第 48 节
作者:
辛苦 更新:2021-02-20 15:26 字数:9322
At first the Parliament seemed to be dazzled with it; but next day; the 1st of February; the whole House was undeceived; and wondered how it had been so deluded。 The Court of Inquests began to murmur; Viole stood up and said that the Queen's answer was but a snare laid for the Parliament to beguile them; that the 12th of March; the time fixed for the King's coronation; was just at hand; and that as soon as the Court was out of Paris they; would laugh at the Parliament。 At this discourse the old and new Fronde stood up; and when I saw they; were greatly excited I waved my; cap and said that the Duke had commanded me to inform the House that the regard he had for their sentiments having confirmed him in those he always naturally; entertained of his cousins; he was resolved to concur with them for procuring their liberty; and to contribute everything in his power to effect it; and it is incredible what influence these few words had upon the whole assembly。 I was astonished at it myself。 The wisest senators seemed as mad as the common people; and the people madder than ever。 Their acclamations exceeded anything you can imagine; and; indeed; nothing less was sufficient to give heart to the Duke; who had all night been bringing forth new projects with more sorrowful pangs and throes (as the Duchess expressed it) than ever she had felt when in labour with all her children。
When he was fully informed of the good success of his declaration; he embraced me several times before all the company; and M。 Tellier going to wait upon him from the Queen; to know if he acknowledged what I had said in his name in the House; 〃Yes;〃 replied he; 〃I own; and always will own; all that he shall say or act in my name。〃 We thought that after a solemn declaration of this nature the Duke would not scruple to take all the necessary precautions to prevent the Cardinal carrying away the King; and to that end the Duchess did propose to have all the gates of the city well guarded; under pretence of some popular tumults。 But he was deaf to all she said; pretending that he was loth to make his King a prisoner。
On the 2d of February; 1651; the Duke; urged very importunately by the Princes' party informing him that their liberty depended on it; told them that he was going to perform an action which would remove all their diffidence。 He sent immediately for the Keeper of the Seals; Marechal Villeroi; and Tellier; and bade them tell the Queen that he would never come to the Palais Royal as long as Mazarin was there; and that he could no longer treat with a man that ruined the State。 And; then; turning towards Marechal Villeroi; 〃I charge you;〃 said he; 〃with the King's person; you shall be answerable for him to me。〃 I was sadly afraid this would be a means to hasten the King's departure; which was what we dreaded most of all; and I wondered that the Cardinal did not remove after such a declaration。 I thought his head was turned; and indeed I was told that he was beside himself for a fortnight together。
The Duke having openly declared against Mazarin; and being resolved to attack and drive him out of the kingdom; bade me inform the House next day; in his name; how the Cardinal had compared their body to the Rump Parliament in England; and some of their members to Cromwell and Fairfax。 I improved upon this as much as possible; and I daresay that so much heat and ferment was never seen in any society before。 Some were for sending the Cardinal a personal summons to appear on the spot; to give an account of his administration; but the most moderate were for making most humble remonstrances to the Queen for his removal。 You may easily guess what a thunderclap this must have been to the Court。 The Queen asked the Duke whether she might bring the Cardinal to his Royal Highness。 His answer was that he did not think it good for the safety of his own person。 She offered to come alone to confer with his Highness at the Palais d'Orleans; but he excused himself with a great deal of respect。
He sent orders an hour after to the Marshals of France to obey him only; as Lieutenant…General of the State; and likewise to the 'prevots des marchands' not to take up arms except by his authority。 You will wonder; without doubt; that after all this noise no care was taken of the gates of Paris to prevent the King's departure。 The Duchess; who trembled at the thoughts of it; daily redoubled her endeavours to induce the Duke to secure the gates of the city; but all to no purpose; for weak minds are generally deficient in some respect or other。
On the 4th the Duke came to the Parliament and assured the assembly of his concurrence in everything to reform the State and to procure the liberty of the Princes and the Cardinal's removal。 As soon as his Royal Highness had done speaking; the Master of the Ceremonies was admitted with a letter from the King; which was read; and which required the House to separate; and to send as many deputies as they could to the Palais Royal to hear the King's will and pleasure。 Deputies were accordingly sent immediately; for whose return the bulk of the members stayed in the Great Chamber。 I was informed that this was one trick among others concerted to ruin me; and; telling the Duc d'Orleans of it; he said that if the old buffoon; the Keeper of the Seals; was concerned in such a complication of folly and knavery; he deserved to be hanged by the side of Mazarin。 But the sequel showed that I was not out in my information。
As soon as the deputies were come to the Palais Royal; the First President told the Queen that the Parliament was extremely concerned that the Princes were still confined; notwithstanding her royal promise for setting them at liberty。 The Queen replied that Marchal de Grammont was sent to release them and to see to their necessary security for the public tranquillity; but that she had sent for them in relation to another affair; which the Keeper of the Seals would explain to them; and which he couched in a sanguinary manifesto; in substance as follows:
〃All the reports made by the Coadjutor in Parliament are false; and invented by him。 He lies!〃 (This is the only word the Queen added to what was already written)。 〃He is a very wicked; dangerous man; and gives the Duke very pernicious advice; he wants to ruin the State because we have refused to make him cardinal; and has publicly boasted that he will set fire to the four corners of the kingdom; and that he will have 100;000 men in readiness to dash out the brains of those that shall attempt to put it out。〃 These expressions were very harsh; and I am sure that I never said anything like that; but it was of no use at this time to make the cloud which was gathering over the head of Mazarin fall in a storm upon mine。 The Court saw that Parliament was assembled to pass a decree for setting the Princes at liberty; and that the Duke in person was declaring against Mazarin in the Grand Chamber; and therefore they believed that a diversion would be as practicable as it was necessary; namely; to bring me upon my trial in such a manner that the Parliament could not refuse nor secure me from the railleries of the most inconsiderable member。 Everything that tended to render the attack plausible was made use of; as well as everything that might weaken my defence。 The writing was signed by the four Secretaries of State; and; the better to defeat all that I could say in my justification; the Comte de Brienne was sent at the heels of the deputies with an order to desire the Duc d'Orleans to come to a conference with the Queen in relation to some few difficulties that remained concerning the liberty of the Princes。
When the deputies had returned to Parliament; the First President began with reading the paper which had been delivered to him against me; upon which you might have read astonishment in every face。 Menardeau; who was to open the trenches against me; was afraid of a salvo from the Great Hall; where he found such a crowd of people; and heard so many acclamations to the Fronde; and so many imprecations against Mazarin; that he durst not open his mouth against me; but contented himself with a pathetic lamentation of the division that was in the State; and especially in the royal family。 The councillors were so divided that some of them were for appointing public prayers for two days; others proposed to desire his Royal Highness to take care of the public safety。 I resolved to treat the writing drawn up against me by the Cardinal as a satire and a libel; and; by some ingenious; short passage; to arouse the minds of my hearers。 As my memory did not furnish me with anything in ancient authors that had any relation to my subject; I made a small discourse in the best Latin I was capable of; and then spoke thus:
〃Were it not for the profound respect I bear to the persons who have spoken before me; I could not forbear complaining of their not crying out against such a scurrilous; satirical paper; which was just now read; contrary to all forms of proceeding; and written in the same style as lately profaned the sacred name of the King; to encourage false witnesses by letters…patent。 I believe that those persons thought this paper; which is but a sally of the furious Mazari