the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第11部分

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ask　some　question　of　him；　but　generally　it　was　he　who；　without　waiting
for　her；　stooped　down　to　instruct　her　of　what　was　passing；　and　sometimes；
if　she　did　not　notice　him；　he　tapped　at　the　glass　to　make　her　open　it。
He　never　spoke；　save　to　her；　except　when　he　gave　a　few　brief　orders；　or
just　answered　Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne；　who　wanted　to　make　him
speak；　and　with　whom　Madame　de　Maintenon　carried　on　a　conversation　by
signs；　without　opening　the　front　window；　through　which　the　young　Princess
screamed　to　her　from　time　to　time。　　I　watched　the　countenance　of　every
one　carefully；　all　expressed　surprise　tempered　with　prudence　and　shame；
that　was；　as　it　were；　ashamed　of　itself：　every　one　behind　the　chair　and
in　the　semicircle　watched　this　scene　more　than　what　was　going　on　in　the
army。　　The　King　often　put　his　hat　on　the　top　of　the　chair　in　order　to　get
his　head　in　to　speak；　and　this　continual　exercise　tired　his　loins　very
much。　　Monseigneur　was　on　horseback　in　the　plain　with　the　young　Princes。
It　was　about　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　the　weather　was　as
brilliant　as　could　be　desired。

Opposite　the　sedan…chair　was　an　opening　with　some　steps　cut　through　the
wall；　and　communicating　with　the　plain　below。　　It　had　been　made　for　the
purpose　of　fetching　orders　from　the　King；　should　they　be　necessary。　　The
case　happened。　　Crenan；　who　commanded；　sent　Conillac；　an　officer　in　one
of　the　defending　regiments；　to　ask　for　some　instructions　from　the　King。
Conillac　had　been　stationed　at　the　foot　of　the　rampart；　where　what　was
passing　above　could　not　be　seen。　　He　mounted　the　steps；　and　as　soon　as
his　head　and　shoulders　were　at　the　top；　caught　sight　of　the　chair；　the
King；　and　all　the　assembled　company。　　He　was　not　prepared　for　such　a
scene；　and　it　struck　him　with　such　astonishment；　that　he　stopped　short；
with　mouth　and　eyes　wide　open…surprise　painted　upon　every　feature。　　I　see
him　now　as　distinctly　as　I　did　then。　　The　King；　as　well　as　all　the　rest
of　the　company；　remarked　the　agitation　of　Conillac；　and　said　to　him　with
emotion；　〃Well；　Conillac！　come　up。〃　　Conillac　remained　motionless；　and
the　King　continued；　〃Come　up。　　What　is　the　matter？〃　Conillac；　thus
addressed；　finished　his　ascent；　and　came　towards　the　King　with　slow　and
trembling　steps；　rolling　his　eyes　from　right　to　left　like　one　deranged。
Then　he　stammered　something；　but　in　a　tone　so　low　that　it　could　not　be
heard。　　〃What　do　you　say？〃　cried　the　King。　　〃Speak　up。〃　　But　Conillac　was
unable；　and　the　King；　finding　he　could　get　nothing　out　of　him；　told　him
to　go　away。　　He　did　not　need　to　be　told　twice；　but　disappeared　at　once。
As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　the　King；　looking　round；　said；　〃I　don't　know　what
is　the　matter　with　Conillac。　　He　has　lost　his　wits；　he　did　not　remember
what　he　had　to　say　to　me。〃　　No　one　answered。

Towards　the　moment　of　the　capitulation；　Madame　de　Maintenon　apparently
asked　permission　to　go　away；　for　the　King　cried；　〃The　chairmen　of
Madame！〃　　They　came　and　took　her　away；　in　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour
afterwards　the　King　retired　also；　and　nearly　everybody　else。　　There　was
much　interchange　of　glances；　nudging　with　elbows；　and　then　whisperings　in
the　ear。　　Everybody　was　full　of　what　had　taken　place　on　the　ramparts
between　the　King　and　Madame　de　Maintenon。　　Even　the　soldiers　asked　what
meant　that　sedan…chair　and　the　King　every　moment　stooping　to　put　his　head
inside　of　it。　　It　became　necessary　gently　to　silence　these　questions　of
the　troops。　　What　effect　this　sight　had　upon　foreigners　present；　and　what
they　said　of　it；　may　be　imagined。　　All　over　Europe　it　was　as　much　talked
of　as　the　camp　of　Compiegne　itself；　with　all　its　pomp　and　prodigious
splendour。

The　last　act　of　this　great　drama　was　a　sham　fight。　　The　execution　was
perfect；　but　the　commander；　Rose；　who　was　supposed　to　be　beaten；　would
not　yield。　　Marechal　de　Boufflers　sent　and　told　him　more　than　once　that
it　was　time。　　Rose　flew　into　a　passion；　and　would　not　obey。　　The　King
laughed　much　at　this；　and　said；　〃Rose　does　not　like　to　be　beaten。〃　　At
last　he　himself　sent　the　order　for　retreat。　　Rose　was　forced　then　to
comply；　but　he　did　it　with　a　very　bad　grace；　and　abused　the　bearer　of　the
order。

The　King　left　the　camp　on　Monday　the　22d　of　September；　much　pleased　with
the　troops。　　He　gave；　in　parting；　six　hundred　francs　to　each　cavalry
captain；　and　three　hundred　francs　to　each　captain　of　infantry。　　He　gave
as　much　to　the　majors　of　all　the　regiments；　and　distributed　some　favours
to　his　household。　　To　Marechal　de　Boufflers　he　presented　one　hundred
thousand　francs。　　All　these　gifts　together　amounted　to　something：　but
separately　were　as　mere　drops　of　water。　　There　was　not　a　single　regiment
that　was　not　ruined；　officers　and　men；　for　several　years。　　As　for
Marechal　de　Boufflers；　I　leave　it　to　be　imagined　what　a　hundred　thousand
francs　were　to　him　whose　magnificence　astounded　all　Europe；　described　as
it　was　by　foreigners　who　were　witnesses　of　it；　and　who　day　after　day
could　scarcely　believe　their　own　eyes。




CHAPTER　XIV

Here　I　will　relate　an　adventure；　which　shows　that；　however　wise　and
enlightened　a　man　may　be；　he　is　never　infallible。　　M。　de　La　Trappe　had
selected　from　amongst　his　brethren　one　who　was　to　be　his　successor。　　The
name　of　this　monk　was　D。　Francois　Gervaise。　　He　had　been　in　the　monastery
for　some　years；　had　lived　regularly　during　that　time；　and　had　gained　the
confidence　of　M。　de　La　Trappe。　　As　soon；　however；　as　he　received　this
appointment；　his　manners　began　to　change。　　He　acted　as　though　he　were
already　master；　brought　disorder　and　ill…feeling　into　the　monastery；　and
sorely　grieved　M。　de　La　Trapp；　who；　however；　looked　upon　this　affliction
as　the　work　of　Heaven；　and　meekly　resigned　him　self　to　it。　　At　last；
Francois　Gervaise　was　by　the　merest　chance　detected　openly；　under
circumstances　which　blasted　his　character　for　ever。　　His　companion　in
guilt　was　brought　before　M。　de　La　Trappe；　to　leave　no　doubt　upon　the
matter。　　D。　Francois　Gervaise；　utterly　prostrated；　resigned　his　office；
and　left　La　Trappe。　Yet；　even　after　this；　he　had　the　hardihood　to　show
himself　in　the　world；　and　to　try　and　work　himself　into　the　favour　of　Pere
la　Chaise。　　A　discovery　that　was　made；　effectually　stopped　short　his
hopes　in　this　direction。　　A　letter　of　his　was　found；　written　to　a　nun
with　whom　he　had　been　intimate；　whom　he　loved；　and　by　whom　he　was
passionately　loved。　　It　was　a　tissue　of　filthiness　and　stark　indecency；
enough　to　make　the　most　abandoned　tremble。　　The　pleasures；　the　regrets；
the　desires；　the　hopes　of　this　precious　pair；　were　all　expressed　in　the
boldest　language；　and　with　the　utmost　licence。　　I　believe　that　so　many
abominations　are　not　uttered　in　several　days；　even　in　the　worst　places。
For　this　offence　Gervaise　might　have　been　confined　in　a　dungeon　all　his
life；　but　he　was　allowed　to　go　at　large。　　He　wandered　from　monastery　to
monastery　for　five　or　six　years；　and　always　caused　so　much　disorder
wherever　he　stopped；　that　at　last　the　superiors　thought　it　best　to　let
him　live　as　he　liked　in　a　curacy　of　his　brother's。　　He　never　ceased
troubling　La　Trappe；　to　which　he　wished　to　return；　so　that　at　last　I
obtained　a　'lettre　de　cachet'；　which　prohibited　him　from　approaching
within　thirty　leagues　of　the　abbey；　and　within　twenty　of　Paris。　　It　was　I
who　made　known　to　him　that　his　abominations　had　been　discovered。　　He　was
in　no　way　disturbed；　declared　he　was　glad　to　be　free；　and　assured　me　with
the　hypocrisy　which　never　left　him；　that　in　his　solitude　he　was　going　to
occupy　himself　in　studying　the　Holy　Scriptures。

Bonnceil；　introducer　of　the　ambassadors；　being　dead；　Breteuil　obtained
his　post。　　Breteuil　was　not　without　intellect；　but　aped　courtly　manners；
called　himself　Baron　de　Breteuil；　and　was　much　tormented　and　laughed　at
by　his　friends。　　One　day；　dining　at　the　house　of　Madame　de　Pontchartrain；
and；　speaking　very　authoritatively；　Madame　de　Pontchartrain　disputed　with
him；　and；　to　test　his　knowledge；　offered　to　make　a　bet　that　he　did　not
know　who　wrote　the　Lord's　Prayer。　　He　defended　himself　as　well　as　he　was
able；　and　succeeded　in　leaving　the　table　without　being　called　upon　to
decide　the　point。　　Caumartin；　who　saw　his　embarrassment；　ran　to　him；　and
kindly　whispered　in　his　ear　that　Moses　was　the　author　of　the　Lord's
Prayer。　　Thus　strengthened；　Breteuil　returned　to　the　attack；　brought；
while　taking　coffee；　the　conversation　back　again　to　the　bet；　and；　after
reproaching　Madame　de　Pontchartrain　for　supposing　him　ignorant　upon　such
a　point；　and　declaring　he　was　ashamed　of　being　obliged　to　say　such　a
trivial　thing；　pronounced　emphatically　that　it　was　Moses　who　had　written
the　Lord's　Prayer。　　The　burst　of　laughter　that；　of　course；　followed　this；
overwhelmed　him　with　confusion。　　Poor　Breteuil　was　for　a　long　time　at
loggerheads　with　his　friend；　and　the　Lord's　Prayer　became　a　standing
reproach　to　him。

He　had　a　friend；　the　Marquis　de　Gesvres；　who；　upon　some　points；　was　not
much　better　informed。　　Talking　one　day　in　the　cabinet　of　the　King；　and
admiring　in　the　tone　of　a　connoisseur　some　fine　paintings　of　the
Crucifixion　by　the　first　masters；　he　remarked　that　they　were　all　by　one
hand。

He　was　laughed　at；　and　the　different　painters　were　named；　as　recognized
by　their　style。

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　the　Marquis；　〃the　painter　is　called　INRI；　do　you　not
see　his　name　upon　all　the　pictures？　　What　followed　after　such　gross
stupidity　and　ignorance　may　be　imagined。

At　the　end　of　this　year　the　King　resolved　to　undertake　three　grand
projects；　which　ought　to　have　been　carried　out　long　before：　the　chapel　of
Versailles；　the　Church　of　the　Invalides；　and　the　altar　of　Notre…Dame　de
Paris。　　This　last　was　a　vow　of　Louis　XIII。；　made　when；　he　no　longer　was
able　to　accomplish　it；　and　which　he　had　left　to　his　successor；　who　had
been　more　than　fifty　years　without　thinking　of　it。

On　the　6th　of　January；　upon　the　reception　of　the　ambassadors　at　the　house
of　the　Duchesse　de　Bourogogne；　an　adventure　happened　which　I　will　here
relate。　　M。　de　Lorraine　belonged　to　a　family　which　had　been　noted　for　its
pretensions；　and　for　the　disputes　of　precedency　in　which　it　engaged。　　He
was　as　prone　to　this　absurdity　as　the　rest；　and　on　this　occasion