The Queen my mother left me, saying these words. For my part, I remained a close prisoner, without a visit from a single person, none of my most intimate friends daring to come near me, through the apprehension1 that such a step might prove injurious to their interests. Thus it is ever in Courts. Adversity is solitary2, while prosperity dwells in a crowd; the object of persecution3 being sure to be shunned4 by his nearest friends and dearest connections. The brave Grillon was the only one who ventured to visit me, at the hazard of incurring5 disgrace. He came five or six times to see me, and my guards were so much astonished at his resolution, and awed6 by his presence, that not a single Cerberus of them all would venture to refuse him entrance to my apartments.
Meanwhile, the King my husband reached the States under his government. Being joined there by his friends and dependents, they all represented to him the indignity7 offered to me by his quitting the Court without taking leave of me. They observed to him that I was a princess of good understanding, and that it would be for his interest to regain8 my esteem9; that, when matters were put on their former footing, he might derive10 to himself great advantage from my presence at Court. Now that he was at a distance from his Circe, Madame de Sauves, he could listen to good advice. Absence having abated11 the force of her charms, his eyes were opened; he discovered the plots and machinations of our enemies, and clearly perceived that a rupture12 could not but tend to the ruin of us both.
Accordingly, he wrote me a very affectionate letter, wherein he entreated13 me to forget all that had passed betwixt us, assuring me that from thenceforth he would ever love me, and would give me every demonstration14 that he did so, desiring me to inform him of what was going on at Court, and how it fared with me and my brother. My brother was in Champagne15 and the King my husband in Gascony, and there had been no communication betwixt them, though they were on terms of friendship.
I received this letter during my imprisonment16, and it gave me great comfort under that situation. Although my guards had strict orders not to permit me to set pen to paper, yet, as necessity is said to be the mother of invention, I found means to write many letters to him. Some few days after I had been put under arrest, my brother had intelligence of it, which chagrined17 him so much that, had not the love of his country prevailed with him, the effects of his resentment18 would have been shown in a cruel civil war, to which purpose he had a sufficient force entirely19 at his devotion. He was, however, withheld20 by his patriotism21, and contented22 himself with writing to the Queen my mother, informing her that, if I was thus treated, he should be driven upon some desperate measure. She, fearing the consequence of an open rupture, and dreading23 lest, if blows were once struck, she should be deprived of the power of bringing about a reconciliation24 betwixt the brothers, represented the consequences to the King, and found him well disposed to lend an ear to her reasons, as his anger was now cooled by the apprehensions25 of being attacked in Gascony, Dauphiny, Languedoc, and Poitou, with all the strength of the Huguenots under the King my husband. Besides the many strong places held by the Huguenots, my brother had an army with him in Champagne, composed chiefly of nobility, the bravest and best in France. The King found, since my brother’s departure, that he could not, either by threats or rewards, induce a single person among the princes and great lords to act against him, so much did every one fear to intermeddle in this quarrel, which they considered as of a family nature; and after having maturely reflected on his situation, he acquiesced26 in my mother’s opinion, and begged her to fall upon some means of reconciliation. She thereupon proposed going to my brother and taking me with her. To the measure of taking me, the King had an objection, as he considered me as the hostage for my husband and brother. She then agreed to leave me behind, and set off without my knowledge of the matter. At their interview, my brother represented to the Queen my mother that he could not but be greatly dissatisfied with the King after the many mortifications he had received at Court; that the cruelty and injustice28 of confining me hurt him equally as if done to himself; observing, moreover, that, as if my arrest were not a sufficient mortification27, poor Torigni must be made to suffer; and concluding with the declaration of his firm resolution not to listen to any terms of peace until I was restored to my liberty, and reparation made me for the indignity I had sustained. The Queen my mother being unable to obtain any other answer, returned to Court and acquainted the King with my brother’s determination. Her advice was to go back again with me, for going without me, she said, would answer very little purpose; and if I went with her in disgust, it would do more harm than good. Besides, there was reason to fear, in that case, I should insist upon going to my husband. “In short,” says she, “my daughter’s guard must be removed, and she must be satisfied in the best way we can.”
The King agreed to follow her advice, and was now, on a sudden, as eager to reconcile matters betwixt us as she was herself. Hereupon I was sent for, and when I came to her, she informed me that she had paved the way for peace; that it was for the good of the State, which she was sensible I must be as desirous to promote as my brother; that she had it now in her power to make a peace which would be as satisfactory as my brother could desire, and would put us entirely out of the reach of Le Guast’s machinations, or those of any one else who might have an influence over the King’s mind. She observed that, by assisting her to procure29 a good understanding betwixt the King and my brother, I should relieve her from that cruel disquietude under which she at present laboured, as, should things come to an open rupture, she could not but be grieved, whichever party prevailed, as they were both her sons. She therefore expressed her hopes that I would forget the injuries I had received, and dispose myself to concur30 in a peace, rather than join in any plan of revenge. She assured me that the King was sorry for what had happened; that he had even expressed his regret to her with tears in his eyes, and had declared that he was ready to give me every satisfaction. I replied that I was willing to sacrifice everything for the good of my brothers and of the State; that I wished for nothing so much as peace, and that I would exert myself to the utmost to bring it about.
As I uttered these words, the King came into the closet, and, with a number of fine speeches, endeavoured to soften31 my resentment and to recover my friendship, to which I made such returns as might show him I harboured no ill-will for the injuries I had received. I was induced to such behaviour rather out of contempt, and because it was good policy to let the King go away satisfied with me.
Besides, I had found a secret pleasure, during my confinement32, from the perusal33 of good books, to which I had given myself up with a delight I never before experienced. I consider this as an obligation I owe to fortune, or, rather, to Divine Providence34, in order to prepare me, by such efficacious means, to bear up against the misfortunes and calamities35 that awaited me. By tracing nature in the universal book which is opened to all mankind, I was led to the knowledge of the Divine Author. Science conducts us, step by step, through the whole range of creation, until we arrive, at length, at God. Misfortune prompts us to summon our utmost strength to oppose grief and recover tranquillity36, until at length we find a powerful aid in the knowledge and love of God, whilst prosperity hurries us away until we are overwhelmed by our passions. My captivity37 and its consequent solitude38 afforded me the double advantage of exciting a passion for study, and an inclination39 for devotion, advantages I had never experienced during the vanities and splendour of my prosperity.
As I have already observed, the King, discovering in me no signs of discontent, informed me that the Queen my mother was going into Champagne to have an interview with my brother, in order to bring about a peace, and begged me to accompany her thither40 and to use my best endeavours to forward his views, as he knew my brother was always well disposed to follow my counsel; and he concluded with saying that the peace, when accomplished41, he should ever consider as being due to my good offices, and should esteem himself obliged to me for it. I promised to exert myself in so good a work, which I plainly perceived was both for my brother’s advantage and the benefit of the State.
The Queen my mother and I set off for Sens the next day. The conference was agreed to be held in a gentleman’s chateau42, at a distance of about a league from that place. My brother was waiting for us, accompanied by a small body of troops and the principal Catholic noblemen and princes of his army. Amongst these were the Duc Casimir and Colonel Poux, who had brought him six thousand German horse, raised by the Huguenots, they having joined my brother, as the King my husband and he acted in conjunction.
The treaty was continued for several days, the conditions of peace requiring much discussion, especially such articles of it as related to religion. With respect to these, when at length agreed upon, they were too much to the advantage of the Huguenots, as it appeared afterwards, to be kept; but the Queen my mother gave in to them, in order to have a peace, and that the German cavalry43 before mentioned might be disbanded. She was, moreover, desirous to get my brother out of the hands of the Huguenots; and he was himself as willing to leave them, being always a very good Catholic, and joining the Huguenots only through necessity. One condition of the peace was, that my brother should have a suitable establishment. My brother likewise stipulated44 for me, that my marriage portion should be assigned in lands, and M. de Beauvais, a commissioner45 on his part, insisted much upon it. My mother, however, opposed it, and persuaded me to join her in it, assuring me that I should obtain from the King all I could require. Thereupon I begged I might not be included in the articles of peace, observing that I would rather owe whatever I was to receive to the particular favour of the King and the Queen my mother, and should, besides, consider it as more secure when obtained by such means.
The peace being thus concluded and ratified46 on both sides, the Queen my mother prepared to return. At this instant I received letters from the King my husband, in which he expressed a great desire to see me, begging me, as soon as peace was agreed on, to ask leave to go to him. I communicated my husband’s wish to the Queen my mother, and added my own entreaties47. She expressed herself greatly averse48 to such a measure, and used every argument to set me against it. She observed that, when I refused her proposal of a divorce after St. Bartholomew’s Day, she gave way to my refusal, and commended me for it, because my husband was then converted to the Catholic religion; but now that he had abjured49 Catholicism, and was turned Huguenot again, she could not give her consent that I should go to him. When I still insisted upon going, she burst into a flood of tears, and said, if I did not return with her, it would prove her ruin; that the King would believe it was her doing; that she had promised to bring me back with her; and that, when my brother returned to Court, which would be soon, she would give her consent.
We now returned to Paris, and found the King well satisfied that we had made a peace; though not, however, pleased with the articles concluded in favour of the Huguenots. He therefore resolved within himself, as soon as my brother should return to Court, to find some pretext50 for renewing the war. These advantageous51 conditions were, indeed, only granted the Huguenots to get my brother out of their hands, who was detained near two months, being employed in disbanding his German horse and the rest of his army.
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1
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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incurring
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| 遭受，招致，引起( incur的现在分词 ) | |
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6
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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8
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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9
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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10
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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11
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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12
rupture
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| n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂 | |
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13
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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15
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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16
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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17
chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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19
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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20
withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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21
patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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22
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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24
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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28
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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29
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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30
concur
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| v.同意，意见一致，互助，同时发生 | |
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31
soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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32
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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33
perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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34
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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calamities
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| n.灾祸，灾难( calamity的名词复数 )；不幸之事 | |
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36
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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37
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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38
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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39
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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40
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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41
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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42
chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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43
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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44
stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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45
commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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46
ratified
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| v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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48
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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49
abjured
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| v.发誓放弃( abjure的过去式和过去分词 )；郑重放弃（意见）；宣布撤回（声明等）；避免 | |
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50
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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51
advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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