the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第11部分

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by　the　King。　　The　principal　object　of　his　journey　was　to　marry　some
French　lady；　and　as　he　made　no　secret　of　this　intention；　more　than　one
plot　was　laid　in　order　to　provide　him　with　a　wife。　　M。　de　Vaudemont；
intent　upon　aggrandizing　the　house　of　Lorraine；　wished。　　M　de　Mantua　to
marry　a　member　of　that　family；　and　fixed　upon　Mademoiselle　d'Elboeuf　for
his　bride。　　The　Lorraines　did　all　in　their　power　to　induce　M。　de　Mantua
to　accept　her。　　But　M。　le　Prince　had　also　his　designs　in　this　matter。　　He
had　a　daughter；　whom　he　knew　not　how　to　get　off　his　hands；　and　he　thought
that　in　more　ways　than　one　it　would　be　to　his　advantage　to　marry　her　to
the　Duke　of　Mantua。　　He　explained　his　views　to　the　King；　who　gave　him
permission　to　follow　them　out；　and　promised　to　serve　him　with　all　his
protection。　　But　when　the　subject　was　broached　to　M。　de　Mantua；　he
declined　this　match　in　such　a　respectful；　yet　firm；　manner　that　M。　le
Prince　felt　he　must　abandon　all　hope　of　carrying　it　out。　　The　Lorraines
were　not　more　successful　in　their　designs。　　When　M。　de　Vaudemont　had
first　spoken　of　Mademoiselle　d'Elboeuf；　M。　de　Mantua　had　appeared　to
listen　favourably。　　This　was　in　Italy。　　Now　that　he　was　in　Paris　he　acted
very　differently。　　It　was　in　vain　that　Mademoiselle　d'Elboeuf　was　thrust
in　his　way；　as　though　by　chance；　at　the　promenades；　in　the　churches；　her
beauty；　which　might　have　touched　many　others；　made　no　impression　upon
him。　　The　fact　was　that　M。　de　Mantua；　even　long　before　leaving　his　state；
had　fixed　upon　a　wife。

Supping　one　evening　with　the　Duc　de　Lesdiguieres；　a　little　before　the
death　of　the　latter；　he　saw　a　ring　with　a　portrait　in　it；　upon　the　Duke's
finger。　　He　begged　to　be　allowed　to　look　at　the　portrait；　was　charmed
with　it；　and　said　he　should　be　very　happy　to　have　such　a　beautiful
mistress。　　The　Duke　at　this　burst　out　laughing；　and　said　it　was　the
portrait　of　his　wife。　　As　soon　as　the　Duc　de　Lesdiguieres　was　dead；
de　Mantua　thought　only　of　marrying　the　young　widowed　Duchess。　　He　sought
her　everywhere　when　he　arrived　in　Paris；　but　without　being　able　to　find
her；　because　she　was　in　the　first　year　of　her　widowhood。　　He　therefore
unbosomed　himself　to　Torcy；　who　reported　the　matter　to　the　King。　　The
King　approved　of　the　design　of　M。　de　Mantua；　and　charged　the　Marechal　de
Duras　to　speak　to　the　Duchesse　de　Lesdiguieres；　who　was　his　daughter。
The　Duchess　was　equally　surprised　and　afflicted　when　she　learned　what　was
in　progress。　　She　testified　to　her　father　her　repugnance　to　abandon
herself　to　the　caprices　and　the　jealousy　of　an　old　Italian　'debauche'　the
horror　she　　felt　at　the　idea　of　being　left　alone　with　him　in　Italy；　and
the　reasonable　fear　she　had　of　her　health；　with　a　man　whose　own　could　not
be　good。

I　was　promptly　made　acquainted　with　this　affair；　for　Madame　de
Lesdiguieres　and　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　were　on　the　most　intimate　terms。
I　did　everything　in　my　power　to　persuade　Madame　de　Lesdirguieres　to
content　to　the　match；　insisting　at　once　on　her　family　position；　on　the
reason　of　state；　and　on　the　pleasure　of　ousting　Madame　d'Elboeuf；but　it
was　all　in　vain。　　I　never　saw　such　firmness。　　Pontchartrain；　who　came　and
reasoned　with　her；　was　even　less　successful　than　I；　for　he　excited　her　by
threats　and　menaces。　　M。　le　Prince　himself　supported　ushaving　no　longer
any　hope　for　himself；　and　fearing；　above　all　things；　M。　de　Mantua's
marriage　with　a　Lorraineand　did　all　he　could　to　persuade　Madame　de
Lesdiguieres　to　give　in。　　I　renewed　my　efforts　in　the　same　direction；　but
with　no　better　success　than　before。　　Nevertheless；　M。　de　Mantua；
irritated　by　not　being　able　to　see　Madame　de　Lesdirguieres；　resolved　to
go　and　wait　for　her　on　a　Sunday　at　the　Minimes。　　He　found　her　shut　up　in
a　chapel；　and　drew　near　the　door　in　order　to　see　her　as　she　went　out。　　He
was　not　much　gratified；　her　thick　crape　veil　was　lowered；　it　was　with
difficulty　he　could　get　a　glance　at　her。　　Resolved　to　succeed；　he　spoke
to　Torcy；　intimating　that　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres　ought　not　to　refuse　such
a　slight　favour　as　to　allow　herself　to　be　seen　in　a　church。　　Torcy
communicated　this　to　the　King；　who　sent　word　to　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres
that　she　must　consent　to　the　favour　M。　de　Mantua　demanded。　　She　could　not
refuse　after　this。　　M。　de　Mantua　went　accordingly；　and　waited　for　her　in
the　same　place；　where　he　had　once　already　so　badly　seen　her。　　He　found
her；　in　the　chapel；　and　drew　near　the　door；　as　before。　　She　came　out；　her
veil　raised；　passed　lightly　before　him；　made　him　a　sliding　courtesy　as
she　glided　by；　in　reply　to　his　bow；　and　reached　her　coach。

M。　de　Mantua　was　charmed；　he　redoubled　his　efforts　with　the　King　and　M。
de　Duras；　the　matter　was　discussed　in　full　council；　like　an　affair　of
stateindeed　it　was　one；　and　it　was　resolved　to　amuse　M。　de　Mantua；　and
yet　at　the　same　time　to　do　everything　to　vanquish　this　resistance　of
Madame　de　Lesdiguieres；　except　employing　the　full　authority　of　the　King；
which　the　King　himself　did　not　wish　to　exert。　　Everything　was　promised　to
her　on　the　part　of　the　King：　that　it　should　be　his　Majesty　who　would　make
the　stipulations　of　the　marriage　contract；　that　it　should　be　his　Majesty
who　would　give　her　a　dowry；　and　would　guarantee　her　return　to　France　if
she　became　a　widow；　and　assure　her　his　protection　while　she　remained　a
wife；　in　one　word；　everything　was　tried；　and　in　the　gentlest　and　most
honourable　manner；　to　persuade　her。　　Her　mother　lent　us　her　house　one
afternoon；　in　order　that　we　might　speak　more　at　length　and　more　at　our
ease　there　to　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres　than　we　could　at　the　Hotel　de　Duras。
We　only　gained　a　torrent　of　tears　for　our　pains。

A　few　days　after　this；　I　was　very　much　astonished　to　hear　Chamillart
relate　to　me　all　that　had　passed　at　this　interview。　　I　learnt　afterwards
that　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres；　fearing　that　if；　entirely　unsupported；　she
persisted　in　her　refusal；　it　might　draw　upon　her　the　anger　of　the　King；
had　begged　Chamillart　to　implore　his　Majesty　not　to　insist　upon　this
marriage。　　M。　de　Mantua　hearing　this；　turned　his　thoughts　elsewhere；　and
she　was　at　last　delivered　of　a　pursuit　which　had　become　a　painful
persecution　to　her。　　Chamillart　served　her　so　well　that　the　affair　came
to　an　end；　and　the　King；　flattered　perhaps　by　the　desire　this　young
Duchess　showed　to　remain　his　subject　instead　of　becoming　a　sovereign；
passed　a　eulogium　upon　her　the　same　evening　in　his　cabinet　to　his　family
and　to　the　Princesses；　by　whom　it　was　spread　abroad　through　society。

I　may　as　well　finish　this　matter　at　once。　　The　Lorraines；　who　had　watched
very　closely　the　affair　up　to　this　point；　took　hope　again　directly　they
heard　of　the　resolution　M。　de　Mantua　had　formed　to　abandon　his　pursuit　of
Madame　de　Lesdiguieres。　　They；　in　their　turn；　were　closely　watched　by
M。　le　Prince；　who　so　excited　the　King　against　them；　that　Madame　d'Elboeuf
received　orders　from　him　not　to　continue　pressing　her　suit　upon　M。　de
Mantua。　　That　did　not　stop　them。　　They　felt　that　the　King　would　not
interfere　with　them　by　an　express　prohibition；　and　sure；　by　past
experience；　of　being　on　better　terms　with　him　afterwards　than　before；
they　pursued　their　object　with　obstinacy。　　By　dint　of　much　plotting　and
scheming；　and　by　the　aid　of　their　creatures；　they　contrived　to　overcome
the　repugnance　of　M。　de　Mantua　to　Mademoiselle　d'Elboeuf；　which　at　bottom
could　be　only　capriceher　beauty；　her　figure；　and　her　birth　taken　into
account。　　But　Mademoiselle　d'Elboeuf；　in　her　turn；　was　as　opposed　to
marriage　with　M。　de　Mantua　as　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres　had　been。　　She　was；
however；　brought　round　ere　long；　and　then　the　consent　of　the　King　was　the
only　thing　left　to　be　obtained。　　The　Lorraines　made　use　of　their　usual
suppleness　in　order　to　gain　that。　　They　represented　the　impolicy　of
interfering　with　the　selection　of　a　sovereign　who　was　the　ally　of　France；
and　who　wished　to　select　a　wife　from　among　her　subjects；　and　succeeded　so
well；　that　the　King　determined　to　become　neutral；　that　is　to　say；　neither
to　prohibit　nor　to　sanction　this　match。　　M。　le　Prince　was　instrumental　in
inducing　the　King　to　take　this　neutral　position；　and　he　furthermore
caused　the　stipulation　to　be　made；　that　it　should　not　be　celebrated　in
France；　but　at　Mantua。

After　parting　with　the　King；　M。　de　Mantua；　on　the　21st　of　September；　went
to　Nemours；　slept　there；　and　then　set　out　for　Italy。　　At　the　same　time
Madame　and　Mademoiselle　d'Elboeuf；　with　Madame　de　Pompadour；　sister　of
the　former；　passed　through　Fontainebleau　without　going　to　see　a　soul；　and
followed　their　prey　lest　he　should　change　his　mind　and　escape　them　until
the　road　he　was　to　take　branched　off　from　that　they　were　to　go　by；　he　in
fact　intending　to　travel　by　sea　and　they　by　land。　　On　the　way　their　fears
redoubled。　　Arrived　at　Nevers；　and　lodged　in　a　hostelrie；　they　thought　it
would　not　be　well　to　commit　themselves　further　without　more　certain
security：　Madame　de　Pompadour　therefore　proposed　to　M。　de　Mantua　not　to
delay　his　happiness　any　longer；　but　to　celebrate　his　marriage　at　once。
He　defended　himself　as　well　as　he　could；　but　was　at　last　obliged　to　give
in。　　During　this　indecent　dispute；　the　Bishop　was　sent　to。　　He　had　just
died；　and　the　Grand　Vicar；　not　knowing　what　might　be　the　wishes　of　the
King　upon　this　marriage；　refused　to　celebrate　it。　　The　chaplain　was
therefore　appealed　to；　and　he　at　once　married　Mademoiselle　d'Elboeuf　to
M。　de　Mantua　in　the　hotel。　　As　soon　as　the　ceremony　was　over；　Madame
d'Elboeuf　wished　to　leave　her　daughter　alone　with　M。　de　Mantua；　and
although　he　strongly　objected　to　this；　everybody　quitted　the　room；
leaving　only　the　newly　married　couple　there；　and　Madame　de　Pompadour
outside　upon　the　step　listening　to　what　passed　between　them。　　But　finding
after　a　while　that　both　were　very　much　embarrassed；　and　that　M。　de　Mantua
did　little　but　cry　out　for　the　company　to　return；　she　conferred　with　her
sister；　and　they　agreed　to　give　him　his　liberty。　　Immediately　he　had
obtained　it；　he　mounted　his　horse；　though　it　was　not　early；　and　did　not
see　them　again　until　they　reached　Italythough　all　went　the　same　road　as
far　as　Lyons。　　The　news　of　this　strange　celebration　of　marriage　was　soon
spread　abroad　with　all　the　ridicule　which　at