the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第14部分

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that　what　he　had　seen　was　a　mere　delusion　and　folly；　and　said　nothing
about　it　to　a　living　soul。

Two　days　afterwards　he　was　passing　by　the　same　place　when　the　same　vision
appeared　to　him；　and　he　was　addressed　in　the　same　terms。　　Fresh　threats
of　punishment　were　uttered　if　he　did　not　comply；　and　he　was　ordered　to　go
at　once　to　the　Intendant　of　the　province；　who　would　assuredly　furnish　him
with　money；　after　saying　what　he　had　seen。　　This　time　the　farrier　was
convinced　there　was　no　delusion　in　the　matter；　but；　halting　between　his
fears　and　doubts；　knew　not　what　to　do；　told　no　one　what　had　passed；
and　was　in　great　perplexity。　　He　remained　thus　eight　days；　and　at　last
had　resolved　not　to　make　the　journey；　when；　passing　by　the　same　spot；
he　saw　and　heard　the　same　vision；　which　bestowed　upon　him　so　many
dreadful　menaces　that　he　no　longer　thought　of　anything　but　setting　out
immediately。　　In　two　days　from　that　time　he　presented　himself；　at　Aix；
to　the　Intendant　of　the　province；　who；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；
urged　him　to　pursue　his　journey；　and　gave　him　sufficient　money　to　travel
by　a　public　conveyance。　　Nothing　more　of　the　story　was　ever　known。

The　farrier　had　three　interviews　with　M。　de　Pomponne；　each　of　two　hours'
length。　　M。　de　Pomponne　rendered；　in　private；　an　account　of　these　to　the
King；　who　desired　him　to　speak　more　fully　upon　the　point　in　a　council
composed　of　the　Ducs　de　Beauvilliers；　Pontchartrain；　Torcy；　and　Pomponne
himself；　Monseigneur　to　be　excluded。　　This　council　sat　very　long；　perhaps
because　other　things　were　spoken　of。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　the　King　after
this　wished　to　converse　with　the　farrier；　and　did　so　in　his　cabinet。　　Two
days　afterwards　he　saw　the　man　again；　at　each　time　was　nearly　an　hour
with　him；　and　was　careful　that　no　one　was　within　hearing。

The　day　after　the　first　interview；　as　the　King　was　descending　the
staircase；　to　go　a…hunting；　M。　de　Duras；　who　was　in　waiting；　and　who　was
upon　such　a　footing　that　he　said　almost　what　he　liked；　began　to　speak　of
this　farrier　with　contempt；　and；　quoting　the　bad　proverb；　said；　〃The　man
was　mad；　or　the　King　was　not　noble。〃　　At　this　the　King　stopped；　and；
turning　round；　a　thing　he　scarcely　ever　did　in　walking；　replied；　〃If　that
be　so；　I　am　not　noble；　for　I　have　discoursed　with　him　long；　he　has　spoken
to　me　with　much　good　sense；　and　I　assure　you　he　is　far　from　being　mad。〃

These　last　words　were　pronounced　with　a　sustained　gravity　which　greatly
surprised　those　near；　and　which　in　the　midst　of　deep　silence　opened　all
eyes　and　ears。　　After　the　second　interview　the　King　felt　persuaded　that
one　circumstance　had　been　related　to　him　by　the　farrier；　which　he　alone
knew；　and　which　had　happened　more　than　twenty　years　before。　　It　was　that
he　had　seen　a　phantom　in　the　forest　of　Saint　Germains。　　Of　this　phantom
he　had　never　breathed　a　syllable　to　anybody。

The　King　on　several　other　occasions　spoke　favourably　of　the　farrier；
moreover；　he　paid　all　the　expenses　the　man　had　been　put　to；　gave　him　a
gratuity；　sent　him　back　free；　and　wrote　to　the　Intendant　of　the　province
to　take　particular　care　of　him；　and　never　to　let　him　want　for　anything
all　his　life。

The　most　surprising　thing　of　all　this　is；　that　none　of　the　ministers
could　be　induced　to　speak　a　word　upon　the　occurrence。　　Their　most
intimate　friends　continually　questioned　them；　but　without　being　able　to
draw　forth　a　syllable。　　The　ministers　either　affected　to　laugh　at　the
matter　or　answered　evasively。　　This　was　the　case　whenever　I　questioned
M。　de　Beauvilliers　or　M。　de　Pontchartrain；　and　I　knew　from　their　most
intimate　friends　that　nothing　more　could　ever　be　obtained　from　M。　de
Pomponne　or　M。　de　Torcy。　　As　for　the　farrier　himself；　he　was　equally
reserved。　　He　was　a　simple；　honest；　and　modest　man；　about　fifty　years　of
age。　　Whenever　addressed　upon　this　subject；　he　cut　short　all　discourse　by
saying；　〃I　am　not　allowed　to　speak；〃　and　nothing　more　could　be　extracted
from　him。　　When　he　returned　to　his　home　he　conducted　himself　just　as
before；　gave　himself　no　airs；　and　never　boasted　of　the　interview　he　had
had　with　the　King　and　his　ministers。　　He　went　back　to　his　trade；　and
worked　at　it　as　usual。

Such　is　the　singular　story　which　filled　everybody　with　astonishment；　but
which　nobody　could　understand。　　It　is　true　that　some　people　persuaded
themselves；　and　tried　to　persuade　others；　that　the　whole　affair　was　a
clever　trick；　of　which　the　simple　farrier　had　been　the　dupe。　　They　said
that　a　certain　Madame　Arnoul；　who　passed　for　a　witch；　and　who；　having
known　Madame　de　Maintenon　when　she　was　Madame　Scarron；　still　kept　up　a
secret　intimacy　with　her；　had　caused　the　three　visions　to　appear　to　the
farrier；　in　order　to　oblige　the　King　to　declare　Madame　de　Maintenon
queen。　　But　the　truth　of　the　matter　was　never　known。

The　King　bestowed　at　this　time　some　more　distinctions　on　his　illegitimate
children。　　M。　du　Maine；　as　grand…master　of　the　artillery；　had　to　be
received　at　the　Chambre　des　Comptes；　and　his　place　ought　to　have　been；
according　to　custom；　immediately　above　that　of　the　senior　member。　　But
the　King　wished　him　to　be　put　between　the　first　and　second　presidents；
and　this　was　done。　　The　King　accorded　also　to　the　Princesse　de　Conti　that
her　two　ladies　of　honour　should　be　allowed　to　sit　at　the　Duchesse　de
Bourgogne's　table。　　It　was　a　privilege　that　no　lady　of　honour　to　a
Princess　of　the　blood　had　ever　been　allowed。　　But　the　King　gave　these
distinctions　to　the　ladies　of　his　illegitimate　children；　and　refused　it
to　those　of　the　Princesses　of　the　blood。

In　thus　according　honours；　the　King　seemed　to　merit　some　new　ones
himself。　　But　nothing　fresh　could　be　thought　of。　　What　had　been　done
therefore　at　his　statue　in　the　Place　des　Victoires；　was　done　over　again
in　the　Place　Vendome　on　the　13th　August；　after　midday。　　Another　statue
which　had　been　erected　there　was　uncovered。　　The　Duc　de　Gesvres；　Governor
of　Paris；　was　in　attendance　on　horseback；　at　the　head　of　the　city　troops；
and　made　turns；　and　reverences；　and　other　ceremonies；　imitated　from　those
in　use　at　the　consecration　of　the　Roman　Emperors。　　There　were；　it　is
true；　no　incense　and　no　victims：　something　more　in　harmony　with　the　title
of　Christian　King　was　necessary。　　In　the　evening；　there　was　upon　the
river　a　fine　illumination；　which　Monsieur　and　Madame　went　to　see。

A　difficulty　arose　soon　after　this　with　Denmark。　　The　Prince　Royal　had
become　King；　and　announced　the　circumstance　to　our　King；　but　would　not
receive　the　reply　sent　him　because　he　was　not　styled　in　it　〃Majesty。〃
We　had　never　accorded　to　the　Kings　of　Denmark　this　title；　and　they　had
always　been　contented　with　that　of　〃Serenity。〃　　The　King　in　his　turn
would　not　wear　mourning　for　the　King　of　Denmark；　just　dead；　although　he
always　did　so　for　any　crowned　head；　whether　related　to　him　or　not。　　This
state　of　things　lasted　some　months；　until；　in　the　end；　the　new　King　of
Denmark　gave　way；　received　the　reply　as　it　had　been　first　sent；　and　our
King　wore　mourning　as　if　the　time　for　it　had　not　long　since　passed。

Boucherat；　chancellor　and　keeper　of　the　seals；　died　on　the　2nd　of
September。　　Harlay；　as　I　have　previously　said；　had　been　promised　this
appointment　when　it　became　vacant。　　But　the　part　he　had　taken　in　our　case
with　M。　de　Luxembourg　had　made　him　so　lose　ground；　that　the　appointment
was　not　given　to　him。　　M。　de　la　Rochefoucauld；　above　all；　had　undermined
him　in　the　favour　of　the　King；　and　none　of　us　had　lost　an　opportunity　of
assisting　in　this　work。　　Our　joy；　therefore；　was　extreme　when　we　saw　all
Harlay's　hopes　frustrated；　and　we　did　not　fail　to　let　it　burst　forth。
The　vexation　that　Harlay　conceived　was　so　great；　that　he　became
absolutely　intractable；　and　often　cried　out　with　a　bitterness　he　could
not　contain；　that　he　should　be　left　to　die　in　the　dust　of　the　palace。
His　weakness　was　such；　that　he　could　not　prevent　himself　six　weeks　after
from　complaining　to　the　King　at　Fontainebleau；　where　he　was　playing　the
valet　with　his　accustomed　suppleness　and　deceit。　　The　King　put　him　off
with　fine　speeches；　and　by　appointing　him　to　take　part　in　a　commission
then　sitting　for　the　purpose　of　bringing　about　a　reduction　in　the　price
of　corn　in　Paris　and　the　suburbs；　where　it　had　become　very　dear。　　Harlay
made　a　semblance　of　being　contented；　but　remained　not　the　less　annoyed。
His　health　and　his　head　were　at　last　so　much　attacked　that　he　was　forced
to　quit　his　post：　he　then　fell　into　contempt　after　having　excited　so　much
hatred。　　The　chancellorship　was　given　to　Pontchartrain；　and　the　office　of
comptroller…general；　which　became　vacant　at　the　same　time；　was　given　to
Chamillart；　a　very　honest　man；　who　owed　his　first　advancement　to　his
skill　at　billiards；　of　which　game　the　King　was　formerly　very　fond。
It　was　while　Chamillart　was　accustomed　to　play　billiards　with　the　King；
at　least　three　times　a　week；　that　an　incident　happened　which　ought　not　to
be　forgotten。　　Chamillart　was　Counsellor　of　the　Parliament　at　that　time。
He　had　just　reported　on　a　case　that　had　been　submitted　to　him。
The　losing　party　came　to　him；　and　complained　that　he　had　omitted　to　bring
forward　a　document　that　had　been　given　into　his　hands；　and　that　would
assuredly　have　turned　the　verdict。　　Chamillart　searched　for　the　document；
found　it；　and　saw　that　the　complainer　was　right。　　He　said　so；　and　added；
〃I　do　not　know　how　the　document　escaped　me；　but　it　decides　in　your
favour。　　You　claimed　twenty　thousand　francs；　and　it　is　my　fault　you　did
not　get　them。　　Come　to…morrow；　and　I　will　pay　you。〃　　Chamillart；　although
then　by　no　means　rich；　scraped　together　all　the　money　he　had；　borrowing
the　rest；　and　paid　the　man　as　he　had　promised；　only　demanding　that　the
matter　should　be　kept　a　secret。　　But　after　this；　feeling　that　billiards
three　times　a　week　interfered　with　his　legal　duties；　he　surrendered　part
of　them；　and　thus　left　himself　more　free　for　other　charges　he　was　obliged
to　attend　to。

The　Comtesse　de　Fiesque　died　very　aged；　while　the　Court　was　at
Fontainebleau　this　year。　　She　had　passed　her　life　with　the　most　frivolous
of　the　great　world。　　Two　incidents　amongst　a　thousand　will　characterise
her。　　She　was　very　straitened　in　means；　because　she　had　frittered　away
all　her　s