the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第6部分

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my　leading…strings；　but　pass　lightly　over　the　artifices　I　used　in　order
to　attain　success。　　I　addressed　myself　to　my　mother。　　I　soon　saw　that　she
trifled　with　me。　　I　had　recourse　to　my　father；　whom　I　made　believe　that
the　King；　having　led　a　great　siege　this　year；　would　rest　the　next。
I　said　nothing　of　this　to　my　mother；　who　did　not　discover　my　plot　until
it　was　just　upon　the　point；　of　execution。

The　King　had　determined　rigidly　to　adhere　to　a　rule　he　had　laid　down
namely；　that　none　who　entered　the　service；　except　his　illegitimate
children；　and　the　Princes　of　the　blood　royal；　should　be　exempt　from
serving　for　a　year　in　one　of　his　two　companies　of　musketeers；　and　passing
afterwards　through　the　ordeal　of　being　private　or　subaltern　in　one　of　the
regiments　of　cavalry　or　infantry；　before　receiving　permission　to　purchase
a　regiment。　　My　father　took　me；　therefore；　to　Versailles；　where　he　had
not　been　for　many　years；　and　begged　of　the　King　admission　for　me　into　the
Musketeers。　　It　was　on　the　day　of　St。　Simon　and　St。　Jude；　at　half…past
twelve；　and　just　as　his　Majesty　came　out　of　the　council。

The　King　did　my　father　the　honour　of　embracing　him　three　times；　and　then
turned　towards　me。　　Finding　that　I　was　little　and　of　delicate　appearance；
he　said　I　was　still　very　young；　to　which　my　father　replied；　that　I　should
be　able　in　consequence　to　serve　longer。　　Thereupon　the　King　demanded　in
which　of　the　two　companies　he　wished　to　put　me；　and　my　father　named　that
commanded　by　Maupertuis；　who　was　one　of　his　friends。　　The　King　relied
much　upon　the　information　given　him　by　the　captains　of　the　two　companies
of　Musketeers；　as　to　the　young　men　who　served　in　them。　　I　have　reason　for
believing；　that　I　owe　to　Maupertuis　the　first　good　opinion　that　his
Majesty　had　of　me。

Three　months　after　entering　the　Musketeers；　that　is　to　say；　in　the　March
of　the　following　year；　the　King　held　a　review　of　his　guards；　and　of　the
gendarmerie；　at　Compiegne；　and　I　mounted　guard　once　at　the　palace。
During　this　little　journey　there　was　talk　of　a　much　more　important　one。
My　joy　was　extreme；　but　my　father；　who　had　not　counted　upon　this；
repented　of　having　believed　me；　when　I　told　him　that　the　King　would　no
doubt　rest　at　Paris　this　year。　　My　mother；　after　a　little　vexation　and
pouting　at　finding　me　enrolled　by　my　father　against　her　will；　did　not
fail　to　bring　him　to　reason；　and　to　make　him　provide　me　with　an　equipment
of　thirty…five　horses　or　mules；　and　means　to　live　honourably。

A　grievous　annoyance　happened　in　our　house　about　three　weeks　before　my
departure。　　A　steward　of　my　father　named　Tesse；　who　had　been　with　him
many　years；　disappeared　all　at　once　with　fifty　thousand　francs　due　to
various　tradesfolk。　　He　had　written　out　false　receipts　from　these　people；
and　put　them　in　his　accounts。　　He　was　a　little　man；　gentle；　affable；　and
clever；　who　had　shown　some　probity；　and　who　had　many　friends。

The　King　set　out　on　the　l0th　of　May；　1692；　with　the　ladies；　and　I
performed　the　journey　on　horseback　with　the　soldiers　and　all　the
attendants；　like　the　other　Musketeers；　and　continued　to　do　so　through　the
whole　campaign。　　I　was　accompanied　by　two　gentlemen；　the　one　had　been　my
tutor；　the　other　was　my　mother's　squire。　　The　King's　army　was　formed　at
the　camp　of　Gevries；　that　of　M。　de　Luxembourg　almost　joined　it：　The
ladies　were　at　Mons；　two　leagues　distant。　　The　King　made　them　come　into
his　camp；　where　he　entertained　them；　and　then　showed　them；　perhaps；　the
most　superb　review　which　had　ever　been　seen。　　The　two　armies　were　ranged
in　two　lines；　the　right　of　M。　de　Luxembourg's　touching　the　left　of　the
King's；the　；whole　extending　over　three　leagues　of　ground。

After　stopping　ten　days　at　Gevries；　the　two　armies　separated　and　marched。
Two　days　afterwards　the　seige　of　Namur　was　declared。　　The　King　arrived
there　in　five　days。　　Monseigneur　（son　of　the　King）；　Monsieur　（Duc
d'Orleans；　brother　of　the　King）；　M。　le　Prince　（de　Conde）　and　Marechal
d'Humieres；　all　four；　the　one　under　the　other；　commanded　in　the　King's
army　under　the　King　himself。　　The　Duc　de　Luxembourg；　sole　general　of　his
own　army；　covered　the　siege　operations；　and　observed　the　enemy。　　The
ladies　went　away　to　Dinant。　　On　the　third　day　of　the　march　M。　le　Prince
went　forward　to　invest　the　place。

The　celebrated　Vauban；　the　life　and　soul　of　all　the　sieges　the　King　made；
was　of　opinion　that　the　town　should　be　attacked　separately　from　the
castle；　and　his　advice　was　acted　upon。　　The　Baron　de　Bresse；　however；
who　had　fortified　the　place；　was　for　attacking　town　and　castle　together。
He　was　a　humble　down…looking　man；　whose　physiognomy　promised　nothing；　but
who　soon　acquired　the　confidence　of　the　King；　and　the　esteem　of　the　army。

The　Prince　de　Conde；　Marechal　d'Humieres；　and　the　Marquis　de　Boufflers
each　led　an　attack。　　There　was　nothing　worthy　of　note　during　the　ten　days
the　siege　lasted。　　On　the　eleventh　day；　after　the　trenches　had　been
opened；　a　parley　was　beaten　and　a　capitulation　made　almost　as　the
besieged　desired　it。　　They　withdrew　to　the　castle；　and　it　was　agreed　that
it　should　not　be　attacked　from　the　town…side；　and　that　the　town　was　not
to　be　battered　by　it。　　During　the　siege　the　King　was　almost　always　in　his
tent；　and　the　weather　remained　constantly　warm　and　serene。　　We　lost
scarcely　anybody　of　consequence。　　The　Comte　de　Toulouse　received　a　slight
wound　in　the　arm　while　quite　close　to　the　King；　who　from　a　prominent
place　was　witnessing　the　attack　of　a　half…moon；　which　was　carried　in
broad　daylight　by　a　detachment　of　the　oldest　of　the　two　companies　of
Musketeers。

The　siege　of　the　castle　next　commenced。　　The　position　of　the　camp　was
changed。　　The　King's　tents　and　those　of　all　the　Court　were　pitched　in　a
beautiful　meadow　about　five　hundred　paces　from　the　monastery　of
Marlaigne。　　The　fine　weather　changed　to　rain；　which　fell　with　an
abundance　and　perseverance　never　before　known　by　any　one　in　the　army。
This　circumstance　increased　the　reputation　of　Saint　Medard；　whose　fete
falls　on　the　8th　of　June。　　It　rained　in　torrents　that　day；　and　it　is　said
that　when　such　is　the　case　it　will　rain　for　forty　days　afterwards。　　By
chance　it　happened　so　this　year。　　The　soldiers　in　despair　at　this　deluge
uttered　many　imprecations　against　the　Saint；　and　looked　for　images　of
him；　burning　and　breaking　as　many　as　they　could　find。　　The　rains　sadly
interfered　with　the　progress　of　the　siege。　　The　tents　of　the　King　could
only　be　communicated　with　by　paths　laid　with　fascines　which　required　to
be　renewed　every　day；　as　they　sank　down　into　the　soil。　　The　camps　and
quarters　were　no　longer　accessible；　the　trenches　were　full　of　mud　and
water；　and　it　took　often　three　days　to　remove　cannon　from　one　battery　to
another。　　The　waggons　became　useless；　too；　so　that　the　transport　of
bombs；　shot；　and　so　forth；　could　not　be　performed　except　upon　the　backs
of　mules　and　of　horses　taken　from　the　equipages　of　the　Court　and　the
army。　　The　state　of　the　roads　deprived　the　Duc　de　Luxembourg　of　the　use
of　waggons　and　other　vehicles。　　His　army　was　perishing　for　want　of　grain。
To　remedy　this　inconvenience　the　King　ordered　all　his　household　troops　to
mount　every　day　on　horseback　by　detachments；　and　to　take　sacks　of　grain
upon　their　cruppers　to　a　village　where　they　were　to　be　received　and
counted　by　the　officers　of　the　Duc　de　Luxembourg。　　Although　the　household
of　the　King　had　scarcely　any　repose　during　this　siege；　what　with　carrying
fascines；　furnishing　guards；　and　other　daily　services；　this　increase　of
duty　was　given　to　it　because　the　cavalry　served　continually　also；　and　was
reduced　almost　entirely　to　leaves　of　trees　for　provender。

The　household　of　the　King；　accustomed　to　all　sorts　of　distinctions；
complained　bitterly　of　this　task。　　But　the　King　turned　a　deaf　ear　to
them；　and　would　be　obeyed。　　On　the　first　day　some　of　the　Gendarmes　and　of
the　light　horse　of　the　guard　arrived　early　in　the　morning　at　the　depot　of
the　sacks；　and　commenced　murmuring　and　exciting　each　other　by　their
discourses。　　They　threw　down　the　sacks　at　last　and　flatly　refused　to
carry　them。　　I　had　been　asked　very　politely　if　I　would　be　of　the
detachment　for　the　sacks　or　of　some　other。　　I　decided　for　the　sacks；
because　I　felt　that　I　might　thereby　advance　myself；　the　subject　having
already　made　much　noise。　　I　arrived　with　the　detachment　of　the　Musketeers
at　the　moment　of　the　refusal　of　the　others；　and　I　loaded　my　sack　before
their　eyes。　　Marin；　a　brigadier　of　cavalry　and　lieutenant　of　the　body
guards；　who　was　there　to　superintend　the　operation；　noticed　me；　and　full
of　anger　at　the　refusal　he　had　just　met　with；　exclaimed　that　as　I　did　not
think　such　work　beneath　me；　the　rest　would　do　well　to　imitate　my　example。
Without　a　word　being　spoken　each　took　up　his　sack；　and　from　that　time
forward　no　further　difficulty　occurred　in　the　matter。　　As　soon　as　the
detachment　had　gone；　Marin　went　straight　to　the　King　and　told　him　what
had　occurred。　　This　was　a　service　which　procured　for　me　several　obliging
discourses　from　his　Majesty；　who　during　the　rest　of　the　siege　always
sought　to　say　something　agreeable　every　time　he　met　me。

The　twenty…seventh　day　after　opening　the　trenches；　that　is；　the　first　of
July；　1692；　a　parley　was　sounded　by　the　Prince　de　Barbanqon；　governor　of
the　place；　a　fortunate　circumstance　for　the　besiegers；　who　were　worn
out　with　fatigue；　and　destitute　of　means；　on　account　of　the　wretched
weather　which　still　continued；　and　which　had　turned　the　whole　country
round　into　a　quagmire。　　Even　the　horses　of　the　King　lived　upon　leaves；
and　not　a　horse　of　all　our　numerous　cavalry　ever　thoroughly　recovered
from　the　effects　of　such　sorry　fare。　　It　is　certain　that　without　the
presence　of　the　King　the　siege　might　never　have　been　successful；　but　he
being　there；　everybody　was　stimulated。　　Yet　had　the　place　held　out　ten
days　longer；　there　is　no　saying　what　might　have　happened。　　Before　the　end
of　the　siege　the　King　was　so　much　fatigued　with　his　exertions；　that　a　new
attack　of　gout　came　on；　with　more　pain　than　ever；　and　compelled　him　to
keep　his　bed；　where；　however；　he　thought　of　everything；　and　laid　out　his
plans　as　though　he　had　been　at　Versailles。

During　the　entire　siege；　the　Prince　of　Orange　（William　III。　of