the memoirs of louis xiv-15-第9部分

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his　Majesty　is　fully　master　of　his　favours　and　of　his　choice；　but　that　he
（Louvois）　thinks　it　his　duty　to　represent　to　him　the　incompatibility
between　Puyguilhem　and　him；　his　caprices；　his　pride；　that　he　will　wish　to
change　everything　in　the　artillery；　that　this　post　has　such　intimate
relations　with　the　war　department；　that　continual　quarrels　will　arise
between　the　two；　with　which　his　Majesty　will　be　importuned　at　every
moment。

The　King　is　piqued　to　see　his　secret　known　by　him　from　whom；　above　all；
he　wished　to　hide　it；　he　replies　to　Louvois；　with　a　very　serious　air；
that　the　appointment　is　not　yet　made；　dismisses　him；　and　reseats　himself
at　the　council。　　A　moment　after　it　breaks　up。　　The　King　leaves　to　go　to
mass；　sees　Puyguilhem；　and　passes　without　saying　anything　to　him。
Puyguilhem；　much　astonished；　waits　all　the　rest　of　the　day；　and　seeing
that　the　promised　declaration　does　not　come；　speaks　of　it　to　the　King　at
night。　　The　King　replies　to　him　that　it　cannot　be　yet；　and　that　he　will
see；　the　ambiguity　of　the　response；　and　the　cold　tone；　alarm　Puyguilhem；
he　is　in　favour　with　the　ladies；　and　speaks　the　jargon　of　gallantry；　he
goes　to　Madame　de　Montespan；　to　whom　he　states　his　disquietude；　and
conjures　her　to　put　an　end　to　it。　　She　promises　him　wonders；　and　amuses
him　thus　several　days。

Tired　of　this；　and　not　being　able　to　divine　whence　comes　his　failure；　he
takes　a　resolutionincredible　if　it　was　not　attested　by　all　the　Court　of
that　time。　　The　King　was　in　the　habit　of　visiting　Madame　de　Montespan　in
the　afternoon；　and　of　remaining　with　her　some　time。　　Puyguilhem　was　on
terms　of　tender　intimacy　with　one　of　the　chambermaids　of　Madame　de
Montespan。　　She　privately　introduced　him　into　the　room　where　the　King
visited　Madame　de　Montespan；　and　he　secreted　himself　under　the　bed。　　In
this　position　he　was　able　to　hear　all　the　conversation　that　took　place
between　the　King　and　his　mistress　above；　and　he　learned　by　it　that　it　was
Louvois　who　had　ousted　him；　that　the　King　was　very　angry　at　the　secret
having　got　wind；　and　had　changed　his　resolution　to　avoid　quarrels　between
the　artillery　and　the　war　department；　and；　finally；　that　Madame　de
Montespan；　who　had　promised　him　her　good　offices；　was　doing　him　all　the
harm　she　could。　　A　cough；　the　least　movement；　the　slightest　accident；
might　have　betrayed　the　foolhardy　Puyguilhem；　and　then　what　would　have
become　of　him？　　These　are　things　the　recital　of　which　takes　the　breath
away；　and　terrifies　at　the　same　time。

Puyguilhem　was　more　fortunate　than　prudent；　and　was　not　discovered。　　The
King　and　his　mistress　at　last　closed　their　conversation；　the　King　dressed
himself　again；　and　went　to　his　own　rooms。　　Madame　de　Montespan　went　away
to　her　toilette；　in　order　to　prepare　for　the　rehearsal　of　a　ballet　to
which　the　King；　the　Queen；　and　all　the　Court　were　going。　　The　chambermaid
drew　Puyguilhem　from　under　the　bed；　and　he　went　and　glued　himself　against
the　door　of　Madame　de　Montespan's　chamber。

When　Madame　de　Montespan　came　forth；　in　order　to　go　to　the　rehearsal　of
the　ballet；　he　presented　his　hand　to　her；　and　asked　her；　with　an　air　of
gentleness　and　of　respect；　if　he　might　flatter　himself　that　she　had
deigned　to　think　of　him　when　with　the　King。　　She　assured　him　that　she　had
not　failed；　and　enumerated　services　she　had；　she　said；　just　rendered　him。
Here　and　there　he　credulously　interrupted　her　with　questions；　the　better
to　entrap　her；　then；　drawing　near　her；　he　told　her　she　was　a　liar；　a
hussy；　a　harlot；　and　repeated　to　her；　word　for　word；　her　conversation
with　the　King！

Madame　de　Montespan　was　so　amazed　that　she　had　not　strength　enough　to
reply　one　word；　with　difficulty　she　reached　the　place　she　was　going　to；
and　with　difficulty　overcame　and　hid　the　trembling　of　her　legs　and　of　her
whole　body；　so　that　upon　arriving　at　the　room　where　the　rehearsal　was　to
take　place；　she　fainted。　　All　the　Court　was　already　there。　　The　King；　in
great　fright；　came　to　her；　it　was　not　without　much　trouble　she　was
restored　to　herself。　　The　same　evening　she　related　to　the　King　what　had
just　happened；　never　doubting　it　was　the　devil　who　had　so　promptly　and　so
precisely　informed　Puyguilhem　of　all　that　she　had　said　to　the　King。　　The
King　was　extremely　irritated　at　the　insult　Madame　de　Montespan　had
received；　and　was　much　troubled　to　divine　how　Puyguilhem　had　been　so
exactly　and　so　suddenly　instructed。

Puyguilhem；　on　his　side；　was　furious　at　losing　the　artillery；　so　that　the
King　and　he　were　under　strange　constraint　together。　　This　could　last　only
a　few　days。　　Puyguilhem；　with　his　grandes　entrees；　seized　his　opportunity
and　had　a　private　audience　with　the　King。　　He　spoke　to　him　of　the
artillery；　and　audaciously　summoned　him　to　keep　his　word。　　The　King
replied　that　he　was　not　bound　by　it；　since　he　had　given　it　under　secrecy；
which　he　（Puyguilhem）　had　broken。

Upon　this　Puyguilhem　retreats　a　few　steps；　turns　his　back　upon　the　King；
draws　his　sword；　breaks　the　blade　of　it　with　his　foot；　and　cries　out　in
fury；　that　he　will　never　in　his　life　serve　a　prince　who　has　so　shamefully
broken　his　word。　　The　King；　transported　with　anger；　performed　in　that
moment　the　finest　action　perhaps　of　his　life。　　He　instantly　turned　round；
opened　the　window；　threw　his　cane　outside；　said　he　should　be　sorry　to
strike　a　man　of　quality；　and　left　the　room。

The　next　morning；　Puyguilhem；　who　had　not　dared　to　show　himself　since；
was　arrested　in　his　chamber；　and　conducted　to　the　Bastille。　　He　was　an
intimate　friend　of　Guitz；　favourite　of　the　King；　for　whom　his　Majesty　had
created　the　post　of　grand　master　of　the　wardrobe。　　Guitz　had　the　courage
to　speak　to　the　King　in　favour　of　Puyguilhem；　and　to　try　and　reawaken　the
infinite　liking　he　had　conceived　for　the　young　Gascon。　　He　succeeded　so
well　in　touching　the　King；　by　showing　him　that　the　refusal　of　such　a
grand　post　as　the　artillery　had　turned　Puyguilhem's　head；　that　his
Majesty　wished　to　make　amends　far　this　refusal。　　He　offered　the　post　of
captain　of　the　King's　guards　to　Puyguilhem；　who；　seeing　this　incredible
and　prompt　return　of　favour；　re…assumed　sufficient　audacity　to　refuse　it；
flattering　himself　he　should　thus　gain　a　better　appointment。　　The　King
was　not　discouraged。　　Guitz　went　and　preached　to　his　friend　in　the
Bastille；　and　with　great　trouble　made　him　agree　to　have　the　goodness　to
accept　the　King's　offer。　　As　soon　as　he　had　accepted　it　he　left　the
Bastille；　went　and　saluted　the　King；　and　took　the　oaths　of　his　new　post；
selling　that　which　he　occupied　in　the　dragoons。

He　had　in　1665　the　government　of　Berry；　at　the　death　of　Marechal　de
Clerembault。　　I　will　not　speak　here　of　his　adventures　with　Mademoiselle；
which　she　herself　so　naively　relates　in　her　memoirs；　or　of　his　extreme
folly　in　delaying　his　marriage　with　her　（to　which　the　King　had
consented）；　in　order　to　have　fine　liveries；　and　get　the　marriage
celebrated　at　the　King's　mass；　which　gave　time　to　Monsieur　（incited　by　M。
le　Prince）　to　make　representations　to　the　King；　which　induced　him　to
retract　his　consent；　breaking　off　thus　the　marriage。　　Mademoiselle　made　a
terrible　uproar；　but　Puyguilhem；　who　since　the　death　of　his　father　had
taken　the　name　of　Comte　de　Lauzun；　made　this　great　sacrifice　with　good
grace；　and　with　more　wisdom　than　belonged　to　him。　　He　had　the　company　of
the　hundred　gentlemen；　with　battle…axes；　of　the　King's　household；　which
his　father　had　had；　and　he　had　just　been　made　lieutenant…general。

Lauzun　was　in　love　with　Madame　de　Monaco；　an　intimate　friend　of　Madame；
and　in　all　her　Intrigues：　He　was　very　jealous　of　her；　and　was　not　pleased
with　her。　　One　summer's　afternoon　he　went　to　Saint…Cloud；　and　found
Madame　and　her　Court　seated　upon　the　ground；　enjoying　the　air；　and　Madame
de　Monaco　half　lying　down；　one　of　her　hands　open　and　outstretched。
Lauzun　played　the　gallant　with　the　ladies；　and　turned　round　so　neatly
that　he　placed　his　heel　in　the　palm　of　Madame　de　Monaco；　made　a　pirouette
there；　and　departed。　　Madame　de　Monaco　had　strength　enough　to　utter　no
cry；　no　word！

A　short　time　after　he　did　worse。　　He　learnt　that　the　King　was　on　intimate
terms　with　Madame　de　Monaco；　learnt　also　the　hour　at　which　Bontems；　the
valet；　conducted　her；　enveloped　in　a　cloak；　by　a　back　staircase；　upon　the
landing…place　of　which　was　a　door　leading　into　the　King's　cabinet；　and　in
front　of　it　a　private　cabinet。　　Lauzun　anticipates　the　hour；　and　lies　in
ambush　in　the　private　cabinet；　fastening　it　from　within　with　a　hook；　and
sees　through　the　keyhole　the　King　open　the　door　of　the　cabinet；　put　the
key　outside　（in　the　lock）　and　close　the　door　again。　　Lauzun　waits　a
little；　comes　out　of　his　hiding…place；　listens　at　the　door　in　which　the
King　had　just　placed　the　key；　locks　it；　and　takes　out　the　key；　which　he
throws　into　the　private　cabinet；　in　which　he　again　shuts　himself　up。

Some　time　after　Bontems　and　the　lady　arrive。　　Much　astonished　not　to　find
the　key　in　the　door　of　the　King's　cabinet；　Bontems　gently　taps　at　the
door　several　times；　but　in　vain；　finally　so　loudly　does　he　tap　that　the
King　hears　the　sound。　　Bontems　says　he　is　there；　and　asks　his　Majesty　to
open；　because　the　key　is　not　in　the　door。　　The　King　replies　that　he　has
just　put　it　there。　　Bontems　looks　on　the　ground　for　it；　the　King
meanwhile　trying　to　open　the　door　from　the　inside；　and　finding　it　double…
locked。　　Of　course　all　three　are　much　astonished　and　much　annoyed；　the
conversation　is　carried　on　through　the　door；　and　they　cannot　determine
how　this　accident　has　happened。　　The　King　exhausts　himself　in　efforts　to
force　the　door；　in　spite　of　its　being　double…locked。　　At　last　they　are
obliged　to　say　good…bye　through　the　door；　and　Lauzun；　who　hears　every
word　they　utter；　and　who　sees　them　through　the　keyhole；　laughs　in　his
sleeve　at　their　mishap　with　infinite　enjoyment。




CHAPTER　CXVII

In　1670　the　King　wished　to　make　a　triumphant　journey　with　the　ladies；
under　pretext　of　visiting　his　possessions　in　Flanders；　accompanied　by　an
army；　and　by　all　his　household　troops；　so　that　the　alarm　was　great　in　the
Low　Countries；　which　he　took　no　pains　to　appease。　　He　gave　the　command　of
all　to　Lauzun；　with　the　patent　of　army…general。　　Lauzun　performed　the
duties　of　his　post