the memoirs of louis xiv-14-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！


ever　being　out　of　breath；　but　nobody　was　the　dupe　of　them。

Shortly　after　this；　that　is；　on　the　last　day　of　July；　the　King；　who　had
until　then　been　in　perfect　health；　woke　with　headache　and　pain　in　the
throat；　shivering　followed；　and　towards　afternoon；　the　pains　in　the　head
and　throat　being　augmented；　he　went　to　bed。　　I　repaired　the　next　day
about　twelve　to　inquire　after　him。　　I　found　he　had　passed　a　bad　night；
and　that　within　the　last　two　hours　he　had　grown　worse。　　I　saw　everywhere
consternation。　　I　had　the　grandes　entrees；　therefore　I　went　into　his
chamber。　　I　found　it　very　empty。　　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　seated　in　the
chimney　corner；　looked　exceedingly　downcast　and　solitary。　　I　approached
him　for　a　moment；　then　I　went　to　the　King's　bed。　　At　this　moment　Boulduc；
one　of　the　apothecaries；　gave　him　something　to　take。　　The　Duchesse　de　la
Ferme；　who；　through　the　Duchesse　de　Ventadour；　her　sister；　had　all　the
entrees　as　godmother　to　the　King；　was　at　the　heels　of　Boulduc；　and
turning　round　to　see　who　was　approaching；　saw　me；　and　immediately　said　in
a　tone　neither　high　nor　low；　〃He　is　poisoned！　　he　is　poisoned！〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　Madame；〃　said　I。　　〃This　is　terrible。〃

But　she　kept　on；　and　spoke　so　loudly　that　I　feared　the　King　would　hear
her。　　Boulduc　and　I　looked　at　each　other；　and　I　immediately　withdrew　from
the　bed　and　from　this　mad　woman；　with　whom　I　was　in　no　way　familiar。
During　this　illness；　which　lasted　only　five　days　（but　of　which　the　first
three　were　violent）　I　was　much　troubled；　but　at　the　same　time　I　was
exceedingly　glad　that　I　had　refused　to　be　the　King's　governor；　though　the
Regent　had　over　and　over　again　pressed　me　to　accept　the　office。　　There
were　too　many　evil　reports　in　circulation　against　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　for
me　to　dream　of　filling　this　position。　　For　was　I　not　his　bosom　friend
known　to　have　been　on　the　most　intimate　terms　with　him　ever　since　his
child　hoodand　if　anything　had　happened　to　excite　new　suspicions　against
him；　what　would　not　have　been　said？　　The　thought　of　this　so　troubled　me
during　the　King's　illness；　that　I　used　to　wake　in　the　night　with　a　start；
and；　oh；　what　joy　was　mine　when　I　remembered　that　I　had　not　this　duty　on
my　head！

The　malady；　as　I　have　said；　was　not　long；　and　the　convalescence　was
prompt；　which　restored　tranquillity　and　joy；　and　caused　an　overflow　of　Te
Deums　and　rejoicing。　　Helvetius　had　all　the　honour　of　the　cure；　the
doctors　had　lost　their　heads；　he　preserved　his；　and　obstinately　proposed
bleeding　at　the　foot；　at　a　consultation　at　which　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was
present；　his　advice　prevailed；　change　for　the　better　immediately　took
place；　cure　soon　after。

The　Marechal　de　Villeroy　（the　King's　governor）　did　not　let　slip　this
occasion　for　showing　all　his　venom　and　his　baseness；　he　forgot　nothing；
left　nothing　undone　in　order　to　fix　suspicion　upon　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；
and　thus　pay　his　court　to　the　robe。　　No　magistrate；　however　unimportant；
could　come　to　the　Tuileries　whom　he　did　not　himself　go　to　with　the　news
of　the　King　and　caresses；　whilst　to　the　first　nobles　he　was　inaccessible。
The　magistrates　of　higher　standing　he　allowed　to　enter　at　all　times　into
the　King's　chamber；　even　to　stand　by　his　bed　in　order　to　see　him；　while
they　who　had　the　'grandes　entrees'　with　difficulty　enjoyed　a　similar
privilege。

He　did　the　same　during　the　first　days　of　convalescence；　which　he
prolonged　as　much　as　possible；　in　order　to　give　the　same　distinction　to
the　magistrates；　come　at　what　time　they　might；　and　privately　to　the　great
people　of　the　Court　and　the　ambassadors。　　He　fancied　himself　a　tribune　of
the　people；　and　aspired　to　their　favour　and　their　dangerous　power。　　From
this　he　turned　to　other　affectations　which　had　the　same　aim　against　M。　le
Duc　d'Orleans。　　He　multiplied　the　Te　Deums　that　he　induced　the　various
ranks　of　petty　officers　of　the　King　to　have　sung　on　different　days　and　in
different　churches；　he　attended　all；　took　with　him　as　many　people　as　he
could；　and　for　six　weeks　continued　this　game。　　A　Te　Deum　was　sung　in
every　church　in　Paris。　　He　spoke　of　nothing　else；　and　above　the　real　joy
he　felt　at　the　King's　recovery；　he　put　on　a　false　one　which　had　a　party
smell　about　it；　and　which　avowed　designs　not　to　be　mistaken。

The　King　went　in　state　to　Notre　Dame　and　Saint　Genevieve　to　thank　God。
These　mummeries；　thus　prolonged；　extended　to　the　end　of　August　and　the
fete　Saint…Louis。　　Each　year　there；　is　on　that　day　a　concert　in　the
garden。　　The　Marechal　de　Villeroy　took　care　that　on　this　occasion；　the
concert　should　become　a　species　of　fete；　to　which　he　added　a　display　of
fireworks。　　Less　than　this　would　have　been　enough　to　draw　the　crowd。
It　was　so　great　that　a　pin　could　not　have　fallen　to　the　ground　through
the　mass　of　people　wedged　against　each　other　in　the　garden。　　The　windows
of　the　Tuileries　were　ornamented；　and　were　filled　with　people。　　All　the
roofs　of　the　Carrousel；　as　well　as　the　Place；　were　covered　with
spectators。

The　Marechal　de　Villeroy　was　in；　his　element；　and　importuned　the　King；
who　tried　to　hide　himself　in　the　corners　at　every　moment。　　The　Marechal
took　him　by　the　arm；　and　led　him；　now　to　the　windows　where　he　could　see
the　Carrousel；　and　the　houses　covered　with　people；　now　to　those　which
looked　upon　the　garden；　full　of　the　innumerable　crowd　waiting　for　the
fete。　　Everybody　cried　'Vive　le　Roi！'　　when　he　appeared；　but　had　not　the
Marechal　detained　him；　he　would　have　run　away　and　hid　himself。

〃Look；　my　master；〃　the　Marechal　would　say；　〃all　that　crowd；　all　these
people　are　yours；　all　belong　to　you；　you　are　the　master　of　them：　look　at
them　a　little　therefore；　to　please　them；　for　they　are　all　yours；　they　are
all　devoted　to　you。〃

A　nice　lesson　this　for　a　governor　to　give　to　a　young　King；　repeating　it
every　time　he　leads　him　to　the　windows；　so　fearful　is　he　lest　the　boy…
sovereign　shall　forget　it！　　I　do　not　know　whether　he　received　similar
lessons　from　those　who　had　the　charge　of　his　education。　　At　last　the
Marechal　led　him　upon　the　terrace；　where；　beneath　a　dais；　he　heard　the
end　of　the　concert；　and　afterwards　saw　the　fireworks。　　The　lesson　of　the
Marechal　de　Villeroy；　so　often　and　so　publicly　repeated；　made　much　stir；
and　threw　but　little　honour　upon　him。　　He　himself　experienced　the　first
effect　of　is　fine　instruction。

M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　conducted　himself　in　a　manner　simple；　so　prudent；
that　he　infinitely　gained　by　it。　His　cares　and　his　reasonable　anxiety
were　measured；　there　was　much　reserve　in　his　conversation；　an　exact　and
sustained　attention　in　his　language；　and　in　his　countenance；　which
allowed　nothing　to　escape　him；　and　which　showed　as　little　as　possible
that　he　was　the　successor　to　the　crown；　above　all；　he　never　gave　cause
for　people　to　believe　that　he　thought　the　King's　illness　more　or　less
serious　than　it　was；　or　that　his　hopes　were　stronger　than　his　fears。

He　could　not　but　feel　that　in　a　conjuncture　so　critical；　all　eyes　were
fixed　upon　him；　and　as　in　truth　he　never　wished　for　the　crown　（however
unlikely　the　statement　may　seem）；　he　had　no　need　to　constrain　himself　in
any　way；　but　simply　to　be　measured　in　his　bearing。　　His　conduct　was；　in
fact；　much　remarked；　and　the　cabal　opposed　to　him　entirely　reduced　to
silence。　　Nobody　spoke　to　him　upon　the　event　that　might　happen；　not　even
his　most　familiar　friends　and　acquaintances；　myself　included；　and　at　this
he　was　much　pleased。　　He　acted　entirely　upon　the　suggestions　of　his　own
good　sense。

This　was　not　the　first　time；　let　me　add；　that　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy；
in　his　capacity　of　governor　of　the　King；　had　tacitly　insulted　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans。　　He　always；　in　fact；　affected；　in　the　discharge　of　his　duties；
a　degree　of　care；　vigilance；　and　scrutiny；　the　object　of　which　was
evident。　　He　was　particularly　watchful　of　the　food　of　the　King；　taking　it
up　with　his　own　hands；　and　making　a　great　show　of　this　precaution；　as
though　the　King　could　not　have　been　poisoned　a　thousand　times　over　in
spite　of　such　ridiculous　care。　　'Twas　because　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was
vexed　with　this　childish　behaviour；　so　calculated　to　do　him　great　injury；
that　he　wished　me　to　supersede　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy　as　governor　of
the　King。　　This；　as　before　said；　I　would　never　consent　to。　　As　for　the
Marechal；　his　absurdities　met　with　their　just　reward；　but　at　a　date　I
have　not　yet　come　to。




CHAPTER　CVI

Before　this　illness　of　the　King；　that　is　to　say；　at　the　commencement　of
June；　I　went　one　day　to　work　with　M；　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　found　him
alone；　walking　up　arid　down　the　grand　apartment。

〃Holloa！　　there；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　he　saw　me；　then；　taking　me　by　the
hand；　〃I　cannot　leave　you　in　ignorance　of　a　thing　which　I　desire　above
all　others；　which　is　of　the　utmost　importance　to　me；　and　which　will　cause
you　as　much　joy　as　me；　but　you　must　keep　it　profoundly　secret。〃　　Then
bursting　out　laughing；　〃If　M。　de　Cambrai　knew　that　I　had　told　it　to　you；
he　would　never　pardon　me。〃　　And　he　proceeded　to　state　that　perfect
reconciliation　had　been　established　between　himself　and　the　King　and
Queen　of　Spain；　that　arrangements　had　been　made　by　which　our　young　King
was　to　marry　the　Infanta　of　Spain；　as　soon　as　he　should　be　old　enough；
and　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias　（the　heir　to　the　Spanish　throne）　was　to
marry　Mademoiselle　de　Chartres；　the　Regent's　daughter。

If　my　joy　at　this　was　great；　my　astonishment　was　even　greater；　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　embraced　me；　and　the　first　surprise　over；　I　asked　him　how　he
had　contrived　to　bring　about　these　marriages；　above　all；　that　of　his
daughter。　　He　replied　that　it　had　all　been　done　in　a　trice　by　the　Abbe
Dubois；　who　was　a　regular　devil　when　once　he　had　set　his　mind　upon
anything；　that　the　King　of　Spain　had　been　transported　at　the　idea　of　the
King　of　France　marrying　the　Infanta；　and　that　the　marriage　of　the　Prince
of　the　Asturias　had　been　the　'sine　qua　non'　of　the　other。

After　we　had　well　talked　over　the　matter　and　rejoiced　thereon；　I　said　to
the　Regent　that　the　proposed　marriage　of　his　daughter　must　be　kept
profoundly　secret　until　the　moment　of　her　departure　for　Spain；　and　that
of　the　King　also；　until　the　time　for　their　execution　arrived；　so　as　to
prevent　the　jealousy　of　all　Europe。　　At　this　union；