the memoirs of louis xiv-02-第3节

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between　M。　d'Orleans　and　a　lackey；　　he　would　give　the　seat　to　the　lackey
rather　than　to　M。　d'Orleans。　　Upon　this　the　prelate　returned　to　his
diocese；　which　he　would　have　been　wiser　never　to　have　quitted　in　order　to
obtain　a　place　which　did　not　belong　to　him。

As　the　King　really　esteemed　M。　d'Orleans；　he　determined　to　appease　his
anger；　and　to　put　an　end　to　this　dispute　he　gave　therefore　the　bishopric
of　Metz　to　the　nephew　of　M。　d'Orleans；　and　by　this　means　a　reconciliation
was　established。　　M。　d'Orleans　and　M。　de　la　Rochefoucauld　joined　hands
again；　and　the　King　looked　on　delighted。

The　public　lost　soon　after　a　man　illustrious　by　his　genius；　by　his　style；
and　by　his　knowledge　of　men；　I　mean　La　Bruyere；　who　died　of　apoplexy　at
Versailles；　after　having　surpassed　Theophrastus　in　his　own　manner；　and
after　painting；　in　the　new　characters；　the　men　of　our　days　in　a　manner
inimitable。　　He　was　besides　a　very　honest　man；　of　excellent　breeding；
simple；　very　disinterested；　and　without　anything　of　the　pedant。　　I　had
sufficiently　known　him　to　regret　his　death；　and　the　works　that　might　have
been　hoped　from　him。

The　command　of　the　armies　was　distributed　in　the　same　manner　as　before；
with　the　exception　that　M。　de　Choiseul　had　the　army　of　the　Rhine　in　place
of　M。　de　Lorges。　　Every　one　set　out　to　take　the　field。　　The　Duc　de　la
Feuillade　in　passing　by　Metz；　to　join　the　army　in　Germany；　called　upon
his　uncle；　who　was　very　rich　and　in　his　second　childhood。　　La　Feuillade
thought　fit　to　make　sure　of　his　uncle's　money　beforehand；　demanded　the
key　of　the　cabinet　and　of　the　coffers；　broke　them　open　upon　being　refused
by　the　servants；　and　took　away　thirty　thousand　crowns　in　gold；　and　many
jewels；　leaving　untouched　the　silver。　　The　King；　who　for　a　long　time　had
been　much　discontented　with　La　Feuillade　for　his　debauches　and　his
negligence；　spoke　very　strongly　and　very　openly　upon　this　strange
forestalling　of　inheritance。　　It　was　only　with　great　difficulty　he　could
be　persuaded　not　to　strip　La　Feuillade　of　his　rank。

Our　campaign　was　undistinguished　by　any　striking　event。　　From　June　to
September　of　this　year　（1696）；　we　did　little　but　subsist　and　observe；
after　which　we　recrossed　the　Rhine　at　Philipsburg；　where　our　rear　guard
was　slightly　inconvenienced　by　the　enemy。　　In　Italy　there　was　more
movement。　　The　King　sought　to　bring　about　peace　by　dividing　the　forces　of
his　enemies；　and　secretly　entered　into　a　treaty　with　Savoy。　　The
conditions　were；　that　every　place　belonging　to　Savoy　which　had　been　taken
by　our　troops　should　be　restored；　and　that　a　marriage　should　take　place
between　Monseigneur　the　Duc　de　Bourgogne　and　the　daughter　of　the　Duke　of
Savoy；　when　she　became　twelve　years　of　age。　　In　the　mean　time　she　was　to
be　sent　to　the　Court　of　France；　and　preparations　were　at　once　made　there
to　provide　her　with　a　suitable　establishment。

The　King　was　ill　with　an　anthrax　in　the　throat。　　The　eyes　of　all　Europe
were　turned　towards　him；　for　his　malady　was　not　without　danger；
nevertheless　in　his　bed　he　affected　to　attend　to　affairs　as　usual；　and　he
arranged　there　with　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who　scarcely　ever　quitted　his
side；　the　household　of　the　Savoy　Princess。　　The　persons　selected　for　the
offices　in　that　household　were　either　entirely　devoted　to　Madame　de
Maintenon；　or　possessed　of　so　little　wit　that　she　had　nothing　to　fear
from　them。　　A　selection　which　excited　much　envy　and　great　surprise　was
that　of　the　Duchesse　de　Lude　to　be　lady　of　honour。　　The　day　before　she
was　appointed；　Monsieur　had　mentioned　her　name　in　sport　to　the　King。
〃Yes；〃　said　the　King；　〃she　would　be　the　best　woman　in　the　world　to　teach
the　Princess　to　put　rouge　and　patches　on　her　cheek；　〃　and　then；　being
more　devout　than　usual；　he　said　other　things　as　bitter　and　marking　strong
aversion　on　his　part　to　the　Duchess。　　In　fact；　she　was　no　favourite　of
his　nor　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　this　was　so　well　understood　that　the
surprise　of　Monsieur　and　of　everybody　else　was　great；　upon　finding；　the
day　after　this　discourse；　that　she　had　been　appointed　to　the　place。

The　cause　of　this　was　soon　learnt。　　The　Duchesse　de　Lude　coveted　much　to
be　made　lady　of　honour　to　the　Princess；　but　knew　she　had　but　little
chance；　so　many　others　more　in　favour　than　herself　being　in　the　field。
Madame　de　Maintenon　had　an　old　servant　named　Nanon；　who　had　been　with　her
from　the　time　of　her　early　days　of　misery；　and　who　had　such　influence
with　her；　that　this　servant　was　made　much　of　by　everybody　at　Court；　even
by　the　ministers　and　the　daughters　of　the　King。　　The　Duchesse　de　Lude　had
also　an　old　servant　who　was　on　good　terms　with　the　other。　　The　affair
therefore　was　not　difficult。　　The　Duchesse　de　Lude　sent　twenty　thousand
crowns　to　Nanon；　and　on　the　very　evening　of　the　day　on　which　the　King　had
spoken　to　Monsieur；　she　had　the　place。　　Thus　it　is！　　A　Nanon　sells　the
most　important　and　the　most　brilliant　offices；　and　a　Duchess　of　high
birth　is　silly　enough　to　buy　herself　into　servitude！

This　appointment　excited　much　envy。　　The　Marechal　de　Rochefort；　who　had
expected　to　be　named；　made　a　great　ado。　　Madame　de　Maintenon；　who
despised　her；　was　piqued；　and　said　that　she　should　have　had　it　but　for
the　conduct　of　her　daughter。　　This　was　a　mere　artifice；　but　the　daughter
was；　in　truth；　no　sample　of　purity。　　She　had　acted　in　such　a　manner　with
Blansac　that　he　was　sent　for　from　the　army　to　marry　her；　and　on　the　very
night　of　their　wedding　she　gave　birth　to　a　daughter。　　She　was　full　of
wit；　vivacity；　intrigue；　and　sweetness；　yet　most　wicked；　false；　and
artificial；　and　all　this　with　a　simplicity　of　manner；　that　imposed　even
upon　those　who　knew　her　best。　　More　than　gallant　while　her　face　lasted；
she　afterwards　was　easier　of　access；　and　at　last　ruined　herself　for　the
meanest　valets。　　Yet；　notwithstanding　her　vices；　she　was　the　prettiest
flower　of　the　Court　bunch；　and　had　her　chamber　always　full　of　the　best
company：　she　was　also　much　sought　after　by　the　three　daughters　of　the
King。　　Driven　away　from　the　Court；　she　was　after　much　supplication
recalled；　and　pleased　the　King　so　much　that　Madame　de　Maintenon；　in　fear
of　her；　sent　her　away　again。　　But　to　go　back　again　to　the　household　of
the　Princess　of　Savoy。

Dangeau　was　made　chevalier　d'honneur。　　He　owed　his　success　to　his　good
looks；　to　the　court　he　paid　to　the　King's　mistresses；　to　his　skilfulness
at　play；　and　to　a　lucky　stroke　of　fortune。　　The　King　had　oftentimes　been
importuned　to　give　him　a　lodging；　and　one　day；　joking　with　him　upon　his
fancy　of　versifying；　proposed　to　him　some　very　hard　rhymes；　and　promised
him　a　lodging　if　he　filled　them　up　upon　the　spot。　　Dangeau　accepted；
thought　but　for　a　moment；　performed　the　task；　and　thus　gained　his
lodging。　　He　was　an　old　friend　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　and　it　was　to　her
he　was　indebted　for　his　post　of　chevalier　d'honneur　in　the　new　household。

Madame　d'O　was　appointed　lady　of　the　palace。　　Her　father；　named
Guilleragues；　a　gluttonous　Gascon；　had　been　one　of　the　intimate　friends
of　Madame　Scarron；　who；　as　Madame　de　Maintenon；　did　not　forget　her　old
acquaintance；　but　procured　him　the　embassy　to　Constantinople。　　Dying
there；　he　left　an　only　daughter；　who；　on　the　voyage　home　to　France；
gained　the　heart　of　Villers；　lieutenant　of　the　vessel；　and　became　his
wife　in　Asia…Minor；　near　the　ruins　of　Troy。　　Villers　claimed　to　be　of　the
house　of　d'O；　hence　the　name　his　wife　bore。

Established　at　the　Court；　the　newly…married　couple　quickly　worked
themselves　into　the　favour　of　Madame　de　Maintenon；　both　being　very　clever
in　intrigue。　　M。　d'O　was　made　governor　of　the　Comte　de　Toulouse；　and　soon
gained　his　entire　confidence。　　Madame　d'O；　too；　infinitely　pleased　the；
young　Count；　just　then　entering　upon　manhood；　by　her　gallantry；　her　wit；
and　the　facilities　she　allowed　him。　　Both；　in　consequence；　grew　in　great
esteem　with　the　King。　　Had　they　been　attendants　upon　Princes　of　the
blood；　he　would　assuredly　have　slighted　them。　　But　he　always　showed　great
indulgence　to　those　who　served　his　illegitimate　children。　　Hence　the
appointment　of　Madame　d'O　to　be　lady　of　the　palace。

The　household　of　the　Princess　of　Savoy　being　completed；　the　members　of　it
were　sent　to　the　Pont　Beauvosin　to　meet　their　young　mistress。　　She
arrived　early　on　the　16th　of　October；　slept　at　the　Pont　Beauvosin　that
night；　and　on　the　morrow　parted　with　her　Italian　attendants　without
shedding　a　single　tear。　　On　the　4th　of　November　she　arrived　at　Montargis；
and　was　received　by　the　King；　Monseigneur；　and　Monsieur。　　The　King　handed
her　down　from　her　coach；　and　conducted　her　to　the　apartment　he　had
prepared　for　her。　　Her　respectful　and　flattering　manners　pleased　him
highly。　　Her　cajoleries；　too；　soon　bewitched　Madame　de　Maintenon；　whom
she　never　addressed　except　as　〃Aunt；〃　whom　she　treated　with　a　respect；
and　yet　with　a　freedom；　that　ravished　everybody。　　She　became　the　doll　of
Madame　de　Maintenon　and　the　King；　pleased　them　infinitely　by　her
insinuating　spirit；　and　took　greater　liberties　with　them　than　the
children　of　the　King　had　ever　dared　to　attempt。




CHAPTER　X

Meanwhile　our　campaign　upon　the　Rhine　proceeded；　and　the　enemy；　having
had　all　their　grand　projects　of　victory　defeated