the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第15部分

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Flanders　in　my　place；　and　I　to　Germany　in　his。　　I　went　first　to　Soissons
to　see　my　regiment；　and　in　consequence　of　the　recommendation　of　the　King；
was　more　severe　with　it　than　I　should　otherwise　have　been。　　I　set　out
afterwards　for　Strasbourg；　where　I　was　surprised　with　the　magnificence　of
the　town；　and　with　the　number；　beauty；　and　grandeur　of　its
fortifications。　　As　from　my　youth　I　knew　and　spoke　German　perfectly；　I
sought　out　one　of　my　early　German　acquaintances；　who　gave　me　much
pleasure。　　I　stopped　six　days　at　Strasbourg　and　then　went　by　the　Rhine　to
Philipsburg。　　On　the　next　day　after　arriving　there；　I　joined　the　cavalry；
which　was　encamped　at　Obersheim。

After　several　movementsin　which　we　passed　and　repassed　the　Rhinebut
which　led　to　no　effective　result；　we　encamped　for　forty　days　at　Gaw…
Boecklheim；　one　of　the　best　and　most　beautiful　positions　in　the　world；
and　where　we　had　charming　weather；　although　a　little　disposed　to　cold。
It　was　in　the　leisure　of　that　long　camp　that　I　commenced　these　memoirs；
incited　by　the　pleasure　I　took　in　reading　those　of　Marshal　Bassompierre；
which　invited　me　thus　to　write　what　I　should　see　in　my　own　time。

During　this　season　M。　de　Noailles　took　Palamos；　Girone；　and　the　fortress
of　Castel…Follit　in　Catalonia。　　This　last　was　taken　by　the　daring　of　a
soldier；　who　led　on　a　small　number　of　his　comrades；　and　carried　the　place
by　assault。　　Nothing　was　done　in　Italy；　and　in　Flanders　M。　de　Luxembourg
came　to　no　engagement　with　the　Prince　of　Orange。




CHAPTER　VI

After　our　long　rest　at　the　camp　of　Gaw…Boecklheim　we　again　put　ourselves
in　movement；　but　without　doing　much　against　the　enemy；　and　on　the　16th　of
October　I　received　permission　to　return　to　Paris。　　Upon　my　arrival　there
I　learnt　that　many　things　had　occurred　since　I　left。　　During　that　time
some　adventures　had　happened　to　the　Princesses；　as　the　three　illegitimate
daughters　of　the　King　were　called　for　distinction　sake。　　Monsieur　wished
that　the　Duchesse　de　Chartres　should　always　call　the　others　〃sister；〃　but
that　the　others　should　never　address　her　except　as　〃Madame。〃　　The
Princesse　de　Conti　submitted　to　this；　but　the　other　（Madame　la　Duchesse；
being　the　produce　of　the　same　love）　set　herself　to　call　the　Duchesse　de
Chartres　〃mignonne。〃　　But　nothing　was　less　a　mignonne　than　her　face　and
her　figure；　and　Monsieur；　feeling　the　ridicule；　complained　to　the　King。
The　King　prohibited　very　severely　this　familiarity。

While　at　Trianon　these　Princesses　took　it　into　their　heads　to　walk　out
at　night　and　divert　themselves　with　crackers。　　Either　from　malice　or
imprudence　they　let　off　some　one　night　under　the　windows　of　Monsieur；
rousing　him　thereby　out　of　his　sleep。　　He　was　so　displeased；　that　he
complained　to　the　King；　who　made　him　many　excuses　（scolding　the
Princesses）；　but　had　great　trouble　to　appease　him。　　His　anger　lasted　a
long　time；　and　the　Duchesse　de　Chartres　felt　it。　　I　do　not　know　if　the
other　two　were　very　sorry。　　Madame　la　Duchesse　was　accused　of　writing
some　songs　upon　the　Duchesse　de　Chartres。

The　Princesse　de　Conti　had　another　adventure；　which　made　considerable
noise；　and　which　had　great　results。　　She　had　taken　into　her　favour
Clermont；　ensign　of　the　gensdarmes　and　of　the　Guard。　　He　had　pretended　to
be　enamoured　of　her；　and　had　not　been　repelled；　for　she　soon　became　in
love　with　him。　　Clermont　had　attached　himself　to　the　service　of　M。　de
Luxembourg；　and　was　the　merest　creature　in　his　hands。　　At　the　instigation
of　M。　de　Luxembourg；　he　turned　away　his　regards　from　the　Princesse　de
Conti；　and　fixed　them　upon　one　of　her　maids　of　honourMademoiselle
Choin；　a　great；　ugly；　brown；　thick…set　girl；　upon　whom　Monseigneur　had
lately　bestowed　his　affection。　　Monseigneur　made　no　secret　of　this；　nor
did　she。　　Such　being　the　case；　it　occurred　to　M。　de　Luxembourg　（who　knew
he　was　no　favourite　with　the　King；　and　who　built　all　his　hopes　of　the
future　upon　Monseigneur）　that　Clermont；　by　marrying　La　Choin；　might　thus
secure　the　favour　of　Monseigneur；　whose　entire　confidence　she　possessed。
Clermont　was　easily　persuaded　that　this　would　be　for　him　a　royal　road　to
fortune；　and　he　accordingly　entered　willingly　into　the　scheme；　which　had
just　begun　to　move；　when　the　campaign　commenced；　and　everybody　went　away
to　join　the　armies。

The　King；　who　partly　saw　this　intrigue；　soon　made　himself　entirely　master
of　it；　by　intercepting　the　letters　which　passed　between　the　various
parties。　　He　read　there　the　project　of　Clermont　and　La　Choin　to　marry；
and　thus　govern　Monseigneur；　he　saw　how　M。　de　Luxembourg　was　the　soul　of
this　scheme；　and　the　marvels　to　himself　he　expected　from　it。　　The　letters
Clermont　had　received　from　the　Princesse　de　Conti　he　now　sent　to
Mademoiselle　la　Choin；　and　always　spoke　to　her　of　Monseigneur　as　their
〃fat　friend。〃　　With　this　correspondence　in　his　hands；　the　King　one　day
sent　for　the　Princesse　de　Conti；　said　in　a　severe　tone　that　he　knew　of
her　weakness　for　Clermont；　and；　to　prove　to　her　how　badly　she　had　placed
her　affection；　showed　her　her　own　letters　to　Clermont；　and　letters　in
which　he　had　spoken　most　contemptuously　of　her　to　La　Choin。　　Then；　as　a
cruel　punishment；　he　made　her　read　aloud　to　him　the　whole　of　those
letters。　　At　this　she　almost　died；　and　threw　herself；　bathed　in　tears；　at
the　feet　of　the　King；　scarcely　able　to　articulate。　　Then　came　sobs；
entreaty；　despair；　and　rage；　and　cries　for　justice　and　revenge。　　This　was
soon　obtained。　　Mademoiselle　la　Choin　was　driven　away　the　next　day；　and
M。　de　Luxembourg　had　orders　to　strip　Clermont　of　his　office；　and　send　him
to　the　most　distant　part　of　the　kingdom。　　The　terror　of　M。　de　Luxembourg
and　the　Prince　de　Conti　at　this　discovery　may　be　imagined。　　Songs
increased　the　notoriety　of　this　strange　adventure　between　the　Princess
and　her　confidant。

M。　de　Noyon　had　furnished　on　my　return　another　subject　for　the　song…
writers；　and　felt　it　the　more　sensibly　because　everybody　was　diverted　at
his　expense；　M。　de　Noyon　was　extremely　vain；　and　afforded　thereby　much
amusement　to　the　King。　　A　Chair　was　vacant　at　the　Academic　Francaise。
The　King　wished　it　to　be　given　to　M。　de　Noyon；　and　expressed　himself　to
that　effect　to　Dangeau；　who　was　a　member。　　As　may　be　believed；　the
prelate　was　elected　without　difficulty。　　His　Majesty　testified　to　the
Prince　de　Conde；　and　to　the　most　distinguished　persons　of　the　Court；　that
he　should　be　glad　to　see　them　at　the　reception。　　Thus　M。　de　Noyon　was　the
first　member　of　the　Academia　chosen　by　the　King；　and　the　first　at　whose
reception　he　had　taken　the　trouble　to　invite　his　courtiers　to　attend。

The　Abbe　de　Caumartin　was　at　that　time　Director　of　the　Academie。　　He　knew
the　vanity　of　M。　de　Noyon；　and　determined　to　divert　the　public　at　his
expense。　　He　had　many　friends　in　power；　and　judged　that　his　pleasantry
would　be　overlooked；　and　even　approved。　　He　composed；　therefore；　a
confused　and　bombastic　discourse　in　the　style　of　M。　de　Noyon；　full　of
pompous　phrases；　turning　the　prelate　into　ridicule；　while　they　seemed　to
praise　him。　　After　finishing　this　work；　he　was　afraid　lest　it　should　be
thought　out　of　all　measure；　and；　to　reassure　himself；　carried　it　to　M。　de
Noyon　himself；　as　a　scholar　might　to　his　master；　in　order　to　see　whether
it　fully　met　with　his　approval。　　M。　de　Noyon；　so　far　from　suspecting
anything；　was　charmed　by　the　discourse；　and　simply　made　a　few　corrections
in　the　style。　　The　Abbe　de　Caumartin　rejoiced　at　the　success　of　the　snare
he　had　laid；　and　felt　quite　bold　enough　to　deliver　his　harangue。

The　day　came。　　The　Academie　was　crowded。　　The　King　and　the　Court　were
there；　all　expecting　to　be　diverted。　　M。　de　Noyon；　saluting　everybody
with　a　satisfaction　he　did　riot　dissimulate；　made　his　speech　with　his
usual　confidence；　and　in　his　usual　style。　　The　Abbe　replied　with　a　modest
air；　and　with　a　gravity　and　slowness　that　gave　great　effect　to　his
ridiculous　discourse。　　The　surprise　and　pleasure　were　general；　and　each
person　strove　to　intoxicate　M。　de　Noyon　more　and　more；　making　him　believe
that　the　speech　of　the　Abbe　was　relished　solely　because　it　had　so
worthily　praised　him。　　The　prelate　was　delighted　with　the　Abbe　and　the
public；　and　conceived　not　the　slightest　mistrust。

The　noise　which　this　occurrence　made　may　be　imagined；　and　the　praises　M。
de　Noyon　gave　himself　in　relating　everywhere　what　he　had　said；　and　what
had　been　replied　to　him。　　M。　de　Paris；　to　whose　house　he　went；　thus
triumphing；　did　not　like　him；　and　endeavoured　to　open　his　eyes　to　the
humiliation　he　had　received。　　For　some　time　M。　de　Noyon　would　not　be
convinced　of　the　truth；　it　was　not　until　he　had　consulted　with　Pere　la
Chaise　that　he　believed　it。　　The　excess　of　rage　and　vexation　succeeded
then　to　the　excess　of　rapture　he　had　felt。　　In　this　state　he　returned　to
his　house；　and　went　the　next　day　to　Versailles。　　There　he　made　the　most
bitter　complaints　to　the　King；　of　the　Abbe　de　Caumartin；　by　whose　means
he　had　become　the　sport　and　laughing…stock　of　all　the　world。

The　King；　who　had　learned　what　had　passed；　was　himself　displeased。　　He
ordered　Pontchartrain　（who　was　related　to　Caumartin）　to　rebuke　the　Abbe；
and　to　send　him　a　lettre　de　cachet；　in　order　that　he　might　go　and　ripen
his　brain　in　his　Abbey　of　Busay；　in　Brittany；　and　better　learn　there　how
to　speak　and　write。　　Pontchartrain　executed　the　first　part　of　his
commission；　but　not　the　second。　　He　pointed　out　to　the　King　that　the
speech　of　the　Abbe　de　Caumartin　had　been　revised　and　corrected　by　M。　de
Noyon；　and　that；　therefore；　this　latter　had　only　himself　to　blame　in　the
matter。　　He　declared；　too；　that　the　Abbe　was　very　sorry　for　what　he　had
done；　and　was　most　willing　to　beg　pardon　of　M。　de　Noyon。　　The　lettre　de
cachet　thus　fell　to　the　ground；　but　not　the　anger　of　the　prelate。　　He　was
so　outraged　that　he　would　not　see　the　Abbe；　retired　into　his　diocese　to
hide　his　shame；　and　remained　there　a　long　time。

Upon　his　return　to　Paris；　however；　being　taken　ill；　before　consenting　to
receive　the　sacraments；　he　sent　for　the　Abbe；　embraced　him；　pardoned　him；
and　gave　him　a　diamond　ring；　that　he　drew　from　his　finger；　and　that　he
begged　him　to　keep　in　memory　of　him。　　Nay；　more；　when　he　was　cured；　he
used　all　his　influence　to　reinsta