the memoirs of louis xiv-15-第12部分

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said　he　was　more　worthy　of　pity　than　of　anger；　that　he　must　admit　to　me
all　his　shame　and　misery；　that　he　was　more　than　eighty　years　of　age；　that
he　had　neither　children　nor　survivors；　that　he　had　been　captain　of　the
guards；　that　though　he　might　be　so　again；　he　should　be　incapable　of　the
function；　that　he　unceasingly　said　this　to　himself；　and　that　yet　with　all
this　he　could　not　console　himself　for　having　been　so　no　longer　during　the
many　years　since　he　had　lost　his　post；　that　he　had　never　been　able　to
draw　the　dagger　from　his　heart；　that　everything　which　recalled　the　memory
of　the　past　made　him　beside　himself；　and　that　to　hear　that　his　wife　was
going　to　take　Madame　de　Poitiers　to　see　a　review　of　the　body…guards；　in
which　he　now　counted　for　nothing；　had　turned　his　head；　and　had　rendered
him　wild　to　the　extent　I　had　seen；　that　he　no　longer　dared　show　himself
before　any　one　after　this　evidence　of　madness；　that　he　was　going　to　lock
himself　up　in　his　chamber；　and　that　he　threw　himself　at　my　feet　in　order
to　conjure　me　to　go　and　find　his　wife；　and　try　to　induce　her　to　take　pity
on　and　pardon　a　senseless　old　man；　who　was　dying　with　grief　and　shame。
This　admission；　so　sincere　and　so　dolorous　to　make；　penetrated　me。　　I
sought　only　to　console　him　and　compose　him。　　The　reconciliation　was　not
difficult；　we　drew　him　from　his　chamber；　not　without　trouble；　and　he
evinced　during　several　days　as　much　disinclination　to　show　himself；　as　I
was　told；　for　I　went　away　in　the　evening；　my　occupations　keeping　me　very
busy。

I　have　often　reflected；　apropos　of　this；　upon　the　extreme　misfortune　of
allowing　ourselves　to　be　carried　away　by　the　intoxication　of　the　world；
and　into　the　formidable　state　of　an　ambitious　man；　whom　neither　riches
nor　comfort；　neither　dignity　acquired　nor　age；　can　satisfy；　and　who；
instead　of　tranquilly　enjoying　what　he　possesses；　and　appreciating　the
happiness　of　it；　exhausts　himself　in　regrets；　and　in　useless　and
continual　bitterness。　　But　we　die　as　we　have　lived；　and　'tis　rare　it
happens　otherwise。　　This　madness　respecting　the　captaincy　of　the　guards
so　cruelly　dominated　M。　de　Lauzun；　that　he　often　dressed　himself　in　a
blue　coat；　with　silver　lace；　which；　without　being　exactly　the　uniform　of
the　captain　of；　the　body…guards；　resembled　it　closely；　and　would　have
rendered　him　ridiculous　if　he　had　not　accustomed　people　to　it；　made
himself　feared；　and　risen　above　all　ridicule。

With　all　his　scheming　and　cringing　he　fell　foul　of　everybody；　always
saying　some　biting　remark　with　dove…like　gentleness。　　Ministers；
generals；　fortunate　people　and　their　families；　were　the　most　ill…treated。
He　had；　as　it　were；　usurped　the　right　of　saying　and　doing　what　he
pleased；　nobody　daring　to　be　angry　with　him。　　The　Grammonts　alone　were
excepted。　　He　always　remembered　the　hospitality　and　the　protection　he　had
received　from　them　at　the　outset　of　his　life。　　He　liked　them；　he
interested　himself　in　them；　he　was　in　respect　before　them。　　Old　Comte
Grammont　took　advantage　of　this　and　revenged　the　Court　by　the　sallies　he
constantly　made　against　Lauzun；　who　never　returned　them　or　grew　angry；
but　gently　avoided　him。　　He　always　did　a　good　deal　for　the　children　of
his　sisters。

During　the　plague　the　Bishop　of　Marseilles　had　much　signalised　himself　by
wealth　spent　and　danger　incurred。　　When　the　plague　had　completely　passed
away；　M。　de　Lauzun　asked　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　for　an　abbey　for　the　Bishop。
The　Regent　gave　away　some　livings　soon　after；　and　forgot　M。　de
Marseilles。　　Lauzun　pretended　to　be　ignorant　of　it；　and　asked　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　if　he　had　had　the　goodness　to　remember　him。　　The　Regent　was
embarrassed。　　The　Duc　de　Lauzun；　as　though　to　relieve　him　from　his
embarrassment；　said；　in　a　gentle　and　respectful　tone；　〃Monsieur；　he　will
do　better　another　time；〃　and　with　this　sarcasm　rendered　the　Regent　dumb；
and　went　away　smiling。　　The　story　got　abroad；　and　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans
repaired　his　forgetfulness　by　the　bishopric　of　Laon；　and　upon　the　refusal
of　M。　de　Marseilles　to　change；　gave　him　a　fat　abbey。

M。　de　Lauzun　hindered　also　a　promotion　of　Marshal　of　France　by　the
ridicule　he　cast　upon　the　candidates。　　He　said　to　the　Regent；　with　that
gentle　and　respectful　tone　he　knew　so　well　how　to　assume；　that　in　case
any　useless　Marshals　of　France　（as　he　said）　were　made；　he　begged　his
Royal　Highness　to　remember　that　he　was　the　oldest　lieutenant…general　of
the　realm；　and　that　he　had　had　the　honour　of　commanding　armies　with　the
patent　of　general。　　I　have　elsewhere　related　other　of　his　witty　remarks。
He　could　not　keep　them　in；　envy　and　jealousy　urged　him　to　utter　them；　and
as　his　bon…mots　always　went　straight　to　the　point；　they　were　always　much
repeated。

We　were　on　terms　of　continual　intimacy；　he　had　rendered　me　real　solid
friendly　services　of　himself；　and　I　paid　him　all　sorts　of　respectful
attentions；　and　he　paid　me　the　same。　　Nevertheless；　I　did　not　always
escape　his　tongue；　and　on　one　occasion；　he　was　perhaps　within　an　inch　of
doing　me　much　injury　by　it。

The　King　（Louis　XIV。）　was　declining；　Lauzun　felt　it；　and　began　to　think
of　the　future。　　Few　people　were　in　favour　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；
nevertheless；　it　was　seen　that　his　grandeur　was　approaching。　　All　eyes
were　upon　him；　shining　with　malignity；　consequently　upon　me；　who　for　a
long　time　had　been　the　sole　courtier　who　remained　publicly　attached　to
him；　the　sole　in　his　confidence。　　M。　de　Lauzun　came　to　dine　at　my　house；
and　found　us　at　table。　　The　company　he　saw　apparently　displeased　him；　for
he　went　away　to　Torcy；　with　whom　I　had　no　intimacy；　and　who　was　also　at
table；　with　many　people　opposed　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　Tallard；　among
others；　and　Tesse。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Lauzun　to　Torcy；　with　a　gentle　and　timid　air；　familiar
to　him；　〃take　pity　upon　me；　I　have　just　tried　to　dine　with　M。　de　Saint…
Simon。　　I　found　him　at　table；　with　company；　I　took　care　not　to　sit　down
with　them；　as　I　did　not　wish　to　be　the　'zeste'　of　the　cabal。　　I　have　come
here　to　find　one。〃

They　all　burst　out　laughing。　　The　remark　instantly　ran　over　all
Versailles。　　Madame　de　Maintenon　and　M。　du　Maine　at　once　heard　it；　and
nevertheless　no　sign　was　anywhere　made。　　To　have　been　angry　would　only
have　been　to　spread　it　wider：　I　took　the　matter　as　the　scratch　of　an　ill…
natured　cat；　and　did　not　allow　Lauzun　to　perceive　that　I　knew　it。

Two　or　three　years　before　his　death　he　had　an　illness　which　reduced　him
to　extremity。　　We　were　all　very　assiduous；　but　he　would　see　none　of　us；
except　Madame　de　Saint…Simon；　and　her　but　once。　　Languet；　cure　of　Saint…
Sulpice；　often　went　to　him；　and　discoursed　most　admirably　to　him。　　One
day；　when　he　was　there；　the　Duc　de　la　Force　glided　into　the　chamber：
M。　de　Lauzun　did　not　like　him　at　all；　and　often　laughed　at　him。　　He
received　him　tolerably　well；　and　continued　to　talk　aloud　with　the　cure。

Suddenly　he　turned　to　the　cure；　complimented　and　thanked　him；　said　he　had
nothing　more　valuable　to　give　him　than　his　blessing；　drew　his　arm　from
the　bed；　pronounced　the　blessing；　and　gave　it　to　him。　　Then　turning　to
the　Duc　de　la　Force；　Lauzun　said　he　had　always　loved　and　respected　him　as
the　head　of　his　house；　and　that　as　such　he　asked　him　for　his　blessing。

These　two　men；　the　cure　and　the　Duc　de　la　Force；　were　astonished；　could
not　utter　a　word。　　The　sick　man　redoubled　his　instances。　　M。　de　la　Force；
recovering　himself；　found　the　thing　so　amusing；　that　he　gave　his
blessing；　and　in　fear　lest　he　should　explode；　left　the　room；　and　came　to
us　in　the　adjoining　chamber；　bursting　with　laughter；　and　scarcely　able　to
relate　what　had　happened　to　him。

A　moment　after；　the　cure　came　also；　all　abroad；　but　smiling　as　much　as
possible；　so　as　to　put　a　good　face　on　the　matter。　　Lauzun　knew　that　he
was　ardent　and　skilful　in　drawing　money　from　people　for　the　building　of　a
church；　and　had　often　said　he　would　never　fall　into　his　net；　he　suspected
that　the　worthy　cure's　assiduities　had　an　interested　motive；　and　laughed
at　him　in　giving　him　only　his　blessing　（which　he　ought　to　have　received
from　him）；　and　in　perseveringly　asking　the　Duc　de　la　Force　for　his。　　The
cure；　who　saw　the　point　of　the　joke；　was　much　mortified；　but；　like　a
sensible　man；　he　was　not　less　frequent　in　his　visits　to　M。　de　Lauzun
after　this；　but　the　patient　cut　short　his　visits；　and　would　not
understand　the　language　he　spoke。

Another　day；　while　he　was　still　very　ill；　Biron　and　his　wife　made　bold　to
enter　his　room　on　tiptoe；　and　kept　behind　his　curtains；　out　of　sight；　as
they　thought；　but　he　perceived　them　by　means　of　the　glass　on　the　chimney…
piece。　　Lauzun　liked　Biron　tolerably　well；　but　Madame　Biron　not　at　all；
she　was；　nevertheless；　his　niece；　and　his　principal　heiress；　he　thought
her　mercenary；　and　all　her　manners　insupportable　to　him。　　In　that　he　was
like　the　rest　of　the　world。　　He　was　shocked　by　this　unscrupulous　entrance
into　his　chamber；　and　felt　that；　impatient　for　her　inheritance；　she　came
in　order　to　make　sure　of　it；　if　he　should　die　directly。　　He　wished　to
make　her　repent　of　this；　and　to　divert　himself　at　her　expense。　　He
begins；　therefore；　to　utter　aloud；　as　though　believing　himself　alone；　an
ejaculatory　orison；　asking　pardon　of　God　for　his　past　life；　expressing
himself　as　though　persuaded　his　death　was　nigh；　and　saying　that；　grieved
at　his　inability　to　do　penance；　he　wishes　at　least　to　make　use　of　all　the
wealth　he　possesses；　in　order　to　redeem　his　sins；　and　bequeath　that
wealth　to　the　hospitals　without　any　reserve；　says　it　is　the　sole　road　to
salvation　left　to　him　by　God；　after　having　passed　a　long　life　without
thinking　of　the　future；　and　thanks　God　for　this　sole　resource　left　him；
which　he　adopts　with　all　his　heart！

He　accompanied　this　resolution　with　a　tone　so　touched；　so　persuaded；　so
determined；　that　Biron　and　his　wife　did　not　doubt　for　a　moment　he　was
going　to　execute　his　design；　or　that　they　should　be　deprived　of　all　the
succession。　　They　had　no　desire　to　spy　any　more；　and　went；　confounded；　to
the　Duchesse　de　Lauzun；　to　relate　to　her　the　cruel　decree　they　had　just
heard　pronounced；　conjuring　her　to　try　and　moderate　it。　　Thereupon　the
patient　sent　for　the　notaries；　and　Madame　Biron　believed　herself　lost。
It　was　exactly　the　design　of