the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第10部分

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the　preparations　that　were　made　on　the　other　side　to　continue　the　battle。
Blansac　accordingly；　attended　by　one　of　his　officers；　followed　this　lord；
and　was　astounded　to　see　with　his　own　eyes　that　all　he　had　just　heard　was
true。　　Returned　into　Bleinheim；　Blansac　assembled　all　his　principal
officers；　made　them　acquainted　with　the　proposition　that　had　been　made；
and　told　them　what　he　had　himself　seen。　　Every　one　comprehended　what　a
frightful　shock　it　would　be　for　the　country　when　it　learnt　that　they　had
surrendered　themselves　prisoners　of　war；　but　all　things　well　considered；
it　was　thought　best　to　accept　these　terms；　and　so　preserve　to　the　King
the　twenty…six　battalions　and　the　twelve　squadrons　of　dragoons　who　were
there。　　This　terrible　capitulation　was　at　once；　therefore；　drawn　up　and
signed　by　Blansac；　the　general　officers；　and　the　heads　of　every　corps
except　that　of　Navarre；　which　was　thus　the　sole　one　which　refused。

The　number　of　prisoners　that　fell　to　the　enemy　in　this　battle　was
infinite。　　The　Duke　of　Marlborough　took　charge　of　the　most　distinguished；
until　he　could　carry　them　away　to　England；　to　grace　his　triumph　there。
He　treated　them　all；　even　the　humblest；　with　the　utmost　attention；
consideration；　and　politeness；　and　with　a　modesty　that　did　him　even　more
honour　than　his　victory。　　Those　that　came　under　the　charge　of　Prince
Louis　of　Baden　were　much　less　kindly　treated。

The　King　received　the　cruel　news　of　this　battle　on　the　21st　of　August；　by
a　courier　from　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy。　　By　this　courier　the　King　learnt
that　a　battle　had　taken　place　on　the　13th；　had　lasted　from　eight　o'clock
in　the　morning　until　evening；　that　the　entire　army　of　Tallard　was　killed
or　taken　prisoners；　that　it　was　not　known　what　had　become　of　Tallard
himself；　or　whether　the　Elector　and　Marsin　had　been　at　the　action。　　The
private　letters　that　arrived　were　all　opened　to　see　what　news　they
contained；　but　no　fresh　information　could　be　got　from　them。　　For　six　days
the　King　remained　in　this　uncertainty　as　to　the　real　losses　that　had　been
sustained。　　Everybody　was　afraid　to　write　bad　news；　all　the　letters　which
from　time　to　time　arrived；　gave；　therefore；　but　an　unsatisfactory　account
of　what　had　taken　place。　　The　King　used　every　means　in　his　power　to
obtain　some　news。　　Every　post　that　came　in　was　examined　by　him；　but　there
was　little　found　to　satisfy　him。　　Neither　the　King　nor　anybody　else　could
understand；　from　what　had　reached　them；　how　it　was　that　an　entire　army
had　been　placed　inside　a　village；　and　had　surrendered　itself　by　a　signed
capitulation。　　It　puzzled　every　brain。　　At　last　the　details；　that　had
oozed　out　little　by　little；　augmented　to　a　perfect　stream；　by　the；
arrival　of　one　of　our　officers；　who；　taken　prisoner；　had　been　allowed　by
the　Duke　of　Marlborough　to　go　to　Paris　to　relate　to　the　King　the
misfortune　that　had　happened　to　him。

We　were　not　accustomed　to　misfortunes。　　This　one；　very　reasonably；　was
utterly　unexpected。　　It　seemed　in　every　way　the　result　of　bad
generalship；　of　an　unjustifiable　disposition　of　troops；　and　of　a　series
of　gross　and　incredible　errors。　　The　commotion　was　general。　　There　was
scarcely　an　illustrious　family　that　had　not　had　one　of　its　members
killed；　wounded；　or　taken　prisoner。　　Other　families　were　in　the　same
case。　　The　public　sorrow　and　indignation　burst　out　without　restraint。
Nobody　who　had　taken　part　in　this　humiliation　was　spared；　the　generals
and　the　private　soldiers　alike　came　in　for　blame。　　Denonville　was
ignominiously　broken　for　the　speech　he　had　made　at　Blenheim。　　The
generals；　however；　were　entirely　let　off。　　All　the　punishment　fell　upon
certain　regiments；　which　were　broken；　and　upon　certain　unimportant
officersthe　guilty　and　innocent　mixed　together。　　The　outcry　was
universal。　　The　grief　of　the　King　at　this　ignominy　and　this　loss；　at　the
moment　when　he　imagined　that　the　fate　of　the　Emperor　was　in　his　hands；
may　be　imagined。　　At　a　time　when　he　might　have　counted　upon　striking　a
decisive　blow；　he　saw　himself　reduced　to　act　simply　on　the　defensive；　in
order　to　preserve　his　troops；　and　had　to　repair　the　loss　of　an　entire
army；　killed　or　taken　prisoners。　　The　sequel　showed　not　less　that　the
hand　of　God　was　weighty　upon　us。　　All　judgment　was　lost。　　We　trembled
even　in　the　midst　of　Alsace。

In　the　midst　of　all　this　public　sorrow；　the　rejoicing　and　the　fetes　for
the　birth　of　the　Duc　de　Bretagne　son　of　Monseigneur　le　Duc　de　Bourgogne；
were　not　discontinued。　　The　city　gave　a　firework　fete　upon　the　river；
that　Monseigneur；　the　Princes；　his　sons；　and　Madame　la　Duchesse　de
Bourgogne；　with　many　ladies　and　courtiers；　came　to　see　from　the　windows
of　the　Louvre；　magnificent　cheer　and　refreshments　being　provided　for
them。　　This　was　a　contrast　which　irritated　the　people；　who　would　not
understand　that　it　was　meant　for　magnanimity。　　A　few　days　afterwards　the
King　gave　an　illumination　and　a　fete　at　Marly；　to　which　the　Court　of
Saint　Germain　was　invited；　and　which　was　all　in　honour　of　Madame　la
Duchesse　de　Bourgogne。　　He　thanked　the　Prevot　des　Marchand　for　the
fireworks　upon　the　river；　and　said　that　Monseigneur　and　Madame　had　found
them　very　beautiful。

Shortly　after　this；　I　received　a　letter　from　one　of　my　friends；　the　Duc
de　Montfort；　who　had　always　been　in　the　army　of　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy。
He　sent　word　to　me；　that　upon　his　return　he　intended　to　break　his　sword；
and　retire　from　the　army。　　His　letter　was　written　in　such　a　despairing
tone　that；　fearing　lest　with　his　burning　courage　he　might　commit　some
martial　folly；　I　conjured　him　not　to　throw　himself　into　danger　for　the
sake　of　being　killed。　　It　seemed　that　I　had　anticipated　his　intentions。
A　convoy　of　money　was　to　be　sent　to　Landau。　　Twice　he　asked　to　be　allowed
to　take　charge　of　this　convoy；　and　twice　he　was　told　it　was　too
insignificant　a　charge　for　a　camp…marshal　to　undertake。　　The　third　time
that　he　asked　this　favour；　he　obtained　it　by　pure　importunity。　　He
carried　the　money　safely　into　Landau；　without　meeting　with　any　obstacle。
On　his　return　he　saw　some　hussars　roving　about。　　Without　a　moment's
hesitation　he　resolved　to　give　chase　to　them。　　He　was　with　difficulty
restrained　for　some　time；　and　a　last；　breaking　away；　he　set　off　to　attack
them；　followed　by　only　two　officers。　　The　hussars　dispersed　themselves；
and　retreated；　the　Duc　de　Montfort　followed　them；　rode　into　the　midst　of
them；　was　surrounded　on　all　sides；　and　soon　received　a　blow　which
overturned　him。　　In　a　few　moments　after；　being　carried　off　by　his　men；　he
died；　having　only　had　time　to　confess　himself；　and　to　arrive　at　his
quarters。　　He　was　infinitely　regretted　by　everybody　who　had　known　him。
The　grief　of　his　family　may　be　imagined。




CHAPTER　XXX

The　King　did　not　long　remain　without　some　consolation　for　the　loss　of　the
battle　of　Hochstedt　（Blenheim）。　　The　Comte　de　Toulousevery　different　in
every　respect　from　his　brother；　the　Duc　du　Mainewas　wearied　with
cruising　in　the　Mediterranean；　without　daring　to　attack　enemies　that　were
too　strong　for　him。　　He　had；　therefore；　obtained　reinforcements　this
year；　so　that　he　was　in　a　state　to　measure　his　forces　with　any　opponent。
The　English　fleet　was　under　the　command　of　Admiral　Rooks。　　The　Comte　de
Toulouse　wished　above　all　things　to　attack。　　He　asked　permission　to　do
so；　and；　the　permission　being　granted；　he　set　about　his　enterprise。　　He
met　the　fleet　of　Admiral　Rooks　near　Malaga；　on　the　24th　of　September　of
this　year；　and　fought　with　it　from　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　until　eight
o'clock　in　the　evening。　　The　fleets；　as　far　as　the　number　of　vessels　was
concerned；　were　nearly　equal。　　So　furious　or　so　obstinate　a　sea…fight　had
not　been　seen　for　a　long　time。　　They　had　always　the　wind　upon　our　fleet；
yet　all　the　advantage　was　on　the　side　of　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　who　could
boast　that　he　had　obtained　the　victory；　and　whose　vessel　fought　that　of
Rooks；　dismasted　it；　and　pursued　it　all　next　day　towards　the　coast　of
Barbary；　where　the　Admiral　retired。　　The　enemy　lost　six　thousand　men；　the
ship　of　the　Dutch　Vice…Admiral　was　blown　up；　several　others　were　sunk；
and　some　dismasted。　　Our　fleet　lost　neither　ship　nor　mast；　but　the
victory　cost　the　lives　of　many　distinguished　people；　in　addition　to　those
of　fifteen　hundred　soldiers　or　sailors　killed　or　wounded。

Towards　evening　on　the　25th；　by　dint　of　maneuvers；　aided　by　the　wind；　our
fleet　came　up　again　with　that　of　Rooks。　　The　Comte　de　Toulouse　was　for
attacking　it　again　on　the　morrow；　and　showed　that　if　the　attack　were
successful；　Gibraltar　would　be　the　first　result　of　the　victory。　　That
famous　place；　which　commands　the　important　strait　of　the　same　name；　had
been　allowed　to　fall　into　neglect；　and　was　defended　by　a　miserable
garrison　of　forty　men。　　In　this　state　it　had　of　course　easily　fallen　into
the　hands　of　the　enemies。　　But　they　had　not　yet　had　time　to　man　it　with　a
much　superior　force；　and　Admiral　Rooks　once　defeated；　it　must　have
surrendered　to　us。

The　Comte　de　Toulouse　urged　his　advice　with　all　the　energy　of　which　he
was　capable；　and　he　was　supported　in　opinion　by　others　of　more　experience
than　himself。　　But　D'O；　the　mentor　of　the　fleet；　against　whose　counsel　he
had　been　expressly　ordered　by　the　King　never　to　act；　opposed　the　project
of　another　attack　with　such　disdainful　determination；　that　the　Comte　had
no　course　open　but　to　give　way。　　The　annoyance　which　this　caused
throughout　the　fleet　was　very　great。　　It　soon　was　known　what　would　have
become　of　the　enemy's　fleet　had　it　been　attacked；　and　that　Gibraltar
would　have　been　found　in　exactly　the　same　state　as　when　abandoned。　　The
Comte　de　Toulouse　acquired　great　honour　in　this　campaign；　and　his　stupid
teacher　lost　little；　because　he　had　little　to　lose。

M。　de　Mantua　having　surrendered　his　state　to　the　King；　thereby　rendering
us　a　most　important　service　in　Italy；　found　himself　ill　at　ease　in　his
territory；　which　had　become　the　theatre　of　war；　and　had　come　incognito　to
Paris。　　He　had　apartments　provided　for　him　in　the　Luxembourg；　furnished
magnificently　with　the　Crown　furniture；　and　was　very　graciously　received
by　the　King。　　The　principal　object　of　his　journey　was　to　marry　some
French　lady；　and　as　he　made　no　secret　of　this　intention；