the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第3部分

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prevent　the　jealousy　of　all　Europe。　　At　this　union；　so　grand　and　so
intimate；　of　the　two　branches　of　the　royal　family；　such　a　union　having
always　been　the　terror　of　Europe　and　disunion　the　object　of　all　its
policythis　policy　having　only　too　well　succeededI　urged　that　the
sovereigns　must　be　left　as　long　as　possible　in　the　confidence　they　had
acquired；　the　Infanta　above　all；　being　but　three　years　old　（she　was　born
at　Madrid　on　the　morning　of　the　30th　of　March；　1718）；　by　which　means　the
fears　of　Europe　upon　the　marriage　of　Mademoiselle　de　Chartres　with　the
Prince　of　the　Asturias　would　be　colouredthe　Prince　could　wait；　he
having　been　born　in　August；　1707；　and　being　accordingly　only　fourteen
years　of　age。　　〃You　are　quite　right；〃　replied　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　〃but
this　can't　be；　because　in　Spain　they　wish　to　make　public　the　declarations
of　marriage　at　once；　indeed；　as　soon　as　the　demand　is　made　and　the
declaration　can　be　signed。〃

〃What　madness！〃　　cried　I；　〃what　end　can　this　tocsin　have　except　to　arouse
all　Europe　and　put　it　in　movement！　　They　must　be　made　to　understand　this；
and　we　must　stick　to　it；　nothing　is　so　important。〃

〃All　this　is　true；〃　said　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans。　　I　think　exactly　like　you；
but　they　are　obstinate　in　Spain；　they　have　wished　matters　to　be　arranged
thus；　and　their　wishes　have　been　agreed　to。　　Everything　is　arranged；
fixed；　finished。　　I　am　so　much　interested　in　the　matter　that　you　surely
would　not　have　advised　me　to　break　off　for　this　condition。〃

I　said　of　course　not；　shrugging　my　shoulders　at　his　unseasonable
impatience。

During　the　discussion　which　followed；　I　did　not　forget　to　think　of
myself；　the　occasion　being　so　opportune　for　making　the　fortunes　of　my
second　son。　　I　remembered　then；　that　as　matters　were　advanced　to　this
point；　a　special　ambassador　must　be　sent　to　Spain；　to　ask　the　hand　of　the
Infanta　for　the　King；　and　to　sign　the　compact　of　marriage；　that　the
ambassador　must　be　a　nobleman　of　mark　and　title；　and　thus　I　begged　the
Duke　to　give　me　this　commission；　with　a　recommendation　to　the　King　of
Spain；　so　as　to　make　my　second　son；　the　Marquis　of　Ruffec；　grandee　of
Spain。

M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　scarcely　allowed　me　to　finish；　immediately　accorded
me　what　I　had　asked；　promised　me　the　recommendation　with　many　expressions
of　friendship；　and　asked　me　to　keep　the　whole　matter　secret；　and　make　no
preparation　that　would　disclose　it。

I　knew　well　enough　why　he　enjoined　me　to　secrecy。　　He　wished　to　have　the
time　to　make　Dubois　swallow　this　pill。　　My　thanks　expressed；　I　asked　him
two　favours；　first；　not　to　pay　me　as　an　ambassador；　　but　to　give　me　a
round　sum　sufficient　to　provide　for　all　my　expenses　without　ruining
myself；　second；　not　to　entrust　any　business　to　me　which　might　necessitate
a　long　stay　in　Spain；　inasmuch　as　I　did　not　wish　to　quit　him；　and　wanted
to　go　to　Spain　simply　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　the　honour　above
alluded　to　for　my　second　son。　　The　fact　is；　I　feared　that　Dubois；　not
being　able　to　hinder　my　embassy；　might　keep　me　in　Spain　in　a　sort　of
exile；　under　pretence　of　business；　in　order　to　get　rid　of　me　altogether。
Events　proved　that　my　precaution　was　not　altogether　useless。

M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　accorded　both　the　favours　I　asked；　with　many　obliging
remarks；　and　a　hope　that　my　absence　would　not　be　long。　　I　thought　I　had
then　done　great　things　for　my　family；　and　went　home　much　pleased。　　But；
mon　Dieu！　　what　are　the　projects　and　the　successes　of　men！

Dubois；　as　I　expected；　was　vexed　beyond　measure　at　my　embassy；　and
resolved　to　ruin　me　and　throw　me　into　disgrace。　　I　was　prepared　for　this；
and　I　soon　saw　it　was　so。　　At　first；　I　received　from　him　nothing　but
professions　of　friendship　and　of　attachment　for　me；　congratulations　that
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　had　accorded　to　me　an　embassy　my　merit　deserved；　and
which　would　be　productive　of　such　useful　results　for　my　children。　　He
took　care；　however；　in　the　midst　of　these　fine　phrases；　to　introduce　not
one　word　upon　my　arrangements；　so　that　he　might　be　able　to　drive　me　into
a　corner　at　the　last　moment；　and　cause　me　all　the　inconvenience　possible。
He　slipped　through　my　hands　like　an　eel　until　the　moment　for　my　departure
drew　near。　　As　he　saw　it　approach；　he　began　to　preach　to　me　of
magnificence；　and　wished　to　enter　into　details　respecting　my　suite。　　I
described　it　to　him；　and　everybody　else　would　have　been　satisfied；　but　as
his　design　was　to　ruin　me；　he　cried　out　against　it；　and　augmented　it　by　a
third。　　I　represented　to　him　the　excessive　expense　this　augmentation
would　cause；　the　state　of　the　finances；　the　loss　upon　the　exchange：　his
sole　reply　was　that　the　dignity　of　the　King　necessitated　this　expense　and
show；　and　that　his　Majesty　would　bear　the　charge。　　I　spoke　to　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans；　who　listened　to　me　with　attention；　but　being　persuaded　by　the
Cardinal；　held　the　same　language。

This　point　settled；　the　Cardinal　must　needs　know　how　many　coats　I　should
take；　and　how　many　I　should　give　to　my　sons。in　a　word；　there　was　not　a
single　detail　of　table　or　stable　that　he　did　not　enter　into；　and　that　he
did　not　double。　　My　friends　exhorted　me　not　to　be　obstinate　with　a　man　so
impetuous；　so　dangerous；　so　completely　in　possession　of　M。　le　Duc
d'Orleans；　pointing　out　to　me　that　when　once　I　was　away　he　might　profit
by　my　absence；　and　that；　meanwhile；　everything　relating　to　my　embassy
must　pass　through　his　hands。　　All　this　was　only　too　true。　　I　was　obliged；
therefore；　to　yield；　although　I　felt　that；　once　embarked；　the　King's
purse　would　be　spared　at　the　expense　of　mine。

As　soon　as　the　marriages　were　declared；　I　asked　to　be　declared　as
ambassador；　so　that　I　might　openly　make　my　preparations；　which；　it　will
be　remembered；　I　had　been　forbidden　to　do。　　Now　that　there　was　no　secret
about　the　marriage；　I　fancied　there　need　be　no　secret　as　to　the
ambassador　by　whom　they　were　to　be　conducted。　　I　was　deceived：　Whatever　I
might　allege；　the　prohibition　remained。　　The　Cardinal　wished　to　put　me　to
double　the　necessary　expense；　by　compelling　me　to　have　my　liveries；
dresses；　etc。；　made　in　the　utmost　precipitation；　and　this　happened。　　He
thought；　too；　I　should　not　be　able　to　provide　myself　with　everything　in
time；　and　that　he　might　represent　this　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　and　in
Spain；　as　a　fault；　and　excite　envious　cries　against　me。

Nevertheless；　I　did　not　choose　to　press　him：　to　announce　my　embassy；　at
the　same　time　trying　to　obtain　from　him　the　instructions　I　was　to
receive；　and　which；　passing　through　him　and　the　Regent　done；　told　nothing
to　the　public；　as　my　preparations　would　have　done。　　But　I　could　not
obtain　them。　　Dubois　carelessly　replied　to　me；　that　in　one　or　two
conversations　the　matter　would　be　exhausted。　　He　wished　me　to　know
nothing；　except　vaguely；　to　leave　no　time　for　reflection；　for　questions；
for　explanations；　and　to　throw　me　thus　into　embarrassments；　and　to　cause
me　to　commit　blunders　which　he　intended　to　make　the　most　of。

At　last；　tired　of　so　many　and　such　dangerous　postponements；　I　went　on
Tuesday；　the　23rd　of　September；　to　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　arranging　my
visit　so　that　it　took　place　when　he　was　in　his　apartments　at　the
Tuileries；　there　I　spoke　with　such　effect；　that　he　said　I　had　only　to
show　myself　to　the　King。　　He　led　me　to　his　Majesty　at　once；　and　there　and
then　my　embassy　was　announced。　　Upon　leaving　the　King's　cabinet；　M。　le
Duc　d'Orleans　made　me　jump　into　his　coach；　which　was　waiting　for　him；　and
took　me　to　the　Palais　Royal；　where　we　began　to　speak　seriously　upon　the
affairs　of　my　embassy。

I　fancy　that　Cardinal　Dubois　was　much　annoyed　at　what　had　been　done；　and
that　he　would　have　liked　to　postpone　the　declaration　yet　a　little　longer。
But　this　now　was　impossible。　　The　next　day　people　were　sent　to　work　upon
my　equipments；　the　Cardinal　showing　as　much　eagerness　and　impatience
respecting　them；　as　he　had　before　shown　apathy　and　indifference。　　He
urged　on　the　workmen；　must　needs　see　each　livery　and　each　coat　as　it　was
finished；　increased　the　magnificence　of　each；　and　had　all　my　coats　and
those　of　my　children　sent　to　him。　　At　last；　the　hurry　to　make　me　set　out
was　so　great；　that　such　of　the　things　as　were　ready　he　sent　on　by　rapid
conveyance　to　Bayonne；　at　a　cost　by　no　means　trifling　to　me。

The　Cardinal　next　examined　the　list　of　persons　I　intended　to　have　with
me；　and　approved　it。　　To　my　extreme　surprise　he　said；　however；　that　I
must　add　forty　officers　of　cavalry　and　infantry；　from　the　regiments　of　my
sons。　　I　cried　out　against　the　madness　and　the　expense　of　such　a　numerous
military　accompaniment。　　I　represented　that　it　was　not　usual　for
ambassadors；　with　a　peaceful　mission；　to　take　with　them　such　an　imposing
force　by　way　of　escort；　I　showed　that　these　officers；　being　necessarily
gay　men；　might　be　led　away　into　indiscreet　gallantries；　which　would　give
me　more　trouble　than　all　the　business　of　my　embassy。　　Nothing　could　be
more　evident；　true；　and　reasonable　than　my　representations；　nothing　more
useless　or　worse　received。

The　Cardinal　had　resolved　to　ruin　me；　and　to　leave　me　in　Spain　with　all
the　embarrassment；　business；　and　annoyances　he　could。　　He　rightly　thought
that　nothing　was　more　likely　to　make　him　succeed　than　to　charge　me　with
forty　officers。　　Not　finding　them；　I　took　only　twenty…nine；　and　if　the
Cardinal　succeeded　as　far　as　concerned　my　purse；　I　was　so　fortunate；　and
these　gentlemen　were　so　discreet；　that　he　succeeded　in　no　other　way。

Let　me　add　here；　before　I　give　the　details　of　my　journey　to　Spain；　in
what　manner　the　announcement　of　these　two　marriages　was　received　by　the
King　and　the　public。

His　Majesty　was　by　no　means　gratified　when　he　heard　that　a　wife　had　been
provided　for　him。　　At　the　first　mention　of　marriage　he　burst　out　crying。
The　Regent；　M。　le　Duc；　and　M。　de　Frejus；　had　all　the　trouble　in　the　world
to　extract　a　〃yes〃　from　him；　and　to　induce　him　to　attend　the　Regency
Council；　in　which　it　was　necessary　that　he　should　announce　his　consent　to
the　proposed　union；　or　be　present　while　it　was　announced　for　him。　　The
council　was　held；　and　the　King　came　to　it；　his　eyes　swollen　and　red；　and
his　look　very　serious。

Some　moments　of　silence　passed；　during　which　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　threw
his　eyes　over　all　the　co