the memoirs of cardinal de retz-第37节

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se　presents　from　one's　superiors。

While　we　were　in　conference　at　M。　de　Bouillon's　the　sad　news　was　brought　to　us　that　M。　de　Turenne's　forces；　all　except　two　or　three　regiments；　had　been　bribed　with　money　from　Court　to　abandon　him；　and；　finding　himself　likely　to　be　arrested；　he　had　retired　to　the　house　of　his　friend　and　kinswoman；　the　Landgravine　of　Hesse。　　M。　de　Bouillon；　was；　as　it　were；　thunderstruck；　his　lady　burst　out　into　tears；　saying；　〃We　are　all　undone；〃　and　I　was　almost　as　much　cast　down　as　they　were；　because　it　overturned　our　last　scheme。

M。　de　Bouillon　was　now　for　pushing　matters　to　extremes；　but　I　convinced　him　that　there　was　nothing　more　dangerous。

Don　Gabriel　de　Toledo；　who　was　ordered　to　be　very　frank　with　me；　was　very　reserved　when　he　saw　how　I　was　mortified　about　the　news　of　M。　de　Turenne；　and　caballed　with　the　generals　in　such　a　manner　as　made　me　very　uneasy。　Upon　this　sudden　turn　of　affairs　I　made　these　remarks：　That　every　company　has　so　much　in　it　of　the　unstable　temper　of　the　vulgar　that　all　depends　upon　joining　issue　with　opportunity；　and　that　the　best　proposals　prove　often　fading　flowers；　which　are　fragrant　to…day　and　offensive　to…morrow。

I　could　not　sleep　that　night　for　thinking　about　our　circumstances。　　I　saw　that　the　Parliament　was　less　inclined　than　ever　to　engage　in　a　war；　by　reason　of　the　desertion　of　the　army　of　M。　de　Turenne；　I　saw　the　deputies　at　Ruel　emboldened　by　the　success　of　their　prevarication；　I　saw　the　people　of　Paris　as　ready　to　admit　the　Archduke　as　ever　they　could　be　to　receive　the　Duc　d'Orleans；　I　saw　that　in　a　week's　time　this　Prince；　with　beads　in　his　hand；　and　Fuensaldagne　with　his　money；　would　have　greater　power　than　ourselves；　that　M。　de　Bouillon　was　relapsing　into　his　former　proposal　of　using　extremities；　and　that　the　other　generals　would　be　precipitated　into　the　same　violent　measures　by　the　scornful　behaviour　of　the　Court；　who　now　despised　all　because　they　were　sure　of　the　Parliament。　I　saw　that　all　these　circumstances　paved　the　way　for　a　popular　sedition　to　massacre　the　Parliament　and　put　the　Spaniards　in　possession　of　the　Louvre；　which　might　overturn　the　State。

These　gloomy　thoughts　I　resolved　to　communicate　to　my　father；　who　had　for　the　last　twenty　years　retired　to　the　Oratory；　and　who　would　never　hear　of　my　State　intrigues。　　My　father　told　me　of　some　advantageous　offers　made　to　me　indirectly　by　the　Court；　but　advised　me　not　to　trust　to　them。

Next　day；　M。　de　Bouillon　was　for　shutting　the　gates　against　the　deputies　of　Ruel；　for　expelling　the　Parliament；　for　making　ourselves　masters　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　for　bringing　the　Spanish　army　without　delay　into　our　suburbs。　　As　for　M。　de　Beaufort；　Don　Gabriel　de　Toledo　told　me　that　he　offered　Madame　de　Montbazon　20；000　crowns　down　and　6；000　crowns　a　year　if　she　could　persuade　him　into　the　Archduke's　measures。　　He　did　not　forget　the　other　generals。　　M。　d'Elbeuf　was　gained　at　an　easy　rate；　and　Marechal　de　La　Mothe　was　buoyed　up　with　the　hopes　of　being　accommodated　with　the　Duchy　of　Cardonne。　　I　soon　saw　the　Catholicon　of　Spain　（Spanish　gold）　was　the　chief　ingredient。　　Everybody　saw　that　our　only　remedy　was　to　make　ourselves　masters　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville　by　means　of　the　people；　but　I　opposed　it　with　arguments　too　tedious　to　mention。　　M。　de　Bouillon　was　for　engaging　entirely　with　Spain；　but　I　convinced　Marechal　de　La　Mothe　and　M。　de　Beaufort　that　such　measures　would　in　a　fortnight　reduce　them　to　a　precarious　dependence　on　the　counsels　of　Spain。

Being　pressed　to　give　my　opinion　in　brief；　I　delivered　it　thus：　〃We　cannot　hinder　the　peace　without　ruining　the　Parliament　by　the　help　of　the　people；　and　we　cannot　maintain　the　war　by　the　means　of　the　same　people　without　a　dependence　upon　Spain。　　We　cannot　have　any　peace　with　Saint　Germain　but　by　consenting　to　continue　Mazarin　in　the　Ministry。〃

M。　de　Bouillon；　with　the　head　of　an　ox；　and　the　penetration　of　an　eagle；　interrupted　me　thus：　〃I　take　it；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　for　suffering　the　peace　to　come　to　a　conclusion；　but　not　for　appearing　in　it。〃

I　replied　that　I　was　willing　to　oppose　it；　but　that　it　should　be　only　with　my　own　voice　and　the　voices　of　those　who　were　ready　to　run　the　same　hazard　with　me。

〃I　understand　you　again；〃　replied　M。　de　Bouillon；　〃a　very　fine　thought　indeed；　suitable　to　yourself　and　to　M。　de　Beaufort；　but　to　nobody　else。〃

〃If　it　suited　us　only；〃　said　I；　〃before　I　would　propose　it　I　would　cut　out　my　tongue。　　The　part　we　act　would　suit　you　as　well　as　either　of　us；　because　you　may　accommodate　matters　when　you　think　it　for　your　interest。　For　my　part；　I　am　fully　persuaded　that　they　who　insist　upon　the　exclusion　of　Mazarin　as　a　condition　of　the　intended　arrangement　will　continue　masters　of　the　affections　of　the　people　long　enough　to　take　their　advantage　of　an　opportunity　which　fortune　never　fails　to　furnish　in　cloudy　and　unsettled　times。　　Pray；　monsieur；　considering　your　reputation　and　capacity；　who　can　pretend　to　act　this　part　with　more　dignity；　than　yourself？　　M。　de　Beaufort　and　I　are　already　the　favourites　of　the　people；　and　if　you　declare　for　the　exclusion　of　the　Cardinal；　you　will　be　tomorrow　as　popular　as　either　of　us；　and　we　shall　be　looked　upon　as　the　only　centre　of　their　hopes。　　All　the　blunders　of　the　ministers　will　turn　to　our　advantage；　the　Spaniards　will　caress　us；　and　the　Cardinal；　considering　how　fond　he　is　of　a　treaty；　will　be　under　the　necessity　to　court　us。　　I　own　this　scheme　may　be　attended　with　inconveniences；　but；　on　the　other　side　of　the　question；　we　are　sure　of　certain　ruin　if　we　have　a　peace　and　an　enraged　minister　at　the　helm；　who　cannot　hope　for　reestablishment　but　upon　our　destruction。　　Therefore；　I　cannot　but　think　the　expedient　is　as　proper　for　you　to　engage　in　as　for　me；　but　if；　for　argument's　sake；　it　were　not；　I　am　sure　it　is　for　your　interest　that　I　should　embrace　it；　for　you　will　by　that　means　have　more　time　to　make　your　own　terms　with　the　Court　before　the　peace　is　concluded；　and　after　the　peace　　Mazarin　will　in　such　case　be　obliged　to　have　more　regard　for　all　those　gentlemen　whose　reunion　with　me　it　will　be　to　his　interest　to　prevent。〃

M。　de　Bouillon　was　so　convinced　of　the　justice　of　my　reasoning　that　he　told　me；　when　we　were　by　ourselves；　that　he　had；　as　well　as　myself；　thought　of　my　expedient　as　soon　as　he　received　the　news　of　the　army　deserting　M。　de　Turenne；　that　he　could　still　improve　it；　as　the　Spaniards　would　not　fail　to　relish　it；　and　that　he　had　been　on　the　point　several　times　one　day　to　confer　about　it　with　me；　but　that　his　wife　had　conjured　him　with　prayers　and　tears　to　speak　no　more　of　the　matter；　but　to　come　to　terms　with　the　Court；　or　else　to　engage　himself　with　the　Spaniards。　〃I　know；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　not　for　the　second　arrangement；　pray　lend　me　your　good　offices　to　compass　the　first。〃　　I　assured　him　that　all　my　best　offices　and　interests　were　entirely　at　his　service　to　facilitate　his　agreement　with　the　Court；　and　that　he　might　freely　make　use　of　my　name　and　reputation　for　that　purpose。

In　fine；　we　agreed　on　every　point。　　M。　de　Bouillon　undertook　to　make　the　proposition　palatable　to　the　Spaniards；　provided　we　would　promise　never　to　let　them　know　that　it　was　concerted　among　ourselves　beforehand；　and　we　never　questioned　but　that　we　could　persuade　M。　de　Longueville　to　accept　it；　for　men　of　irresolution　are　apt　to　catch　at　all　overtures　which　lead　them　two　ways；　and　consequently　press　them　to　no　choice。

I　had　almost　forgotten　to　tell　you　what　M。　de　Bouillon　said　to　me　in　private　as　we　were　going　from　the　conference。　　〃I　am　sure；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　not　blame　me　for　not　exposing　a　wife　whom　I　dearly　love　and　eight　children　whom　she　loves　more　than　herself　to　the　hazards　which　you　run；　and　which　I　could　run　with　you　were　I　a　single　man。〃

I　was　very　much　affected　by　the　tender　sentiments　of　M。　de　Bouillon　and　the　confidence　he　placed　in　me；　and　assured　him　I　was　so　far　from　blaming　him　that　I　esteemed　him　the　more；　and　that　his　tenderness　for　his　lady；　which　he　was　pleased　to　call　his　weakness；　was　indeed　what　politics　condemned　but　ethics　highly　justified；　because　it　betokened　an　honest　heart；　which　is　much　superior　both　to　interest　and　politics。　　M。　de　Bouillon　communicated　the　proposal　both　to　the　Spanish　envoys　and　to　the　generals；　who　were　easily　persuaded　to　relish　it。

Thus　he　made；　as　it　were；　a　golden　bridge　for　the　Spaniards　to　withdraw　their　troops　with　decency。　　I　told　him　as　soon　as　they　were　gone　that　he　was　an　excellent　man　to　persuade　people　that　a　〃quartan　ague　was　good　for　them。〃

The　Parliamentary　deputies；　repairing　to　Saint　Germain　on　the　17th　of　March；　1649；　first　took　care　to　settle　the　interests　of　the　generals；　upon　which　every　officer　of　the　army　thought　he　had　a　right　to　exhibit　his　pretensions。　　M。　de　Vendome　sent　his　son　a　formal　curse　if　he　did　not　procure　for　him　at　least　the　post　of　Superintendent　of　the　Seas；　which　was　created　first　in　favour　of　Cardinal　de　Richelieu　in　place　of　that　of　High　Admiral；　but　Louis　XIV。　abolished　it；　and　restored　that　of　High　Admiral。

Upon　this　we　held　a　conference；　the　result　of　which　was　that　on　the　20th　the　Prince　de　Conti　told　the　Parliament　that　himself　and　the　other　generals　entered　their　claims　solely　for　the　pur