the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第6部分

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would　please　them　if　she　gave　this　post　to　the　Duke　of　Berwick；
illegitimate　son　of　King　James。　　She　proposed　this　therefore；　and　our
King；　out　of　regard　for　his　brother　monarch；　and　from　a　natural　affection
for　bastards；　consented　to　the　appointment；　but　as　the　Duke　of　Berwick
had　never　before　commanded　an　army；　he　stipulated　that　Pursegur；　known　to
be　a　skilful　officer；　should　go　with　him　and　assist　him　with　his　counsels
and　advice。

Pursegur　set　out　before　the　Duke　of　Berwick。　　From　the　Pyrenees　as　far　as
Madrid；　he　found　every　provision　made　for　the　subsistence　of　the　French
troops；　and　sent　a　very　advantageous　account　to　the　King　of　this
circumstance。　　Arrived　at　Madrid；　he　had　interviews　with　Orry　（who；　as　I
have　already　mentioned；　had　the　finances　under　his　control；　and　who　was　a
mere　instrument　in　the　hands　of　Madame　des　Ursins）；　and　was　assured　by
the　minister　that　all　the　magazines　along　the　line　of　route　to　the
frontiers　of　Portugal　were　abundantly　filled　with　supplies　for　the　French
troops；　that　all　the　money　necessary　was　ready；　and　that　nothing；　in
fact；　should　fail　in　the　course　of　the　campaign。　　Pursegur；　who　had　found
nothing　wanting　up　to　that　time；　never　doubted　but　that　these　statements
were　perfectly　correct；　and　had　no　suspicion　that　a　minister　would　have
the　effrontery　to　show　him　in　detail　all　these　precautions　if　he　had
taken　none。　　Pleased；　then；　to　the　utmost　degree；　he　wrote　to　the　King　in
praise　of　Orry；　and　consequently　of　Madame　des　Ursins　and　her　wise
government。　　Full　of　these　ideas；　he　set　out　for　the　frontier　of　Portugal
to　reconnoitre　the　ground　himself；　and　arrange　everything　for　the　arrival
of　the　army　and　its　general。　　What　was　his　surprise；　when　he　found　that
from　Madrid　to　the　frontier　not　a　single　preparation　had　been　made　for
the　troops；　and　that　in　consequence　all　that　Orry　had　shown　him；　drawn
out　upon　paper；　was　utterly　fictitious。　　His　vexation　upon　finding　that
nothing　upon　which　he　had　reckoned　was　provided；　may　be　imagined。　　He　at
once　wrote　to　the　King；　in　order　to　contradict　all　that　he　had　recently
written。

This　conduct　of　Orryhis　impudence；　I　may　sayin　deceiving　a　man　who
immediately　after　would　have　under　his　eyes　the　proof　of　his　deceit；　is　a
thing　past　all　comprehension。　　It　is　easy　to　understand　that　rogues
should　steal；　but　not　that　they　should　have　the　audacity　to　do　so　in　the
face　of　facts　which　so　quickly　and　so　easily　could　prove　their　villainy。

It　was　Pursegur's　letter　then；　detailing　this　rascality　on　the　part　of
Orry；　that　had　reached　the　King　just　before　that　respecting　the　Abbe
d'Estrees。　　The　two　disclosed　a　state　of　things　that　could　not　be　allowed
any　longer　to　exist。　　Our　ministers；　who；　step　by　step；　had　been　deprived
of　all　control　over　the　affairs　of　Spain；　profited　by　the　discontentment
of　the　King　to　reclaim　their　functions。　　Harcourt　and　Madame　de　Maintenon
did　all　they　could　to　ward　off　the　blow　from　Madame　des　Ursins；　but
without　effect。　　The　King　determined　to　banish　her　to　Rome　and　to　dismiss
Orry　from　his　post。

It　was　felt；　however；　that　these　steps　must　be　taken　cautiously；　to　avoid
offending　too　deeply　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain；　who　supported　their
favourite　through　every　emergency。

In　the　first　place；　then；　a　simple　reprimand　was　sent　to　the　Princesse
des　Ursins　for　the　violation　of　the　respect　due　to　the　King；　by　opening　a
letter　addressed　to　him　by　one　of　his　ambassadors。　　The　Abbe　d'Estrees；
who　expected　that　Madame　des　Ursins　would　be　at　once　disgraced；　and　who
had　made　a　great　outcry　when　his　letter　was　opened；　fell　into　such
despair　when　he　saw　how　lightly　she　was　let　off；　that　he　asked　for　his
dismissal。　　He　was　taken　at　his　word；　and　this　was　a　new　triumph　for
Madame　des　Ursins；　who　thought　herself　more　secure　than　ever。　　Her
triumph　was　of　but　short　duration。　　The　King　wrote　to　Philip；
recommending　him　to　head　in　person　the　army　for　the　frontiers　of
Portugal；　which；　in　spite　of　Orry's　deception；　it　was　still　determined　to
send。　　No　sooner　was　Philip　fairly　away；　separated　from　the　Queen　and
Madame　des　Ursins；　and　no　longer　under　their　influence；　than　the　King
wrote　to　the　Queen　of　Spain；　requesting　her；　in　terms　that　could　not　be
disputed；　to　dismiss　at　once　and　for　ever　her　favourite　'Camerera　Mayor'。
The　Queen；　in　despair　at　the　idea　of　losing　a　friend　and　adviser　to　whom
she　had　been　so　much　attached；　believed　herself　lost。　　At　the　same　time
that　the　King　wrote　to　the　Queen　of　Spain；　he　also　wrote　to　the　Princesse
des　Ursins；　ordering　her　to　quit　Madrid　immediately；　to　leave　Spain；　and
to　retire　into　Italy。

At　this　conjuncture　of　affairs；　when　the　Queen　was　in　despair；　Madame　des
Ursins　did　not　lose　her　composure。　　She　opened　her　eyes　to　all　that　had
passed　since　she　had　violated　D'Estrees'　letter；　and　saw　the　vanity　of
the　triumph　she　had　recently　enjoyed。　　She　felt　at　once　that　for　the
present　all　was　lost；　that　her　only　hope　was　to　be　allowed　to　remain　in
France。　　She　made　all　her　arrangements；　therefore；　so　that　affairs　might
proceed　in　her　absence　as　much　as　possible　as　though　she　were　present；
and　then　prepared　to　set　out。　　Dawdling　day　by　day；　she　put　off　her
departure　as　long　as　could　be；　and　when　at　length　she　left　Madrid　only
went　to　Alcala；　a　few　leagues　distant。　　She　stopped　there　under　various
pretexts；　and　at　length；　after　five　weeks　of　delay；　set　out　for　Bayonne；
journeying　as　slowly　as　she　could　and　stopping　as　often　as　she　dared。

She　lost　no　opportunity　of　demanding　an　audience　at　Versailles；　in　order
to　clear　herself　of　the　charge　which　weighed　upon　her；　and　her
importunities　at　length　were　not　without　effect。　　The　most　terrible
storms　at　Court　soon　blow　over。　　The　King　（Louis　XIV。）　was　satisfied　with
the　success　of　his　plans。　　He　had　been　revenged　in　every　way；　and　had
humbled　the　pride　of　the　Princesse　des　Ursins。　　It　was　not　necessary　to
excite　the　anger　of　the　Queen　and　King　of　Spain　by　too　great　harshness
against　their　fallen　friend。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　took　advantage　of　this
change　in　the　temper　of　the　King；　and　by　dint　of　persuasion　and　scheming
succeeded　in　obtaining　from　him　the　permission　for　Madame　des　Ursins　to
remain　in　France。　　Toulouse　was　fixed　upon　for　her　residence。　　It　was　a
place　that　just　suited　her；　and　from　which　communication　with　Spain　was
easy。　　Here　accordingly　she　took　up　her　residence；　determined　to　watch
well　the　course　of　events；　and　to　avail　herself　of　every　opportunity　that
could　bring　about　her　complete　reconciliation　with　the　King　（Louis　XIV。）；
and　obtain　for　her　in　consequence　the　permission　to　return　to　Madrid。

In　the　mean　time；　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain；　distressed　beyond　measure
at　the　loss　of　their　favourite；　thought　only　of　the　best　means　of
obtaining　her　recall。　　They　plotted　with　such　ministers　as　were
favourable　to　her；　they　openly　quarrelled　with　and　thwarted　those　who
were　her　opponents；　so　that　the　most　important　matters　perished　in　their
hands。　　Nay　more；　upon　the　King　of　Spain's　return；　the　Queen　persuaded
him　to　oppose　in　all　things　the　wishes　of　the　King　（Louis　XIV。）；　his
grandfather；　and　to　neglect　his　counsels　with　studied　care。　　Our　King
complained　of　this　with　bitterness。　　The　aim　of　it　was　to　tire　him　out；
and　to　make　him　understand　that　it　was　only　Madame　des　Ursins；　well
treated　and　sent　back；　who　could　restore　Spanish　affairs　to　their
original　state；　and　cause　his　authority　to　be　respected。　　Madame　de
Maintenon；　on　her　side；　neglected　no　opportunity　of　pressing　the　King　to
allow　Madame　des　Ursins；　not　to　return　into　Spainthat　would　have　been
to　spoil　all　by　asking　too　much　but　simply　to　come　to　Versailles　in　order
to　have　the　opportunity　of　justifying　herself　for　her　past　conduct。　　From
other　quarters　the　King　was　similarly　importuned。　　Tired　at　last　of　the
obstinate　opposition　he　met　with　in　Spain　from　the　Queen；　who　governed
completely　her　husband；　he　gave　permission　to　Madame　des　Ursins　to　come
to　Versailles　to　plead　her　own　cause。　　Self…imprisoned　as　he　was　in
seclusion；　the　truth　never　approached　him；　and　he　was　the　only　man　in　the
two　kingdoms　who　had　no　suspicion　that　the　arrival　of　Madame　ales　Ursins
at　the　Court　was　the　certain　sign　of　her　speedy　return　to　Spain　more
powerful　than　ever。　　But　he　was　fatigued　with　the　constant　resistance　he
met　with；　with　the　disorder　which　this　occasioned　in　public　affairs　at　a
time　too　when；　as　I　will　afterwards　explain；　the　closest　union　was
necessary　between　the　two　crowns　in　order　to　repel　the　common　enemy；　and
these　motives　induced　him；　to　the　astonishment　of　his　ministers；　to　grant
the　favour　requested　of　him。

However　well　informed　Madame　des　Ursins　might　be　of　all　that　was　being
done　on　her　account；　this　permission　surpassed　her　hopes。　　Her　joy
accordingly　was　very　great；　but　it　did　not　at　all　carry　her　away。　　She
saw　that　her　return　to　Spain　would　now　depend　upon　herself。　　She
determined　to　put　on　the　air　of　one　who　is　disgraced；　but　who　hopes；　and
yet　is　humiliated。　　She　instructed　all　her　friends　to　assume　the　same
manner；　took　all　measures　with　infinite　presence　of　mind；　did　not　hurry
her　departure；　and　yet　set　out　with　sufficient　promptness　to　prevent　any
coldness　springing　up；　and　to　show　with　what　eagerness　she　profited　by
the　favour　accorded　to　her；　and　which　she　had　so　much　wished。

No　sooner　was　the　courier　gone　who　carried　this　news　to　her；　than　the
rumour　of　her　return　was　whispered　all　over　the　Court；　and　became
publicly　confirmed　a　few　days　afterwards。　　The　movement　that　it　produced
at　Court　was　inconceivable。　　Only　the　friends　of　Madame　des　Ursins　were
able　to　remain　in　a　tolerably　tranquil　state。　　Everybody　opened　his　eyes
and　comprehended　that　the　return　of　such　an　important　personage　was　a
fact　that　could　not　be　insignificant。　　People　prepared　themselves　for　a
sort　of　rising　sun　that　was　going　to　change　and　renew　many　things　in
nature。　　On　every　side　were　seen　people　who　had　scarcely　ever　uttered　her
name；　and　who　now　boasted　of　their　intimacy　with　her　and　of　her
friendship　for　them。　　Other　people　were　seen；　who；　although　openly　allied
with　her　enemies；　had　the　baseness　to　affect　transports　of　joy　at　her
forthcoming　return；　and　to　flatter