the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第17部分

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remained　exactly　in　the　same　position　as　his　father。

It　was　with　difficulty　we　could　believe　in　a　decree　so　unjust　and　so
novel；　and　which　decided　a　question　that　was　not　under　dispute。　　I　was
outraged；　but　I　endeavoured　to　contain　myself。　　I　spoke　to　M。　de　la
Rochefoucauld；　I　tried　to　make　him　listen　to　me；　and　to　agree　that　we
should　complain　to　the　King；　but　I　spoke　to　a　man　furious；　incapable　of
understanding　anything　or　of　doing　anything。　　Returning　to　my　own　house；
I　wrote　a　letter　to　the　King；　in　which　I　complained　of　the　opinion　of　the
judges。　　I　also　pointed　out；　that　when　everybody　had　been　ordered　to
retire　from　the　council　chamber；　Harlay　and　his　secretary　had　been
allowed　to　remain。　　On　these　and　other　grounds　I　begged　the　King　to　grant
a　new　trial。

I　carried　this　letter　to　the　Duc　de　la　Tremoille；　but　I　could　not　get　him
to　look　at　it。　　I　returned　home　more　vexed　if　possible　than　when　I　left。
The　King；　nevertheless；　was　exceedingly　dissatisfied　with　the　judgment。
He　explained　himself　to　that　effect　at　his　dinner；　and　in　a　manner　but
little　advantageous　to　the　Parliament；　and　prepared　himself　to　receive
the　complaints　he　expected　would　be　laid　before　him。　　But　the　obstinacy
of　M。　de　la　Rochefoucauld；　which　turned　into　vexation　against　himself；
rendered　it　impossible　for　us　to　take　any　steps　in　the　matter；　and　so
overwhelmed　me　with　displeasure；　that　I　retired　to　La　Trappe　during
Passion　Week　in　order　to　recover　myself。

At　my　return　I　learned　that　the　King　had　spoken　of　this　judgment　to　the
Chief　President；　and　that　that　magistrate　had　blamed　it；　saying　the　cause
was　indubitably　ours；　and　that　he　had　always　thought　so！　　If　he　thought
so；　why　oppose　us　so　long？　　and　if　he　did　not　think　so；　what　a
prevaricator　was　he　to　reply　with　this　flattery；　so　as　to　be　in　accord
with　the　King？　　The　judges　themselves　were　ashamed　of　their　verdict；　and
excused　themselves　for　it　on　the　ground　of　their　compassion　for　the　state
in　which　M。　de　Luxembourg　would　have　been　placed　had　he　lost　the　title　of
1662；　and　upon　its　being　impossible　that　he　should　gain　the　one　of　1581；
of　which　they　had　left　him　the　chimera。　　M。　de　Luxembourg　was　accordingly
received　at　the　Parliament　on　the　4th　of　the　following　May；　with　the　rank
of　1662。　　He　came　and　visited　all　of　us；　but　we　would　have　no　intercourse
with　him　or　with　his　judges。　　To　the　Advocate…General；　D'Aguesseau；　we
carried　our　thanks。




CHAPTER　VII

Thus　ended　this　long　and　important　case；　and　now　let　me　go　back　again　to
the　events　of　the　previous　year。

Towards　the　end　of　the　summer　and　the　commencement　of　the　winter　of　1695；
negotiations　for　peace　were　set　on　foot　by　the　King。　　Harlay；　son…in…law
of　our　enemy；　was　sent　to　Maestricht　to　sound　the　Dutch。　　But　in
proportion　as　they　saw　peace　desired　were　they　less　inclined　to　listen　to
terms。　　They　had　even　the　impudence　to　insinuate　to　Harlay；　whose
paleness　and　thinness　were　extraordinary；　that　they　took　him　for　a　sample
of　the　reduced　state　of　France！　　He；　without　getting　angry；　replied
pleasantly；　that　if　they　would　give　him　the　time　to　send　for　his　wife；
they　would；　perhaps；　conceive　another　opinion　of　the　position　of　the
realm。　　In　effect；　she　was　extremely　fat；　and　of　a　very　high　colour。　　He
was　rather　roughly　dismissed；　and　hastened　to　regain　our　frontier。

Two　events　followed　each　other　very　closely　this　winter。　　The　first　was
the　death　of　the　Princess　of　Orange；　in　London；　at　the　end　of　January。
The　King　of　England　prayed　our　King　to　allow　the　Court　to　wear　no
mourning；　and　it　was　even　prohibited　to　M。　de　Bouillon　and　M。　de　Duras；
who　were　both　related　to　the　Prince　of　Orange。　　The　order　was　obeyed；　and
no　word　was　said；　but　this　sort　of　vengeance　was　thought　petty。　　Hopes
were　held　out　of　a　change　in　England；　but　they　vanished　immediately；　and
the　Prince　of　Orange　appeared　more　accredited　there　and　stronger　than
ever。　　The　Princess　was　much　regretted；　and　the　Prince　of　Orange；　who
loved　her　and　gave　her　his　entire　confidence；　and　even　most　marked
respect；　was　for　some　days　ill　with　grief。

The　other　event　was　strange。　　The　Duke　of　Hanover；　who；　in　consequence　of
the　Revolution；　was　destined　to　the　throne　of　England　after　the　Prince
and　Princess　of　Orange　and　the　Princess　of　Denmark；　had　married　his
cousin…german；　a　daughter　of　the　Duke　of　Zell。　　She　was　beautiful；　and　he
lived　happily　with　her　for　some　time。　　The　Count　of　Koenigsmarck；　young
and　very　well　made；　came　to　the　Court；　and　gave　him　some　umbrage。　　The
Duke　of　Hanover　became　jealous；　he　watched　his　wife　and　the　Count；　and　at
length　believed　himself　fully　assured　of　what　he　would　have　wished　to
remain　ignorant　of　all　his　life。　　Fury　seized　him：　he　had　the　Count
arrested　and　thrown　into　a　hot　oven。　　Immediately　afterwards　he　sent　his
wife　to　her　father；　who　shut　her　up　in　one　of　his　castles；　where　she　was
strictly　guarded　by　the　people　of　the　Duke　of　Hanover。　　An　assembly　of
the　Consistory　was　held　in　order　to　break　off　his　marriage。　　It　was
decided；　very　singularly；　that　the　marriage　was　annulled　so　far　as　the
Duke　was　concerned；　and　that　he　could　marry　another　woman；　but　that　it
remained　binding　on　the　Duchess；　and　that　she　could　not　marry。　　The
children　she　had　had　during　her　marriage　were　declared　legitimate。　　The
Duke　of　Hanover　did　not　remain　persuaded　as　to　this　last　article。

The　King；　entirely　occupied　with　the　aggrandisement　of　his　natural
children；　had　heaped　upon　the　Comte　de　Toulouse　every　possible　favour。
He　now　（in　order　to　evade　a　promise　he　had　made　to　his　brother；　that　the
first　vacant　government　should　be　given　to　the　Duc　de　Chartres）　forced　M。
de　Chaulnes　to　give　up　the　government　of　Brittany；　which　he　had　long
held；　and　conferred　it　upon　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　giving　to　the　friend
and　heir　of　the　former　the　successorship　to　the　government　of　Guyenne；　by
way　of　recompense。

M。　de　Chaulnes　was　old　and　fat；　but　much　loved　by　the　people　of　Brittany。
He　was　overwhelmed　by　this　determination　of　the　King；　and　his　wife；　who
had　long　been　accustomed　to　play　the　little　Queen；　still　more　so；　yet
there　was　nothing　for　them　but　to　obey。　　They　did　obey；　but　it　was　with　a
sorrow　and　chagrin　they　could　not　hide。

The　appointment　was　announced　one　morning　at　the　rising　of　the　King。
Monsieur；　who　awoke　later；　heard　of　it　at　the　drawing　of　his　curtains；
and　was　extremely　piqued。　　The　Comte　de　Toulouse　came　shortly　afterwards；
and　announced　it　himself。　　Monsieur　interrupted　him；　and　before　everybody
assembled　there　said；　〃The　King　has　given　you　a　good　present；　but　I　know
not　if　what　he　has　done　is　good　policy。〃　　Monsieur　went　shortly
afterwards　to　the　King；　and　reproached　him　for　giving；　under　cover　of　a
trick；　the　government　of　Brittany　to　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　having
promised　it　to　the　Duc　de　Chartres。　　The　King　heard　him　in　silence：　he
knew　well　how　to　appease　him。　　Some　money　for　play　and　to　embellish　Saint
Cloud；　soon　effaced　Monsieur's　chagrin。

All　this　winter　my　mother　was　solely　occupied　in　finding　a　good　match　for
me。　　Some　attempt　was　made　to　marry　me　to　Mademoiselle　de　Royan。　　It
would　have　been　a　noble　and　rich　marriage；　but　I　was　alone；　Mademoiselle
de　Royan　was　an　orphan；　and　I　wished　a　father…in…law　and　a　family　upon
whom　I　could　lean。　　During　the　preceding　year　there　had　been　some　talk　of
the　eldest　daughter　of　Marechal　de　Lorges　for　me。　　The　affair　had　fallen
through；　almost　as　soon　as　suggested；　and　now；　on　both　sides；　there　was　a
desire　to　recommence　negotiations。　　The　probity；　integrity；　the　freedom
of　Marechal　de　Lorges　pleased　me　infinitely；　and　everything　tended　to
give　me　an　extreme　desire　for　this　marriage。　　Madame　de　Lorges　by　her
virtue　and　good　sense　was　all　I　could　wish　for　as　the　mother　of　my　future
wife。　　Mademoiselle　de　Lorges　was　a　blonde；　with　a　complexion　and　figure
perfect；　a　very　amiable　face；　an　extremely　noble　and　modest　deportment；
and　with　I　know　not　what　of　majesty　derived　from　her　air　of　virtue；　and
of　natural　gentleness。　　The　Marechal　had　five　other　daughters；　but　I
liked　this　one　best　without　comparison；　and　hoped　to　find　with　her　that
happiness　which　she　since　has　given　me。　　As　she　has　become　my　wife；　I
will　abstain　here　from　saying　more　about　her；　unless　it　be　that　she　has
exceeded　all　that　was　promised　of　her；　and　all　that　I　myself　had　hoped。

My　marriage　being　agreed　upon　and　arranged　the　Marechal　de　Lorges　spoke
of　it　to　the　King；　who　had　the　goodness　to　reply　to　him　that　he　could　not
do　better；　and　to　speak　of　me　very　obligingly。　　The　marriage　accordingly
took　place　at　the　Hotel　de　Lorges；　on　the　8th　of　April；　1695；　which　I
have　always　regarded；　and　with　good　reason；　as　the　happiest　day　of　my
life。　　My　mother　treated　me　like　the　best　mother　in　the　world。　　On　the
Thursday　before　Quasimodo　the　contract　was　signed；　a　grand　repast
followed；　at　midnight　the　cure　of　Saint　Roch　said　mass；　and　married　us　in
the　chapel　of　the　house。　　On　the　eve；　my　mother　had　sent　forty　thousand
livres'　worth　of　precious　stones　to　Mademoiselle　de　Lorges；　and　I　six
hundred　Louis　in　a　corbeille　filled　with　all　the　knick…knacks　that　are
given　on　these　occasions。

We　slept　in　the　grand　apartment　of　the　Hotel　des　Lorges。　　On　the　morrow；
after　dinner；　my　wife　went　to　bed；　and　received　a　crowd　of　visitors；　who
came　to　pay　their　respects　and　to　gratify　their　curiosity。　　The　next
evening　we　went　to　Versailles；　and　were　received　by　Madame　de　Maintenon
and　the　King。　　On　arriving　at　the　supper…table；　the　King　said　to　the　new
Duchess：〃Madame；　will　you　be　pleased　to　seat　yourself？〃

His　napkin　being　unfolded；　he　saw　all　the　duchesses　and　princesses　still
standing；　and　rising　in　his　chair；　he　said　to　Madame　de　Saint…Simon
〃Madame；　I　have　already　begged　you　to　be　seated；〃　and　all　immediately
seated　themselves。　　On　the　morrow；　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　received　all　the
Court　in　her　bed　in　the　apartment　of　the　Duchesse　d'Arpajon；　as　being
more　handy；　being　on　the　ground　floor。　　Our　festivities　finished　by　a
supper　that　I　gave　to　the　former　friends　of　my　father；　whose　acquaintance
I　had　always　cultivated　with　great　care。

Almost　immediately　after　my　marriage　the　second　daughter　of　the　Marechal
de　Lorges　followed　i