the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第8部分

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refusal；　but　that　was　sufficient　for　the　success　of　the　enterprise。
Monsieur　was　already　gained；　and　as　soon　as　the　King　had　a　reply　from
Dubois　he　hastened　to　broach　the　affair。　　A　day　or　two　before　this；
however；　Madame　（mother　of　the　Duc　de　Chartres）　had　scent　of　what　was
going　on。　　She　spoke　to　her　son　of　the　indignity　of　this　marriage　with
that　force　in　which　she　was　never　wanting；　and　drew　from　him　a　promise
that　he　would　not　consent　to　it。　　Thus；　he　was　feeble　towards　his
teacher；　feeble　towards　his　mother；　and　there　was　aversion　on　the　one
hand　and　fear　on　the　other；　and　great　embarrassment　on　all　sides。

One　day　early　after　dinner　I　saw　M。　de　Chartres；　with　a　very　sad　air；
come　out　of　his　apartment　and　enter　the　closet　of　the　King。　　He　found　his
Majesty　alone　with　Monsieur。　　The　King　spoke　very　obligingly　to　the　Duc
de　Chartres；　said　that　he　wished　to　see　him　married；　that　he　offered　him
his　daughter；　but　that　he　did　not　intend　to　constrain　him　in　the　matter；
but　left　him　quite　at　liberty。　　This　discourse；　however；　pronounced　with
that　terrifying　majesty　so　natural　to　the　King；　and　addressed　to　a　timid
young　prince；　took　away　his　voice；　and　quite　unnerved　him。　　He；　thought
to　escape　from　his　slippery　position　by　throwing　himself　upon　Monsieur
and　Madame；　and　stammeringly　replied　that　the　King　was　master；　but　that　a
son's　will　depended　upon　that　of　his　parents。　　〃What　you　say　is　very
proper；〃　replied　the　King；　〃but　as　soon　as　you　consent　to　my　proposition
your　father　and　mother　will　not　oppose　it。〃　　And　then　turning　to　Monsieur
he　said；　〃Is　this　not　true；　my　brother？　　〃Monsieur　consented；　as　he　had
already　done；　and　the　only　person　remaining　to　consult　was　Madame；　who
was　immediately　sent　for。

As　soon　as　she　came；　the　King；　making　her　acquainted　with　his　project；
said　that　he　reckoned　she　would　not　oppose　what　her　husband　and　her　son
had　already　agreed　to。　　Madame；　who　had　counted　upon　the　refusal　of　her
son；　was　tongue…tied。　　She　threw　two　furious　glances　upon　Monsieur　and
upon　the　Duc　de　Chartres；　and　then　said　that；　as　they　wished　it；　she　had
nothing　to　say；　made　a　slight　reverence；　and　went　away。　　Her　son
immediately　followed　her　to　explain　his　conduct；　but　railing　against　him；
with　tears　in　her　eyes；　she　would　not　listen；　and　drove　him　from　her
room。　　Her　husband；　who　shortly　afterwards　joined　her；　met　with　almost
the　same　treatment。

That　evening　an　〃Apartment〃　was　held　at　the　palace；　as　was　customary
three　times　a　week　during　the　winter；　the　other　three　evenings　being　set
apart　for　comedy；　and　the　Sunday　being　free。　　An　Apartment　as　it　was
called；　was　an　assemblage　of　all　the　Court　in　the　grand　saloon；　from
seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　until　ten；　when　the　King　sat　down　to　table；
and；　after　ten；　in　one　of　the　saloons　at　the　end　of　the　grand　gallery
towards　the　tribune　of　the　chapel。　　In　the　first　place　there　was　some
music；　then　tables　were　placed　all　about　for　all　kinds　of　gambling；　there
was　a　'lansquenet'；　at　which　Monsieur　and　Monseigneur　always　played；　also
a　billiard…table；　in　a　word；　every　one　was　free　to　play　with　every　one；
and　allowed　to　ask　for　fresh　tables　as　all　the　others　were　occupied。
Beyond　the　billiards　was　a　refreshment…room。　　All　was　perfectly　lighted。
At　the　outset；　the　King　went　to　the　〃apartments〃　very　often　and　played；
but　lately　he　had　ceased　to　do　so。　　He　spent　the　evening　with　Madame　de
Maintenon；　working　with　different　ministers　one　after　the　other。　　But
still　he　wished　his　courtiers　to　attend　assiduously。

This　evening；　directly　after　the　music　had　finished；　the　King　sent　for
Monseigneur　and　Monsieur；　who　were　already　playing　at　'lansquenet'；
Madame；　who　scarcely　looked　at　a；　party　of　'hombre'　at　which　she　had
seated　herself；　the　Duc　de　Chartres；　who；　with　a　rueful　visage；　was
playing　at　chess；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Blois；　who　had　scarcely　begun　to
appear　in　society；　but　who　this　evening　was　extraordinarily　decked　out；
and　who；　as　yet；　knew　nothing　and　suspected　nothing；　and　therefore；　being
naturally　very　timid；　and　horribly　afraid　of　the　King；　believed　herself
sent　for　in　order　to　be　reprimanded；　and　trembled　so　that　Madame　de
Maintenon　took　her　upon　her　knees；　where　she　held　her；　but　was　scarcely
able　to　reassure　her。　　The　fact　of　these　royal　persons　being　sent　for　by
the　King　at　once　made　people　think　that　a　marriage　was　in　contemplation。
In　a　few　minutes　they　returned；　and　then　the　announcement　was　made
public。　　I　arrived　at　that　moment。　　I　found　everybody　m　clusters；　and
great　astonishment　expressed　upon　every　face。　　Madame　was　walking　in　the
gallery　with　Chateauthiersher　favourite；　and　worthy　of　being　so。
She　took　long　strides；　her　handkerchief　in　her　hand；　weeping　without
constraint；　speaking　pretty　loudly；　gesticulating；　and　looking　like　Ceres
after　the　rape　of　her　daughter　Proserpine；　seeking　her　in　fury；　and
demanding　her　back　from　Jupiter。　　Every　one　respectfully　made　way　to　let
her　pass。　　Monsieur；　who　had　returned　to　'lansquenet'；　seemed　overwhelmed
with　shame；　and　his　son　appeared　in　despair；　and　the　bride…elect　was
marvellously　embarrassed　and　sad。　　Though　very　young；　and　likely　to　be
dazzled　by　such　a　marriage；　she　understood　what　was　passing；　and　feared
the　consequences。　　Most　people　appeared　full　of　consternation。

The　Apartment；　which；　however　heavy　in　appearance；　was　full　of　interest
to；　me；　seemed　quite　short。　　It　finished　by　the　supper　of　the　King。　　His
Majesty　appeared　quite　at　ease。　　Madame's　eyes　were　full　of　tears；　which
fell　from　time　to　time　as　she　looked　into　every　face　around；　as　if　in
search　of　all　our　thoughts。　　Her　son；　whose　eyes　too　were　red；　she　would
not　give　a　glance　to；　nor　to　Monsieur：　all　three　ate　scarcely　anything。
I　remarked　that　the　King　offered　Madame　nearly　all　the　dishes　that　were
before　him；　and　that　she　refused　with　an　air　of　rudeness　which　did　not；
however；　check　his　politeness。　　It　was　furthermore　noticeable　that；　after
leaving　the　table；　he　made　to　Madame　a　very　marked　and　very　low
reverence；　during　which　she　performed　so　complete　a　pirouette；　that　the
King　on　raising　his　head　found　nothing　but　her　back　before　him；　removed
about　a　step　further　towards　the　door。

On　the　morrow　we　went　as　usual　to　wait　in　the　gallery　for　the　breaking…up
of　the　council；　and　for　the　King's　Mass。　　Madame　came　there。　　Her　son
approached　her；　as　he　did　every　day；　to　kiss　her　hand。　　At　that　very
moment　she　gave　him　a　box　on　the　ear；　so　sonorous　that　it　was　heard
several　steps　distant。　　Such　treatment　in　presence　of　all　the　Court
covered　with　confusion　this　unfortunate　prince；　and　overwhelmed　the
infinite　number　of　spectators；　of　whom　I　was　one；　with　prodigious
astonishment。

That　day　the　immense　dowry　was　declared；　and　on　Sunday　there　was　a　grand
ball；　that　is；　a　ball　opened　by　a　'branle'　which　settled　the　order　of　the
dancing　throughout　the　evening。　　Monseigneur　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne　danced
on　this　occasion　for　the　first　time；　and　led　off　the　'branle'　with
Mademoiselle。　　I　danced　also　for　the　first　time　at　Court。　　My　partner　was
Mademoiselle　de　Sourches；　daughter　of　the　Grand　Prevot；　she　danced
excellently。　　I　had　been　that　morning　to　wait　on　Madame；　who　could　not
refrain　from　saying；　in　a　sharp　and　angry　voice；　that　I　was　doubtless
very　glad　of　the　promise　of　so　many　ballsthat　this　was　natural　at　my
age；　but　that；　for　her　part；　she　was　old；　and　wished　they　were　well　over。
A　few　days　after；　the　contract　of　marriage　was　signed　in　the　closet　of
the　King；　and　in　the　presence　of　all　the　Court。　　The　same　day　the
household　of　the　future　Duchesse　de　Chartres　was　declared。　　The　King　gave
her　a　first　gentleman　usher　and　a　Dame　d'Atours；　until　then　reserved　to
the　daughters　of　France；　and　a　lady　of　honour；　in　order　to　carry　out
completely　so　strange　a　novelty。　　I　must　say　something　about　the　persons
who　composed　this　household。

M。　de　Villars　was　gentleman　usher；　he　was　grandson　of　a　recorder　of
Coindrieu；　and　one　of　the　best　made　men　in　France。　　There　was　a　great
deal　of　fighting　in　his　young　days；　and　he　had　acquired　a　reputation　for
courage　and　skill。　　To　these　qualities　he　owed　his　fortune。　　M。　de
Nemours　was　his　first　patron；　and；　in　a　duel　which　he　had　with　M。　de
Beaufort；　took　Villars　for　second。　　M。　de　Nemours　was　killed；　but　Villars
was　victorious　against　his　adversary；　anal　passed　into　the　service　of　the
Prince　de　Conti　as　one　of　his　gentlemen。　　He　succeeded　in　gaining
confidence　in　his　new　employment；　so　much　so；　that　the　marriage　which
afterwards　took　place　between　the　Prince　de　Conti　and　the　niece　of
Cardinal　Mazarin　was　brought　about　in　part　by　his　assistance。　　He　became
the　confidant　of　the　married　pair；　and　their　bond：　of　union　with　the
Cardinal。　　His　position　gave　him　an　opportunity　of　mixing　in　society　much
above　him；　but　on　this　he　never　presumed。　　His　face　was　his；　passport
with　the　ladies：　he　was　gallant；　even　discreet；　and　this　means　was　not
unuseful　to　him。　　He　pleased　Madame　Scarron；　who　upon　the　throne　never
forgot　the　friendships　of　this　kind；　so　freely　intimate；　which　she　had
formed　as　a　private　person。　　Villars　was　employed　in　diplomacy；　and　from
honour　to　honour；　at　last　reached　the　order　of　the　Saint　Esprit；　in　1698。
His　wife　was　full　of　wit；　and　scandalously　inclined。　　Both　were　very
poorand　always　dangled　about　the　Court；　where　they　had　many　powerful
friends。

The　Marechale　de　Rochefort　was　lady　of　honour。　　She　was　of　the　house　of
Montmorencya　widowhandsomesprightly；　formed　by　nature　to　live　at
Courtapt　for　gallantry　and　intrigues；　full　of　worldly　cleverness；　from
living　much　in　the　world；　with　little　cleverness　of　any　other　kind；
nearly　enough　for　any　post　and　any　business。　　M。　de　Louvois　found　her
suited　to　his　taste；　and　she　accommodated　herself　very　well　to　his　purse；
and　to　the　display　she　made　by　this　intimacy。　　She　always　became　the
friend　of　every　new　mistress　of　the　King；　and　when　he　favoured　Madame　de
Soubise；　it　was　at　the　Marechale's　house　that　she　waited；　with　closed
doors；　for　Bontems；　the　King's　valet；　who　led　her　by　private　ways　to　his
Majesty。　　The　Marechale　herself　has　related　to　me　how　one　day　she　was
embarrassed　to　get　rid　of　the　people　that　Madame　de　Soubise　（who　had　not
had　t