the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第13部分

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his　fortune　lost。　　On　the　other　hand；　any　reserve　of　his　towards　the
Duchess；　who　had　so　much　power　in　her　handsand　seemed　destined　to　have
moreand　who　he　knew　was　not　likely　to　suffer　a　rival
might；　he　felt；　be　his　ruin。　　This　perplexity；　for　those　who　were　aware
of　it；　gave　rise　to　continual　scenes。　　I　was　then　a　constant　visitor　of
Madame　de　Blansac；　at　Paris；　and　of　the　Marechale　de　Rochefort；　at
Versailles；　and；　through　them　and　several　other　ladies　of　the　Court；　with
whom　I　was　intimate；　I　learnt；　day　by　day；　everything　that　passed。　　In
addition　to　the　fact　that　nothing　diverted　me　more；　the　results　of　this
affair　might　be　great；　and　it　was　my　especial　ambition　to　be　well
informed　of　everything。　　At　length；　all　members　of　the　Court　who　were
assiduous　and　enlightened　understood　the　state　of　affairs；　but　either
through　fear　or　from　love　to　the　Duchess；　the　whole　Court　was　silent；　saw
everything；　whispered　discreetly；　and　actually　kept　the　secret　that　was
not　entrusted　to　it。　　The　struggle　between　the　two　ladies；　not　without
bitterness；　and　sometimes　insolence　on　the　part　of　Madame　de　la
Vrilliere；　nor　without　suffering　and　displeasure　gently　manifested　on　the
part　of　Madame　de　Bourgogne；　was　for　a　long　time　a　singular　sight。

Whether　Nangis；　too　faithful　to　his　first　love；　needed　some　grains　of
jealousy　to　excite　him；　or　whether　things　fell　out　naturally；　it　happened
that　he　found　a　rival。　　Maulevrier；　son　of　a　brother　of　Colbert　who　had
died　of　grief　at　not　being　named　Marshal　of　France；　was　this　rival。　　He
had　married　a　daughter　of　the　Marechal　de　Tesse；　and　was　not　very
agreeable　in　appearancehis　face；　indeed；　was　very　commonplace。　　He　was
by　no　means　framed　for　gallantry；　but　he　had　wit；　and　a　mind　fertile　in
intrigues；　with　a　measureless　ambition　that　was　sometimes　pushed　to
madness。　　His　wife　was　pretty；　not　clever；　quarrelsome；　and　under　a
virginal　appearance；　mischievous　to　the　last　degree。　　As　daughter　of　a
man　for　whom　Madame　de　Bourgogne　had　much　gratitude　for　the　part　he　had
taken　in　negotiating　her　marriage；　and　the　Peace　of　Savoy；　she　was　easily
enabled　to　make　her　way　at　Court；　and　her　husband　with　her。　　He　soon
sniffed　what　was　passing　in　respect　to　Nangis；　and　obtained　means　of
access　to　Madame　de　Bourgogne；　through　the　influence　of　his　father…in…
law；　was　assiduous　in　his　attentions；　and　at　length；　excited　by　example；
dared　to　sigh。　　Tired　of　not　being　understood；　he　ventured　to　write。　　It
is　pretended　that　he　sent　his　letters　through　one　of　the　Court　ladies；
who　thought　they　came　from　Tesse；　delivered　them；　and　handed　him　back　the
answers；　as　though　for　delivery　by　him。　　I　will　not　add　what　more　was
believed。　　I　will　simply　say　that　this　affair　was　as　soon　perceived　as
had　been　the　other；　and　was　treated；　with　the　same　silence。

Under　pretext　of　friendship；　Madame　de　Bourgogne　went　more　than　onceon
account　of　the　speedy　departure　of　her　husband　（for　the　army）；　attended
some；　times　by　La　Maintenon；to　the　house　of　Madame　de　Maulevrier；　to
weep　with　her。　　The　Court　smiled。　　Whether　the　tears　were　for　Madame　de
Maulevrier　or　for　Nangis；　was　doubtful。　　But　Nangis；　nevertheless；
aroused　by　this　rivalry；　threw　Madame　de　la　Vrilliere　into　terrible
grief；　and　into　a　humour　over　which　she　was　not　mistress。

This　tocsin　made　itself　heard　by　Maulevrier。　　What　will　not　a　man　think
of　doing　when　possessed　to　excess　by　love　or　ambition？　　He　pretended　to
have　something　the　matter　with　his　chest；　put　himself　on　a　milk　diet；
made　believe　that　he　had　lost　his　voice；　and　was　sufficiently　master　of
himself　to　refrain　from　uttering　an　intelligible　word　during　a　whole
year；　by　these　means　evading　the　campaign　and　remaining　at　the　Court。
He　was　mad　enough　to　relate　this　project；　and　many　others；　to　his　friend
the　Duc　de　Lorges；　from　whom；　in　turn；　I　learnt　it。　　The　fact　was；　that
bringing　himself　thus　to　the　necessity　of　never　speaking　to　anybody
except　in　their　ear；　he　had　the　liberty　of　speaking　low　toMadame　la
Duchesse　de　Bourgogne　before　all　the　Court　without　impropriety　and
without　suspicion。　　In　this　manner　he　said　to　her　whatever　he　wished　day
by　day；　and　was　never　overheard。　　He　also　contrived　to　say　things　the
short　answers　to　which　were　equally　unheard。　　He　so　accustomed　people　to
this　manner　of　speaking　that　they　took　no　more　notice　of　it　than　was
expressed　in　pity　for　such　a　sad　state；　but　it　happened　that　those　who
approached　the　nearest　to　Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne　when　Maulevrier
was　at　her　side；　soon　knew　enough　not　to　be　eager　to　draw　near　her　again
when　she　was　thus　situated。　　This　trick　lasted　more　than　a　year：　his
conversation　was　principally　composed　of　reproachesbut　reproaches
rarely　succeed　in　love。　　Maulevrier；　judging　by　the　ill…humour　of　Madame
de　la　Vrilliere；　believed　Nangis　to　be　happy。　　Jealousy　and　rage
transported　him　at　last　to　the　extremity　of　folly。

One　day；　as　Madame　de　Bourgogne　was　coming　from　mass　and　he　knew　that
Dangeau；　her　chevalier　d'honneur；　was　absent；　he　gave　her　his　hand。　　The
attendants　had　accustomed　themselves　to　let　him　have　this　honour；　on
account　of　his　distinguished　voice；　so　as　to　allow　him　to　speak　by　the
way；　and　retired　respectfully　so　as　not　to　hear　what　he　said。　　The　ladies
always　followed　far　behind；　so　that；　in　the　midst　of　all　the　Court；　he
had；　from　the　chapel　to　the　apartments　of　Madame　de　Bourgogne；　the　full
advantages　of　a　private　interviewadvantages　that　he　had　availed　himself
of　several　times。　　On　this　day　he　railed　against　Nangis　to　Madame　de
Bourgogne；　called　him　by　all　sorts　of　names；　threatened　to　tell
everything　to　the　King　and　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　to　the　Duc　de
Bourgogne；　squeezed　her　fingers　as　if　he　would　break　them；　and　led　her　in
this　manner；　like　a　madman　as　he　was；　to　her　apartments。　　Upon　entering
them　she　was　ready　to　swoon。　　Trembling　all　over　she　entered　her
wardrobe；　called　one　of　her　favourite　ladies；　Madame　de　Nogaret；　to　her；
related　what　had　occurred；　saying　she　knew　not　how　she　had　reached　her
rooms；　or　how　it　was　she　had　not　sunk　beneath　the　floor；　or　died。　　She
had　never　been　so　dismayed。　　The　same　day　Madame　de　Nogaret　related　this
to　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　and　to　me；　in　the　strictest　confidence。　　She
counselled　the　Duchess　to　behave　gently　with　such　a　dangerous　madman；　and
to　avoid　committing　herself　in　any　way　with　him。　　The　worst　was；　that
after　this　he　threatened　and　said　many　things　against　Nangis；　as　a　man
with　whom　he　was　deeply　offended；　and　whom　he　meant　to　call　to　account。
Although　he　gave　no　reason　for　this；　the　reason　was　only　too　evident。
The　fear　of　Madame　de　Bourgogne　at　this　may　be　imagined；　and　also　that　of
Nangis。　　He　was　brave　and　cared　for　nobody；　but　to　be　mixed　up　in　such　an
affair　as　this　made　him　quake　with　fright。　　He　beheld　his　fortune　and　his
happiness　in　the　hands　of　a　furious　madman。　　He　shunned　Maulevrier　from
that　time　as　much　as　possible；　showed　himself　but　little；　and　held　his
peace。

For　six　weeks　Madame　de　Bourgogne　lived　in　the　most　measured　manner；　and
in　mortal　tremors　of　fear；　without；　however；　anything　happening。　　I　know
not　who　warned　Tesse　of　what　was　going　on。　　But　when　he　learnt　it　he
acted　like　a　man　of　ability。　　He　persuaded　his　son…in…law；　Maulevrier；　to
follow　him　to　Spain；　as　to　a　place　where　his　fortune　was　assured　to　him。
He　spoke　to　Fagon；　who　saw　all　and　knew　all。　　He　understood　matters　in　a
moment；　and　at　once　said；　that　as　so　many　remedies　had　been　tried
ineffectually　for　Maulevrier；　he　must　go　to　a　warmer　climate；　as　a　winter
in　France　would　inevitably　kill　him。　　It　was　then　as　a　remedy；　and　as
people　go　to　the　waters；　that　he　went　to　Spain。　　The　King　and　all　the
Court　believed　this；　and　neither　the　King　nor　Madame　de　Maintenon　offered
any　objections。　　As　soon　as　Tesse　knew　this　he　hurried　his　son…in…law　out
of　the　realm；　and　so　put　a　stop　to　his　follies　and　the　mortal　fear　they
had　caused。　　To　finish　this　adventure　at　once；　although　it　will　lead　me
far　beyond　the　date　of　other　matters　to　be　spoken　of　after；　let　me　say
what　became　of　Maulevrier　after　this　point　of　the　narrative。

He　went　first　to　Spain　with　Tesse。　　On　the　way　they　had　an　interview　with
Madame　des　Ursins；　and　succeeded　in　gaining　her　favour　so　completely；
that；　upon　arriving　at　Madrid；　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain；　informed　of
this；　welcomed　them　with　much　cordiality。　　Maulevrier　soon　became　a　great
favourite　with　the　Queen　of　Spain。　　It　has　been　said；　that　he　wished　to
please　her；　and　that　he　succeeded。　　At　all　events　he　often　had　long
interviews　with　her　in　private；　and　these　made　people　think　and　talk。

Maulevrier　began　to　believe　it　time　to　reap　after　having　so　well　sown。
He　counted　upon　nothing　less　than　being　made　grandee　of　Spain；　and　would
have　obtained　this　favour　but　for　his　indiscretion。　　News　of　what　was　in
store　for　him　was　noised　abroad。　　The　Duc　de　Grammont；　then　our
ambassador　at　Madrid；　wrote　word　to　the　King　of　the　rumours　that　were　in
circulation　of　Maulevrier's　audacious　conduct　towards　the　Queen　of　Spain；
and　of　the　reward　it　was　to　meet　with。　　The　King　at　once　sent　a　very
strong　letter　to　the　King　of　Spain　about　Maulevrier；　who；　by　the　same
courier；　was　prohibited　from　accepting　any　favour　that　might　be　offered
him。　　He　was　ordered　at　the　same　time　to　join　Tesse　at　Gibraltar。　　He　had
already　done　so　at　the　instance　of　Tesse　himself；　so　the　courier　went
from　Madrid　to　Gibraltar　to　find　him。　　His　rage　and　vexation　upon　seeing
himself　deprived　of　the　recompense　he　had　considered　certain　were　very
great。　　But　they　yielded　in　time　to　the　hopes　he　formed　of　success；　and
he　determined　to　set　off　for　Madrid　and　thence　to　Versailles。　　His
father…in…law　tried　to　retain　him　at　the　siege；　but　in　vain。　　His
representations　and　his　authority　were　alike　useless。　　Maulevrier　hoped
to　gain　over　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain　so　completely；　that　our　King
would　be　forced；　as　it　were；　to　range　himself　on　their　side；　but　the　Duc
de　Grammont　at　once　wrote　word　that　Maulevrier　had　left　the　siege　of
Gibraltar　and　returned　to　Madrid。　　This　disobedience　was　at　once
chastised。　　A　courier　was　immediately　despatched　to　Maulevrier；
commanding　him　to　set　out　for　France。　　He　took　l