the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第7部分

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and　who　understands　nothing　of　what　is　meant；　then　I　recommenced　my
conversation　with　the　King；　with　a　sort　of　liberty　and　enthusiasm；　so
that　the　nuncio　and　majordomo…major：　soon　grew　tired　of　appealing　to　a
man　whose　spirit　was　so　transported　that　he　no　longer　knew　where　he　was；
or　what　was　said　to　him。　　In　this　manner　I　defeated　the　craft；　cunning；
and　maliciousness　of　Dubois。　　At　the　conclusion　of　the　ceremony；　I
accompanied　the　King　and　Queen　to　the　door　of　the　Hall　of　Mirrors；　taking
good　care　then　to　show　every　deference　to　the　majordomo…major　and　the
nuncio；　and　yielding　place　to　them；　in　order　to　remove　any　impression
from　their　minds　that　I　had　just　acted　in　a　contrary　manner　from　design。
As　soon　as　their　Catholic　Majesties　had　departed；　and　the　door　of　the
salon　was　closed　upon　them；　I　was　encircled　and；　so　to　speak；　almost
stifled　by　the　company　present；　who；　one　after　the　other；　pressed　upon　me
with　the　greatest　demonstrations　of　joy　and　a　thousand　compliments。
I　returned　home　after　the　ceremony；　which　had　lasted　a　long　time。　　While
I　occupied　my　stolen　position　I　was　obliged；　in　order　to　maintain　it；　to
keep　up　an　incessant　conversation　with　the　King；　and　at　last；　no　longer
knowing　what　to　talk　about；　I　asked　him　for　an　audience　the　next　day；
which　he　readily　accorded　me。　　But　this　direct　request　was　contrary　to
the　usage　of　the　Court；　where　the　ambassadors；　the　other　foreign
ministers；　and　the　subjects　of　the　country　of；　whatever　rank；　address
their　requests　to　an　officer　who　is　appointed　to　receive　them；　who
communicates　with　the　King；　and　names　the　day　and　the　hour　when　his
Majesty　will　grant　the　interview。

Grimaldo；　a　little　after　the　end　of　ceremony；　had　gone　to　work　with　the
King　and　Queen；　as　was　customary。　I　was　surprised；　an　hour　after
returning　home；　to　receive　a　letter　from　this　minister；　asking　me　if　I
had　anything　to　say　to　the　King　I　did　not　wish　the　Queen　to　hear；
referring　to　the　audience　I　had　asked　of　the　King　for　the　morrow；　and
begging　me　to　tell　him　what　it　was　for。　　I　replied　to　him　instantly；　that
having　found　the　opportunity　good　I　had　asked　for　this　audience；　but　if　I
had　not　mentioned　the　Queen；　it　was　because　I　had　imagined　she　was　so
accustomed　to　be　present　that　there　was　no　necessity　to　allude　to　her：
but　as　to　the　rest；　I　had　my　thanks　to　offer　to　the　King　upon　what　had
just　passed；　and　nothing　to　say　to　him　that　I　should　not　wish　to　say　to
the　Queen；　and　that　I　should　be　very　sorry　if　she　were　not　present。

As　I　was　writing　this　reply；　Don　Gaspard　Giron　invited　me　to　go　and　see
the　illuminations　of　the　Place　Mayor。　　I　quickly　finished　my　letter；　we
jumped　into　a　coach；　and　the　principal　people　of　my　suite　jumped　into
others。　　We　were　conducted　by　detours　to　avoid　the　light　of　the
illuminations　in　approaching　them；　and　we　arrived　at　a　fine　house　which
looks　upon　the　middle　of　the　Place；　and　which　is　that　where　the　King　and
Queen　go　to　see　the　fetes　that　take　place。　　We　perceived　no　light　in
descending　or　in　ascending　the　staircase。　　Everything　had　been　closed；
but　on　entering　into　the　chamber　which　looks　upon　the　Place；　we　were
dazzled；　and　immediately　we　entered　the　balcony　speech　failed　me；　from
surprise；　for　more　than　seven　or　eight　minutes。

This　Place　is　superficially　much　vaster　than　any　I　had　ever　seen　in　Paris
or　elsewhere；　and　of　greater　length　than　breadth。　　The　five　stories　of
the　houses　which　surround　it　are　all　of　the　same　level；　each　has　windows
at　equal　distance；　and　of　equal　size；　with　balconies　as　deep　as　they　are
long；　guarded　by　iron　balustrades；　exactly　alike　in　every　case。　　Upon
each　of　these　balconies　two　torches　of　white　wax　were　placed；　one　at　each
end　of　the　balcony；　supported　upon　the　balustrade；　slightly　leaning
outwards；　and　attached　to　nothing。　　The　light　that　thisgives　is
incredible；　it　has　a　splendour　and　a　majesty　about　it　that　astonish　you
and　impress　you。　　The　smallest　type　can　be　read　in　the　middle　of　the
Place；　and　all　about；　though　the　ground…floor　is　not　illuminated。

As　soon　as　I　appeared　upon　the　balcony；　all　the　people　beneath　gathered
round　and　began　to　cry；　Senor！　　tauro！　　tauro！　　The　people　were　asking　me
to　obtain　for　them　a　bull…fight；　which　is　what　they　like　best　in　the
world；　and　what　the　King　had　not　permitted　for　several　years　from
conscientious　principles。　　Therefore　I　contented　myself　the　next　day　with
simply　telling　him　of　these　cries；　without　asking　any　questions　thereon；
while　expressing　to　him　my　astonishment　at　an　illumination　so　surprising
and　so　admirable。

Don　Gaspard　Giron　and　the　Spaniards　who　were　with　me　in　the　house　from
which　I　saw　the　illumination；　charmed　with　the　astonishment　I　had
displayed　at　this　spectacle；　published　it　abroad　with　all　the　more
pleasure　because　they　were　not　accustomed　to　the　admiration　of　the
French；　and　many　noblemen　spoke　of　it　to　me　with　great　pleasure。
Scarcely　had　I　time　to　return　home　and　sup　after　this　fine　illumination
than　I　was　obliged　to　go　to　the　palace　for　the　ball　that　the　King　had
prepared　there；　and　which　lasted　until　past　two　in　the　morning。

The　salon　was　very　vast　and　splendid；'the　dresses　of　the　company　were
sumptuous；　the　appearance　of　our　finest　fancy…dress　balls　did　not
approach　the　appearance　of　this。

What　seemed　strange　to　me　was　to　see　three　bishops　in　lawn　sleeves　and
cloaks　in　the　ball…room；　remaining；　too；　all　the　evening；　and　to　see　the
accoutrement　of　the　camerara…mayor；　who　held　exposed　in　her　hand　a　great
chaplet；　and　who；　while　talking　and　criticising　the　ball　and　the　dancers；
muttered　her　prayers；　and　continued　to　do　so　while　the　ball　lasted。　　What
I　found　very　strange　was；　that　none　of　the　men　present　（except　six
special　officers　and　Maulevrier　and　myself）　were　allowed　to　sit；　not　even
the　dancers；　in　fact；　there　was　not　a　single　seat　in　the　whole　salon；　not
even　at　the　back；　except　those　I　have　specified。

In　Spain；　men　and　women　of　all　ages　wear　all　sorts　of　colours；　and　dance
if　they　like；　even　when　more　than　sixty　years　old；　without　exciting　the
slightest　ridicule　or　astonishment。　　I　saw　several　examples　of　this　among
men　and　women。

Amongst　the　company　present　was　Madame　Robecque；　a　Frenchwoman；　one　of
the　Queen's　ladies；　whom　I　had　known　before　she　went　to　Spain。　　In　former
days　we　had　danced　together　at　the　Court。　　Apparently　she　said　so　to　the
Queen；　for　after　having　danced　with　one　of　the　children；　she　traversed
the　whole　length　of　the　salon；　made　a　fine　curtsey　to　their　Catholic
Majesties；　and　came　to　dislodge　me　from　my　retreat；　asking　me　with　a
curtsey　and　a　smile　to　dance。　　I　replied　to　her　by　saying　she　was
laughing　at　me；　dispute；　gallantries；　finally；　she　went　to　the　Queen；　who
called　me　and　told　me　that　the　King　and　she　wished　me　to　dance。

I　took　the　liberty　to　represent　to　her　that　she　wished　to　divert　herself
at　my　expense；　that　this　order　could　not　be　serious；　I　alleged　my　age；　my
position；　the　number　of　years　since　I　had　danced；　in　a　word；　I　did　all　I
could　to　back　out。　　But　all　was　useless。　　The　King　mixed　himself　in　the
matter；　both　he　and　the　Queen　begged　me　to　comply；　tried　to　persuade　me
I　danced　very　well；　at　last　commanded　me；　and　in　such　a　manner　that　I　was
obliged　to　obey。　　I　acquitted　myself；　therefore；　as　well　as　I　could。

The　ball　being　finished；　the　Marquis　de　Villagarcias；　one　of　the
majordomos；　and　one　of　the　most　honest　and　most　gracious　of　men　I　ever
saw　（since　appointed　Viceroy　of　Peru）；　would　not　let　me　leave　until　I　had
rested　in　the　refreshment…room；　where　he　made　me　drink　a　glass　of
excellent　neat　wine；　because　I　was　all　in　a　sweat　from　the　minuets　and
quadrilles　I　had　gone　through；　under　a　very　heavy　coat。

This　same　evening　and　the　next　I　illuminated　my　house　within　and　without；
not　having　a　moment's　leisure　to　give　any　fete　in　the　midst　of　the　many
functions　I　had　been　so　precipitately　called　upon　to　fulfil。




CHAPTER　CIX

On　Thursday；　the　27th　of　November；　the　King　and　Queen　were　to　depart　from
Madrid　to　Lerma；　a　pretty　hamlet　six　leagues　from　Burgos；　where　they　had
a　palace。　　On　the　same　day；　very　early　in　the　morning；　our　ambassador；
Maulevrier；　came　to　me　with　despatches　from　Cardinal　Dubois；　announcing
that　the　Regent's　daughter；　Mademoiselle　de　Montpensier；　had　departed　on
the　18th　of　November　for　Spain；　and　giving　information　as　to　the　places
she　would　stop　at；　the　people　she　would　be　accompanied　by；　the　day　she
would　arrive　at　the　frontier；　and　the　persons　charged　with　the　exchange
of　the　Princesses。

Maulevrier　and　I　thought　this　news　so　important　that　we　felt　there　was　no
time　to　lose；　and　at　once　hastened　away　to　the　palace　to　communicate　it
to　their　Majesties；　who　we　knew　were　waiting　for　it　most　impatiently。　　We
arrived　at　such　an　early　hour　that　all　was　deserted　in　the　palace；　and
when　we　reached　the　door　of　the　Hall　of　Mirrors；　we　were　obliged　to　knock
loudly　in　order　to　be　heard。　　A　French　valet　opened　the　door；　and　told　us
that　their　Catholic　Majesties　were　still　in　bed。　　We　did　not　doubt　it；
and　begged　him　to　apprise　them　that　we　wished　to　have　the　honour　of
speaking　to　them。　　Such　an　honour　was　unheard　of；　except　under
extraordinary　circumstances；　nevertheless　the　valet　quickly　returned；
saying　that　their　Majesties　would　receive　us；　though　it　was　against　all
rule　and　usage　to　do　so　while　they　were　in　bed。

We　traversed　therefore　the　long　and　grand　Hall　of　Mirrors；　turned　to　the
left　at　the　end　into　a　large　and　fine　room；　then　short　off　to　the　left
again　into　a　very　little　chamber；　portioned　off　from　the　other；　and
lighted　by　the　door　and　by　two　little　windows　at　the　top　of　the　partition
wall。　　There　was　a　bed　of　four　feet　and　a　half　at　most；　of　crimson
damask；　with　gold　fringe；　four　posts；　the　curtains　open　at　the　foot　and
at　the　side　the　King　occupied。　　The　King　was　almost　stretched　out　upon
pillows　with　a　little　bed…gown　of　white　satin；　the　Queen　sitting　upright；
a　piece　of　tapestry　in　her　hand；　at　the　left　of　the　King；　some　skeins　of
thread　near　her；　papers　scattered　upon　the　rest　of　the　bed　and　upon　an
armchair　at　the　side　of　it。　　She　was　quite　close　to　the　King；　who　was　in
his　night…cap；　she　also；　and　in　her　bed…gown；　both　between　the　sh