the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第6部分

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supper；　and　Santeuil　was　always　the　life　of　the　company。　　One　evening　M。
le　Duc　diverted　himself　by　forcing　Santeuil　to　drink　champagne；　and
passing　from　pleasantry　to　pleasantry；　thought　it　would　be　a　good　joke　to
empty　his　snuff…box；　full　of　Spanish　snuff；　into　a　large　glass　of　wine；
and　to　make　Santeuil　drink　it；　in　order　to　see　what　would　happen。　　It　was
not　long　before　he　was　enlightened　upon　this　point。　　Santeuil　was　seized
with　vomiting　and　with　fever；　and　in　twice　twenty…four　hours　the　unhappy
man　died…suffering　the　tortures　of　the　damned；　but　with　sentiments　of
extreme　penitence；　in　which　he　received　the　sacrament；　and　edified　a
company　little　disposed　towards　edification；　but　who　detested　such　a
cruel　joke。

In　consequence　of　the　peace　just　concluded　at　Ryswick；　many　fresh
arrangements　were　made　about　this　time　in　our　embassies　abroad。　　This
allusion　to　our　foreign　appointments　brings　to　my　mind　an　anecdote　which
deserves　to　be　remembered。　　When　M。　de　Vendome　took　Barcelona；　the
Montjoui　（which　is　as　it　were　its　citadel）　was　commanded　by　the　Prince　of
Darmstadt。　　He　was　of　the　house　of　Hesse；　and　had　gone　into　Spain　to　seek
employment；　he　was　a　relative　of　the　Queen　of　Spain；　and；　being　a　very
well…made　man；　had　not；　it　was　said；　displeased　her。　　It　was　said　also；
and　by　people　whose　word　was　not　without　weight；　that　the　same　council　of
Vienna；　which　for　reasons　of　state　had　made　no　scruple　of　poisoning　the
late　Queen　of　Spain　（daughter　of　Monsieur）；　because　she　had　no　children；
and　because　she　had；　also；　too　much　ascendancy　over　the　heart　of　her
husband；　it　was　said；　I　say；　that　this　same　council　had　no　scruples　upon
another　point。　　After　poisoning　the　first　Queen；　it　had　remarried　the
King　of　Spain　to　a　sister　of　the　Empress。　　She　was　tall；　majestic；　not
without　beauty　and　capacity；　and；　guided　by　the　ministers　of　the　Emperor；
soon　acquired　much　influence　over　the　King　her　husband。　　So　far　all　was
well；　but　the　most　important　thing　was　wantingshe　had　no　children。　　The
council　had　hoped　some　from　this　second　marriage；　because　it　had　lured
itself　into　the　belief　that　previously　the　fault　rested　with　the　late
Queen。　　After　some　years；　this　same　council；　being　no　longer　able　to
disguise　the　fact　that　the　King　could　have　no　children；　sent　the　Prince
of　Darmstadt　into　Spain；　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　himself　there；
and　of　ingratiating　himself　into　the　favour　of　the　Queen　to　such　an
extent　that　this　defect　might　be　remedied。　　The　Prince　of　Darmstadt　was
well　received；　he　obtained　command　in　the　army；　defended；　as　I　have　said；
Barcelona；　and　obtained　a　good　footing　at　the　Court。　　But　the　object　for
which　he　had　been　more　especially　sent　he　could　not　accomplish。　　I　will
not　say　whether　the　Queen　was　inaccessible　from　her　own　fault　or　that　of
others。　　Nor　will　I　say；　although　I　have　been　assured；　but　I　believe　by
persons　without　good　knowledge　of　the　subject；　that　naturally　it　was
impossible　for　her　to　become　a　mother。　　I　will　simply　say　that　the　Prince
of　Darmstadt　was　on　the　best　terms　with　the　King　and　the　Queen；　and　had
opportunities　very　rare　in　that　country；　without　any　fruit　which　could
put　the　succession　of　the　monarchy　in　safety　against　the　different
pretensions　afloat；　or　reassure　on　that　head　the　politic　council　of
Vienna。

But　to　return　to　France。

Madame　de　Maintenon；　despite　the　height　to　which　her　insignificance　had
risen；　had　yet　her　troubles。　　Her　brother；　who　was　called　the　Comte
d'Aubigne；　was　of　but　little　worth；　yet　always　spoke　as　though　no　man
were　his　equal；　complained　that　he　had　not　been　made　Marechal　of　France
sometimes　said　that　he　had　taken　his　baton　in　money；　and　constantly
bullied　Madame　de　Maintenon　because　she　did　not　make　him　a　duke　and　a
peer。　　He　spent　his　time　running　after　girls　in　the　Tuileries；　always　had
several　on　his　hands；　and　lived　and　spent　his　money　with　their　families
and　friends　of　the　same　kidney。　　He　was　just　fit　for　a　strait…waistcoat；
but　comical；　full　of　wit　and　unexpected　repartees。　　A　good；　humorous
fellow；　and　honest…polite；　and　not　too　impertinent　on　account　of　his
sister's　fortune。　　Yet　it　was　a　pleasure　to　hear　him　talk　of　the　time　of
Scarron　and　the　Hotel　d'Albret；　and　of　the　gallantries　and　adventures　of
his　sister；　which　he　contrasted　with　her　present　position　and　devotion。
He　would　talk　in　this　manner；　not　before　one　or　two；　but　in　a
compromising　manner；　quite　openly　in　the　Tuileries　gardens；　or　in　the
galleries　of　Versailles；　before　everybody；　and　would　often　drolly　speak
of　the　King　as　〃the　brother…in…law。〃　　I　have　frequently　heard　him　talk　in
this　manner；　above　all；　when　he　came　（more　often　than　was　desired）　to
dine　with　my　father　and　mother；　who　were　much　embarrassed　with　him；　at
which　I　used　to　laugh　in　my　sleeve。

A　brother　like　this　was　a　great　annoyance　to　Madame　de　Maintenon。　　His
wife；　an　obscure　creature；　more　obscure；　if　possible；　than　her　birth；
foolish　to　the　last　degree；　and　of　humble　mien；　was　almost　equally　so。
Madame　de　Maintenon　determined　to　rid　herself　of　both。　　She　persuaded　her
brother　to　enter　a　society　that　had　been　established　by　a　M。　Doyen；　at
St。　Sulpice；　for　decayed　gentlemen。　　His　wife　at　the　same　time　was
induced　to　retire　into　another　community；　where；　however；　she　did　not
fail　to　say　to　her　companions　that　her　fate　was　very　hard；　and　that　she
wished　to　be　free。　　As　for　d'Aubigne　he　concealed　from　nobody　that　his
sister　was　putting　a　joke　on　him　by　trying　to　persuade　him　that　he　was
devout；　declared　that　he　was　pestered　by　priests；　and　that　he　should　give
up　the　ghost　in　M。　Doyen's　house。　　He　could　not　stand　it　long；　and　went
back　to　his　girls　and　to　the　Tuileries；　and　wherever　he　could；　but　they
caught　him　again；　and　placed　him　under　the　guardianship　of　one　of　the
stupidest　priests　of　St。　Sulpice；　who　followed　him　everywhere　like　his
shadow；　and　made　him　miserable。　　The　fellow's　name　was　Madot：　he　was　good
for　no　other　employment；　but　gained　his　pay　in　this　one　by　an　assiduity
of　which　perhaps　no　one　else　would　have　been　capable。　　The　only　child　of
this　Comte　d'Aubigne　was　a　daughter；　taken　care　of　by　Madame　de
Maintenon；　and　educated　under　her　eyes　as　though　her　own　child。

Towards　the　end　of　the　year；　and　not　long　after　my　return　from　the　army；
the　King　fixed　the　day　for　the　marriage　of　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne　to　the
young　Princesse　de　Savoy。　　He　announced　that　on　that　occasion　he　should
be　glad　to　see　a　magnificent　Court；　and　he　himself；　who　for　a　long　time
had　worn　only　the　most　simple　habits；　ordered　the　most　superb。　　This　was
enough；　no　one　thought　of　consulting　his　purse　or　his　state；　everyone
tried　to　surpass　his　neighbour　in　richness　and　invention。　　Gold　and
silver　scarcely　sufficed：　the　shops　of　the　dealers　were　emptied　in　a　few
days；　in　a　word　luxury　the　most　unbridled　reigned　over　Court　and　city；
for　the　fete　had　a　huge　crowd　of　spectators。　　Things　went　to　such　a
point；　that　the　King　almost　repented　of　what　he　had　said；　and　remarked；
that　he　could　not　understand　how　husbands　could　be　such　fools　as　to　ruin
themselves　by　dresses　for　their　wives；　he　might　have　added；　by　dresses
for　themselves。　　But　the　impulse　had　been　given；　there　was　now　no　time　to
remedy　it；　and　I　believe　the　King　at　heart　was　glad；　for　it　pleased　him
during　the　fetes　to　look　at　all　the　dresses。　　He　loved　passionately　all
kinds　of　sumptuosity　at　his　Court；　and　he　who　should　have　held　only　to
what　had　been　said；　as　to　the　folly　of　expense；　would　have　grown　little
in　favour。　　There　was　no　means；　therefore；　of　being　wise　among　so　many
fools。　　Several　dresses　were　necessary。　　Those　for　Madame　Saint…Simon　and
myself　cost　us　twenty　thousand　francs。　　Workmen　were　wanting　to　make　up
so　many　rich　habits。　　Madame　la　Duchesse　actually　sent　her　people　to　take
some　by　force　who　were　working　at　the　Duc　de　Rohan's！　　The　King　heard　of
it；　did　not　like　it；　and　had　the　workmen　sent　back　immediately　to　the
Hotel　de　Rohan；　although　the　Duc　de　Rohan　was　one　of　the　men　he　liked　the
least　in　all　France。　　The　King　did　another　thing；　which　showed　that　he
desired　everybody　to　be　magnificent：　he　himself　chose　the　design　for　the
embroidery　of　the　Princess。　　The　embroiderer　said　he　would　leave　all　his
other　designs　for　that。　　The　King　would　not　permit　this；　but　caused　him
to　finish　the　work　he　had　in　hand；　and　to　set　himself　afterwards　at　the
other；　adding；　that　if　it　was　not　ready　in　time；　the　Princess　could　do
without　it。

The　marriage　was　fixed　for　Saturday；　the　7th　of　December；　and；　to　avoid
disputes　and　difficulties；　the　King　suppressed　all　ceremonies。　　The　day
arrived。　　At　an　early　hour　all　the　Court　went　to　Monseigneur　the　Duc　de
Bourgogne；　who　went　afterwards　to　the　Princess。　　A　little　before　mid…day
the　procession　started　from　the　salon；　and　proceeded　to　the　chapel。

Cardinal　de　Coislin　performed　the　marriage　service。

As　soon　as　the　ceremony　was　finished；　a　courier；　ready　at　the　door　of　the
chapel；　started　for　Turin。　　The　day　passed　wearily。　　The　King　and　Queen
of　England　came　about　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　some　time
afterwards　supper　was　served。　　Upon　rising　from　the　table；　the　Princess
was　shown　to　her　bed；　none　but　ladies　being　allowed　to　remain　in　the
chamber。　　Her　chemise　was　given　her　by　the　Queen　of　England　through　the
Duchesse　de　Lude。　　The　Duc　de　Bourgogne　undressed　in　another　room；　in　the
midst　of　all　the　Court；　and　seated　upon　a　folding…chair。　　The　King　of
England　gave　him　his　shirt；　which　was　presented　by　the　Duc　de
Beauvilliers。　　As　soon　as　the　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne　was　in　bed；　the　Duc
de　Bourgogne　entered；　and　placed　himself　at　her　side；　in　the　presence　of
all　the　Court。　　Immediately　afterwards　everybody　went　away　from　the
nuptial　chamber；　except　Monseigneur；　the　ladies　of　the　Princess；　and　the
Duc　de　Beauvilliers；　who　remained　at　the　pillow　by　the　side　of　his　pupil；
with　the　Duchesse　de　Lude　on　the　other　side。　　Monseigneur　stopped　a
quarter　of　an　hour　talking　with　the　newly…married　couple；　then　he　made
his　son　get　up；　after　having　told　him　to　kiss　the　Princess；　in　spite　of
the　opposition　of　the　Duchesse　de　Lude。　　As　it　proved；　too；　her
opposition　was　not　wrong。　　The　King　said　he　did　not　wish　that　his
grands