memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第18节

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ful；　least　esteemed；　least　considered。　　Some　time　after　his　death　some　one　said　of　him　in　the　presence　of　the　duc　d'Ayen；　that　he　had　been　an　unfortunate　man；　for　he　had　been　all　his　life　the　butt　of　public　hatred　and　universal　contempt。　　〃Rather　say；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃that　he　has　been　a　fortunate　man；　for　if　justice　had　been　rendered　to　him　according　to　his　deserts；　he　would　have　been　hanged　at　least　a　dozen　times。〃

The　duc　d'Ayen　was　right：　M。　de　la　Vrilliere　was　a　brazen…faced　rogue；　a　complete　thief；　without　dignity；　character；　or　heart。　　His　cupidity　was　boundless：　the　　emanated　from　his　office；　and　he　carried　on　an　execrable　trade　in　them。　　If　any　person　wished　to　get　rid　of　a　father；　brother；　or　husband；　they　only　had　to　apply　to　M。　de　la　Vrilliere。　　He　sold　the　king's　signature　to　all　who　paid　ready　money　for　it。　　This　man　inspired　me　with　an　invincible　horror　and　repugnance。　　For　his　part；　as　I　was　not　disgusting；　he　contented　himself　with　hating　me；　he　was　animated　against　me　by　his　old　and　avaricious　mistress；　madame　de　Langeac；　alias　Subutin。　　Langeac　could　not　endure　me。　　She　felt　that　it　was　better　to　be　the　mistress　of　Louis　XV　than　that　of　the　；　for　so　her　lover　was　called　at　court。　　I　knew　that　she　was　no　friend　of　mine；　and　that　her　lover　sided　with　the　Choiseuls　against　me；　and　was　consequently　the　more　delighted　to　see　the　little　scoundrel　come　to　receive　the　order　for　avenging　me。　　He　entered　with　an　air　of　embarrassment；　and　whilst　he　made　me　a　salute　as　low　as　to　the　king；　this　latter；　in　a　brief　severe　tone；　ordered　him　to　send　the　sieur　Ledoux　to　Saint　Lazare　forthwith。　He　departed　without　reply；　and　half　an　hour　afterwards　returned；　to　say　that　it　was　done。　　The　king　then　said　to　him；

〃Do　you　know　this　lady？〃

〃No；　sire。〃

〃Well；　I　desire　you　henceforward　to　have　the　greatest　consideration　for　her　as　my　best　friend；　and　whoever　wishes　to　prove　his　zeal　for　me；　will　honor　and　cherish　her。〃

The　king　then　invited　him　to　sup　with　us；　and　I　am　sure　that　during　the　whole　repast　I　was　the　hardest　morsel　he　had　to　digest。

Some　days　afterwards　I　made　acquaintance　with　a　person　much　more　important　than　the　little　duke；　and　destined　to　play　a　great　part　in　the　history　of　France。　　I　mean　M。　de　Maupeou；　the　late　chancellor；　who；　in　his　disgrace；　would　not　resign　his　charge。　　M。　de　Maupeou　possessed　one　of　those　firm　and　superior　minds；　which；　in　spite　of　all　obstacles；　change　the　face　of　empires。　　Ardent；　yet　cool；　bold；　but　reflective；　the　clamors　of　the　populace　did　not　astonish；　nor　did　any　obstacles　arrest　him。　　He　went　on　in　the　direct　path　which　his　will　chalked　out。　　Quitting　the　magistracy；　he　became　its　most　implacable　enemy；　and　after　a　deadly　combat　he　came　off　conqueror。　　He　felt　that　the　moment　had　arrived　for　freeing　royalty　from　the　chains　which　it　had　imposed　on　itself。　　It　was　necessary；　he　has　said　to　me　a　hundred　times；　for　the　kings　of　France　in　past　ages　to　have　a　popular　power　on　which　they　could　rely　for　the　overturning　of　the　feudal　power。　　This　power　they　found　in　the　high　magistracy；　but　since　the　reign　of　Louis　XIII　the　mission　of　the　parliaments　had　finished；　the　nobility　was　reduced；　and　they　became　no　less　formidable　than　the　enemy　whom　they　had　aided　in　subduing。

〃Before　fifty　years；〃　pursued　M。　de　Maupeou；　〃kings　will　be　nothing　in　France；　and　parliaments　will　be　everything。〃

Talented；　a　good　speaker；　even　eloquent；　M。　de　Maupeou　possessed　qualities　which　made　the　greatest　enterprises　successful。　　He　was　convinced　that　all　men　have　their　price；　and　that　it　is　only　to　find　out　the　sum　at　which　they　are　purchasable。*　As　brave　personally　as　a　marechal　of　France；　his　enemies　（and　he　had　many）　called　him　a　coarse　and　quarrelsome　man。　　Hated　by　all；　he　despised　men　in　a　body；　and　jeered　at　them　individually；　but　little　sensible　to　the　charms　of　our　sex；　he　only　thought　of　us　by　freaks；　and　as　a　means　of　relaxation。　　This　is　M。　de　Maupeou；　painted　to　the　life。　　As　for　his　person；　you　know　it　as　well　as　I　do。　　I　have　no　need　to　tell　you；　that　he　was　little；　ugly；　and　his　complexion　was　yellow；　bordering　upon　green。　　It　must　be　owned；　however；　that　his　face；　full　of　thought　and　intelligence；　fully　compensated　for　all　the　rest。

*This　gentleman　would　have　been　an　able　coadjutor　for　Sir　Robert　Walpole。　　…Trans。

You　know　how；　as　first　president　of　the　parliament　of　Paris；　he　succeeded　his　father　as　vice…chancellor。　　At　the　resignation　of　the　titular　M。　de　Lamoignon*；　the　elder　Maupeou　received　his　letters　of　nomination；　and　as　soon　as　they　were　registered；　he　resigned　in　favor　of　his　son。　　The　Choiseuls　had　allowed　the　latter　to　be　nominated；　relying　on　finding　him　a　creature。　　I　soon　saw　that　the　Choiseuls　were　mistaken。

*In　September；　1768。　　（au。）

It　was　in　the　month　of　October；　that　Henriette；　always　my　favorite；　came　to　me　with　an　air　of　unusual　mystery；　to　say；　that　a　black*　and　ugly　gentleman　wished　to　see　me；　that　on　the　usual　reply　that　I　was　not　visible；　he　had　insisted；　and　sent；　at　the　same　time；　a　cautiously　sealed　note。　　I　took　it；　opened；　and　read　these　words：　

　　　　　　　　*i。e。；　black…haired　and/or　dressed　in　black　（Gutenberg　ed。）

〃The　chancellor　of　France　wishes　to　have　the　honor　of　presenting　his　respectful　homage　to　madame　la　comtesse　du　Barry。〃

〃Let　him　come　in；〃　I　said　to　Henriette。

〃I　will　lay　a　wager；　madame；　that　he　comes　to　ask　some　favor。〃

〃I　believe；〃　replied　I；　〃that　he　is　more　frequently　the　solicited　than　the　solicitor。〃

Henriette　went　out；　and　in　a　few　minutes　led　in；　thro'　the　private　corridors　which　communicated　with　my　apartment；　his　highness　monseigneur　Rene　Nicolas　Charles　Augustin　de　Maupeou；　chevalier　and　chancellor　of　France。　　As　soon　as　he　entered　I　conceived　a　good　opinion　of　him；　altho'　I　had　only　seen　him　walk。　　His　step　was　firm　and　assured；　like　that　of　a　man　confident　in　the　resources　of　his　own　talents。

〃Madame　la　comtesse　du　Barry；〃　he　said；　〃would　have　a　right　to　complain　of　me；　if　I　did　not　come　and　lay　my　person　at　her　feet。　I　had　the　more　impatience　to　express　to　her　my　devotion；　as　I　feared　she　had　been　prejudiced　against　me。〃

〃How；　monseigneur？〃

〃The　gate　by　which　I　entered　the　ministry〃

〃Is　not　agreeable　to　me；　as　being　that　of　my　enemies；　but　I　feel　assured　that　you　will　not　side　with　them　against　me。〃

〃Certainly　not；　madame；　it　is　my　wish　to　give　you　pleasure　in　every　thing；　and　I　flatter　myself　I　may　merit　your　friendship。〃

After　many　other　compliments；　the　Chancellor　asked　me；　with　much　familiarity；　when　my　presentation　was　to　take　place；　and　why　it　had　not　yet　occurred。　　I　replied；　that　the　delay　arose　from　the　intrigues　of　Choiseul；　and　the　king　shrunk　from　the　discontent　of　a　handful　of　courtiers。

〃I　am　sorry　for　it；〃　said　M。　de　Maupeou；　〃in　the　first　place；　madame；　because　of　the　interest　I　take　in　you；　and　also　because　for　his　majesty；　it　would　be　a　means　of　striking　terror　into　the　opposing　party。　　You　know；　madame；　how　annoying　parliaments　are　to　all　your　friends；　and　with　what　bitterness　those　of　Bretagne　and　Paris；　at　this　moment；　are　pursuing　the　duc　d'Aiguillon。〃



〃Do　you　think；〃　I　replied　with　emotion；　〃that　matters　are　unfavorable　towards　him？〃

〃I　hope　not；　but　he　must　be　warmly　supported。〃

〃Ah！　　I　will　aid　him　with　all　my　influence。　　He　is　no　doubt　innocent　of　the　crimes　imputed　to　him。〃

〃Yes；　certainly。　　He　has　done　no　other　wrong　than　to　defend　the　authority　of　the　crown　against　the　enmity　of　the　parliaments。〃

We　continued　some　time　to　talk　of　parliaments　and　parliament　men：　then　we　agreed　that　M。　de　Maupeou　should　see　me　again；　accompanied　by　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　who　should　have　the　credit　of　presenting　him；　and　he　left　me　with　as　much　mystery　as　he　had　entered。

When　the　king　came　to　see　me；　I　said　to　him；　〃I　have　made　acquaintance　with　your　chancellor：　he　is　a　very　amiable　man；　and　I　hope　that　he　will　not　conduct　himself　improperly　towards　me。〃

〃Where　did　you　see　him？〃

〃Here；　sire；　and　but　a　short　time　since。〃

〃He　came　then　to　visit　you？〃

〃Yes；　in　person；　that　he　might　obtain　the　favor　of　being　permitted　to　pay　his　court　to　me。〃

〃Really　what　you　tell　me　seems　perfectly　unaccountable。　　He　has　then　burst　from　the　hands　of　the　Choiseuls？　　It　is　amusing。　　Poor　Choiseul；　when　soliciting　for　Maupeou；　he　most　tremendously　deceived　himself。〃

〃At　least；　sire；　you　must　own　that　he　has　given　you　no　fool。〃

〃True。　　The　chancellor　is　a　man　full　of　talents；　and　I　do　not　doubt　but　that　he　will　restore　to　my　crown　that　power　which　circumstances　have　deprived　it　of。　　However；　if　you　see　him　familiarly；　advise　him　not　to　persuade　me　to　extreme　measures。　I　wish　all　should　work　for　the　best；　without　violent　courses　and　without　painful　struggles。〃

These　last　words　proved　to　me　the　natural　timidity　of　the　king。

〃I　knew　very　well；〃　added　the　king；　〃that　Maupeou　would　not　prove　a　man　for　the　Choiseuls。　　The　main　point　is；　that　he　should　be　mine；　and　I　am　content。〃

Louis　XV　was　then　satisfied　with　the　chancellor；　but　he　was　not　equally　so　with　the　comte　Jean。

〃I　do　not　like；〃　said　he　to　me；　〃your　Du　Barry　monkey。　　He　is　a　treacherous　fellow；　who　has　betrayed　his　party；　and　I　hope　some　of　these　mo