r
believed that the cardinal changed his opinions with the state of
affairs, wishing for peace or war as they suited the French interests,
or as he conceived they tended to render his administration necessary to
the crown.[221] When Brulart, on his return from his embassy, found this
outcry raised against him, and not a murmur against Joseph, he explained
the mystery; the cardinal had raised this clamour against him merely to
cover the instructions which he had himself given, and which Brulart was
convinced he had received, through his organ, Father Joseph; a man, said
he, who has nothing of the Capuchin but the frock, and nothing of the
Christian but the name: a mind so practised in artifices, that he could
do nothing without deception: and during the whole of the Ratisbon
negotiation, Brulart discovered that Joseph would never communicate to
him any business till the whole was finally arranged: the sole object of
his pursuit was to find means to gratify the cardinal. Such free
sentiments nearly cost Brulart his head: for once in quitting the
cardinal in warmth, the minister following him to the door, and passing
his hand over the other's neck, observed, that "Brulart was a fine man,
and it would be a pity to divide the head from the body."

One more anecdote of this good father Joseph, the favourite instrument
of the most important and covert designs of this minister, has been
preserved in the _Memorie Recondite_ of Vittorio Siri,[222] an Italian
Abbe, the Procopius of France, but afterwards pensioned by Mazarin.
Richelieu had in vain tried to gain over Colonel Ornano, a man of
talents, the governor of Monsieur, the only brother of Louis XIII.; not
accustomed to have his offers refused, he resolved to ruin him. Joseph
was now employed to contract a particular friendship with Ornano, and to
suggest to him, that it was full time that his pupil should be admitted
into the council, to acquire some political knowledge. The advancement
of Ornano's royal pupil was his own; and as the king had no children,
the crown might descend to Monsieur. Ornano therefore took the first
opportunity to open himself to the king, on the propriety of initiating
his brother into affairs, either in council, or by a command in the
army. This the king, as usual, immediately communicated to the cardinal,
who was well prepared to give the request the most odious turn, and to
alarm his majesty with the character of Ornano, who, he said, was
inspirin