the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第12部分

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to　look　out　for　everything　which　could　aid　me；　assuring　me　that　his
letters；　and　those　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　would　arrive　in　time。　　In　the
midst　of　the　perfume　of　so　many　flowers；　the　odour　of　falsehood　could
nevertheless　be　smelt。　　I　had　reckoned　upon　this。　　I　had　done　all　in　my
power　to　supply　the　place　of　these　letters。　　I　received　therefore　not　as
gospel；　all　the　marvels　Dubois　sent　me；　and　I　set　out　for　Lerma　fully
resolved　to　more　and　more　cultivate　my　affair　without　reckoning　upon　the
letters　promised　me；　but　determined　to　draw　as　much　advantage　from　them
as　I　could。

Upon　arriving　at　Lerma　I　fell　ill　as　I　have　described；　and　the　small…pox
kept　me　confined　forty　days：　The　letters　so　long　promised　and　so　long
expected　did　not　arrive　until　the　end　of　my　quarantine。　　They　were　just
what　I　expected。　　Cardinal　Dubois　explained　himself　to　Grimaldo　in　turns
and　circumlocution；　and　if　one　phrase　displayed　eagerness　and　desire；　the
next　destroyed　it　by　an　air　of　respect　and　of　discretion；　protesting　he
wished　simply　what　the　King　of　Spain　would　himself　wish；　with　all　the
seasoning　necessary　for　the　annihilation　of　his　good　offices　under　the
pretence　that　he　did　not　wish　to　press　his　Majesty　to　anything　or　to
importune　him。

This　written　stammering　savoured　of　the　bombast　of　a　man　who　had　no
desire　to　serve　me；　but　who；　not　daring　to　break　his　word；　used　all　his
wits　to　twist　and　overrate　the　little　he　could　not　hinder　himself　from
saying。　　This　letter　was　simply　for　Grimaldo；　as　the　letter　of　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans　was　simply　for　the　King　of　Spain。　　The　last　was　even　weaker
than　the　first。　　It　was　like　a　design　in　pencil　nearly　effaced　by　the
rain；　and　in　which　nothing；　connected　appeared。　　It　scarcely　touched　upon
the　real　point；　but　lost　itself　in　respects；　in　reservations；　in
deference；　and　would　propose　nothing　that　was　not　according　to　the　taste
of　the　King！　　In　a　word；　the　letter　withdrew　rather　than　advanced；　and
was　a　sort　of　ease…conscience　which　could　not　be　refused；　and　which　did
not　promise　much　success。

It　is　easy　to　understand　that　these　letters　much　displeased　me。　　Although
I　had　anticipated　all　the　malice　of　Cardinal　Dubois；　I　found　it　exceeded
my　calculations；　and　that　it　was　more　undisguised　than　I　imagined　it
would　be。

Such　as　the　letters　were　I　was　obliged　to　make　use　of　them。　　The　Abbe　de
Saint…Simon　wrote　to　Grimaldo　and　to　Sartine；　enclosing　these　letter；　for
I　myself　did　not　yet　dare　to　write　on　account　of　the　precautions　I　was
obliged　to　use　against　the　bad　air。　　Sartine　and　Grimaldo；　to　whom　I　had
not　confided　my　suspicions　that　these　recommendations　would　be　in　a　very
weak　tone；　were　thrown　into　the　utmost　surprise　on　reading　them。

They　argued　together；　they　were　indignant；　they　searched　for　a　bias　to
strengthen　that　which　had　so　much　need　of　strength；　but　this　bias　could
not　be　found；　they　consulted　together；　and　Grimaldo　formed　a　bold
resolution；　which　astonished　me　to　the　last　degree；　and　much　troubled　me
also。

He　came　to　the　conclusion　that　these　letters　would　assuredly　do　me　more
harm　than　good；　that　they　must　be　suppressed；　never　spoken　of　to　the
King；　who　must　be　confirmed　without　them　in　the　belief　that　in　according
me　these　favours　he　would　confer　upon　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　a　pleasure；　all
the　greater；　because　he　saw　to　what　point　extended　all　his　reserve　in　not
speaking　to　him　about　this　matter；　and　mine　in　not　asking　for　these
favours　through　his　Royal　Highness；　as　there　was　every　reason　to　believe
I　should　do。　　Grimaldo　proposed　to　draw　from　these　circumstances　all　the
benefit　he　proposed　to　have　drawn　from　the　letters　had　they　been　written
in　a　fitting　spirit；　and　he　said　he　would　answer　for　it；　I　should　have
the　'grandesse'　and　the　'Toison　d'Or'　without　making　the　slightest
allusion　to　the　cold　recommendations　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　to　the　King
of　Spain；　and　of　Dubois　to　him。

Sartine；　by　his　order；　made　this　known　to　the　Abbe　de　Saint…Simon；　who
communicated　it　to　me；　and　after　having　discussed　together　with　Hyghens；
who　knew　the　ground　as　well　as　they；　and　who　had　really　devoted　himself
to　me；　I　blindly　abandoned　myself　to　the　guidance　and　friendship　of
Grimaldo；　with　full　success；　as　will　be　seen。

In　relating　here　the　very　singular　fashion　by　which　my　affair　succeeded；
I　am　far　indeed　from　abstracting　from　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　all　gratitude。
If　he　had　not　confided　to　me　the　double　marriage；　without　the　knowledge
of　Dubois；　and　in　spite　of　the　secrecy　that　had　been　asked　for；　precisely
on　my　account；　I　should　not　have　been　led　to　beg　of　him　the　embassy。

I　instantly　asked　for　it；　declaring　that　my　sole　aim　was　the　grandesse
for　my　second　son；　and　he　certainly　accorded　it　to　me　with　this　aim；　and
promised　to　aid　me　with　his　recommendation　in　order　to　arrive　at　it；　but
with　the　utmost　secrecy　on　account　of　the　vexation　Dubois　would　feel；　and
in　order　to　give　himself　time　to　arrange　with　the　minister　and　induce　him
to　swallow　the　pill。

If　I　had　not　had　the　embassy　in　this　manner；　it　would　certainly　have
escaped　me；　and　thus　would　have　been　lost　all　hope　of　the　grandesse；　to
obtain　which　there　would　have　been　no　longer　occasion；　reason；　or　means。

The　friendship　and　the　confidence　of　this　prince　prevailed　then　over　the
witchery　which　his　miserable　preceptor　had　cast　upon　him；　and　if　he
afterwards　yielded　to　the　roguery；　to　the　schemes；　to　the　folly　which
Dubois　employed　in　the　course　of　this　embassy　to　ruin　and　disgrace　me；
and　to　bring　about　the　failure　of　the　sole　object　which　had　made　me
desire　it；　we　must　only　blame　his　villainy　and　the　deplorable　feebleness
of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　which　caused　me　many　sad　embarrassments；　and　did
so　much　harm；　but　which　even　did　more　harm　to　the　state　and　to　the　prince
himself。

It　is　with　this　sad　but　only　too　true　reflection　that　I　finish　the　year
1721。




CHAPTER　CXII

The　Regent's　daughter　arrived　in　Spain　at　the　commencement　of　the　year
1722；　and　it　was　arranged　that　her　marriage　with　the　Prince　of　the
Asturias　should　be　celebrated　on　the　30th　of　January　at　Lerma；　where
their　Catholic　Majesties　were　then　staying。　　It　was　some　little　distance
from　my　house。　　I　was　obliged　therefore　to　start　early　in　the　morning　in
order　to　arrive　in　time。　　On　the　way　I　paid　a　visit　of　ceremony　to　the
Princess；　at　Cogollos；　ate　a　mouthful　of　something；　and　turned　off　to
Lerma。

As　soon　as　I　arrived　there；　I　went　to　the　Marquis　of　Grimaldo's
apartments。　　His　chamber　was　at　the　end　of　a　vast　room；　a　piece　of　which
had　been　portioned　off；　in　order　to　serve　as　a　chapel。　　Once　again　I　had
to　meet　the　nuncio；　and　I　feared　lest　he　should　remember　what　had　passed
on　a　former　occasion；　and　that　I　should　give　Dubois　a　handle　for
complaint。　　I　saw；　therefore；　but　very　imperfectly；　the　reception　of　the
Princess；　to　meet　whom　the　King　and　Queen　（who　lodged　below）　and　the
Prince　precipitated　themselves；　so　to　speak；　almost　to　the　steps　of　the
coach。　　I　quietly　went　up　again　to　the　chapel。

The　prie…dieu　of　the　King　was　placed　in　front　of　the　altar；　a　short
distance　from　the　steps；　precisely　as　the　King's　prie…dieu　is　placed　at
Versailles；　but　closer　to　the　altar；　and　with　a　cushion　on　each　side　of
it。　　The　chapel　was　void　of　courtiers。　　I　placed　myself　to　the　right　of
the　King's　cushion　just　beyond　the　edge　of　the　carpet；　and　amused　myself
there　better　than　I　had　expected。　　Cardinal　Borgia；　pontifically　clad；
was　in　the　corner；　his　face　turned　towards　me；　learning　his　lesson
between　two　chaplains　in　surplices；　who　held　a　large　book　open　in　front
of　him。　　The　good　prelate　did　not　know　how　to　read；　he　tried；　however；
and　read　aloud；　but　inaccurately。　　The　chaplains　took　him　up；　he　grew
angry；　scolded　them；　recommenced；　was　again　corrected；　again　grew　angry；
and　to　such　an　extent　that　he　turned　round　upon　them　and　shook　them　by
their　surplices。　　I　laughed　as　much　as　I　could；　for　he　perceived　nothing；
so　occupied　and　entangled　was　he　with　his　lesson。

Marriages　in　Spain　are　performed　in　the　afternoon；　and　commence　at　the
door　of　the　church；　like　baptisms。　　The　King；　the　Queen；　the　Prince；　and
the　Princess　arrived　with　all　the　Court；　and　the　King　was　announced。
〃Let　them　wait；〃　said　the　Cardinal　in　choler；　〃I　am　not　ready。〃　　They
waited；　in　fact；　and　the　Cardinal　continued　his　lesson；　redder　than　his
hat；　and　still　furious。　　At　last　he　went　to　the　door；　at　which　a　ceremony
took　place　that　lasted　some　time。　　Had　I　not　been　obliged　to　continue　at
my　post；　curiosity　would　have　made　me　follow　him。　　That　I　lost　some
amusement　is　certain；　for　I　saw　the　King　and　Queen　laughing　and　looking
at　their　prie…dieu；　and　all　the　Court　laughing　also。　　The　nuncio　arriving
and　seeing　by　the　position　I　had　taken　up　that　I　was　preceding　him；　again
indicated　his　surprise　to　me　by　gestures；　repeating；　〃Signor；　signor；〃
but　I　had　resolved　to　understand　nothing；　and　laughingly　pointed　out　the
Cardinal　to　him；　and　reproached　him　for　not　having　better　instructed　the
worthy　prelate　for　the　honour　of　the　Sacred　College。　　The　nuncio
understood　French　very　well；　but　spoke　it　very　badly。　　This　banter　and
the　innocent　air　with　which　I　gave　it；　without　appearing　to　notice　his
demonstrations；　created　such　a　fortunate　diversion；　that　nobody　else　was
thought　of；　more　especially　as　the　poor　cardinal　more　and　more　caused
amusement　while　continuing　the　ceremony；　during　which　he　neither　knew
where　he　was　nor　what　he　was　doing；　being　taken　up　and　corrected　every
moment　by　his　chaplains；　and　fuming　against　them　so　that　neither　the　King
nor　the　Queen　could；　contain　themselves。　　It　was　the　same　with　everybody
else　who　witnessed　the　scene。

I　could　see　nothing　more　than　the　back　of　the　Prince　and　the　Princess　as
they　knelt　each　upon　a　cushion　between　the　prie…dieu　and　the　altar；　the
Cardinal　in　front　making　grimaces　indicative　of　the　utmost　confusion。
Happily　all　I　had　to　think　of　was　the　nuncio；　the　King's　majordomo…major
having　placed　himself　by　the　side　of　his　son；　captain　of　the　guards。　　The
grandees　were　crowded　around　with　the　most　considerable　people：　the　rest
filled　all　the　chapel　so　that　there　was　no　stirring。

Amidst　the　amusement　supplied　to　us　by　the　poor　Cardi