the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第14部分

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dishonoured　the　first　by　his　conduct；　and　the　second　by　a　refined　pride
which　he　endeavoured　without　success　to　conceal。　　He　piqued　himself；
above　all　things；　upon　his　probity　and　justice；　but　the　mask　soon　fell。
Between　Peter　and　Paul　he　maintained　the　strictest　fairness；　but　as　soon
as　he　perceived　interest　or　favour　to　be　acquired；　he　sold　himself。　　This
trial　will　show　him　stripped　of　all　disguise。　　He　was　learned　in　the　law；
in　letters　he　was　second　to　no　one；　he　was　well　acquainted　with　history；
and　knew　how；　above　all；　to　govern　his　company　with　an　authority　which
suffered　no　reply；　and　which　no　other　chief　president　had　ever　attained。

A　pharisaical　austerity　rendered　him　redoubtable　by　the　license　he
assumed　in　his　public　reprimands；　whether　to　plaintiffs；　or　defendants；
advocates　or　magistrates；　so　that　there　was　not　a　single　person　who　did
not　tremble　to　have　to　do　with　him。　　Besides　this；　sustained　in　all　by
the　Court　（of　which　he　was　the　slave；　and　the　very　humble　servant　of
those　who　were　really　in　favour）；　a　subtle　courtier；　a　singularly　crafty
politician；　he　used　all　those　talents　solely　to　further　his　ambition；　his
desire　of　domination　and　his　thirst　of　the　reputation　of　a　great　man。
He　was　without　real　honour；　secretly　of　corrupt　manners；　with　only
outside　probity；　without　humanity　even；　in　one　word；　a　perfect　hypocrite；
without　faith；　without　law；　without　a　God；　and　without　a　soul；　a　cruel
husband；　a　barbarous　father；　a　tyrannical　brother；　a　friend　of　himself
alone；　wicked　by　naturetaking　pleasure　in　insulting；　outraging；　and
overwhelming　others；　and　never　in　his　life　having　lost　an　occasion　to　do
so。　　His　wit　was　great；　but　was　always　subservient　to　his　wickedness。
He　was　small；　vigorous；　and　thin；　with　a　lozenge…shaped　face；　a　long
aquiline　nosefine；　speaking；　keen　eyes；　that　usually　looked　furtively
at　you；　but　which；　if　fixed　on　a　client　or　a　magistrate；　were　fit　to　make
him　sink　into　the　earth。　　He　wore　narrow　robes；　an　almost　ecclesiastical
collar　and　wristband　to　match；　a　brown　wig　mimed　with　white；　thickly
furnished　but　short；　and　with　a　great　cap　over　it。　　He　affected　a　bending
attitude；　and　walked　so；　with　a　false　air；　more　humble　than　modest；　and
always　shaved　along　the　walls；　to　make　people　make　way　for　him　with
greater　noise；　and　at　Versailles　worked　his　way　on　by　a　series　of
respectful　and；　as　it　were；　shame…faced　bows　to　the　right　and　left。　　He
held　to　the　King　and　to　Madame　de　Maintenon　by　knowing　their　weak　side；
and　it　was　he　who；　being　consulted　upon　the　unheard…of　legitimation　of
children　without　naming　the　mother；　had　sanctioned　that　illegality　in
favour　of　the　King。

Such　was　the　man　whose　influence　was　given　entirely　to　our　opponent。

To　assist　M。　de　Luxembourg's　case　as　much　as　possible；　the　celebrated
Racine；　so　known　by　his　plays；　and　by　the　order　he　had　received　at　that
time　to　write　the　history　of　the　King；　was　employed　to　polish　and
ornament　his　pleas。　　Nothing　was　left　undone　by　M。　de　Luxembourg　in　order
to　gain　this　cause。

I　cannot　give　all　the　details　of　the　case；　the　statements　made　on　both
sides；　and　the　defences；　they　would　occupy　entire　volumes。　　We　maintained
that　M。　de　Luxembourg　was　in　no　way　entitled　to　the　precedence　he
claimed；　and　we　had　both　law　and　justice　on　our　side。　　To　give
instructions　to　our　counsel；　and　to　follow　the　progress　of　the　case；
we　met　once　a　week；　seven　or　eight　of　us　at　least；　those　best　disposed
to　give　our　time　to　the　matter。　　Among　the　most　punctual　was　M。　de　la
Rochefoucauld。　　I　had　been　solicited　from　the　commencement　to　take　part
in　the　proceedings；　and　I　complied　most　willingly；　apologising　for　so
doing　to　M。　de　Luxembourg；　who　replied　with　all　the　politeness　and
gallantry　possible；　that　I　could　not　do　less　than　follow　an　example　my
father　had　set　me。

The　trial　having　commenced；　we　soon　saw　how　badly　disposed　the　Chief
President　was　towards　us。　　He　obstructed　us　in　every　way；　and　acted
against　all　rules。　　There　seemed　no　other　means　of　defeating　his　evident
intention　of　judging　against　us　than　by　gaining　time；　first　of　all；　and
to　do　this　we　determined　to　get　the　case　adjourned；　There　were；　however；
only　two　days　at　our　disposal；　and　that　was　not　enough　in　order　to　comply
with　the　forms　required　for　such　a　step。　　We　were　all　in　the　greatest
embarrassment；　when　it　fortunately　came　into　the　head　of　one　of　our
lawyers　to　remind　us　of　a　privilege　we　possessed；　by　which；　without　much
difficulty；　we　could　obtain　what　we　required。　　I　was　the　only　one　who
could；　at　that　moment；　make　use　of　this　privilege。　　I　hastened　home；　at
once；　to　obtain　the　necessary　papers；　deposited　them　with　the　procureur
of　M。　de　Luxembourg；　and　the　adjournment　was　obtained。　　The　rage　of　M。　de
Luxembourg　was　without　bounds。　　When　we　met　he　would　not　salute　me；　and
in　consequence　I　discontinued　to　salute　him；　by　which　he　lost　more　than
I；　in　his　position　and　at　his　age；　and　furnished　in　the　rooms　and　the
galleries　of　Versailles　a　sufficiently　ridiculous　spectacle。　　In　addition
to　this　he　quarrelled　openly　with　M。　de　Richelieu；　and　made　a　bitter
attack　upon　him　in　one　of　his　pleas。　　But　M。　de　Richelieu；　meeting　him
soon　after　in　the　Salle　des　Gardes　at　Versailles；　told　him　to　his　face
that　he　should　soon　have　a　reply；　and　said　that　he　feared　him　neither　on
horseback　nor　on　footneither　him　nor　his　crewneither　in　town　nor　at
the　Court；　nor　even　in　the　army；　nor　in　any　place　in　the　world；　and
without　allowing　time　for　a　reply　he　turned　on　his　heel。　　In　the　end；　M。
de　Luxembourg　found　himself　so　closely　pressed　that　he　was　glad　to
apologise　to　M。　de　Richelieu。

After　a　time　our　cause；　sent　back　again　to　the　Parliament；　was　argued
there　with　the　same　vigour；　the　same　partiality；　and　the　same　injustice
as　before：　seeing　this；　we　felt　that　the　only　course　left　open　to　us　was
to　get　the　case　sent　before　the　Assembly　of　all　the　Chambers；　where　the
judges；　from　their　number；　could　not　be　corrupted　by　M。　de　Luxembourg；
and　where　the　authority　of　Harlay　was　feeble；　while　over　the　Grand
Chambre；　in　which　the　case　was　at　present；　it　was　absolute。　　The
difficulty　was　to　obtain　an　assembly　of　all　the　Chambers；　for　the　power
of　summoning　them　was　vested　solely　in　Harlay。　　However；　we　determined　to
try　and　gain　his　consent。　　M。　de　Chaulnes　undertook　to　go　upon　this
delicate　errand；　and　acquitted　himself　well　of　his　mission。　　He　pointed
out　to　Harlay　that　everybody　was　convinced　of　his　leaning　towards　M。　de
Luxembourg；　and　that　the　only　way　to　efface　the　conviction　that　had　gone
abroad　was　to　comply　with　our　request；　in　fine；　he　used　so　many
arguments；　and　with　such　address；　that　Harlay；　confused　and　thrown　off
his　guard；　and　repenting　of　the　manner　in　which　he　had　acted　towards　us
as　being　likely　to　injure　his　interests；　gave　a　positive　assurance　to　M。
de　Chaulnes　that　what　we　asked　should　be　granted。

We　had　scarcely　finished　congratulating　ourselves　upon　this　unhoped…for
success；　when　we　found　that　we　had　to　do　with　a　man　whose　word　was　a　very
sorry　support　to　rest　upon。　　M。　de　Luxembourg；　affrighted　at　the　promise
Harlay　had　given；　made　him　resolve　to　break　it。　　Suspecting　this；　M。　de
Chaulnes　paid　another　visit　to　the　Chief　President；　who　admitted；　with
much　confusion；　that　he　had　changed　his　views；　and　that　it　was　impossible
to　carry　out　what　he　had　agreed　to。　　After　this　we　felt　that　to　treat　any
longer　with　a　man　so　perfidious　would　be　time　lost；　and　we　determined；
therefore；　to　put　it　out　of　his　power　to　judge　the　case　at　all。

According　to　the　received　maxim；　whoever　is　at　law　with　the　son　cannot　be
judged　by　the　father。　　Harlay　had　a　son　who　was　Advocate…General。　　We
resolved　that　one　among　us　should　bring　an　action　against　him。

After　trying　in　vain　to　induce　the　Duc　de　Rohan；　who　was　the　only　one　of
our　number　who　could　readily　have　done　it；　to　commence　a　suit　against
Harlay's　sort；　we　began　to　despair　of　arriving　at　our　aim。　　Fortunately
for　us；　the　vexation　of　Harlay　became　so　great　at　this　time；　in
consequence　of　the　disdain　with　which　we　treated　him；　and　which　we　openly
published；　that　he　extricated　us　himself　from　our　difficulty。　　We　had
only　to　supplicate　the　Duc　de　Gesvres　in　the　cause　（he　said　to　some　of
our　people）；　and　we　should　obtain　what　we　wanted；　for　the　Duc　de　Gesvres
vas　his　relative。　　We　took　him　at　his　word。　　The；　Duc　de　Gesvres　received
in　two　days　a　summons　on　our　part。　　Harlay；　annoyed　with　himself　for　the
advice　he　had　given；　relented　of　it：　but　it　was　too　late；　he　was　declared
unable　to　judge　the　cause；　and　the　case　itself　was　postponed　until　the
next　year。

Meanwhile；　let　me　mention　a　circumstance　which　should　have　found　a　place
before；　and　then　state　what　occurred　in　the　interval　which　followed　until
the　trial　recommenced。

It　was　while　our　proceedings　were　making　some　little　stir　that　fresh
favours　were　heaped　upon　the　King's　illegitimate　sons；　at　the　instance　of
the　King　himself；　and　with　the　connivance　of　Harlay；　who；　for　the　part　he
took　in　the　affair；　was　promised　the　chancellorship　when　it　should　become
vacant。　　The　rank　of　these　illegitimate　sons　was　placed　just　below　that
of　the　princes；　of　the　blood；　and　just　above　that　of　the　peers　even　of
the　oldest　creation。　　This　gave　us　all　exceeding　annoyance：　it　was　the
greatest　injury　the　peerage　could　have　received；　and　became　its　leprosy
and　sore。　　All　the　peers　who　could；　kept　themselves　aloof　from　the
parliament；　when　M。　du　Maine；　M。　de　Vendome；　and　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；
for　whom　this　arrangement　was　specially　made；　were　received　there。

There　were　several　marriages　at　the　Court　this　winter　and　many　very　fine
balls；　at　which　latter　I　danced。　　By　the　spring；　preparations　were　ready
for　fresh　campaigns。　　My　regiment　（I　had　bought　one　at　the　close　of　the
last　season）　was　ordered　to　join　the　army　of　M。　de　Luxembourg；　but；　as　I
had　no　desire　to　be　under　him；　I　wrote　to　the　King；　begging　to　be
exchanged。　　In　a　short　time；　to　the　great　vexation；　as　I　know；　of　M。　de
Luxembourg；　my　request　was　granted。　　The　Chevalier　de　Sully　went　to
Flanders　in　my　place；　and　I　to　Germany　in　his。　　I　went　first　to　Soissons
to　see　my　regiment；　and　in　consequence　of　the　recommendation