The Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz | Page 5

at them with great application, and for this
end thought he could not do better than to unite these two heads of the
faction in a close confidence with himself, exclusive of all others. To
this end he used them jointly and in common as the confidants of his
amours, which certainly were neither suitable to the lustre of his actions

nor the grandeur of his life; for Marion de Lorme, one of his mistresses,
was little better than a common prostitute. Another of his concubines
was Madame de Fruges, that old gentlewoman who was so often seen
sauntering in the enclosure. The first used to come to his apartment in
the daytime, and he went by night to visit the other, who was but the
pitiful cast-off of Buckingham and Epienne. The two confidants
introduced him there in coloured clothes; for they had made up a hasty
peace, to which Madame de Guemenee nearly fell a sacrifice.
M. de La Meilleraye, whom they called the Grand Master, was in love
with Madame de Guemenee, but she could not love him; and he being,
both in his own nature and by reason of his great favour with the
Cardinal, the most imperious man living, took it very ill that he was not
beloved. He complained, but the lady was insensible; he huffed and
bounced, but was laughed to scorn. He thought he had her in his power
because the Cardinal, to whom he had declared his rage against her,
had given him her letters, as above mentioned, which were written to M.
de Montmorency, and, therefore, in his menaces he let fall some hints
with relation to those letters to the disadvantage of Madame de
Guemenee. She thereupon ridiculed him no longer, but went almost
raving mad, and fell into such an inconceivable melancholy that you
would not have known her, and retired to Couperai, where she would
let nobody see her.
As soon as I applied my mind to study I resolved at the same time to
take the Cardinal de Richelieu for my pattern, though my friends
opposed it as too pedantic; but I followed my first designs, and began
my course with good success. I was afterwards followed by all persons
of quality of the same profession; but, as I was the first, the Cardinal
was pleased with my fancy, which, together with the good offices done
me by the Grand Master with the Cardinal, made him speak well of me
on several occasions, wonder that I had never made my court to him,
and at the same time he ordered M. de Lingendes, since Bishop of
Magon, to bring me to his house.
This was the source of my first disgrace, for, instead of complying with
these offers of the Cardinal and with the entreaties of the Grand Master,

urging me to go and make my court to him, I returned the most trifling
excuses and apologies; one time I pretended to be sick and went into
the country. In short, I did enough to let them see that I did not care to
be a dependent on the Cardinal de Richelieu, who was certainly a very
great man, but had this particular trait in his genius,--to take notice of
trifles. Of this he gave me the following instance: The history of the
conspiracy of Jean Louis de Fiesque,--[Author of "The Conspiracy of
Genoa." He was drowned on the 1st of January, 1557.]--which I had
written at eighteen years of age, being conveyed by Boisrobert into the
Cardinal's hands, he was heard to say, in the presence of Marechal
d'Estrees and M. de Senneterre, "This is a dangerous genius." This was
told my father that very night by M. de Senneterre, and I took it as
spoken to myself.
The success that I had in the acts of the Sorbonne made me fond of that
sort of reputation, which I had a mind to push further, and thought I
might succeed in sermons. Instead of preaching first, as I was advised,
in the little convents, I preached on Ascension, Corpus Christi Day, etc.,
before the Queen and the whole Court, which assurance gained me a
good character from the Cardinal; for, when he was told how well I had
performed, he said, "There is no judging of things by the event; the
man is a coxcomb." Thus you see I had enough to do for one of
two-and-twenty years of age.
M. le Comte,--[Louis de Bourbon, Comte de soissons, killed in the
battle of Marfee, near Sedan, in 1641.]--who had a tender love for me,
and to whose service and person I was entirely devoted, left Paris in the
night, in order to get into Sedan, for fear of an arrest; and, in the
meantime, entrusted me with