the memoirs of louis xiv-12-第7部分

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on　foot。　　The　last　mode　was　adopted　as　being　the　most　ordinary；　and　in
the　hope　of　stirring　the　people　and　arriving　at　the　Tuileries　with　a
yelling　crowd。　　What　happened　will　be　related　in　its　place。

At　the　same　time；　horsemen　went　to　all　the　Peers　and　officers　of　the
Crown；　and　to　all　the　chevaliers　of　the　order；　the　governors　and
lieutenant…governors　of　the　provinces　（who　were　to　accompany　the　King）；
informing　them　of　the　Bed　of　Justice。　　The　Comte　de　Toulouse　had　been　to
supper　at　the　house　of　M。　de　Nevers；　near　Saint…Denis；　and　did　not　return
until　late　into　the　night。　　The　French　and　Swiss　guards　were　under　arms
in　various　quarters；　the　watch；　the　light　horse；　and　the　two　companies　of
musketeers　all　ready　in　their　barracks；　the　usual　guard　at　the　Tuileries。

If　I　had　slept　but　little　during　the　last　eight　days；　I　slept　still　less
that　night；　so　near　to　the　most　considerable　events。　　I　rose　before　six
o'clock；　and　shortly　after　received　my　summons　to　the　Bed　of　justice；　on
the　back　of　which　was　a　note　that　I　was　not　to　be　awakened；　a　piece　of
politeness　due　to　the　knowledge　of　the　bearer；　who　was　aware　that　this
summons　would　teach　me　nothing　I　did　not　know。　　All　the　others　had　been
awakened；　surprised　thereby　to　an　extent　that　may　be　imagined。

Towards　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　a　messenger　from　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans
came　to　remind　me　of　the　Regency　Council　at　eight　o'clock；　and　to　attend
it　in　my　mantle。　　I　dressed　myself　in　black；　because　I　had　only　that　suit
with　a　mantle；　and　another；　a　magnificent　one　in　cloth　of　gold；　which　I
did　not　wish　to　wear　lest　it　should　cause　the　remark　to　be　made；　though
much　out　of　season；　that　I　wished　to　insult　the　Parliament　and　M。　du
Maine。　　I　took　two　gentlemen　with　me　in　my　coach；　and　I　went　in　order　to
witness　all　that　was　to　take　place。　　I　was　at　the　same　time　full　of　fear；
hope；　joy；　reflection；　and　mistrust　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans'　weakness；　and
all　that　might　result　from　it。　　I　was　also　firmly　resolved　to　do　my　best；
whatever　might　happen；　but　without　appearing　to　know　anything；　and
without　eagerness；　and　I　resolved　to　show　presence　of　mind；　attention；
circumspection；　modesty；　and　much　moderation。

Upon　leaving　my　house　I　went　to　Valincourt；　who　lived　behind　the　hotel　of
the　Comte　de　Toulouse。　　He　was　a　very　honourable　man；　of　much　intellect；
moving　among　the　best　company；　secretary…general　of　the　navy；　devoted　to
the　Comte　de　Toulouse　ever　since　his　early　youth；　and　possessing　all　his
confidence。　　I　did　not　wish　to　leave　the　Comte　de　Toulouse　in　any
personal　fear；　or　expose　him　to　be　led　away　by　his　brother。　　I　sent
therefore　for　Valincourt；　whom　I　knew　intimately；　to　come　and　speak　to
me。　　He　came　half…dressed；　terrified　at　the　rumours　flying　over　the　town；
and　eagerly　asked　me　what　they　all　meant。　　I　drew　him　close　to　me　and
said；　〃Listen　attentively　to　me；　and　lose　not　a　word。　　Go　immediately　to
M。　le　Comte　de　Toulouse；　tell　him　he　may　trust　in　my　word；　tell　him　to　be
discreet；　and　that　things　are　about　to　happen　to　others　which　may
displease　him；　but　that　not　a　hair　of　his　head　shall　be　touched。　　I　hope
he　will　not　have　a　moment's　uneasiness。　　Go！　and　lose　not　an　instant。〃

Valincourt　held　me　in　a　tight　embrace。　　〃Ah；　Monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃we
foresaw　that　at　last　there　would　be　a　storm。　　It　is　well　merited；　but　not
by　M。　le　Comte；　who　will　be　eternally　obliged　to　you。〃　　And；　he　went
immediately　with　my　message　to　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　who　never　forgot
that　I　saved　him　from　the　fall　of　his　brother。




CHAPTER　XCII

Arrived　at　the　grand　court　of　the　Tuileries　about　eight　o'clock　without
having　remarked　anything　extraordinary　on　the　way。　　The　coaches　of　the
Duc　de　Noailles；　of　Marechal　de　Villars；　of　Marechal　d'Huxelles；　and　of
some　others　were　already　there。　　I　ascended　without　finding　many　people
about；　and　directed　the　two　doors　of　the　Salle　des　Gardes；　which　were
closed；　to　be　opened。　　The　Bed　of　justice　was　prepared　in　the　grand　ante…
chamber；　where　the　King　was　accustomed　to　eat。　　I　stopped　a　short　time　to
see　if　everything　was　in　proper　order；　and　felicitated　Fontanieu　in　a　low
voice。　　He　said　to　me　in　the　same　manner　that　he　had　arrived　at　the
Tuileries　with　his　workmen　and　materials　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；
that　everything　was　so　well　constructed　and　put　up　that　the　King　had　not
heard　a　sound；　that　his　chief　valet　de　chambre；　having　left　the　room　for
some　commission　about　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　had　been　much
astonished　upon　seeing　this　apparatus；　that　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy　had
only　heard　of　it　through　him；　and　that　the　seats　had　been　erected　with
such　little　noise　that　nobody　had　heard　anything。　　After　having　well
examined　everything　with　my　eyes　I　advanced　to　the　throne；　then　being
finished；　wishing　to　enter　the　second　ante…chamber；　some　servants　came　to
me；　saying　that　I　could　not　go　in；　all　being　locked　up。　　I　asked　where　I
was　to　await　the　assembling　of　the　Council；　and　was　admitted　to　a　room
upstairs；　where　I　found　a　good　number　of　people　already　congregated。

After　chatting　some　time　with　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　the　arrival　of　M。
le　Duc　d'Orleans　was　announced。　　We　finished　what　we　had　to　say；　and　went
downstairs　separately；　not　wishing　to　be　seen　together。

The　Council　was　held　in　a　room　which　ever　since　the　very　hot　weather　the
King　had　slept　in。　　The　hangings　of　his　bed；　and　of　the　Marechal　de
Villeroy's　were　drawn　back。　　The　Council　table　was　placed　at　the　foot　of
one　of　the　beds。　　Upon　entering　the　adjoining　chamber　I　found　many　people
whom　the　first　rumours　of　such　an　unexpected　occurrence　had　no　doubt　led
there；　and　among　the　rest　some　of　the　Council。　　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was
in　the　midst　of　a　crowd　at　the　end　of　the　room；　and；　as　I　afterwards
learned；　had　just　seen　the　Duc　du　Maine　without　speaking　to　him；　or　being
spoken　to。

After　a　passing　glance　upon　this　crowd　I　entered　the　Council　chamber。　　I
found　scattered　there　the　majority　of　those　who　composed　the　Council　with
serious　and　troubled　looks；　which　increased　my　seriousness。　　Scarcely
anybody　spoke；　and　each；　standing　or　seated　here　and　there；　kept　himself
in　his　place。　　The　better　to　examine　all；　I　joined　nobody。　　A　moment
after　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　entered　with　a　gay；　easy；　untroubled　air；　and
looked　smilingly　upon　the　company。　　I　considered　this　of　good　augury。
Immediately　afterwards　I　asked　him　his　news。　　He　replied　aloud　that　he
was　tolerably　well；　then　approaching　my　ear；　added　that；　except　when
aroused　to　give　his　orders；　he　had　slept　very　well；　and　that　he　was
determined　to　hold　firm。　　This　infinitely　pleased　me；　for　it　seemed　to　me
by　his　manner　that　he　was　in　earnest；　and　I　briefly　exhorted　him　to
remain　so。

Came；　afterwards；　M。　le　Duc；　who　pretty　soon　approached　me；　and　asked　if
I　augured　well　from　the　Regent；　and　if　he　would　remain　firm。　　M。　le　Duc
had　an　air　of　exceeding　gaiety；　which　was　perceptible　to　those　behind　the
scenes。　　The　Duc　de　Noailles　devoured　everything　with　his　eyes；　which
sparkled　with　anger　because　he　had　not　been　initiated　into　the　secret　of
this　great　day。

In　due　time　M。　du　Maine　appeared　in　his　mantle；　entering　by　the　King's
little　door。　　Never　before　had　he　made　so　many　or　such　profound
reverences　as　he　did　nowthough　he　was　not　usually　very　stingy　of　them
then　standing　alone；　resting　upon　his　stick　near　the　Council　table；　he
looked　around　at　everybody。　　Then　and　there；　being　in　front　of　him；　with
the　table　between　us；　I　made　him　the　most　smiling　bow　I　had　ever　given
him；　and　did　it　with　extreme　volupty。　　He　repaid　me　in　the　same　coin；　and
continued　to　fix　his　eyes　upon　everybody　in　turn；　his　face　agitated；　and
nearly　always　speaking　to　himself。

A　few　minutes　after　M。　le　Duc　came　to　me；　begging　me　to　exhort　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　to　firmness：　then　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　came　forth　for　the
same　purpose。　　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　himself　approached　me　to　say　something
a　moment　afterwards；　and　he　had　no　sooner　quitted　my　side　than　M。　le　Duc；
impatient　and　troubled；　came　to　know　in　what　frame　of　mind　was　the
Regent。　　I　told　him　good　in　a　monosyllable；　and　sent　him　away。

I　know　not　if　these　movements；　upon　which　all　eyes　were　fixed；　began　to
frighten　the　Duc　du　Maine；　but　no　sooner　had　M。　le　Duc　joined　the　Regent；
after　quitting　me；　than　the　Duc　du　Maine　went　to　speak　to　the　Marechal　de
Villeroy　and　to　D'Effiat；　both　seated　at　the　end　of　the　room　towards　the
King's　little　door；　their　backs　to　the　wall。　　They　did　not　rise　for　the
Duc　du　Maine；　who　remained　standing　opposite；　and　quite　near　them；　all
three　holding　long　discourses；　like　people　who　deliberate　with
embarrassment　and　surprise；　as　it　appeared　to　me　by　the　faces　of　the　two
I　saw；　and　which　I　tried　not　to　lose　sight　of。

During　this　time　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　and　M。　le　Duc　spoke　to　each　other
near　the　window　and　the　ordinary　entrance　door；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；
who　was　near；　joined　them。　　At　this　moment　M。　le　Duc　turned　round　a
little；　which　gave　me　the　opportunity　to　make　signs　to　him　of　the　other
conference；　which　he　immediately　saw。　　I　was　alone；　near　the　Council
table；　very　attentive　to　everything；　and　the　others　scattered　about　began
to　become　more　so。　　A　little　while　after　the　Duc　du　Maine　placed　himself
where　he　had　been　previously：　the　two　he　quitted　remained　as　before。
M。　du　Maine　was　thus　again　in　front　of　me；　the　table　between　us：　I
observed　that　he　had　a　bewildered　look；　and　that　he　spoke　to　himself　more
than　ever。

The　Comte　de　Toulouse　arrived　as　the　Regent　had　just　quitted　the　two
persons　with　whom　he　had　been　talking。　　The　Comte　de　Toulouse　was　in　his
mantle；　and　saluted　the　company　with　a　grave　and　meditative　manner；
neither　accosting　nor　accosted：　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　found　himself　in
front　of　him　and　turned　towards　me；　although　at　some　distance；　as　though
to　testify　his　trouble。　　I　bent　my　head　a　little　while　looking　fixedly　at
him；　as　though　to　say；　〃Well；　what　then？〃

A　short　time　afterwards　the　Comte　de　Toulouse　had　a　conversation　with　his
brother；　both　speaking　with　agitation　and　without　appearing　to　agree　very
well。　　Then　the　Count　approached　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　was　talking
again　to　M。　le　Duc；　and　they　spoke　at　some　lengt