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CHAPTER III
Death of My Father。Anecdotes of Louis XIII。The Cardinal de
Richelieu。The Duc de Bellegarde。Madame de Hautefort。My Father's
Enemy。His Services and Reward。A Duel against Law。An Answer to a
Libel。M。 de la Rochefoucauld。My Father's Gratitude to Louis XIII。
CHAPTER IV
Position of the Prince of Orange。Strange Conduct of the King。Surprise
and Indignation。Battle of Neerwinden。My Return to Paris。Death of La
Vauguyon。Symptoms of Madness。Vauguyon at the Bastille。Projects of
Marriage。M。 de Beauvilliers。A Negotiation for a Wife。My Failure。
Visit to La Trappe。
CHAPTER V
M。 de Luxembourg's Claim of Precedence。Origin of the Claim。Duc de
Piney。Character of Harlay。Progress of the Trial。Luxembourg and
Richelieu。Double…dealing of Harlay。The Duc de Gesvres。Return to the
Seat of War。Divers Operations。Origin of These Memoirs。
CHAPTER VI
Quarrels of the Princesses。Mademoiselle Choin。A Disgraceful Affair。
M。 de Noyon。Comic Scene at the Academie。Anger and Forgiveness of
M。 de Noyon。M。 de Noailles in Disgrace。How He Gets into Favour Again。
M。 de Vendome in Command。Character of M。 de Luxembourg。 The Trial
for Precedence Again。An Insolent Lawyer。Extraordinary Decree。
CHAPTER VII
Harlay and the Dutch。Death of the Princess of Orange。Count
Koenigsmarck。A New Proposal of Marriage。My Marriage。That of M。 de
Lauzun。Its Result。La Fontaine and Mignard。Illness of the Marechal
de Lorges。Operations on the Rhine。Village of Seckenheim。An Episode
of War。Cowardice of M。 du Maine。Despair of the King； Who Takes a
Knave in the Act。Bon Mot of M。 d'Elboeuf。
CHAPTER VIII
The Abbe de Fenelon。The Jansenists and St。 Sulpice。Alliance with
Madame Guyon。Preceptor of the Royal Children。Acquaintance with Madame
de Maintenon。Appointment to Cambrai。Disclosure of Madame Guyon's
Doctrines。Her Disgrace。Bossuet and Fenelon。Two Rival Books。
Disgrace of Fenelon。
CHAPTER I
I was born on the night of the 15th of January； 1675； of Claude Duc de
Saint…Simon； Peer of France； and of his second wife Charlotte de
l'Aubepine。 I was the only child of that marriage。 By his first wife；
Diana de Budos； my father had had only a daughter。 He married her to the
Duc de Brissac； Peer of France； only brother of the Duchesse de Villeroy。
She died in 1684； without children；having been long before separated
from a husband who was unworthy of herleaving me heir of all her
property。
I bore the name of the Vidame de Chartres； and was educated with great
care and attention。 My mother； who was remarkable for virtue；
perseverance； and sense； busied herself continually in forming my mind
and body。 She feared for me the usual fate of young men； who believe
their fortunes made； and who find themselves their own masters early in
life。 It was not likely that my father； born in 1606； would live long
enough to ward off from me this danger； and my mother repeatedly
impressed on； me how necessary it was for a young man； the son of the
favourite of a King long dead；with no new friends at Court；to acquire
some personal value of his own。 She succeeded in stimulating my courage；
and in exciting in me the desire to make the acquisitions she laid stress
on； but my aptitude for study and the sciences did not come up to my
desire to succeed in them。 However； I had an innate inclination for
reading； especially works of history； and thus was inspired with ambition
to emulate the examples presented to my imagination；to do something and
become somebody； which partly made amends for my coldness for letters。
In fact； I have always thought that if I had been allowed to read history
more constantly； instead of losing my time in studies for which I had no
aptness； I might have made some figure in the world。
What I read of my own accord； of history； and； above all； of the personal
memoirs of the times since Francis I。； bred in me the desire to write
down what I might myself see。 The hope of advancement； and of becoming
familiar with the affairs of my time； stirred me。 The annoyances I might
thus bring upon myself did not fail to present themselves to my mind； but
the firm resolution I made to keep my writings secret from everybody；
appeared to me to remedy all evils。 I commenced my memoirs then in July；
1694； being at that time colonel of a cavalry regiment bearing my name；
in the camp of Guinsheim； upon the old Rhine； in the army commanded by
the Marechal Duc de Lorges。
In 1691 I was studying my philosophy and beginning to learn to ride at an
academy at Rochefort； getting mightily tired of masters and books； and
anxious to join the army。 The siege of Mons； formed by the King in
person； at the commencement of the spring； had drawn away all the young
men of my age to commence their first campaign； and； what piqued me most；
the Duc de Chartres was there； too。 I had been； as it were； educated
with him。 I was younger than he by eight months； and if the expression
be allowed in speaking of young people； so unequal in position；
friendship had united us。 I made up my mind； therefore； to escape from
my leading…strings； but pass lightly over the artifices I used in order
to attain success。 I addressed myself to my mother。 I soon saw that she
trifled with me。 I had recourse to my father； whom I made believe that
the King； having led a great siege this year； would rest the next。
I said nothing of this to my mother； who did not discover my plot until
it was just upon the point； of execution。
The King had determined rigidly to adhere to a rule he had laid down
namely； that none who entered the service； except his illegitimate
children； and the Princes of the blood royal； should be exempt from
serving for a year in one of his two companies of musketeers； and passing
afterwards through the ordeal of being private or subaltern in one of the
regiments of cavalry or infantry； before receiving permission to purchase
a regiment。 My father took me； therefore； to Versailles； where he had
not been for many years； and begged of the King admission for me into the
Musketeers。 It was on the day of St。 Simon and St。 Jude； at half…past
twelve； and just as his Majesty came out of the council。
The King did my father the honour of embracing him three times； and then
turned towards me。 Finding that I was little and of delicate appearance；
he said I was still very young； to which my father replied； that I should
be able in consequence to serve longer。 Thereupon the King demanded in
which of the two companies he wished to put me； and my father named that
commanded by Maupertuis； who was one of his friends。 The King relied
much upon the information given him by the captains of the two companies
of Musketeers； as to the young men who served in them。 I have reason for
believing； that I owe to Maupertuis the first good opinion that his
Majesty had of me。
Three months after entering the Musketeers； that is to say； in the March
of the following year； the King held a review of his guards； and of the
gendarmerie； at Compiegne； and I mounted guard once at the palace。
During this little journey there was talk of a much more important one。
My joy was extreme； but my father； who had not counted upon this；
repented of having believed me； when I told him that the King would no
doubt rest at Paris this year。 My mother； after a little vexation and
pouting at finding me enrolled by my father against her will； did not
fail to bring him to reason； and to make him provide me with an equipment
of thirty…five horses or mules； and means to live honourably。
A grievous annoyance happened in our house about three weeks before my
departure。 A steward of my father named Tesse； who had been with him
many years； disappeared all at once with fifty thousand francs due to
various tradesfolk。 He had written out false receipts from these people；
and put them in his accounts。 He was a little man； gentle； affable； and
clever； who had shown some probity； and who had many friends。
The King set out on the l0th of May； 1692； with the ladies； and I
performed the journey on horseback with the soldiers and all the
attendants； like the other Musketeers； and continued to do so through the
whole campaign。 I was accompanied by two gentlemen； the one had been my
tutor； the other was my mother's squire。 The King's army was formed at
the camp of Gevries； that of M。 de Luxembourg almost joined it： The
ladies were at Mons； two leagues distant。 The King made them come into
his camp； where he entertained them； and then showed them； perhaps； the
most superb review which had ever been seen。 The two armies were ranged
in two lines； the right of M。 de Luxembourg's touching the left of the
King's；the ；whole extending over three leagues of ground。
After stopping ten days at Gevries； the two armies separated and marched。
Two days afterwards the seige of Namur was declared。 The King arrived
there in five days。 Monseigneur （son of the King）； Monsieur （Duc
d'Orleans； brother of the King）； M。 le Prince （de Conde） and Marechal
d'Humieres； all four； the one under the other； commanded in the King's
army under the King himself。 The Duc de Luxembourg； sole general of his
own army； covered the siege operations； and