the memoirs of louis xiv-04-第9部分

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marriage　son…in…law　of　the　King；　seldom　appeared　at　the　Court；　and；　when
there；　was　on　the　same　footing　as　the　simplest　soldier。　　Bontems　did　not
fail　from　time　to　time　to　give　him　money。　　The　wife　of　La　Queue　lived
very　melancholily　for　twenty　years　in　her　village；　never　left　it；　and
scarcely　ever　went　abroad　for　fear　of　betraying　herself。

On　Wednesday；　the　25th　of　June；　Monseigneur　le　Duc　de　Bourgogne　had　a　son
born　to　him。　　This　event　caused　great　joy　to　the　King　and　the　Court。
The　town　shared　their　delight；　and　carried　their　enthusiasm　almost　to
madness；　by　the　excess　of　their　demonstration　and　their　fetes。　　The　King
gave　a　fete　at　Marly；　and　made　the　most　magnificent　presents　to　Madame　la
Duchesse　de　Bourgogne　when　she　left　her　bed。　　But　we　soon　had　reason　to
repent　of　so　much　joy；　for　the　child　died　in　less　than　a　yearand　of　so
much　money　unwisely　spent；　in　fetes　when　it　was　wanted　for　more　pressing
purposes。　　Even　while　these　rejoicings　were　being　celebrated；　news
reached　us　which　spread　consternation　in　every　family；　and　cast　a　gloom
over　the　whole　city。

I　have　already　said　that　a　grand　alliance；　with　the　Emperor　at　its　head；
had　been　formed　against　France；　and　that　our　troops　were　opposing　the
Allies　in　various　parts　of　Europe。　　The　Elector　of　Bavaria　had　joined　his
forces　to　ours；　and　had　already　done　us　some　service。　　On　the　12th　of
August　he　led　his　men　into　the　plain　of　Hochstedt；　where；　during　the
previous　year；　he　had　gained　a　victory　over　the　Imperialists。　　In　this
plain　he　was　joined　by　our　troops；　who　took　up　positions　right　and　left
of　him；　under　the　command　of　Tallard　and　Marsin。　　The　Elector　himself　had
command　of　all。　　Soon　after　their　arrival　at　Hochstedt；　they　received
intelligence　that　Prince　Eugene；　with　the　Imperialist　forces；　and　the
Duke　of　Marlborough　with　the　English　were　coming　to　meet　them。　　Our
generals　had；　however；　all　the　day　before　them　to　choose　their　ground；
and　to　make　their　dispositions。　　It　would　have　been　difficult　to　succeed
worse；　both　with　the　one　and　the　other。　　A　brook；　by　no　means　of　a　miry
kind；　ran　parallel　to　our　army；　and　in　front　of　it　a　spring；　which　formed
a　long　and　large　quagmire；　nearly　separated　the　two　lines　of　Marshal
Tallard。　　It　was　a　strange　situation　for　a　general　to　take　up；　who　is
master　of　a　vast　plain；　and　it　became；　as　will　be　seen；　a　very　sad　one。
At　his　extreme　right　was　the　large　village　of　Blenheim；　in　which；　by　a
blindness　without　example；　he　had　placed　twenty…six　battalions　of
infantry；　six　regiments　of　dragoons；　and　a　brigade　of　cavalry。　　It　was　an
entire　army　merely　for　the　purpose　of　holding　this　village；　and
supporting　his　right；　and　of　course　he　had　all　these　troops　the　less　to
aid　him　in　the　battle　which　took　place。　　The　first　battle　of　Hochstedt
afforded　a　lesson　which　ought　to　have　been　studied　on　this　occasion。
There　were　many　officers　present；　too；　who　had　been　at　that　battle；　but
they　were　not　consulted。　　One　of　two　courses　was　open；　either　to　take　up
a　position　behind　the　brook；　and　parallel　to　it；　so　as　to　dispute　its
passage　with　the　enemies；　or　to　take　advantage　of　the　disorder　they　would
be　thrown　into　in　crossing　it　by　attacking　them　then。　　Both　these　plans
were　good；　the　second　was　the　better；　but　neither　was　adopted。　　What　was
done　was；　to　leave　a　large　space　between　our　troops　and　the　brook；　that
the　enemy　might　pass　at　their　ease；　and　be　overthrown　afterwards；　as　was
said。　　With　such　dispositions　it　is　impossible　to　doubt　but　that　our
chiefs　were　struck　with　blindness。　　The　Danube　flowed　near　enough　to
Blenheim　to　be　of　sufficient　support　to　our　right；　better　indeed　than
that　village；　which　consequently　there　was　no　necessity　to　hold。

The　enemies　arrived　on　the　13th　of　August　at　the　dawn；　and　at　once　took
up　their　position　on　the　banks　of　the　brook。　　Their　surprise　must　have
been　great　to　see　our　army　so　far　off；　drawn　up　in　battle　array。　　They
profited　by　the　extent　of　ground　left　to　them；　crossed　the　brook　at
nearly　every　point；　formed　themselves　in　several　lines　on　the　side　to
which　they　crossed；　and　then　extended　themselves　at　their　ease；　without
receiving　the　slightest　opposition。　　This　is　exact　truth；　but　without　any
appearance　of　being　so；　and　posterity　will　with　difficulty　believe　it。
It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　before　all　these　dispositions；　which　our
troops　saw　made　without　moving；　were　completed。　　Prince　Eugene　with　his
army　had　the　right；　the　Duke　of　Marlborough　the　left。　　The　latter　thus
opposed　to　the　forces　of　Tallard；　and　Prince　Eugene　to　those　of　Marsin。

The　battle　commenced；　and　in　one　part　was　so　far　favourable　to　us　that
the　attack　of　Prince　Eugene　was　repulsed　by　Marsin；　who　might　have
profited　by　this　circumstance　but　for　the　unfortunate　position　of　our
right。　　Two　things　contributed　to　place　us　at　a　disadvantage。　　The　second
line；　separated　by　the　quagmire　I　have　alluded　to　from　the　first　line；
could　not　sustain　it　properly；　and　in　consequence　of　the　long　bend　it　was
necessary　to　make　round　this　quagmire；　neither　line；　after　receiving　or
making　a　charge；　could　retire　quickly　to　rally　and　return　again　to　the
attack。　　As　for　the　infantry；　the　twenty…six　battalions　shut　up　in
Blenheim　left　a　great　gap　in　it　that　could　not　fail　to；　be　felt。　　The
English；　who　soon　perceived　the　advantage　they　might　obtain　from　this
want　of　infantry；　and　from　the　difficulty　with　which　our　cavalry　of　the
right　was　rallied；　profited　by　these　circumstances　with　the　readiness　of
people　who　have　plenty　of　ground　at　their　disposal。　　They　redoubled　their
charges；　and　to　say　all　in　one　word；　they　defeated　at　their　first　attack
all　this　army；　notwithstanding　the　efforts　of　our　general　officers　and　of
several　regiments　to　repel　them。　　The　army　of　the　Elector；　entirely
unsupported；　and　taken　in　flank　by　the　English；　wavered　in　its　turn。
All　the　valour　of　the　Bavarians；　all　the　prodigies　of　the　Elector；　were
unable　to　remedy　the　effects　of　this　wavering。　　Thus　was　seen；　at　one　and
the　same　time；　the　army　of　Tallard　beaten　and　thrown　into　the　utmost
disorder；　that　of　the　Elector　sustaining　itself　with　great　intrepidity；
but　already　in　retreat；　and　that　of　Marsin　charging　and　gaining　ground
upon　Prince　Eugene。　　It　was　not　until　Marsin　learnt　of　the　defeat　of
Tallard　and　of　the　Elector；　that　he　ceased　to　pursue　his　advantages；　and
commenced　his　retreat。　　This　retreat　he　was　able　to　make　without　being
pursued。

In　the　mean　time　the　troops　in　Blenheim　had　been　twice　attacked；　and　had
twice　repulsed　the　enemy。　　Tallard　had　given　orders　to　these　troops　on　no
account　to　leave　their　positions；　nor　to　allow　a　single　man　even　to　quit
them。　　Now；　seeing　his　army　defeated　and　in　flight；　he　wished　to
countermand　these　orders。　　He　was　riding　in　hot　haste　to　Blenheim　to　do
so；　with　only　two　attendants；　when　all　three　were　surrounded；　recognised；
and　taken　prisoners。

These　troops　shut　up　in　Blenheim　had　been　left　under　the　command　of
Blansac；　camp…marshal；　and　Clerembault；　lieutenant…general。　　During　the
battle　this　latter　was　missed；　and　could　nowhere　be　found。　　It　was　known
afterwards　that；　for　fear　of　being　killed；　he　had　endeavoured　to　escape
across　the　Danube　on　horseback　attended　by　a　single　valet。　　The　valet
passed　over　the　river　in　safety；　but　his　master　went　to　the　bottom。
Blansac；　thus　left　alone　in　command；　was　much　troubled　by　the　disorders
he　saw　and　heard；　and　by　the　want　which　he　felt　of　fresh　orders。　　He　sent
a　messenger　to　Tallard　for　instructions　how　to　act；　but　his　messenger　was
stopped　on　the　road；　and　taken　prisoner。　　I　only　repeat　what　Blansac
himself　reported　in　his　defence；　which　was　equally　ill…received　by　the
King　and　the　public；　but　which　had　no　contradictors；　for　nobody　was
witness　of　what　took　place　at　Blenheim　except　those　actually　there；　and
they　all；　the　principals　at　least；　agreed　in　their　story。　　What　some　of
the　soldiers　said　was　not　of　a　kind　that　could　altogether　be　relied　upon。

While　Blansac　was　in　this　trouble；　he　saw　Denonville；　one　of　our　officers
who　had　been　taken　prisoner；　coming　towards　the　village；　accompanied　by
an　officer　who　waved　a　handkerchief　in　the　air　and　demanded　a　parley。
Denonville　was　a　young　man；　very　handsome　and　well　made；　who　being　a
great　favourite　with　Monseigneur　le　Duc　de　Bourgogne　had　become
presumptuous　and　somewhat　audacious。　　Instead　of　speaking　in　private　to
Blansac　and　the　other　principal　officerssince　he　had　undertaken　so
strange　a　missionDenonville；　who　had　some　intellect；　plenty　of　fine
talk；　and　a　mighty　opinion　of　himself；　set　to　work　haranguing　the　troops；
trying　to　persuade　them　to　surrender　themselves　prisoners　of　war；　so　that
they　might　preserve　themselves　for　the　service　of　the　King。　　Blansac；　who
saw　the　wavering　this　caused　among　the　troops；　sharply　told　Denonville　to
hold　his　tongue；　and　began　himself　to　harangue　the　troops　in　a　contrary
spirit。　　But　it　was　to　late。　　The　mischief　was　done。　　Only　one　regiment；
that　of　Navarre；　applauded　him；　all　the　rest　maintained　a　dull　silence。
I　remind　my　readers　that　it　is　Blansac's　version　of　the　story　I　am
giving。

Soon　after　Denonville　and　his　companion　had　returned　to　the　enemy；　an
English　lord　came；　demanding　a　parley　with　the　commandant。　　He　was
admitted　to　Blansac；　to　whom　he　said　that　the　Duke　of　Marlborough　had
sent　him　to　say　that　he　had　forty　battalions　and　sixty　pieces　of　cannon
at　his　disposal；　with　reinforcements　to　any　extent　at　command；　that　he
should　surround　the　village　on　all　sides；　that　the　army　of　Tallard　was　in
flight；　and　the　remains　of　that　of　the　Elector　in　retreat；　that　Tallard
and　many　general　officers　were　prisoners；　that　Blansac　could　hope　for　no
reinforcements；　and　that；　therefore；　he　had　better　at　once　make　an
honourable　capitulation；　and　surrender；　himself　with　all　his　men
prisoners　of　war；　than　attempt　a　struggle　in　which　he　was　sure　to　be
worsted　with　great　loss。　　Blansac　wanted　to　dismiss　this　messenger　at
once；　but　the　Englishman　pressed　him　to　advance　a　few　steps　out　of　the
village；　and　see　with　his　own　eyes　the　defeat　of　the　Electoral　army；　and
the　preparations　that　were　made　on　the　other　side　to　continue　the　battle。
Blansac　accordingly；　attended　by　one　of　hi