Épernon

And I meet this guy, Jean-Yves.

He would take me to Epernon, which is a town where they had a factory, make plastic packaging.

And I was supposed to evaluate a way to do inspections to reduce the producing bad things and pulling them out and, you know, improving their quality control.

It was a quality control problem, which I knew nothing about, of course, at the time.

But I learned, you know, I learned what I had to do.

And they gave me an apartment in Epernon.

So actually, I could stay in Epernon.

And every evening, I would go to the Relais, you know, the restaurant, and they would keep my bottle of wine if I didn't finish it, and I have it the next day.

The contrast at the outset of his career is thus described by the master hand of the Cardinal de Retz.

L'envoyé sur les degrés du trône d'où l'après et redoutable Richelieu avait foudroyé plutôt que gouverné les humains en successeur doux et bénin qui ne voulait rien qu'il était au désespoir que sa dignité de cardinal ne lui permettait pas de se humilier autant qu'il le souhaitait devant tout le monde Nonetheless, Mazarin stands before us throughout his career as the one man of his time in France alone not merely in coolness and clear sight and good sense but in that which most distinguishes a man from the mass of men—the distinct perception of a distant goal and an unfaltering determination to reach it If he had not the force of Richelieu He was at least as supple and vigilant if he did not show himself so masterful of the present It was perhaps because he saw the future more clearly and fixed his eye too exclusively upon that His patience fertility of resource and tenacity of purpose were exhaustless Brought up in the italian school of policy expediency Was his only guide All lines of conduct Were of merit In his eyes Whatever moral verdict might be passed on them By others According As they tended Even while apparently leading Him far from the direct road To bring him in Time nearer to his object He knew neither close friendships nor lasting hatreds for either of them Might prove A hindrance to his progress And if in founding a great Policy richelieu Had to overcome colossal difficulties He had advantages Which mazarin in his conflict to carry That policy to a triumphant conclusion Conspicuously lacked Richelieu was a frenchman Of gentle Birth and he was the irresponsible Minister of a king In the plenitude of his power Mazarin was a foreigner Scarce able to speak The language of the country He aspired to rule And his task was While his mind was filled With far-off design To uphold without flinching Sometimes in exile And in danger of his life At a period when Every turbulent and selfish element of political Life held riot The authority of An infant King At the outset of their Career the hands of mazarin And the Queen Regent Were strengthened by An opportune event On May 19th 1643 The desperate valor of Enghien And his horsemen swept away The renowned spanish Infantry at Rocroi By this feat of arms Which marks the transference Of military supremacy From the spanish to the french race A lustre was thrown Upon the policy of Richlieu Which was of course Reflected on the new Government At the same time The support of the king's uncle The fickle and Characterless Orleans And of Anguillon's father Conde Were for the Present secured For the court by Liberal promises The first attack upon Mazarin came Not from either of The great interests Which had been depressed But from a faction Of persons Who while Without judgment Or principle Were active and Unscrupulous enough To be dangerous The Duke of Beaufort Grandson of Henry IV And Gabrielle D'Estrée Whose only respectable Quality was that of Personal courage Had collected around him His father Vendôme His insignificant brother Mercure And a number of The less reputable Noblesse who had not dared To raise Their heads Against Richelieu With the Most Paltry designs They mingled the most High sounding maxims And called themselves After the Roman patriots whose deeds they professed to emulate The ridiculous side of the affair was soon recognized by the ready wit of the laughter loving Parisians It was the age of nicknames Beaufort whose handsome figure and licentious life made him popular among the lower bourgeoisie was soon known as the Roi des Halles King of the Marketplace while his adherents were styled the Importants With them were joined the returning exiles Guise Elbeuf Épernon and others while the court ladies delighted at a new excitement and led by the famous Duchesse of Chevreuse and Madame de Montbazon threw themselves eagerly into the plot Gallantry as was fitting caused the breaking up of the intrigue A quarrel for precedence between Madame de Montbazon and Enghien Sister Madame de Longueville Led to the disgrace of the former Beauford who was her lover determined to avenge her by the assassination of Mazarin Warned of the danger and recognizing the feebleness of the conspiracy Mazarin at once Struck his blow Beaufort was arrested and imprisoned.

Vendôme, the Duchess of Chevreuse, and the other leaders were exiled from Paris; and the party disappeared amid universal ridicule.

Mazarin now felt strong enough to resist with steadiness the claims of the grandees.

Elbeuf and Épernon indeed received governments: but Bouillon was refused Sedan, and though Vendôme demanded the important government of Brittany, the queen took it into her own hands.

Meanwhile the Parlement was eagerly exercising its reasserted claim to interfere in state matters.

The aristocracy of the robe was a more dangerous enemy than that of the noblesse, and a powerful means of attack was now furnished them.

There too the faction of the princes was continually strengthening itself while the streets were placarded by still another party who appealed to the people to seek their safety in the reconciliation of the various members of the royal family and in the banishment of Mazarin.