the memoirs of louis xiv-14-第8部分

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armchair　at　the　side　of　it。　　She　was　quite　close　to　the　King；　who　was　in
his　night…cap；　she　also；　and　in　her　bed…gown；　both　between　the　sheets；
which　were　only　very　imperfectly　hidden　by　the　papers。

They　made　us　abridge　our　reverences；　and　the　King；　raising　himself　a
little　impatiently；　asked　us　our　business。　　We　were　alone；　the　valet
having　retired　after　showing　us　the　door。

〃Good　news；　Sire；〃　replied　I。　　〃Mademoiselle　de　Montpensier　set　out　on
the　18th；　the　courier　has　this　instant　brought　us　the　news；　and　we　have
at　once　come　to　present　ourselves　to　you　and　apprise　your　Majesties　of
it。〃

Joy　instantly　painted　itself　on　their　faces；　and　immediately　they　began
to　question　us　at　great　length　upon　the　details　the　courier　had　brought
us。　　After　an　animated　conversation；　in　which　Maulevrier　took　but　little
part；　their　Catholic　Majesties　dismissed　us；　testifying　to　us　the　great
pleasure　we　had　caused　them　by　not　losing　a　minute　in　acquainting　them
with　the　departure　of　Mademoiselle　de　Montpensier；　above　all　in　not
having　been　stopped　by　the　hour；　and　by　the　fact　that　they　were　in　bed。

We　went　back　to　my　house　to　dine　and　returned　to　the　palace　in　order　to
see　the　King　and　Queen　depart。　　I　again　received　from　them　a　thousand
marks　of　favour。　　Both　the　King　and　Queen；　but　especially　the　latter；
several　times　insisted　that　I　must　not　lose　any　time　in　following　them　to
Lerma；　upon　which　I　assured　them　they　would　find　me　there　as　they
alighted　from　their　coach。

I　set　out；　in　fact；　on　the　2nd　of　December；　from　Madrid；　to　join　the
Court；　and　was　to　sleep　at　the　Escurial；　with　the　Comtes　de　Lorges　and　de
Cereste；　my　second　son；　the　Abbe　de　Saint…Simon　and　his　brother；　Pacquet；
and　two　principal　officers　of　the　King's　troops；　who　remained　with　me　as
long　as　I　stayed　in　Spain。　　In　addition　to　the　orders　of　the　King　of
Spain　and　the　letters　of　the　Marquis　de　Grimaldo；　I　was　also　furnished
with　those　of　the　nuncio　for　the　Prior　of　the　Escurial；　who　is；　at　the
same　time；　governor；　in　order　that　I　might　he　shown　the　marvels　of　this
superb　and　prodigious　monastery；　and　that　everything　might　be　opened　for
me　that　I　wished　to　visit；　for　I　had　been　warned　that；　without　the
recommendation　of　the　nuncio；　neither　that　of　the　King　and　his　minister；
nor　any　official　character；　would　have　much　served　me。　　It　will　be　seen
that；　after　all；　I　did　not　fail　to　suffer　from　the　churlishness　and　the
superstition　of　these　coarse　Jeronimites。

They　are　black　and　white　monks；　whose　dress　resembles　that　of　the
Celestins；　very　idle；　ignorant；　and　without　austerity；　who；　by　the　number
of　their　monasteries　and　their　riches；　are　in　Spain　much　about　what　the
Benedictines　are　in　France；　and　like　them　are　a　congregation。　　They　elect
also；　like　the　Benedictines；　their　superiors；　local　and　general；　except
the　Prior　of　the　Escurial；　who　is　nominated　by　the　King；　remains　in
office　as　long　as　the　King　likes　and　no　more；　and　who　is　yet　better
lodged　at　the　Escurial　than　his　Catholic　Majesty。　　'Tis　a　prodigy；　this
building；　of　extent；　of　structure；　of　every　kind　of　magnificence；　and
contains　an　immense　heap　of　riches；　in　pictures；　in　ornaments；　in　vases
of　all　kinds；　in　precious　stones；　everywhere　strewn　about；　and　the
description　of　which　I　will　not　undertake；　since　it　does　not　belong　to　my
subject。　　Suffice　it　to　say　that　a　curious　connoisseur　of　all　these
different　beauties　might　occupy　himself　there　for　three　months　without
cessation；　and　then　would　not　have　examined　all。　　The　gridiron　（its　form；
at　least）　has　regulated　all　the　ordonnance　of　this　sumptuous　edifice　in
honour　of　Saint…Laurent；　and　of　the　battle　of　Saint…Quentin；　gained　by
Philippe　II。；　who；　seeing　the　action　from　a　height；　vowed　he　would　erect
this　monastery　if　his　troops　obtained　the　victory；　and　asked　his
courtiers；　if　such　were　the　pleasures　of　the　Emperor；　his　father；　who　in
fact　did　not　go　so　far　for　them　as　that。

There　is　not　a　door；　a　lock；　or　utensil　of　any　kind；　or　a　piece　of　plate；
that　is　not　marked　with　a　gridiron。

The　distance　from　Madrid　to　the　Escurial　is　much　about　the　same　as　that
from　Paris　to　Fontainebleau。　　The　country　is　very　flat　and　becomes　a
wilderness　on　approaching　the　Escurial；　which　takes　its　name　from　a　large
village　you　pass；　a　league　off。　　It　is　upon　an　eminence　which　you　ascend
imperceptibly；　and　upon　which　you　see　endless　deserts　on　three　sides；　but
it　is　backed；　as　it　were；　by　the　mountain　of　Guadarama；　which　encircles
Madrid　on　three　sides；　at　a　distance　of　several　leagues；　more　or　less。
There　is　no　village　at　the　Escurial；　the　lodging　of　their　Catholic
Majesties　forms　the　handle　of　the　gridiron。　　The　principal　grand
officers；　and　those　most　necessary；　are　lodged；　as　well　as　the　Queen's
ladies；　in　the　monastery；　on　the　side　by　which　you　arrive　all　is　very
badly　built。

The　church；　the　grand　staircase；　and　the　grand　cloister；　surprised　me。
I　admired　the　elegance　of　the　surgery；　and　the　pleasantness　of　the
gardens；　which；　however；　are　only　a　long　and　wide　terrace。　　The　Pantheon
frightened　me　by　a　sort　of　horror　and　majesty。　　The　grand…altar　and　the
sacristy　wearied　my　eyes；　by　their　immense　opulence。　　The　library　did　not
satisfy　me；　and　the　librarians　still　less：　I　was　received　with　much
civility；　and　invited　to　a　good　supper　in　the　Spanish　style；　at　which　the
Prior　and　another　monk　did　the　honours。　　After　this　fast　repast　my　people
prepared　my　meals；　but　this　fat　monk　always　supplied　one　or　two　things
that　it　would　not　have　been　civil　to　refuse；　and　always　ate　with　me；　for；
in　order　that　he　might　conduct　us　everywhere；　he　never　quitted　our　sides。
Bad　Latin　supplied　the　place　of　French；　which　he　did　not　understand；　nor
even　Spanish。

In　the　sanctuary　at　the　grand　altar；　there　are　windows　behind　the　seats
of　the　priest　and　his　assistants；　who　celebrate　the　grand　mass。　　These
windows；　which　are　nearly　on　a　level　with　the　sanctuary　（very　high）；
belong　to　the　apartment　that　Philippe　II。　　had　built　for　himself；　and　in
which　he　died。　　He　heard　service　through　these　windows。　　I　wished　to　see
this　apartment；　which　was　entered　from　behind。　　I　was　refused。　　It　was　in
vain　that　I　insisted　on　the　orders　of　the　King　and　of　the　nuncio；
authorising　me　to　see　all　I　wished。　　I　disputed　uselessly。　　They　told　me
this　apartment　had　been　closed　ever　since　the　death　of　Philippe　II。；　and
that　nobody　had　entered　it。　　I　maintained　that　King　Philippe　V。　　and　his
suite　had　seen　it。　　They　admitted　the　fact；　but　at　the　same　time　told　me
that　he　had　entered　by　force　as　a　master；　threatening　to　break　in　the
doors；　that　he　was　the　only　King　who　had　entered　since　Philippe　II。；　and
that　they　would　not　open　the　apartment　to　anybody。　　I　understood　nothing
of　all　this　superstition；　but　I　was　forced　to　rest　content　in　my
ignorance。　　Louville；　who　had　entered　with　the　King；　had　told　me　that　the
place　contained　only　five　or　six　dark　chambers；　and　some　holes　and
corners　with　wainscots　plastered　with　mud；　without　tapestry；　when　he　saw
it；　or　any　kind　of　furniture；　thus　I　did　not　lose　much　by　not　entering。

In　the　Rotting…Room；　which　I　have　elsewhere　described；　we　read　the
inscriptions　near　us；　and　the　monk　read　others　as　we　asked　him。　　We
walked　thus；　all　round；　talking　and　discoursing　thereon。　　Passing　to　the
bottom　of　the　room；　the　coffin　of　the　unhappy　Don　Carlos　offered　itself
to　our　sight。

〃As　for　him；〃　said　I；　〃it　is　well　known　why；　and　of　what　he　died。〃　　At
this　remark；　the　fat　monk　turned　rusty；　maintained　he　had　died　a　natural
death；　and　began　to　declaim　against　the　stories　which　he　said　had　been
spread　abroad　about　him。　　I　smiled；　saying；　I　admitted　it　was　not　true
that　his　veins　had　been　opened。　　This　observation　completed　the
irritation　of　the　monk；　who　began　to　babble　in　a　sort　of　fury。　　I
diverted　myself　with　it　at　first　in　silence；　then　I　said　to　him；　that　the
King；　shortly　after　arriving　in　Spain；　had　had　the　curiosity　to　open　the
coffin　of　Don　Carlos；　and　that　I　knew　from　a　man　who　was　present　（'twas
Louville）；　that　his　head　had　been　found　between　his　legs；　that　Philippe
II。；　his　father；　had　had　it　cut　off　before　him　in　the　prison。

〃Very　well！〃　cried　the　monk　in　fury；　〃apparently　he　had　well　deserved　it；
for　Philippe　II。；　had　permission　from　the　Pope　to　do　so！〃　　and；
thereupon；　he　began　to　cry　with　all　his　might　about　the　marvels　of　piety
and　of　justice　of　Philippe　II。；　and　about　the　boundless　power　of　the
Pope；　and　to　cry　heresy　against　any　one　who　doubted　that　he　could　not
order；　decide；　and　dispose　of　all。

Such　is　the　fanaticism　of　the　countries　of　the　Inquisition；　where　science
is　a　crime；　ignorance　and　superstition　the　first　of　virtues。　　Though　my
official　character　protected　me；　I　did　not　care　to　dispute；　and　cause　a
ridiculous　scene　with　this　bigot　of　a　monk。　　I　contented　myself　with
smiling；　and　by　making　a　sign　of　silence　as　I　did　so　to　those　who　were
with　me。　　The　monk；　therefore；　had　full　swing；　and　preached　a　long　time
without　giving　over。　　He　perceived；　perhaps；　by　our　faces；　that　we　were
laughing　at　him；　although　without　gestures　or　words。　　At　last　he　showed
us　the　rest　of　the　chamber；　still　fuming；　then　we　descended　to　the
Pantheon。　　They　did　me　the　singular　favour　to　light　about　two…thirds　of
the　immense　and　admirable　chandelier；　suspended　from　the　middle　of　the
roof；　the　lights　of　which　dazzled　us；　and　enabled　us　to　distinguish　in
every　part　of　the　Rotting…Room；　not　only　the　smallest　details　of　the
smallest　letter；　but　the　minutest　features　of　the　place。

I　passed　three　days　in　the　Escurial；　lodged　in　a　large　and　fine
apartment；　and　all　that　were　with　me　well　lodged　also。　　Our　monk；　who　had
always　been　in　an　ill…humour　since　the　day　of　the　Rotting…Room；　did　not
recover　himself　until　the　parting　breakfast　came。　　We　quitted　him　without
regret；　but　not　the　Escurial；　which　would　pleasantly　occupy　a　curious
connoisseur　during　more　than　a　three　months'　stay。　　On　the　road　we　met
the　Marquis　de　Montalegre；　who　invited；　us　to　dinner　with　him。　　The　meal
was　so　good　that　we　little　regretted　the　dinner　my　people　had　prepared
for　us。

At　last　we　arrived　on　the　9th；　at　our　village　of　Villahalmanzo；　where　I
found　most　comfortable　quarters　for　m