the memoirs of louis xiv-15-第14部分

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would　be　seen　when　he　had　shaken　himself　a　little　in　dressing。　　There　was
still；　however；　much　to　be　seen　when　he　came　to　dress　himself。　　The
Regent　received　the　thanks　of　the　Duc　d'Humieres　with　an　astonished　and
heavy　air；　he　who　always　was　so　gracious　and　so　polite　to　everybody；　and
who　so　well　knew　how　to　express　himself；　scarcely　replied　to　him！　　A
moment　after；　M。　d'Humieres　and　I　withdrew。　　We　dined　with　the　Duc　de
Gesvres；　who　led　him　to　the　King　to　thank　his　Majesty。

The　condition　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　made　me　make　many　reflections。　　For
a　very　long　time　the　Secretaries　of　State　had　told　me　that　during　the
first　hours　of　the　morning　they　could　have　made　him　pass　anything　they
wished；　or　sign　what　might　have　been　the　most　hurtful　to　him。　　It　was　the
fruit　of　his　suppers。　　Within　the　last　year　he　himself　had　more　than　once
told　me　that　Chirac　doctored　him　unceasingly；　without　effect；　because　he
was　so　full　that　he　sat　down　to　table　every　evening　without　hunger；
without　any　desire　to　eat；　though　he　took　nothing　in　the　morning；　and
simply　a　cup　of　chocolate　between　one　and　two　o'clock　in　the　day　（before
everybody）；　it　being　then　the　time　to　see　him　in　public。　　I　had　not　kept
dumb　with　him　thereupon；　but　all　my　representations　were　perfectly
useless。　　I　knew　moreover；　that　Chirac　had　continually　told　him　that　the
habitual　continuance　of　his　suppers　would　lead　him　to　apoplexy；　or　dropsy
on　the　chest；　because　his　respiration　was　interrupted　at　times；　upon
which　he　had　cried　out　against　this　latter　malady；　which　was　a　slow；
suffocating；　annoying　preparation　for　death；　saying　that　he　preferred
apoplexy；　which　surprised　and　which　killed　at　once；　without　allowing　time
to　think　of　it！

Another　man；　instead　of　crying　out　against　this　kind　of　death　with　which
he　was　menaced；　and　of　preferring　another；　allowing　him　no　time　for
reflection；　would　have　thought　about　leading　a　sober；　healthy；　and　decent
life；　which；　with　the　temperament　he　had；　would　have　procured　him　a　very
long　time；　exceeding　agreeable　in　the　situationvery　probably　durable
in　which　he　found　himself；　but　such　was　the　double　blindness　of　this
unhappy　prince。

I　was　on　terms　of　much　intimacy　with　M。　de　Frejus；　and　since；　in　default
of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　there　must　be　another　master　besides　the　King；
until　he　could　take　command；　I　preferred　this　prelate　to　any　other。　　I
went　to　him；　therefore；　and　told　him　what　I　had　seen　this　morning　of　the
state　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans。　　I　predicted　that　his　death　must　soon　come；
and　that　it　would　arrive　suddenly；　without　warning。　　I　counselled　Frejus；
therefore；　to　have　all　his　arrangements　ready　with　the　King；　in　order　to
fill　up　the　Regent's　place　of　prime　minister　when　it　should　become
vacant。　　M。　de　Frejus　appeared　very　grateful　for　the　advice；　but　was
measured　and　modest　as　though　he　thought　the　post　much　above　him！

On　the　22nd　of　December；　1723；　I　went　from　Meudon　to　Versailles　to　see
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　I　was　three…quarters　of　an　hour　with　him　in　his
cabinet；　where　I　had　found　him　alone。　　We　walked　to　and　fro　there；
talking　of　affairs　of　which　he　was　going　to　give　an　account　to　the　King
that　day。　　I　found　no　difference　in　him；　his　state　was；　as　usual；　languid
and　heavy；　as　it　had　been　for　some　time；　but　his　judgment　was　clear　as
ever。　　I　immediately　returned　to　Meudon；　and　chatted　there　some　time　with
Madame　de　Saint…Simon　on　arriving。　　On　account　of　the　season　we　had
little　company。　　I　left　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　in　her　cabinet；　and　went
into　mine。

About　an　hour　after；　at　most；　I　heard　cries　and　a　sudden　uproar。　　I　ran
out　and　I　found　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　quite　terrified；　bringing　to　me　a
groom　of　the　Marquis　de　Ruffec；　who　wrote　to　me　from　Versailles；　that
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　was　in　a　apoplectic　fit。　　I　was　deeply　moved；　but　not
surprised；　I　had　expected　it；　as　I　have　shown；　for　a　long　time。
I　impatiently　waited　for　my　carriage；　which　was　a　long　while　coming；
on　account　of　the　distance　of　the　new　chateau　from　the　stables。　　I　flung
myself　inside；　and　was　driven　as　fast　as　possible。

At　the　park　gate　I　met　another　courier　from　M。　de　Ruffec；　who　stopped　me；
and　said　it　was　all　over。　　I　remained　there　more　than　half　an　hour
absorbed　in　grief　and　reflection。　　At　the　end　I　resolved　to　go　to
Versailles；　and　shut　myself　up　in　my　rooms；　I　learnt　there　the
particulars　of　the　event。

M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　everything　prepared　to　go　and　work　with　the　King。
While　waiting　the　hour；　he　chatted　with　Madame　Falari；　one　of　his
mistresses。　　They　were　close　to　each　other；　both　seated　in　armchairs；
when　suddenly　he　fell　against　her；　and　never　from　that　moment　had　the
slightest　glimmer　of　consciousness。

La　Falari；　frightened　as　much　as　may　be　imagined；　cried　with　all　her
might　for　help；　and　redoubled　her　cries。　　Seeing　that　nobody　replied；　she
supported　as　best　she　could　this　poor　prince　upon　the　contiguous　arms　of
the　two　chairs；　ran　into　the　grand　cabinet；　into　the　chamber；　into　the
ante…chambers；　without　finding　a　soul；　finally；　into　the　court　and　the
lower　gallery。　　It　was　the　hour　at　which　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　worked　with
the　King；　an　hour　when　people　were　sure　no　one　would　come　and　see　him；
and　that　he　had　no　need　of　them；　because　he　ascended　to　the　King's　room
by　the　little　staircase　from　his　vault；　that　is　to　say　his　wardrobe。　　At
last　La　Falari　found　somebody；　and　sent　the　first　who　came　to　hand　for
help。　　Chance；　or　rather　providence；　had　arranged　this　sad　event　at　a
time　when　everybody　was　ordinarily　away　upon　business　or　visits；　so　that
a　full　half…hour　elapsed　before　doctor　or　surgeon　appeared；　and　about　as
long　before　any　domestics　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　could　be　found。

As　soon　as　the　faculty　had　examined　the　Regent；　they　judged　his　case
hopeless。　　He　was　hastily　extended　upon　the　floor；　and　bled；　but　he　gave
not　the　slightest　sign　of　life；　do　what　they　might　to　him。　　In　an
instant；　after　the　first　announcement；　everybody　flocked　to　the　spot；　the
great　and　the　little　cabinet　were　full　of　people。　　In　less　than　two　hours
all　was　over；　and　little　by　little　the　solitude　became　as　great　as　the
crowd　had　been。　　As　soon　as　assistance　came；　La　Falari　flew　away　and
gained　Paris　as　quickly　as　possible。

La　Vrilliere　was　one　of　the　first　who　learnt　of　the　attack　of　apoplexy。
He　instantly　ran　and　informed　the　King　and　the　Bishop　of　Frejus。　　Then　M。
le　Duc；　like　a　skilful　courtier；　resolved　to　make　the　best　of　his　time；
he　at　once　ran　home　and　drew　up　at　all　hazards　the　patent　appointing　M。
le　Duc　prime　minister；　thinking　it　probable　that　that　prince　would　be
named。　　Nor　was　he　deceived。　　At　the　first　intelligence　of　apoplexy；
Frejus　proposed　M。　le　Duc　to　the　King；　having　probably　made　his
arrangements　in　advance。　　M。　le　Duc　arrived　soon　after；　and　entered　the
cabinet　where　he　saw　the　King；　looking　very　sad；　his　eyes　red　and
tearful。

Scarcely　had　he　entered　than　Frejus　said　aloud　to　the　King；　that　in　the
loss　he　had　sustained　by　the　death　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　（whom　he　very
briefly　eulogised）；　his　Majesty　could　not　do　better　than　beg　M。　le　Duc；
there　present；　to　charge　himself　with　everything；　and　accept　the　post　of
prime　minister　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　filled。　　The　King；　without　saying
a　word；　looked　at　Frejus；　and　consented　by　a　sign　of　the　head；　and　M。　le
Duc　uttered　his　thanks。

La　Vrilliere；　transported　with　joy　at　the　prompt　policy　he　had　followed；
had　in　his　pocket　the　form　of　an　oath　taken　by　the　prime　minister；　copied
from　that　taken　by　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　proposed　to　Frejus　to
administer　it　immediately。　　Frejus　proposed　it　to　the　King　as　a　fitting
thing；　and　M。　le　Duc　instantly　took　it。　　Shortly　after；　M。　le　Duc　went
away；　the　crowd　in　the　adjoining　rooms　augmented　his　suite；　and　in　a
moment　nothing　was　talked　of　but　M。　le　Duc。

M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres　（the　Regent's　son）；　very　awkward；　but　a　libertine；
was　at　Paris　with　an　opera　dancer　he　kept。　　He　received　the　courier　which
brought　him　the　news　of　the　apoplexy；　and　on　the　road　（to　Versailles）；
another　with　the　news　of　death。　　Upon　descending　from　his　coach；　he　found
no　crowd；　but　simply　the　Duc　de　Noailles；　and　De　Guiche；　who　very
'apertement'　offered　him　their　services；　and　all　they　could　do　for　him。
He　received　them　as　though　they　were　begging…messengers　whom　he　was　in　a
hurry　to　get　rid　of；　bolted　upstairs　to　his　mother；　to　whom　he　said　he
had　just　met　two　men　who　wished　to　bamboozle　him；　but　that　he　had　not
been　such　a　fool　as　to　let　them。　　This　remarkable　evidence　of
intelligence；　judgment；　and　policy；　promised　at　once　all　that　this　prince
has　since　performed。　　It　was　with　much　trouble　he　was　made　to　comprehend
that　he　had　acted　with　gross　stupidity；　he　continued；　nevertheless；　to
act　as　before。

He　was　not　less　of　a　cub　in　the　interview　I　shortly　afterwards　had　with
him。　　Feeling　it　my　duty　to　pay　a　visit　of　condolence　to　Madame　la
Duchesse　d'Orleans；　although　I　had　not　been　on　terms　of　intimacy　with　her
for　a　long　while；　I　sent　a　message　to　her　to　learn　whether　my　presence
would　be　agreeable。　　I　was　told　that　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans　would
be　very　glad　to　see　me。　　I　accordingly　immediately　went　to　her。

I　found　her　in　bed；　with　a　few　ladies　and　her　chief　officers　around；　and
M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres　making　decorum　do　double　duty　for　grief。　　As　soon
as　I　approached　her　she　spoke　to　me　of　the　grievous　misfortunenot　a
word　of　our　private　differences。　　I　had　stipulated　thus。　　M。　le　Duc　de
Chartres　went　away　to　his　own　rooms。　　Our　dragging　conversation　I　put　an
end　to　as　soon　as　possible。

From　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans　I　went　to　M。　le　Duc　de　Chartres。　　He
occupied　the　room　his　father　had　used　before　being　Regent。　　They　told　me
he　was　engaged。　　I　went　again　three　times　during　the　same　morning。　　At
the　last　his　valet　de　chambre　was　ashamed；　and　apprised　him　of　my　visit；
in　despite　of　me。　　He　came　across　the　threshold　of　the　door　of　his
cabinet；　where　he　had　been　occupied　with　some　very　common　people；　they
were　just　the　sort　of　people　suited　to　him。

I　saw　a　man　before　me　stupefied　and　dumfounded；　not　afflicted；　but　so
embarrassed　that　he　knew　not　where　he　was。　　I　paid　him　the　strongest；　the
clearest；　the　most　energeti