the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


own　brother；　which　should　have　made　him　bolder　than　I；　but；　instead　of　this；　it　slackened　his　courage；　and　he　flattered　himself　that　Cardinal　Mazarin　would　let　him　have　Sedan。　　This　was　the　centre　of　all　his　views；　and　he　preferred　these　petty　advantages　to　what　he　might　have　gained　by　procuring　peace　to　Europe。　　This　false　step　made　me　pass　this　judgment　upon　the　Duke：　that；　though　he　was　a　person　of　very　great　parts；　yet　I　questioned　his　capacity　for　the　mighty　things　which　he　has　not　done；　and　of　which　some　men　thought　him　very　capable。　　It　is　the　greatest　remissness　on　the　part　of　a　great　man　to　neglect　the　moment　that　is　to　make　his　reputation；　and　this　negligence；　indeed；　scarcely　ever　happens　but　when　a　man　expects　another　moment　as　favourable　to　make　his　fortune；　and　so　people　are　commonly　deceived　both　ways。

The　Duke　was　more　nice　than　wise　at　this　juncture；　which　is　very　often　the　case。　　I　found　afterwards　that　the　Prince　de　Conti　was　of　his　opinion；　and　I　guessed；　by　some　circumstances；　that　he　was　engaged　in　some　private　negotiation。　　M。　d'Elbeuf　was　as　meek　as　a　lamb；　and　seemed；　as　far　as　he　dared；　to　improve　what　had　been　advanced　already　by　M。　de　Bouillon。　　A　servant　of　his　told　me　also　that　he　believed　his　master　had　made　his　peace　with　the　Court。　　M。　de　Beaufort　showed　by　his　behaviour　that　Madame　de　Montbazon　had　done　what　she　could　to　cool　his　courage；　but　his　irresolution　did　not　embarrass　me　very　much；　because　I　knew　I　had　her　in　my　power；　and　his　vote；　added　to　that　of　MM。　de　Brissac；　de　La　Mothe；　de　Noirmoutier　and　de　Bellievre；　who　all　fell　in　with　my　sentiments；　would　have　turned　the　balance　on　my　side　if　the　regard　for　M。　de　Turenne；　who　was　now　the　life　and　soul　of　the　party；　and　the　Spaniards'　confidence　in　M。　de　Bouillon；　had　not　obliged　me　to　make　a　virtue　of　necessity。

I　found　both　the　Archduke's　envoys　quite　of　an　other　mind；　indeed；　they　were　still　desirous　of　an　agreement　for　a　general　peace；　but　they　would　have　it　after　the　manner　of　M。　de　Bouillon；　at　two　separate　times；　which　he　had　made　them　believe　would　be　more　for　their　advantage；　because　thereby　we　should　bring　the　Parliament　into　it。　　I　saw　who　was　at　the　bottom　of　it；　and；　considering　the　orders　they　had　to　follow　his　advice　in　everything；　all　I　could　allege　to　the　contrary　would　be　of　no　use。　　I　laid　the　state　of　affairs　before　the　President　de　Bellievre；　who　was　of　my　opinion；　and　considered　that　a　contrary　course　would　infallibly　prove　our　ruin；　thinking；　nevertheless；　that　compliance　would　be　highly　convenient　at　this　time；　because　we　depended　absolutely　on　the　Spaniards　and　on　M。　de　Turenne；　who　had　hitherto　made　no　proposals　but　such　as　were　dictated　by　M。　de　Bouillon。

When　I　found　that　all　M。　de　Bellievre　and　I　said　could　not　persuade　M。　de　Bouillon；　I　feigned　to　come　round　to　his　opinion；　and　to　submit　to　the　authority　of　the　Prince　de　Conti；　our　Generalissimo。　　We　agreed　to　treat　with　the　Archduke　upon　the　plan　of　M。　de　Bouillon；　that　is；　that　he　should　advance　his　army　as　far　as　Pont…A…Verre；　and　further；　if　the　generals　desired　it；　who；　on　their　part；　would　omit　nothing　to　oblige　the　Parliament　to　enter　into　this　treaty；　or　rather；　to　make　a　new　one　for　a　general　peace；　that　is　to　say；　to　oblige　the　King　to　treat　upon　reasonable　conditions；　the　particulars　whereof　his　Catholic　Majesty　would　refer　to　the　arbitration　of　the　Parliament。　　M。　de　Bouillon　engaged　to　have　this　treaty　'in　totidem　verbis'　signed　by　the　Spanish　ministers；　and　did　not　so　much　as　ask　me　whether　I　would　sign　it　or　no。　　All　the　company　rejoiced　at　having　the　Spaniards'　assistance　upon　such　easy　terms；　and　at　being　at　full　liberty　to　receive　the　propositions　of　the　Court；　which　now；　upon　the　declaration　of　M。　de　Turenne；　could　not　fail　to　be　very　advantageous。

The　treaty　was　accordingly　signed　in　the　Prince　de　Conti's　room　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　but　I　forbore　to　set　my　hand　to　it；　though　solicited　by　M。　de　Bouillon；　unless　they　would　come　to　some　final　resolution；　yet　I　gave　them　my　word　that；　if　the　Parliament　would　be　contented；　I　had　such　expedients　in　my　power　as　would　give　them　all　the　time　necessary　to　withdraw　their　troops。　　I　had　two　reasons　for　what　I　said：　first；　I　knew　Fuensaldagne　to　be　a　wise　man；　that　he　would　be　of　a　different　opinion　from　his　envoys；　and　that　he　would　never　venture　his　army　into　the　heart　of　the　kingdom　with　so　little　assurance　from　the　generals　and　none　at　all　from　me；　secondly；　because　I　was　willing　to　show　to　our　generals　that　I　would　not；　as　far　as　it　lay　in　my　power；　suffer　the　Spaniards　to　be　treacherously　surprised　or　insulted　in　case　of　an　arrangement　between　the　Court　and　the　Parliament；　though　I　had　protested　twenty　times　in　the　same　conference　that　I　would　not　separate　myself　from　the　Parliament。

M。　d'Elbeuf　said；　〃You　cannot　find　the　expedients　you　talk　of　but　in　having　recourse　to　the　people。〃

〃M。　de　Bouillon　will　answer　for　me；〃　said　I；　〃that　it　is　not　there　that　I　am　to　find　my　expedients。〃

M。　de　Bouillon；　being　desirous　that　I　should　sign；　said；　〃I　know　that　it　is　not　your　intent；　but　I　am　fully　persuaded　that　you　mean　well；　that　you　do　not　act　as　you　would　propose；　and　that　we　retain　more　respect　for　the　Parliament　by　signing　than　you　do　by　refusing　to　sign；　for；　〃speaking　very　low；　that　he　might　not　be　heard　by　the　Spanish　ministers；　〃we　keep　a　back　door　open　to　get　off　handsomely　with　the　Parliament。〃

〃They　will　open　that　door；〃　said　I；　〃when　you　could　wish　it　shut；　as　is　but　too　apparent　already；　and　you　will　be　glad　to　shut　it　when　you　cannot；　the　Parliament　is　not　a　body　to　be　jested　with。〃

After　the　signing　of　the　treaty；　I　was　told　that　the　envoys　had　given　2；000　pistoles　to　Madame　de　Montbazon　and　as　much　to　M。　d'Elbeuf。

De　Bellievre；　who　waited　for　me　at　home；　whither　I　returned　full　of　vexation；　used　an　expression　which　has　been　since　verified　by　the　event：　〃We　failed；　this　day；〃　said　he；　〃to　induce　the　Parliament；　which　if　we　had　done；　all　had　been　safe　and　right。　　Pray　God　that　everything　goes　well；　for　if　but　one　of　our　strings　fails　us　we　are　undone。〃

As　for　the　conferences　for　a　peace　with　the　Court　at　Ruel；　it　was　proposed　on　the　Queen's　part　that　the　Parliament　should　adjourn　their　session　to　Saint　Germain；　just　to　ratify　the　articles　of　the　peace；　and　not　to　meet　afterwards　for　two　or　three　years；　but　the　deputies　of　Parliament　insisted　that　it　was　their　privilege　to　assemble　when　and　where　they　pleased。　　When　these　and　the　like　stories　came　to　the　ears　of　the　Parisians　they　were　so　incensed　that　the　only　talk　of　the　Great　Chamber　was　to　recall　the　deputies；　and　the　generals　seeing　themselves　now　respected　by　the　Court；　who　had　little　regard　for　them　before　the　declaration　of　M。　de　Turenne；　thought　that　the　more　the　Court　was　embarrassed　the　better；　and　therefore　incited　the　Parliament　and　people　to　clamour；　that　the　Cardinal　might　see　that　things　did　not　altogether　depend　upon　the　conference　at　Ruel。　　I；　likewise；　contributed　what　lay　in　my　power　to　moderate　the　precipitation　of　the　First　President　and　President　de　Mesmes　towards　anything　that　looked　like　an　agreement。

On　the　8th　of　March　the　Prince　de　Conti　told　the　Parliament　that　M。　de　Turenne　offered　them　his　services　and　person　against　Cardinal　Mazarin；　the　enemy　of　the　State。　　I　said　that　I　was　informed　a　declaration　had　been　issued　the　night　before　at　Saint　Germain　against　M。　de　Turenne；　as　guilty　of　high　treason。　　The　Parliament　unanimously　passed　a　decree　to　annul　it；　to　authorise　his　taking　arms；　to　enjoin　all　the　King's　subjects　to　give　him　free　passage　and　support；　and　to　raise　the　necessary　funds　for　the　payment　of　his　troops；　lest　the　800；000　livres　sent　from　Court　to　General　d'Erlach　should　corrupt　the　officers　and　soldiers。　　A　severe　edict　was　issued　against　Courcelles；　Lavardin；　and　Amilly；　who　had　levied　troops　for　the　King　in　the　province　of　Maine；　and　the　commonalty　were　permitted　to　meet　at　the　sound　of　the　alarm…bell　and　to　fall　foul　of　all　those　who　had　held　assemblies　without　order　of　Parliament。

On　the　9th　a　decree　was　passed　to　suspend　the　conference　till　all　the　promises　made　by　the　Court　to　allow　the　entry　of　provisions　were　punctually　executed。

The　Prince　de　Conti　informed　the　House　the　same　day　that　he　was　desired　by　M。　de　Longueville　to　assure　them　that　he　would　set　out　from　Rouen　on　the　15th　with　7；000　foot　and　3；000　horse；　and　march　directly　to　Saint　Germain；　the　Parliament　was　incredibly　overjoyed；　and　desired　the　Prince　de　Conti　to　press　him　to　hasten　his　march　as　much　as　possible。

On　the　10th　the　member　for　Normandy　told　the　House　that　the　Parliament　of　Rennes　only　stayed　for　the　Duc　de　la　Tremouille　to　join　against　the　common　enemy。

On　the　11th　an　envoy　from　M。　de　la　Tremouille　offered　the　Parliament；　in　his　master's　name；　8；000　foot　and　2；000　horse；　who　were　in　a　condition　to　march　in　two　days；　provided　the　House　would　permit　his　master　to　seize　on　all　the　public　money　at　Poitiers；　Niort；　and　other　places　whereof　he　was　already　master。　　The　Parliament　thanked　him；　passed　a　decree　with　full　powers　accordingly；　and　desired　him　to　hasten　his　levies　with　all　expedition。

Posterity　will　hardly　believe　that；　notwithstanding　all　this　heat　in　the　party；　which　one　would　have　thought　could　not　have　immediately　evaporated；　a　peace　was　made　and　signed　the　same　day；　but　of　this　more　by　and　by。

While　the　Court；　as　has　been　before　hinted；　was　tampering　with　the　generals；　Madame　de　Montbazon　promised　M。　de　Beaufort's　support　to　the　Queen；　but　her　Majesty　understood　that　it　was　not　to　be　done　if　I　were　not　at　the　market　to　approve　of　the　sale。　　La　Riviere　despised　M。　d'Elbeuf　no　longer。　　M。　de　Bouillon；　since　his　brother's　declaration；　seemed　more　inclined　than　before　to　come　to　an　arrangement　with　the　Court；　but　his　pretentions　ran　very　high；　and　both　the　brothers　were　in　such　a　situation　that　a　little　assistance　would　not　suffice；　and　as　to　the　offers　made　to　myself　by　Madame　de　Lesdiguieres；　I　returned　such　an　answer　as　convinced　the　Court　that　I　was　not　so　easily　to　be　moved。

In　short；　Cardinal　Mazarin　found　all　the　avenues　to　a　negotiation　either　shut　or　impassable。　　This　despair　of　success　in　the　Court　was　eventually　more　to　the　advantage　of　the　Court　than　the　most　refi