the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第50部分

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liament　relating　to　the　Cardinal。

The　Duc　d'Orleans　complained　in　Parliament　against　the　inconsistency　of　their　proceedings；　and　said　the　King　had　sent　him　carte　blanche　in　order　to　oblige　him　to　consent　to　the　restoration　of　the　Cardinal；　but　that　nothing　would　ever　cause　him　to　do　it；　nor　to　act　apart　from　the　Parliament。　　Yet　their　unaccountable　proceedings　perplexed　him　beyond　expression；　so　that　he　commanded；　or　rather　permitted；　M。　de　Beaufort　to　put　his　troops　in　action。　　And　because　I　told　him　that；　considering　the　declarations　he　had　so　often　repeated　against　Mazarin；　I　thought　his　conduct　in　setting　his　troops　in　motion　against　him　did　not　add　so　much　to　the　measure　of　the　disgust　he　had　already　given　to　the　Court　that　he　need　to　apprehend　much　from　it；　he　gave　me　for　answer　these　memorable　words　which　I　have　reflected　upon　a　thousand　times：　〃If　you；〃　said　he；　〃had　been　born　a　Son　of　France；　an　Infante　of　Spain；　a　King　of　Hungary；　or　a　Prince　of　Pales；　you　would　not　talk　as　you　do。　　You　must　know　that；　with　us　Princes；　words　go　for　nothing；　but　that　we　never　forget　actions。　By　to…morrow　noon　the　Queen　would　not　remember　my　declarations　against　the　Cardinal　if　I　would　admit　him　tomorrow　morning；　but　if　my　troops　were　to　fire　a　musket　she　would　not　forgive　me　though　we　were　to　live　two　thousand　years　hence。〃

In　February；　1652；　I　was　made　a　cardinal；　and　was　to　receive　the　hat；　as　all　French　cardinals　do；　from　the　King。　　My　enemies；　who　thought　to　ruin　my　credit　with　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　gave　out　that　I　had　been　obliged　to　the　Court　for　my　dignity；　attacked　me　in　form　as　a　secret　favourer　of　Mazarin；　and；　while　their　emissaries　gained　over　such　of　the　dregs　of　the　people　as　they　could　corrupt　by　money；　they　were　supported　by　all　the　intrigues　of　the　Cabinet。　　But　the　Duke；　who　knew　better；　only　laughed　at　them；　so　that　they　confirmed　me　in　his　good　opinion；　instead　of　supplanting　me；　because　in　cases　of　slander　every　reflection　that　does　not　hurt　the　person　attacked　does　him　service。　　I　said　to　the　Duke　that　I　wondered　he　was　not　wearied　out　with　the　silly　stories　that　were　told　him　every　day　against　me；　since　they　all　harped　upon　one　string；　but　he　said；　〃Do　you　take　no　account　of　the　pleasure　one　takes　every　morning　in　hearing　how　wicked　men　are　under　the　cloak　of　religious　zeal；　and　every　night　how　silly　they　are　under　the　mask　of　politicians？〃

The　servants　of　the　Prince　de　Conde　gave　out　such　stories　against　me　among　the　populace　as　were　likely　to　have　done　me　much　more　mischief。　They　had　a　pack　of　brawling　fellows　in　their　pay　who　were　more　troublesome　to　me　now　than　formerly；　when　they　did　not　dare　to　appear　before　the　numerous　retinue　of　gentlemen　and　liverymen　that　accompanied　me；　for　as　I　had　not　yet　had　the　hat；　I　was　obliged；　wherever　I　went；　to　go　incognito；　according　to　the　rules　of　the　ceremonial。　　Those　fellows　said　that　I　had　betrayed　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　that　they　would　be　the　death　of　me。　　I　told　the　Duke；　who　was　afraid　they　would　murder　me；　that　he　should　soon　see　how　little　those　hired　mobs　ought　to　be　regarded。　　He　offered　me　his　guards；　but　though　Marechal　d'Estampes　fell　on　his　knees　in　my　way　to　stop　me；　I　went　down…stairs　with　only　two　persons　in　company；　and　made　directly　towards　the　ruffians；　demanding　who　was　their　leader。　　Upon　which　a　beggarly　fellow；　with　an　old　yellow　feather　in　his　hat；　answered　me；　insolently；　〃I　am。〃　　Then　I　called　out　to　the　guards　at　the　gate；　saying；　〃Let　me　have　this　rascal　hanged　up　at　these　grates。〃　Thereupon　he　made　me　a　very　low　bow；　and　said　that　he　did　not　mean　to　affront　me；　that　he　only　came　with　his　comrades　to　tell　me　of　the　report　that　I　designed　to　carry　the　Duc　d'Orleans　to　Court；　and　reconcile　him　with　Mazarin；　that　they　did　not　believe　it；　that　they　were　at　my　service；　and　ready　to　venture　their　lives　for　me；　provided　I　would　but　promise　them　to　be　always　an　honest　Frondeur。

The　Duc　d'Orleans　took　such　delight　in　conversing　with　me　that；　on　De　Goulas；　one　of　his　secretaries；　telling　him　that　all　the　foreign　officers　took　mighty　umbrage　at　it；　he　pulled　him　up　very　sharply；　and　said；　〃Go　to　the　devil；　you　and　your　foreign　officers。　　If　they　were　as　good　Frondeurs　as　Cardinal　de　Retz；　they　would　be　at　their　posts；　and　not　tippling　in　the　taverns　of　Paris。〃　　There　was　such　a　strong　faction　in　the　city　of　Orleans　for　the　Court　that　his　presence　there　was　very　necessary；　but　as　it　was　much　more　so　at　Paris；　the　Duke　was　prevailed　upon　by　his　Duchess　to　let　her　go　thither。　　M。　Patru　was　pleased　to　say　that　as　the　gates　of　Jericho　fell　at　the　sound　of　trumpets；　those　of　Orleans　would　open　at　the　sound　of　fiddles；　of　which　M。　de　Rohan　was　a　very　great　admirer。　　But；　in　fact；　though　the　King　was　just　at　hand　with　the　troops；　and　though　M。　Mold；　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　was　at　the　gate　demanding　entrance　for　the　King；　the　Duchess　crossed　the　river　in　a　barge；　made　the　watermen　break　down　a　little　postern；　which　had　been　walled　up　for　a　long　time；　and　marched；　with　the　acclamations　of　multitudes　of　the　people；　directly　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　where　the　magistrates　were　assembled　to　consider　if　they　should　admit　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals。　　By　this　means　she　turned　the　scale；　and　MM。　de　Beaufort　and　de　Nemours　joined　her。

The　Prince　de　Conde　arriving　at　Paris　from　Guienne　on　the　11th　of　April；　the　magistrates　had　a　meeting　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　in　which　they　resolved　that　the　Governor　should　wait　on　his　Royal　Highness；　and　tell　him　that　the　company　thought　it　contrary　to　order　to　receive　him　into　the　city　before　he　had　cleared　himself　from　the　King's　declaration；　which　had　been　verified　in　Parliament　against　him。

The　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　was　overjoyed　at　this　speech；　said　that　the　Prince　had　only　come　to　discourse　with　him　about　private　affairs；　and　that　he　would　stay　but　twenty…four　hours　at　Paris。　　M。　de　Chavigni　informed　the　Duke　that　the　Prince　was　able　to　stand　his　ground　as　long　as　he　pleased；　without　being　obliged　to　anybody；　and　he　gathered　together　a　mob　of　scoundrels　upon　the　Pont…Neuf；　whose　fingers　itched　to　be　plundering　the　house　of　M。　du　Plessis　Guenegaut；　and　by　whom　the　Duke　was　frightened　to　a　great　degree。

The　reflections　I　had　leisure　to　make　upon　my　new　dignity　obliged　me　to　take　great　care　of　my　hat；　whose　dazzling　flame　of　colour　turns　the　heads　of　many　that　are　honoured　with　it。　　The　most　palpable　of　those　delusions　is　the　claiming　precedence　of　Princes　of　the　blood；　who　may　become　our　masters　the　next　moment；　and　who　at　the　same　time　are　generally　the　masters　of　all　our　kindred。　　I　have　a　veneration　for　the　cardinals　of　my　family；　who　made　me　suck　in　humility　after　their　example　with　my　mother's　milk；　and　I　found　a　very　happy　opportunity　to　practise　it　on　the　very　day　that　I　received　the　news　of　my　promotion。　　Chateaubriant　said　to　me；　before　a　vast　number　of　people　at　my　levee；　〃Now　we　will　pay　our　respects　no　more　to　the　best　of　them；〃　which　he　said　because；　though　I　was　upon　ill　terms　with　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　though　I　always　went　well　attended；　I　yet　saluted　him　wherever　I　met　him　with　all　the　respect　due　to　him　on　the　score　of　so　many　titles。　　I　said　to　him：

〃Pray　pardon　me；　monsieur；　we　shall　pay　our　respects　to　the　great　men　with　greater　complaisance　than　ever。　　God　forbid　that　the　red　hat　should　turn　my　head　to　that　degree　as　to　make　me　dispute　precedence　with　the　Princes　of　the　blood。　　It　is　honour　enough　for　a　gentleman　to　walk　side　by　side　with　them。〃　　This　expression；　I　verily　believe；　afterwards　secured　the　rank　of　precedence　to　the　hat　in　the　kingdom　of　France；　by　the　courtesy　of　the　Prince　de　Conde；　and　his　friendship　for　me。

Mademoiselle　de　Chevreuse；　the　most　fantastical　lady　upon　earth；　suspecting　that　I　held　a　secret　correspondence　with　the　Queen；　could　not　forbear　murmuring　and　threatening　what　she　would　do。　　She　said　I　had　declared　to　her　a　thousand　times　that　I　could　not　imagine　how　it　was　possible　for　anybody　to　be　in　love　with　that　Swiss　woman。　　In　short；　she　said　this　so　often　that　the　Queen　had　a　notion　from　somebody　or　other　that　I　had　called　her　by　that　name。　　She　never　forgave　me　for　it；　as　you　will　perceive　in　the　sequel。　　You　may　easily　conceive　that　this　circumstance；　which　gave　me　no　encouragement　to　hope　for　a　very　gracious　reception　at　Court　for　the　time　to　come；　did　not　weaken　those　resolutions　which　I　had　already　taken　to　retire　from　public　business。　　The　place　of　my　retreat　was　agreeable　enough：　the　shadow　of　the　towers　of　Notre…Dame　was　a　refreshment　to　it；　and；　moreover；　the　Cardinal's　hat　sheltered　it　from　bad　weather。　　I　had　fine　ideas　of　the　sweetness　of　such　a　retirement；　and　I　would　gladly　have　laid　hold　of　it；　but　my　stars　would　not　have　it　so。　　I　return　to　my　narrative。

On　the　12th　of　April　the　Duc　d'Orleans　took　the　Prince　de　Conde　with　him　to　the　Parliament；　assuring　them　that　he　had　not；　nor　ever　would　have；　any　other　intention　than　to　serve　his　King　and　country；　that　he　would　always　follow　the　sentiments　of　the　Parliament；　and　that　he　was　willing　to　lay　down　his　arms　as　soon　as　the　decrees　against　Cardinal　Mazarin　were　put　into　execution。

The　President　Bailleul　said　that　the　members　always　thought　it　an　honour　to　see　the　Prince　de　Conde　in　his　place；　but　that　they　could　not　dissemble　their　real　concern　to　see　his　hands　stained　with　the　blood　of　the　King's　soldiers　who　were　killed　at　Bleneau。　　Upon　this　a　storm　arose　from　the　benches；　which　fell　with　such　fury　upon　the　poor　President　that　he　had　scarcely　room　to　put　in　a　word　for　himself；　for　fifty　or　sixty　voices　disowned　him　at　one　volley。

On　the　13th　the　Parliament　agreed　that　the　declaration　made　by　the　Duc　d'Orleans　and　the　Prince　should　be　carried　to　the　King；　that　the　remonstrances　they　had　sent　to　the　King　should　likewise　be　sent　to　all　the　sovereign　companies　of　Paris；　and　to　all　the　Parliaments　of　the　kingdom；　to　invite　them　also　to　send　a　deputation　on　their　own　behalf；　and　that　a　general　assembly　should　be　immediately　held　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　to　which　the　Duc　d'Orleans　and　the　Prince　should　be　invited　to　make　the　same　declarations　as　they　made　to　the　Parliament；　and　that；　in　the　meantime；　the　King's　declaration　against　Cardinal　Mazarin；　and　all　the　decrees　passed　against　him；　should　be　put　into　execution。