FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   >>  
ll those who were sincerely attached to him; and the best established fortune would have been ruined at some period by a jest much less severe: for it was delivered in the presence of witnesses, who were only desirous of having an opportunity of representing it in its utmost malignancy, to make a merit of their vigilance with a powerful and absolute minister. Of this the Chevalier de Grammont was thoroughly convinced; yet whatever detriment he foresaw might arise from it, he could not help being much pleased with what he had said. The spies very faithfully discharged their duty: however, the affair took a very different turn from what they expected. The next day, when the Chevalier de Grammont was present while their Majesties were at dinner, the Cardinal came in, and coming up to him, everybody making way for him out of respect: "Chevalier," said he, "the news which you have brought is very good, their Majesties are very well satisfied with it; and to convince you it is more advantageous to me than the death of Peter Mazarin, if you will come and dine with me we will have some play together; for the queen will give us something to play for, over and above her first promise." In this manner did the Chevalier de Grammont dare to provoke a powerful minister, and this was all the resentment which the least vindictive of all statesmen expressed on the occasion. It was indeed very unusual for so young a man to reverence the authority of ministers no farther, than as they were themselves respectable by their merit; for this, his own breast, as well as the whole court, applauded him, and he enjoyed the satisfaction of being the only man who durst preserve the least shadow of liberty, in a general state of servitude; but it was perhaps owing to the Cardinal's passing over this insult with impunity, that he afterwards drew upon himself some difficulties, by other rash expressions less fortunate in the event. In the mean time the court returned: the Cardinal, who was sensible that he could no longer keep his master in a state of tutelage, being himself worn out with cares and sickness, and having amassed treasures he knew not what to do with, and being sufficiently loaded with the weight of public odium, he turned all his thoughts towards terminating, in a manner the most advantageous for France, a ministry which had so cruelly shaken that kingdom. Thus, while he was earnestly laying the foundations of a peace so ardently w
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   >>  



Top keywords:

Chevalier

 

Cardinal

 

Grammont

 

manner

 

Majesties

 
advantageous
 

minister

 

powerful

 

servitude

 

sincerely


general
 

liberty

 

preserve

 

shadow

 

impunity

 

passing

 

insult

 
applauded
 

authority

 

ministers


fortune

 

farther

 

reverence

 

unusual

 

established

 

attached

 
enjoyed
 
breast
 

respectable

 
satisfaction

terminating

 

France

 

thoughts

 
turned
 

weight

 

public

 

ministry

 

cruelly

 
foundations
 

ardently


laying

 

earnestly

 

shaken

 

kingdom

 

loaded

 

sufficiently

 
returned
 
fortunate
 

expressions

 

longer