the memoirs of louis xiv-15-第6部分

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him　so　earnestly　to　do　so；　that　he　consented。

The　operation　was　accordingly　performed　about　five　o'clock；　and　in　five
minutes；　by　La　Peyronie；　chief　surgeon　of　the　King；　and　successor　to
Marechal；　who　was　present　with　Chirac　and　others　of　the　most　celebrated
surgeons　and　doctors。　　The　Cardinal　cried　and　stormed　strongly。　　M。　le
Duc　d'Orleans　returned　into　the　chamber　directly　after　the　operation　was
performed；　and　the　faculty　did　not　dissimulate　from　him　that；　judging　by
the　nature　of　the　wound；　and　what　had　issued　from　it；　the　Cardinal　had
not　long　to　live。　　He　died；　in　fact；　twenty…four　hours　afterwards；　on　the
10th；　of　August；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　grinding　his　teeth
against　his　surgeons　and　against　Chirac；　whom　he　had　never　ceased　to
abuse。

Extreme　unction　was；　however；　brought　to　him。　　Of　the　communion；　nothing
more　was　saidor　of　any　priest　for　himand　he　finished　his　life　thus；
in　the　utmost　despair；　and　enraged　at　quitting　it。　　Fortune　had　nicely
played　with　him；　slid　made　him　dearly　and　slowly　buy　her　favours　by　all
sorts　of　trouble；　care；　projects；　intrigues；　fears；　labour；　torment；　and
at　last　showered　down　upon　him　torrents　of　greater　power；　unmeasured
riches；　to　let　him　enjoy　them　only　four　years　（dating　from　the　time　when
he　was　made　Secretary　of　State；　and　only　two　years　dating　from　the　time
when　he　was　made　Cardinal　and　Prime　Minister）；　and　then　snatched　them
from　him；　in　the　smiling　moment　when　he　was　most　enjoying　them；　at　sixty…
six　years　of　age。

He　died　thus；　absolute　master　of　his　master；　less　a　prime　minister　than
an　all…powerful　minister；　exercising　in　full　and　undisturbed　liberty　the
authority　and　the　power　of　the　King；　he　was　superintendent　of　the　post；
Cardinal；　Archbishop　of　Cambrai；　had　seven　abbeys；　with　respect　to　which
he　was　insatiable　to　the　last；　and　he　had　set　on　foot　overtures　in　order
to　seize　upon　those　of　Citeaux；　Premonte；　and　others；　and　it　was　averred
that　he　received　a　pension　from　England　of　40；000　livres　sterling！　　I　had
the　curiosity　to　ascertain　his　revenue；　and　I　have　thought　what　I　found
curious　enough　to　be　inserted　here；　diminishing　some　of　the　benefices　to
avoid　all　exaggeration。　　I　have　made　a　reduction；　too；　upon　what　he　drew
from　his　place　of　prime　minister；　and　that　of　the　post。　　I　believe；　also；
that　he　had　20；000　livres　from　the　clergy；　as　Cardinal；　but　I　do　not　know
it　as　certain。　　What　he　drew　from　Law　was　immense。　　He　had　made　use　of　a
good　deal　of　it　at　Rome；　in　order　to　obtain　his　Cardinalship；　but　a
prodigious　sum　of　ready　cash　was　left　in　his　hands。　　He　had　an　extreme
quantity　of　the　most　beautiful　plate　in　silver　and　enamel；　most　admirably
worked；　the　richest　furniture；　the　rarest　jewels　of　all　kinds；　the　finest
and　rarest　horses　of　all　countries；　and　the　most　superb　equipages。　　His
table　was　in　every　way　exquisite　and　superb；　and　he　did　the　honours　of　it
very　well；　although　extremely　sober　by　nature　and　by　regime。

The　place　of　preceptor　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　procured　for　him　the
Abbey　of　Nogent…sous…Coucy；　the　marriage　of　the　Prince　that　of　Saint…
Just；　his　first　journeys　to　Hanover　and　England；　those　of　Airvause　and　of
Bourgueil：　three　other　journeys；　his　omnipotence。　　What　a　monster　of
Fortune！　　With　what　a　commencement；　and　with　what　an　end！

ACCOUNT　OF　HIS　RICHES：

　　　　　Benefices　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。324；000　livres
　　　　　Prime　Minister　and　Past　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。250；000　　　　〃
　　　　　Pension　from　England　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　　960；000　　　　〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1；534；000　　　　〃

On　Wednesday　evening；　the　day　after　his　death；　Dubois　was　carried　from
Versailles　to　the　church　of　the　chapter　of　Saint…Honore；　in　Paris；　where
he　was　interred　some　days　after。　　Each　of　the　academies　of　which　he　was　a
member　had　a　service　performed　for　him　（at　which　they　were　present）；　the
assembly　of　the　clergy　had　another　（he　being　their　president）；　and　as
prime　minister　he　had　one　at　Notre　Dame；　at　which　the　Cardinal　de
Noailles　officiated；　and　at　which　the　superior　courts　were　present。
There　was　no　funeral　oration　at　any　of　them。　　It　could　not　be　hazarded。
His　brother；　more　modest　than　he；　and　an　honest　man；　kept　the　office　of
secretary　of　the　cabinet；　which　he　had；　and　which　the　Cardinal　had　given
him。　　This　brother　found　an　immense　heritage。　　He　had　but　one　son；　canon
of　Saint…Honore；　who　had　never　desired　places　or　livings；　and　who　led　a
good　life。　　He　would　touch　scarcely　anything　of　this　rich　succession。
He　employed　a　part　of　it　in　building　for　his　uncle　a　sort　of　mausoleum
（fine；　but　very　modest；　against　the　wall；　at　the　end　of　the　church；　where
the　Cardinal　is　interred；　with　a　Christian…like　inscription）；　and
distributed　the　rest　to　the　poor；　fearing　lest　this　money　should　bring　a
curse　upon　him。

It　was　found　some　time　after　his　death　that　the　Cardinal　had　been　long
married；　but　very　obscurely！　　He　paid　his　wife　to　keep　silent　when　he
received　his　benefices；　but　when　he　dawned　into　greatness　became　much
embarrassed　with　her。　　He　was　always　in　agony　lest　she　should　come
forward　and　ruin　him。　　His　marriage　had　been　made　in　Limousin；　and
celebrated　in　a　village　church。　　When　he　was　named　Archbishop　of　Cambrai
he　resolved　to　destroy　the　proofs　of　this　marriage；　and　employed
Breteuil；　Intendant　of　Limoges；　to　whom　he　committed　the　secret；　to　do
this　for　him　skilfully　and　quietly。

Breteuil　saw　the　heavens　open　before　him　if　he　could　but　succeed　in　this
enterprise；　so　delicate　and　so　important。　　He　had　intelligence；　and　knew
how　to　make　use　of　it。　　He　goes　to　this　village　where　the　marriage　had
been　celebrated；　accompanied　by　only　two　or　three　valets；　and　arranges
his　journey　so　as　to　arrive　at　night；　stops　at　the　cure's　house；　in
default　of　an　inn；　familiarly　claims　hospitality　like　a　man　surprised　by
the　night；　dying　of　hunger　and　thirst；　and　unable　to　go　a　step　further。

The　good　cure；　transported　with　gladness　to　lodge　M。　l'Intendant；　hastily
prepared　all　there　was　in　the　house；　and　had　the　honour　of　supping　with
him；　whilst　his　servant　regaled　the　two　valets　in　another　room；　Breteuil
having　sent　them　all　away　in　order　to　be　alone　with　his　host。　　Breteuil
liked　his　glass　and　knew　how　to　empty　it。　　He　pretended　to　find　the
supper　good　and　the　wine　better。　　The　cure；　charmed　with　his　guest；
thought　only　of　egging　him　on；　as　they　say　in　the　provinces。　　The　tankard
was　on　the　table；　and　was　drained　again　and　again　with　a　familiarity
which　transported　the　worthy　priest。　　Breteuil；　who　had　laid　his　project；
succeeded　in　it；　and　made　the　good　man　so　drunk　that　he　could　not　keep
upright；　or　see；　or　utter　a　word。　　When　Breteuil　had　brought　him　to　this
state；　and　had　finished　him　off　with　a　few　more　draughts　of　wine；　he
profited　by　the　information　he　had　extracted　from　him　during　the　first
quarter　of　an　hour　of　supper。　　He　had　asked　if　his　registers　were　in　good
order；　and　how　far　they　extended；　and　under　pretext　of　safety　against
thieves；　asked　him　where　he　kept　them；　and　the　keys　of　them；　so　that　the
moment　Breteuil　was　certain　the　cure　could　no　longer　make　use　of　his
senses；　he　took　his　keys；　opened　the　cupboard；　took　from　it　the　register
of　the　marriage　of　the　year　he　wanted；　very　neatly　detached　the　page　he
sought　（and　woe　unto　that　marriage　registered　upon　the　same　page）；　put　it
in　his　pocket；　replaced　the　registers　where　he　had　found　them；　locked　up
the　cupboard；　and　put　back　the　keys　in　；　the　place　he　had　taken　them
from。　　His　only　thought　after　this　was　to　steal　off　as　soon　as　the　dawn
appeared；　leaving　the　good　cure　snoring　away　the　effects　of　the　wine；　and
giving；　some　pistoles　to　the　servant。

He　went　thence　to　the　notary；　who　had　succeeded　to　the　business　and　the
papers　of　the　one　who　had　made　the　contract　of　marriage；　liked　himself　up
with　him；　and　by　force　and　authority　made　him　give　up　the　minutes　of　the
marriage　contract。　　He　sent　afterwards　for　the　wife　of　Dubois　（from　whose
hands　the　wily　Cardinal　had　already　obtained　the　copy　of　the　contract　she
possessed）；　threatened　her　with　dreadful　dungeons　if　she　ever　dared　to
breathe　a　word　of　her　marriage；　and　promised　marvels　to　her　if　she　kept
silent。

He　assured　her；　moreover；　that　all　she　could　say　or　do　would　be　thrown
away；　because　everything　had　been　so　arranged　that　she　could　prove
nothing；　and　that　if　she　dared　to　speak；　preparations　were　made　for
condemning　her　as　a　calumniator　and　impostor；　to　rot　with　a　shaven　head
in　the　prison　of　a　convent！　　Breteuil　placed　these　two　important
documents　in　the　hands　of　Dubois；　and　was　（to　the　surprise　and　scandal　of
all　the　world）　recompensed；　some　time　after；　with　the　post　of　war
secretary；　which；　apparently；　he　had　done　nothing　to　deserve；　and　for
which　he　was　utterly　unqualified。　　The　secret　reason　of　his　appointment
was　not　discovered　until　long　after。

Dubois'　wife　did　not　dare　to　utter　a　whisper。　　She　came　to　Paris　after
the　death　of　her　husband。　　A　good　proportion　was　given　to　her　of　what　was
left。　　She　lived　obscure；　but　in　easy　circumstances；　and　died　at　Paris
more　than　twenty　years　after　the　Cardinal　Dubois；　by　whom　she　had　had　no
children。　　The　brother　lived　on　very　good　terms　with　her。　　He　was　a
village　doctor　when　Dubois　sent　for　him　to　Paris：　In　the　end　this　history
was　known；　and　has　been　neither　contradicted　nor　disavowed　by　anybody。

We　have　many　examples　of　prodigious　fortune　acquired　by　insignificant
people；　but　there　is　no　example　of　a　person　so　destitute　of　all　talent
（excepting　that　of　low　intrigue）；　as　was　Cardinal　Dubois；　being　thus
fortunate。　　His　intellect　was　of　the　most　ordinary　kind；　his　knowledge
the　most　common…place；　his　capacity　nil；　his　exterior　that　of　a　ferret；
of　a　pedant；　his　conversation　disagreeable；　broken；　always　uncertain；　his
falsehood　written　upon　his　forehead；　his　habits　too　measureless　to　be
hidden；　his　fits　of　impetuosity　resembling　fits　of　madness；　his　head
incapable　of　containing　more　than　one　thing　at　a　time；　and　he　incapable
of　following　anything　but　his　personal　interest；　nothing　was　sacred　with
him；　he　had　no　sort　of　worthy　intimacy　with　any　one；　had　a　declared
contempt　for　faith；　promises；　honour；　probity