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The　Memoirs　of　Louis　XIV。；　His　Court　and　The　Regency；　V15

by　Duc　de　Saint…Simon






MEMOIRS　OF　LOUIS　XIV　AND　HIS　COURT　AND　OF　THE　REGENCY

BY　THE　DUKE　OF　SAINT…SIMON

VOLUME　15。



Contents


CHAPTER　CXIII

Attempted　Reconciliation　between　Dubois　and　Villeroy。Violent　Scene。
Trap　Laid　for　the　Marechal。Its　Success。His　Arrest。


CHAPTER　CXIV

I　Am　Sent　for　by　Cardinal　Dubois。Flight　of　Frejus。He　Is　Sought　and
Found。Behaviour　of　Villeroy　in　His　Exile　at　Lyons。His　Rage　and
Reproaches　against　Frejus。Rise　of　the　Latter　in　the　King's　Confidence。


CHAPTER　CXV

I　Retire　from　Public　Life。Illness　and　Death　of　Dubois。　Account　of　His
Riches。His　Wife。His　Character。Anecdotes。Madame　de　Conflans。
Relief　of　the　Regent　and　the　King。


CHAPTER　CXVI

Death　of　Lauzun。His　Extraordinary　Adventures。His　Success　at　Court。
Appointment　to　the　Artillery。Counterworked　by　Louvois。Lauzun　and
Madame　de　Montespan。Scene　with　the　King。Mademoiselle　and　Madame　de
Monaco。


CHAPTER　CXVII

Lauzun's　Magnificence。Louvois　Conspires　against　Him。He　Is
Imprisoned。His　Adventures　at　Pignerol。On　What　Terms　He　Is　Released。
His　Life　Afterwards。Return　to　Court。


CHAPTER　CXVIII

Lauzun　Regrets　His　Former　Favour。Means　Taken　to　Recover　It。Failure。
Anecdotes。Biting　Sayings。My　Intimacy　with　Lauzun。His　Illness；
Death；　and　Character。


CHAPTER　CXIX

Ill…Health　of　the　Regent。My　Fears。He　Desires　a　Sudden　Death。
Apoplectic　Fit。Death。His　Successor　as　Prime　Minister。The　Duc　de
Chartres。End　of　the　Memoirs。




CHAPTER　CXIII

Few　events　of　importance　had　taken　place　during　my　absence　in　Spain。
Shortly　after　my　return；　however；　a　circumstance　occurred　which　may
fairly　claim　description　from　me。　　Let　me；　therefore；　at　once　relate　it。

Cardinal　Dubois；　every　day　more　and　more　firmly　established　in　the　favour
of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　pined　for　nothing　less　than　to　be　declared　prime
minister。　　He　was　already　virtually　in　that　position；　but　was　not
publicly　or　officially　recognised　as　being　so。　　He　wished；　therefore；　to
be　declared。

One　great　obstacle　in　his　path　was　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　with　whom　he
was　on　very　bad　terms；　and　whom　he　was　afraid　of　transforming　into　an
open　and　declared　enemy；　owing　to　the　influence　the　Marechal　exerted　over
others。　　Tormented　with　agitating　thoughts；　every　day　that　delayed　his
nomination　seemed　to　him　a　year。　　Dubois　became　doubly　ill…tempered　and
capricious；　more　and　more　inaccessible；　and　accordingly　the　most　pressing
and　most　important　business　was　utterly　neglected。　　At　last　he　resolved
to　make　a　last　effort　at　reconciliation　with　the　Marechal；　but
mistrusting　his　own　powers；　decided　upon　asking　Cardinal　Bissy　to　be　the
mediator　between　them。

Bissy　with　great　willingness　undertook　the　peaceful　commission；　spoke　to
Villeroy；　who　appeared　quite　ready　to　make　friends　with　Dubois；　and　even
consented　to　go　and　see　him。　　As　chance　would　have　it；　he　went；
accompanied　by　Bissy；　on　Tuesday　morning。　　I　at　the　same　time　went；　as
was　my　custom；　to　Versailles　to　speak　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　upon　some
subject；　I　forget　now　what。

It　was　the　day　on　which　the　foreign　ministers　had　their　audience　of
Cardinal　Dubois；　and　when　Bissy　and　Villeroy　arrived；　they　found　these
ministers　waiting　in　the　chamber　adjoining　the　Cardinal's　cabinet。

The　established　usage　is　that　they　have　their　audience　according　to　the
order　in　which　they　arrive；　so　as　to　avoid　all　disputes　among　them　as　to
rank　and　precedence。　　Thus　Bissy　and　Villeroy　found　Dubois　closeted　with
the　Russian　minister。　　It　was　proposed　to　inform　the　Cardinal　at　once；　of
a　this；　so　rare　as　a　visit　from　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　but　the
Marechal　would　not　permit　it；　and　sat　down　upon　a　sofa　with　Bissy　to　wait
like　the　rest。

The　audience　being　over；　Dubois　came　from　his　cabinet；　conducting　the
Russian　minister；　and　immediately　saw　his　sofa　so　well　ornamented。　　He
saw　nothing　but　that　in　fact；　on　the　instant　he　ran　there；　paid　a
thousand　compliments　to　the　Marechal　for　anticipating　him；　when　he　was
only　waiting　for　permission　to　call　upon　him；　and　begged　him　and　Bissy　to
step　into　the　cabinet。　　While　they　were　going　there；　Dubois　made　his
excuses　to　the　ambassadors　for　attending　to　Villeroy　before　them；　saying
that　his　functions　and　his　assiduity　as　governor　of　the　King　did　not
permit　him　to　be　long　absent　from　the　presence　of　his　Majesty；　and　with
this　compliment　he　quitted　them　and　returned　into　his　cabinet。

At　first　nothing　passed　but　reciprocal　compliments　and　observations　from
Cardinal　Bissy；　appropriate　to　the　subject。　　Then　followed　protestations
from　Dubois　and　replies　from　the　Marechal。　　Thus　far；　the　sea　was　very
smooth。　　But　absorbed　in　his　song；　the　Marechal　began　to　forget　its　tune；
then　to　plume　himself　upon　his　frankness　and　upon　his　plain　speaking；
then　by　degrees；　growing　hot　in　his　honours；　he　gave　utterance　to　divers
naked　truths；　closely　akin　to　insults。

Dubois；　much　astonished；　pretended　not　to　feel　the　force　of　these
observations；　but　as　they　increased　every　moment；　Bissy　tried　to　call
back　the　Marechal；　explain　things　to　him；　and　give　a　more　pleasant　tone
to　the　conversation。　　But　the　mental　tide　had　begun　to　rise；　and　now　it
was　entirely　carrying　away　the　brains　of　Villeroy。　　From　bad　to　worse　was
easy。　　The　Marechal　began　now　to　utter　unmistakable　insults　and　the　most
bitter　reproaches。　　In　vain　Bissy　tried　to　silence　him；　representing　to
him　how　far　he　was　wandering　from　the　subject　they　came　to　talk　upon；　how
indecent　it　was　to　insult　a　man　in　his　own　house；　especially；　after
arriving　on　purpose　to　conclude　a　reconciliation　with　him。　　All　Bissy
could　say　simply　had　the　effect　of　exasperating　the　Marechal；　and　of
making　him　vomit　forth　the　most　extravagant　insults　that　insolence　and
disdain　could　suggest。

Dubois；　stupefied　and　beside　himself；　was　deprived　of　his　tongue；　could
not　utter　a　word；　while　Bissy；　justly　inflamed　with　anger；　uselessly
tried　to　interrupt　his　friend。　　In　the　midst　of　the　sudden　fire　which　had
seized　the　Marechal；　he　had　placed　himself　in　such　a　manner　that　he
barred　the　passage　to　the　door；　and　he　continued　his　invectives　without
restraint。　　Tired　of　insults；　he　passed　to　menaces　and　derision；　saying
to　Dubois　that　since　he　had　now　thrown　off　all　disguise；　they　no　longer
were　on　terms　to　pardon　each　other；　and　then　he　assured　Dubois　that；
sooner　or　later；　he　would　do　him　all　the　injury　possible；　and　gave　him
what　he　called　good　counsel。

〃You　are　all　powerful；〃　said　he；　〃everybody　bends　before　you；　nobody
resists　you；　what　are　the　greatest　people　in　the　land　compared　with　you？
Believe　me；　you　have　only　one　thing　to　do；　employ　all　your　power；　put
yourself　at　ease；　and　arrest　me；　if　you　dare。　　Who　can　hinder　you？
Arrest　me；　I　say；　you　have　only　that　course　open。〃

Thereupon；　he　redoubled　his　challenges　and　his　insults；　like　a　man　who　is
thoroughly　persuaded　that　between　arresting　him　and　scaling　Heaven　there
is　no　difference。　　As　may　well　be　imagined；　such　astounding　remarks　were
not　uttered　without　interruption；　and　warm　altercations　from　the　Cardinal
de　Bissy；　who；　nevertheless；　could　not　stop　the　torrent。　　At　last；
carried　away　by　anger　and　vexation；　Bissy　seized　the　Marechal　by　the　arm
and　the　shoulder；　and　hurried　him　to　the　door；　which　he　opened；　and　then
pushed　him　out；　and　followed　at　his　heels。　　Dubois；　more　dead　than　alive；
followed　also；　as　well　as　he　couldhe　was　obliged　to　be　on　his　guard
against　the　foreign　ministers　who　were　waiting。　　But　the　three　disputants
vainly　tried　to　appear　composed；　there　was　not　one　of　the　ministers　who
did　not　perceive　that　some　violent　scene　must　have　passed　in　the　cabinet；
and　forthwith　Versailles　was　filled　with　this　news；　which　was　soon
explained　by　the　bragging；　the　explanations；　the　challenges；　and　the
derisive　speeches　of　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy。

I　had　worked　and　chatted　for　a　long　time　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans。　　He
had　passed　into　his　wardrobe；　and　I　was　standing　behind　his　bureau
arranging　his　papers　when　I　saw　Cardinal　Dubois　enter　like　a　whirlwind；
his　eyes　starting　out　of　his　head。　　Seeing　me　alone；　he　screamed　rather
than　asked；　〃Where　is　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans？〃　I　replied　that　he　had　gone
into　his　wardrobe；　and　seeing　him　so　overturned；　I　asked　him　what　was　the
matter。

〃I　am　lost；　I　am　lost！〃　he　replied；　running　to　the　wardrobe。　　His　reply
was　so　loud　and　so　sharp　that　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　heard　it；　also　ran
forward；　so　that　they　met　each　other　in　the　doorway。　　They　returned
towards　me；　and　the　Regent　asked　what　was　the　matter。

Dubois；　who　always　stammered；　could　scarcely　speak；　so　great　was　his　rage
and　fear；　but　he　succeeded　at　last　in　acquainting　us　with　the　details　I
have　just　given；　although　at　greater　length。　　He　concluded　by　saying　that
after　the　insults　he　had　received　so　treacherously；　and　in　a　manner　so
basely　premeditated；　the　Regent　must　choose　between　him　and　the　Marechal
de　Villeroy；　for　that　after　what　had　passed　he　could　not　transact　any
business　or　remain　at　the　Court　in　safety　and　honour；　while　the　Marechal
de　Villeroy　remained　there！

I　cannot　express　the　astonishment　into　which　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　and　I
were　thrown。　　We　could　not　believe　what　we　had　heard；　but　fancied　we　were
dreaming。　　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　put　several　questions　to　Dubois；　I　took
the　liberty　to　do　the　same；　in　order　to　sift　the　affair　to　the　bottom。
But　there　was　no　variation　in　the　replies　of　the　Cardinal；　furious　as　he
was。　　Every　moment　he　presented　the　same　option　to　the　Regent；　every
moment　he　proposed　that　the　Cardinal　de　Bissy　should　be　sent　for　as
having　witnessed　everything。　　It　may　be　imagined　that　this　second　scene；
which　I　would　gladly　have　escaped；　was　tolerably　exciting。

The　Cardinal　still　insisting　that　the　Regent　must　choose　which　of　the　two
be　sent　away；　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　asked　me　what　I　thought。　　I　replied
that　I　was　so　bewildered　and　so　moved　by　this　astounding　occurrence　that
I　must　collect　myself　before　speaking。　　The　Cardinal；　without　addressing
himself　to　me　but　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　who　he　saw　was　plunged　Memoirs
in　embarrassment；　strongly　insisted　that　he　must　come　to　some　resolution。
Upon