the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第15部分

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express　our　astonishment　afterwards　more　freely。

The　King　and　Queen　were　soon　informed　of　the　success　of　this　audience；
and　spoke　of　it　to　me　after　dinner　at　the　Racket　Court。　　They　were　the
first　to　laugh　at　it；　so　as　to　leave　others　at　liberty　to　do　so　too；　a
privilege　that　was　largely　made　use　of　without　pressing。　　I　received　and
I　paid　numberless　visits；　and　as　it　is　easy　to　flatter　one's　self；　I
fancied　I　might　flatter　myself　that　I　was　regretted。

I　left　Madrid　on　the　24th　of　March；　after　having　had　the　honour　of　paying
my　court　to　their　Catholic　Majesties　all　the　afternoon　at　the　Racket
Court；　they　overwhelming　me　with　civilities；　and　begging　me　to　take　a
final　adieu　of　them　in　their　apartments。　　I　had　devoted　the　last　few　days
to　the　friends　whom；　during　my　short　stay　of　six　months；　I　had　made。
Whatever　might　be　the　joy　and　eagerness　I　felt　at　the　prospect　of　seeing
Madame　de　Saint…Simon　and　my　Paris　friends　again；　I　could　not　quit　Spain
without　feeling　my　heart　moved；　or　without　regretting　persons　from　whom　I
had　received　so　many　marks　of　goodness；　and　for　whom；　all　I　had　seen　of
the　nation；　had　made　me　conceive　esteem；　respect；　and　gratitude。　　I　kept
up；　for　many　years；　a　correspondence　with　Grimaldo；　while　he　lived；　in
fact；　and　after　his　fall　and　disgrace；　which　occurred　long　after　my
departure；　with　more　care　and　attention　than　formerly。　　My　attachment；
full　of　respect　and　gratitude　for　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain；　induced　me
to　do　myself　the　honour　of　writing　to　them　on　all　occasions。　　They　often
did　me　the　honour　to　reply　to　me；　and　always　charged　their　new　ministers
in　France　and　the　persons　of　consideration　who　came　there；　to　convey　to
me　the　expression　of　their　good　feeling　for　me。

After　a　journey　without　particular　incident；　I　embarked　early　one　morning
upon　the　Garonne；　and　soon　arrived　at　Bordeaux。　　The　jurats　did　me　the
honour　to　ask；　through　Segur；　the　under…mayor；　at　what　time　they　might
come　and　salute　me。　　I　invited　them　to　supper；　and　said　to　Segur　that
compliments　would　be　best　uttered　glass　in　hand。　　They　came；　therefore；
to　supper；　and　appeared　to　me　much　pleased　with　this　civility：　On　the
morrow；　the　tide　early　carried　me　to　Blaye；　the　weather　being　most
delightful。　　I　slept　only　one　night　there；　and　to　save　time　did　not　go　to
Ruffec。

On　the　13th　of　April；　I　arrived；　about　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　at
Loches。　　I　slept　there　because　I　wished　to　write　a　volume　of　details　to
the　Duchesse　de　Beauvilliers；　who　was　six　leagues　off；　at　one　of　her
estates。　　I　sent　my　packet　by　an　express；　and　in　this　manner　I　was　able
to　say　what　I　liked　to　her　without　fearing　that　the　letter　would　be
opened。

On　the　morrow；　the　14th；　I　arrived　at　Etampes；　where　I　slept；　and　the
15th；　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　I　reached　Chartres；　where　Madame　de
Saint…Simon　was　to　meet　me；　dine；　and　sleep；　so　that　we　might　have　the
pleasure　of　opening　our　hearts　to　each　other；　and　of　finding　ourselves
together　again　in　solitude　and　in　liberty；　greater　than　could　be　looked
for　in　Paris　during　the　first　few　days　of　my　return。　　The　Duc　d'Humieres
and　Louville　came　with　her。　　She　arrived　an　hour　after　me；　fixing　herself
in　the　little　chateau　of　the　Marquis　d'Arpajan；　who　had　lent　it　to　her；
and　where　the　day　appeared　to　us　very　short　as　well　as　the　next　morning；
the　16th　of　April。

To　conclude　the　account　of　my　journey；　let　me　say　that　I　arrived　in　Paris
shortly　after；　and　at　once　made　the　best　of　my　way　to　the　Palais　Royal；
where　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　gave　me　a　sincere　and　friendly　welcome。









End