the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第11部分

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otherwise；　all　that　he　saw　alone　she　read　and　discussed　with　him。　　She
was　always　present　at　all　the　private　audiences　that　he　gave；　whether　to
his　subjects　or　to　the　foreign　ministers；　so　that；　as　I　have　before
remarked；　nothing　possibly　could　escape　her。

As　for　the　King；　the　eternal　night　and　day　tete…a…tete　she　had　with　him
enabled　her　to　sound　him　thoroughly；　to　know　him　by　heart；　so　to　speak。
She　knew　perfectly　the　time　for　preparatory　insinuations；　their　success；
the　resistance；　when　there　was　any；　its　course　and　how　to　overcome　it；
the　moments　for　yielding；　in　order　to　return　afterwards　to　the　charge；
and　those　for　holding　firm　and　carrying　everything　by　force。　　She　stood
in　need　of　all　these　intrigues；　notwithstanding　her　credit　with　the　King。
If　I　may　dare　to　say　it；　his　temperament　was　her　strong　point；　and　she
sometimes　had　recourse　to　it。　　Then　her　coldness　excited　tempests。　　The
King　cried　and　menaced；　now　and　then　went　further；　she　held　firm；　wept；
and　sometimes　defended　herself。　　In　the　morning　all　was　stormy。　　The
immediate　attendants　acted　towards　King　and　Queen　often　without
penetrating　the　cause　of　their　quarrel。　　Peace　was　concluded　at　the　first
opportunity；　rarely　to　the　disadvantage　of　the　Queen；　who　mostly　had　her
own　way。

A　quarrel　of　this　sort　arose　when　I　was　at　Madrid；　and　I　was　advised；
after　hearing　details　I　will　not　repeat；　to　mix　myself　up　in　it；　but　I
burst　out　laughing　and　took　good　care　not　to　follow　this　counsel。




CHAPTER　CXI。

The　chase　was　every　day　the　amusement　of　the　King；　and　the　Queen　was
obliged　to　make　it　hers。　　But　it　was　always　the　same。　　Their　Catholic
Majesties　did　me　the　singular　honour　to　invite　me　to　it　once；　and　I　went
in　my　coach。　　Thus　I　saw　this　pleasure　well；　and　to　see　it　once　is　to　see
it　always。　　Animals　to　shoot　are　not　met　with　in　the　plains。　　They　must
be　sought　for　among　the　mountains；　and　there　the　ground　is　too　rugged
for　hunting　the　stag；　the　wild　boar；　and　other　beasts　as　we　hunt　the
hare；and　elsewhere。　　The　plains　even　are　so　dry；　so　hard；　so　full　of
deep　crevices　（that　are　not　perceived　until　their　brink　is　reached）；　that
the　best　hounds　or　harriers　would　soon　be　knocked　up；　and　would　have
their　feet　blistered；　nay　lamed；　for　a　long　time。　　Besides；　the　ground　is
so　thickly　covered　with　sturdy　vegetation　that　the　hounds　could　not
derive　much　help　from　their　noses。　　Mere　shooting　on　the　wing　the　King
had　long　since　quitted；　and　he　had　ceased　to　mount　his　horse；　thus　the
chase　simply　resolved　itself　into　a　battue。

The　Duc　del　Orco；　who；　by　his　post　of　grand　ecuyer；　had　the
superintendence　of　all　the　hunting　arrangements；　chose　the　place　where
the　King　and　Queen　were　to　go。　　Two　large　arbours　were　erected　there；　the
one　against　the　other；　entirely　shut　in；　except　where　two　large　openings；
like　windows；　were　made；　of　breast…height。　　The　King；　the　Queen；　the
captain　of　the　guards；　and　the　grand　ecuyer　were　in　the　first　arbour　with
about　twenty　guns　and　the　wherewithal　to　load　them。　　In　the　other　arbour；
the　day　I　was　present；　were　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias；　who　came　in　his
coach　with　the　Duc　de　Ponoli　and　the　Marquis　del　Surco；　the　Marquis　de
Santa　Cruz；　the　Duc　Giovenazzo；　majordomo；　major　and　grand　ecuyer　to　the
Queen；　Valouse；　two　or　three　officers　of　the　body…guard；　and　I　myself。
We　had　a　number　of　guns；　and　some　men　to　load　them。　　A　single　lady　of　the
palace　followed　the　Queen　all　alone；　in　another　coach；　which　she　did　not
quit；　she　carried　with　her；　for　her　consolation；　a　book　or　some　work；　for
no　one　approached　her。　　Their　Majesties　and　their　suite　went　to　the　chase
in　hot　haste　with　relays　of　guards　and　of　coach　horses；　for　the　distance
was　at　least　three　or　four　leagues；　at　the　least　double　that　from　Paris
to　Versailles。　　The　party　alighted　at　the　arbours；　and　immediately　the
carriages；　the　poor　lady　of　the　palace；　and　all　the　horses　were　led　away
far　out　of　sight；　lest　they　should　frighten　the　beasts。

Two；　three；　four　hundred　peasants　had　early　in　the　morning　beaten　the
country　round；　with　hue　and　cry；　after　having　enclosed　it　and　driven　all
the　animals　together　as　near　these　arbours　as　possible。　　When　in　the
arbour　you　were　not　allowed　to　stir；　or　to　make　the　slightest　remarks；　or
to　wear　attractive　colours；　and　everybody　stood　up　in　silence。

This　period　of　expectation　lasted　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　did　not　appear
to　me　very　amusing。　　At　last　we　heard　loud　cries　from　afar；　and　soon
after　we　saw　troops　of　animals　pass　and　repass　within　shot　and　within
half…shot　of　us；　and　then　the　King　and　the　Queen　banged　away　in　good
earnest。　　This　diversion；　or　rather　species　of　butchery；　lasted　more　than
half　an　hour；　during　which　stags；　hinds；　roebucks；　boars；　hares；　wolves；
badgers；　foxes；　and　numberless　pole…cats　passed；　and　were　killed　or
lamed。

We　were　obliged　to　let　the　King　and　Queen　fire　first；　although　pretty
often　they　permitted　the　grand　ecuyer　and　the　captain　of　the　guard　to
fire　also；　and　as　we　did　not　know　from　whom　came　the　report；　we　were
obliged　to　wait　until　the　King's　arbour　was　perfectly　silent；　then　let
the　Prince　shoot；　who　very　often　had　nothing　to　shoot　at；　and　we　still
less。　　Nevertheless；　I　killed　a　fox；　but　a　little　before　I　ought　to　have
done　so；　at　which；　somewhat　ashamed；　I　made　my　excuses　to　the　Prince　of
the　Asturias；　who　burst　out　laughing；　and　the　company　also；　I　following
their　example　and　all　passing　very　politely。

In　proportion　as　the　peasants　approach　and　draw　nearer　each　other；　the
sport　advances；　and　it　finishes　when　they　all　come　close　to　the　arbours；
still　shouting；　and　with　nothing　more　behind　them。　　Then　the　coaches
return；　the　company　quits　the　arbours；　the　beasts　killed　are　laid　before
the　King。　　They　are　placed　afterwards　behind　the　coaches。　　During　all
this；　conversation　respecting　the　sport　rolls　on。　　We　carried　away　this
day　about　a　dozen　or　more　beasts；　some　hares；　foxes；　and　polecats。　　The
night　overtook　us　soon　after　we　quitted　the　arbours。

And　this　is　the　daily　diversion　of　their　Catholic　Majesties。

It　is　time　now；　however；　to　resume　the　thread　of　my　narrative；　from　which
these　curious　and　little…known　details　have　led　me。

I　have　shown　in　its　place　the　motive　which　made　me　desire　my　embassy；　it
was　to　obtain　the　'grandesse'　for　my　second　son；　and　thus　to　〃branch〃　my
house。　　I　also　desired　to　obtain　the　Toison　d'Or　for　my　eldest　son；　that
he　might　derive　from　this　journey　an　ornament　which；　at　his　age；　was　a
decoration。　　I　had　left　Paris　with　full　liberty　to　employ　every　aid；　in
order　to　obtain　these　things；　I　had；　too；　from　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　the
promise　that　he　would　expressly　ask　the　King　of　Spain　for　the　former
favour；　employing　the　name　of　the　King；　and　letters　of　the　strongest　kind
from　Cardinal　Dubois　to　Grimaldo　and　Father　Aubenton。　　In　the　midst　of
the　turmoil　of　affairs　I　spoke　to　both　of　these　persons；　and　was
favourably　attended　to。

Grimaldo　was　upright　and　truthful。　　He　conceived　a　real　friendship　for
me；　and　gave　me；　during　my　stay　at　Madrid；　all　sorts　of　proofs　of　it。
He　said　that　this　union　of　the　two　Courts　by　the　two　marriages　might
influence　the　ministers。　　His　sole　point　of　support；　in　order　to　maintain
himself　in　the　post　he　occupied；　so　brilliant　and　so　envied；　was　the　King
of　Spain。　　The　Queen；　he　found；　could　never　be　a　solid　foundation　on
which　to　repose。　　He　wished；　then；　to　support　himself　upon　France；　or　at
least　to　have　no　opposition　from　it；　and　he　perfectly　well　knew　the
duplicity　and　caprices　of　Cardinal　Dubois。　　The　Court　of　Spain；　at　all
times　so　watchful　over　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　in　consequence　of　what　had
passed　in　the　time　of　the　Princesse　des　Ursins；　and　during　the　Regency；。
was　not　ignorant　of　the　intimate　and　uninterrupted　confidence　of　this
prince　in　me；　or　of　the　terms　on　which　I　was　with　him。　　These　sort　of
things　appear　larger　than　they　are；　when　seen　from　afar；　and　the　choice
that　had　been　made　of　me　for　this　singular　embassy　confirmed　it　still
more！　　Grimaldo；　then；　might　have　thought　to　assure　my　friendship　in　his
behalf；　and　my　influence　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　occasion　demanding　it；
and　I　don't　think　I　am　deceiving　myself　in　attributing　to　him　this　policy
while　he　aided　me　to　obtain　a　favour；　at　bottom　quite　natural；　and　which
could　cause　him　no　inconvenience。

I　regarded　the　moment　at　which　the　marriage　would　be　celebrated　as　that
at　which　I　stood　most　chance　of　obtaining　what　I　desired；　and　I
considered　that　if　it　passed　over　without　result　to　me；　all　would　grow
cold；　and　become　uncertain；　and　very　disagreeable。　　I　had　forgotten
nothing　during　this　first　stay　in　Madrid；　in　order　to　please　everybody；
and　I　make　bold　to　say　that　I　had　all　the　better　succeeded　because　I　had
tried　to　give　weight　and　merit　to　my　politeness；　measuring　it　according
to　the　persons　I　addressed；　without　prostitution　and　without　avarice；　and
that's　what　made　me　hasten　to　learn　all　I　could　of　the　birth；　of　the
dignities；　of　the　posts；　of　the　alliances；　of　the　reputation　of　each；　so
as　to　play　my　cards　well；　and　secure　the　game。

But　still　I　needed　the　letters　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　of　Cardinal
Dubois。　　I　did　not　doubt　the　willingness　of　the　Regent；　but　I　did　doubt；
and　very　much　too；　that　of　his　minister。　　It　has　been　seen　what　reason　I
had　for　this。

These　letters　ought　to　have　arrived　at　Madrid　at　the　same　time　that　I
did；　but　they　had　not　come；　and　there　seemed　no　prospect　of　their
arriving。　　What　redoubled　my　impatience　was　that　I　read　them　beforehand；
and　that　I　wished　to　have　the　time　to　reflect；　and　to　turn　round；　in
order　to　draw　from　them；　in　spite　of　them；　all　the　help　I　could。　　I
reckoned　that　these　letters　would　be　in　a　feeble　spirit；　and　this　opinion
made　me　more　desirous　to　fortify　my　batteries　in　Spain　in　order　to　render
myself　agreeable　to　the　King　and　Queen；　and　to　inspire　them　with　the
desire　to　grant　me　the　favours　I　wished。

A　few　days　before　going　to　Lerma　I　received　letters　from　Cardinal　Dubois
upon　my　affair。　　Nobody　could　be　more　eager　or　more　earnest　than　the
Cardinal；　for　he　gave　me　advice　how　to　arrive　at　my　aim；　and　pressed　me
to　look　out　for　everything　which　could　aid　me；　assuring　me　that　hi