the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Dubois　served　me　another　most　impudent　turn；　seven　or　eight　days　before
my　departure。　　He　sent　word　to　me；　by　his　two　devoted　slaves；　Le　Blanc
and　Belleisle；　that　as　he　had　the　foreign　affairs　under　his　charge；　he
must　have　the　post；　which　he　would　not　and　could　not　any　longer　do
without；　that　he　knew　I　was　the　intimate　friend　of　Torcy　（who　had　the
post　in　his　department）；　whose　resignation　he　desired；　that　he　begged　me
to　write　to　Torcy；　and　send　my　letter　to　him　by　an　express　courier　to
Sable　（where　he　had　gone　on　an　excursion）；　that　he　should　see　by　my
conduct　on　this　occasion；　and　its　success；　in　what　manner　he　could　count
upon　me；　and　that　he　should　act　towards　me　accordingly。　　To　this　his　two
slaves　added　all　they　could　to　persuade　me　to　comply；　assuring　me　that
Dubois　would　break　off　my　embassy　if　I　did　not　do　as　he　wished。　　I　did
not　for　a　moment　doubt；　after　what　I　had　seen　of　the　inconceivable
feebleness　of　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans；　that　Dubois　was　really　capable　of　thus
affronting　and　thwarting　me；　or　that　I　should　have　no　aid　from　the
Regent。　　At　the　same　time　I　resolved　to　run　all　hazards　rather　than　lend
myself　to　an　act　of　violence　against　a　friend；　so　sure；　so　sage；　and　so
virtuous；　and　who　had　served　the　state　with　such　reputation；　and　deserved
so　well　of　it。

I　replied　therefore　to　these　gentlemen　that　I　thought　the　commission　very
strange；　and　much　more　so　their　reasoning　of　it；　that　Torcy　was　not　a　man
from　whom　an　office　of　this　importance　could　be　taken　unless　he　wished　to
give　it　up；　that　all　I　could　do　was　to　ask　him　if　he　wished　to　resign；
and　if　so；　on　what　conditions；　that　as　to　exhorting　him　to　resign；　I
could　do　nothing　of　the　kind；　although　I　was　not　ignorant　of　what　this
refusal　might　cost　me　and　my　embassy。　　They　tried　in　vain　to　reason　with
me；　all　they　could　obtain　was　this　firm　resolution。

Castries　and　his　brother；　the　Archbishop；　were　intimate　friends　of　Torcy
and　of　myself。　　I　sent　for　them　to　come　to　me　in　the　midst　of　the　tumult
of　my　departure。　　They　immediately　came；　and　I　related　to　them　what　had
just　happened。　　They　were　more　indignant　at　the　manner　and　the　moment；
than　at　the　thing　itself；　for　Torcy　knew　that　sooner　or　later　the
Cardinal　would　strip　him　of　the　post　for　his　own　benefit。　　They　extremely
praised　my　reply；　exhorted　me　to　send　word　to　Torcy；　who　was　on　the　point
of　departing　from　Sable；　or　had　departed；　and　who　would　make　his　own
terms　with　M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans　much　more　advantageously；　present；　than
absent。　　I　read　to　them　the　letter　I　had　written　to　Torcy；　while　waiting
for　them；　which　they　much　approved；　and　which　I　at　once　despatched。

Torcy　of　himself；　had　hastened　his　return。　　My　courier　found　him　with　his
wife　in　the　Parc　of　Versailles；　having　passed　by　the　Chartres　route。　　He
read　my　letter；　charged　the　courier　with　many　compliments　for　me　（his
wife　did　likewise）；　and　told　me　to　say　he　would　see　me　the　next　day。　　I
informed　M。　Castries　of　his　arrival。　　We　all　four　met　the　next　day。
Torcy　warmly　appreciated　my　conduct；　and；　to　his　death；　we　lived　on　terms
of　the　greatest　intimacy；　as　may　be　imagined　when　I　say　that　he　committed
to　me　his　memoirs　（these　he　did　not　write　until　long　after　the　death　of
M。　le　Duc　d'Orleans）；　with　which　I　have　connected　mine。　　He　did　not　seem
to　care　for　the　post；　if　assured　of　an　honourable　pension。

I　announced　then　his　return　to　Dubois；　saying　it　would　be　for　him　and　M。
le　Duc　d'Orleans　to　make　their　own　terms　with　him；　and　get　out　of　the。
matter　in　this　way。　　Dubois；　content　at　seeing　by　this　that　Torcy
consented　to　resign　the　post；　cared　not　how；　so　that　the　latter　made　his
own　arrangements；　and　all　passed　off　with　the　best　grace　on　both　sides。
Torcy　had　some　money　and　60；000　livres　pension　during　life；　and　20；000
for　his　wife　after　him。　　This　was　arranged　before　my　departure　and　was
very　well　carried　out　afterwards。

A　little　while　after　the　declaration　of　the　marriage；　the　Duchesse　de
Ventadour　and　Madame　de　Soubise；　her　granddaughter；　had　been　named；　the
one　governess　of　the　Infanta；　the　other　successor　to　the　office；　and　they
were　both　to　go　and　meet　her　at　the　frontier；　and　bring　her　to　Paris　to
the　Louvre；　where　she　was　to　be　lodged　a　little　while　after　the
declaration　of　my　embassy：　the　Prince　de　Rohan；　her　son…in…law；　had
orders　to　go　and　make　the　exchange　of　the　Princesses　upon　the　frontier；
with　the　people　sent　by　the　King　of　Spain　to　perform　the　same　function。
I　had　never　had　any　intimacy　with　them；　though　we　were　not　on　bad　terms。
But　these　Spanish　commissions　caused　us　to　visit　each　other　with　proper
politeness。　　I　forgot　to　say　so　earlier　and　in　the　proper　place。

At　last；　viz。；　on　the　23rd　of　October；　1721；　I　set　out；　having　with　me
the　Comte　de　Lorge；　my　children；　the　Abbe　de　Saint…Simon；　and　his
brother；　and　many　others。　　The　rest　of　the　company　joined　me　at　Blaye。
We　slept　at　Orleans；　at　Montrichard；　and　at　Poictiers。　　On　arriving　at
Conte　my　berline　broke　down。　　This　caused　a　delay　of　three　hours；　and　I
did　not　arrive　at　Ruffec　until　nearly　midnight。　　Many　noblemen　of　the
neighbourhood　were　waiting　for　me　there；　and　I　entertained　them　at　dinner
and　supper　during　the　two　days　I　stayed。　　I　experienced　real　pleasure　in
embracing　Puy…Robert；　who　was　lieutenant…colonel　of　the　Royal　Roussillon
Regiment　when　I　was　captain。

From　Ruffec　I　went　in　two　days　to　La　Cassine；　a　small　house　at　four
leagues　from　Blaye；　which　my　father　had　built　on　the　borders　of　his
marshes　of　Blaye；　and　which　I　felt　much　pleasure　in　visiting；　I　stopped
there　during　All　Saints'　Day　and　the　evening　before；　and　the　next　day　I
early　betook　myself　to　Blaye　again；　where　I　sojourned　two　days。　　I　found
several　persons　of　quality　there；　many　of　the　nobility　of　the　country　and
of　the　adjoining　provinces；　and　Boucher；　Intendant　of　Bordeaux；　brother…
in…law　of　Le　Blanc；　who　was　waiting　for　me；　and　whom　I　entertained　with
good　cheer　morning　and　evening　during　this　short　stay。

We　crossed　to　Bordeaux　in　the　midst　of　such　bad　weather　that　everybody
pressed　me　to　delay　the　trip；　but　I　had　so　few；　days　at　my　command　that　I
did　not　accede　to　their　representations。　　Boucher　had　brought　his
brigantine　magnificently　equipped；　and　boats　enough　to　carry　over　all　my
company；　most　of　whom　went　with　us。　　The　view　of　the　port　and　the　town　of
Bordeaux　surprised　me；　with　more　than　three　hundred　ships　of　all　nations
ranged　in　two　lines　upon　my　passage；　decked　out　in　all　their　finery；　and
with　a　great　noise　from　their　cannons　and　those　of　the　Chateau　Trompette。

Bordeaux　is　too　well　known　to　need　description　at　my　hands：　I　will　simply
say　that　after　Constantinople　it　presents　the　finest　view　of　any　other
port。　　Upon　landing　we　received　many　compliments；　and　found　many
carriages；　which　conducted　us　to　the　Intendant's　house；　where　the　Jurats
came　to　compliment　me　in　state　dress。　　I　invited　them　to　supper　with。
me；　a　politeness　they　did　not　expect；　and　which　they　appeared　to　highly
appreciate。　　I　insisted　upon　going　to　see　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　which　is
amazingly　ugly；　saying　to　the　Jurats　that　it　was　not　to　satisfy　my
curiosity；　but　in　order　to　pay　a　visit　to　them；　that　I　went。　　This
extremely　pleased。

After　thanking　M。　and　Madame　Boucher　for　their　attention；　we　set　out
again；　traversed　the　great　Landes；　and　reached　in　due　time　Bayonne。　　The
day　after　my　arrival　there；　I　had　an　audience　with　the　Queen　Dowager　of
Spain。　　I　was　astonished　upon　arriving　at　her　house。　　It　had　only　two
windows　in　front；　looked　upon　a　little　court；　and　had　but　trifling　depth。
The　room　I　entered　was　very　plainly　furnished。　　I　found　the　Queen；　who
was　waiting　for　me；　accompanied　by　the　Duchesse　de　Linorez　and　very　few
other　persons。　　I　complimented　her　in　the　name　of　the　King；　and　presented
to　her　his　letter。　　Nothing　could　be　more　polite　than　her　bearing　towards
me。

Passing　the　Pyrenees；　I　quitted　with　France；　rain　and　bad　weather；　and
found　a　clear　sky；　a　charming　temperature；　with　views　and　perspectives
which　changed　at　each　moment；　and　which　were　not　less　charming。　　We　were
all　mounted　upon　mules；　the　pace　of　which　is　good　but　easy。　　I　turned　a
little　out　of　my　way　to　visit　Loyola；　famous　by　the　birth　of　Saint
Ignatius；　and　situated　all　alone　in　a　narrow　valley。　　We　found　there　four
or　five　Jesuits；　very　polite　and　instructed；　who　took　care　of　the
prodigious　building　erected　there　for　more　than　a　hundred　Jesuits　and
numberless　scholars。　　A　church　was　there　nearly　finished；　of　rotunda
shape；　of　a　grandeur　and　size　which　surprised　me。　　Gold；　painting；
sculpture；　the　richest　ornaments　of　all　kinds；　are　distributed　everywhere
with　prodigality　but　taste。　　The　architecture　is　correct　and　admirable；
the　marble　is　most　exquisite；　jasper；　porphyry；　lapis；　polished；
wreathed；　and　fluted　columns；　with　their　capitals　and　their　ornaments　of
gilded　bronze；　a　row　of　balconies　between　each　altar　with　little　steps　of
marble　to　ascend　them；　and　the　cage　encrusted；　the　altars　and　that　which
accompanied　them　admirable。　　In　a　word；　the　church　was　one　of　the　most
superb　edifices　in　Europe；　the　best　kept　up；　and　the　most　magnificently
adorned。　　We　took　there　the　best　chocolate　I　ever　tasted；　and；　after　some
hours　of　curiosity　and　admiration；　we　regained　our　road。

On　the　15th；　we　arrived　at　Vittoria；　where　I　found　a　deputation　of　the
province；　whom　I　invited　to　supper；　and　the　next　day　to　breakfast。　　They
spoke　French　and　I　was　surprised　to　see　Spaniards　so　gay　and　such　good
company　at　table。　　Joy　on　account　of　my　journey　burst　out　in　every　place
through　which　I　passed　in　France　and　Spain；　and　obtained　for　me　a　good
reception。　　At　Salinas；　among　other　towns　which　I　passed　through　without
stopping；　ladies；　who；　to　judge　by　their　houses　and　by　themselves；
appeared　to　me　to　be　quality　folks；　asked　me　with　such　good　grace　to　let
them　see　the　man　who　was　bringing　happiness　to　Spain；　that　I　thought　it
would　only　be　proper　gallantry　to　enter　their　dwellings。　　They　appeared
ravished；　and　I　had　all　the　trouble　in　the　world　to　get　rid　of　them；　and
to　continue　my　road。

I　arrived　on　the　18th　at　Burgos；　where　I　meant　to　stay　at　least　one　day；
to　see　what　turn　would　take　a　rather　strong　fever　wh