the memoirs of louis xiv-15-第7部分

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him；　he　had　no　sort　of　worthy　intimacy　with　any　one；　had　a　declared
contempt　for　faith；　promises；　honour；　probity；　truth；　took　pleasure　at
laughing　at　all　these　things；　was　equally　voluptuous　and　ambitious；
wishing　to　be　all　in　all　in　everything；　counting　himself　alone　as
everything；　and　whatever　was　not　connected　with　him　as　nothing；　and
regarding　it　as　the　height　of　madness　to　think　or　act　otherwise。　　With
all　this　he　was　soft；　cringing；　supple；　a　flatterer；　and　false　admirer；
taking　all　shapes　with　the　greatest　facility；　and　playing　the　most
opposite　parts　in　order　to　arrive　at　the　different　ends　he　proposed　to
himself；　and　nevertheless　was　but　little　capable　of　seducing。　　His
judgment　acted　by　fits　and　starts；　was　involuntarily　crooked；　with　little
sense　or　clearness；　he　was　disagreeable　in　spite　of　himself。
Nevertheless；　he　could　be　funnily　vivacious　when　he　wished；　but　nothing
more；　could　tell　a　good　story；　spoiled；　however；　to　some　extent　by　his
stuttering；　which　his　falsehood　had　turned　into　a　habit　from　the
hesitation　he　always　had　in　replying　and　in　speaking。　　With　such　defects
it　is　surprising　that　the　only　man　he　was　able　to　seduce　was　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans；　who　had　so　much　intelligence；　such　a　well…balanced　mind；　and
so　much　clear　and　rapid　perception　of　character。　　Dubois　gained　upon　him
as　a　child　while　his　preceptor；　he　seized　upon　him　as　a　young　man　by
favouring　his　liking　for　liberty；　sham　fashionable　manners　and
debauchery；　and　his　disdain　of　all　rule。　　He　ruined　his　heart；　his　mind；
and　his　habits；　by　instilling　into　him　the　principles　of　libertines；
which　this　poor　prince　could　no　more　deliver　himself　from　than　from　those
ideas　of　reason；　truth；　and　conscience　which　he　always　took　care　to
stifle。

Dubois　having　insinuated　himself　into　the　favour　of　his　master　in　this
manner；　was　incessantly　engaged　in　studying　how　to　preserve　his　position。
He　never　lost　sight　of　his　prince；　whose　great　talents　and　great　defects
he　had　learnt　how　to　profit　by。　　The　Regent's　feebleness　was　the　main
rock　upon　which　he　built。　　As　for　Dubois'　talent　and　capacity；　as　I　have
before　said；　they　were　worth　nothing。　　All　his　success　was　due　to　his
servile　pliancy　and　base　intrigues。

When　he　became　the　real　master　of　the　State　he　was　just　as　incompetent　as
before。　　All　his　application　was　directed　towards　his　master；　and　it　had
for　sole　aim　that　that　master　should　not　escape　him。　　He　wearied　himself
in　watching　all　the　movements　of　the　prince；　what　he　did；　whom　he　saw；
and　for　how　long；　his　humour；　his　visage；　his　remarks　at　the　issue　of
every　audience　and　of　every　party；　who　took　part　in　them；　what　was　said
and　by　whom；　combining　all　these　things；　above　all；　he　strove　to　frighten
everybody　from　approaching　the　Regent；　and　kept　no　bounds　with　any　one
who　had　the　temerity　to　do　so　without　his　knowledge　and　permission。　　This
watching　occupied　all　his　days；　and　by　it　he　regulated　all　his　movements。
This　application；　and　the　orders　he　was　obliged　to　give　for　appearance
sake；　occupied　all　his　time；　so　that　he　became　inaccessible　except　for　a
few　public　audiences；　or　for　others　to　the　foreign　ministers。　　Yet　the
majority　of　those　ministers　never　could　catch　him；　and　were　obliged　to
lie　in　wait　for　him　upon　staircases　or　in　passages；　where　he　did　not
expect　to　meet　them。　　Once　he　threw　into　the　fire　a　prodigious　quantity
of　unopened　letters；　and　then　congratulated　himself　upon　having　got　rid
of　all　his　business　at　once。　　At　his　death　thousands　of　letters　were
found　unopened。

Thus　everything　was　in　arrear；　and　nobody；　not　even　the　foreign
ministers；　dared　to　complain　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　who；　entirely
abandoned　to　his　pleasures；　and　always　on　the　road　from　Versailles　to
Paris；　never　thought　of　business；　only　too　satisfied　to　find　himself　so
free；　and　attending　to　nothing　except　the　few　trifles　he　submitted　to　the
King　under　the　pretence　of　working　with　his　Majesty。　　Thus；　nothing　could
be　settled；　and　all　was　in　chaos。　　To　govern　in　this　manner　there　is　no
need　for　capacity。　　Two　words　to　each　minister　charged　with　a　department；
and　some　care　in　garnishing　the　councils　attended　by　the　King；　with　the
least　important　despatches　（settling　the　others　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans）
constituted　all　the　labour　of　the　prime　minister；　and　spying；　scheming；
parade；　flatteries；　defence；　occupied　all　his　time。　　His　fits　of　passion；
full　of　insults　and　blackguardism；　from　which　neither　man　nor　woman；　no
matter　of　what　rank；　was　sheltered；　relieved　him　from　an　infinite　number
of　audiences；　because　people　preferred　going　to　subalterns；　or　neglecting
their　business　altogether；　to　exposing　themselves　to　this　fury　and　these
affronts。

The　mad　freaks　of　Dubois；　especially　when　he　had　become　master；　and
thrown　off　all　restraint；　would　fill　a　volume。　　I　will　relate　only　one　or
two　as　samples。　　His　frenzy　was　such　that　he　would　sometimes　run　all
round　the　chamber；　upon　the　tables　and　chairs；　without　touching　the
floor！　　M。　le　Duc　d'Orl6ans　told　me　that　he　had　often　witnessed　this。

Another　sample：

The　Cardinal　de　Gesvres　came　over　to…day　to　complain　to　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　that　the　Cardinal　Dubois　had　dismissed　him　in　the　most　filthy
terms。　　On　a　former　occasion；　Dubois　had　treated　the　Princesse　de
Montauban　in　a　similar　manner；　and　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　replied　to　her
complaints　as　he　now　replied　to　those　of　the　Cardinal　de　Gesvres。　　He
told　the　Cardinal；　who　was　a　man　of　good　manners；　of　gravity；　and　of
dignity　（whereas　the　Princess　deserved　what　she　got）　that　he　had　always
found　the　counsel　of　the　Cardinal　Dubois　good；　and　that　he　thought　he
（Gesvres　）　would　do　well　to　follow　the　advice　just　given　him！　　Apparently
it　was　to　free　himself　from　similar　complaints　that　he　spoke　thus；　and；
in　fact；　he　had　no　more　afterwards。

Another　sample：

Madame　de　Cheverny；　become　a　widow；　had　retired　to　the　Incurables。　　Her
place　of　governess　of　the　daughters　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　been　given
to　Madame　de　Conflans。　　A　little　while　after　Dubois　was　consecrated；
Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans　asked　Madame　de　Conflans　if　she　had　called
upon　him。　　Thereupon　Madame　de　Conflans　replied　negatively　and　that　she
saw　no　reason　for　going；　the　place　she　held　being　so　little　mixed　up　in
State　affairs。　　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans　pointed　out　how　intimate　the
Cardinal　was　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans。　　Madame　de　Conflans　still　tried　to
back　out；　saying　that　he　was　a　madman；　who　insulted　everybody；　and　to
whom　she　would　not　expose　herself。　　She　had　wit　and　a　tongue；　and　was
supremely　vain；　although　very　polite。　　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans　burst
out　laughing　at　her　fear；　and　said；　that　having　nothing　to　ask　of　the
Cardinal；　but　simply　to　render　an　account　to　him　of　the　office　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　had　given　her；　it　was　an　act　of　politeness　which　could　only
please　him；　and　obtain　for　her　his　regard；　far　from　having　anything
disagreeable；　or　to　be　feared　about　it；　and　finished　by　saying　to　her
that　it　was　proper；　and　that　she　wished　her　to　go。

She　went；　therefore；　for　it　was　at　Versailles；　and　arrived　in　a　large
cabinet；　where　there　were　eight　or　ten　persons　waiting　to　speak　to　the
Cardinal；　who　was　larking　with　one　of　his　favourites；　by　the　mantelpiece。
Fear　seized　upon　Madame　de　Conflans；　who　was　little；　and　who　appeared
less。　　Nevertheless；　she　approached　as　this　woman　retired。　　The　Cardinal；
seeing　her　advance；　sharply　asked　her　what　she　wanted。

〃Monseigneur；〃　said　she；〃Oh；　Monseigneur〃

〃Monseigneur；〃　interrupted　the　Cardinal；　〃I　can't　now。〃

〃But；　Monseigneur；〃　replied　she

〃Now；　devil　take　me；　I　tell　you　again；〃　interrupted　the　Cardinal；　〃when　I
say　I　can't；　I　can't。〃

〃Monseigneur；〃　Madame　de　Conflans　again　said；　in　order　to　explain　that
she　wanted　nothing；　but　at　this　word　the　Cardinal　seized　her　by　the
shoulders；　and　pushed　her　out；　saying；　〃Go　to　the　devil；　and　let　me
alone。〃

She　nearly　fell　over；　flew　away　in　fury；　weeping　hot　tears；　and　reached；
in　this　state；　Madame　la　Duchesse　d'Orleans；　to　whom；　through　her　sobs；
she　related　the　adventure。

People　were　so　accustomed　to　the　insults　of　the　Cardinal；　and　this　was
thought　so　singular　and　so　amusing；　that　the　recital　of　it　caused　shouts
of　laughter；　which　finished　off　poor　Madame　de　Conflans；　who　swore　that；
never　in　her　life；　would　she　put　foot　in　the　house　of　this　madman。

The　Easter　Sunday　after　he　was　made　Cardinal；　Dubois　woke　about　eight
o'clock；　rang　his　bells　as　though　he　would　break　them；　called　for　his
people　with　the　most　horrible　blasphemies；　vomited　forth　a　thousand
filthy　expressions　and　insults；　raved　at　everybody　because　he　had　not
been　awakened；　said　that　he　wanted　to　say　mass；　but　knew　not　how　to　find
time；　occupied　as　he　was。　　After　this　very　beautiful　preparation；　he　very
wisely　abstained　from　saying　mass；　and　I　don't　know　whether　he　ever　did
say　it　after　his　consecration。

He　had　taken　for　private　secretary　one　Verrier；　whom　he　had　unfrocked
from　the　Abbey　of　Saint…Germain…des…Pres；　the　business　of　which　he　had
conducted　for　twenty　years；　with　much　cleverness　and　intelligence。　　He
soon　accommodated　himself　to　the　humours　of　the　Cardinal；　and　said　to　him
all　he　pleased。

One　morning　he　was　with　the　Cardinal；　who　asked　for　something　that　could
not　at　once　be　found。　　Thereupon　Dubois　began　to　blaspheme；　to　storm
against　his　clerks；　saying　that　if　he　had　not　enough　he　would　engage
twenty；　thirty；　fifty；　a　hundred；　and　making　the　most　frightful　din。
Verrier　tranquilly　listened　to　him。　　The　Cardinal　asked　him　if　it　was　not
a　terrible　thing　to　be　so　ill…served；　considering　the　expense　he　was　put
to；　then　broke　out　again；　and　pressed　him　to　reply。

〃Monseigneur；〃　said　Verrier；　〃engage　one　more　clerk；　and　give　him；　for
sole　occupation；　to　swear　and　storm　for　you；　and　all　will　go　well；　you
will　have　much　more　time　to　yourself　and　will　be　better　served。〃

The　Cardinal　burst　out　laughing；　and　was　appeased。

Every　evening　he　ate　an　entire　chicken　for　his　supper。　　I　know　not　by
whose　carelessness；　but　this　chicken　was　forgotten　one　evening　by　his
people。　　As　he　was　about　to　go　to　bed　he　bethought　him　of　his　bird；　rang；
cried　out；　stormed　against　his　servants；　who　ran　a