friendly　manner；　the　Duchesse　de　Beauvilliers。

He　had　scruples　respecting　his　crown；　that　can　with　difficulty　be
reconciled　with　the　desire　he　had　to　return；　in　case　of　misfortune；　to
the　throne　of　his　fathers；　which　he　had　more　than　once　so　solemnly
renounced。　　He　believed　himself　an　usurper！　　and　in　this　idea　nourished
his　desire　to　return　to　France；　and　abandon　Spain　and　his　scruples　at　one
and　the　same　time。　　It　cannot　be　disguised　that　all　this　was　very　ill…
arranged　in　his　head；　but　there　it　was；　and　he　would　have　abandoned　Spain
had　it　been　possible；　because　he　felt　compelled　by　duty　to　do　so。　　It　was
this　feeling　which　principally　induced　him；　after　meditating　upon　it　long
before　I　arrived　in　Spain；　to　abdicate　his　throne　in　favour　of　his　son。
It　was　the　same　usurpation　in　his　eyes；　but　not　being　able　to　obey　his
scruples；　he　contented　himself　by　doing　all　he　could　in　abdicating。　　It
was　still　this　feeling　which；　at　the　death　of　his　son；　troubled　him　so
much；　when　he　saw　himself　compelled　to　reascend　the　throne；　though；
during　his　abdication；　that　son　had　caused　him　not　a　little　vexation。
As　may　well　be　imagined；　Philip　V。　never　spoke　of　these　delicate　matters
to　me；　but　I　was　not　less　well　informed　of　them　elsewhere。

The　Queen　desired　not　less　to　abandon　Spain；　which　she　hated；　and　to
return　into　France　and　reign；　where　she　hoped　to　lead　a　life　of　less
seclusion；　and　much　more　agreeable。

Notwithstanding　all　I　have　said；　it　is　perfectly　true　that　Philip　V。　was
but　little　troubled　by　the　wars　he　made；　that　he　was　fond　of　enterprises；
and　that　his　passion　was　to　be　respected　and　dreaded；　and　to　figure
grandly　in　Europe。

But　let　me　now　more　particularly　describe　the　Queen。

This　princess　had　much　intellect　and　natural　graces；　which　she　knew　how
to　put　to　account。　　Her　sense；　her　reflection；　and　her　conduct；　were
guided　by　that　intellect；　from　which　she　drew　all　the　charms　and；　all　the
advantages　possible。　　Whoever　knew　her　was　astonished　to　find　how　her
intelligence　and　natural　capacity　supplied　the　place　of　her　want　of
knowledge　of　the　world；　of　persons；　of　affairs；　upon　all　of　which
subjects；　her　garret　life　in　Parma；　and　afterwards　her　secluded　life　with
the　King　of　Spain；　hindered　her　from　obtaining　any　real　instruction。　　The
perspicuity　she　possessed；　which　enabled　her　to　see　the　right　side　of
everything　that　came　under　her　inspection；　was　undeniable；　and　this
singular　gift　would　have　become　developed　in　her　to　perfection　if　its
growth　had　not　been　interrupted　by　the　ill…humour　she　possessed；　which　it
must　be　admitted　the　life　she　led　was　more　than　enough　to　give　her。　　She
felt　her　talent　and　her　strength；　but　did　not　feel　the　fatuity　and　pride
which　weakened　them　and　rendered　them　ridiculous。　　The　current　of　her
life　was　simple；　smooth；　with　a　natural　gaiety　even；　which　sparkled
through　the　eternal　restraint　of　her　existence；　and　despite　the　ill…
temper　and　the　sharpness　which　this　restraint　without　rest　gave　her；　she
was　a　woman　ordinarily　without　pretension；　and　really　charming。

When　she　arrived　in　Spain　she　was　sure；　in　the　first　place；　of　driving
away　Madame　des　Ursins；　and　of　filling…her　place　in　the　government　at
once。　　She　seized　that　place；　and　took　possession　also　of　the　King's
mind；　which　she　soon　entirely　ruled。　　As　to　public　business；　nothing
could　be　hidden　from　her。　　The　King　always　worked　in　her　presence；　never
otherwise；　all　that　he　saw　alone　she　read　and　discussed　with　him。　　She
was　always　present　at　all　the　private　audiences　that　he　gave；　whethe