the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第41部分

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ed　when　her　Majesty　trusted　me　with　this　secret；　and　imagined　that　the　Cardinal　had　possessed　her　with　a　fear　that　the　Frondeurs　had　a　design　to　seize　the　person　of　the　Prince　de　Conde。　　For　my　part；　I　never　dreamed　of　such　a　thing　in　my　life。　　The　Ducs　d'Orleans　and　de　Beaufort　were　both　shocked　at　the　thought　of　it；　and；　in　short；　it　was　agreed　that　his　Royal　Highness　should　give　his　consent　for　the　removal；　and　that　M。　de　Beaufort　and　myself　should　not　give　it　out　among　the　people　that　we　approved　of　it。

The　day　that　the　Princes　were　removed　to　Marcoussi；　President　Bellievre　told　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　in　plain　terms；　that　if　he　continued　to　treat　me　as　he　had　done　hitherto；　he　should　be　obliged　in　honour　to　give　his　testimony　to　the　truth。　　To　which　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　returned　this　blunt　answer：　〃The　Princes　are　no　longer　in　sight　of　Paris；　the　Coadjutor　must　not　therefore　talk　so　loud。〃

I　return　now　to　the　Parliament；　which　was　so　moderate　at　this　time　that　the　Cardinal　was　hardly　mentioned；　and　they　agreed；　'nemine　contradicente'；　that　the　Parliament　should　send　deputies　to　Bordeaux　to　know　once　for　all　if　that　Parliament　was　for　peace　or　not。

Soon　after　this　the　Parliament　of　Toulouse　wrote　to　that　of　Paris　concerning　the　disturbances　in　Guienne；　part　whereof　belonged　to　their　jurisdiction；　and　expressly　demanded　a　decree　of　union。　　But　the　Duc　d'Orleans　warded　off　the　blow　very　dexterously；　which　was　of　great　consequence；　and；　more　by　his　address　than　by　his　authority；　brought　the　Parliament　to　dismiss　the　deputies　with　civil　answers　and　insignificant　expressions；　upon　which　President　Bellievre　said　to　me；　〃What　pleasure　should　we　not　take　in　acting　as　we　do　if　it　were　for　persons　that　had　but　the　sense　to　appreciate　it！〃

The　Parliament　did　not　continue　long　in　that　calm。　　They　passed　a　decree　to　interrogate　the　State　prisoners　in　the　Bastille；　broke　out　sometimes　like　a　whirlwind；　with　thunder　and　lightning；　against　Cardinal　Mazarin；　at　other　times　they　complained　of　the　misapplication　of　the　public　funds。　We　had　much　ado　to　ward　off　the　blows；　and　should　not　have　been　able　to　hold　out　long　against　the　fury　of　the　waves　but　for　the　news　of　the　Peace　of　Bordeaux；　which　was　registered　there　on　October　the　1st；　1650；　and　put　the　Prince　de　Conde's　party　into　consternation。

One　mean　artifice　of　Cardinal　Mazarin's　polity　was　always　to　entertain　some　men　of　our　own　party；　with　whom；　half　reconciled；　he　played　fast　and　loose　before　our　eyes；　and　was　eternally　negotiating　with　them；　deceiving　and　being　deceived　in　his　turn。　　The　consequence　of　all　this　was　a　great；　thick　cloud；　wherein　the　Frondeurs　themselves　were　at　last　involved；　but　which　they　burst　with　a　thunderclap。

The　Cardinal；　being　puffed　up　with　his　success　in　settling　the　troubles　of　Guienne；　thought　of　nothing　else　than　crowning　his　triumph　by　chastising　the　Frondeurs；　who；　he　said；　had　made　use　of　the　King's　absence　to　alienate　the　Duc　d'Orleans　from　his　service；　to　encourage　the　revolt　at　Bordeaux；　and　to　make　themselves　masters　of　the　persons　of　the　Princes。　　At　the　same　time；　he　told　the　Princess　Palatine　that　he　detested　the　cruel　hatred　I　bore　to　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　that　the　propositions　I　made　daily　to　him　on　that　score　were　altogether　unworthy　of　a　Christian。　　Yet　he　suggested　to　the　Duc　d'Orleans　that　I　made　great　overtures　to　him　to　be　reconciled　to　the　Court；　but　that　he　could　not　trust　me；　because　I　was　from　morning　to　night　negotiating　with　the　friends　of　the　Prince　de　Conde。　　Thus　the　Cardinal　rewarded　me　for　what　I　did　with　incredible　application　and；　I　must　say；　uncommon　sincerity　for　the　Queen's　service　during　the　Court's　absence。　　I　do　not　mention　the　dangers　I　was　in　twice　or　thrice　a　day；　surpassing　even　those　of　soldiers　in　battles。　　For　imagine；　I　beseech　you；　what　pain　and　anguish　I　must　have　been　in　at　hearing　myself　called　a　Mazarinist；　and　at　having　to　bear　all　the　odium　annexed　to　that　hateful　appellation　in　a　city　where　he　made　it　his　business　to　destroy　me　in　the　opinion　of　a　Prince　whose　nature　it　was　to　be　always　in　fear　and　to　trust　none　but　such　as　hoped　to　rise　by　my　fall。

The　Cardinal　gave　himself　such　airs　after　the　peace　at　Bordeaux　that　some　said　my　best　way　would　be　to　retire　before　the　King's　return。

Cardinal　Mazarin　had　been　formerly　secretary　to　Pancirole；　the　Pope's　nuncio　for　the　peace　of　Italy；　whom　he　betrayed；　and　it　was　proved　that　he　had　a　secret　correspondence　with　the　Governor　of　Milan。　　Pancirole；　being　created　cardinal　and　Secretary　of　State　to　the　Church；　did　not　forget　the　perfidiousness　of　his　secretary；　now　created　cardinal　by　Pope　Urban；　at　the　request　of　Cardinal　de　Richelieu；　and　did　not　at　all　endeavour　to　qualify　the　anger　which　Pope　Innocent　had　conceived　against　Mazarin　after　the　assassination　of　one　of　his　nephews；　in　conjunction　with　Cardinal　Anthony。

　　　　　＇Anthony　Barberini；　nephew　to　Urban　VIII。；　created　Cardinal　1628；　　　　　　made　Protector　of　the　Crown　of　France　1633；　and　Great　Almoner　of　the　　　　　　Kingdom　1653。　　He　was　afterwards　Bishop　of　Poitiers；　and；　lastly；　　　　　　Archbishop　of　Rheims　in　1657。　　Died　1671。＇

Pancirole；　who　thought　he　could　not　affront　Mazarin　more　than　by　contributing　to　make　me　cardinal；　did　me　all　the　kind　offices　with　Pope　Innocent；　who　gave　him　leave　to　treat　with　me　in　that　affair。

Madame　de　Chevreuse　told　the　Queen　all　that　she　had　observed　in　my　conduct　in　the　King's　absence；　and　what　she　had　seen　was　certainly　one　continued　series　of　considerable　services　done　to　the　Queen。

She　recounted　at　last　all　the　injustice　done　me；　the　contempt　put　upon　me；　and　the　just　grounds　of　my　diffidence；　which；　she　said；　of　necessity　ought　to　be　removed；　and　that　the　only　means　of　removing　it　was　the　hat。　The　Queen　was　in　a　passion　at　this。　　The　Cardinal　defended　himself；　not　by　an　open　denial；　for　he　had　offered　it　me　several　times；　but　by　recommending　patience；　intimating　that　a　great　monarch　should　be　forced　to　nothing。　　Monsieur；　seconding　Madame　de　Chevreuse　in　her　attack；　assailed　the　Cardinal；　who；　at　least　in　appearance；　gave　way；　out　of　respect　for　his　Royal　Highness。　　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　having　brought　them　to　parley；　did　not　doubt　that　she　should　also　bring　them　to　capitulate；　especially　when　she　saw　the　Queen　was　appeased；　and　had　told　his　Royal　Highness　that　she　was　infinitely　obliged　to　him；　and　would　do　what　her　Council　judged　most　proper　and　reasonable。　　This　Council；　which　was　only　a　specious　name；　consisted　only　of　the　Cardinal；　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　Tellier；　and　Servien。

The　matter　was　proposed　to　the　Council　by　the　Cardinal　with　much　importunity；　concluding　with　a　most　submissive　petition　to　the　Queen　to　condescend　to　the　demand　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　to　what　the　services　and　merits　of　the　Coadjutor　demanded。　　The　proposition　was　rejected　with　such　resolution　and　contempt　as　is　very　unusual　in　Council　in　opposition　to　a　Prime　Minister。　　Tellier　and　Servien　thought　it　sufficient　not　to　applaud　him；　but　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals　quite　forgot　his　respect　for　the　Cardinal；　accused　him　of　prevarication　and　weakness；　and　threw　himself　at　her　Majesty's　feet；　conjuring　her　in　the　name　of　the　King　her　son；　not　to　authorise；　by　an　example　which　he　called　fatal；　the　insolence　of　a　subject　who　was　for　wresting　favours　from　his　sovereign；　sword　in　hand。　The　Queen　was　moved　at　this；　and　the　poor　Cardinal　owned　he　had　been　too　easy　and　pliant。

I　had　myself　given　a　very　natural　handle　to　my　adversaries　to　expose　me　so　egregiously。　　I　have　been　guilty　of　many　blunders；　but　I　think　this　is　the　grossest　that　I　ever　was　guilty　of　in　all　my　life。　　I　have　frequently　made　this　observation；　that　when　men　have；　through　fear　of　miscarriage；　hesitated　a　long　time　about　any　undertaking　of　consequence；　the　remaining　impressions　of　their　fear　commonly　push　them　afterwards　with　too　much　precipitancy　upon　the　execution　of　their　design。　　And　this　was　my　case。　It　was　with　the　greatest　reluctance　that　I　determined　to　accept　the　dignity　of　a　cardinal；　because　I　thought　it　too　mean　to　form　a　pretension　to　it　without　certainty　of　success；　and　no　sooner　was　I　engaged　in　the　pursuit　of　it　but　the　impression　of　the　former　fearful　ideas　hurried　me　on；　as　it　were；　to　the　end；　that　I　might　get　as　soon　as　possible　out　of　the　disagreeable　state　of　uncertainty。

The　Cardinal　would　have　paid　my　debts；　given　me　the　place　of　Grand　Almoner；　etc。；　but　if　he　had　added　twelve　cardinals'　hats　into　the　bargain；　I　should　have　begged　his　excuse。　　I　was　now　engaged　with　Monsieur；　who　had；　meanwhile；　resolved　upon　the　release　of　the　Princes　from　their　confinement。

Cardinal　Mazarin；　after　his　return　to　Paris；　made　it　his　chief　study　to　divide　the　Fronde。　　He　thought　to　materially　weaken　my　interest　with　Monsieur　by　detaching　from　me　Madame　de　Chevreuse；　for　whom　he　had　a　natural　tenderness；　and　to　give　me　a　mortal　blow　by　embroiling　me　with　Mademoiselle　her　daughter。　　To　do　this　effectually　he　found　a　rival；　who；　he　hoped；　would　please　her　better；　namely；　M。　d'Aumale；　handsome　as　Apollo；　and　one　who　was　very　likely　to　suit　the　temper　of　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse。　　He　had　entirely　devoted　himself　to　the　Cardinal's　interest；　looked　upon　himself　as　very　much　honoured　by　this　commission；　and　haunted　the　Palace　of　Chevreuse　so　diligently　that　I　did　not　doubt　but　that　he　was　sent　thither　to　act　the　second　part　of　the　comedy　which　had　miscarried　so　shamefully　in　the　hands　of　M。　de　Candale。　　I　watched　all　his　movements；　and　complained　to　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse；　but　she　gave　me　indirect　answers。　　I　began　to　be　out　of　humour；　and　was　soon　appeased。　I　grew　peevish　again；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse　saying　in　his　presence；　to　please　me　and　to　sting　him；　that　she　could　not　imagine　how　it　was　possible　to　bear　a　silly　fellow；　〃Pardon　me；　mademoiselle；〃　replied　I；　〃we　suffer　fops　sometimes　very　patiently　for　the　sake　of　their　extravagances。〃　　This　man　was　notoriously　foppish　and　extravagant。　　My　answer　pleased；　and　we　soon　got　rid　of　him　at　the　Palace　of　Chevreuse。　But　he　thought　to　have　despatched　me；　for　he　hired　one　Grandmaison；　a　ruffian；　to　assassinate　me；　who　apprised　me　of　his　design。　　The　first　time　I　met　M。　d'Aumale；　which　was　at　the　Duc　d'Orleans's　house；　I　did　not　fail　to　let　him　know