she stands accused(她是被告)-第33章
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oneand the old man was content to be left to his continual hunting； and
not to bother over the fact that he was the last of his ancient line。
It may be easily believed that the Prince's disinclination to marry again
contented Sophie very well。 And the fact that he had no direct heir was
one in which she saw possibilities advantageous to herself。
The Prince was then sixty…six years old。 In the course of nature he
was almost bound to predecease her。 His wealth was enormous； and out
of it Sophie wanted as much by bequest as she could get。 She was much
too shrewd； however； to imagine that； even if she did contrive to be made
his sole heir； the influential families who had an eye upon the great
possessions of the Prince； and who through relationship had some right to
expect inheritance； would allow such a will to go uncontested。 She
therefore looked about among the Prince's connexions for some one who
would accept coheirship with herself； and whose family would be strong
enough in position to carry through probate on such terms； but at the same
time would be grateful enough to her and venal enough to further her aim
of being reinstated at Court。 Her choice in this matter shows at once her
political cunning； which would include knowledge of affairs； and her
ability as a judge of character。
It should be remembered that； in spite of his title of Duc de Bourbon；
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Sophie's elderly protector was only distantly of that family。 He was
descended in direct line from the Princes de Conde； whose connexion with
the royal house of France dated back to the sixteenth century。 The other
line of ‘royal' ducs in the country was that of Orleans； offshoot of the royal
house through Philippe； son of Louis XIII； and born in 1640。 Sophie's
protector； Louis…Henri…Joseph； Prince de Conde； having married Louise…
Marie； daughter of the great…grandson of this Philippe； was thus the
brother…in…law of that Louis…Philippe； Duc d'Orleans； who in the
Revolution was known as ‘‘Egalite。'' This was a man whom； for his
political opinion and for his failure to stand by the King； Louis XVI； the
Prince de Conde utterly detested in memory。 As much； moreover； as he
had hated the father did the Prince de Conde detest Egalite's son。 But it
was out of this man's family that Sophie selected； though ultimately； her
coheir。
Before she arrived at this point； however； Sophie had been at pains to
do some not very savoury manoeuvring。
By a dancer at the Opera； called Mimi； the Prince de Conde had an
illegitimate daughter； whom he had caused to be educated and whom he
had married to the Comte de Rully。 The Comtesse de Rully and her
husband had a suite at Chantilly。 This was an arrangement which Sophie；
as reigning Queen of Chantilly； did not like at all。 While the Rully
woman remained at Chantilly Sophie could not think that her sway over
the Prince was quite as absolute as she wished。 It took her six years of
badgering her protector； from 1819 to 1825； to bring about the eviction。
But meantime （for Sophie's machinations must be taken as concurrent
with events as they transpire） the Baronne de Feucheres had approached
the son of Philippe…Egalite； suggesting that the last…born of his six children；
the Duc d'Aumale； should have the Prince de Conde for godfather。 If she
could persuade her protector to this the Duc d'Orleans； in return； was to
use his influence for her reinstatement at Court。 And persuade the old
man to this Sophie did； albeit after a great deal of badgering on her part
and a great deal of grumbling on the part of the Prince。
The influence exerted at Court by the Duc d'Orleans does not seem to
have been very effective。 The King who had dismissed her the Court；
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Louis XVIII； died in 1824。 His brother； the Comte d'Artois； ascended the
throne as Charles X； and continued by politically foolish recourses；
comparable in history to those of the English Stuarts； to alienate the
people by attempting to regain that anachronistic absolute power which
the Revolution had destroyed。 He lasted a mere six years as king。 The
revolution of 1830 sent him into exile。 But up to the last month or so of
those six years he steadfastly refused to have anything to do with the
Baronne de Feucheresnot that Sophie ever gave up manoeuvring and
wheedling for a return to Court favour。
About 1826 Sophie had a secret proposition made to the King that she
should try to persuade the Prince de Conde to adopt as his heir one of the
brothers of the Duchesse de Berry； widow of the King's second sonor
would his Majesty mind if a son of the Duc d'Orleans was adopted？ The
King did not care at all。
After that Sophie pinned her faith in the power possessed by the Duc
d'Orleans。 She was not ready to pursue the course whereby her return to
Court might have been securednamely； to abandon her equivocal
position in the Prince de Conde's household； and thus her power over the
Prince。 She wanted first to make sure of her share of the fortune he
would leave。 She knew her power over the old man。 Already she had
persuaded him to buy and make over to her the estates of Saint…Leu and
Boissy； as well as to make her legacies to the amount of a million francs。
Much as she wanted to be received again at Court； she wanted more just as
much as she could grab from the Prince's estate。 To make her inheritance
secure she needed the help of the Duc d'Orleans。
The Duc d'Orleans was nothing loth。 He had the mind of a French
bourgeois； and all the bourgeois itch for money。 He knew that the Prince
de Conde hated him； hated his politics； hated his very name。 But during
the seven years it took Sophie to bring the Prince to the point of signing
the will she had in mind the son of Philippe…Egalite fawned like a huckster
on his elderly and； in more senses than one； distant relative。 The scheme
was to have the Prince adopt the little Duc d'Aumale； already his godchild；
as his heir。
The ways by which Sophie went about the job of persuading her old
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lover do not read pleasantly。 She was a termagant。 The Prince was
stubborn。 He hated the very idea of making a willit made him think of
death。 He was old； ill； friendless。 Sophie made his life a hell； but he
had become dependent upon her。 She ill…used him； subjecting him to
physical violence； but yet he was afraid she might； as she often threatened；
leave him。 Her way of persuading him reached the point； it is on record；
of putting a knife to his throat。 Not once but several times his servants
found him scratched and bruised。 But the old man could not summon up
the strength of mi
