the memoirs of louis xiv-15-第13部分

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patient　sent　for　the　notaries；　and　Madame　Biron　believed　herself　lost。
It　was　exactly　the　design　of　the　testator　to　produce　this　idea。　　He　made
the　notaries　wait；　then　allowed　them　to　enter；　and　dictated　his　will；
which　was　a　death…blow　to　Madame　de　Biron。　　Nevertheless；　he　delayed
signing　it；　and　finding　himself　better　and　better；　did　not　sign　it　at
all。　　He　was　much　diverted　with　this　farce；　and　could　not　restrain　his
laughter　at　it；　when　reestablished。　　Despite　his　age；　and　the　gravity　of
his　illness；　he　was　promptly　cured　and　restored　to　his　usual　health。

He　was　internally　as　strong　as　a　lion；　though　externally　very　delicate。
He　dined　and　supped　very　heartily　every　day　of　an　excellent　and　very
delicate　cheer；　always　with　good　company；　evening　and　morning；　eating　of
everything；　'gras'　and　'maigre'；　with　no　choice　except　that　of　his　taste
and　no　moderation。　　He　took　chocolate　in　the　morning；　and　had　always　on
the　table　the　fruits　in　season；　and　biscuits；　at　other　times　beer；　cider；
lemonade；　and　other　similar　drinks　iced；　and　as　he　passed　to　and　fro；　ate
and　drank　at　this　table　every　afternoon；　exhorting　others　to　do　the　same。
In　this　way　he　left　table　or　the　fruit；　and　immediately　went　to　bed。

I　recollect　that　once；　among　others；　he　ate　at　my　house；　after　his
illness；　so　much　fish；　vegetables；　and　all　sorts　of　things　（I　having　no
power　to　hinder　him）；　that　in　the　evening　we　quietly　sent　to　learn
whether　he　had　not　felt　the　effects　of　them。　　He　was　found　at　table
eating　with　good　appetite。

His　gallantry　was　long　faithful　to　him。　　Mademoiselle　was　jealous　of　it；
and　that　often　controlled　him。　　I　have　heard　Madame　de　Fontenelles　（　a
very　enviable　woman；　of　much　intelligence；　very　truthful；　and　of　singular
virtue）；　I　have　heard　her　say；　that　being　at　Eu　with　Mademoiselle；
M。　de　Lauzun　came　there　and　could　not　desist　from　running　after　the
girls；　Mademoiselle　knew　it；　was　angry；　scratched　him；　and　drove　him　from
her　presence。　　The　Comtesse　de　Fiesque　reconciled　them。　　Mademoiselle
appeared　at　the　end　of　a　long　gallery；　Lauzun　was　at　the　other　end；　and
he　traversed　the　whole　length　of　it　on　his　knees　until　he　reached　the
feet　of　Mademoiselle。　　These　scenes；　more　or　less　moving；　often　took
place　afterwards。　　Lauzun　allowed　himself　to　be　beaten；　and　in　his　turn
soundly　beat　Mademoiselle；　and　this　happened　several　times；　until　at
last；　tired　of　each　other；　they　quarrelled　once　for　all　and　never　saw
each　other　again；　he　kept　several　portraits　of　her；　however；　in　his　house
or　upon　him；　and　never　spoke　of　her　without　much　respect。　　Nobody　doubted
they　had　been　secretly　married。　　At　her　death　he　assumed　a　livery　almost
black；　with　silver　lace；　this　he　changed　into　white　with　a　little　blue
upon　gold；　when　silver　was　prohibited　upon　liveries。

His　temper；　naturally　scornful　and　capricious；　rendered　more　so　by　prison
and　solitude；　had　made　him　a　recluse　and　dreamer；　so　that　having　in　his
house　the　best　of　company；　he　left　them　to　Madame　de　Lauzun；　and　withdrew
alone　all　the　afternoon；　several　hours　running；　almost　always　without
books；　for　he　read　only　a　few　works　of　fancya　very　fewand　without
sequence；　so　that　he　knew　nothing　except　what　he　had　seen；　and　until　the
last　was　exclusively　occupied　with　the　Court　and　the　news　of　the　great
world。　　I　have　a　thousand　times　regretted　his　radical　incapacity　to　write
down　what　he　had　seen　and　done。　　It　would　have　been　a　treasure　of　the
most　curious　anecdotes；　but　he　had　no　perseverance；　no　application。　　I
have　often　tried　to　draw　from　him　some　morsels。　　Another　misfortune。　　He
began　to　relate；　in　the　recital　names　occurred　of　people　who　had　taken
part　in　what　he　wished　to　relate。　　He　instantly　quitted　the　principal
object　of　the　story　in　order　to　hang　on　to　one　of　these　persons；　and
immediately　after　to　some　other　person　connected　with　the　first；　then　to
a　third；　in　the　manner　of　the　romances；　he　threaded　through　a　dozen
histories　at　once；　which　made　him　lose　ground　and　drove　him　from　one　to
the　other　without　ever　finishing　anything；　and　with　this　his　words　were
very　confused；　so　that　it　was　impossible　to　learn　anything　from　him　or
retain　anything　he　said。　　For　the　rest；　his　conversation　was　always
constrained　by　caprice　or　policy；　and　was　amusing　only　by　starts；　and　by
the　malicious　witticisms　which　sprung　out　of　it。　　A　few　months　after　his
last　illness；　that　is　to　say；　when　he　was　more　than　ninety　years　of　age；
he　broke　in　his　horses　and　made　a　hundred　passades　at　the　Bois　de
Boulogne　（before　the　King；　who　was　going　to　the　Muette）；　upon　a　colt　he
had　just　trained；　surprising　the　spectators　by　his　address；　his　firmness；
and　his　grace。　　These　details　about　him　might　go　on　for　ever。

His　last　illness　came　on　without　warning；　almost　in　a　moment；　with　the
most　horrible　of　all　ills；　a　cancer　in　the　mouth。　　He　endured　it　to　the
last　with　incredible　patience　and　firmness；　without　complaint；　without
spleen；　without　the　slightest　repining；　he　was　insupportable　to　himself。
When　he　saw　his　illness　somewhat　advanced；　he　withdrew　into　a　little
apartment　（which　he　had　hired　with　this　object　in　the　interior　of　the
Convent　of　the　Petits　Augustins；　into　which　there　was　an　entrance　from
his　house）　to　die　in　repose　there；　inaccessible　to　Madame　de　Biron　and
every　other　woman；　except　his　wife；　who　had　permission　to　go　in　at　all
hours；　followed　by　one　of　her　attendants。

Into　this　retreat　Lauzun　gave　access　only　to　his　nephews　and　brothers…in…
law；　and　to　them　as　little　as　possible。　　He　thought　only　of　profiting　by
his　terrible　state；　of　giving　all　his　time　to　the　pious　discourses　of　his
confessor　and　of　some　of　the　pious　people　of　the　house；　and　to　holy
reading；　to　everything；　in　fact；　which　best　could　prepare　him　for　death。
When　we　saw　him；　no　disorder；　nothing　lugubrious；　no　trace　of　suffering；
politeness；　tranquillity；　conversation　but　little　animated；　indifference
to　what　was　passing　in　the　world；　speaking　of　it　little　and　with
difficulty；　little　or　no　morality；　still　less　talk　of　his　state；　and　this
uniformity；　so　courageous　and　so　peaceful；　was　sustained　full　four　months
until　the　end；　but　during　the　last　ten　or　twelve　days　he　would　see
neither　brothers…in…law　nor　nephews；　and　as　for　his　wife；　promptly
dismissed　her。　　He　received　all　the　sacraments　very　edifyingly；　and
preserved　his　senses　to　the　last　moment：　The　morning　of　the　day　during
the　night　of　which　he　died；　he　sent　for　Biron；　said　he　had　done　for　him
all　that　Madame　de　Lauzun　had　wished；　that　by　his　testament　he　gave　him
all　his　wealth；　except　a　trifling　legacy　to　the　son　of　his　other　sister；
and　some　recompenses　to　his　domestics；　that　all　he　had　done　for　him　since
his　marriage；　and　what　he　did　in　dying；　he　（Biron）　entirely　owed　to
Madame　de　Lauzun；　that　he　must　never　forget　the　gratitude　he　owed　her；
that　he　prohibited　him；　by　the　authority　of　uncle　and　testator；　ever　to
cause　her　any　trouble　or　annoyance；　or　to　have　any　process　against　her；
no　matter　of　what　kind。　　It　was　Biron　himself　who　told　me　this　the　next
day；　in　the　terms　I　have　given。　　M。　de　Lauzun　said　adieu　to　him　in　a　firm
tone；　and　dismissed　him。　　He　prohibited；　and　reasonably；　all　ceremony；　he
was　buried　at　the　Petits　Augustins；　he　had　nothing　from　the　King　but　the
ancient　company　of　the　battle…axes；　which　was　suppressed　two　days　after。
A　month　before　his　death　he　had　sent　for　Dillon　（charged　here　with　the
affairs　of　King　James；　and　a　very　distinguished　officer　general）；　to　whom
he　surrendered　his　collar　of　the　Order　of　the　Garter；　and　a　George　of
onyx；　encircled　with　perfectly　beautiful　and　large　diamonds；　to　be　sent
back　to　the　Prince。

I　perceive　at　last；　that　I　have　been　very　prolix　upon　this　man；　but　the
extraordinary　singularity　of　his　life；　and　my　close　connexion　with　him；
appear　to　me　sufficient　excuses　for　making　him　known；　especially　as　he
did　not　sufficiently　figure　in　general　affairs　to　expect　much　notice　in
the　histories　that　will　appear。　　Another　sentiment　has　extended　my
recital。　　I　am　drawing　near　a　term　I　fear　to　reach；　because　my　desires
cannot　be　in　harmony　with　the　truth；　they　are　ardent；　consequently
gainful；　because　the　other　sentiment　is　terrible；　and　cannot　in　any　way
be　palliated；　the　terror　of　arriving　there　has　stopped　menailed　me
where　I　wasfrozen　me。

It　will　easily　be　seen　that　I　speak　of　the　death　（and　what　a　death！）　of
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　this　frightful　recital；　especially　after　such　a
long　attachment　（it　lasted　all　his　life；　and　will　last　all　mine）；
penetrates　me　with　terror　and　with　grief　for　him。　　The　Regent　had　said；
when　he　died　he　should　like　to　die　suddenly：　I　shudder　to　my　very　marrow；
with　the　horrible　suspicion　that　God；　in　His　anger；　granted　his　desire。




CHAPTER　CXIX

The　new　chateau　of　Meudon；　completely　furnished；　had　been　restored　to　me
since　the　return　of　the　Court　to　Versailles；　just　as　I　had　had　it　before
the　Court　came　to　Meudon。　　The　Duc　and　Duchesse　d'Humieres　were　with　us
there；　and　good　company。　　One　morning　towards　the　end　of　October；　1723；
the　Duc　d'Humieres　wished　me　to　conduct　him　to　Versailles；　to　thank　M。　le
Duc　d'Orleans。

We　found　the　Regent　dressing　in　the　vault　he　used　as　his　wardrobe。　　He
was　upon　his　chair　among　his　valets；　and　one　or　two　of　his　principal
officers。　　His　look　terrified　me。　　I　saw　a　man　with　hanging　head；　a
purple…red　complexion；　and　a　heavy　stupid　air。　　He　did　not　even　see　me
approach。　　His　people　told　him。　　He　slowly　turned　his　head　towards　me；
and　asked　me　with　a　thick　tongue　what　brought　me。　　I　told　him。　　I　had
intended　to　pass　him　to　come　into　the　room　where　he　dressed　himself；　so
as　not　to　keep　the　Duc　d'Humieres　waiting；　but　I　was　so　astonished　that　I
stood　stock　still。

I　took　Simiane；　first　gentleman　of　his　chamber；　into　a　window；　and
testified　to　him　my　surprise　and　my　fear　at　the　state　in　which　I　saw　M。
le　Duc　d'Orleans。

Simiane　replied　that　for　a　long　time　he　had　been　so　in　the　morning；　that
to…day　there　was　nothing　extraordinary　about　him；　and　that　I　was
surprised　simply　because　I　did　not　see　him　at　those　hours；　that　nothing
would　be　seen　when　he　had　shaken　himself　a　little　in　dressing。　　There　was
still；　however；　much　to　be　seen　when　he　ca