contre l'Empereur: le bruit même s'étoit répandu against the Emperor: the noise even against the Emperor: a rumour was himself + was spread even widely spread par-tout qu'il devoit se joindre à la France pour by-all that he tought himself to-join that he was going to join accabler la maison d'Autriche. to-overwhelm the house of Austria. overwhelm the house of Austria. to the France for Parmi tous ces ambassadeurs vint le fameux Jean, duc de Marl ambassadors came the famous John, duke of Marlambassadors, came the celebrated John, duke of Marl borough, de la part d'Anne, borough, from the part of Anne, borough, on the part of Anne, Britain. This reine de la Grande queen of the Great queen of Great Bretagne. Cet homme, qui n'a jamais assiégé de man, who not has never besieged of Britain. This man, who never besieged a prise, ni donné de bataille taken, nor given of battle battle ville qu'il n'ait town which he not may-have town which he did qu'il n'ait not take, nor fought a gagnée, étoit à Saint-James gained, un † was, at Saint-James, an was, at Saint James's, an adroit courtisan, dans le parlement un chef de parti, a expert courtier, in the parliament chief of party, adroit courtier, in parliament the leader of a party, dans les pays étrangers le plus habile négociateur in the countries foreign the most clever negotiator negotiator de son siècle. of his century. He had done as-much of evil to the France of his age. He had injured France as much Il avoit fait autant de mal à la France par son esprit que par ses armes. by his spirit as by his arms. by his talents On a entendu as by his arms. M. Fagel, the dire au secrétaire des États-généraux, M. Fagel, to-say to-the secretary of-the States-general, Μ. Fagel, secretary of the States-general, a man of eminent merit, homme d'un très grand mérite, que plus d'une fois, man of a very great merit, that more of one time, has been heard to say, that, more than once, les États-généraux ayant résolu de s'opposer the States-general when the States-general having resolved of themselves to-oppose had resolved to resist à ce que le Duc de Marlborough devoit leur to that which the Duke of Marlborough † ought to-them some proposal which the Duke of Marlborough had to make proposer, le Duc arrivoit, to-propose, the Duke leur parloit en François, arrived, to-them † spoke in French, to them, the Duke arrived, spoke to them in French, langue dans laquelle il s'exprimoit très mal, et tongue in the-which he himselft expressed very ill, and in which he expressed himself very ill, and les persuadoit tous. them persuaded all. persuaded them all. broke m'a confirmé. broke to-me has confirmed. by Lord Bolingbroke. C'est ce que Lord Boling This is that which Lord Boling- confirmed Il soutenoit avec le Prince Eugène, He sustained with the Prince Eugene, to me compagnon companion He, together with Prince Eugene, the companion de ses victoires, et avec Heinsius, grand-pensionnaire of his victories, and with Heinsius, great-pensioner grand-pensioner de Hollande, tout le poids des entreprises of Holland, all the weight of-the enterprises of Holland, sustained the whole weight of the attacks des alliés contre la France. Il savoit que Charles of-the allies against the France. He knew that Charles of the allies upon France. He knew that Charles étoit aigri contre l'Empire et contre l'Empereur; † was soured against the Empire and against the Emperor; was irritated against the Empire and against the Emperor; qu'il étoit sollicité secrètement par les François; et that he was that he was solicited secretly secretly and French; by the courted by the French; and que si le conquérant embrassoit le parti de Louis that if the conqueror † embraced the party of Louis that, if the conqueror the party of Louis joined Quatorze, les alliés seroient opprimés. Fourteen, the allies would-be oppressed. the Fourteenth, the allies would be subdued. Il est vrai que Charles avoit donné sa parole, en † had given his word, in given his word, in It is true that Charles had mille sept cents, de ne se mêler en rien de la thousand seven hundreds, of not himself to-mix in nothing of the seventeen hundred, to take no part whatever in the eût un prince assez esclave de sa parole pour might-be prince enough slave of his word for could be a prince so much the slave of his word, as a ne la pas sacrifier à sa grandeur et à son intérêt. not her * to-sacrifice to his not greatness and to his interest. to sacrifice it to his aggrandizement or to his interest. Il partit donc de la Haye dans le dessein d'aller sonder les intentions du Roi de Suède. to-sound the M. Fa M. Fa M. Fa brice, qui étoit alors auprès de Charles Douze, bricius, who † was then to-the-near of Charles bricius, who was then with Twelve, Charles, m'a assuré que le Duc de Marlborough, en me has assured that the Duke of Marlborough, has assured me that the Duke of Marlborough, in on his Piper, premier ministre, mais au Baron de Gortz, Piper, first minister, but to-the Baron of Gortz, Piper, the prime minister, but to Baron von Gortz, to qui commençoit à partager avec Piper la confiance who † began to to-partake with who Piper the confidence began divide with Piper the confidence du Roi. Il arriva même dans le carrosse de ce of-the King. He arrived of the King. He even in › the even came in the Baron au quartier de Charles Douze, Baron at-the quarter of Charles to Charles's carriage of this Baron's carriage et il y eut Twelve, and it there had quarters, and there was des froideurs marquées entre lui et le chancelier of-the coldnesses marked a Piper. Piper. marked between him and the chancellor coldness between him and the chancellor Présenté ensuite Presented afterwards par Piper, by When he was afterwards presented by Piper, together avec Robinson, ministre d'Angleterre, il parla with Robinson, minister with Robinson, the English au Roi en François; to-the King in French; to the King in French; roit heureux de teem happy of of England, he spoke minister, he spoke il lui dit, "qu'il s'estime he to-him said, "that he himself should-es- teem himself happy to have an opportunity of learning under ses ordres ce qu'il ignoroit de l'art de la his orders that which he †-knew-not of the art of the his orders whatever he was as yet ignorant of, in the art of guerre." Le Roi ne répondit à ce compliment war." The King not answered to this compliment war." The King did not return the slightest civility par aucune civilité, et parut oublier que c'étoit any civility, and appeared to-forget that it was to this compliment, and appeared to forget that it was by Marlborough qui lui parloit. Marlborough who to-him † spoke. Marlborough who addressed him. Je sais même qu'il I know even that he I can even assert that he of a man trouva que cé grand homme étoit vêtu d'une mafound that this great man + was clad thought that: great man nière trop recherchée, et too sought-after, and tion to his dress, and ner betrayed too great attenavoit l'air trop peu had not a sufficiently mar + had the air too little guerrier. La conversation fut fatigante et générale, warlike. The conversation was fatiguing and general, tial air.. The conversation was tedious and general, ne se hâtoit 19 jamais de faire ses propositions, et not himself + hastened was never hasty ever of to-make his propositions, and in making proposals, and acquis l'art de habit acquired the art of acquired the art of had actions, leurs gestes, leurs discours, étudia atten• actions, their gestures, their discourses, studied attenactions, gestures, and conversation, studied the tivement le Roi. En lui parlant de guerre en tively the King. In to-him speaking general, he thought he perceived in Charles the Twelfth une aversion naturelle pour la France; il remarqua an aversion to natural for the France; he remarked an instinctive aversion France; he remarked VOL. I. 2s |