the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第5部分

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very　agreeable；　for　I　told　him　the　very　truth：　that　he　was　universally　beloved；　honoured；　and　adored　in　that　city；　and　his　enemy　dreaded　and　abhorred。　　The　Duc　de　Bouillon；　who　was　urgent　for　war；　be　the　consequence　what　it　would；　improved　upon　these　advantages；　and　made　them　look　more　plausible；　but　Varicarville　strongly　opposed　him。

I　thought　myself　too　young　to　declare　my　opinion；　but；　being　pressed　to　do　so　by　his　Highness；　I　took　the　liberty　to　tell　him　that　a　Prince　of　the　blood　ought　to　engage　himself　in　a　civil　war　rather　than　suffer　any　diminution　of　his　reputation　or　dignity；　yet　that　nothing　but　these　two　cases　could　justly　oblige　him　to　it；　because　he　hazards　both　by　a　commotion　whenever　the　one　or　the　other　consideration　does　not　make　it　necessary；　that　I　thought　his　Highness　far　from　being　under　any　such　necessity；　that　his　retreat　to　Sedan　secured　him　from　the　indignity　he　must　have　submitted　to；　among　others；　of　taking　the　left　hand；　even　in　the　Cardinal's　own　house；　that；　in　the　meantime；　the　popular　hatred　of　the　Cardinal　gained　his　Highness　the　greater　share　of　the　public　favour；　which　is　always　much　better　secured　by　inaction　than　action；　because　the　glory　of　action　depends　upon　success；　for　which　no　one　can　answer；　whereas　inaction　is　sure　to　be　commended　as　being　founded　upon　the　hatred　which　the　public　will　always　bear　to　the　minister。　　That；　therefore；　I　should　think　it　would　be　more　glorious　for　his　Highness；　in　the　view　of　the　world；　to　support　himself　by　his　own　weight；　that　is；　by　the　merit　of　his　virtue；　against　the　artifices　of　so　powerful　a　minister　as　the　Cardinal　de　Richelieu；I　say；　more　glorious　to　support　himself　by　a　wise　and　regular　conduct　than　to　kindle　the　fire　of　war；　the　flagrant　consequences　whereof　no　man　is　able　to　foresee；　that　it　was　true　that　the　minister　was　universally　cursed；　but　that　I　could　not　yet　see　that　the　people's　minds　were　exasperated　enough　for　any　considerable　revolution；　that　the　Cardinal　was　in　a　declining　state　of　health；　and　if　he　should　not　die　this　time；　his　Highness　would　have　the　opportunity　of　showing　the　King　and　the　public　that　though；　by　his　own　personal　authority　and　his　important　post　at　Sedan；　he　was　in　a　capacity　to　do　himself　justice；　he　sacrificed　his　own　resentments　to　the　welfare　and　quiet　of　the　State；　and　that　if　the　Cardinal　should　recover　his　health；　he　would　not　fail；　by　additional　acts　of　tyranny　and　oppression；　to　draw　upon　himself　the　redoubled　execrations　of　the　people；　which　would　ripen；　their　murmurings　and　discontents　into　a　universal　revolution。

This　is　the　substance　of　what　I　said　to　the　Count；　and　he　seemed　to　be　somewhat　affected　by　it。　　But　the　Duc　de　Bouillon　was　enraged；　and　told　me；　by　way　of　banter；　〃Your　blood　is　very　cold　for　a　gentleman　of　your　age。〃　　To　which　I　replied　in　these　very　words：　〃All　the　Count's　servants　are　so　much　obliged　to　you；　monsieur；　that　they　ought　to　bear　everything　from　you；　but　were　it　not　for　this　consideration　alone；　I　should　think　that　your　bastions　would　not　be　always　strong　enough　to　protect　you。〃　The　Duke　soon　came　to　himself；　and　treated　me　with　all　the　civilities　imaginable；　such　as　laid　a　foundation　for　our　future　friendship。　I　stayed　two　days　longer　at　Sedan；　during　which　the　Count　changed　his　mind　five　different　times；　as　I　was　told　by　M。　Saint…Ibal；　who　said　little　was　to　be　expected　from　a　man　of　his　humour。　　At　last；　however；　the　Duc　de　Bouillon　won　him　over。　　I　was　charged　to　do　all　I　could　to　convince　the　people　of　Paris；　had　an　order　to　take　up　money　and　to　lay　it　out　for　this　purpose；　and　I　returned　from　Sedan　with　letters　more　than　enough　to　have　hanged　two　hundred　men。

As　I　had　faithfully　set　the　Count's　true　interest　before　him；　and　dissuaded　him　from　undertaking　an　affair　of　which　he　was　by　no　means　capable；　I　thought　it　high　time　to　think　of　my　own　affairs。　　I　hated　my　profession　now　more　than　ever；　I　was　at　first　hurried　into　it　by　the　infatuation　of　my　kindred。　　My　destiny　had　bound　me　down　to　it　by　the　chains　both　of　duty　and　pleasure；　so　that　I　could　see　no　possibility　to　set　myself　free。　　I　was　upwards　of　twenty…five　years　of　age；　and　I　saw　it　was　now　too　late　to　begin　to　carry　a　musket；　but　that　which　tortured　me　most　of　all　was　this　fatal　reflection；　that　I　had　spent　so　much　of　my　time　in　too　eager　a　pursuit　of　pleasure；　and　thereby　riveted　my　own　chains；　so　that　it　looked　as　if　fate　was　resolved　to　fasten　me　to　the　Church；　whether　I　would　or　no。　　You　may　imagine　with　what　satisfaction　such　thoughts　as　these　were　accompanied；　for　this　confusion　of　affairs　gave　me　hopes　of　getting　loose　from　my　profession　with　uncommon　honour　and　reputation。　　I　thought　of　ways　to　distinguish　myself；　pursued　them　very　diligently；　and　you　will　allow　that　nothing　but　destiny　broke　my　measures。

The　Marechaux　de　Vitri　and　Bassompierre；　the　Comte　de　Cremail；　M。　du　Fargis；　and　M。　du　Coudrai　Montpensier　were　then　prisoners　in　the　Bastille　upon　different　counts。　　But；　as　length　of　time　makes　confinement　less　irksome；　they　were　treated　very　civilly；　and　indulged　with　a　great　share　of　freedom。　　Their　friends　came　to　see　them；　and　sometimes　dined　with　them。　　By　means　of　M。　du　Fargis；　who　had　married　my　aunt；　I　got　acquainted　with　the　rest；　and　by　conversing　with　them　discovered　very　remarkable　emotions　in　some　of　them；　upon　which　I　could　not　help　reflecting。　　The　Marechal　de　Vitri　was　a　gentleman　of　mean　parts；　but　bold；　even　to　rashness；　and　his　having　been　formerly　employed　to　kill　the　Marechal　d'Ancre　had　given　him　in　the　common　vogue；　though　I　think　unjustly；　the　air　of　a　man　of　business　and　expedition。　　He　appeared　to　me　enraged　against　the　Cardinal；　and　I　concluded　he　might　do　service　in　the　present　juncture；　but　did　not　address　myself　directly　to　him；　and　thought　it　the　wisest　way　first　to　sift　the　Comte　de　Cremail；　who　was　a　man　of　sound　sense；　and　could　influence　the　Marechal　de　Vitri　as　he　pleased。　He　apprehended　me　at　half　a　word；　and　immediately　asked　me　if　I　had　made　myself　known　to　any　of　the　prisoners。　　I　answered；　readily：

〃No；　monsieur；　and　I　will　tell　you　my　reasons　in　a　very　few　words。　Bassompierre　is　a　tattler；　I　expect　to　do　nothing　with　the　Marechal　de　Vitri　but　by　your　means。　　I　suspect　the　honesty　of　Du　Coudrai；　and　as　for　my　uncle；　Du　Fargis；　he　is　a　gallant　man；　but　has　no　headpiece。〃

〃Whom；　then；　do　you　confide　in　at　Paris？〃　　said　the　Comte　de　Cremail。

〃I　dare　trust　no　man　living；〃　said　I；　〃but　yourself。〃

〃It　is　very　well；〃　said　he；　briskly；　〃you　are　the　man　for　me。　　I　am　above　eighty　years　old；　and　you　but　twenty…five；　I　will　qualify　your　heat；　and　you　my　chilliness。〃

We　went　upon　business；　drew　up　our　plan；　and　at　parting　he　said　these　very　words：　〃Let　me　alone　one　week；　and　after　that　I　will　tell　you　more　of　my　mind；　for　I　hope　to　convince　the　Cardinal　that　I　am　good　for　something　more　than　writing　the　〃Jeu　de　l'Inconnu。〃

You　must　know　that　the　〃Jeu　de　l'Inconnu　〃　was　a　book；　indeed；　very　ill　written；　which　the　Comte　de　Cremail　had　formerly　published；　and　which　the　Cardinal　had　grossly　ridiculed。　　You　will　be　surprised；　without　doubt；　that　I　should　think　of　prisoners　for　an　affair　of　this　importance；　but　the　nature　of　it　was　such　that　it　could　not　be　put　into　better　hands；　as　you　will　see　by　and　by。

A　week　after；　going　to　visit　the　prisoners；　and　Cremail　and　myself　being　accidentally　left　alone；　we　took　a　walk　upon　the　terrace；　where；　after　a　thousand　thanks　for　the　confidence　I　had　put　in　him；　and　as　many　protestations　of　his　readiness　to　serve　the　Comte　de　Soissons；　he　spoke　thus：　〃There　is　nothing　but　the　thrust　of　a　sword　or　the　city　of　Paris　that　can　rid　us　of　the　Cardinal。　　Had　I　been　at　the　enterprise　of　Amiens；　I　think　I　should　not　have　missed　my　blow；　as　those　gentlemen　did。　　I　am　for　that　of　Paris；　it　cannot　miscarry；　I　have　considered　it　well。　　See　here　what　additions　I　have　made　to　our　plan。〃　　And　thereupon　he　put　into　my　hand　a　paper；　in　substance　as　follows：　that　he　had　conferred　with　the　Marechal　de　Vitri；　who　was　as　well　disposed　as　anybody　in　the　world　to　serve　the　Count；　that　they　would　both　answer　for　the　Bastille；　where　all　the　garrison　was　in　their　interest；　that　they　were　likewise　sure　of　the　arsenal；　and　that　they　would　also　declare　themselves　as　soon　as　the　Count　had　gained　a　battle；　on　condition　that　I　made　it　appear　beforehand；　as　I　had　told　him　（the　Comte　de　Cremail）；　that　they　should　be　supported　by　a　considerable　number　of　officers；　colonels　of　Paris；　etc。　　For　the　rest；　this　paper　contained　many　particular　observations　on　the　conduct　of　the　undertaking；　and　many　cautions　relating　to　the　behaviour　to　be　observed　by　the　Count。　　That　which　surprised　me　most　of　all　was　to　see　how　fully　persuaded　these　gentlemen　were　of　carrying　their　point　with　ease。

Though　it　came　into　my　head　to　propose　this　project　to　the　persons　in　the　Bastille；　yet　nothing　but　the　perfect　knowledge　I　had　of　their　disposition　and　inclination　could　have　persuaded　me　that　it　was　practicable。　　And　I　confess；　upon　perusal　of　the　plan　prepared　by　M。　de　Cremail；　a　man　of　great　experience　and　excellent　sense；　I　was　astonished　to　find　a　few　prisoners　disposing　of　the　Bastille　with　the　same　freedom　as　the　Governor；　the　greatest　authority　in　the　place。

As　all　extraordinary　circumstances　are　of　wonderful　weight　in　popular　revolutions；　I　considered　that　this　project；　which　was　even　ripe　for　execution；　would　have　an　admirable　effect　in　the　city。　　And　as　nothing　animates　and　supports　commotions　more　than　the　ridiculing　of　those　against　whom　they　are　raised；　I　knew　it　would　be　very　easy　for　us　to　expose　the　conduct　of　a　minister　who　had　tamely　suffered　prisoners　to　hamper　him；　as　one　may　say；　with　their　chains。　　I　lost　no　time；　afterwards　I　opened　myself　to　M。　d'Estampes；　President　of　the　Great　Council；　and　to　M。　l'Ecuyer；　President　of　the　Chamber　of　Accounts；　both　colonels；　and　in　great　repute　among　the　citizens；　and　I　found　them　every　way　answering　the　character　I　had　of　them　from　the　Count；　that　is；　very　zealous　for　his　interest；　and　fully　persuaded　that　the　insurrection　was　not　only　practicable；　but　very　easy。　　Pray　observe　that　these　two　gentlemen；　who　made　no　great　figure；　even　in　their　own　profession；　were；　perhaps；　two　of　the　most　peaceable　persons　in　the　k