第 1 节
作者:
风雅颂 更新:2021-02-21 14:22 字数:9322
The Memoirs of Louis XIV。; His Court and The Regency; V2
by Duc de Saint…Simon
MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE REGENCY
BY THE DUKE OF SAINT…SIMON
VOLUME 2。
CHAPTER IX
Death of Archbishop Harlay。Scene at Conflans。〃The Good Langres。〃
A Scene at Marly。Princesses Smoke Pipes!Fortunes of Cavoye。
Mademoiselle de Coetlogon。Madame de Guise。Madame de Miramion。Madame
de Sevigne。Father Seraphin。An Angry Bishop。Death of La Bruyere。
Burglary by a Duke。Proposed Marriage of the Duc de Bourgogne。The
Duchesse de Lude。A Dangerous Lady。Madame d'O。Arrival of the
Duchesse de Bourgogne。
CHAPTER X
My Return to Fontainebleau。A Calumny at Court。Portrait of M。 de La
Trappe。A False Painter。Fast Living at the 〃Desert。〃Comte
d'Auvergne。Perfidy of Harlay。M。 de Monaco。Madame Panache。The
Italian Actor and the 〃False Prude〃。
CHAPTER XI
A Scientific Retreat。The Peace of Ryswick。Prince of Conti King of
Poland。His Voyage and Reception。King of England Acknowledged。Duc de
Conde in Burgundy。Strange Death of Santeuil。Duties of the Prince of
Darmstadt in Spain。Madame de Maintenon's Brother。Extravagant Dresses。
Marriage of the Duc de Bourgogne。The Bedding of the Princesse。Grand
Balls。A Scandalous Bird。
CHAPTER XII
An Odd Marriage。Black Daughter of the King。Travels of Peter the
Great。Magnificent English Ambassador。The Prince of Parma。
A Dissolute Abbe。Orondat。Dispute about Mourning。M。 de Cambrai's
Book Condemned by M。 de La Trappe。Anecdote of the Head of Madame de
Montbazon。Condemnation of Fenelon by the Pope。His Submission。
CHAPTER XIII
Charnace。An Odd Ejectment。A Squabble at Cards。Birth of My Son。
The Camp at Compiegne。Splendour of Marechal Boufflers。Pique of the
Ambassadors。Tesse's Grey Hat。A Sham Siege。A Singular Scene。
The King and Madame de Maintenon。An Astonished Officer。
Breaking…up of the Camp。
CHAPTER XIV
Gervaise Monk of La Trappe。His Disgusting Profligacy。The Author of
the Lord's Prayer。A Struggle for Precedence。Madame de Saint…Simon。
The End of the Quarrel。Death of the Chevalier de Coislin。A Ludicrous
Incident。Death of Racine。The King and the Poet。King Pays Debts of
Courtiers。Impudence of M。 de Vendome。A Mysterious Murder。
Extraordinary Theft。
CHAPTER XV
The Farrier of Salon。Apparition of a Queen。The Farrier Comes to
Versailles。Revelations to the Queen。Supposed Explanation。
New Distinctions to the Bastards。New Statue of the King。
Disappointment of Harlay。Honesty of Chamillart。The Comtesse de
Fiesque。Daughter of Jacquier。Impudence of Saumery。Amusing Scene。
Attempted Murder。
CHAPTER XVI
Reform at Court。Cardinal Delfini。Pride of M。 de Monaco。Early Life
of Madame de Maintenon。Madame de Navailles。Balls at Marly。An Odd
Mask。Great DancingFortunes of Langlee。His Coarseness。The Abbe de
Soubise。Intrigues for His Promotion。Disgrace and Obstinacy of
Cardinal de Bouillon。
CHAPTER XVII
A Marriage Bargain。Mademoiselle de Mailly。James II。Begging
Champagne。A Duel。Death of Le Notre。His Character。History of
Vassor。Comtesse de Verrue and Her Romance with M。 de Savoie。A Race of
Dwarfs。An Indecorous Incident。Death of M。 de La Trappe。
CHAPTER IX
To return now to the date from which I started。 On the 6th of August;
1695; Harlay; Arch…bishop of Paris; died of epilepsy at Conflans。 He was
a prelate of profound knowledge and ability; very amiable; and of most
gallant manners。 For some time past he had lost favour with the King and
with Madame de Maintenon; for opposing the declaration of her marriage
of which marriage he had been one of the three witnesses。 The clergy;
who perceived his fall; and to whom envy is not unfamiliar; took pleasure
in revenging themselves upon M。 de Paris; for the domination; although
gentle and kindly; he had exercised。 Unaccustomed to this decay of his
power; all the graces of his mind and body withered。 He could find no
resource but to shut himself up with his dear friend the Duchesse de
Lesdiguieres; whom he saw every day of his life; either at her own house
or at Conflans; where he had laid out a delicious garden; kept so
strictly clean; that as the two walked; gardeners followed at a distance;
and effaced their footprints with rakes。 The vapours seized the
Archbishop; and turned themselves into slight attacks of epilepsy。 He
felt this; but prohibited his servants to send for help; when they should
see him attacked; and he was only too well obeyed。 The Duchesse de
Lesdiguieres never slept at Conflans; but she went there every afternoon;
and was always alone with him。 On the 6th of August; he passed the
morning; as usual; until dinner…time; his steward came there to him; and
found him in his cabinet; fallen back upon a sofa; he was dead。 The
celebrated Jesuit…Father Gaillard preached his funeral sermon; and
carefully eluded pointing the moral of the event。 The King and Madame de
Maintenon were much relieved by the loss of M。 de Paris。 Various places
he had held were at once distributed。 His archbishopric and his
nomination to the cardinalship required more discussion。 The King learnt
the news of the death of M。 de Paris on the 6th。 On the 8th; in going as
usual to his cabinet; he went straight up to the Bishop of Orleans; led
him to the Cardinals de Bouillon and de Fursternberg; and said to them:…
〃Gentlemen; I think you will thank me for giving you an associate like M。
d'Orleans; to whom I give my nomination to the cardinalship。〃 At this
word the Bishop; who little expected such a scene; fell at the King's
feet and embraced his knees。 He was a man whose face spoke at once of
the virtue and benignity he possessed。 In youth he was so pious; that
young and old were afraid to say afoul word in his presence。 Although
very rich; he appropriated scarcely any of his wealth to himself; but
gave it away for good works。 The modesty and the simplicity with which
M。 d'Orleans sustained his nomination; increased the universal esteem in
which he was held。
The archbishopric of Paris was given to a brother of the Duc de Noailles…
the Bishop of Chalons…sur…MarneM。 de Noailles thus reaping the fruit of
his wise sacrifice to M。 de Vendome; before related。 M。 de Chalons was
of singular goodness and modesty。 He did not wish for this preferment;
and seeing from far the prospect of its being given to him; hastened to
declare himself against the Jesuits; in the expectation that Pere la
Chaise; who was of them; and who was always consulted upon these
occasions; might oppose him。 But it happened; perhaps for the first
time; that Madame de Maintenon; who felt restrained by the Jesuits; did
not consult Pere la Chaise; and the preferment was made without his
knowledge; and without that of M。 de Chalons。 The affront was a violent
one; and the Jesuits never forgave the new Archbishop: he was; however;
so little anxious for the office; that it was only after repeated orders
he could be made to accept it。
The Bishop of Langres also died about this time。 He was a true
gentleman; much liked; and called 〃the good Langres。〃 There was nothing
bad about him; except his manners; he was not made for a bishopgambled
very much; and staked high。 M。 de Vendome and others won largely at
billiards of him; two or three times。 He said no word; but; on returning
to Langres; did nothing but practise billiards in secret for six months。
When next in Paris; he was again asked to play; and his adversaries; who
thought him as unskilful as before; expected an easy victory but; to
their astonishment; he gained almost every game; won back much more than
he had lost; and then laughed in the faces of his companions。
I paid about this time; my first journey to Marly; and a singular scene
happened there。 The King at dinner; setting aside his usual gravity;
laughed and joked very much with Madame la Duchesse; eating olives with
her in sport; and thereby causing her to drink more than usualwhich he
also pretended to do。 Upon rising from the table the King; seeing the
Princesse de Conti look extremely serious; said; dryly; that her gravity
did not accommodate itself to their drunkenness。 The Princess; piqued;
allowed the King to pass without saying anything; and then; turning to
Madame de Chatillon; said; in the midst of the noise; whilst everybody
was washing his mouth; that she would rather be grave than be a wine…
sack〃 (alluding to some bouts a little prolonged that her sister had
recently had)。
The saying was heard by the Duchesse de Chartres; who replied; loud
enough to be heard; in her slow and trembling voice; that she preferred
to be a 〃winesack〃 rather than a 〃rag…sack〃 (sac d guenilles) by which
she alluded to the Clermont and La Choin adventure I have related before。
This remark was so cruel that it met with no reply; it spread through
Marly; and thence to Paris; and Madame la Duchesse; who had the art of
writing witty songs; made one upon this theme。 The Princesse de Conti
was in despair; for she had not the same weapon at her disposal。
Monsieur tried to reconcile them gave them a dinner at Meudonbut they
returned from it as they went。
The end of the year was s