the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第7部分

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opposition　was　not　wrong。　　The　King　said　he　did　not　wish　that　his
grandson　should　kiss　the　end　of　the　Princess's　finger　until　they　were
completely　on　the　footing　of　man　and　wife。　　Monsieur　le　Duc　de　Bourgogne
after　this　re…dressed　himself　in　the　ante…chamber；　and　went　to　his　own
bed　as　usual。　　The　little　Duc　de　Berry；　spirited　and　resolute；　did　not
approve　of　the　docility　of　his　brother；　and　declared　that　he　would　have
remained　in　bed。　　The　young　couple　were　not；　indeed；　allowed　to　live
together　as　man　and　wife　until　nearly　two　years　afterwards。　　The　first
night　that　this　privilege　was　granted　them；　the　King　repaired　to　their
chamber　hoping　to　surprise　them　as　they　went　to　bed；　but　he　found　the
doors　closed；　and　would　not　allow　them　to　be　opened。　　The　marriage…fetes
spread　over　several　days。　　On　the　Sunday　there　was　an　assembly　in　the
apartments　of　the　new　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne。　　It　was　magnificent　by　the
prodigious　number　of　ladies　seated　in　a　circle；　or　standing　behind　the
stools；　gentlemen　in　turn　behind　them；　and　the　dresses　of　all　beautiful。
It　commenced　at　six　o'clock。　　The　King　came　at　the　end；　and　led　all　the
ladies　into　the　saloon　near　the　chapel；　where　was　a　fine　collation；　and
the　music。　　At　nine　o'clock　he　conducted　Monsieur　and　Madame　la　Duchesse
de　Bourgogne　to　the　apartment　of　the　latter；　and　all　was　finished　for　the
day。　　The　Princess　continued　to　live　just　as　before；　and　the　ladies　had
strict　orders　never　to　leave　her　alone　with　her　husband。

On　the　Wednesday　there　was　a　grand　ball　in　the　gallery；　superbly
ornamented　for　the　occasion。　　There　was　such　a　crowd；　and　such　disorder；
that　even　the　King　was　inconvenienced；　and　Monsieur　was　pushed　and
knocked　about　in　the　crush。　　How　other　people　fared　may　be　imagined。　　No
place　was　keptstrength　or　chance　decided　everythingpeople　squeezed　in
where　they　could。　　This　spoiled　all　the　fete。　　About　nine　o'clock
refreshments　were　handed　round；　and　at　half…past　ten　supper　was　served。
Only　the　Princesses　of　the　blood　and　the　royal　family　were　admitted　to
it。　　On　the　following　Sunday　there　was　another　ball；　but　this　time
matters　were　so　arranged　that　no　crowding　or　inconvenience　occurred。　　The
ball　commenced　at　seven　o'clock　and　was　admirable；　everybody　appeared　in
dresses　that　had　not　previously　been　seen。　　The　King　found　that　of　Madame
de　Saint…Simon　much　to　his　taste；　and　gave　it　the　palm　over　all　the
others。

Madame　de　Maintenon　did　not　appear　at　these　balls；　at　least　only　for　half
an　hour　at　each。　　On　the　following　Tuesday　all　the　Court　went　at　four
o'clock　in　the　afternoon　to　Trianon；　where　all　gambled　until　the　arrival
of　the　King　and　Queen　of　England。　　The　King　took　them　into　the　theatre；
where　Destouches's　opera　of　Isse　was　very　well　performed。　　The　opera
being　finished；　everybody　went　his　way；　and　thus　these　marriage…fetes
were　brought　to　an　end。

Tesse　had　married　his　eldest　daughter　to　La　Varenne　last　year；　and　now
married　his　second　daughter　to　Maulevrier；　son　of　a　brother　of　Colbert。
This　mention　of　La　Varenne　brings　to　my　recollection　a　very　pleasant
anecdote　of　his　ancestor；　the　La　Varenne　so　known　in　all　the　memoirs　of
the　time　as　having　risen　from　the　position　of　scullion　to　that　of　cook；
and　then　to　that　of　cloak…bearer　to　Henry　IV。；　whom　he　served　in　his
pleasures；　and　afterwards　in　his　state…affairs。　　At　the　death　of　the
King；　La　Varenne　retired；　very　old　and　very　rich；　into　the　country。
Birds　were　much　in　vogue　at　that　time；　and　he　often　amused　himself　with
falconry。　　One　day　a　magpie　perched　on　one　of　his　trees；　and　neither
sticks　nor　stones　could　dislodge　it。　　La　Varenne　and　a　number　of
sportsmen　gathered　around　the　tree　and　tried　to　drive　away　the　magpie。
Importuned　with　all　this　noise；　the　bird　at　last　began　to　cry　repeatedly
with　all　its　might；　〃Pandar！　　Pandar！〃

Now　La　Varenne　had　gained　all　he　possessed　by　that　trade。　　Hearing　the
magpie　repeat　again　and　again　the　same　word；　he　took　it　into　his　head
that　by　a　miracle；　like　the　observation　Balaam's　ass　made　to　his　master；
the　bird　was　reproaching　him　for　his　sins。　　He　was　so　troubled　that　he
could　not　help　showing　it；　then；　more　and　more　agitated；　he　told　the
cause　of　his　disturbance　to　the　company；　who　laughed　at　him　in　the　first
place；　but；　upon　finding　that　he　was　growing　really　ill；　they　endeavoured
to　convince　him　that　the　magpie　belonged　to　a　neighbouring　village；　where
it　had　learned　the　word。　　It　was　all　in　vain：　La　Varenne　was　so　ill　that
he　was　obliged　to　be　carried　home；　fever　seized　him　and　in　four　days　he
died。




CHAPTER　XII

Here　perhaps　is　the　place　to　speak　of　Charles　IV。；　Duc　de　Lorraine；　so
well　known　by　his　genius；　and　the　extremities　to　which　he　was　urged。　　He
was　married　in　1621　to　the　Duchesse　Nicole；　his　cousin…german；　but　after
a　time　ceased　to　live　with　her。　　Being　at　Brussels　he　fell　in　love　with
Madame　de　Cantecroix；　a　widow。　　He　bribed　a　courier　to　bring　him　news　of
the　death　of　the　Duchesse　Nicole；　he　circulated　the　report　throughout　the
town；　wore　mourning；　and　fourteen　days　afterwards；　in　April；　1637；
married　Madame　de　Cantecroix。　　In　a　short　time　it　was　discovered　that　the
Duchesse　Nicole　was　full　of　life　and　health；　and　had　not　even　been　ill。
Madame　de　Cantecroix　made　believe　that　she　had　been　duped；　but　still
lived　with　the　Duke。　　They　continued　to　repute　the　Duchesse　Nicole　as
dead；　and　lived　together　in　the　face　of　the　world　as　though　effectually
married；　although　there　had　never　been　any　question　either　before　or
since　of　dissolving　the　first　marriage。　　The　Duc　Charles　had　by　this　fine
marriage　a　daughter　and　then　a　son；　both　perfectly　illegitimate；　and
universally　regarded　as　such。　　Of　these　the　daughter　married　Comte　de
Lislebonne；　by　whom　she　had　four　children。　　The　son；　educated　under　his
father's　eye　as　legitimate；　was　called　Prince　de　Vaudemont；　and　by　that
name　has　ever　since　been　known。　　He　entered　the　service　of　Spain；
distinguished　himself　in　the　army；　obtained　the　support　of　the　Prince　of
Orange；　and　ultimately　rose　to　the　very　highest　influence　and　prosperity。
People　were　astonished　this　year；　that　while　the　Princess　of　Savoy　was　at
Fontainebleau；　just　before　her　marriage；　she　was　taken　several　times　by
Madame　de　Maintenon　to　a　little　unknown　convent　at　Moret；　where　there　was
nothing　to　amuse　her；　and　no　nuns　who　were　known。　　Madame　de　Maintenon
often　went　there；　and　Monseigneur　with　his　children　sometimes；　the　late
Queen　used　to　go　also。　　This　awakened　much　curiosity　and　gave　rise　to
many　reports。　　It　seems　that　in　this　convent　there　was　a　woman　of　colour；
a　Moorish　woman；　who　had　been　placed　there　very　young　by　Bontems；　valet
of　the　King。　　She　received　the　utmost　care　and　attention；　but　never　was
shown　to　anybody。　　When　the　late　Queen　or　Madame　de　Maintenon　went；　they
did　not　always　see　her；　but　always　watched　over　her　welfare。　　She　was
treated　with　more　consideration　than　people　the　most　distinguished；　and
herself　made　much　of　the　care　that　was　taken　of　her；　and　the　mystery　by
which　she　was　surrounded。　　Although　she　lived　regularly；　it　was　easy　to
see　she　was　not　too　contented　with　her　position。　　Hearing　Monseigneur
hunt　in　the　forest　one　day；　she　forgot　herself　so　far　as　to　exclaim；
〃My　brother　is　hunting！〃　　It　was　pretended　that　she　was　a　daughter　of　the
King　and　Queen；　but　that　she　had　been　hidden　away　on　account　of　her
colour；　and　the　report　was　spread　that　the　Queen　had　had　a　miscarriage。
Many　people　believed　this　story；　but　whether　it　was　true　or　not　has
remained　an　enigma。

The　year　1698　commenced　by　a　reconciliation　between　the　Jesuits　and　the
Archbishop　of　Rheims。　　That　prelate　upon　the　occasion　of　an　ordinance　had
expressed　himself　upon　matters　of　doctrine　and　morality　in　a　manner　that
displeased　the　Jesuits。　　They　acted　towards　him　in　their　usual　manner；　by
writing　an　attack　upon　him；　which　appeared　without　any　author's　name。
But　the　Archbishop　complained　to　the　King；　and　altogether　stood　his
ground　so　firmly；　that　in　the　end　the　Jesuits　were　glad　to　give　way；
disavow　the　book；　and　arrange　the　reconciliation　which　took　place。

The　Czar；　Peter　the　Great；　Emperor　of　Russia；　had　at　this　time　already
commenced　his　voyages；　he　was　in　Holland；　learning　ship…building。
Although　incognito；　he　wished　to　be　recognised；　but　after　his　own
fashion；　and　was　annoyed　that；　being　so　near　to　England；　no　embassy　was
sent　to　him　from　that　country；　which　he　wished　to　ally　himself　with　for
commercial　reasons。

At　last　an　embassy　arrived；　he　delayed　for　some　time　to　give　it　an
audience；　but　in　the　end　fixed　the　day　and　hour　at　which　he　would　see　it。
The　reception；　however；　was　to　take　place　on　board　a　large　Dutch　vessel
that　he　was　going　to　examine。　　There　were　two　ambassadors；　they　thought
the　meeting…place　rather　an　odd　one；　but　were　obliged　to　go　there。　　When
they　arrived　on　board　the　Czar　sent　word　that　he　was　in　the　〃top；〃　and
that　it　was　there　he　would　see　them。　　The　ambassadors；　whose　feet　were
unaccustomed　to　rope…ladders；　tried　to　excuse　themselves　from　mounting；
but　it　was　all　in　vain。　　The　Czar　would　receive　them　in　the　〃top〃　or　not
at　all。　　At　last　they　were　compelled　to　ascend；　and　the　meeting　took
place　on　that　narrow　place　high　up　in　the　air。　　The　Czar　received　them
there　with　as　much　majesty　as　though　he　had　been　upon　his　throne；
listened　to　their　harangue；　replied　very　graciously；　and　then　laughed　at
the　fear　painted　upon　their　faces；　and　good…humouredly　gave　them　to
understand　that　he　had　punished　them　thus　for　arriving　so　late。

After　this　the　Czar　passed　into　England；　curious　to　see　and　learn　as　much
as　possible；　and；　having　well　fulfilled　his　views；　repaired　into　Holland。
He　wished　to　visit　France；　but　the　King　civilly　declined　to　receive　him。
He　went；　therefore；　much　mortified；　to　Vienna　instead。　　Three　weeks　after
his　arrival　he　was　informed　of　a　conspiracy　that　had　been　formed　against
him　in　Moscow。　　He　hastened　there　at　once；　and　found　that　it　was　headed
by　his　own　sister；　he　put　her　in　prison；　and　hanged　her　most　guilty
accomplices　to　the　bars　of　his　windows；　as　many　each　day　as　the　bars
would　hold。　　I　have　related　at　once　all　that　regards　the　Czar　for　this
year；　in　order　not　to　leap　withou