the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第23部分

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fidence　which　the　Prince　had　reposed　in　the　people　by　going　about　all　alone　in　my　coach；　without　any　attendance；　had　won　their　hearts。

At　midnight　M。　de　Longueville；　Marechal　de　La　Mothe；　and　myself　went　to　M。　de　Bouillon；　whom　we　found　as　wavering　as　the　state　of　affairs；　but　when　we　showed　him　our　plan；　and　how　easily　it　might　be　executed；　he　joined　us　immediately。　　We　concerted　measures；　and　I　gave　out　orders　to　all　the　colonels　and　captains　of　my　acquaintance。

The　most　dangerous　blow　that　I　gave　to　M。　d'Elbeuf　was　by　making　the　people　believe　that　he　held　correspondence　with　the　King's　troops；　who　on　the　9th；　at　night；　surprised　Charenton。　　I　met　him　on　the　first　report　of　it；　when　he　said；　〃Would　you　think　there　are　people　so　wicked　as　to　say　that　I　had　a　hand　in　the　capture　of　Charenton？〃　I　said　in　answer；　〃Would　you　think　there　are　people　vile　enough　to　report　that　the　Prince　de　Conti　is　come　hither　by　concert　with　the　Prince　de　Conde？〃

When　I　saw　the　people　pretty　well　cured　of　their　diffidence；　and　not　so　zealous　as　they　were　for　M。　d'Elbeuf；　I　was　for　mincing　the　matter　no　longer；　and　thought　that　ostentation　would　be　as　proper　to…day　as　reserve　was　yesterday。　　The　Prince　de　Conti　took　M。　de　Longueville　to　the　Parliament　House；　where　he　offered　them　his　services；　together　with　all　Normandy；　and　desired　they　would　accept　of　his　wife；　son；　and　daughter；　and　keep　them　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville　as　pledges　of　his　sincerity。　　He　was　seconded　by　M。　de　Bouillon；　who　said　he　was　exceedingly　glad　to　serve　the　Parliament　under　the　command　of　so　great　a　Prince　as　the　Prince　de　Conti。　M。　d'Elbeuf　was　nettled　at　this　expression；　and　repeated　what　he　had　said　before；　that　he　would　not　part　with　the　General's　staff；　and　he　showed　more　warmth　than　judgment　in　the　whole　debate。　　He　spoke　nothing　to　the　purpose。　　It　was　too　late　to　dispute；　and　he　was　obliged　to　yield；　but　I　have　observed　that　fools　yield　only　when　they　cannot　help　it。　　We　tried　his　patience　a　third　time　by　the　appearance　of　Marechal　de　La　Mothe；　who　passed　the　same　compliment　upon　the　company　as　De　Bouillon　had　done。　　We　had　concerted　beforehand　that　these　personages　should　make　their　appearance　upon　the　theatre　one　after　the　other；　for　we　had　remarked　that　nothing　so　much　affects　the　people；　and　even　the　Parliament；　among　whom　the　people　are　a　majority；　as　a　variety　of　scenes。

I　took　Madame　de　Longueville　and　Madame　de　Bouillon　in　a　coach　by　way　of　triumph　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville。　　They　were　both　of　rare　beauty；　and　appeared　the　more　charming　because　of　a　careless　air；　the　more　becoming　to　both　because　it　was　unaffected。　　Each　held　one　of　her　children；　beautiful　as　the　mother；　in　her　arms。　　The　place　was　so　full　of　people　that　the　very　tops　of　the　houses　were　crowded；　all　the　men　shouted　and　the　women　wept　for　joy　and　affection。　　I　threw　five　hundred　pistoles　out　of　the　window　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　went　again　to　the　Parliament　House；　accompanied　by　a　vast　number　of　people；　some　with　arms　and　others　without。　　M。　d'Elbeuf's　captain　of　the　guards　told　his　master　that　he　was　ruined　to　all　intents　and　purposes　if　he　did　not　accommodate　himself　to　the　present　position　of　affairs；　which　was　the　reason　that　I　found　him　much　perplexed　and　dejected；　especially　when　M。　de　Bellievre；　who　had　amused　him　hitherto　designedly；　came　in　and　asked　what　meant　the　beating　of　the　drums。　　I　answered　that　he　would　hear　more　very　soon；　and　that　all　honest　men　were　quite　out　of　patience　with　those　that　sowed　divisions　among　the　people。　　I　saw　then　that　wisdom　in　affairs　of　moment　is　nothing　without　courage。　　M。　d'Elbeuf　had　little　courage　at　this　juncture；　made　a　ridiculous　explanation　of　what　he　had　said　before；　and　granted　more　than　he　was　desired　to　do；　and　it　was　owing　to　the　civility　and　good　sense　of　M。　de　Bouillon　that　he　retained　the　title　of　General　and　the　precedence　of　M。　de　Bouillon　and　M。　de　La　Mothe；　who　were　equally　Generals　with　himself　under　the　Prince　de　Conti；　who　was　from　that　instant　declared　Generalissimo　of　the　King's　forces　under　the　direction　of　the　Parliament。

There　happened　at　this　time　a　comical　scene　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　which　I　mention　more　particularly　because　of　its　consequence。　　De　Noirmoutier；　who　the　night　before　was　made　lieutenant…general；　returning　by　the　Hotel　de　Ville　from　a　sally　which　he　had　made　into　the　suburbs　to　drive　away　Mazarin's　skirmishers；　as　they　were　called；　entered　with　three　officers　in　armour　into　the　chamber　of　Madame　de　Longueville；　which　was　full　of　ladies；　the　mixture　of　blue　scarfs；　ladies；　cuirassiers；　fiddlers；　and　trumpeters　in　and　about　the　hall　was　such　a　sight　as　is　seldom　met　with　but　in　romances。　　De　Noirmoutier；　who　was　a　great　admirer　of　Astrea；　said　he　imagined　that　we　were　besieged　in　Marcilli。　　〃Well　you　may；〃　said　I；　〃Madame　de　Longueville　is　as　fair　as　Galatea；　but　Marsillac　（son　of　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault）　is　not　a　man　of　so　much　honour　as　Lindamore。〃　　I　fancy　I　was　overheard　by　one　in　a　neighbouring　window；　who　might　have　told　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault；　for　otherwise　I　cannot　guess　at　the　first　cause　of　the　hatred　which　he　afterwards　bore　me。

Before　I　proceed　to　give　you　the　detail　of　the　civil　war；　suffer　me　to　lead　you　into　the　gallery　where　you；　who　are　an　admirer　of　fine　painting；　will　be　entertained　with　the　figures　of　the　chief　actors；　drawn　all　at　length　in　their　proper　colours；　and　you　will　be　able　to　judge　by　the　history　whether　they　are　painted　to　the　life。　　Let　us　begin；　as　it　is　but　just；　with　her　Majesty。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Character　of　the　Queen。

The　Queen　excelled　in　that　kind　of　wit　which　was　becoming　her　circle；　to　the　end　that　she　might　not　appear　silly　before　strangers；　she　was　more　ill…natured　than　proud；　had　more　pride　than　real　grandeur；　and　more　show　than　substance；　she　loved　money　too　well　to　be　liberal；　and　her　own　interest　too　well　to　be　impartial；　she　was　more　constant　than　passionate　as　a　lover；　more　implacable　than　cruel；　and　more　mindful　of　injuries　than　of　good　offices。　　She　had　more　of　the　pious　intention　than　of　real　piety；　more　obstinacy　than　well…grounded　resolution；　and　a　greater　measure　of　incapacity　than　of　all　the　rest。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Character　of　the　Duc　d'　Orleans。

The　Duc　d'Orleans　possessed　all　the　good　qualities　requisite　for　a　man　of　honour　except　courage；　but　having　not　one　quality　eminent　enough　to　make　him　notable；　he　had　nothing　in　him　to　supply　or　support　the　weakness　which　was　so　predominant　in　his　heart　through　fear；　and　in　his　mind　through　irresolution；　that　it　tarnished　the　whole　course　of　his　life。　He　engaged　in　all　affairs；　because　he　had　not　power　to　resist　the　importunities　of　those　who　drew　him　in　for　their　own　advantage；　and　came　off　always　with　shame　for　want　of　courage　to　go　on。　　His　suspicious　temper；　even　from　his　childhood；　deadened　those　lively；　gay　colours　which　would　have　shone　out　naturally　with　the　advantages　of　a　fine；　bright　genius；　an　amiable　gracefulness；　a　very　honest　disposition；　a　perfect　disinterestedness；　and　an　incredible　easiness　of　behaviour。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Character　of　the　Prince　de　Conde。

The　Prince　de　Conde　was　born　a　general；　an　honour　none　could　ever　boast　of　before　but　Caesar　and　Spinola；　he　was　equal　to　the　first；　but　superior　to　the　second。　　Intrepidity　was　one　of　the　least　parts　of　his　character。　Nature　gave　him　a　genius　as　great　as　his　heart。　　It　was　his　fortune　to　be　born　in　an　age　of　war；　which　gave　him　an　opportunity　to　display　his　courage　to　its　full　extent；　but　his　birth；　or　rather　education；　in　a　family　submissively　attached　to　the　Cabinet；　restrained　his　noble　genius　within　too　narrow　bounds。　　There　was　no　care　taken　betimes　to　inspire　him　with　those　great　and　general　maxims　which　form　and　improve　a　man　of　parts。　　He　had　not　time　to　acquire　them　by　his　own　application；　because　he　was　prevented　from　his　youth　by　the　unexpected　revolution；　and　by　a　constant　series　of　successes。　　This　one　imperfection；　though　he　had　as　pure　a　soul　as　any　in　the　world；　was　the　reason　that　he　did　things　which　were　not　to　be　justified；　that　though　he　had　the　heart　of　Alexander　so　he　had　his　infirmities；　that　he　was　guilty　of　unaccountable　follies；　that　having　all　the　talents　of　Francois　de　Guise；　he　did　not　serve　the　State　upon　some　occasions　as　well　as　he　ought；　and　that　having　the　parts　of　Henri　de　Conde；　his　namesake；　he　did　not　push　the　faction　as　far　as　he　might　have　done；　nor　did　he　discharge　all　the　duties　his　extraordinary　merit　demanded　from　him。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Character　of　the　Duc　de　Longueville。

M。　de　Longueville；　though　he　had　the　grand　name　of　Orleans；　together　with　vivacity；　an　agreeable　appearance；　generosity；　liberality；　justice；　valour；　and　grandeur；　yet　never　made　any　extraordinary　figure　in　life；　because　his　ideas　were　infinitely　above　his　capacity。　　If　a　man　has　abilities　and　great　designs；　he　is　sure　to　be　looked　upon　as　a　man　of　some　importance；　but　if　he　does　not　carry　them　out；　he　is　not　much　esteemed；　which　was　the　case　with　De　Longueville。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Character　of　the　Duc　de　Beaufort。

M。　de　Beaufort　knew　little　of　affairs　of　moment　but　by　hearsay　and　by　what　he　had　learned　in　the　cabal　of　〃The　Importants；〃　of　whose　jargon　he　had　retained　some　smattering；　which；　together　with　some　expressions　he　had　perfectly　acquired　from　Madame　de　Vendome；　formed　a　language　that　would　have　puzzled　a　Cato。　　His　speech　was　short　and　stupidly　dull；　and　the　more　so　because　he　obscured　it　by　affectation。　　He　thought　himself　very　sufficient；　and　pretended　to　a　great　deal　more　wit　than　came　to　his　share。　　He　was　brave　enough　in　his　person；　and　outdid　the　common　Hectors　by　being　so　upon　all　occasions；　but　never　more　'mal　a　propos'　than　in　gallantry。　　And　he　talked　and　thought　just　as　the　people　did　whose　idol　he　was　for　some　time。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Character　of　the　Dice　d'Elbeuf。

M。　d'Elbeuf　could　not　fail　of　courage；　as　he　was　a　Prince　of　the　house　of　Lorraine。　　He　had　all　the　wit　that　a　man　of　abundantly　more　cunning　and　good　sense　could　pretend　to。　　He　was　a　medley　of　incoherent　flourishes。　He　was　the　first　Prince　debased　by　poverty；　and；　perhaps；　never　man　was　more　at　a　loss　than　he　to　raise　the　pity　of　the　people　in　misery。　　A　comfortable　subsistence　did　n