memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Ah；　tell　them　they　lie　in　their　throats；〃　replied　the　king；　kissing　me　on　the　forehead；　〃you　are　the　woman　of　my　heart；　and　she　whom　I　would　fain　load　with　honors。　　〃

〃Your　majesty　speaks　to　me；〃　I　answered；　〃with　great　condescension　＇my　sister…in…law　left　the　room　that　she　might　not　spoil　the　explanation＇；　but　yet　you　are　the　cause　of　the　insolences　which　I　am　subjected　to　from　the　vile　crew。〃

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you　to…day？　　In　truth　you　are　a　perfect　little　devil。〃

〃I　wish　I　were；　that　I　might　punish　evil　tongues；　since　there　is　no　king　of　France　to　avenge　me。〃

〃You　are　severe；　madame；〃　replied　Louis　XV；　turning　his　imposing　and　handsome　face　towards　me；　and　to　which　he　vainly　endeavored　to　give　an　air　of　anger。　　I　saw　my　success；　and　added；

〃Yes；　sire；　it　is　insupportable　for　me　to　think　that　I　am　supposed　not　to　possess　your　friendship；　and　that　I　only　play　the　part　of　a　temporary　friend。　　It　makes　me　wretched：　you　must　not　be　angry　if　I　complain　of　you　to　your　royal　self。〃

〃Well；　well；　you　madcap；　what　must　I　do？　　Whom　must　I　banish？〃

〃Oh；　sire；　no　one：　with　your　august　support　I　fear　no　person；　nothing　but　appearances。〃

〃You　are　an　excellent　creature；　in　your　place　madame　de　Pompadour　would　have　imprisoned　half　France。〃

〃That　was　because　she　loved　revenge　better　than　she　loved　your　majesty。　　As　for　me；　I　should　be　miserable　if　I　were　the　cause　of　one　single　family　complaining　against　you。〃

The　king；　delighted　at　these　words；　which　really　came　from　my　heart；　embraced　me　tenderly　two　or　three　times；　and　said；

〃I　wish　your　enemies　could　understand　you；　for　they　would　soon　be　at　your　knees。　　But　if　we　imprison　or　exile　no　person；　how　shall　we　strike　terror　into　them？〃

〃It　is　not　terror　but　envy　that　I　would　excite。　　Let　me　be　presented　at　court；　and　all　my　wishes　will　be　satisfied。〃

〃I　cannot　for　the　life　of　me　divine　why　you　should　lay　so　much　stress　on　coming　to　weary　yourself　with　the　ceremonies　of　myself　and　daughters。　　Heaven　preserve　you　from　all　the　irksomeness　of　court　ceremony！〃　　And　Louis　XV　sighed。　　〃Did　you　ever　think；〃　he　added；　〃of　all　the　vanities；　all　the　interests　I　have　to　manage；　all　the　intrigues　that　are　perpetually　agitating；　and　all　the　opposition　made　to　me？　　The　court；　the　city；　the　people；　will　rise　against　me：　they　will　clamor；　groan；　complain；　verse；　prose；　epigram；　and　pamphlet　will　appear　in　uninterrupted　succession。　　You　would　be　first　attacked；　and　hatred　will　perhaps　extend　to　me。　　I　shall　see　again　the　times　when　the　Damiens；　in　the　name　of　the　parliaments；　as　one　party　says；　in　the　name　of　the　Jesuits；　as　the　other　party　says；　and；　what　is　more　true；　in　the　name〃

The　king　suddenly　paused；　a　deep　shade　of　melancholy　settled　on　his　features；　his　noble　head　dropped　on　his　bosom。　　Louis　XV　remained　for　some　time　motionless；　at　length；

〃Well；〃　he　exclaimed；　attempting　to　force　a　smile；　〃well！　　I　will　write　to　the　ladies　de　Grammont；　to　inform　them　that　they　need　not　give　themselves　the　trouble　to　remain　near　me　at　the　chateau。〃

On　his　saying　these　words　I　darted　towards　the　door；　and　went　into　my　chamber。　　The　king　followed；　and　finding　there　mademoiselle　Chon；　who　was　working　at　some　tapestry；　said　to　her；

〃Mademoiselle；　I　confide　to　your　care；　and　by　oral　；　the　most　amiable　little　devil　in　France。　　And　now；　mademoiselle　du　Barry；　having　nothing　further　to　add；　I　pray　God　to　take　you　to　His　powerful　and　holy　keeping。〃

After　this　pleasantry　the　king；　delighted　at　the　gay　termination　of　a　somewhat　serious　scene；　went；　or　rather　vanished；　for　to　use　a　proverbial　expression；　he　ran　like　a　thief。

As　soon　as　I　was　alone　with　my　sister…in…law；　I　told　her　all　that　had　passed。

〃I　see；〃　said　she；　〃that　the　king　is　fearful　of　offending　the　duc　de　Choiseul；　and　giving　annoyance　to　his　daughters。　　But　a　step　must　be　determined　on　which　will　place　you　out　of　the　reach　of　complete　disgrace。　　Would　it　not　be　best　to　get　some　nobleman；　who　can　do　so　with　influence；　to　speak　to　him　on　the　subject？　　If　the　duc　de　Richelieu　were　here〃

〃But；〃　I　instantly　exclaimed；　〃have　we　not　his　nephew；　the　duc　d'　Aiguillon？　　He　is　well　with　the　king；　and　I　am　certain　will　take　the　most　lively　interest　in　all　that　concerns　me。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it；〃　said　Chon；　with　a　sly　look。　　〃Write　to　him　to　come；　and　you　can　arrange　your　ulterior　proceedings。〃

On　this　advice；　which　was　quite　to　my　taste；　I　went　instantly　to　my　writing…table；　the　last　present　which　the　king　had　made　me。　It　was　made　of　silver　gilt；　and　china　slabs　beautifully　painted。　When　I　opened　it；　a　glass　was　lifted　which　reflected　my　countenance。　I　sat　down　and　wrote　the　following　note　to　the　duc　d'Aiguillon：

〃You　must　be　content。　　I　want　your　assistance；　I　really　want　it。　　The　moment　has　come　for　deserving　all　my　confidence。　　Will　you　have　it　at　all　risks　and　perils？　　Reflect　well　before　you　undertake　this：　if　you　accept；　come　to…day　at　five　o'clock　precisely；　neither　later　nor　sooner。〃

A　little　while　afterwards　the　following　reply　was　brought。

〃One　thing　displeases　me　in　your　letter　which　else　enchants　me。　　You　appear　to　doubt　my　obedience。　Am　I　not　your　slave？　　And　when　you　say　to　me　；　will　I　not　？　　Rely　on　me　as　on　yourself；　even　more：　for　your　vivacity　may　lead　you　into　error；　and　I　shall　preserve　my　reason。　　Yes；　madame；　I　will；　when　near　you；　preserve　my　reason　when　your　interests　are　at　stake。　　At　the　fixed　hour　I　shall　have　the　honor　to　lay　at　your　feet　my　respectful　homage　and　boundless　devotion。〃

It　was　impossible　to　express　a　real　sentiment　with　more　delicacy。　I　was　charmed　at　it；　no　longer　doubting　that　the　duke　would　consider　my　interests　as　his　own。　　I　awaited　the　hour　of　five　with　impatience；　when　my　good　fortune　brought　the　prince　de　Soubise。　　After　the　first　compliments；

〃Well；　madame　la　comtesse；　when　is　your　presentation　to　take　place？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　monsieur　le　marechal；　there　are　obstacles　in　the　way。　　I　fear　that　they　who　wish　to　injure　me　abuse　their　influence　with　the　king。〃

〃I　see　that　his　majesty　hesitates；　altho'　he　is　desirous　of　giving

you　station。　　He　must　be　stimulated　to　know　that　he　is　master；　and　that　if　he　shows　any　wavering　in　this　particular；　it　will　be　made　use　of　to　govern　him　hereafter。〃

Heartily　did　I　applaud　the　language　of　M。　de　Soubise：　I　did　not　suspect　that　the　dear　prince　had　another　motive　behind。　　At　the　end　of　the　interview　he　said；

〃Madame；　you　would　not　have　been　as　you　now　are　had　you　been　more　conciliatory　towards　me。　　I　know　the　king；　and　know　how　to　manage　him。　　I　flatter　myself　that　you　would　have　been　now　presented　had　you　deigned　to　hear　my　advice。〃

〃Did　I　reject　it？　　Was　I　wrong　in　declining　to　have　mademoiselle　Guimard　as　ambassadress？　　Were　you　assured　of　her　silence？　Might　she　not　have　compromised　us？〃

〃You　are　right；　I　did　as　one　would　have　done　at　your　age；　and　you　have　done　as　I　should　do　at　mine；　but　there　is　always　time　to　amend。〃

〃Certainly；　prince。〃

〃You　accept　my　advice；　then。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　seeing　the　defile　in　which　he　wished　to　entrap　me；　〃yes；　if　I　am　presented　thro'　your　influence；　from　that　moment　you　become　my　guide　and　mentor。　　But　it　is　important　that　the　presentation　be　not　delayed；　I　rely　on　you　to　speak　to　the　king　this　day　about　it；　and　I　know　that　he　will　give　me　every　particular　of　the　immense　service　you　will　render　me。〃

For　once　the　madcap　girl　got　the　better　of　the　practised　courtier。　M。　de　Soubise；　taken　in　his　own　snare；　politely　excused　himself；　and　left　me　with　an　assurance　that　he　would　speak　to　the　king。　He　did　speak；　but　obtained　nothing　more　than　any　other。　　You　will　see　in　my　next　letter　that　I　did　not　arrive　at　the　accomplishment　of　my　wishes　without　much　trouble。　　There　were　in　this　affair　more　intrigues　for　and　against　me　than　were　afterwards　set　on　foot　to　decide　war　with　America。



CHAPTER　VII


The　comtesse　and　the　duc　d'AiguillonM。　de　SoubiseLouis　XV　and　the　duc　d'AiguillonLetter　from　the　comtesse　　to　the　king　Answer　of　the　king…The　〃〃The　comtesse　and　Louis　XVThe　supperThe　court　ladies　mystifiedThe　comtesse　and　M。　de　Sartines

I　was　still　triumphing　at　the　skill　which　I　had　displayed　in　my　conference　with　the　prince　de　Soubise　when　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　entered。

〃Good　heaven；〃　said　he；　kissing　my　hand　very　tenderly；　〃into　what　inquietude　did　you　throw　me　by　your　dear　and　cruel　letter。　The　ambiguity　of　your　style　has　caused　me　inexpressible　sorrow；　and　you　have　added　to　it　by　not　allowing　me　to　come　to　you　at　the　first　moment。〃

〃I　could　not：　I　thought　it　would　be　dangerous　for　you　to　appear　before　the　king　previously　to　having　seen　me。〃

〃Would　the　king　have　thought　my　visit　strange？〃　　asked　the　duke；　not　without　some　emotion。

〃That　is　not　the　point。　　The　black　spite　of　my　enemies　has　not　yet　deprived　me　of　the　counsels　of　a　friend。　　But　as　it　is　necessary　to　speak　to　the　king　in　my　favor；　I　wish　that　he　should　not　know　that　you　do　so　at　my　request。〃

After　this　I　related　to　the　duke　my　conversation　with　the　king。

〃Your　situation　is　delicate；〃　said　he　to　me；　〃but　it　should　not　trouble　you。　　The　king　is　weak；　we　must　give　him　courage。　　It　is　his　pliancy　of　disposition　rather