the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第48部分

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en　armed　to　confess　it。　　There　are　some　things　wherein　men　are　willing　to　be　deceived。　　Actions　very　often　vindicate　men's　reputations　in　what　they　do　against　the　dignity　of　their　profession；　but　nothing　can　justify　words　that　are　inconsistent　with　their　character。

As　I　had　desired　my　friends　to　withdraw；　and　was　entering　into　the　Court　of　Judicature；　I　heard　an　uproar　in　the　hall　of　people　crying　out　〃To　arms！〃　　I　had　a　mind　to　go　back　to　see　what　was　the　matter；　but　I　had　not　time　to　do　it；　for　I　found　myself　caught　by　the　neck　between　the　folding　doors；　which　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　had　shut　on　me；　crying　out　to　MM。　Coligny　and　Ricousse　to　kill　me。

　　　　　＇This　action　is　very　much　disguised　and　softened　in　the　Memoirs　of　　　　　　Rochefoucault。　　M。　Joly；　in　his　Memoirs；　vol。　i。；　p。　155；　tells　it　　　　　　almost　in。。。　　the　same　manner　as　the　Cardinal　de　Retz。＇

The　first　thought　he　was　not　in　earnest；　and　the　other　told　him　he　had　no　such　order　from　the　Prince。　　M。　Champlatreux；　running　into　the　hall　and　seeing　me　in　that　condition；　vigorously　pushed　back　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault；　telling　him　that　a　murder　of　that　nature　was　horrible　and　scandalous。　　He　opened　the　door　and　let　me　in。　　But　this　was　not　the　greatest　danger　I　was　in；　as　you　will　see　after　I　have　told　you　the　beginning　and　end　of　it。

Two　or　three　of　the　Prince　de　Conde's　mob　cried　out；　as　soon　as　they　saw　me；　〃A　Mazarin！〃　　Two　of　the　Prince's　soldiers　drew　their　swords；　those　next　to　them　cried　out；　〃To　your　arms！〃　and　in　a　trice　all　were　in　a　fighting　posture。　　My　friends　drew　their　swords；　daggers；　and　pistols；　and　yet；　as　it　were　by　a　miracle；　they　stopped　their　hands　on　a　sudden　from　action；　for　in　that　very　instant　of　time；　Crenan；　one　of　my　old　friends；　who　commanded　a　company　of　the　Prince　de　Conti's　gendarmes；　said　to　Laigues；　〃What　are　we　doing？　　Must　we　let　the　Prince　de　Conde　and　the　Coadjutor　be　murdered？　　Whoever　does　not　put　up　his　sword　is　a　rascal！〃　This　expression　coming　from　a　man　of　great　courage　and　reputation；　every　one　did　as　he　bade　them。　　Nor　is　Argenteuil's　courage　and　presence　of　mind　to　be　less　admired。　　He　being　near　me　when　I　was　caught　by　the　neck　between　the　folding　doors；　and　observing　one　Peche；＇Joly　calls　him　〃The　great　clamourer　of　the　Prince。〃　　See　his　Memoirs；　p。　157。＇　a　brawling　fellow　of　the　Prince's　party；　looking　for　me　with　a　dagger　in　his　hand；　screened　me　with　his　cloak；　and　thereby　saved　my　life；　which　was　in　the　more　danger　because　my　friends；　who　supposed　I　was　gone　into　the　Great　Chamber；　stayed　behind　to　engage　with　the　Prince　de　Conde's　party。　　The　Prince　told　me　since　that　it　was　well　I　kept　on　the　defensive；　and　that　had　the　noise　in　the　hall　continued　but　a　minute　longer；　he　would　himself　have　taken　me　by　the　throat　and　made　me　pay　for　all；　but　I　am　fully　persuaded　that　the　consequences　would　have　been　fatal　to　both　parties；　and　that　he　himself　had　had　a　narrow　escape。

As　soon　as　I　reentered　the　Great　Chamber　I　told　the　First　President　that　I　owed　my　life　to　his　son；　who　on　that　occasion　did　the　most　generous　action　that　a　man　of　honour　was　capable　of；　because　he　was　passionately　attached　to　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　was　persuaded；　though　without　a　cause；　that　I　was　concerned　in　above　twenty　editions　against　his　father　during　the　siege　of　Paris。　　There　are　few　actions　more　heroic　than　this；　the　memory　of　which　I　shall　carry　to　my　grave。　　I　also　added　that　M。　de　La　Rochefoucault　had　done　all　he　could　to　murder　me。'

　　　　　＇The　Duke　answered；　as　he　says　himself　in　his　Memoirs；　that　fear　had　　　　　　disturbed　his　judgment；　etc。　　See　in　the　Memoirs　of　M。　de　La　　　　　　Rochefoucault；　the　relation　of　what　passed　after　the　confinement　of　　　　　　the　Princes。＇

He　answered　me　these　very　words：　〃Thou　traitor；　I　don't　care　what　becomes　of　thee。〃　　I　replied；　〃Very　well；　Friend　Franchise　〃　（we　gave　him　that　nickname　in　our　party）；　〃you　are　a　coward　〃　（I　told　a　lie；　for　he　was　certainly　a　brave　man）；　〃and　I　am　a　priest；　but　dueling　is　not　allowed　us。〃　　M。　de　Brissac　threatened　to　cudgel　him；　and　he　to　kick　Brissac。　The　President；　fearing　these　words　would　end　in　blows；　got　between　us。　The　First　President　conjured　the　Prince　pathetically；　by　the　blood　of　Saint　Louis；　not　to　defile　with　blood　that　temple　which　he　had　given　for　the　preservation　of　peace　and　the　protection　of　justice；　and　exhorted　me；　by　my　sacred　character；　not　to　contribute　to　the　massacre　of　the　people　whom　God　had　committed　to　my　charge。　　Both　the　Prince　and　I　sent　out　two　gentlemen　to　order　our　friends　and　servants　to　retire　by　different　ways。　The　clock　struck　ten；　the　House　rose；　and　thus　ended　that　morning's　work；　which　was　likely　to　have　ruined　Paris。

You　may　easily　guess　what　a　commotion　Paris　was　in　all　that　morning。　Tradesmen　worked　in　their　shops　with　their　muskets　by　them；　and　the　women　were　at　prayers　in　the　churches。　　Sadness　sat　on　the　brows　of　all　who　were　not　actually　engaged　in　either　party。　　The　Prince；　if　we　may　believe　the　Comte　de　Fiesque；　told　him　that　Paris　narrowly　escaped　being　burnt　that　day。　　〃What　a　fine　bonfire　this　would　have　been　for　the　Cardinal；〃　said　he；　〃especially　to　see　it　lighted　by　the　two　greatest　enemies　he　had！〃

The　Duc　d'Orleans；　quite　tired　out　with　the　cries　of　the　people；　who　ran　affrighted　to　his　palace；　and　fearing　that　the　commotion　would　not　stop　at　the　Parliament　House；　made　the　Prince　promise　that　he　would　not　go　next　day　to　the　Parliament　with　above　five　in　company；　provided　I　would　engage　to　carry　no　more。　　I　begged　his　Royal　Highness　to　excuse　me　if　I　did　not　comply；　because　I　should　be　wanting　in　my　respect　to　the　Prince；　with　whom　I　ought　not　to　make　any　comparison；　and　because　I　should　be　still　exposed　to　a　pack　of　seditious　brawlers；　who　cried　out　against　me；　having　no　laws　nor　owning　any　chief。　　I　added　that　it　was　only　against　this　sort　of　people　that　I　armed；　that　there　was　so　little　comparison　between　a　private　gentleman　and　his　Highness　that　five　hundred　men　were　less　to　the　Prince　than　a　single　lackey　to　me。　　The　Duke；　who　owned　I　was　in　the　right；　went　to　the　Queen　to　represent　to　her　the　evil　consequences　that　would　inevitably　attend　such　measures。

The　Queen；　who　neither　feared　nor　foresaw　dangers；　made　no　account　of　his　remonstrances；　for　she　was　glad　in　the　main　of　the　dangers　which　seemed　to　be　so　near　at　hand。　　When　Bertet　and　Brachet；　who　crept　up　to　the　garrets　of　the　Palais　Royal　for　fear　of　having　their　throats　cut　in　the　general　commotion；　had　made　her　sensible　that　if　the　Prince　and　myself　should　perish　in　such　a　juncture　it　would　occasion　such　a　confusion　that　the　very　name　of　Mazarin　might　become　fatal　to　the　royal　family；　she　yielded　rather　to　her　fears　than　to　her　convictions；　and　consented　to　send　an　order　in　the　King's　name　to　forbid　both　the　Prince　and　me　to　go　to　the　House。　　The　First　President；　who　was　well　assured　that　the　Prince　would　not　obey　an　order　of　that　nature；　which　could　not　be　forced　upon　him　with　justice；　because　his　presence　was　necessary　in　the　Parliament；　went　to　the　Queen　and　made　her　sensible　that　it　would　be　against　all　justice　and　equity　to　forbid　the　Prince　to　be　present　in　an　assembly　where　he　went　only　to　clear　himself　from　a　crime　laid　to　his　charge。　He　showed　her　the　difference　between　the　first　Prince　of　the　blood；　whose　presence　would　be　necessary　in　that　conjuncture；　and　a　Coadjutor　of　Paris；　who　never　had　a　seat　in　the　Parliament　but　by　courtesy。

The　Queen　yielded　at　last　to　these　reasons　and　to　the　entreaties　of　all　the　Court　ladies；　who　dreaded　the　noise　and　confusion　which　was　likely　to　occur　next　day　in　the　Parliament　House。

The　Parliament　met　next　day；　and　resolved　that　all　the　papers；　both　of　the　Queen；　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　the　Prince　de　Conde；　should　be　carried　to　the　King　and　Queen；　that　her　Majesty　should　be　humbly　entreated　to　terminate　the　affair；　and　that　the　Duc　d'Orleans　should　be　desired　to　make　overtures　towards　a　reconciliation。

As　the　Prince　was　coming　out　of　the　Parliament　House；　attended　by　a　multitude　of　his　friends；　I　met　him　in　his　coach　as　I　was　at　the　head　of　a　procession　of　thirty　or　forty　cures　of　Paris；　followed　by　a　great　number　of　people。　　Upon　my　approach；　three　or　four　of　the　mob　following　the　Prince　cried　out；　〃A　Mazarin！〃　but　the　Prince　alighted　and　silenced　them。

　　　　　＇M。　de　La　Rochefoucault；　in　his　Memoirs；　says　that　the　people　abused　　　　　　the　Coadjutor　with　scurrilous　language；　and　would　have　torn　him　in　　　　　　pieces　if　the　prince　had　not　ordered　his　men　to　appease　the　tumult。＇

He　then　fell　on　his　knees　to　receive　my　blessing；　which　I　gave　him　with　my　hat　on；　and　then　pulled　it　off　in　obeisance。

The　Queen　was　so　well　pleased　with　my　prudent　conduct　that　I　can　truly　say　I　was　a　favourite　for　some　days。　　Madame　de　Carignan　was　telling　her　one　day　that　I　was　very　homely；　to　which　the　Queen　replied；　〃He　has　a　very　fine　set　of　teeth；　and　a　man　cannot　be　called　homely　who　has　this　ornament。〃　　Madame　de　Chevreuse　remembered　that　she　had　often　heard　the　Queen　say　that　the　beauty　of　a　man　consisted　chiefly　in　his　teeth；　because　it　was　the　only　beauty　which　was　of　any　use。　　Therefore　she　advised　me　to　act　my　part　well；　and　she　should　not　despair　of　success。　〃When　you　are　with　the　Queen；〃　said　she；　〃be　serious；　look　continually　on　her　hands；　storm　against　the　Cardinal；　and　I　will　take　care　of　the　rest〃　I　asked　two　or　three　audiences　of　the　Queen　upon　very　trifling　occasions；　followed　Madame　de　Chevreuse's　plan　very　closely；　and　carried　my　resentment　and　passion　against　the　Cardinal　even　to　extravagance。　　The　Queen；　who　was　naturally　a　coquette；　understood　those　airs；　and　acquainted　Madame　de　Chevreuse　therewith；　who　pretended　to　be　surprised；　saying；　〃Indeed；　I　have　heard　the　Coadjutor　talk　of　your　Majesty　whole　days　with　delight；　but　if　the　conversation　happened　to　touch　upon　the　Cardinal；　he　was　no　longer　the　same　man；　and　even　raved　against　your　Majesty；　but　immediately　relented　towards　you；　though　never　towards　the　Cardinal。〃

Madame　de　Chevreuse；　who　was　the　Queen's　confidante　in　her　youth；　gave　me　such　a　history　of　her　early　days　as　I　cannot　omit　giving　you；　though　I　should　have　done　it　sooner。　　She　told　me　that　the　Queen　was　neither　in　body　nor　mind　truly　Spanish；　that　she　had　neither　the　temperament　nor