the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第34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！


be　to　his　interest　to　prevent。〃

M。　de　Bouillon　was　so　convinced　of　the　justice　of　my　reasoning　that　he　told　me；　when　we　were　by　ourselves；　that　he　had；　as　well　as　myself；　thought　of　my　expedient　as　soon　as　he　received　the　news　of　the　army　deserting　M。　de　Turenne；　that　he　could　still　improve　it；　as　the　Spaniards　would　not　fail　to　relish　it；　and　that　he　had　been　on　the　point　several　times　one　day　to　confer　about　it　with　me；　but　that　his　wife　had　conjured　him　with　prayers　and　tears　to　speak　no　more　of　the　matter；　but　to　come　to　terms　with　the　Court；　or　else　to　engage　himself　with　the　Spaniards。　〃I　know；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　not　for　the　second　arrangement；　pray　lend　me　your　good　offices　to　compass　the　first。〃　　I　assured　him　that　all　my　best　offices　and　interests　were　entirely　at　his　service　to　facilitate　his　agreement　with　the　Court；　and　that　he　might　freely　make　use　of　my　name　and　reputation　for　that　purpose。

In　fine；　we　agreed　on　every　point。　　M。　de　Bouillon　undertook　to　make　the　proposition　palatable　to　the　Spaniards；　provided　we　would　promise　never　to　let　them　know　that　it　was　concerted　among　ourselves　beforehand；　and　we　never　questioned　but　that　we　could　persuade　M。　de　Longueville　to　accept　it；　for　men　of　irresolution　are　apt　to　catch　at　all　overtures　which　lead　them　two　ways；　and　consequently　press　them　to　no　choice。

I　had　almost　forgotten　to　tell　you　what　M。　de　Bouillon　said　to　me　in　private　as　we　were　going　from　the　conference。　　〃I　am　sure；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　not　blame　me　for　not　exposing　a　wife　whom　I　dearly　love　and　eight　children　whom　she　loves　more　than　herself　to　the　hazards　which　you　run；　and　which　I　could　run　with　you　were　I　a　single　man。〃

I　was　very　much　affected　by　the　tender　sentiments　of　M。　de　Bouillon　and　the　confidence　he　placed　in　me；　and　assured　him　I　was　so　far　from　blaming　him　that　I　esteemed　him　the　more；　and　that　his　tenderness　for　his　lady；　which　he　was　pleased　to　call　his　weakness；　was　indeed　what　politics　condemned　but　ethics　highly　justified；　because　it　betokened　an　honest　heart；　which　is　much　superior　both　to　interest　and　politics。　　M。　de　Bouillon　communicated　the　proposal　both　to　the　Spanish　envoys　and　to　the　generals；　who　were　easily　persuaded　to　relish　it。

Thus　he　made；　as　it　were；　a　golden　bridge　for　the　Spaniards　to　withdraw　their　troops　with　decency。　　I　told　him　as　soon　as　they　were　gone　that　he　was　an　excellent　man　to　persuade　people　that　a　〃quartan　ague　was　good　for　them。〃

The　Parliamentary　deputies；　repairing　to　Saint　Germain　on　the　17th　of　March；　1649；　first　took　care　to　settle　the　interests　of　the　generals；　upon　which　every　officer　of　the　army　thought　he　had　a　right　to　exhibit　his　pretensions。　　M。　de　Vendome　sent　his　son　a　formal　curse　if　he　did　not　procure　for　him　at　least　the　post　of　Superintendent　of　the　Seas；　which　was　created　first　in　favour　of　Cardinal　de　Richelieu　in　place　of　that　of　High　Admiral；　but　Louis　XIV。　abolished　it；　and　restored　that　of　High　Admiral。

Upon　this　we　held　a　conference；　the　result　of　which　was　that　on　the　20th　the　Prince　de　Conti　told　the　Parliament　that　himself　and　the　other　generals　entered　their　claims　solely　for　the　purpose　of　providing　for　their　safety　in　case　Mazarin　should　continue　in　the　Ministry；　and　that　he　protested；　both　for　himself　and　for　all　the　gentlemen　engaged　in　the　same　party；　that　they　would　immediately　renounce　all　pretensions　whatsoever　upon　the　exclusion　of　Cardinal　Mazarin。

We　also　prevailed　on　the　Prince　de　Conti；　though　almost　against　his　will；　to　move　the　Parliament　to　direct　their　deputies　to　join　with　the　Comte　de　Maure　for　the　expulsion　of　Cardinal　Mazarin。　　I　had　almost　lost　all　my　credit　with　the　people；　because　I　hindered　them　on　the　13th　of　March　from　massacring　the　Parliament；　and　because　on　the　23d　and　24th　I　opposed　the　public　sale　of　the　Cardinal's　library。　　But　I　reestablished　my　reputation　in　the　Great　Hall　among　the　crowd；　in　the　opinion　of　the　firebrands　of　Parliament；　by　haranguing　against　the　Comte　de　Grancei；　who　had　the　insolence　to　pillage　the　house　of　M。　Coulon；　by　insisting　on　the　24th　that　the　Prince　d'Harcourt　should　be　allowed　to　seize　all　the　public　money　in　the　province　of　Picardy；　by　insisting　on　the　25th　against　a　truce　which　it　would　have　been　ridiculous　to　refuse　during　a　conference；　and　by　opposing　on　the　30th　what　was　transacted　there；　though　at　the　same　time　I　knew　that　peace　was　made。

I　now　return　to　the　conference　at　Saint　Germain。

The　Court　declared　they　would　never　consent　to　the　removal　of　the　Cardinal；　and　that　as　to　the　pretensions　of　the　generals；　which　were　either　to　justice　or　favour；　those　of　justice　should　be　confirmed；　and　those　of　favour　left　to　his　Majesty's　disposal　to　reward　merit。　　They　declared　their　willingness　to　accept　the　Archduke's　proposal　for　a　general　peace。

An　amnesty　was　granted　in　the　most　ample　manner；　comprehending　expressly　the　Prince　de　Conti；　MM。　de　Longueville；　de　Beaufort；　d'Harcourt；　de　Rieug；　de　Lillebonne；　de　Bouillon；　de　Turenne；　de　Brissac；　de　Duras；　de　Matignon；　de　Beuron；　de　Noirmoutier；　de　Sdvigny；　de　Tremouille；　de　La　Rochefoucault；　de　Retz；　d'Estissac；　de　Montr4sor；　de　Matta；　de　Saint　Germain；　d'Apchon；　de　Sauvebeuf；　de　Saint　Ibal；　de　Lauretat；　de　Laigues；　de　Chavagnac；　de　Chaumont；　de　Caumesnil；　de　Cugnac；　de　Creci；　d'Allici；　and　de　Barriere；　but　I　was　left　out；　which　contributed　to　preserve　my　reputation　with　the　public　more　than　you　would　expect　from　such　a　trifle。

On　the　31st　the　deputies；　being　returned；　made　their　report　to　the　Parliament；　who　on　the　1st　of　April　verified　the　declaration　of　peace。

As　I　went　to　the　House　I　found　the　streets　crowded　with　people　crying　〃No　peace！　no　Mazarin！〃　but　I　dispersed　them　by　saying　that　it　was　one　of　Mazarin's　stratagems　to　separate　the　people　from　the　Parliament；　who　without　doubt　had　reasons　for　what　they　had　done；　that　they　should　be　cautious　of　falling　into　the　snare；　that　they　had　no　cause　to　fear　Mazarin；　and　that　they　might　depend　on　it　that　I　would　never　agree　with　him。　　When　I　reached　the　House　I　found　the　guards　as　excited　as　the　people；　and　bent　on　murdering　every　one　they　knew　to　be　of　Mazarin's　party；　but　I　pacified　them　as　I　had　done　the　others。　　The　First　President；　seeing　me　coming　in；　said　that　〃I　had　been　consecrating　oil　mixed；　undoubtedly；　with　saltpetre。〃　　I　heard　the　words；　but　made　as　if　I　did　not；　for　had　I　taken　them　up；　and　had　the　people　known　it　in　the　Great　Hall；　it　would　not　have　been　in　my　power　to　have　saved　the　life　of　one　single　member。

Soon　after　the　peace　the　Prince　de　Conti；　Madame　de　Longueville　and　M。　de　Bouillon　went　to　Saint　Germain　to　the　Court；　which　had　by　some　means　or　other　gained　M。　d'Elbeuf。　　But　MM。　de　Brissac；　de　Retz；　de　Vitri；　de　Fiesque；　de　Fontrailles；　de　Montr4sor；　de　Noirmoutier；　de　Matta；　de　la　Boulaie；　de　Caumesnil；　de　Moreul；　de　Laigues；　and　d'Annery　remained　in　a　body　with　us；　which　was　not　contemptible；　considering　the　people　were　on　our　side；　but　the　Cardinal　despised　us　to　that　degree　that　when　MM。　de　Beaufort；　de　Brissac；　de　La　Mothe；　and　myself　desired　one　of　our　friends　to　assure　the　Queen　of　our　most　humble　obedience；　she　answered　that　she　should　not　regard　our　assurances　till　we　had　paid　our　devoirs　to　the　Cardinal。

Madame　de　Chevreuse　having　come　from　Brussels　without　the　Queen's　leave；　her　Majesty　sent　her　orders　to　quit　Paris　in　twenty…four　hours　upon　which　I　went　to　her　house　and　found　the　lovely　creature　at　her　toilet　bathed　in　tears。　　My　heart　yearned　towards　her；　but　I　bid　her　not　obey　till　I　had　the　honour　of　seeing　her　again。　　I　consulted　with　M。　de　Beaufort　to　get　the　order　revoked；　upon　which　he　said；　〃I　see　you　are　against　her　going；　she　shall　stay。　　She　has　very　fine　eyes！〃

I　returned　to　the　Palace　de　Chevreuse；　where　I　was　made　very　welcome；　and　found　the　lovely　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse。　　I　got　a　very　intimate　acquaintance　with　Madame　de　Rhodes；　natural　daughter　of　Cardinal　de　Guise；　who　was　her　great　confidant。　　I　entirely　demolished　the　good　opinion　she　had　of　the　Duke　of　Brunswick…Zell；　with　whom　she　had　almost　struck　a　bargain。　　De　Laigues　hindered　me　at　first；　but　the　forwardness　of　the　daughter　and　the　good…nature　of　the　mother　soon　removed　all　obstacles。　　I　saw　her　every　day　at　her　own　house　and　very　often　at　Madame　de　Rhodes's；　who　allowed　us　all　the　liberty　we　could　wish　for；　and　we　did　not　fail　to　make　good　use　of　our　time。　　I　did　love　her；　or　rather　I　thought　I　loved　her；　for　I　still　had　to　do　with　Madame　de　Pommereux。

Fronde　（sling）　being　the　name　given　to　the　faction；　I　will　give　you　the　etymology　of　it；　which　I　omitted　in　the　first　book。

When　Parliament　met　upon　State　affairs；　the　Duc　d'Orleans　and　the　Prince　de　Conde　came　very　frequently；　and　tempered　the　heat　of　the　contending　parties；　but　the　coolness　was　not　lasting；　for　every　other　day　their　fury　returned　upon　them。

Bachoumont　once　said；　in　jest；　that　the　Parliament　acted　like　the　schoolboys　in　the　Paris　ditches；　who　fling　stones；　and　run　away　when　they　see　the　constable；　but　meet　again　as　soon　as　he　turns　his　back。　　This　was　thought　a　very　pretty　comparison。　　It　came　to　be　a　subject　for　ballads；　and；　upon　the　peace　between　the　King　and　Parliament；　it　was　revived　and　applied　to　those　who　were　not　agreed　with　the　Court；　and　we　studied　to　give　it　all　possible　currency；　because　we　observed　that　it　excited　the　wrath　of　the　people。　　We　therefore　resolved　that　night　to　wear　hatbands　made　in　the　form　of　a　sling；　and　had　a　great　number　of　them　made　ready　to　be　distributed　among　a　parcel　of　rough　fellows；　and　we　wore　them　ourselves　last　of　all；　for　it　would　have　looked　much　like　affectation　and　have　spoilt　all　had　we　been　the　first　in　the　mode。

It　is　inexpressible　what　influence　this　trifle　had　upon　the　people；　their　bread；　hats；　gloves；　handkerchiefs；　fans；　ornaments　were　all　'a　la　mode　de　la　Fronde'；　and　we　ourselves　were　more　in　the　fashion　by　this　trifle　than　in　reality。　　And　the　truth　is　we　had　need　of　all　our　shifts　to　support　us　against　the　whole　royal　family。　　For　although　I　had　spoken　to　the　Prince　de　Conde　at　Madame　de　Longueville's；　I　could　not　suppose　myself　thoroughly　reconciled。　　He　treated　me；　indeed；　civilly；　but　with　an　air　of　coldness；　and　I　know　that　he　was　fully　persuaded　that　I　had　complained　of　his