the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


asked　if　what　he　heard　was　not　mere　compliment；　and　whether　he　could
count　upon　it。　　As　the　King　assured　him　that　he　might　do　so；　Puysieux
assumed　a　brisk　air；　and　said　that　he　was　not　so　sure　of　that；　and　that
he　was　not　pleased　with　his　Majesty。

〃And　why　not？〃　said　the　King。

〃Why　not？〃　replied　Puysieux；　〃why；　because　although　the　most　honest　man
in　your　realm；　you　have　not　kept　to　a　promise　you　made　me　more　than　fifty
years　ago。〃

〃What　promise？〃　asked　the　King。

〃What　promise；　Sire？〃　said　Puysieux；　〃you　have　a　good　memory；　you　cannot
have　forgotten　it。　　Does　not　your　Majesty　remember　that　one　day；　having
the　honour　to　play　at　blindman's　buff　with　you　at　my　grandmother's；　you
put　your　cordon　bleu　on　my　back；　the　better　to　hide　yourself；　and　that
when；　after　the　game；　I　restored　it　to　you；　you　promised　to　give　it　me
when　you　became　master；　you　have　long　been　so；　thoroughly　master；　and
nevertheless　that　cordon　bleu　is　still　to　come。

The　King；　who　recollected　the　circumstance；　here　burst　out　laughing；　and
told　Puysieux　he　was　in　the　right；　and　that　a　chapter　should　be　held　on
the　first　day　of　the　new　year　expressly　for　the　purpose　of　receiving　him
into　the　order。　　And　so　in　fact　it　was；　and　Puysieux　received　the　cordon
bleu　on　the　day　the　King　had　named。　　This　fact　is　not　important；　but　it
is　amusing。　　It　is　altogether　singular　in　connection　with　a　prince　as
serious　and　as　imposing　as　Louis　XIV。；　and　it　is　one　of　those　little
Court　anecdotes　which　are　curious。

Here　is　another　more　important　fact；　the　consequences　of　which　are　still
felt　by　the　State。　　Pontchartrain；　Secretary　of　State　for　the　Navy；　was
the　plague　of　it；　as　of　all　those　who　were　under　his　cruel　dependence。
He　was　a　man　who；　with　some…amount　of　ability；　was　disagreeable　and
pedantic　to　an　excess；　who　loved　evil　for　its　own　sake；　who　was　jealous
even　of　his　father；　who　was　a　cruel　tyrant　towards　his　wife；　a　woman　all
docility　and　goodness；　who　was　in　one　word　a　monster；　whom　the　King　kept
in　office　only　because　he　feared　him。　　An　admiral　was　the　abhorrence　of
Pontchartrain；　and　an　admiral　who　was　an　illegitimate　son　of　the　King；
he　loathed。　　There　was　nothing；　therefore；　that　he　had　not　done　during
the　war　to　thwart　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　he　laid　some　obstacles
everywhere　in　his　path；　he　had　tried　to　keep　him　out　of　the　command　of
the　fleet；　and　failing　this；　had　done　everything　to　render　the　fleet
useless。

These　were　bold　strokes　against　a　person　the　King　so　much　loved；　but
Pontchartrain　knew　the　weak　side　of　the　King；　he　knew　how　to　balance　the；
father　against　the　master；　to　bring　forward　the　admiral　and　set　aside　the
son。　　In　this　manner　the　Secretary　of　State　was　able　to　put　obstacles　in
the　way　of　the　Comte　de　Toulouse　that　threw　him　almost　into　despair；　and
the　Count　could　do　little　to　defend　himself。　　It　was　a　well…known　fact　at
sea　and　in　the　ports　where　the　ships　touched；　and　it　angered　all　the
fleet。　　Pontchartrain　accordingly　was　abhorred　there；　while　the　Comte　de
Toulouse；　by　his　amiability　and　other　good　qualities；　was　adored。

At　last；　the　annoyance　he　caused　became　so　unendurable；　that　the　Comte　de
Toulouse；　at　the　end　of　his　cruise　in　the　Mediterranean；　returned　to
Court　and　determined　to　expose　the　doings　of　Pontchartrain　to　the　King。

The　very　day　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　do　this；　and　just　before　he
intended　to　have　his　interview　with　the　King；　Madame　Pontchartrain；
casting　aside　her　natural　timidity　and　modesty；　came　to　him；　and　with
tears　in　her　eyes　begged　him　not　to　bring　about　the　ruin　of　her　husband。
The　Comte　de　Toulouse　was　softened。　　He　admitted　afterwards　that　he　could
not　resist　the　sweetness　and　sorrow　of　Madame　de　Pontchartrain；　and　that
all　his　resolutions；　his　weapons；　fell　from　his　hands　at　the　thought　of
the　sorrow　which　the　poor　woman　would　undergo；　after　the　fall　of　her
brutal　husband；　left　entirely　in　the　hands　of　such　a　furious　Cyclops。
In　this　manner　Pontchartrain　was　saved；　but　it　cost　dear　to　the　State。
The　fear　he　was　in　of　succumbing　under　the　glory　or　under　the　vengeance
of　an　admiral　who　was　son　of　the　King　determined　him　to　ruin　the　fleet
itself；　so　as　to　render　it　incapable　of　receiving　the　admiral　again。
He　determined　to　do　this；　and　kept　to　his　word；　as　was　afterwards　only
too　clearly　verified　by　the　facts。　　The　Comte　de　Toulouse　saw　no　more
either　ports　or　vessels；　and　from　that　time　only　very　feeble　squadrons
went　out；　and　even　those　very　seldom。　　Pontchartrain；　had　the　impudence
to　boast　of　this　before　my　face。

When　I　last　spoke　of　Madame　des　Ursins；　I　described　her　as　living　in　the
midst　of　the　Court；　flattered　and　caressed　by　all；　and　on　the　highest
terms　of　favour　with　the　King　and　Madame　de　Maintenon。　　She　found　her
position；　indeed；　so　far　above　her　hopes；　that　she　began　to　waver　in　her
intention　of　returning　to　Spain。　　The　age　and　the　health　of　Madame　de
Maintenon　tempted　her。　　She　would　have　preferred　to　govern　here　rather
than　in　Spain。　　Flattered　by　the　attentions　paid　her；　she　thought　those
attentions；　or；　I　may　say；　rather　those　servile　adorations；　would
continue　for　ever；　and　that　in　time　she　might　arrive　at　the　highest　point
of　power。　　The　Archbishop　of　Aix　and　her　brother　divined　her　thoughts；
for　she　did　not　dare　to　avow　them；　and　showed　her　in　the　clearest　way
that　those　thoughts　were　calculated　to　lead　her　astray。　　They　explained
to　her　that　the　only　interest　Madame　de　Maintenon　had　in　favouring　her
was　on　account　of　Spain。　　Madame　des　Ursinsonce　back　in　that　country；
Madame　de　Maintenon　looked　forward　to　a　recommencement　of　those　relations
which　had　formerly　existed　between　them；　by　which　the　government　of　Spain
in　appearance；　if　not　in　reality；　passed　through　her　hands。　　They
therefore　advised　Madame　des　Ursins　on　no　account　to　think　of　remaining
in　France；　at　the　same　time　suggesting　that　it　would　not　be　amiss　to　stop
there　long　enough　to　cause　some　inquietude　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；　so　as
to　gain　as　much　advantage　as　possible　from　it。

The　solidity　of　these　reasons　persuaded　Madame　des　Ursins　to　follow　the
advice　given　her。　　She　resolved　to　depart；　but　not　until　after　a　delay　by
which　she　meant　to　profit　to　the　utmost。　　We　shall　soon　see　what　success
attended　her　schemes。　　The　terms　upon　which　I　stood　with　her　enabled　me
to　have　knowledge　of　all　the　sentiments　that　had　passed　through　her　mind：
her　extreme　desire；　upon　arriving　in　Paris；　to　return　to　Spain；　the
intoxication　which　seized　her　in　consequence　of　the　treatment　she
received；　and　which　made　her　balance　this　desire；　and　her　final
resolution。　　It　was　not　until　afterwards；　however；　that　I　learnt　all　the
details　I　have　just　related。

It　was　not　long　before　Madame　de　Maintenon　began　to　feel　impatient　at　the
long…delayed　departure　of　Madame　des　Ursins。　　She　spoke　at　last　upon　the
subject；　and　pressed　Madame　des　Ursins　to　set　out　for　Spain。　　This　was
just　what　the　other　wanted。　　She　said　that　as　she　had　been　driven　out　of
Spain　like　a　criminal；　she　must　go　back　with　honour；　if　Madame　de
Maintenon　wished　her　to　gain　the　confidence　and　esteem　of　the　Spaniards。
That　although　she　had　been　treated　by　the　King　with　every　consideration
and　goodness；　many　people　in　Spain　were；　and　would　be；　ignorant　of　it；
and　that；　therefore；　her　return　to　favour　ought　to　be　made　known　in　as
public　and　convincing　a　manner　as　was　her　disgrace。　　This　was　said　with
all　that　eloquence　and　persuasiveness　for　which　Madame　des　Ursins　was
remarkable。　　The　effect　of　it　exceeded　her　hopes。

The　favours　she　obtained　were　prodigious。　　Twenty　thousand　livres　by　way
of　annual　pension；　and　thirty　thousand　for　her　journey。　　One　of　her
brothers；　M。　de　Noirmoutiers；　blind　since　the　age　of　eighteen　or　twenty；
was　made　hereditary　duke；　another；　the　Abbe　de　la　Tremoille；　of　exceeding
bad　life；　and　much　despised　in　Rome；　where　he　lived；　was　made　cardinal。
What　a　success　was　this！　　How　many　obstacles　had　to　be　overcome　in　order
to　attain　it！　　Yet　this　was　what　Madame　des　Ursins　obtained；　so　anxious
was　Madame　de　Maintenon　to　get　rid　of　her　and　to　send　her　to　reign　in
Spain；　that　she　might　reign　there　herself。　　Pleased　and　loaded　with
favour　as　never　subject　was　before；　Madame　des　Ursins　set　out　towards　the
middle　of　July；　and　was　nearly　a　month　on　the　road。　　It　may　be　imagined
what　sort　of　a　reception　awaited　her　in　Spain。　　The　King　and　the　Queen
went　a　day's　journey　out　of　Madrid　to　meet　her。　　Here；　then；　we　see　again
at　the　height　of　power　this　woman；　whose　fall　the　King　but　a　short　time
since　had　so　ardently　desired；　and　whose　separation　from　the　King　and
Queen　of　Spain　he　had　applauded　himself　for　bringing　about　with　so　much
tact。　　What　a　change　1n　a　few　months！

The　war　continued　this　year；　but　without　bringing　any　great　success　to
our　arms。　　Villars；　at　Circk；　outmanoeuvred　Marlborough　in　a　manner　that
would　have　done　credit　to　the　greatest　general。　　Marlborough；　compelled
to　change　the　plan　of　campaign　he　had　determined　on；　returned　into
Flanders；　where　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy　was　stationed　with　his　forces。
Nothing　of　importance　occurred　during　the　campaign；　and　the　two　armies
went　into　winter　quarters　at　the　end　of　October。

I　cannot　quit　Flanders　without　relating　another　instance　of　the　pleasant
malignity　of　M。　de　Lauzun。　　In　marrying　a　daughter　of　the　Marechal　de
Lorges；　he　had　hoped；　as　I　have　already　said；　to　return　into　the
confidence　of　the　King　by　means　of　the　Marechal；　and　so　be　again
entrusted　with　military　command。　　Finding　these　hopes　frustrated；　he
thought　of　another　means　of　reinstating　himself　in　favour。　　He　determined
to　go　to　the　waters　of　Aix…la…Chapelle；　not；　as　may　be　believed；　for　his
health；　but　in　order　to　ingratiate　himself　with　the　important　foreigners
whom　he　thought　to　find　there；　learn　some　of　the　enemy's　plans；　and　come
back　with　an　account　of　them　to　the　King；　who　would；　no　doubt；　reward　him
for　his　zeal。　　But　he　was　deceived　in　his　calculation。　　Aix…la…Chapelle；
generally　so　full　of　foreigners　of　rank；　was　this　year；　owing　to　the　war；
almost　empty。　　M。　de　Lauzun　found；　therefore；　nobody　of　consequence　from
whom　he　could　obtain　any　useful　information。　　Before　his　return；　he
visited　the　Marechal