the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第16部分

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cool；　that　they　did　not　take　arms；　and　that　with　a　little　patience　all　would　be　well　again。

There　is　nothing　so　dangerous　as　flattery　at　a　juncture　where　he　that　is　flattered　is　in　fear；　because　the　desire　he　has　not　to　be　terrified　inclines　him　to　believe　anything　that　hinders　him　from　applying　any　remedy　to　what　he　is　afraid　of。　　The　news　that　was　brought　every　moment　made　them　trifle　away　that　time　which　should　have　been　employed　for　the　preservation　of　the　State。　　Old　Guitaut；　a　man　of　no　great　sense；　but　heartily　well　affected；　was　more　impatient　than　all　the　rest；　and　said　that　he　did　not　conceive　how　it　was　possible　for　people　to　be　asleep　in　the　present　state　of　affairs；　he　muttered　something　more　which　I　could　not　well　hear；　but　it　seemed　to　bear　very　hard　upon　the　Cardinal；　who　owed　him　no　goodwill。

The　Cardinal　answered；　〃Well；　M。　Guitaut；　what　would　you　have　us　do？〃

Guitaut　said；　very　bluntly；　〃Let　the　old　rogue　Broussel　be　restored　to　the　people；　either　dead　or　alive。〃

I　said　that　to　restore　him　dead　was　inconsistent　with　the　Queen's　piety　and　prudence；　but　to　restore　him　alive　would　probably　put　a　stop　to　the　tumult。

At　these　words　the　Queen　reddened；　and　cried　aloud；　〃I　understand　you；　M。　le　Coadjutor。　　You　would　have　me　set　Broussel　at　liberty；　but　I　will　strangle　him　sooner　with　these　hands；〃throwing　her　head　as　it　were　into　my　face　at　the　last　word；　〃and　those　who〃

The　Cardinal；　believing　that　she　was　going　to　say　all　to　me　that　rage　could　inspire；　advanced　and　whispered　in　her　ear；　upon　which　she　became　composed　to　such　a　degree　that；　had　I　not　known　her　too　well；　I　should　have　thought　her　at　her　ease。　　The　lieutenant　de　police　came　that　instant　into　the　Cabinet　with　a　deadly　pale　aspect。　　I　never　saw　fear　so　well　and　ridiculously　represented　in　any　Italian　comedy　as　the　fright　which　he　appeared　in　before　the　Queen。　　How　admirable　is　the　sympathy　of　fearful　souls！　　Neither　the　Cardinal　nor　the　Queen　were　much　moved　at　what　M。　de　La　Meilleraye　had　strongly　urged　on　them；　but　the　fears　of　the　lieutenant　seized　them　like　an　infection；　so　that　they　were　all　on　a　sudden　metamorphosed。　　They　ridiculed　me　no　longer；　and　suffered　it　to　be　debated　whether　or　no　it　was　expedient　to　restore　Broussel　to　the　people　before　they　took　arms；　as　they　had　threatened　to　do。　　Here　I　reflected　that　it　is　more　natural　to　the　passion　of　fear　to　consult　than　to　determine。

The　Cardinal　proposed　that　I；　as　the　fittest　person；　should　go　and　assure　the　people　that　the　Queen　would　consent　to　the　restoration　of　Broussel；　provided　they　would　disperse。　　I　saw　the　snare；　but　could　not　get　away　from　it；　the　rather　because　Meilleraye　dragged　me；　as　it　were；　to　go　along　with　him；telling　her　Majesty　that　he　would　dare　to　appear　in　the　streets　in　my　company；　and　that　he　did　not　question　but　we　should　do　wonders。　　I　said　that　I　did　not　doubt　it　either；　provided　the　Queen　would　order　a　promise　to　be　drawn　in　due　form　for　restoring　the　prisoners；　because　I　had　not　credit　enough　with　the　people　to　be　believed　upon　my　bare　word。　　They　praised　my　modesty；　Meilleraye　was　assured　of　success；　and　they　said　the　Queen's　word　was　better　than　all　writings　whatsoever。　In　a　word；　I　was　made　the　catspaw；　and　found　myself　under　the　necessity　of　acting　the　most　ridiculous　part　that　perhaps　ever　fell　to　any　man's　share。　　I　endeavoured　to　reply；　but　the　Duc　d'Orleans　pushed　me　out　gently　with　both　hands；　saying；　〃Go　and　restore　peace　to　the　State；〃　and　the　Marshal　hurried　me　away；　the　Life…guards　carrying　me　along　in　their　arms；　and　telling　me　that　none　but　myself　could　remedy　this　evil。　　I　went　out　in　my　rochet　and　camail；　dealing　out　benedictions　to　the　people　on　my　right　and　left；　preaching　obedience；　exerting　all　my　endeavours　to　appease　the　tumult；　and　telling　them　the　Queen　had　assured　me　that；　provided　they　would　disperse；　she　would　restore　Broussel。

The　violence　of　the　Marshal　hardly　gave　me　time　to　express　myself；　for　he　instantly　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　Horse…guards；　and；　advancing　sword　in　hand；　cried　aloud；　〃God　bless　the　King；　and　liberty　to　Broussel！〃　but　being　seen　more　than　he　was　heard；　his　drawn　sword　did　more　harm　than　his　proclaiming　liberty　to　Broussel　did　good。　　The　people　took　to　their　arms　and　had　an　encounter　with　the　Marshal；　upon　which　I　threw　myself　into　the　crowd；　and　expecting　that　both　sides　would　have　some　regard　to　my　robes　and　dignity；　the　Marshal　ordered　the　Light…horse　to　fire　no　more；　and　the　citizens　with　whom　he　was　engaged　held　their　hands；　but　others　of　them　continued　firing　and　throwing　stones；　by　one　of　which　I　was　knocked　down；　and　had　no　sooner　got　up　than　a　citizen　was　going　to　knock　me　down　with　a　musket。　　Though　I　did　not　know　his　name；　yet　I　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　cry　out；　〃Forbear；　wretch；　if　thy　father　did　but　see　thee〃　He　thereupon　concluded　I　knew　his　father　very　well；　though　I　had　never　seen　him；　and　I　believe　that　made　him　the　more　curious　to　survey　me；　when；　taking　particular　notice　of　my　robes；　he　asked　me　if　I　was　the　Coadjutor。　　Upon　which　I　was　presently　made　known　to　the　whole　body；　followed　by　the　multitude　which　way　soever　I　went；　and　met　with　a　body　of　ruffians　all　in　arms；　whom；　with　abundance　of　flattery；　caresses；　entreaties；　and　menaces；　I　prevailed　on　to　lay　down　their　weapons；　and　it　was　this　which　saved　the　city；　for　had　they　continued　in　arms　till　night；　the　city　had　certainly　been　plundered。

I　went　accompanied　by　30；000　or　40；000　men　without　arms；　and　met　the　Marechal　de　La　Meilleraye；　who　I　thought　would　have　stifled　me　with　embraces；　and　who　said　these　very　words：　〃I　am　foolhardy　and　brutal；　I　had　like　to　have　ruined　the　State；　and　you　have　saved　it；　come；　let　us　go　to　the　Queen　and　talk　to　her　like　true；　honest　Frenchmen；　and　let　us　set　down　the　day　of　the　month；　that　when　the　King　comes　of　age　our　testimony　may　be　the　means　of　hanging　up　those　pests　of　the　State；　those　infamous　flatterers；　who　pretended　to　the　Queen　that　this　affair　was　but　a　trifle。〃　　To　the　Queen　he　presently　hurried　me；　and　said　to　her；　〃Here　is　a　man　that　has　not　only　saved　my　life；　but　your　Guards　and　the　whole　Court。〃

The　Queen　gave　an　odd　smile　which　I　did　not　very　well　like；　but　I　would　not　seem　to　take　any　notice　of　it；　and　to　stop　Meilleraye　in　his　encomium　upon　me；　I　assumed　the　discourse　myself；　and　said；　〃Madame；　we　are　not　come　upon　my　account；　but　to　tell　you　that　the　city　of　Paris；　disarmed　and　submissive；　throws　herself　at　your　Majesty's　feet。〃

〃Not　so　submissive　as　guilty；〃　replied　the　Queen；　with　a　face　full　of　fire；　〃if　the　people　were　so　raging　as　I　was　made　to　believe；　how　came　they　to　be　so　soon　subdued？〃

The　Marshal　fell　into　a　passion；　and　said；　with　an　oath；　〃Madame；　an　honest　man　cannot　flatter　you　when　things　are　come　to　such　an　extremity。　If　you　do　not　set　Broussel　at　liberty　this　very　day；　there　will　not　be　left　one　stone　upon　another　in　Paris　by　tomorrow　morning。〃

I　was　going　to　support　what　the　Marshal　had　said；　but　the　Queen　stopped　my　mouth　by　telling　me；　with　an　air　of　banter；　〃Go　to　rest；　sir；　you　have　done　a　mighty　piece　of　work。〃

When　I　returned　home；　I　found　an　incredible　number　of　people　expecting　me；　who　forced　me　to　get　upon　the　top　of　my　coach　to　give　them　an　account　of　what　success　I　had　had　at　Court。　　I　told　them　that　the　Queen　had　declared　her　satisfaction　in　their　submission；　and　that　she　told　me　it　was　the　only　method　they　could　have　taken　for　the　deliverance　of　the　prisoners。　　I　added　other　persuasives　to　pacify　the　commonalty；　and　they　dispersed　the　sooner　because　it　was　supper…time；　for　you　must　know　that　the　people　of　Paris；　even　those　that　are　the　busiest　in　all　such　commotions；　do　not　care　to　lose　their　meals。

I　began　to　perceive　that　I　had　engaged　my　reputation　too　far　in　giving　the　people　any　grounds　to　hope　for　the　liberation　of　Broussel；　though　I　had　particularly　avoided　giving　them　my　word　of　honour；　and　I　apprehended　that　the　Court　would　lay　hold　of　this　occasion　to　destroy　me　effectually　in　the　opinion　of　the　people　by　making　them　believe　that　I　acted　in　concert　with　the　Court　only；　to　amuse　and　deceive　them。

While　I　was　making　these　and　the　like　reflections；　Montresor　came　and　told　me　that　I　was　quite　mistaken　if　I　thought　to　be　a　great　gainer　by　the　late　expedition；　that　the　Queen　was　not　pleased　with　my　proceedings；　and　that　the　Court　was　persuaded　that　I　did　what　lay　in　my　power　to　promote　the　insurrection。　　I　confess　I　gave　no　credit　to　what　Montresor　said；　for　though　I　saw　they　made　a　jest　of　me　in　the　Queen's　Cabinet；　I　hoped　that　their　malice　did　not　go　so　far　as　to　diminish　the　merit　of　the　service　I　had　rendered；　and　never　imagined　that　they　could　be　capable　of　turning　it　into　a　crime。　　Laigues；　too；　came　from　Court　and　told　me　that　I　was　publicly　laughed　at；　and　charged　with　having　fomented　the　insurrection　instead　of　appeasing　it；　that　I　had　been　ridiculed　two　whole　hours　and　exposed　to　the　smart　raillery　of　Beautru；　to　the　buffoonery　of　Nogent；　to　the　pleasantries　of　La　Riviere；　to　the　false　compassion　of　the　Cardinal；　and　to　the　loud　laughter　of　the　Queen。

You　may　guess　that　I　was　not　a　little　moved　at　this；　but　I　rather　felt　a　slight　annoyance　than　any　transport　of　passion。　　All　sorts　of　notions　came　into　my　mind；　and　all　as　suddenly　passed　away。　　I　sacrificed　with　little　or　no　scruple　all　the　sweetest　and　brightest　images　which　the　memory　of　past　conspiracies　presented　in　crowds　to　my　mind　as　soon　as　the　ill…treatment　I　now　publicly　met　with　gave　me　reason　to　think　that　I　might　with　honour　engage　myself　in　new　ones。　　The　obligations　I　had　to　her　Majesty　made　me　reject　all　these　thoughts；　though　I　must　confess　I　was　brought　up　in　them　from　my　infancy；　and　Laigues　and　Montresor　could　have　never　shaken　my　resolution　either　by　insinuating　motives　or　making　reproaches；　if　Argenteuil；　a　gentleman　firmly　attached　to　my　interest；　had　not　come　into　my　room　that　moment　with　a　frightened　countenance　and　said：

〃You　are　undone；　the　Marechal　de　La　Meilleraye　has　charged　me　to　tell　you　that　he　verily　thinks　the　devil　is　in　the　courtiers；　who　has　put　it　into　their　heads　that　you　have　done　all　in　your　power　to　stir　up　the　sedition。　The　Marechal　de　La　Meilleraye　has　laboured　earnestly　to　inform　the　Queen　and　Cardinal