the memoirs of louis xiv-01-第7部分

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plans　as　though　he　had　been　at　Versailles。

During　the　entire　siege；　the　Prince　of　Orange　（William　III。　of　England）
had　unavailingly　used　all　his　science　to　dislodge　the　Duc　de　Luxembourg；
but　he　had　to　do　with　a　man　who　in　matters　of　war　was　his　superior；　and
who　continued　so　all　his　life。　　Namur；　which；　by　the　surrender　of　the
castle；　was　now　entirely　in　our　power；　was　one　of　the　strongest　places　in
the　Low　Countries；　and　had　hitherto　boasted　of　having　never　changed
masters。　　The　inhabitants　could　not　restrain　their　tears　of　sorrow。　　Even
the　monks　of　Marlaigne　were　profoundly　moved；　so　much　so；　that　they　could
not　disguise　their　grief。　　The　King；　feeling　for　the　loss　of　their　corn
that　they　had　sent　for　safety　into　Namur；　gave　them　double　the　quantity；
and　abundant　alms。　　He　incommoded　them　as　little　as　possible；　and　would
not　permit　the　passage　of　cannon　across　their　park；　until　it　was　found
impossible　to　transport　it　by　any　other　road。　　Notwithstanding　these　acts
of　goodness；　they　could　scarcely　look　upon　a　Frenchman　after　the　taking
of　the　place；　and　one　actually　refused　to　give　a　bottle　of　beer　to　an
usher　of　the　King's　antechamber；　although　offered　a　bottle　of　champagne
in　exchange　for　it！

A　circumstance　happened　just　after　the　taking　of　Namur；　which　might　have
led　to　the　saddest　results；　under　any　other　prince　than　the　King。　　Before
he　entered　the　town；　a　strict　examination　of　every　place　was　made；
although　by　the　capitulation　all　the　mines；　magazines；　&c。；　had　to　be
shown。　　At　a　visit　paid　to　the　Jesuits；　they　pretended　to　show
everything；　expressing；　however；　surprise　and　something　more；　that　their
bare　word　was　not　enough。　　But　on　examining　here　and　there；　where　they
did　not　expect　search　would　be　made；　their　cellars　were　found　to　be
stored　with　gunpowder；　of　which　they　had　taken　good　care　to　say　no　word。
What　they　meant　to　do　with　it　is　uncertain。　　It　was　carried　away；　and　as
they　were　Jesuits　nothing　was　done。

During　the　course　of　this　siege；　the　King　suffered　a　cruel
disappointment。　　James　II。　of　England；　then　a　refugee　in　France；　had
advised　the　King　to　give　battle　to　the　English　fleet。　　Joined　to　that　of
Holland　it　was　very　superior　to　the　sea　forces　of　France。　　Tourville；　our
admiral；　so　famous　for　his　valour　and　skill；　pointed　this　circumstance
out　to　the　King。　　But　it　was　all　to　no　effect。　　He　was　ordered　to　attack
the　enemy。　　He　did　so。　　Many　of　his　ships　were　burnt；　and　the　victory　was
won　by　the　English。　　A　courier　entrusted　with　this　sad　intelligence　was
despatched　to　the　King。　　On　his　way　he　was　joined　by　another　courier；　who
pressed　him　for　his　news。　　The　first　courier　knew　that　if　he　gave　up　his
news；　the　other；　who　was　better　mounted；　would　outstrip　him；　and　be　the
first　to　carry　it　to　the　King。　　He　told　his　companion；　therefore；　an　idle
tale；　very　different　indeed　from　the　truth；　for　he　changed　the　defeat
into　a　great　victory。　　Having　gained　this　wonderful　intelligence；　the
second　courier　put　spurs　to　his　horse；　and　hurried　away　to　the　King's
camp；　eager　to　be　the　bearer　of　good　tidings。　　He　reached　the　camp　first；
and　was　received　with　delight。　　While　his　Majesty　was　still　in　great　joy
at　his　happy　victory；　the　other　courier　arrived　with　the　real　details。
The　Court　appeared　prostrated。　　The　King　was　much　afflicted。
Nevertheless　he　found　means　to　appear　to　retain　his　self…possession；　and
I　saw；　for　the　first　time；　that　Courts　are　not　long　in　affliction　or
occupied　with　sadness。　　I　must　mention　that　the　（exiled）　King　of　England
looked　on　at　this　naval　battle　from　the　shore；　and　was　accused　of
allowing　expressions　of　partiality　to　escape　him　in　favour　of　his
countrymen；　although　none　had　kept　their　promises　to　him。

Two　days　after　the　defeated　garrison　had　marched　out；　the　King　went　to
Dinant；　to　join　the　ladies；　with　whom　he　returned　to　Versailles。　　I　had
hoped　that　Monseigneur　would　finish　the　campaign；　and　that　I　should　be
with　him；　and　it　was　not　without　regret　that　I　returned　towards　Paris。
On　the　way　a　little　circumstance　happened。　　One　of　our　halting…places　was
Marienburgh；　where　we　camped　for　the　night。　　I　had　become　united　in
friendship　with　Comte　de　Coetquen；　who　was　in　the　same　company　with
myself。　　He　was　well　instructed　and　full　of　wit；　was　exceedingly　rich；
and　even　more　idle　than　rich。　　That　evening　he　had　invited　several　of　us
to　supper　in　his　tent。　　I　went　there　early；　and　found　him　stretched　out
upon　his　bed；　from　which　I　dislodged　him　playfully　and　laid　myself　down
in　his　place；　several　of　our　officers　standing　by。　　Coetquen；　sporting
with　me　in　return；　took　his　gun；　which　he　thought　to　be　unloaded；　and
pointed　it　at　me。　　But　to　our　great　surprise　the　weapon　went　off。
Fortunately　for　me；　I　was　at　that　moment　lying　flat　upon　the　bed。　　Three
balls　passed　just　above　my　head；　and　then　just　above　the　heads　of　our　two
tutors；　who　were　walking　outside　the　tent。　　Coetquen　fainted　at　thought
of　the　mischief　he　might　have　done；　and　we　had　all　the　pains　in　the　world
to　bring　him　to　himself　again。　Indeed；　he　did　not　thoroughly　recover　for
several　days。　　I　relate　this　as　a　lesson　which　ought　to　teach　us　never
to　play　with　fire…arms。

The　poor　lad；to　finish　at　once　all　that　concerns　him；did　not　long
survive　this　incident。　　He　entered　the　King's　regiment；　and　when　just
upon　the　point　of　joining　it　in　the　following　spring；　came　to　me　and　said
he　had　had　his　fortune　told　by　a　woman　named　Du　Perehoir；　who　practised
her　trade　secretly　at　Paris；　and　that　she　had　predicted　he　would　be　soon
drowned。　　I　rated　him　soundly　for　indulging　a　curiosity　so　dangerous　and
so　foolish。　　A　few　days　after　he　set　out　for　Amiens。　　He　found　another
fortune…teller　there；　a　man；　who　made　the　same　prediction。　　In　marching
afterwards　with　the　regiment　of　the　King　to　join　the　army；　he　wished　to
water　his　horse　in　the　Escaut；　and　was　drowned　there；　in　the　presence　of
the　whole　regiment；　without　it　being　possible　to　give　him　any　aid。　I　felt
extreme　regret　for　his　loss；　which　for　his　friends　and　his　family　was
irreparable。

But　I　must　go　back　a　little；　and　speak　of　two　marriages　that　took　place
at　the　commencement　of　this　year　the　first　（most　extraordinary）　on　the
18th　February　the　other　a　month　after。




CHAPTER　II。

The　King　was　very　anxious　to　establish　his　illegitimate　children；　whom　he
advanced　day　by　day；　and　had　married　two　of　them；　daughters；　to　Princes
of　the　blood。　　One　of　these；　the　Princesse　de　Conti；　only　daughter　of　the
King　and　Madame　de　la　Valliere；　was　a　widow　without　children；　the　other；
eldest　daughter　of　the　King　and　Madame　de　Montespan；　had　married　Monsieur
le　Duc　（Louis　de　Bourbon；　eldest　son　of　the　Prince　de　Conde）。　　For　some
time　past　Madame　de　Maintenon；　even　more　than　the　King；　had　thought　of
nothing　else　than　how　to　raise　the　remaining　illegitimate　children；　and
wished　to　marry　Mademoiselle　de　Blois　（second　daughter　of　the　King　and　of
Madame　de　Montespan）　to　Monsieur　the　Duc　de　Chartres。　　The　Duc　de
Chartres　was　the　sole　nephew　of　the　King；　and　was　much　above　the　Princes
of　the　blood　by　his　rank　of　Grandson　of　France；　and　by　the　Court　that
Monsieur　his　father　kept　up。

The　marriages　of　the　two　Princes　of　the　blood；　of　which　I　have　just
spoken；　had　scandalised　all　the　world。　　The　King　was　not　ignorant　of
this；　and　he　could　thus　judge　of　the　effect　of　a　marriage　even　more
startling；　such　as　was　this　proposed　one。　　But　for　four　years　he　had
turned　it　over　in　his　mind　and　had　even　taken　the　first　steps　to　bring　it
about。　　It　was　the　more　difficult　because　the　father　of　the　Duc　de
Chartres　was　infinitely　proud　of　his　rank；　and　the　mother　belonged　to　a
nation　which　abhorred　illegitimacy　and；　misalliances；　and　was　indeed　of　a
character　to　forbid　all　hope　of　her　ever　relishing　this　marriage。

In　order　to　vanquish　all　these　obstacles；　the　King　applied　to　M。　le　Grand
（Louis　de　Lorraine）。　　This　person　was　brother　of　the　Chevalier　de
Lorraine；　the　favourite；　by　disgraceful　means；　of　Monsieur；　father　of　the
Duc　de　Chartres。　　The　two　brothers；　unscrupulous　and　corrupt；　entered
willingly　into　the　scheme；　but　demanded　as　a　reward；　paid　in　advance；　to
be　made　〃Chevaliers　of　the　Order。〃　　This　was　done；　although　somewhat
against　the　inclination　of　the　King；　and　success　was　promised。

The　young　Duc　de　Chartres　had　at　that　time　for　teacher　Dubois　（afterwards
the　famous　Cardinal　Dubois）；　whose　history　was　singular。　　He　had　formerly
been　a　valet；　but　displaying　unusual　aptitude　for　learning；　had　been
instructed　by　his　master　in　literature　and　history；　and　in　due　time
passed　into　the　service　of　Saint　Laurent；　who　was　the　Duc　de　Chartres'
first　instructor。　　He　became　so　useful　and　showed　so　much　skill；　that
Saint　Laurent　made　him　become　an　abbe。　　Thus　raised　in　position；　he
passed　much　time　with　the　Duc　de　Chartres；　assisting　him　to　prepare　his
lessons；　to　write　his　exercises；　and　to　look　out　words　in　the　dictionary。
I　have　seen　him　thus　engaged　over　and　over　again；　when　I　used　to　go　and
play　with　the　Duc　de　Chartres。　　As　Saint　Laurent　grew　infirm；　Dubois
little　by　little　supplied　his　place；　supplied　it　well　too；　and　yet
pleased　the　young　Duke。　　When　Saint　Laurent　died　Dubois　aspired　to
succeed　him。　　He　had　paid　his　court　to　the　Chevalier　de　Lorraine；　by
whose　influence　he　was　much　aided　in　obtaining　his　wish。　　When　at　last
appointed　successor　to　Saint　Laurent；　I　never　saw　a　man　so　glad；　nor　with
more　reason。　　The　extreme　obligation　he　was　under　to　the　Chevalier　de
Lorraine；　and　still　more　the　difficulty　of　maintaining　himself　in　his　new
position；　attached　him　more　and　more　to　his　protector。

It　was；　then；　Dubois　that　the　Chevalier　de　Lorraine　made　use　of　to　gain
the　consent　of　the　young　Duc　de　Chartres　to　the　marriage　proposed　by　the
King。　　Dubois　had；　in　fact；　gained　the　Duke's　confidence；　which　it　was
easy　to　do　at　that　age；　had　made　him　afraid　of　his　father　and　of　the
King；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　had　filled　him　with　fine　hopes　and
expectations。　　All　that　Dubois　could　do；　however；　when　he　broke　the
matter　of　the　marriage　to　the　young　Duke；　was　to　ward　off　a　direct
refusal；　but　that　was　sufficient　for　the　success　of　the　enterprise。
Monsieur　was　already　gained；　and　as　soon　as