the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


itual　vocation；　but　in　the　sixth；　treating　of　the　Pope's　authority；　I　was　confounded；　because；　to　avoid　embroiling　myself　with　the　Court　of　Rome；　I　answered　him　on　principles　which　are　not　so　easy　to　be　maintained　as　those　of　the　Sorbonne。　　My　opponent　perceived　the　concern　I　was　under；　and　generously　forebore　to　urge　such　passages　as　would　have　obliged　me　to　explain　myself　in　a　manner　disagreeable　to　the　Pope's　Nuncio。　　I　thought　it　extremely　obliging；　and　as　we　were　going　out　thanked　him　in　the　presence　of　M。　de　Turenne；　to　which　he　answered；　very　civilly；　that　it　would　have　been　a　piece　of　injustice　to　hinder　the　Abbe　de　Retz　from　being　made　a　cardinal。　　This　was　such　complaisance　as　you　are　not　to　expect　from　every　Geneva　pedant。　　I　told　you　before　that　this　conference　produced　one　effect　very　different　from　its　cause；　and　it　is　this：　Madame　de　Vendome；　of　whom　you　have　heard；　without　doubt；　took　such　a　fancy　to　me　ever　after；　that　a　mother　could　not　have　been　more　tender。　She　had　been　at　the　conference　too；　though　I　am　very　well　assured　she　understood　nothing　of　the　matter；　but　the　favourable　opinion　she　had　of　me　was　owing　to　the　Bishop　of　Lisieux；　her　spiritual　director；　who；　finding　I　was　disposed　to　follow　my　profession；　which　out　of　his　great　love　to　me　he　most　passionately　desired；　made　it　his　business　to　magnify　the　few　good　qualities　I　was　master　of；　and　I　am　thoroughly　persuaded　that　what　applause　I　had　then　in　the　world　was　chiefly　owing　to　his　encouragement；　for　there　was　not　a　man　in　France　whose　approbation　could　give　so　much　honour。　　His　sermons　had　advanced　him　from　a　very　mean　and　foreign　extraction　（which　was　Flemish）　to　the　episcopal　dignity；　which　he　adorned　with　solid　and　unaffected　piety。　　His　disinterestedness　was　far　beyond　that　of　the　hermits　or　anchorites。　　He　had　the　courage　of　Saint　Ambrose；　and　at　Court　and　in　the　presence　of　the　King　he　so　maintained　his　usual　freedom　that　the　Cardinal　de　Richelieu；　who　had　been　his　scholar　in　divinity；　both　reverenced　and　feared　him。　　This　good　man　had　that　abundant　kindness　for　me　that　he　read　me　lectures　thrice　a　week　upon　Saint　Paul's　Epistles；　and　he　designed　also　the　conversion　of　M。　de　Turenne　and　to　give　me　the　honour　of　it。

M。　de　Turenne　had　a　great　respect　for　him；　whereof　he　gave　him　very；　distinguishing　marks。　　The　Comte　de　Brion；　　whom；　I　believe；　you　may　remember　under　the　title　of　Duc　d'Amville；　was　deeply　in　love　with　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome；　since　Madame　de　Nemours；　and；　besides；　he　was　a　great　favourite　of　M。　de　Turenne；　who；　to　do　him　a　pleasure　and　to　give　him　the　more　opportunities　to　see　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome；　affected　to　be　a　great　admirer　of　the　Bishop　of　Lisieux　and　to　hear　his　exhortations　with　a　world　of　attention。　　The　Comte　de　Brion；　who　had　twice　been　a　Capuchin；　and　whose　life　was　a　continual　medley　of　sin　and　devotion；　pretended　likewise　to　be　much　interested　in　M。　de　Turenne's　conversion；　and　was　present　at　all　the　conferences　held　at　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome's　apartment。　　De　Brion　had　very　little　wit；　but　was　a　clever　talker；　and　had　a　great　deal　of　assurance；　which　not　very　seldom　supplies　the　room　of　good　sense。　　This　and　the　behaviour　of　M。　de　Turenne；　together　with　the　indolence　of　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome；　made　me　think　all　was　fair；　so　that　I　never　suspected　an　amour　at　the　bottom。

The　Bishop　of　Lisieux　being　a　great　admirer　of　Corneille's　writings；　and　making　no　scruple　to　see　a　good　comedy；　provided　it　was　in　the　country　among　a　few　friends；　the　late　Madame　de　Choisy　proposed　to　entertain　him　with　one　at　Saint　Cloud。　　Accordingly　Madame　took　with　her　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome；　M。　de　Turenne；　M。　de　Brion；　Voiture；　and　myself。　De　Brion　took　care　of　the　comedy　and　violins；　and　I　looked　after　a　good　collation。　　We　went　to　the　Archbishop's　house　at　Saint　Cloud；　where　the　comedians　did　not　arrive　till　very　late　at　night。　　M。　de　Lisieux　admired　the　violins；　and　Madame　de　Vendome　was　hugely　diverted　to　see　her　daughter　dance　alone。　　In　short；　we　did　not　set　out　till　peep　of　day　（it　being　summer…time；　and　the　days　at　the　longest；　and　were　got　no　further　than　the　bottom　of　the　Descent　of　Bonshommes；　when　all　on　a　sudden　the　coach　stopped。　　I；　being　next　the　door　opposite　to　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome；　bade　the　coachman　drive　on。　　He　answered；　as　plain　as　he　could　speak　for　his　fright；　〃What！　　would　you　have　me　drive　over　all　these　devils　here？〃　　I　put　my　head　out　of　the　coach；　but；　being　short…sighted　from　my　youth；　saw　nothing　at　all。　　Madame　de　Choisy；　who　was　at　the　other　door　with　M。　de　Turenne；　was　the　first　in　the　coach　who　found　out　the　cause　of　the　coachman's　fright。　　I　say　in　the　coach；　for　five　or　six　lackeys　behind　it　were　already　crying　〃Jesu　Maria〃　and　quaking　with　fear。

Madame　de　Choisy　cried　out；　upon　which　M。　de　Turenne　threw　himself　out　of　the　coach；　and　I；　thinking　we　were　beset　by　highwaymen；　leaped　out　on　the　other　side；　took　one　of　the　footmen's　hangers；　drew　it；　and　went　to　the　other　aide　to　join　M。　de　Turenne；　whom　I　found　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　something；　but　what　I　could　not　see。　　I　asked　him　what　it　was；　upon　which　he　pulled　me　by　the　sleeve；　and　said；　with　a　low　voice；　〃I　will　tell　you；　but　we　must　not　frighten　the　ladies；〃　who；　by　this　time；　screamed　most　fearfully。　　Voiture　began　his　Oremus；　and　prayed　heartily。　　You；　I　suppose；　knew　Madame　de　Choisy's　shrill　tone；　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome　was　counting　her　beads；　Madame　de　Vendome　would　fain　have　confessed　her　sins　to　the　Bishop　of　Lisieux；　who　said　to　her；　〃Daughter；　be　of　good　cheer；　you　are　in　the　hands　of　God。〃　　At　the　same　instant；　the　Comte　do　Brion　and　all　the　lackeys　were　upon　their　knees　very　devoutly　singing　the　Litany　of　the　Virgin　Mary。

M。　de　Turenne　drew　his　sword；　and　said　to　me；　with　the　calm　and　undisturbed　air　he　commonly　puts　on　when　he　calls　for　his　dinner；　or　gives　battle；　〃Come；　let　us　go　and　see　who　they　are。〃

〃Whom　should　we　see？〃　　said　I；　for　I　believed　we　had　all　lost　our　senses。

He　answered；　〃I　verily　think　they　are　devils。〃

When　we　had　advanced　five　or　six　steps　I　began　to　see　something　which　I　thought　looked　like　a　long　procession　of　black　phantoms。　　I　was　frightened　at　first；　because　of　the　sudden　reflection　that　I　had　often　wished　to　see　a　spirit；　and　that　now；　perhaps；　I　should　pay　for　my　incredulity；　or　rather　curiosity。　　M。　de　Turenne　was　all　the　while　calm　and　resolute。　　I　made　two　or　three　leaps　towards　the　procession；　upon　which　the　company　in　the　coach；　thinking　we　were　fighting　with　all　the　devils；　cried　out　most　terribly；　yet　it　is　a　question　whether　our　company　was　in　a　greater　fright　than　the　imaginary　devils　that　put　us　into　it；　who；　it　seems；　were　a　parcel　of　barefooted　reformed　Augustine　friars；　otherwise　called　the　Black　Capuchins；　who；　seeing　two　men　advancing　towards　them　with　drawn　swords；　one　of　them；　detached　from　the　fraternity；　cried　out；　〃Gentlemen；　we　are　poor；　harmless　friars；　only　come　to　bathe　in　this　river　for　our　healths。〃　　M。　de　Turenne　and　I　went　back　to　the　coach　ready　to　die　with　laughing　at　this　adventure。

Upon　the　whole　we　could　not　help　making　this　reflection；　that　what　we　read　in　the　lives　of　most　people　is　false。　　We　were　both　grossly　mistaken；　I；　for　supposing　him　to　be　frightened；　he；　for　thinking　me　calm　and　undisturbed。　　Who；　therefore；　can　write　truth　better　than　the　man　who　has　experienced　it？　　The　President　de　Thou　is　very　just　in　his　remark　when　he　says　that　〃There　is　no　true　history　extant；　nor　can　be　ever　expected　unless　written　by　honest　men　who　are　not　afraid　or　ashamed　to　tell　the　truth　of　themselves。〃　　I　do　not　pretend　to　make　any　merit　of　my　sincerity　in　this　case；　for　I　feel　so　great　a　satisfaction　in　unfolding　my　very　heart　and　soul　to　you；　that　the　pleasure　is　even　more　prevalent　than　reason　with　me　in　the　religious　regard　I　have　to　the　exactness　of　my　history。

Mademoiselle　de　Vendome　had　ever　after　an　inconceivable　contempt　for　the　poor　Comte　de　Brion；　who　in　this　ridiculous　adventure　had　disclosed　a　weakness　never　before　imagined；　and　as　soon　as　we　were　got　into　the　coach　she　bantered　him；　and　said；　particularly　to　me：

〃I　fancy　I　must　be　Henri　IV。's　granddaughter　by　the　esteem　I　have　for　valour。　　There's　nothing　can　frighten　you；　since　you　were　so　undaunted　on　this　extraordinary　occasion。〃

I　told　her　I　was　afraid；　but　being　not　so　devout　as　M。　de　Brion；　my　fears　did　not　turn　to　litanies。

〃You　feared　not；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　fancy　you　do　not　believe　there　are　devils；　for　M。　de　Turenne；　who　is　very　brave；　was　much　surprised；　and　did　not　march　on　so　briskly　as　you。〃

I　confess　the　distinction　pleased　me　mightily　and　made　me　think　of　venturing　some　compliments。　　I　then　said　to　her；　〃One　may　believe　there　is　a　devil　and　yet　not　fear　him；　there　are　things　in　the　world　more　terrible。〃

〃And　what　are　they？〃　　said　she。

〃They　are　so　strong；〃　said　I；　〃that　one　dare　not　so　much　as　name　them。〃

She　interpreted　my　meaning　rightly；　as　she　told　me　since；　though　she　seemed　at　that　time　not　to　understand　me。

Mademoiselle　was　not　what　they　call　a　great　beauty；　yet　she　was　very　handsome；　and　I　was　complimented　for　saying　of　her　and　of　Mademoiselle　de　Guise　that　they　were　beauties　of　quality　who　convinced　the　beholders　at　first　sight　that　they　were　born　Princesses。　　Mademoiselle　de　Vendome　had　no　great　share　of　wit；　but　her　folly　lay　as　yet　concealed；　her　air　was　grave；　tinctured　with　stateliness；　not　the　effect　of　good　sense；　but　the　consequence　of　a　languid　constitution；　which　sort　of　gravity　often　covers　a　multitude　of　defects。　　In　the　main；　take　her　altogether；　she　was　really　amiable。

Let　me　beseech　you；　madame；　with　all　submission；　to　call　now　to　mind　the　commands　you　were　pleased　to　honour　me　with　a　little　before　your　departure　from　Paris；　that　I　should　give　you　a　precise　account　of　every　circumstance　and　accident　of　my　life；　and　conceal　nothing。　　You　see；　by　what　I　have　already　related；　that　my　ecclesiastical　occupations　were　diversified　and　relieved；　though　not　disfigured；　by　other　employments　of　a　more　diverting　nature。　　I　observed　a　decorum　in　all　my　actions；　and　where　I　happened　to　make　a　false　step　some　good　fortune　or　other　always　retrieved　it。　　All　the　ecclesiastics　of　the　diocese　wished　to　see　me　succeed　my　uncle　in　the　archbishopri