the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第17部分

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an　immense　fortune；　but　without　being　accused　of　the　least　unfairness。
With　but　little　or　no　wit；　but　much　knowledge　of　the　world；　he　had
succeeded　in　securing　many　friends；　and　in　making　his　way　at　the　Court。
He　joined　in　all　the　King's　parties；　at　the　time　of　his　mistresses。
Similarity　of　tastes　attached　Langlee　to　Monsieur；　but　he　never　lost
sight　of　the　King。　　At　all　the　fetes　Langlee　was　present；　he　took　part　in
the　journeys；　he　was　invited　to　Marly；　was　intimate　with　all　the　King's
mistresses；　then　with　all　the　daughters　of　the　King；　with　whom　indeed　he
was　so　familiar　that　he　often　spoke　to　them　with　the　utmost　freedom。　　He
had　become　such　a　master　of　fashions　and　of　fetes　that　none　of　the　latter
were　given；　even　by　Princes　of　the　blood；　except　under　his　directions；
and　no　houses　were　bought；　built；　furnished；　or　ornamented；　without　his
taste　being　consulted。　　There　were　no　marriages　of　which　the　dresses　and
the　presents　were　not　chosen；　or　at　least　approved；　by　him。　　He　was　on
intimate　terms　with　the　most　distinguished　people　of　the　Court；　and　often
took　improper　advantage　of　his　position。　　To　the　daughters　of　the　King
and　to　a　number　of　female　friends　he　said　horribly　filthy　things；　and
that　too　in　their　own　houses；　at　St。　Cloud　or　at　Marly。　　He　was　often
made　a　confidant　in　matters　of　gallantry；　and　continued　to　be　made　so　all
his　life。　　For　he　was　a　sure　man；　had　nothing　disagreeable　about　him；　was
obliging；　always　ready　to　serve　others　with　his　purse　or　his　influence；
and　was　on　bad　terms　with　no　one。

While　everybody；　during　all　this　winter；　was　at　balls　and　amusements；
the　beautiful　Madame　de　Soubisefor　she　was　so　stillemployed　herself
with　more　serious　matters。　　She　had　just　bought；　very　cheap；　the　immense
Hotel　de　Guise；　that　the　King　assisted　her　to　pay　for。　　Assisted　also　by
the　King；　she　took　steps　to　make　her　bastard　son　canon　of　Strasbourg；
intrigued　so　well　that　his　birth　was　made　to　pass　muster；　although　among
Germans　there　is　a　great　horror　of　illegitimacy；　and　he　was　received　into
the　chapter。　　This　point　gained；　she　laid　her　plans　for　carrying　out
another；　and　a　higher　one；　nothing　less　than　that　of　making　her　son
Archbishop　of　Strasbourg。

But　there　was　an　obstacle；　in　the　way。　　This　obstacle　was　the　Abbe
d'Auvergne　（nephew　of　Cardinal　de　Bouillon）；　who　had　the　highest　position
in　the　chapter；　that　of　Grand　Prevot；　had　been　there　much　longer　than　the
Abbe　de　Soubise；　was　older；　and　of　more　consequence。　　His　reputation；
however；　was　against　him；　his　habits　were　publicly　known　to　be　those　of
the　Greeks；　whilst　his　intellect　resembled　theirs　in　no　way。　　By　his
stupidity　he　published　his　bad　conduct；　his　perfect　ignorance；　his
dissipation；　his　ambition；　and　to　sustain　himself　he　had　only　a　low；
stinking；　continual　vanity；　which　drew　upon　him　as　much　disdain　as　did
his　habits；　alienated　him　from　all　the　world；　and　constantly　subjected
him　to　ridicule。

The　Abbe　de　Soubise　had；　on　the　contrary；　everything　smiling　in　his
favour；　even　his　exterior；　which　showed　that　he　was　born　of　the　tenderest
amours。　　Upon　the　farms　of　the　Sorbonne　he　had　much　distinguished
himself。　　He　had　been　made　Prior　of　Sorbonne；　and　had　shone　conspicuously
in　that　position；　gaining　eulogies　of　the　most　flattering　kind　from
everybody；　and　highly　pleasing　the　King。　　After　this；　he　entered　the
seminary　of　Saint　Magloire；　then　much　in　vogue；　and　gained　the　good
graces　of　the　Archbishop　of　Paris；　by　whom　that　seminary　was　favoured。
On　every　side　the　Abbe　de　Soubise　was　regarded；　either　as　a　marvel　of
learning；　or　a　miracle　of　piety　and　purity　of　manners。　　He　had　made
himself　loved　everywhere；　and　his　gentleness；　his　politeness；　his
intelligence；　his　graces；　and　his　talent　for　securing　friends；　confirmed
more　and　more　the　reputation　he　had　established。

The　Abbe　d'Auvergne　had　a　relative；　the　Cardinal　de　Furstenberg；　who　also
had　two　nephews；　canons　of　Strasbourg；　and　in　a　position　to　become
claimants　to　the　bishopric。　　Madame　de　Soubise　rightly　thought　that　her
first　step　must　be　to　gain　over　the　Cardinal　to　her　side。　　There　was　a
channel　through　which　this　could　be　done　which　at　once　suggested　itself
to　her　mind。　　Cardinal　Furstenberg；　it　was　said；　had　been　much　enamoured
of　the　Comtesse　de　La　Marck；　and　had　married　her　to　one　of　his　nephews；
in　order　that　he　might　thus　see　her　more　easily。　　It　was　also　said　that
he　had　been　well　treated；　and　it　is　certain　that　nothing　was　so　striking
as　the　resemblance；　feature　for　feature；　of　the　Comte　de　La　Marck　to
Cardinal　de　Furstenberg。　　If　the　Count　was　not　the　son　of　the　Cardinal　he
was　nothing　to　him。　　The　attachment　of　Cardinal　Furstenberg　for　the
Comtesse　de　La　Marck　did　not　abate　when　she　became　by　her　marriage
Comtesse　de　Furstenberg；　indeed　he　could　not　exist　without　her；　she　lived
and　reigned　in　his　house。　　Her　son；　the　Comte　de　La　Marck；　lived　there
also；　and　her　dominion　over　the　Cardinal　was　so　public；　that　whoever　had
affairs　with　him　spoke　to　the　Countess；　if　he　wished　to　succeed。　　She　had
been　very　beautiful；　and　at　fifty…two　years　of　age；　still　showed　it；
although　tall；　stout；　and　coarse　featured　as　a　Swiss　guard　in　woman's
clothes。　　She　was；　moreover；　bold；　audacious；　talking　loudly　and　always
with　authority；　was　polished；　however；　and　of　good　manners　when　she
pleased。　　Being　the　most　imperious　woman　in　the　world；　the　Cardinal　was
fairly　tied　to　her　apron…strings；　and　scarcely　dared　to　breathe　in　her
presence。　　In　dress　and　finery　she　spent　like　a　prodigal；　played　every
night；　and　lost　large　sums；　oftentimes　staking　her　jewels　and　her　various
ornaments。　　She　was　a　woman　who　loved　herself　alone；　who　wished　for
everything；　and　who　refused　herself　nothing；　not　even；　it　was　said；
certain　gallantries　which　the　poor　Cardinal　was　obliged　to　pay　for；　as
for　everything　else。　　Her　extravagance　was　such；　that　she　was　obliged　to
pass　six　or　seven　months　of　the　year　in　the　country；　in　order　to　have
enough　to　spend　in　Paris　during　the　remainder　of　the　year。

It　was　to　the　Comtesse　de　Furstenberg；　therefore；　that　Madame　de　Soubise
addressed　herself　in　order　to　gain　over　the　support　of　Cardinal　de
Furstenberg；　in　behalf　of　her　son。　　Rumour　said；　and　it　was　never
contradicted；　that　Madame　de　Soubise　paid　much　money　to　the　Cardinal
through　the　Countess；　in　order　to　carry　this　point。　　It　is　certain　that
in　addition　to　the　prodigious　pensions　the　Cardinal　drew　from　the　King；
he　touched　at　this　time　a　gratification　of　forty　thousand　crowns；　that　it
was　pretended　had　been　long　promised　him。

Madame　de　Soubise　having　thus　assured　herself　of　the　Countess　and　the
Cardinal　（and　they　having　been　privately　thanked　by　the　King）；　she　caused
an　order　to　be　sent　to　Cardinal　de　Bouillon；　who　was　then　at　Rome；
requesting　him　to　ask　the　Pope　in　the　name　of　the　King；　for　a　bull
summoning　the　Chapter　of　Strasbourg　to　meet　and　elect　a　coadjutor　and　a
declaration　of　the　eligibility　of　the　Abbe　de　Soubise。

But　here　a　new　obstacle　arose　in　the　path　of　Madame　de　Soubise。　　Cardinal
de　Bouillon；　a　man　of　excessive　pride　and　pretension；　who　upon　reaching
Rome　claimed　to　be　addressed　as　〃Most　Eminent　Highness；〃　and　obtaining
this　title　from　nobody　except　his　servants；　set　himself　at　loggerheads
with　all　the　cityCardinal　de　Bouillon；　I　say；　was　himself　canon　of
Strasbourg；　and　uncle　of　the　Abbe　d'Auvergne。　　So　anxious　was　the
Cardinal　to　secure　the　advancement　of　the　Abbe　d'Auvergne；　that　he　had
already　made　a　daring　and　fraudulent　attempt　to　procure　for　him　a
cardinalship。　　But　the　false　representations　which　he　made　in　order　to
carry　his　point；　having　been　seen　through；　his　attempt　came　to　nothing；
and　he　himself　lost　all　favour　with　the　King　for　his　deceit。　　He；
however；　hoped　to　make　the　Abbe　d'Auvergne　bishop　of　Strasbourg；　and　was
overpowered；　therefore；　when　he　saw　this　magnificent　prey　about　to　escape
him。　　The　news　came　upon　him　like　a　thunderbolt。　　It　was　bad　enough　to
see　his　hopes　trampled　under　foot；　it　was　insupportable　to　be　obliged　to
aid　in　crushing　them。　　Vexation　so　transported　and　blinded　him；　that　he
forgot　the　relative　positions　of　himself　and　of　Madame　de　Soubise；　and
imagined　that　he　should　be　able　to　make　the　King　break　a　resolution　he
had　taken；　and　an　engagement　he　had　entered　into。　　He　sent　therefore；　as
though　he　had　been　a　great　man；　a　letter　to　the　King；　telling　him　that　he
had　not　thought　sufficiently　upon　this　matter；　and　raising　scruples
against　it。　　At　the　same　time　he　despatched　a　letter　to　the　canons　of
Strasbourg；　full　of　gall　and　compliments；　trying　to　persuade　them　that
the　Abbe　de　Soubise　was　too　young　for　the　honour　intended　him；　and
plainly　intimating　that　the　Cardinal　de　Furstenberg　had　been　gained　over
by　a　heavy　bribe　paid　to　the　Comtesse　de　Furstenberg。　　These　letters。
made　a　terrible　uproar。

I　was　at　the　palace　on　Tuesday；　March　30th；　and　after　supper　I　saw　Madame
de　Soubise　arrive；　leading　the　Comtesse　de　Furstenberg；　both　of　whom
posted　themselves　at　the　door　of　the　King's　cabinet。　　It　was　not　that
Madame　de　Soubise　had　not　the　privilege　of　entering　if　she　pleased；　but
she　preferred　making　her　complaint　as　public　as　the　charges　made　against
her　by　Cardinal　de　Bouillon　had　become。　　I　approached　in　order　to　witness
the　scene。　　Madame　de　Soubise　appeared　scarcely　able　to　contain　herself；
and　the　Countess　seemed　furious。　　As　the　King　passed；　they　stopped　him。
Madame　de　Soubise　said　two　words　in　a　low　tone。　　The　Countess　in　a　louder
strain　demanded　justice　against　the　Cardinal　de　Bouillon；　who；　she　said；
not　content　in　his　pride　and　ambition　with　disregarding　the　orders　of　the
King；　had　calumniated　her　and　Cardinal　de　Furstenberg　in　the　most
atrocious　manner；　and　had　not　even　spared　Madame　de　Soubise　herself。　　The
King　replied　to　her　with　much　politeness；　assured　her　she　should　be
contented；　and　passed　on。

Madame　de　Soubise　was　so　much　the　more　piqued　because　Cardinal　de
Bouillon　had　acquainted　the　King　with　the　simony　she　had　committed；
and　assuredly　if　he　had　not　been　ignorant　of　this　he　would　never　have
supported　her　in　the　affair。　　She　hastened　therefore　to　secure　the
success　of　her　son；　and　was　so　well　served　by　the　whispered　authority