the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第8部分

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when　they　saw　the　King　caress　this　little　dog　over　and　over　again。　　In
fine；　such　a　high　flight　has　never　been　seen。　　People　could　not　accustom
themselves　to　it；　and　those　who　knew　the　King　and　his　Court　are　surprised
still；　when　they　think　of　it；　after　so　many　years。　　There　was　no　longer
any　doubt　that　Madame　des　Ursins　would　return　into　Spain。　　All　her
frequent　private　conversations　with　the　King　and　Madame　de　Maintenon　were
upon　that　country。　　I　will　only　add　here　that　her　return　took　place　in
due　time；　and　that　her　influence　became　more　paramount　than　ever。




CHAPTER　XXIX

In　relating　what　happened　to　Madame　des　Ursins　upon　her　return　to　Spain；
I　have　carried　the　narrative　into　the　year　1705。　　It　is　not　necessary　to
retrace　our　steps。　　Towards　the　end　of　1703　Courtin　died。　　He　had　early
shone　at　the　Council；　and　had　been　made　Intendant　of　Picardy。
M。　de　Chaulnes；　whose　estates　were　there；　begged　him　to　tax　them　as
lightly　as　possible。　　Courtin；　who　was　a　very　intimate　friend　of　M。　de
Chaulnes；　complied　with　his　request；　but　the　next　year；　in　going　over　his
accounts；　he　found　that　to　do　a　good　turn　to　M。　de　Chaulnes　he　had　done
an　ill　turn　to　many　othersthat　is　to　say；　he　had　relieved　M。　de
Chaulnes　at　the　expense　of　other　parishes；　which　he　had　overcharged。
The　trouble　this　caused　him　made　him　search　deeply　into　the　matter；　and
he　found　that　the　wrong　he　had　done　amounted　to　forty　thousand　francs。
Without　a　second　thought　he　paid　back　this　money；　and　asked　to　be
recalled。　　As　he　was　much　esteemed；　his　request　was　not　at　once　complied
with；　but　he　represented　so　well　that　he　could　not　pass　his　life　doing
wrong；　and　unable　to　serve　his　friends；　that　at　last　what　he　asked　was
granted。　　He　afterwards　had　several　embassies；　went　to　England　as
ambassador；　and　was　very　successful　in　that　capacity。　　I　cannot　quit
Courtin　without　relating　an　adventure　he　had　one　day　with　Fieubet；　a
Councillor　of　State　like　himself。　　As　they　were　going　to　Saint　Germain
they　were　stopped　by　several　men　and　robbed；　robbery　was　common　in　those
days；　and　Fieubet　lost　all　he　had　in　his　pockets。　　When　the　thieves　had
left　them；　and　while　Fieubet　was　complaining　of　his　misfortune；　Courtin
began　to　applaud　himself　for　having　saved　his　watch　and　fifty　pistoles
that　he　had　time　to　slip　into　his　trowsers。　　Immediately　on　hearing　this；
Fieubet　put　his　head　out　of　the　coach　window；　and　called　back　the
thieves；　who　came　sure　enough　to　see　what　he　wanted。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃you　appear　to　be　honest　folks　in　distress；　it　is
not　reasonable　that　you　should　be　the　dupes　of　this　gentleman；　who　his
swindled　you　out　of　fifty　pistoles　and　his　watch。〃　　And　then　turning　to
Courtin；　he　smilingly　said：　〃You　told　me　so　yourself；　monsieur；　so　give
the　things　up　like　a　man；　without　being　searched。〃

The　astonishment　and　indignation　of　Courtin　were　such　that　he　allowed
money　and　watch　to　be　taken　from　him　without　uttering　a　single　word；　but
when　the　thieves　were　gone　away；　he　would　have　strangled　Fieubet　had　not
this　latter　been　the　stronger　of　the　two。　　Fieubet　only　laughed　at　him；
and　upon　arriving　at　Saint　Germain　told　the　adventure　to　everybody　he
met。　　Their　friends　had　all　the　trouble　in　the　world　to　reconcile　them。

The　year　finished　with　an　affair　in　which　I　was　not　a　little　interested。
During　the　year　there　were　several　grand　fetes；　at　which　the　King　went　to
High　Mass　and　vespers。　　On　these　occasions　a　lady　of　the　Court；　named　by
the　Queen；　or　when　there　was　none；　by　the　Dauphiness；　made　a　collection
for　the　poor。　　The　house　of　Lorraine；　always　anxious　to　increase　its
importance；　shirked　impudently　this　duty；　in　order　thereby　to　give　itself
a　new　distinction；　and　assimilate　its　rank　to　that　of　the　Princes　of　the
blood。　　It　was　a　long　time　before　this　was　perceived。　　At　last　the
Duchesse　de　Noailles；　the　Duchesse　de　Guiche；　her　daughter；　the　Marechal
de　Boufflers；　and　others；　took　notice　of　it；　and　I　was　soon　after
informed　of　it。　　I　determined　that　the　matter　should　be　arranged；　and
that　justice　should　be　done。

The　Duchesse　de　Lude　was　first　spoken　to　on　the　subject；　she；　weak　and
timid；　did　not　dare　to　do　anything；　but　at　last　was　induced　to　speak　to
Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne；　who；　wishing　to　judge　for　herself　as　to
the　truth　of　the　matter；　ordered　Madame　de　Montbazon　to　make　the
collection　for　the　poor　at　the　next　fete　that　took　place。　　Although　very
well；　Madame　de　Montbazon　pretended　to　be　ill；　stopped　in　bed　half　a　day；
and　excused　herself　on　this　ground　from　performing　the　duty。　　Madame　de
Bourgogne　was　annoyed；　but　she　did　not　dare　to　push　matters　farther；　and；
in　consequence　of　this　refusal；　none　of　the　Duchesses　would　make　the
collection。　　Other　ladies　of　quality　soon　perceived　this；　and　they　also
refused　to　serve；　so　that　the　collection　fell　into　all　sorts　of　hands；
and　sometimes　was　not　made　at　a11。　　Matters　went　on　so　far；　indeed；　that
the　King　at　last　grew　angry；　and　threatened　to　make　Madame　de　Bourgogne
herself　take　this　office。　　But　refusals　still　followed　upon　refusals；　and
the　bomb　thus　at　length　was　ready　to　burst。

The　King；　who　at　last　ordered　the　daughter　of　M。　le　Grand　to　take　the
plate　on　New　Year's　Day；　1704。；　had；　it　seems；　got　scent　of　the　part　I
was　taking　in　this　matter；　and　expressed　himself　to　Madame　de　Maintenon；
as　I　learnt；　as　very　discontented　with　me　and　one　or　two　other　Dukes。
He　said　that　the　Dukes　were　much　less　obedient　to　him　than　the　Princes；
and　that　although　many　Duchesses　had　refused　to　make　the　collection；　the
moment　he　had　proposed　that　the　daughter　of　M。　le　Grand　should　take　it；
M。　le　Grand　consented。　　On　the　next　day；　early　in　the　morning；　I　saw
Chamillart；　who　related　to　me　that　on　the　previous　evening；　before　he　had
had　time　to　open　his　business；　the　King　had　burst　out　in　anger　against
me；　saying　it　was　very　strange；　but　that　since　I　had　quitted　the　army　I
did　nothing　but　meddle　in　matters　of　rank　and　bring　actions　against
everybody；　finishing；　by　declaring　that　if　he　acted　well　he　should　send
me　so　far　away　that　I　should　be　unable　to　importune　him　any　more。
Chamillart　added；　that　he　had　done　all　in　his　power　to　appease　the　King；
but　with　little　effect。

After　consulting　with　my　friends；　I　determined　to　go　up　to　the　King　and
boldly　ask　to　speak　to　him　in　his　cabinet；　believing　that　to　be　the
wisest　course　I　could　pursue。　　He　was　not　yet　so　reconciled　to　me　as　he
afterwards　became；　and；　in　fact；　was　sorely　out　of　humour　with　me。　　This
step　did　not　seem；　therefore；　altogether　unattended　with　danger；　but；
as　I　have　said；　I　resolved　to　take　it。　　As　he　passed；　therefore；　from　his
dinner　that　same　day；　I　asked　permission　to　follow　him　into　his　cabinet。
Without　replying　to　me；　he　made　a　sign　that　I　might　enter；　and　went　into
the　embrasure　of　the　window。

When　we　were　quite　alone　I　explained；　at　considerable　length；　my　reasons
for　acting　in　this　matter；　declaring　that　it　was　from　no　disrespect　to
his　Majesty　that　I　had　requested　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　and　the　other
Duchesses　to　refuse　to　collect　for　the　poor；　but　simply　to　bring　those　to
account　who　had　claimed　without　reason　to　be　exempt　from　this　duty。
I　added；　keeping　my　eyes　fixed　upon　the　King　all　the　time；　that　I　begged
him　to　believe　that　none　of　his　subjects　were　more　submissive　to　his　will
or　more　willing　to　acknowledge　the　supremacy　of　his　authority　in　all
things　than　the　Dukes。　　Until　this　his　tone　and　manner　had　been　very
severe；　but　now　they　both　softened；　and　he　said；　with　much　goodness　and
familiarity；　that　〃that　was　how　it　was　proper　to　speak　and　think；〃　and
other　remarks　equally　gracious。　　I　took　then　the　opportunity　of
expressing　the　sorrow　I　felt　at　seeing；　that　while　my　sole　endeavour　was
to　please　him；　my　enemies　did　all　they　could　to　blacken　me　in　his　eyes；
indicating　that　I　suspected　M。　le　Grand；　who　had　never　pardoned　me　for
the　part　I　took　in　the　affair　of　the　Princesse　d'Harcourt；　was　one　of　the
number。　　After　I　had　finished　the　King　remained　still　a　moment；　as　if
ready　to　hear　if　I　had　anything　more　to　say；　and　then　quitted　me　with　a
bow；　slight　but　very　gracious；　saying　it　was　well；　and　that　he　was
pleased　with　me。

I　learnt　afterwards　that　he　said　the　same　thing　of　me　in　the　evening　to
Chamillart；　but；　nevertheless；　that　he　did　not　seem　at　all　shaken　in　his
prejudice　in　favour　of　M。　le　Grand。　　The　King　was　in　fact　very　easy　to
prejudice；　difficult　to　lead　back；　and　most　unwilling　to　seek
enlightenment；　or　to　listen　to　any　explanations；　if　authority　was　in　the
slightest　degree　at　stake。　　Whoever　had　the　address　to　make　a　question
take　this　shape；　might　be　assured　that　the　King　would　throw　aside　all
consideration　of　justice；　right；　and　reason；　and　dismiss　all　evidence。
It　was　by　playing　on　this　chord　that　his　ministers　knew　how　to　manage　him
with　so　much　art；　and　to　make　themselves　despotic　masters；　causing　him　to
believe　all　they　wished；　while　at　the　same　time　they　rendered　him
inaccessible　to　explanation；　and　to　those　who　might　have　explained。

I　have；　perhaps；　too　much　expanded　an　affair　which　might　have　been　more
compressed。　　But　in　addition　to　the　fact　that　I　was　mixed　up　in　it；　it　is
by　these　little　private　details；　as　it　seems　to　me；　that　the　characters
of　the　Court　and　King　are　best　made　known。

In　the　early　part　of　the　next　year；　1704。；　the　King　made　La　Queue；　who
was　a　captain　of　cavalry；　campmaster。　　This　La　Queue　was　seigneur　of　the
place　of　which　he　bore　the　name；　distant　six　leagues　from　Versailles；　and
as　much　from　Dreux。　　He　had　married　a　girl　that　the　King　had　had　by　a
gardener's　wife。　　Bontems；　the　confidential　valet　of　the　King；　had
brought　about　the　marriage　without　declaring　the　names　of　the　father　or
the　mother　of　the　girl；　but　La　Queue　knew　it；　and　promised　himself　a
fortune。　　The　girl　herself　was　tall　and　strongly　resembled　the　King。
Unfortunately　for　her；　she　knew　the　secret　of　her　birth；　and　much　envied
her　three　sistersrecognised；　and　so　grandly　married。　　She　lived　on　very
good　terms　with　her　husbandalways；　however；　in　the　greatest　privacy
and　had　several　children　by　him。　　La　Queue　himself；　although　by　this
marriage　son…in…law　of　the　King；　seldom　appeared　at　the　Court；　a