the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第22部分

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hat　I　should　be　obliged　to　bow　my　neck　under　the　most　shameful　and　dangerous　yoke　of　slavery；　or　be　reduced　to　the　dire　necessity　of　setting　up　for　tribune　of　the　people；　which　is　the　most　uncertain　and　meanest　of　all　posts　when　it　is　not　vested　with　sufficient　power。

The　weakness　of　the　Prince　de　Conti；　who　was　led　like　a　child　by　his　brother；　the　cowardice　of　M。　de　Longueville；　who　had　been　to　offer　his　service　to　the　Queen；　and　the　declaration　of　MM。　de　Bouillon　and　de　La　Mothe　had　mightily　disfigured　my　tribuneship。　　But　the　folly　of　Mazarin　raised　its　reputation；　for　he　made　the　Queen　refuse　audience　to　the　King's　Council；　who　returned　that　night　to　Paris；　fully　convinced　that　the　Court　was　resolved　to　push　things　to　extremity。

I　was　informed　from　Saint　Germain　that　the　Prince　had　assured　the　Queen　he　would　take　Paris　in　a　fortnight；　and　they　hoped　that　the　discontinuance　of　two　markets　only　would　starve　the　city　into　a　surrender。　　I　carried　this　news　to　my；　friends；　who　began　to　see　that　there　was　no　possibility；　of　accommodation。

The　Parliament　was　no　sooner　acquainted　that　the　King's　Council　had　been　denied　audience　than　with　one　voiceBernai　excepted；　who　was　fitter　for　a　cook　than　a　councillorthey　passed　that　famous　decree　of　January　8th；　1649；　whereby　Cardinal　Mazarin　was　declared　an　enemy　to　the　King　and　Government；　a　disturber　of　the　public　peace；　and　all　the　King's　subjects　were　enjoined　to　attack　him　without　mercy。

In　the　afternoon　there　was　a　general　council　of　the　deputies　of　Parliament；　of　the　Chamber　of　Accounts；　of　the　Court　of　Aids；　the　chief　magistrates　of　Paris；　and　the　six　trading　companies；　wherein　it　was　resolved　that　the　magistrates　should　issue　commissions　for　raising　4；000　horse　and　10；000　foot。　　The　same　day　the　Chamber　of　Accounts；　the　Court　of　Aids；　and　the　city　sent　their　deputies　to　the　Queen；　to　beseech　her　Majesty　to　bring　the　King　back　to　Paris；　but　the　Court　was　obdurate。　　The　Prince　de　Conde　flew　out　against　the　Parliament　in　the　Queen's　presence；　and　her　Majesty　told　them　all　that　neither　the　King　nor　herself　would　ever　come　again　within　the　walls　of　the　city　till　the　Parliament　was　gone　out　of　it。

The　next　day　the　city　received　a　letter　from　the　King　commanding　them　to　oblige　the　Parliament　to　remove　to　Montargis。　　The　governor；　one　of　the　sheriffs；　and　four　councillors　of　the　city　carried　the　letter　to　Parliament；　protesting　at　the　same　time　that　they　would　obey　no　other　orders　than　those　of　the　Parliament；　who　that　very　morning　settled　the　necessary　funds　for　raising　troops。　　In　the　afternoon　there　was　a　general　council；　wherein　all　the　corporations　of　the　city　and　all　the　colonels　and　captains　of　the　several　quarters　entered　into　an　association；　confirmed　by　an　oath；　for　their　mutual　defence。　　In　the　meantime　I　was　informed　by　the　Marquis　de　Noirmoutier　that　the　Prince　de　Conti　and　M。　de　Longueville　were　very　well　disposed；　and　that　they　stayed　at　Court　the　longer　to　have　a　safer　opportunity　of　coming　away。　　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　wrote　to　the　same　purpose　to　Madame　de　Longueville。

The　same　day　I　had　a　visit　from　the　Duc　d'Elbeuf；＇Charles　de　Lorraine；　the　second　of　that　name；　who　died　1657。＇　who；　as　they　said；　having　missed　a　dinner　at　Court；　came　to　Paris　for　a　supper。　　He　addressed　me　with　all　the　cajoling　flattery　of　the　House　of　Guise；　and　had　three　children　with　him；　who　were　not　so　eloquent；　but　seemed　to　be　quite　as　cunning　as　himself。　　He　told　me　that　he　was　going　to　offer　his　service　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　but　I　advised　him　to　wait　upon　the　Parliament。　　He　was　fixed　in　his　first　resolution；　yet　he　came　to　assure　me　he　would　follow　my　advice　in　everything。　　I　was　afraid　that　the　Parisians；　to　whom　the　very　name　of　a　Prince　of　Lorraine　is　dear；　would　have　given　him　the　command　of　the　troops。　　Therefore　I　ordered　the　clergy　over　whom　I　had　influence　to　insinuate　to　the　people　that　he　was　too　influential　with　the　Abbe　de　La　Riviere；　and　I　showed　the　Parliament　what　respect　he　had　for　them　by　addressing　himself　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　in　the　first　place；　and　that　he　had　not　honour　enough　to　be　trusted。　　I　was　shown　a　letter　which　he　wrote　to　his　friend　as　he　came　into　town；　in　which　were　these　words：　〃I　must　go　and　do　homage　to　the　Coadjutor　now；　but　in　three　days'　time　he　shall　return　it　to　me。〃　　And　I　knew　from　other　instances　that　his　affection　for　me　was　of　the　feeblest。

While　I　was　reflecting　what　to　do；　news　was　brought　to　me　before　daylight　that　the　Prince　de　Conti　and　M。　de　Longueville　were　at　the　gate　of　Saint　Honord　and　denied　entrance　by　the　people；　who　feared　they　came　to　betray　the　city。　　I　immediately　fetched　honest　Broussel；　and；　taking　some　torches　to　light　us；　we　posted　to　the　said　gate　through　a　prodigious　crowd　of　people；　it　was　broad　daylight　before　we　could　persuade　the　people　that　they　might　safely　let　them　in。

The　great　difficulty　now　was　how　to　manage　so　as　to　remove　the　general　distrust　of　the　Prince　de　Conti　that　existed　among　the　people。　　That　which　was　practicable　the　night　before　was　rendered　impossible　and　even　ruinous　the　next　day；　and　this　same　Duc　d'Elbeuf；　whom　I　thought　to　have　driven　out　of　Paris　on　the　9th；　was　in　a　fair　way　to　have　compelled　me　to　leave　on　the　10th　if　he　had　played　his　game　well；　so　suspected　was　the　name　of　Conde　by　the　people。　　As　there　wanted　a　little　time　to　reconcile　them；　I　thought　it　was　our　only　way　to　keep　fair　with　M。　d'Elbeuf　and　to　convince　him　that　it　would　be　to　his　interest　to　join　with　the　Prince　de　Conti　and　M。　de　Longueville。　　I　accordingly　sent　to　acquaint　him　that　I　intended　him　a　visit；　but　when　I　arrived　he　was　gone　to　the　Parliament；　where　the　First　President；　who　was　against　removing　to　Montargis　and　at　the　same　time　very　averse　to　a　civil　war；　embraced　him；　and；　without　giving　the　members　time　to　consider　what　was　urged　by　Broussel；　Viole；　and　others　to　the　contrary；　caused　him　to　be　declared　General；　with　a　design　merely　to　divide　and　weaken　the　party。

Upon　this　I　made　haste　to　the　Palace　of　Longueville　to　persuade　the　Prince　de　Conti　and　M。　de　Longueville　to　go　that　very　instant　to　the　Parliament　House。　　The　latter　was　never　in　haste；　and　the　Prince　having　gone　tired　to　bed；　it　was　with　much　ado　I　prevailed　on　him　to　rise。　　In　short；　he　was　so　long　in　setting　out　that　the　Parliament　was　up　and　M。　d'Elbeuf　was　marching　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　to　be　sworn　and　to　take　care　of　the　commissions　that　were　to　be　issued。　　I　thereupon　persuaded　the　Prince　de　Conti　to　go　to　the　Parliament　in　the　afternoon　and　to　offer　them　his　service；　while　I　stayed　without　in　the　hall　to　observe　the　disposition　of　the　people。

He　went　thither　accordingly　in　my　coach　and　with　my　grand　livery；　by　which　he　made　it　appear　that　he　reposed　his　confidence　entirely　in　the　people；　whom　there　is　a　necessity　of　managing　with　a　world　of　precaution　because　of　their　natural　diffidence　and　instability。　　When　we　came　to　the　House　we　were　saluted　upon　the　stairs　with　〃God　bless　the　Coadjutor！〃　but；　except　those　posted　there　on　purpose；　not　a　soul　cried；　〃God　bless　the　Prince　de　Conti！〃　from　which　I　concluded　that　the　bulk　of　the　people　were　not　yet　cured　of　their　diffidence；　and　therefore　I　was　very　glad　when　I　had　got　the　Prince　into　the　Grand　Chamber。　　The　moment　after；　M。　d'Elbeuf　came　in　with　the　city　guards；　who　attended　him　as　general；　and　with　all　the　people　crying　out；　〃God　bless　his　Highness　M。　d'Elbeuf！〃　But　as　they　cried　at　the　same　time　〃God　save　the　Coadjutor！〃　　I　addressed　myself　to　him　with　a　smile　and　said；　〃This　is　an　echo；　monsieur；　which　does　me　a　great　deal　of　honour。〃〃It　is　very　kind　of　you；〃　said　he；　and；　turning　to　the　guards；　bade　them　stay　at　the　door　of　the　Grand　Chamber。　I　took　the　order　as　given　to　myself；　and　stayed　there　likewise；　with　a　great　number　of　my　friends。　　As　soon　as　the　House　was　formed；　the　Prince　de　Conti　stood　up　and　said　that；　having　been　made　acquainted　at　Saint　Germain　with　the　pernicious　counsels　given　to　the　Queen；　he　thought　himself　obliged；　as　Prince　of　the　blood；　to　oppose　them。　　M。　d'Elbeuf；　who　was　proud　and　insolent；　like　all　weak　men；　because　he　thought　he　had　the　strongest　party；　said　he　knew　the　respect　due　to　the　Prince　de　Conti；　but　that　he　could　not　forbear　telling　them　that　it　was　himself　who　first　broke　the　ice　and　offered　his　service　to　the　Parliament；　who；　having　conferred　the　General's　baton　upon　him；　he　would　never　part　with　it　but　with　his　life。

The　generality　of　the　members；　who　were　as　distrustful　of　the　Prince　de　Conti　as　the　people；　applauded　this　declaration；　and　the　Parliament　passed　a　decree　forbidding　the　troops　on　pain　of　high　treason　to　advance　within　twenty　miles　of　Paris。　　I　saw　that　all　I　could　do　that　day　was　to　reconduct　the　Prince　de　Conti　in　safety　to　the　palace　of　Longueville；　for　the　crowd　was　so　great　that　I　was　fain　to　carry　him；　as　it　were；　in　my　arms　out　of　the　Grand　Chamber。

M。　d'Elbeuf；　who　thought　the　day　was　all　his　own；　hearing　my　name　joined　with　his　in　the　huzzas　of　the　people；　said　to　me　by　way　of　reprisal；　〃This；　monsieur；　is　an　echo　which　does　me　a　great　deal　of　honour；〃　to　which　I　replied；　as　he　did　to　me　before；　〃Monsieur；　it　is　very　kind　of　you。〃　　Meantime　he　was　not　wise　enough　to　improve　the　opportunity；　and　I　foresaw　that　things　would　soon　take　another　turn；　for　reputation　of　long　standing　among　the　people　never　fails　to　blast　the　tender　blossoms　of　public　good…will　which　are　forced　out　of　due　season。

I　had　news　sent　to　me　from　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres　at　Saint　Germain；　that　M。　d'Elbeuf；　an　hour　after　he　heard　of　the　arrival　of　the　Prince　de　Conti　and　M。　de　Longueville　at　Paris；　wrote　a　letter　to　the　Abbe　de　la　Riviere　with　these　words：　〃Tell　the　Queen　and　the　Duc　d'Orleans　that　this　diabolical　Coadjutor　is　the　ruin　of　everything　here；　and　that　in　two　days　I　shall　have　no　power　at　all；　but　that　if　they　will　be　kind　to　me　I　will　make　them　sensible。　　I　am　not　come　hither　with　so　bad　a　design　as　they　imagine。〃　　I　made　a　very　good　use　of　this　advice；　and；　knowing　that　the　people　are　generally　fond　of　everything　that　seems　mysterious；　I　imparted　the　secret　to　four　or　five　hundred　persons。　　I　had　the　pleasure　to　hear　that　the　confidence　which　the　Prince　had　reposed　in　the　people　by　going　about　all　alone　in　my　coach；　without　any