the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第16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！


was　given　to　him；　nor　even　a　secret　audience。　　He　was　deprived　of　the
gift　of　a　silver　vessel　worth　eighteen　hundred　francs；　that　it　was
customary　to　present　to　the　cardinal　nuncios　at　their　departure：　and　he
went　away　without　saying　adieu　to　anybody。

Some　time　before；　M。　de　Monaco　had　been　sent　as　ambassador　to　Rome。　　He
claimed　to　be　addressed　by　the　title　of　〃Highness；〃　and　persisted　in　it
with　so　much　obstinacy　that　he　isolated；　himself　from　almost　everybody；
and　brought　the　affairs　of　his　embassy　nearly　to　a　standstill　by　the
fetters　he　imposed　upon　them　in　the　most　necessary　transactions。　　Tired
at　last　of　the　resistance　he　met　with；　he　determined　to　refuse　the　title
of　〃Excellence；〃　although　it　might　fairly　belong　to　them；　to　all　who
refused　to　address　him　as　〃Highness。〃　　This　finished　his　affair；　for
after　that　determination　no　one　would　see　him；　and　the　business　of　the
embassy　suffered　even　more　than　before。　　It　is　difficult　to　comprehend
why　the　King　permitted　such　a　man　to　remain　as　his　representative　at　a
foreign　Court。

Madame　de　Navailles　died　on　the　14th　of　February：　Her　mother；　Madame　de
Neuillant；　who　became　a　widow；　was　avarice　itself。　　I　cannot　say　by　what
accident　or　chance　it　was　that　Madame　de　Maintenon　in　returning　young　and
poor　from　America；　where　she　had　lost　her　father　and　mother；　fell　in
landing　at　Rochelle　into　the　hands　of　Madame　de　Neuillant；　who　lived　in
Poitou。　　Madame　de　Neuillant　took　home　Madame　de　Maintenon；　but　could　not
resolve　to　feed　her　without　making　her　do　something　in　return。　　Madame　de
Maintenon　was　charged　therefore　with　the　key　of　the　granary；　had　to
measure　out　the　corn　and　to　see　that　it　was　given　to　the　horses。　　It　was
Madame　de　Neuillant　who　brought　Madame　de　Maintenon　to　Paris；　and　to　get
rid　of　her　married　her　to　Scarron；　and　then　retired　into　Poitou。

Madame　de　Navailles　was　the　eldest　daughter　of　this　Madame　de　Neuillant；
and　it　was　her　husband；　M。　de　Navailles；　who；　serving　under　M。　le　Prince
in　Flanders；　received　from　that　General　a　strong　reprimand　for　his
ignorance。　　M。　le　Prince　wanted　to　find　the　exact　position　of　a　little
brook　which　his　maps　did　not　mark。　　To　assist　him　in　the　search；　M。　de
Navailles　brought　a　map　of　the　world！　　On　another　occasion；　visiting
M。　Colbert；　at　Sceaux；　the　only　thing　M。　de　Navailles　could　find　to
praise　was　the　endive　of　the　kitchen　garden：　and　when　on　the　occasion　of
the　Huguenots　the　difficulty　of　changing　religion　was　spoken　of；　he
declared　that　if　God　had　been　good　enough　to　make　him　a　Turk；　he　should
have　remained　so。

Madame　de　Navailles　had　been　lady　of　honour　to　the　Queen…mother；　and　lost
that　place　by　a　strange　adventure。

She　was　a　woman　of　spirit　and　of　virtue；　and　the　young　ladies　of　honour
were　put　under　her　charge。　　The　King　was　at　this　time　young　and　gallant。
So　long　as　he　held　aloof　from　the　chamber　of　the　young　ladies；　Madame　de
Navailles　meddled　not；　but　she　kept　her　eye　fixed　upon　all　that　she
controlled。　　She　soon　perceived　that　the　King　was　beginning　to　amuse
himself；　and　immediately　after　she　found　that　a　door　had　secretly　been
made　into　the　chamber　of　the　young　ladies；　that　this　door　communicated
with　a　staircase　by　which　the　King　mounted　into　the　room　at　night；　and
was　hidden　during　the　day　by　the　back　of　a　bed　placed　against　it。　　Upon
this　Madame　de　Navailles　held　counsel　with　her　husband。　　On　one　side　was
virtue　and　honour；　on　the　other；　the　King's　anger；　disgrace；　and　exile。
The　husband　and　wife　did　not　long　hesitate。　　Madame　de　Navailles　at　once
took　her　measures；　and　so　well；　that　in　a　few　hours　one　evening　the　door
was　entirely　closed　up。　　During　the　same　night　the　King；　thinking　to
enter　as　usual　by　the　little　staircase；　was　much　surprised　to　no　longer
find　a　door。　　He　groped；　he　searched；　he　could　not　comprehend　the
disappearance　of　the　door；　or　by　what　means　it　had　become　wall　again。
Anger　seized　him；　he　doubted　not　that　the　door　had　been　closed　by　Madame
de　Navailles　and　her　husband。　　He　soon　found　that　such　was　the　case；　and
on　the　instant　stripped　them　of　almost　all　their　offices；　and　exiled　them
from　the　Court。　　The　exile　was　not　long；　the　Queen…mother　on　her　death…
bed　implored　him　to　receive　back　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Navailles；　and　he
could　not　refuse。　　They　returned；　and　M。　de　Navailles　nine　years
afterwards　was　made　Marechal　of　France。　　After　this　Madame　de　Navailles
rarely　appeared　at　the　Court。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　could　not　refuse　her
distinctions　and　special　favours；　but　they　were　accorded　rarely　and　by
moments。　　The　King　always　remembered　his　door；　Madame　de　Maintenon　always
remembered　the　hay　and　barley　of　Madame　de　Neuillant；　and　neither　years
nor　devotion　could　deaden　the　bitterness　of　the　recollection。

From　just　before　Candlemas…day　to　Easter　of　this　year；　nothing　was　heard
of　but　balls　and　pleasures　of　the　Court。　　The　King　gave　at　Versailles　and
at　Marly　several　masquerades；　by　which　he　was　much　amused；　under　pretext
of　amusing　the　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne。　　At　one　of　these　balls　at　Marly　a
ridiculous　scene　occurred。　　Dancers　were　wanting　and　Madame　de　Luxembourg
on　account　of　this　obtained　an　invitation；　but　with　great　difficulty；　for
she　lived　in　such　a　fashion　that　no　woman　would　see　her。　　Monsieur　de
Luxembourg　was　perhaps　the　only　person　in　France　who　was　ignorant　of
Madame　de　Luxembourg's　conduct。　　He　lived　with　his　wife　on　apparently
good　terms　and　as　though　he　had　not　the　slightest　mistrust　of　her。　　On
this　occasion；　because　of　the　want　of　dancers；　the　King　made　older　people
dance　than　was　customary；　and　among　others　M。　de　Luxembourg。　　Everybody
was　compelled　to　be　masked。　　M。　de　Luxembourg　spoke　on　this　subject　to
M。　le　Prince；　who；　malicious　as　any　monkey；　determined　to　divert　all　the
Court　and　himself　at　the　Duke's　expense。　　He　invited　M。　de　Luxembourg　to
supper；　and　after　that　meal　was　over；　masked　him　according　to　his　fancy。

Soon　after　my　arrival　at　the　ball；　I　saw　a　figure　strangely　clad　in　long
flowing　muslin；　and　with　a　headdress　on　which　was　fixed　the　horns　of　a
stag；　so　high　that　they　became　entangled　in　the　chandelier。　　Of　course
everybody　was　much　astonished　at　so　strange　a　sight；　and　all　thought　that
that　mask　must　be　very　sure　of　his　wife　to　deck　himself　so。　　Suddenly　the
mask　turned　round　and　showed　us　M。　de　Luxembourg。　　The　burst　of　laughter
at　this　was　scandalous。　　Good　M。　de　Luxembourg；　who　never　was　very
remarkable　for　wit；　benignly　took　all　this　laughter　as　having　been
excited　simply　by　the　singularity　of　his　costume；　and　to　the　questions
addressed　him；　replied　quite　simply　that　his　dress　had　been　arranged　by
M。　le　Prince；　then；　turning　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　he　admired
himself　and　strutted　with　pleasure　at　having　been　masked　by　M。　le　Prince。
In　a　moment　more　the　ladies　arrived；　and　the　King　immediately　after　them。
The　laughter　commenced　anew　as　loudly　as　ever；　and　M。　de　Luxembourg
presented　himself　to　the　company　with　a　confidence　that　was　ravishing。
His　wife　had　heard　nothing　of　this　masquerading；　and　when　she　saw　it；
lost　countenance；　brazen　as　she　was。　　Everybody　stared　at　her　and　her
husband；　and　seemed　dying　of　laughter。　　M。　le　Prince　looked　at　the　scene
from　behind　the　King；　and　inwardly　laughed　at　his　malicious　trick。　　This
amusement　lasted　throughout　all　the　ball；　and　the　King；　self…contained　as
he　usually　was；　laughed　also；　people　were　never　tired　of　admiring　an
invention　so；　cruelly　ridiculous；　and　spoke　of　it　for　several　days。

No　evening　passed　on　which　there　was　not　a　ball。　　The　chancellor's　wife
gave　one　which　was　a　fete　the　most　gallant　and　the　most　magnificent
possible。　　There　were　different　rooms　for　the　fancy…dress　ball；　for　the
masqueraders；　for　a　superb　collation；　for　shops　of　all　countries；
Chinese；　Japanese；　&c。；　where　many　singular　and　beautiful　things　were
sold；　but　no　money　taken；　they　were　presents　for　the　Duchesse　de
Bourgogne　and　the　ladies。　　Everybody　was　especially　diverted　at　this
entertainment；　which　did　not　finish　until　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning。
Madame　de　Saint…Simon　and　I　passed　the　last　three　weeks　of　this　time
without　ever　seeing　the　day。　　Certain　dancers　were　only　allowed　to　leave
off　dancing　at　the　same　time　as　the　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne。　　One　morning；
at　Marty；　wishing　to　escape　too　early；　the　Duchess　caused　me　to　be
forbidden　to　pass　the　doors　of　the　salon；　several　of　us　had　the　same
fate。　　I　was　delighted　when　Ash　Wednesday　arrived；　and　I　remained　a　day
or　two　dead　beat；　and　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　could　not　get　over　Shrove
Tuesday。

La　Bourlie；　brother　of　Guiscard；　after　having　quitted　the　service；　had
retired　to　his　estate　near　Cevennes；　where　he　led　a　life　of　much　licence。
About　this　time　a　robbery　was　committed　in　his　house；　he　suspected　one　of
the　servants；　and　on　his　own　authority　put　the　man　to　the　torture。　　This
circumstance　could　not　remain　so　secret　but　that　complaints　spread
abroad。　　The　offence　was　a　capital　one。　　La　Bourlie　fled　from　the　realm；
and　did　many　strange　things　until　his　death；　which　was　still　more
strange；　but　of　which　it　is　not　yet　time　to　speak。

Madame　la　Duchesse；　whose　heavy　tradesmen's　debts　the　King　had　paid　not
long　since；　had　not　dared　to　speak　of　her　gambling　debts；　also　very
heavy。　　They　increased；　and；　entirely　unable　to　pay　them；　she　found
herself　in　the　greatest　embarrassment。　　She　feared；　above　all　things；
lest　M。　le　Prince　or　M。　le　Duc　should　hear　of　this。　　In　this　extremity
she　addressed　herself　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；　laying　bare　the　state　of
her　finances；　without　the　slightest　disguise。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　had
pity　on　her　situation；　and　arranged　that　the　King　should　pay　her　debts；
abstain　from　scolding　her；　and　keep　her　secret。　　Thus；　in　a　few　weeks；
Madame　la　Duchesse　found　herself　free　of　debts；　without　anybody　whom　she
feared　having　known　even　of　their　existence。

Langlee　was　entrusted　with　the　payment　and　arrangement　of　these　debts。
He　was　a　singular　kind　of　man　at　the　Court；　and　deserves　a　word。　　Born　of
obscure　parents；　who　had　enriched　themselves；　he　had　early　been
introduced　into　the　great　world；　and　had　devoted　himself　to　play；　gaining
an　immense　fortune；　but　without　being　accused　of　the　least　unfairness。
With　but