the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第40部分

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odness。

The　Duc　d'Orleans　informed　the　House　that　he　had　received　a　letter　from　the　Archduke；　signifying　that　the　King　of　Spain　having　sent　him　full　powers　to　treat　for　a　general　peace；　he　desired　earnestly　to　negotiate　it　with　him。　　But　his　Royal　Highness　added　that　he　did　not　think　it　proper　to　return　him　any　answer　till　he　had　the　opinion　of　the　Parliament。　　The　trumpeter　who　brought　the　letter　gathered　a　party　at　Tiroir　cross；　and　spoke　very　seditious　words　to　the　people。　　The　next　day　they　found　libels　posted　up　and　down　the　city　in　the　name　of　M。　de　Turenne；　setting　forth　that　the　Archduke　was　coming　with　no　other　disposition　than　to　make　peace；　and　in　one　of　them　were　these　words：　〃It　is　your　business；　Parisians；　to　solicit　your　false　tribunes；　who　have　turned　at　last　pensioners　and　protectors　of　Mazarin；　who　have　for　so　long　a　time　sported　with　your　fortunes　and　repose；　and　spurred　you　on；　kept　you　back；　and　made　you　hot　or　cold；　according　to　the　caprices　and　different　progress　of　their　ambition。〃

You　see　the　state　and　condition　the　Frondeurs　were　in　at　this　juncture；　when　they　could　not　move　one　step　but　to　their　own　disadvantage。　　The　Duc　d'Orleans　spoke　to　me　that　night　with　a；　great　deal　of　bitterness　against　the　Cardinal；　which　he　had　never　done　before；　and　said　he　had　been　tricked　by　him　twice；　and　that　he　was　ruining　himself；　the　State；　and　all　of　us；　and　would；　by　so　doing；　place　the　Prince　de　Conde　upon　the　throne。　In　short；　Monsieur　owned　that　it　was　not　yet　time　to　humble　the　Cardinal。　〃Therefore；〃　said　M。　Bellievre；　〃let　us　be　upon　our　guard；　this　man　can　give　us　the　slip　any　moment。〃

Next　day　a　letter　was　sent　from　the　Prince　de　Conde；　by　the　Baron　de　Verderonne；　to　the　Archduke；　desiring　him　to　name　the　time；　place　and　persons　for　a　treaty。　　The　Baron　returned　with　a　letter　from　the　Archduke　to　his　Royal　Highness；　desiring　that　the　conferences　might　be　held　between　Rheims　and　Rhetel；　and　that　they　might　meet　there　personally；　with　such　others　as　they　should　think　fit　to　bring　with　them。　　The　Court　was　surprised；　but；　however；　did　not　think　fit　to　delay　sending　full　powers　to　his　Royal　Highness　to　treat　for　peace　on　such　terms　as　he　thought　reasonable　and　advantageous　for　the　King's　service；　and　there　were　joined　with　him；　though　in　subordination；　MM。　Mole；　the　First　President；　d'Avaux；　and　myself；　with　the　title　of　Ambassadors　Extraordinary　and　Plenipotentiaries。　　M。　d'Avaux　obliged　me　to　assure　Don　Gabriel　de　Toledo；　in　private；　that　if　the　Spaniards　would　but　come　to　reasonable　terms；　we　would　conclude　a　peace　with　them　in　two　days'　time。　And　his　Royal　Highness　said　that　Don　Gabriel　being　a　lover　of　money；　I　should　promise　him　for　his　part　100；000　crowns　if　the　conference　that　was　proposed　ended　in　a　peace；　and　bid　him　tell　the　Archduke　that；　if　the　Spaniards　proposed　reasonable　terms；　he　would　sign　and　have　them　registered　in　Parliament　before　Mazarin　should　know　anything　of　the　matter。

Don　Gabriel　received　the　overture　with　joy；　he　had　some　particular　fancies；　but　Fuensaldagne；　who　had　a　particular　kindness　for　him；　said　that　he　was　the　wisest　fool　he　ever　saw　in　his　life。　　I　have　remarked　more　than　once　that　this　sort　of　man　cannot　persuade；　but　can　insinuate　perfectly　well；　and　that　the　talent　of　insinuation　is　of　more　service　than　that　of　persuasion；　because　one　may　insinuate　to　a　hundred　where　one　can　hardly　persuade　five。

The　King　of　England；　after　having　lost　the　battle　of　Worcester；　arrived　in　Paris　the　day　that　Don　Gabriel　set　out；　the　13th　of　September；　1651。　My　Lord　Taff　was　his　great　chamberlain；　valet　de　chambre；　clerk　of　the　kitchen；　cup…bearer；　and　all；an　equipage　answerable　to　his　Court；　for　his　Majesty　had　not　changed　his　shirt　all　the　way　from　England。　　Upon　his　arrival　at　Paris；　indeed；　he　had　one　lent　him　by　my　Lord　Jermyn；　but　the　Queen；　his　mother；　had　not　money　to　buy　him　another　for　the　next　day。　The　Duc　d'Orleans　went　to　compliment　his　Majesty　upon　his　arrival；　but　it　was　not　in　my　power　to　persuade　his　Royal　Highness　to　give　his　nephew　one　penny；　because；　said　he；　〃a　little　would　not　be　worth　his　acceptance；　and　a　great　deal　would　engage　me　to　do　as　much　hereafter。〃　　This　leads　me　to　make　the　following　digression：　that　there　is　nothing　so　wretched　as　to　be　a　minister　to　a　Prince；　and；　at　the　same　time；　not　his　favourite；　for　it　is　his　favour　only　that　gives　one　a　power　over　the　more　minute　concerns　of　the　family；　for　which　the　public　does；　nevertheless；　think　a　minister　accountable　when　they；　see　he　has　power　over　affairs　of　far　greater　consequence。

Therefore　I　was　not　in　a　condition　to　oblige　his　Royal　Highness　by　assisting　the　King　of　England　with　a　thousand　pistoles；　for　which　I　was　horridly；　ashamed；　both　upon　his　account　anal　my　own；　but　I　borrowed　fifteen　hundred　for　him　from　M。　Morangis；　and　carried　them　to　my　Lord　Taff。＇Lord　Clarendon　extols　the　civilities　of　Cardinal　de　Retz　to　King　Charles　II。；　and　has　reported　a　curious　conversation　which　the　Cardinal　had　with　that　Prince。＇　It　is　remarkable　that　the　same　night；　as　I　was　going　home；　I　met　one　Tilney；　an　Englishman　whom　I　had　formerly　known　at　Rome；　who　told　me　that　Vere；　a　great　Parliamentarian　and　a　favourite　of　Cromwell；　had　arrived　in　Paris　and　had　orders　to　see　me。　　I　was　a　little　puzzled；　however；　I　judged　it　would　be　improper　to　refuse　him　an　interview。　　Vere　gave　me　a　brief　letter　from　Cromwell　in　the　nature　of　credentials；　importing　that　the　sentiments　I　had　enunciated　in　the　〃Defence　of　Public　Liberty〃　added　to　my　reputation；　and　had　induced　Cromwell　to　desire　to　enter　with　me　into　the　strictest　friendship。　　The　letter　was　in　the　main　wonderfully　civil　and　complaisant。　　I　answered　it　with　a　great　deal　of　respect；　but　in　such　a　manner　as　became　a　true　Catholic　and　an　honest　Frenchman。　　Vere　appeared　to　be　a　man　of　surprising　abilities。

I　now　return　to　our　own　affairs。　　I　was　told　as　a　mighty　secret　that　Tellier　had　orders　from　the　Cardinal　to　remove　the　Princes　from　the　Bois　de　Vincennes　if　the　enemy　were　likely　to　come　near　the　place；　and　that　he　should　endeavour　by　all　means　to　procure　the　consent　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans　for　that　end；　but　that；　in　case　of　refusal；　these　orders　should　be　executed　notwithstanding；　and　that　he　should　endeavour　to　gain　me　to　these　measures　by　the　means　of　Madame　de　Chevreuse。　　When　Tellier　came　to　me　I　assured　him　that　it　was　all　one；　both　to　me　and　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　whether　the　Princes　were　removed　or　not；　but　since　my　opinion　was　desired；　I　must　declare　that　I　think　nothing　can　be　more　contrary　to　the　true　interest　of　the　King；　〃for；〃　said　I；　〃the　Spaniards　must　gain　a　battle　before　they　can　come　to　Vincennes；　and　when　there　they　must　have　a　flying　camp　to　invest　the　place　before　they　can　deliver　the　Princes　from　confinement；　and　therefore　I　am　convinced　that　there　is　no　necessity　for　their　removal；　and　I　do　affirm　that　all　unnecessary　changes　in　matters　which　are　in　themselves　disagreeable　are　pernicious；　because　odious。　I　will　maintain；　further；　that　there　is　less　reason　to　fear　the　Duc　d'Orleans　and　the　Frondeurs　than　to　dread　the　Spaniards。　　Suppose　that　his　Royal　Highness　is　more　disaffected　towards　the　Court　than　anybody；　suppose　further　that　M。　de　Beaufort　and　I　have　a　mind　to　relieve　the　Princes；　in　what　way　could　we　do　it？　　Is　not　the　whole　garrison　in　that　castle　in　the　King's　service？　　Has　his　Royal　Highness　any　regular　troops　to　besiege　Vincennes？　　And；　granting　the　Frondeurs　to　be　the　greatest　fools　imaginable；　will　they　expose　the　people　of　Paris　at　a　siege　which　two　thousand　of　the　King's　troops　might　raise　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　though　it　consist　of　a　hundred　thousand　citizens？　　I　therefore　conclude　that　the　removal　would　be　altogether　impolitic。　　Does　it　not　look　rather　as　if　the　Cardinal　feigns　apprehension　of　the　Spaniards　only　as　a　pretence　to　make　himself　master　of　the　Princes；　and　to　dispose　of　their　persons　at　pleasure？　　The　generality　of　the　people；　being　Frondeurs；　will　conclude　you　take　the　Prince　de　Conde　out　of　their　hands；whom　they　look　upon　to　be　safe　while　they　see　him　walking　upon　the　battlements　of　his　prison；and　that　you　will　give　him　his　liberty　when　you　please；　and　thus　enable　him　to　besiege　Paris　a　second　time。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　Prince's　party　will　improve　this　removal　very　much　to　their　own　advantage　by　the　compassion　such　a　spectacle　will　raise　in　the　people　when　they　see　three　Princes　dragged　in　chains　from　one　prison　to　another。　　I　was　really　mistaken　just　now　when　I　said　the　case　was　all　one　to　me；　for　I　see　that　I　am　nearly　concerned；　because　the　peoplein　which　word　I　include　the　Parliament　will　cry　out　against　it；　I　must　be　then　obliged；　for　my　own　safety；　to　say　I　did　not　approve　of　the　resolution。　　Then　the　Court　will　be　informed　that　I　find　fault　with　it；　and　not　only　that；　but　that　I　do　it　in　order　to　raise　the　mob　and　discredit　the　Cardinal；　which；　though　ever　so　false；　yet　in　consequence　the　people　will　firmly　believe　it；　and　thus　I　shall　meet　with　the　same　treatment　I　met　with　in　the　beginning　of　the　late　troubles；　and　what　I　even　now　experience　in　relation　to　the　affairs　of　Guienne。　　I　am　said　to　be　the　cause　of　these　troubles　because　I　foretold　them；　and　I　was　said　to　encourage　the　revolt　at　Bordeaux　because　I　was　against　the　conduct　that　occasioned　it。〃

Tellier；　in　the　Queen's　name；　thanked　me　for　my　unresisting　disposition；　and　made　the　same　proposal　to　his　Royal　Highness；　upon　which　I　spoke；　not　to　second　Tellier；　who　pleaded　for　the　necessity　of　the　removal；　to　which　I　could　by　no　means　be　reconciled；　but　to　make　it　evident　to　his　Royal　Highness　that　he　was　not　in　any　way　concerned　in　it　in　his　own　private　capacity；　and　that；　in　case　the　Queen　did　command　it　positively；　it　was　his　duty　to　obey。　　M。　de　Beaufort　opposed　it　so　furiously　as　to　offer　the　Duc　d'Orleans　to　attack　the　guards　which　were　to　remove　him。　　I　had　solid　reasons　to　dissuade　him　from　it；　to　the　last　of　which　he　submitted；　it　being　an　argument　which　I　had　from　the　Queen's　own　mouth　when　she　set　out　for　Guienne；　that　Bar　offered　to　assassinate　the　Princes　if　it　should　happen　that　he　was　not　in　a　condition　to　hinder　their　escape。　　I　was　astonished　when　her　Majesty　trusted　me　with　this　secret；　and　imagined　that　the　Cardinal　had　possessed　her　wi