Grand Coesres Sekret
by
Nicolai F. Romanow
Chapter V : Princesse Guemene’s ruelle
I.
Place of our destination was the socalled “Place Royal” at Seine’s right side, located in the old Quartier St. Antoine, nearby the Bastille, amidst a region named “Marais” because of ancient vineyards, still existing in the neighborhoods, entertained – – in old times – on behalf of the Parisean nobility living there. And all those rich peoples who claimed to be insiders, too..
Quite a colorful bustle over there, in contrast to the dark and narrow streets of the Quartier Maubert which we did visit before.
Even my mother seemed to awake to new zest and energy gradually, after being so heavily depressed because of the negative talkings at our yesterdays visit to her Nesmond family hotel..
Arriving at Place Royal we had to leave chaise and horse to a wage servant who parked both inside the socalled “quarré”, an area barried by wooden planks, especially reserved for “our” parking-purpose, i.e. this quarree was strictly forbidden to any “non-local” or “non-insider” visitors.
By the way – exactly that barred parking-“Quarree” had served as battle field for numerous memorable “insider”-duels happening in the past und in future.
You, my reader and insider, will have the privilege to get more details later-on.
II.
From there, we moved to prince Guemene fanily hotel nearby, one of the noblest houses of that square, domicile of the princesse Guemene, old girl-friend and patron of my mother, from whom she hoped to gain a propper protection in our case of murdering the lover of my mother .
Princess Guemene was socalled “pretiose” – meaning “precious gem”. And – she had any right to say so. In fact, – she was one of the most outstanding, most famous resistance women of her times.
Now-a-days — she’s almost forgotten..
Her famliy was related to the ancient and quite venerable Rohan family
Born 1604 as heiress and only daughter of Prince Rohan- Guemene III she had been enforced – by dynastic reasons – to marry her direct cousin, Louis Duc Montbazon – at the age of 14, thus unifiying the princedom Guemene and the Duchy Montbazon again..
That husband , though witty and not without charm, was known as a notorious coward and desolate sodomist.
So she had to console herself with numerous lovers – an adaequate inevitable solution to her foreseeable matromonial problems.
Any of her lovers had been a conspirator against the gouverment, and any of them had been killed in tragic incidents.
Her first “man” was an impetuous “dare-devil” , Comte Montmorency Bouteville . He got beheaded in 1627, due to a duel he instigated inside of the Place Royale “quarre” – by now our parking place.
The second lover she choose was the cousin of Bouteville, the, famous Duc Henri II Montmorency, god-son of Henry IV, first king of France issued by the Capet-Bourban-dynasty.
Montmorency was considered to be the most popular among all army leaders during the reign of Louis XIII,
Montmorency was a rival to prime minister Richelieu, who instigated his beheading at at Toulouse anno1632..
During that beheading procedure some blood of Montmorency was injected onto a marble bust of his godfather, standing next to the schafott. The executioner was a soldier, an admirer and former subordinate of Montmorency, loving his commander-in-chief, having tears in his eyes during that execution.
As I myself have, dear reader, when telling that story.
It is reported that the executioner had a last wispered discussion with Montmorency — seconds before the beheading procedure began.
And Montorency consoled him by issueing to him a last sharp military command:
” Frappez hardiment ”
III.
Third lover of princesse Guemene was the enigmatic Comte Soissons, another folks hero, originated from the Bourbon – Conde family branch..
Throughout his life he had contested to his elder brother the prestigious title of “premier prince de sang” , which would have had entitled him to direct throne succession after the death of “childless” king Louis XIII. .
That Soissons pleaded – in full public – being the carnal father of princesse Guemene`s second son..
That son was the famous Chevalier Louis Rohan, qualified for being a childhood playmate of our present king Louis XIV , lateron he became known as an conspirator as well, due to an childhood rivality with Louis XIV..
That son was a trouble-maker, stealed jewellery from his mother, who had to pay for his debts. Lateron we shall report talk upon that son in more detail.
By the way, his father, that throne-pretending Soissons, died soon after his rebellion had been already victorious, i.e. after winning a last decisive battle, which would have opened-up to him all entrance doors to Paris and to french goverment. The circumstances of his death have never been fully elucidated . Some rumor of murder.
Madame Guemene’s last well-known lover was a revoluzzer again, a disreputable rabble-rouser of people — Auguste de Thou was his name,. He, too, got executed in the year 1642 , because of his participation in the conspiracy of Cinq Mars, a former favorite of Louis XIII .
By the way, inside of that Cinq-Mars conspiracy had been involved duc Gaston Orleans, the only brother of Louis XIII .According to rumor and gossip – that Gaston Orleans had been “the only real and legal son of Henri IV”.
Lateron the Guemene choose the welknown and quite wealthy Coadjutor Retz as consort, again a conspirator against the crown during fronde times..But this time she obeyed more her needs of money than any rebellious aims. For the same money-reasons – later-on – she had to accept lateron the fat financier Emery as consort.
But her heart remained silent and dump during both last relationships.
IV.
Princess Guemene was quite an attractive, beautiful woman,. indeed, — a kind of vestal virgin, high-priestess of love Never I shall forget her eyes, shining like sapphires, veiled and mysterious ..
In addition to that – her female attractions couldn’t hardly be overseen. Never again I saw such a perfect formed generous bust. she still was surrounded by admirers subdued by those attractions, even being an elderly woman already.
Startingpoint of any discussion about beautiness was alway her famous double-coloured chest band, dividing her bust into a black downside part and a white colloured part upwards, showing – as she said – “where the sin begins”..
Shrouded in mystery – as well – were the duels fought on behalf of the Guemene and/or favored by her.
As I said: Usually those fightings took place in front of her hotel, inside of the wooden barred socalled “quarree”, which was – by now – our parking place.. .
The most memorable duel took place on December 12 in the year 1643.
Between Duc Henri Guise, the grandson of the “butcher of St. Bartholomew”, and the Comte Chatillon, grandson of Admiral Coligny, leader of the Protestant party during St. Barthomew times.. The last of the Coligny family found here his death..And , again, the death of a Coligny was caused by the fraud of a Guise again.
Cause to that duel gave a simple pride matter, an honor controversity beween the Guemene and the duchess of Longueville..
V.
When we had entered her ruelle, she was resting lavishly in her bed, surrounded by numerous admirers.. My mother and I had gained her special attentions allmost immediately,..
Both ladies started hugging each other right away, showered each other with kisses, covered, touched, carressed each other bodys in quite an intimate way – as if wanting to show to all bystanders, how special their realtionship was and how much one woman had missed the other..
And I had been – right away – part of this caresssing season. Because when I saw her for the first time – her visage, already wrinkled, caused to me strange love-feelings. . It seemed to me that I had to offer and to owe love feelings to her.
Eventually – there came the very moment when the Guemene did not want – and could not want – leaving me in the dark upon both womens close realtionship, and – by explaining all this, she even used my childhood nickname right away:
“Your mom, dear Bubu, had – once upon the time and strictly inside of my house – the status of a beloved daughter, my only true confidant. That did not change when she married your father and gave birth to you. Back in those times, your father had been involved in war-operations. And – of course – he took the resistance party. Like all real honest warriers did! Be ensured, only those kind of resistance people are allowed to frequent my house and ruelle — until today! So – don’t worry – we are among friends. We – your mom and I – we were the wifes of those warriors, could not help, could do nothing, were only allowed to wait and to pray for a good outcome with anxious hearts.
During my fourth decade of life I lived-through two very dangerous misscarryings. At that same time your mother was pregnant as well, we both suffered similar problems.. My both children died , but I had plenty of milk. So, I could feed you. Thus you –dear Bubu – consoled me, helped me out during those difficult times. We three enjoyed together an unforseeable happiness given to us after all our former miserys.
Thus I welcome you as a member of my closest family, hoping sincerely to recover you a true friend of mine, who will not be scared-off by the salt of my tears which I shed for all my former compagnons which I lost. Every day I must cry because of my sad destiny. At least I want to keep you, want to bestow you with all patronage, which I am able to supply.”
Surmounted by sudden emotions I reached out into her full, already white- shiny hair, kissed her cheeks, full of love and gratitude.
” Oh, dear little friend, cher cher ami ,” she took a breath after a while , “how long ago I did not experience such lovely hugging. Antoinette, dearest friend , what wonderful enjoyments did you withhold from me, from that languished and wilting flower?” While teasing my mother with her fan .
“Because I know you!” my mom answered mockingly, “And your all-consuming passions. Which even could not be stopped – by your adopted daughter and dearest girlfriend.”
‘
“Oh, how right you are, how well you still know me, dear companion of my loving- times! Yeah, probably you might have had such rights and plights to withhold this gem from me, not causing harm to him, what always had determined the fate of my beloved-ones before. Yes – you are right. I should never rekindle that flame of hatred again, which destroyed my own life, and the lifes of so many of my friends and admirersl. ”
VI.
Upon that last remark of the princesse – suddenly – complete silence fell over the conversation inside of her ruelle. Which had been so lively before.
” En garde, chere tante,” came a remark from the background., “The mignons of our lieutenant civile are ubiquitous, also those guys of the pretender to the Scottish throne . ”
All visitors started laughing again. Because at issue were the welknown ambitions of the grim-faced bourgeous finance minister Colbert to prove his affinity with Scottish royalty.
“I realy dont care about such bourgois gossip talk!” replied the Guemene. “And I am still not afraid of shaffots. That Chevalier Amiral on the trone – he will not dare to drag me before his judges. I would be well prepared for pulling-that bastard masque from his face. And that Guilio, that forster father with his unpronounceable name, coming from the darkest south, a priest, deeply involved in blasphemique relationship with my girlfriend Anna. He even not take notice about his had dating his forster-son. It was I myself who distrated her from her royal passions by involving my own family-flesh and blood into that love-affair , a projet, in which my son , – praise God – succeded admirably, thanks to his own beautyness. My Anna, exactly knew that and why she had to be – eternally!! – thankful to me. And all those other Evreux family members, we know them since centuries, they never should dare to contact me and my family-members by any future assault .Remember his socalled “grandfather”! He did not hesitate to put our treaty of Bearn into question, whereas solemnly sworn in public – that treaty, which keeps us together, all of us, until today! ”
” What kind of woman she was, your girlfriend Anna?” asked one from the audience into the subsequent silence.
.
“She might have been – possibly – ‘coupable’ – so to say . But – she was like all of us. During those difficult days and years of wars, internal fightings, resistance and – last not least – fronde times.”
“But, mamam, do you have any evidence for her culpidity? ” asked a pockmarked guy.
” Oh, Louis, my son. Always you ask for preuves, for evidence —-? Isn’t it proof enough that she got involved with that Sicilian — or Calabrian — eee – you name that area where he came from —————- but wait —- Yes – – there was evidence — Buckingham – yes, it was Buckingham who had left marks on her — a charming and good-looking guy, It happened during those mariage-festivities of Henriette and Charles Stuart. Reaux had to arrange that marriage. And arranged the opportunity for an intimate rendezvous with Anna . Inside of a silent garden. Our Queen of France had been taken by such brute force that she roared wildly and screaming like a cow at calving .My sister in law watched this personally – at those times she was Annas maid of honor and her closest confidante – : previously she – as well – had been ‘ won ‘ by the libertinage of that well-build Duc. Therefore she was deaf at both ears when she heard that panting — It must have been a tremendous fight. Buckingham’s gold-braided boots had left at Anna a bunch of bloody scratches, I myself got the honor to inspect them, your preuves, which you asked for. She – personally! – showed those preuves to all of us. And quite proud, quite willingly – So we were – all of us – during those fighting times.. And I still remember how envious we were. And how curious about all specifics and details of that “meeting”. But – at least – she just smiled knowingly,d did not add further details. Later-on, however, since that incident became known – almost as an political issue – at those times Anna justifyed herself repeatedly by claiming that he had tried to rape her. —. but never achieved his ultimate goal. And my sister in law – a duchess of Chevreuse – she had to pay for her misstep . She got relieved from her charge with immediate effect. But – be it as it was – the Duc wrote a bunch of love letters to Anna. His poems and love verses had pleased her very much. She enjoyed reading his letters, kept all of them in her personal care. And – by the way – later-on this Buckingham snacked at the fruits of my former rival, Marion Delorme, and only because of the fact that she looked so similar to Anna.. Marion however got exhausted by him because she had to imitate the entire habitude of Anna, his real queen of heart. Thus Marion abondened him, later-on.”
VII.
All bystanders hung fascinated at her lips and even my mother and I participated in this general sentiment, although more pressing concerns had brought us to this place.
“Tell us more about the Delorme, chere tante! ”
“Yes, yes, the Delorme, ” the Princess began thoughtfully, as if her fragile voice came from far away ..
“She was the one and only with a ranking low enough to live out all those manners which were not allowed to us.
A mutual friend , the late Arnauld , once told me of her gorgeous plump body, which was quite the spitting image of Anna’s body , and the fact that she – quite openly – dared to make the senseless georgeos noises at spasmatic loving times – something which we were allowed to do only in case of being raped.
As well, she did distinguish the men in three categories: To the first categorie belongend her real lovers and she never gave preference to any of them..
But Desbarraux , the beautiful infamous poet , remained the first one — forever. For he had been priviledged to seduce her first and got followed-up by Rouville : Rouville might have been no particularly beautiful consort – his face was covered by pockmarks – but he was manly, very manly indeed. I do not know how to express it otherwise. And – Rouville did duel himself with his enimys constantly , mostly because of the Delorme. Among others La Ferte Senneterre, the most skilful fencer of our times.
Mainly because there existed Comte Miossens. That Miossens had confessed to her by an impassioned letter the ways how he was going take her and how to use his quite special skills, which let her rival Ninon Lenclos exclaim :
“Ah , le bon la billet qu’a chatre’ .
He ist still alive, but getting quite old by-now that Bourbon bastard Caesar Phoebus d’ Albret , today governor of Bearn, but at Paris sitting together with his neighbor Chaville – or Ferte-Gaucher or whatever naming that bourgeous robe wants to be called – making coins and spinning intrigues by using that archive of Monsieur Darbon, another neighbour in the Rue Franc Bourgeois..
Arnauld, as well, belongend to that lover category, was authorized by her to reported upon her moans, As well as Cinq- Mars, her secret husband, playmate of Louis XIII . And that young Chatillon, who lost his life in the duel against Guise, then finally – last but not least – the always jealous Brissac .
In addition to those “lovers” she cared for a second categorie, her “martyrs”. Of this kind she “owned” a large number. Also Brissac must be associated with that group during his elderly loving days.
And finally, she had a third most important class, her “payeurs” . — ”
” What was her price?” it bursted out of me.
” Dear saucy young friend ! Those were honorable times . Ladies like my Delorme, or the Lenclos – they all led great salons frequented by tout Paris, equipped with everything which was expensive. And – yet – they never took or asked for money. It was only allowed to tender a gift to them, an appropriate gift ——“
And – the Guemene had added – after some delay:
.
“Usually – made by silver!”
IX.
“And now, Auntie, please tells us some details upon Beaufort and his Anna again. After that – you are relieved! ”
That asking came from her nieces. Noses and cheeks of those little girls had meanwhile changed into a most lovely pink color. The surrounding madames fluttered with their fans.
” So that you will sleep particularly well tonight?. Well then – be it as it is – You’ve asked for it .and I will answer — — Beaufort — Beaufort — Where have you been ? — Where is your time , where is my time , our time?
He was not especially nice or good-looking — no, he was not — But – I swear – he was efficient — very efficient — so much I may say — from my own experience . He was – let me put it like this – he was quite a massive personality. You certainly may not imagine what that means — but the more experienced among you may probably know my meaning..
Oh yes , my friends, you need not look away so bashfully . He spoke slang — Argot – and could expose a tremendous socalled ‘jambe de dieu’ – quite a powerful tool which even the king of the beggars would had been envious for —”
” With all due respect, chere princesse. I dont know whether that type of confessions are suitable for the ears of those innocent virgins surrounding us.—“
That prootest came from a pale-faced priest teacher seated among a group of “resistance philosophers” who were allowed to surround her bed.as well .
“Oh, would you please shut up, dearest pretre.They are old enough to learn the necessitys of life. Those are the lessons they need – that’s why they are here when they are enforced to marry at 14 by your gendres, like I had to do – knowing nothing!. Also — you seem to misunderstand my talking fundamentally – due to your dirty fantasys. In general a so-called ‘jambe de Dieu’ is commonly understood as a thightend-up forearm , some men can make them swollen-up to a giant size. Anything else is unproven gossip to which I will not comment.. The only certainity I know is the fact that a king of the beggars has to be able to produce by himself such kind of unusual abnormality by himself called ‘jambe de Dieu’. . Beaufort had this ability. And he talked “argot”, the beggars language. And his hotel is situated nearby the beggars district, the socalled “cour de miracle’ Yes, may-be he was not really good-looking, but he was bulky. No one could resist him, especially women could not resist..At least I don’t know anybody who could resist to him — ”
“And you, Auntie, could you?”
“Again such kind of lewed question. But fair enough, now its the time and the moment for telling the truth — Yes! Me as well, I had succumbed to him. But that was long after Anna’s time and love-affair. We never had been real rivals. Beaufort and Anna – they both loved and hated each other deeply. She even hadh im locked-up in jail at one time. Because this sly Mazzarino had influenced her, had told her that such jailing was a necessity because of – “ reasons of state” . And the Filastre , yes, all of you know her and also her establishment , I suppose – yes, you all do not need to look away so chaste – I like her, she is an expert in such matters, and quite a pretty girl, and – above all , very few know that – she had been Anna’s closest confidante in all those love-making matters.. So that Filastre had sworn to me, cross in her hand, that my Anna had been crying quite bitterly at all that arresting time of Beaufort. He, Beaufort, was her one and only, her real true love affaire , and the whole thing begun six years before the death of her husband. And if you ask me, my answer is: Yes, her husband, our former king Louis XIII, he knew this – quite probably..Allegedly he was relieved that it was him, Beaufort. And nobody else —- ”
“ Madame, do you mean that —”
“I do and will say nothing. That would be high treason. But everybody ‘s got to think about the fact that it was Beaufort , who had been convened after the death of Louis XIII into Anna’s State Council, and not the oldest one of the Vendome’s Bourbon family tree. And indeed, soon after the death of Louis XIII – Beaufort had – right away – played his role as a socalled “protector’ of Anna.. Similar to Cromwells role in England.. It is said that Beaufort had even beaten-up poor Anna. Many times! Hurted her pride by doinig this. And she confessed that intimate detail of her relationship to that windy un-tonsured priest from Calabria, who had been – already – jealous!. It was that Mazzarino who provided Anna with the keywords how to get rid of Beaufort. Beaufort did not realize this intrigue, he underestimated Mazzarino. He was no heroe of mind or specialist for political intriguing. Also, he was too proud to beg Queen Anna for forgiveness. Soon after he was exiled from her bedroom . And thus – from the political scene . When I got to know him lateron he was surrounded by enimies only. As well – diplomacy was definitely not his strength , he got all his energy was more or less – so to say – from his vegetative ablilitys. And his whereabout now – nobody knows. ”
“He was killed in action. In Candia, fighting the turcs!”
” I do not think so!” the Gumene commented that statement of a visitor in an unusual loud voice that anybody should hear it.
“ I may have lost my other compagnons at war and in battles or by executions. His fate may have been different. And I have my quite solid reasons for that. ”
„Would you take him back if he would show-up at Paris again– all of a sudden ? ”
squeaked-up a little great-niece who had made herself comfortable inside of her bed.
” Why not, sweety, why not? Such a magnificent sword!. If they force you to get married make sure that you get a sword as husband , it ‘s worth it. And never accept one of those penny-pushers.Those swords are different: They supply us with many healthy children and after work,, so to speak, they go to war, and give us enough space to develop our own way of live. The others, the robes, they never die ! You have to poison them, if you want to get rid of them . They sit on your dowry and let you sign contracts constantly until they have stolen all of your money und you have to ask them for permission, in all matters, even if you want to step out of your door. Believe me , I know wherefrom I do speak.
But back to Beaufort: With him I dont think that he will ever return to our circles. He has been betrayed by our people , lured into a trap , just as my poor Montmorency, the last of his family, fighting all alone against the entire French army. Like a lion. What he defended was a medallion of his lady Exactly the same might have been the fate of Beaufort . He also defended a medallion. ”
“Your medallion , chere tante?,” asked her niece, out of breath, and snuggled herself to her Grandma.
..
” That would be fine . I hoped for this, quite often. But – no. No, I ‘m sure his special coin was of a different matter, but I ‘d rather not like to talk about this.. My friend out there was all alone, all onhiss own at his fighting in Candia – he wanted to free his French comrad soldiers which had been trapped and were besieged at Candia by the Turs. Finally he had to fight against an army of saber-wielding turcs who outnumbered himmore than one-hundred times. He fought hard with his tremendous raw power, which I already mentioned , and – believe me – I know what I’m talking about. All of his officers had vanished cowardly, and later, when that battlefield had been cleaned up — his body was gone. That ‘body’ laying in a coffin which is now said to be on its way to Paris , and to all of us should mourn , that’s “nothing” , that’s an “empty coffin”. I remember how much he rejoiced when the command for Candia was assigned to him — at that time, quite surprisingly. But – in fact – it was an intrige by his french enemies. He was send into a death squad. And not only I do know this –, everyone in this room knows who was responsible for this. ” .
” Nobody warned him taking-up that command ? ”
” Yes ! I did! I had warned him quite often, wanted him to abstain from that command , but he claimed that this Evreux king was his Chevalier Amiral – that he loved him like a son of his own , that for him he would risk his life. He was – as always – like a bull — nobody could stop him . ”
“But why do you think , that someone might have been interested in his death? Or was it even the king, who did not like him ? ” asked the pale-faced visitor who seemed wanting to lurk her into some sensational revelation.
And the secretive memorable reply of the Guemene was as follows::
” Upon further details I am not allowed or authorized to talk. But I can tell you — There are secrets surrounding Beaufort, known to a few people only. Whoever is trying to reveal those secrets may risk being deeply hated – may risk his life even. Perhaps I did already disclose too much.”
Grand Coesre's Secret 