the memoirs of louis xiv-15-第15部分

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embarrassed　that　he　knew　not　where　he　was。　　I　paid　him　the　strongest；　the
clearest；　the　most　energetic　of　compliments；　in　a　loud　voice。　　He　took
me；　apparently；　for　some　repetition　of　the　Ducs　de　Guiche　and　de
Noailles；　and　did　not　do　me　the　honour　to　reply　one　word。

I　waited　some　moments；　and　seeing　that　nothing　would　come　out　of　the
mouth　of　this　image；　I　made　my　reverence　and　withdrew；　he　advancing　not
one　step　to　conduct　me；　as　he　ought　to　have　done；　all　along　his
apartment；　but　reburying　himself　in　his　cabinet。　　It　is　true　that　in
retiring　I　cast　my　eyes　upon　the　company；　right　and　left；　who　appeared　to
me　much　surprised。　　I　went　home　very　weary　of　dancing　attendance　at　the
chateau。

The　death　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　made　a　great　sensation　abroad　and　at
home；　but　foreign　countries　rendered　him　incomparably　more　justice；　and
regretted　him　much　more；　than　the　French。　　Although　foreigners　knew　his
feebleness；　and　although　the　English　had　strangely　abused　it；　their
experience　had　not　the　less　persuaded　them　of　the　range　of　his　mind；　of
the　greatness　of　his　genius　and　of　his　views；　of　his　singular
penetration；　of　the　sagacity　and　address　of　his　policy；　of　the　fertility
of　his　expedients　and　of　his　resources；　of　the　dexterity　of　his　conduct
under　all　changes　of　circumstances　and　events；　of　his　clearness　in
considering　objects　and　combining　things；　of　his　superiority　over　his
ministers；　and　over　those　that　various　powers　sent　to　him；　of　the
exquisite　discernment　he　displayed　in　investigating　affairs；　of　his
learned　ability　in　immediately　replying　to　everything　when　he　wished。
The　majority　of　our　Court　did　not　regret　him；　however。　　The　life　he　had
led　displeased　the　Church　people；　but　more　still；　the　treatment　they　had
received　from　his　hands。

The　day　after　death；　the　corpse　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was　taken　from
Versailles　to　Saint…Cloud；　and　the　next　day　the　ceremonies　commenced。
His　heart　was　carried　from　Saint…Cloud　to　the　Val　de　Grace　by　the
Archbishop　of　Rouen；　chief　almoner　of　the　defunct　Prince。　　The　burial
took　place　at　Saint…Denis；　the　funeral　procession　passing　through　Paris；
with　the　greatest　pomp。　　The　obsequies　were　delayed　until　the　12th　of
February。　　M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres　became　Duc　d'Orleans。

After　this　event；　I　carried　out　a　determination　I　had　long　resolved　on。
I　appeared　before　the　new　masters　of　the　realm　as　seldom　as　possible
only；　in　fact；　upon　such　occasions　where　it　would　have　been　inconsistent
with　my　position　to　stop　away。　　My　situation　at　the　Court　had　totally
changed。　　The　loss　of　the　dear　Prince；　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne；　was　the
first　blow　I　had　received。　　The　loss　of　the　Regent　was　the　second。　　But
what　a　wide　gulf　separated　these　two　men！









End