the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第3部分

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Our　campaign　was　undistinguished　by　any　striking　event。　　From　June　to
September　of　this　year　（1696）；　we　did　little　but　subsist　and　observe；
after　which　we　recrossed　the　Rhine　at　Philipsburg；　where　our　rear　guard
was　slightly　inconvenienced　by　the　enemy。　　In　Italy　there　was　more
movement。　　The　King　sought　to　bring　about　peace　by　dividing　the　forces　of
his　enemies；　and　secretly　entered　into　a　treaty　with　Savoy。　　The
conditions　were；　that　every　place　belonging　to　Savoy　which　had　been　taken
by　our　troops　should　be　restored；　and　that　a　marriage　should　take　place
between　Monseigneur　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne　and　the　daughter　of　the　Duke　of
Savoy；　when　she　became　twelve　years　of　age。　　In　the　mean　time　she　was　to
be　sent　to　the　Court　of　France；　and　preparations　were　at　once　made　there
to　provide　her　with　a　suitable　establishment。

The　King　was　ill　with　an　anthrax　in　the　throat。　　The　eyes　of　all　Europe
were　turned　towards　him；　for　his　malady　was　not　without　danger；
nevertheless　in　his　bed　he　affected　to　attend　to　affairs　as　usual；　and　he
arranged　there　with　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who　scarcely　ever　quitted　his
side；　the　household　of　the　Savoy　Princess。　　The　persons　selected　for　the
offices　in　that　household　were　either　entirely　devoted　to　Madame　de
Maintenon；　or　possessed　of　so　little　wit　that　she　had　nothing　to　fear
from　them。　　A　selection　which　excited　much　envy　and　great　surprise　was
that　of　the　Duchesse　de　Lude　to　be　lady　of　honour。　　The　day　before　she
was　appointed；　Monsieur　had　mentioned　her　name　in　sport　to　the　King。
〃Yes；〃　said　the　King；　〃she　would　be　the　best　woman　in　the　world　to　teach
the　Princess　to　put　rouge　and　patches　on　her　cheek；　〃　and　then；　being
more　devout　than　usual；　he　said　other　things　as　bitter　and　marking　strong
aversion　on　his　part　to　the　Duchess。　　In　fact；　she　was　no　favourite　of
his　nor　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　this　was　so　well　understood　that　the
surprise　of　Monsieur　and　of　everybody　else　was　great；　upon　finding；　the
day　after　this　discourse；　that　she　had　been　appointed　to　the　place。

The　cause　of　this　was　soon　learnt。　　The　Duchesse　de　Lude　coveted　much　to
be　made　lady　of　honour　to　the　Princess；　but　knew　she　had　but　little
chance；　so　many　others　more　in　favour　than　herself　being　in　the　field。
Madame　de　Maintenon　had　an　old　servant　named　Nanon；　who　had　been　with　her
from　the　time　of　her　early　days　of　misery；　and　who　had　such　influence
with　her；　that　this　servant　was　made　much　of　by　everybody　at　Court；　even
by　the　ministers　and　the　daughters　of　the　King。　　The　Duchesse　de　Lude　had
also　an　old　servant　who　was　on　good　terms　with　the　other。　　The　affair
therefore　was　not　difficult。　　The　Duchesse　de　Lude　sent　twenty　thousand
crowns　to　Nanon；　and　on　the　very　evening　of　the　day　on　which　the　King　had
spoken　to　Monsieur；　she　had　the　place。　　Thus　it　is！　　A　Nanon　sells　the
most　important　and　the　most　brilliant　offices；　and　a　Duchess　of　high
birth　is　silly　enough　to　buy　herself　into　servitude！

This　appointment　excited　much　envy。　　The　Marechal　de　Rochefort；　who　had
expected　to　be　named；　made　a　great　ado。　　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who
despised　her；　was　piqued；　and　said　that　she　should　have　had　it　but　for
the　conduct　of　her　daughter。　　This　was　a　mere　artifice；　but　the　daughter
was；　in　truth；　no　sample　of　purity。　　She　had　acted　in　such　a　manner　with
Blansac　that　he　was　sent　for　from　the　army　to　marry　her；　and　on　the　very
night　of　their　wedding　she　gave　birth　to　a　daughter。　　She　was　full　of
wit；　vivacity；　intrigue；　and　sweetness；　yet　most　wicked；　false；　and
artificial；　and　all　this　with　a　simplicity　of　manner；　that　imposed　even
upon　those　who　knew　her　best。　　More　than　gallant　while　her　face　lasted；
she　afterwards　was　easier　of　access；　and　at　last　ruined　herself　for　the
meanest　valets。　　Yet；　notwithstanding　her　vices；　she　was　the　prettiest
flower　of　the　Court　bunch；　and　had　her　chamber　always　full　of　the　best
company：　she　was　also　much　sought　after　by　the　three　daughters　of　the
King。　　Driven　away　from　the　Court；　she　was　after　much　supplication
recalled；　and　pleased　the　King　so　much　that　Madame　de　Maintenon；　in　fear
of　her；　sent　her　away　again。　　But　to　go　back　again　to　the　household　of
the　Princess　of　Savoy。

Dangeau　was　made　chevalier　d'honneur。　　He　owed　his　success　to　his　good
looks；　to　the　court　he　paid　to　the　King's　mistresses；　to　his　skilfulness
at　play；　and　to　a　lucky　stroke　of　fortune。　　The　King　had　oftentimes　been
importuned　to　give　him　a　lodging；　and　one　day；　joking　with　him　upon　his
fancy　of　versifying；　proposed　to　him　some　very　hard　rhymes；　and　promised
him　a　lodging　if　he　filled　them　up　upon　the　spot。　　Dangeau　accepted；
thought　but　for　a　moment；　performed　the　task；　and　thus　gained　his
lodging。　　He　was　an　old　friend　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　it　was　to　her
he　was　indebted　for　his　post　of　chevalier　d'honneur　in　the　new　household。

Madame　d'O　was　appointed　lady　of　the　palace。　　Her　father；　named
Guilleragues；　a　gluttonous　Gascon；　had　been　one　of　the　intimate　friends
of　Madame　Scarron；　who；　as　Madame　de　Maintenon；　did　not　forget　her　old
acquaintance；　but　procured　him　the　embassy　to　Constantinople。　　Dying
there；　he　left　an　only　daughter；　who；　on　the　voyage　home　to　France；
gained　the　heart　of　Villers；　lieutenant　of　the　vessel；　and　became　his
wife　in　Asia…Minor；　near　the　ruins　of　Troy。　　Villers　claimed　to　be　of　the
house　of　d'O；　hence　the　name　his　wife　bore。

Established　at　the　Court；　the　newly…married　couple　quickly　worked
themselves　into　the　favour　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　both　being　very　clever
in　intrigue。　　M。　d'O　was　made　governor　of　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　and　soon
gained　his　entire　confidence。　　Madame　d'O；　too；　infinitely　pleased　the；
young　Count；　just　then　entering　upon　manhood；　by　her　gallantry；　her　wit；
and　the　facilities　she　allowed　him。　　Both；　in　consequence；　grew　in　great
esteem　with　the　King。　　Had　they　been　attendants　upon　Princes　of　the
blood；　he　would　assuredly　have　slighted　them。　　But　he　always　showed　great
indulgence　to　those　who　served　his　illegitimate　children。　　Hence　the
appointment　of　Madame　d'O　to　be　lady　of　the　palace。

The　household　of　the　Princess　of　Savoy　being　completed；　the　members　of　it
were　sent　to　the　Pont　Beauvosin　to　meet　their　young　mistress。　　She
arrived　early　on　the　16th　of　October；　slept　at　the　Pont　Beauvosin　that
night；　and　on　the　morrow　parted　with　her　Italian　attendants　without
shedding　a　single　tear。　　On　the　4th　of　November　she　arrived　at　Montargis；
and　was　received　by　the　King；　Monseigneur；　and　Monsieur。　　The　King　handed
her　down　from　her　coach；　and　conducted　her　to　the　apartment　he　had
prepared　for　her。　　Her　respectful　and　flattering　manners　pleased　him
highly。　　Her　cajoleries；　too；　soon　bewitched　Madame　de　Maintenon；　whom
she　never　addressed　except　as　〃Aunt；〃　whom　she　treated　with　a　respect；
and　yet　with　a　freedom；　that　ravished　everybody。　　She　became　the　doll　of
Madame　de　Maintenon　and　the　King；　pleased　them　infinitely　by　her
insinuating　spirit；　and　took　greater　liberties　with　them　than　the
children　of　the　King　had　ever　dared　to　attempt。




CHAPTER　X

Meanwhile　our　campaign　upon　the　Rhine　proceeded；　and　the　enemy；　having
had　all　their　grand　projects　of　victory　defeated　by　the　firmness　and　the
capacity　of　the　Marechal　de　Choiseul；　retired　into　winter…quarters；　and
we　prepared　to　do　the　same。　　The　month　of　October　was　almost　over　when
Madame　de　Saint…Simon　lost　M。　Fremont；　father　of　the　Marechal　de　Lorges。
She　had　happily　given　birth　to　a　daughter　on　the　8th　of　September。　　I　was
desirous　accordingly　to　go　to　Paris；　and　having　obtained　permission　from
the　Marechal　de　Choiseul；　who　had　treated　me　throughout　the　campaign　with
much　politeness　and　attention；　I　set　out。　Upon　arriving　at　Paris　I　found
the　Court　at　Fontainebleau。　　I　had　arrived　from　the　army　a　little　before
the　rest；　and　did　not　wish　that　the　King　should　know　it　without　seeing
me；　lest　he　might　think　I　had　returned　in　secret。　　I　hastened　at　once
therefore　to　Fontainebleau；　where　the　King　received　me　with　his　usual
goodness；…saying；　nevertheless；　that　I　had　returned　a　little　too　early；
but　that　it　was　of　no　consequence。

I　had　not　long　left　his　presence　when　I　learned　a　report　that　made　my
face　burn　again。　　It　was　affirmed　that　when　the　King　remarked　upon　my
arriving　a　little　early；　I　had　replied　that　I　preferred　arriving　at　once
to　see　him；　as　my　sole　mistress；　than　to　remain　some　days　in　Paris；　as
did　the　other　young　men　with　their　mistresses。　　I　went　at　once　to　the
King；　who　had　a　numerous　company　around　him；　and　I　openly　denied　what　had
been　reported；　offering　a　reward　for　the　discovery　of　the　knave　who　had
thus　calumniated　me；　in　order　that　I　might　give　him　a　sound　thrashing。
All　day　I　sought　to　discover　the　scoundrel。　　My　speech　to　the　King　and　my
choler　were　the　topic　of　the　day；　and　I　was　blamed　for　having　spoken　so
loudly　and　in　such　terms。　　But　of　two　evils　I　had　chosen　the　least；a
reprimand　from　the　King；　or　a　few　days　in　the　Bastille；　and　I　had　avoided
the　greatest；　which　was　to　allow　myself　to　be　believed　an　infamous
libeller　of　our　young　men；　in　order　to　basely　and　miserably　curry　favour
at　the　Court。　　The　course　I　took　succeeded。　　The　King　said　nothing　of　the
matter；　and　I　went　upon　a　little　journey　I　wished　particularly　to　take；
for　reasons　I　will　now　relate。

I　had；　as　I　have　already　mentioned；　conceived　a　strong　attachment　and
admiration　for　M。　de　La　Trappe。　　I　wished　to　secure　a　portrait　of　him；
but　such　was　his　modesty　and　humility　that　I　feared　to　ask　him　to　allow
himself　to　be　painted。　　I　went　therefore　to　Rigault；　then　the　first
portrait…painter　in　Europe。　　In　consideration　of　a　sum　of　a　thousand
crowns；　and　all　his　expenses　paid；　he　agreed　to　accompany　me　to　La
Trappe；　and　to　make　a　portrait　of　him　from　memory。　　The　whole　affair　was
to　be　kept　a　profound　secret；　and　only　one　copy　of　the　picture　was　to　be
made；　and　that　for　the　artist　himself。

My　plan　being　fully　arranged；　I　and　Rigault　set　out。　　As　soon　as　we
arrived　at　our　journey's　end；　I　sought　M。　de　La　Trappe；　and　begged　to　be
allowed　to　introduce　to　him　a　friend　of　mine；　an　officer；　who　much　wished
to　see　him：　I　added；　that　my　friend　was　a　stammerer；　and　that　therefore
he　would　be　importuned　merely　with　loo