登陆注册
5247600000010

第10章 LETTER III.(2)

Hereupon she flew into a passion and commanded me not to make the least show of resentment at his behaviour. From that hour she gradually withdrew her favour from me. Her son became the god of her idolatry, at the shrine of whose will she sacrificed everything.

The grief which I inwardly felt was very great and overpowered all my faculties, until it wrought so far on my constitution as to contribute to my receiving the infection which then prevailed in the army. A few days after I fell sick of a raging fever, attended with purple spots, a malady which carried off numbers, and, amongst the rest, the two principal physicians belonging to the King and Queen, Chappelain and Castelan.

Indeed, few got over the disorder after being attacked with it.

In this extremity the Queen my mother, who partly guessed the cause of my illness, omitted nothing that might serve to remove it; and, without fear of consequences, visited me frequently. Her goodness contributed much to my recovery; but my brother's hypocrisy was sufficient to destroy all the benefit I received from her attention, after having been guilty of so treacherous a proceeding. After he had proved so ungrateful to me, he came and sat at the foot of my bed from morning to night, and appeared as anxiously attentive as if we had been the most perfect friends. My mouth was shut up by the command I had received from the Queen our mother, so that I only answered his dissembled concern with sighs, like Burrus in the presence of Nero, when he was dying by the poison administered by the hands of that tyrant. The sighs, however, which I vented in my brother's presence, might convince him that I attributed my sickness rather to his ill offices than to the prevailing contagion.

God had mercy on me, and supported me through this dangerous illness.

After I had kept my bed a fortnight, the army changed its quarters, and I was conveyed away with it in a litter. At the end of each day's march, I found King Charles at the door of my quarters, ready, with the rest of the good gentlemen belonging to the Court, to carry my litter up to my bedside. In this manner I came to Angers from St. Jean d'Angely, sick in body, but more sick in mind. Here, to my misfortune, M. de Guise and his uncles had arrived before me. This was a circumstance which gave my good brother great pleasure, as it afforded a colourable appearance to his story. I soon discovered the advantage my brother would make of it to increase my already too great mortification; for he came daily to see me, and as constantly brought M. de Guise into my chamber with him. He pretended the sincerest regard for De Guise, and, to make him believe it, would take frequent opportunities of embracing him, crying out at the same time, "would to God you were my brother!" This he often put in practice before me, which M. de Guise seemed not to comprehend; but I, who knew his malicious designs, lost all patience, yet did not dare to reproach him with his hypocrisy.

As soon as I was recovered, a treaty was set on foot for a marriage betwixt the King of Portugal and me, an ambassador having been sent for that purpose. The Queen my mother commanded me to prepare to give the ambassador an audience; which I did accordingly. My brother had made her believe that I was averse to this marriage; accordingly, she took me to task upon it, and questioned me on the subject, expecting she should find some cause to be angry with me. I told her my will had always been guided by her own, and that whatever she thought right for me to do, I should do it. She answered me, angrily, according as she had been wrought upon, that I did not speak the sentiments of my heart, for she well knew that the Cardinal de Lorraine had persuaded me into a promise of having his nephew. I begged her to forward this match with the King of Portugal, and I would convince her of my obedience to her commands.

Every day some new matter was reported to incense her against me. All these were machinations worked up by the mind of Le Guast. In short, I was constantly receiving some fresh mortification, so that I hardly passed a day in quiet. On one side, the King of Spain was using his utmost endeavours to break off the match with Portugal, and M. de Guise, continuing at Court, furnished grounds for persecuting me on the other.

Still, not a single person of the Guises ever mentioned a word to me on the subject; and it was well known that, for more than a twelvemonth, M. de Guise had been paying his addresses to the Princesse de Porcian; but the slow progress made in bringing this match to a conclusion was said to be owing to his designs upon me.

As soon as I made this discovery I resolved to write to my sister, Madame de Lorraine, who had a great influence in the House of Porcian, begging her to use her endeavours to withdraw M. de Guise from Court, and make him conclude his match with the Princess, laying open to her the plot which had been concerted to ruin the Guises and me. She readily saw through it, came immediately to Court, and concluded the match, which delivered me from the aspersions cast on my character, and convinced the Queen my mother that what I had told her was the real truth. This at the same time stopped the mouths of my enemies and gave me some repose.

At length the King of Spain, unwilling that the King of Portugal should marry out of his family, broke off the treaty which had been entered upon for my marriage with him.

同类推荐
  • 清实录宣统朝政纪

    清实录宣统朝政纪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 潜虚

    潜虚

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 玄牝之门赋

    玄牝之门赋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 四教仪集注科

    四教仪集注科

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 宣和画谱

    宣和画谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 夜郎歌

    夜郎歌

    一个浑浑噩噩的中二少年,一块不靠谱的妖精石头,以全城第一学院为目标,发起了最奇葩的冲刺!修武道,通经文,炼药剂,斩强敌……我不是一个强硬的人,但强者,从来都是被逼出来的。
  • 世间女子最相思

    世间女子最相思

    古典诗词中涉及春愁闺怨的那一部分,最为唯美感人。或借景抒情,或咏物明志,说不尽细腻柔软的女子心思。《世间女子最相思》精选其中上乘之作,结成春闺二十四章。《世间女子最相思》作者风约湘裙从女子身边之物讲起,结合用典、传奇以及古代习俗,结合诗人、词人的生平,阐述诗词浪漫意境,描绘女子古典之美,诉说凄美的悲欢离合。
  • The Clue of the Twisted Candle

    The Clue of the Twisted Candle

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 心脏病食疗与养生(居家生活宝典)

    心脏病食疗与养生(居家生活宝典)

    本书对心脏病的症状早有认识和详细记载,对治疗也积累了丰富的经验。心脏病属于中医“胸痹”、“心痛”的范畴。中医认为,本病的发生与外邪侵袭、情志失调、饮食不节、劳逸失度和年老体弱等因素有关。
  • NO.06漫客·悬疑世界·要么爱要么死

    NO.06漫客·悬疑世界·要么爱要么死

    《漫客·悬疑世界》由蔡骏主编,知音动漫强势发行,网罗一线悬疑作家,打造最好看最惊悚最具悬念的悬疑杂志书。悬念阅读、惊悚体验——本刊贯穿始终的编辑方针。篇篇精彩,期期可读,带给读者绵绵不断的刺激感。蔡骏,中国作家协会会员、中国悬疑作家领军人物。自2001年《病毒》横空出世,至今已出版《地狱的第19层》《荒村公寓》《天机》等小说十余部。“蔡骏心理悬疑小说”已申请商标保护。截至2008年,其作品在中国大陆累计发行近300万册,多年保持中国原创悬疑类小说畅销纪录。
  • 醉红颜:冲喜新娘(完)

    醉红颜:冲喜新娘(完)

    听说,江四爷得了一种怪病,请遍了京城里的名医,用尽了名药,仍无人能医,无药可治,现已病入膏肓。听说,那江四爷现在每天清醒的时候越来越少,给他瞧过病的大夫背地里说,江家该准备后事了。听说,江府的夫人今天给江四爷娶妻,是为了冲喜。听说……慕容馨平静的坐在花轿里,对这一切漠不关心,仿佛这是别人的婚礼。事实上这确实是别人的婚礼,她并不是什么慕容姑娘,她只是慕容云从海边拣回来的人而已。☆★☆推荐:《丫鬟有点怀》http://m.wkkk.net/a/191027/一对欢喜冤家的爱情
  • 王妃粉嘟嘟

    王妃粉嘟嘟

    京城人都知道,晟王,心狠手辣,权势滔天,但唯对家中美若天仙的小王妃疼爱入骨。穆微微摔:美若天仙我认了!但是那个变态哪里疼爱我了?!绯闻!绝对是绯闻!——王妃说:宝宝心里苦,但是宝宝不说出来。
  • 春季补肾小药茶

    春季补肾小药茶

    一年之计在于春。春天是播种的季节,也是滋养进补的时令。我国自古就有根据大自然“春生、夏长、秋收、冬藏”的规律进行按季节养生的认识。春季最适宜补肝肾。西医认为肾是泌尿器官,可以过滤血液中的杂质,使代谢废物随尿液排出体外,具有维持血压等作用。而中医认为“肾藏精”,也就是说肾可以把人体最精华的宝贝储存起来。由此可见,肾是多么重要的脏腑,它与我们的健康息息相关。本书将为我们讲述易于制作的补肾药茶。春季补肾好时令,千万不要错过哦。
  • 吉宽的马车

    吉宽的马车

    上世纪90年代中期,所有乡村男人都进城当民工的时候,吉宽依然留在乡下优哉游哉地赶着马车,成为歇马山庄公认的懒汉。本书以第一人称的视角讲述了这个农村懒汉的爱情故事,并以这个懒汉的视角揭示了一群民工的心灵史……
  • 大神,要亲亲

    大神,要亲亲

    作为全服第一个记者玩家,慕采色的网游人生充斥八卦。大神养成史,大神恋爱史,皆是她所爱八卦的内容。只是命中注定有个劫,挖掘大神情史的计划出了差错。神马?风骚大神的奋斗目标竟然是……将她扑倒再吃干抹尽?都说大神肚里好撑船,为毛轮到她的船触礁。