the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第33部分

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　〃Silence！〃　I　said　all　I　could　think　of　to　make　them　easy。　　They　asked　if　I　would　promise　that　the　Peace　of　Ruel　should　not　be　kept。　　I　answered；　〃Yes；　provided　the　people　will　be　quiet；　for　otherwise　their　best　friends　will　be　obliged　to　take　other　methods　to　prevent　such　disturbances。〃　　I　acted　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　above　thirty　different　parts。　　I　threatened；　I　commanded；　I　entreated　them；　and；　finding　I　was　sure　of　a　calm；　at　least　for　a　moment；　I　returned　to　the　House；　and；　embracing　the　First　President；　placed　him　before　me；　M。　de　Beaufort　did　the　same　with　President　de　Mesmes；　and　thus　we　went　out　with　the　Parliament；　all　in　a　body；　the　officers　of　the　House　marching　in　front。　　The　people　made　a　great　noise；　and　we　heard　some　crying；　〃A　republic！〃　　but　no　injury　was　offered　to　us；　only　M。　de　Bouillon　received　a　blow　in　his　face　from　a　ragamuffin；　who　took　him　for　Cardinal　Mazarin。

On　the　16th　the　deputies　were　sent　again　to　Ruel　by　the　Parliament　to　amend　some　of　the　articles；　particularly　those　for　adjourning　the　Parliament　to　Saint　Germain　and　prohibiting　their　future　assemblies；　with　an　order　to　take　care　of　the　interest　of　the　generals　and　of　the　companies；　joined　together　by　the　decree　of　union。

The　late　disturbances　obliged　the　Parliament　to　post　the　city　trained…　bands　at　their　gates；　who　were　even　more　enraged　against　the　〃Mazarin　peace；〃　as　they　called　it；　than　the　mob；　and　who　were　far　less　dreaded；　because　they　consisted　of　citizens　who　were　not　for　plunder；　yet　this　select　militia　was　ten　times　on　the　point　of　insulting　the　Parliament；　and　did　actually　insult　the　members　of　the　Council　and　Presidents；　threatening　to　throw　the　President　de　Thore　into　the　river；　and　when　the　First　President　and　his　friends　saw　that　they　were　afraid　of　putting　their　threats　into　execution；　they　took　an　advantage　of　us；　and　had　the　boldness　even　to　reproach　the　generals；　as　if　the　troops　had　not　done　their　duty；　though　if　the　generals　had　but　spoken　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　the　people；　they　would　not　have　been　able　to　hinder　them　from　tearing　the　members　to　pieces。

The　Duc　de　Bouillon　came　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville　and　made　a　speech　there　to　Prince　de　Conti　and　the　other　generals；　in　substance　as　follows：

〃I　could　never　have　believed　what　I　now　see　of　this　Parliament。　　On　the　13th　they　would　not　hear　the　Peace　of　Ruel　mentioned；　but　on　the　15th　they　approved　of　it；　some　few　articles　excepted；　on　the　16th　they　despatched　the　same　deputies　who　had　concluded　a　peace　against　their　orders　with　full　and　unlimited　powers；　and；　not　content　with　all　this；　they　load　us　with　reproaches　because　we　complain　that　they　have　treated　for　a　peace　without　us；　and　have　abandoned　M。　de　Longueville　and　M。　de　Turenne；　and　yet　it　is　owing　only　to　us　that　the　people　do　not　massacre　them。　　We　must　save　their　lives　at　the　hazard　of　our　own；　and　I　own　that　it　is　wisdom　so　to　do；　but　we　shall　all　of　us　certainly　perish　with　the　Parliament　if　we　let　them　go　on　at　this　rate。〃　　Then；　addressing　himself　to　the　Prince　de　Conti；　he　said；　〃I　am　for　closing　with　the　Coadjutor's　late　advice　at　my　house；　and　if　your　Highness　does　not　put　it　into　execution　before　two　days　are　at　an　end；　we　shall　have　a　peace　less　secure　and　more　scandalous　than　the　former。〃

The　company　became　unanimously　of　his　opinion；　and　resolved　to　meet　next　day　at　M。　de　Bouillon's　to　consider　how　to　bring　the　affair　into　Parliament。　　In　the　meantime；　Don　Gabriel　de　Toledo　arrived　with　the　Archduke's　ratification　of　the　treaty　signed　by　the　generals；　and　with　a　present　from　his　master　of　10；000　pistoles；　but　I　was　resolved　to　let　the　Spaniards　see　that　I　had　not　the　intention　of　taking　their　money；　though　at　his　request　Madame　de　Bouillon　did　all　she　could　to　persuade　me。　Accordingly；　I　declined　it　with　all　possible　respect；　nevertheless；　this　denial　cost　me　dear　afterwards；　because　I　contracted　a　habit　of　refusing　presents　at　other　times　when　it　would　have　been　good　policy　to　have　accepted　them；　even　if　I　had　thrown　them　into　the　river。　　It　is　sometimes　very　dangerous　to　refuse　presents　from　one's　superiors。

While　we　were　in　conference　at　M。　de　Bouillon's　the　sad　news　was　brought　to　us　that　M。　de　Turenne's　forces；　all　except　two　or　three　regiments；　had　been　bribed　with　money　from　Court　to　abandon　him；　and；　finding　himself　likely　to　be　arrested；　he　had　retired　to　the　house　of　his　friend　and　kinswoman；　the　Landgravine　of　Hesse。　　M。　de　Bouillon；　was；　as　it　were；　thunderstruck；　his　lady　burst　out　into　tears；　saying；　〃We　are　all　undone；〃　and　I　was　almost　as　much　cast　down　as　they　were；　because　it　overturned　our　last　scheme。

M。　de　Bouillon　was　now　for　pushing　matters　to　extremes；　but　I　convinced　him　that　there　was　nothing　more　dangerous。

Don　Gabriel　de　Toledo；　who　was　ordered　to　be　very　frank　with　me；　was　very　reserved　when　he　saw　how　I　was　mortified　about　the　news　of　M。　de　Turenne；　and　caballed　with　the　generals　in　such　a　manner　as　made　me　very　uneasy。　Upon　this　sudden　turn　of　affairs　I　made　these　remarks：　That　every　company　has　so　much　in　it　of　the　unstable　temper　of　the　vulgar　that　all　depends　upon　joining　issue　with　opportunity；　and　that　the　best　proposals　prove　often　fading　flowers；　which　are　fragrant　to…day　and　offensive　to…morrow。

I　could　not　sleep　that　night　for　thinking　about　our　circumstances。　　I　saw　that　the　Parliament　was　less　inclined　than　ever　to　engage　in　a　war；　by　reason　of　the　desertion　of　the　army　of　M。　de　Turenne；　I　saw　the　deputies　at　Ruel　emboldened　by　the　success　of　their　prevarication；　I　saw　the　people　of　Paris　as　ready　to　admit　the　Archduke　as　ever　they　could　be　to　receive　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　I　saw　that　in　a　week's　time　this　Prince；　with　beads　in　his　hand；　and　Fuensaldagne　with　his　money；　would　have　greater　power　than　ourselves；　that　M。　de　Bouillon　was　relapsing　into　his　former　proposal　of　using　extremities；　and　that　the　other　generals　would　be　precipitated　into　the　same　violent　measures　by　the　scornful　behaviour　of　the　Court；　who　now　despised　all　because　they　were　sure　of　the　Parliament。　I　saw　that　all　these　circumstances　paved　the　way　for　a　popular　sedition　to　massacre　the　Parliament　and　put　the　Spaniards　in　possession　of　the　Louvre；　which　might　overturn　the　State。

These　gloomy　thoughts　I　resolved　to　communicate　to　my　father；　who　had　for　the　last　twenty　years　retired　to　the　Oratory；　and　who　would　never　hear　of　my　State　intrigues。　　My　father　told　me　of　some　advantageous　offers　made　to　me　indirectly　by　the　Court；　but　advised　me　not　to　trust　to　them。

Next　day；　M。　de　Bouillon　was　for　shutting　the　gates　against　the　deputies　of　Ruel；　for　expelling　the　Parliament；　for　making　ourselves　masters　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　for　bringing　the　Spanish　army　without　delay　into　our　suburbs。　　As　for　M。　de　Beaufort；　Don　Gabriel　de　Toledo　told　me　that　he　offered　Madame　de　Montbazon　20；000　crowns　down　and　6；000　crowns　a　year　if　she　could　persuade　him　into　the　Archduke's　measures。　　He　did　not　forget　the　other　generals。　　M。　d'Elbeuf　was　gained　at　an　easy　rate；　and　Marechal　de　La　Mothe　was　buoyed　up　with　the　hopes　of　being　accommodated　with　the　Duchy　of　Cardonne。　　I　soon　saw　the　Catholicon　of　Spain　（Spanish　gold）　was　the　chief　ingredient。　　Everybody　saw　that　our　only　remedy　was　to　make　ourselves　masters　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville　by　means　of　the　people；　but　I　opposed　it　with　arguments　too　tedious　to　mention。　　M。　de　Bouillon　was　for　engaging　entirely　with　Spain；　but　I　convinced　Marechal　de　La　Mothe　and　M。　de　Beaufort　that　such　measures　would　in　a　fortnight　reduce　them　to　a　precarious　dependence　on　the　counsels　of　Spain。

Being　pressed　to　give　my　opinion　in　brief；　I　delivered　it　thus：　〃We　cannot　hinder　the　peace　without　ruining　the　Parliament　by　the　help　of　the　people；　and　we　cannot　maintain　the　war　by　the　means　of　the　same　people　without　a　dependence　upon　Spain。　　We　cannot　have　any　peace　with　Saint　Germain　but　by　consenting　to　continue　Mazarin　in　the　Ministry。〃

M。　de　Bouillon；　with　the　head　of　an　ox；　and　the　penetration　of　an　eagle；　interrupted　me　thus：　〃I　take　it；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　for　suffering　the　peace　to　come　to　a　conclusion；　but　not　for　appearing　in　it。〃

I　replied　that　I　was　willing　to　oppose　it；　but　that　it　should　be　only　with　my　own　voice　and　the　voices　of　those　who　were　ready　to　run　the　same　hazard　with　me。

〃I　understand　you　again；〃　replied　M。　de　Bouillon；　〃a　very　fine　thought　indeed；　suitable　to　yourself　and　to　M。　de　Beaufort；　but　to　nobody　else。〃

〃If　it　suited　us　only；〃　said　I；　〃before　I　would　propose　it　I　would　cut　out　my　tongue。　　The　part　we　act　would　suit　you　as　well　as　either　of　us；　because　you　may　accommodate　matters　when　you　think　it　for　your　interest。　For　my　part；　I　am　fully　persuaded　that　they　who　insist　upon　the　exclusion　of　Mazarin　as　a　condition　of　the　intended　arrangement　will　continue　masters　of　the　affections　of　the　people　long　enough　to　take　their　advantage　of　an　opportunity　which　fortune　never　fails　to　furnish　in　cloudy　and　unsettled　times。　　Pray；　monsieur；　considering　your　reputation　and　capacity；　who　can　pretend　to　act　this　part　with　more　dignity；　than　yourself？　　M。　de　Beaufort　and　I　are　already　the　favourites　of　the　people；　and　if　you　declare　for　the　exclusion　of　the　Cardinal；　you　will　be　tomorrow　as　popular　as　either　of　us；　and　we　shall　be　looked　upon　as　the　only　centre　of　their　hopes。　　All　the　blunders　of　the　ministers　will　turn　to　our　advantage；　the　Spaniards　will　caress　us；　and　the　Cardinal；　considering　how　fond　he　is　of　a　treaty；　will　be　under　the　necessity　to　court　us。　　I　own　this　scheme　may　be　attended　with　inconveniences；　but；　on　the　other　side　of　the　question；　we　are　sure　of　certain　ruin　if　we　have　a　peace　and　an　enraged　minister　at　the　helm；　who　cannot　hope　for　reestablishment　but　upon　our　destruction。　　Therefore；　I　cannot　but　think　the　expedient　is　as　proper　for　you　to　engage　in　as　for　me；　but　if；　for　argument's　sake；　it　were　not；　I　am　sure　it　is　for　your　interest　that　I　should　embrace　it；　for　you　will　by　that　means　have　more　time　to　make　your　own　terms　with　the　Court　before　the　peace　is　concluded；　and　after　the　peace　　Mazarin　will　in　such　case　be　obliged　to　have　more　regard　for　all　those　gentlemen　whose　reunion　with　me　it　will　be　to　his　interest　to　prevent。〃

M。　de　Bouillon　was　so　convinced　of　the　justice　of　my　reasoning　th