the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第12部分

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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　incited
the　Princesse　d'Harcourt；　one　of　his　relations；　to　act　in　a　manner　that
scandalised　all　the　Court。　　Entering　the　room　in　which　the　ambassadors
were　to　be　received　and　where　a　large　number　of　ladies　were　already
collected；　she　glided　behind　the　Duchesse　de　Rohan；　and　told　her　to　pass
to　the　left。　　The　Duchesse　de　Rohan；　much　surprised；　replied　that　she　was
very　well　placed　already。　　Whereupon；　the　Princesse　d'Harcourt；　who　was
tall　and　strong；　made　no　further　ado；　but　with　her　two　arms　seized　the
Duchesse　de　Rohan；　turned　her　round；　and　sat　down　in　her　place。　　All　the
ladies　were　strangely　scandalised　at　this；　but　none　dared　say　a　word；　not
even　Madame　de　Lude；　lady　in　waiting　on　the　Duchesse　de　Bourgogne；　who；
for　her　part　also；　felt　the　insolence　of　the　act；　but　dared　not　speak；
being　so　young。　　As　for　the　Duchesse　de　Rohan；　feeling　that　opposition
must　lead　to　fisticuffs；　she　curtseyed　to　the　Duchess；　and　quietly
retired　to　another　place。　　A　few　minutes　after　this；　Madame　de　Saint…
Simon；　who　was　then　with　child；　feeling　herself　unwell；　and　tired　of
standing；　seated　herself　upon　the　first　cushion　she　could　find。　　It　so
happened；　that　in　the　position　she　thus　occupied；　she　had　taken
precedence　of　Madame　d'Armagnac　by　two　degrees。　　Madame　d'Armagnac；；
perceiving　it；　spoke　to　her　upon　the　subject。　　Madame　de　Saint…Simon；　who
had　only　placed　herself　there　for　a　moment；　did　not　reply；　but　went
elsewhere。

As　soon　as　I　learnt　of　the　first　adventure；　I　thought　it　important　that
such　an　insult　should　not　be　borne；　and　I　went　and　conferred　with　M。　de
la　Rochefoucauld　upon　the　subject；　at　the　same　time　that　Marechal　de
Boufflers　spoke　of　it　to　M。　de　Noailles。　　I　called　upon　other　of　my
friends；　and　the　opinion　was　that　the　Duc　de　Rohan　should　complain　to　the
King　on　the　morrow　of　the　treatment　his　wife　had　received。

In　the　evening　while　I　was　at　the　King's　supper；　I　was　sent　for　by　Madame
de　Saint…Simon；　who　informed　me　that　the　Lorraines；　afraid　of　the
complaints　that　would　probably　be　addressed　to　the　King　upon　what　had
taken　place　between　the　Princesse　d'Harcourt　and　the　Duchesse　de　Rohan；
had　availed　themselves　of　what　happened　between　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　and
Madame　d'Armagnac；　in　order　to　be　the　first　to　complain；　so　that　one
might　balance　the　other。　　Here　was　a　specimen　of　the　artifice　of　these
gentlemen；　which　much　enraged　me。　　On　the　instant　I　determined　to　lose　no
time　in　speaking　to　the　King；　and　that　very　evening　I　related　what　had
occurred；　in　so　far　as　Madame　de　Saint…Simon　was　concerned；　but　made　no
allusion　to　M。　de　Rohan's　affair；　thinking　it　best　to　leave　that　to　be
settled　by　itself　on　the　morrow。　　The　King　replied　to　me　very　graciously；
and　I　retired；　after　assuring　him　that　all　I　had　said　was　true　from
beginning　to　end。

The　next　day　the　Duc　de　Rohan　made　his　complaint。　　The　King；　who　had
already　been　fully　informed　of　the　matter；　received　him　well；　praised　the
respect　and　moderation　of　Madame　de　Rohan；　declared　Madame　d'Harcourt　to
have　been　very　impertinent；　and　said　some　very　hard　words　upon　the
Lorraines。

I　found　afterwards；　that　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who　much　favoured　Madame
d'Harcourt；　had　all　the　trouble　in　the　world　to　persuade　the　King　not　to
exclude　her　from　the　next　journey　to　Marly。　　She　received　a　severe
reprimand　from　the　King；　a　good　scolding　from　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and
was　compelled　publicly　to　ask　pardon　of　the　Duchesse　de　Rohan。　　This　she
did；　but　with　a　crawling　baseness　equal　to　her　previous　audacity。　　Such
was　the　end　of　this　strange　history。

There　appeared　at　this　time　a　book　entitled　〃Probleme；〃　but　without　name
of　author；　and　directed　against　M。　de　Paris；　declaring　that　he　had
uttered　sentiments　favourable　to　the　Jansenists　being　at　Chalons；　and
unfavourable　being　at　Paris。　　The　book　came　from　the　Jesuits；　who　could
not　pardon　M。　de　Paris　for　having　become　archbishop　without　their
assistance。　　It　was　condemned　and　burnt　by　decree　of　the　Parliament；　and
the　Jesuits　had　to　swallow　all　the　shame　of　it。　　The　author　was　soon
after　discovered。　　He　was　named　Boileau；　not　the　friend　of　Bontems；　who
so　often　preached　before　the　King；　and　still　less　the　celebrated　poet　and
author　of　the　'Flagellants'；　but　a　doctor　of　much　wit　and　learning　whom
M。　de　Paris　had　taken　into　his　favour　and　treated　like　a　brother。　　Who
would　have　believed　that　〃Probleme〃　could　spring　from　such　a　man？　　M。　de
Paris　was　much　hurt；　but　instead　of　imprisoning　Boileau　for　the　rest　of
his　days；　as　he　might　have　done；　he　acted　the　part　of　a　great　bishop；　and
gave　him　a　good　canonical　of　Saint　Honore；　which　became　vacant　a　few　days
afterwards。　　Boileau；　who　was　quite　without　means；　completed　his
dishonour　by　accepting　it。

The　honest　people　of　the　Court　regretted　a　cynic　who　died　at　this　time；
I　mean　the　Chevalier　de　Coislin。　　He　was　a　most　extraordinary　man；　very
splenetic；　and　very　difficult　to　deal　with。　　He　rarely　left　Versailles；
and　never　went　to　see　the　king。　　I　have　seen　him　get　out　of　the　way　not
to　meet　him。　　He　lived　with　Cardinal　Coislin；　his　brother。　　If　anybody
displeased　him；　he　would　go　and　sulk　in　his　own　room；　and　if；　whilst　at
table；　any　one　came　whom　he　did　not　like；　he　would　throw　away　his　plate；
go　off　to　sulk；　or　to　finish　his　dinner　all　alone。　　One　circumstance　will
paint　him　completely。　　Being　on　a　journey　once　with　his　brothers；　the　Duc
de　Coislin　and　the　Cardinal　de　Coislin；　the　party　rested　for　the　night　at
the　house　of　a　vivacious　and　very　pretty　bourgeoise。　　The　Duc　de　Coislin
was　an　exceedingly　polite　man；　and　bestowed　amiable　compliments　and
civilities　upon　their　hostess；　much　to　the　disgust　of　the　Chevalier。　　At
parting；　the　Duke　renewed　the　politeness　he　had　displayed　so　abundantly
the　previous　evening；　and　delayed　the　others　by　his　long…winded
flatteries。　　When；　at　last；　they　left　the　house；　and　were　two　or　three
leagues　away　from　it；　the　Chevalier　de　Coislin　said；　that；　in　spite　of
all　this　politeness；　he　had　reason　to　believe　that　their　pretty　hostess
would　not　long　be　pleased　with　the　Duke。　　The　Duke；　disturbed；　asked　his
reason　for　thinking　so。　　〃Do　you　wish　to　learn　it？〃　said　the　Chevalier；
〃well；　then；　you　must　know　that；　disgusted　by　your　compliments；　I　went　up
into　the　bedroom　in　which　you　slept；　and　made　a　filthy　mess　on　the　floor；
which　the　landlady　will　no　doubt　attribute　to　you；　despite　all　your　fine
speeches。〃

At　this　there　was　loud　laughter；　but　the　Duke　was　in　fury；　and　wished　to
return　in　order　to　clear　up　his　character。　　Although　it　rained　hard；　they
had　all　the　pains　in　the　world　to　hinder　him；　and　still　more　to　bring
about　a　reconciliation。　　Nothing　was　more　pleasant　than　to　hear　the
brothers　relate　this　adventure　each　in　his　own　way。

Two　cruel　effects　of　gambling　were　noticed　at　this　time。　　Reineville；　a
lieutenant　of　the　body…guard；　a　general　officer　distinguished　in　war；
very　well　treated　by　the　King；　and　much　esteemed　by　the　captain　of　the
Guards；　suddenly　disappeared；　and　could　not　be　found　anywhere；　although
the　utmost　care　was　taken　to　search　for　him。　　　He　loved　gaming。　　He　had
lost　what　he　could　not　pay。　　He　was　a　man　of　honour；　and　could　not
sustain　his　misfortune。　　Twelve　or　fifteen　years　afterwards　he　was
recognised　among　the　Bavarian　troops；　in　which　he　was　serving　in　order　to
gain　his　bread　and　to　live　unknown。　　The　other　case　was　still　worse。
Permillac；　a　man　of　much　intelligence　and　talent；　had　lost　more　than　he
possessed；　and　blew　his　brains　out　one　morning　in　bed。　　He　was　much　liked
throughout　the　army；　had　taken　a　friendship　for　me；　and　I　for　him。
Everybody　pitied　him；　and　I　much　regretted　him。

Nearly　at　the　same　time　we　lost　the　celebrated　Racine；　so　known　by　his
beautiful　plays。　　No　one　possessed　a　greater　talent　or　a　more　agreeable
mien。　　There　was　nothing　of　the　poet　in　his　manners：　he　had　the　air　of　a
well…bred　and　modest　man；　and　at　last　that　of　a　good　man。　　He　had
friends；　the　most　illustrious；　at　the　Court　as　well　as　among　men　of
letters。　　I　leave　it　to　the　latter　to　speak　of　him　in　a　better　way　than　I
can。　　He　wrote；　for　the　amusement　of　the　King　and　Madame　de　Maintenon；
and　to　exercise　the　young　ladies　of　Saint　Cyr；　two　dramatic　masterpieces；
Esther　and　Athalie。　　They　were　very　difficult　to　write；　because　there
could　be　no　love　in　them；　and　because　they　are　sacred　tragedies；　in
which；　from　respect　to　the　Holy　Scriptures；　it　was　necessary　rigidly　to
keep　to　the　historical　truth。　　They　were　several　times　played　at　Saint
Cyr　before　a　select　Court。　　Racine　was　charged　with　the　history　of　the
King；　conjointly　with　Despreaux；　his　friend。　　This　employment；　the　pieces
I　have　just　spoken　of；　and　his　friends；　gained　for　Racine　some　special
favours：　It　sometimes　happened　that　the　King　had　no　ministers　with　him；
as　on　Fridays；　and；　above　all；　when　the　bad　weather　of　winter　rendered
the　sittings　very　long；　then　he　would　send　for　Racine　to　amuse　him　and
Madame　de　Maintenon。　　Unfortunately　the　poet　was　oftentimes　very　absent。
It　happened　one　evening　that；　talking　with　Racine　upon　the　theatre；　the
King　asked　why　comedy　was　so　much　out　of　fashion。　　Racine　gave　several
reasons；　and　concluded　by　naming　the　principal；namely；　that　for　want　of
new　pieces　the　comedians　gave　old　ones；　and；　amongst　others；　those　of
Scarron；　which　were　worth　nothing；　and　which　found　no　favour　with
anybody。　　At　this　the　poor　widow　blushed；　not　for　the　reputation　of　the
cripple　attacked；　but　at　hearing　his　name　uttered　in　presence　of　his
successor！　　The　King　was　also　embarrassed；　and　the　unhappy　Racine；　by　the
silence　which　followed；　felt　what　a　slip　he　had　made。　　He　remained　the
most　confounded　of　the　three；　without　daring　to　raise　his　eyes　or　to　open
his　mouth。　　This　silence　did　not　terminate　for　several　moments；　so　heavy
and　profound　was　the　surprise。　　The　end　was　that　the　King　sent　away
Racine；　saying　he　was　going　to　work。　　The　poet　never　afterwards　recovered
his　position。　　Neither　the　King　nor　Madame　de　Maintenon　ever　spoke　to　him
again；　or　even　looked　at　him；　and　he　conceived　so　much　sorrow　at　this；