memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第22节

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ions　had　induced　him　to　keep　it　to　himself　until　the　present　time。　　〃But　now；〃　said　he；　〃the　third　generation　of　madame　l'intendante　is　no　longer　young；　and　I　have　no　fear　of　being　called　out　to　fight　a　duel。〃

Next　day　there　was　a　general　rumor　of　my　presentation。　　My　friends　asserted　that　I　had　the　king's　promise。　　This　was　imprudent　on　their　part；　and　they　injured　my　interest　whilst　they　flattered　my　vanity。　　They　put　the　Choiseul　cabal　to　work；　who　intrigued　so　well　that　not　a　person　could　be　found　who　would　perform　the　office　of　introductress。　　You　know　the　custom：　the　presentation　is　effected　by　the　intermediation　of　another　lady；　who　conducts　the　person　to　be　presented　to　the　princesses；　and　introduces　her。　This　custom　had　passed　into　a　law；　and　it　would　have　been　too　humiliating　to　me　to　have　dispensed　with　it。

This　was　a　dire　blow　for　me：　it　distressed　me　sadly；　and　I　wept　over　it　with　my　friends。　　The　duc　de　Richelien　said　to　me；

〃With　money　and　promises　everything　can　be　managed　at　court。　　There　is　no　place　where　they　know　better　how　to　value　complaisance；　and　the　price　at　which　it　is　sold。　　Do　not　give　yourself　any　uneasiness；　we　shall　find　the　lady　we　want。〃

And　we　did　find　her；　but　her　compliance　was　dearly　bought。　　Two　ladies　who　were　applied　to　stipulated　for　most　outrageous　conditions。　　One；　the　marquise　de　Castellane；　consented　to　present

me；　but　demanded　that　she　should　be　created　a　duchess；　and　have　a　gift　of　five　hundred　thousand　livres：　the　other；　whose　name　I　forget；　asked　for　her　husband　the　order　of　the　Holy　Ghost　and　a　government；　a　regiment　for　her　son；　and　for　herself　I　forget　what。　　These　ladies　seemed　to　think；　like　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　Panza；　that　governments　and　five　hundred　thousand　livres　were　to　be　picked　up　on　the　highway。　　In　truth；　they　spoke　out　without　disguise。

At　this　juncture　the　chancellor　had　a　singular　conversation　concerning　me　with　the　Choiseuls。　　He　had　been　one　morning　to　call　on　the　duke；　and　whilst　they　were　discoursing；　the　duchesse　de　Grammont　came　into　her　brother's　apartment；　and　entered　at　once　into　conversation。

〃Ah；　my　lord；　I　am　glad　to　see　you。　　Your　new　friends　carry　you　off　from　your　old　ones。　　You　are　wrong　to　adore　the　rising　sun。〃

'That　was　the　idolatry　of　a　great　number　of　persons：　but　I　beg　of　you　to　be　so　very　kind　as　not　to　speak　to　me　in　figures；　if　you　would　wish　me　to　understand　you。〃

〃Oh；　you　play　off　the　ignorant。　　You　know　as　well　as　I　do　what　I　mean；　and　your　daily　visits　to　this　。〃

〃Which；　madame？　　There　are　so　many　at　court！〃

This　sarcastic　reply　made　the　brother　and　sister　smile；　both　of　them　being　fully　competent　to　understand　the　merit　of　an　epigram。　The　duke　fearing　lest　the　duchess　should　go　too　far；　judging　by　what　she　had　already　said；　thus　addressed　him：

〃You　are；　then；　one　of　the　adorers　of　the　comtesse　du　Barry？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur　le　due；　and　would　to　God　that；　for　your　own　interest；　you　would　be　so　too！〃

〃My　brother　set　foot　in　the　house　of　this　creature！〃

〃Why　not；　madame？　　We　see　good　company　there；　the　prince　de　Soubise；　the　ducs　de　la　Trimouille；　de　la　Vauguyon；　Duras；

Richelieu；　d'Aiguillon；　and　many　others；　not　to　mention　the　king　of　France。　　A　gentleman　may　be　seen　in　such　company　without　any　disgrace。〃

〃Monsieur　le　chevalier；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃to　speak　candidly　to　you；　allow　me　to　ask；　if　any　one　who　would　have　the　friendship　of　our　house　would　be　seen　in　that　of　the　lady　in　question？〃

〃Pardon　me；　duke；　that　is　not　the　question。　　Allow　me；　in　turn；　to　ask　you；　why　those　of　your　house　should　not　go　there？　　This；　I　think；　is　the　real　question。〃

〃You　offer　us　a　splendid　alliance！〃　　said　the　duchess　with　anger。

〃I　offer　nothing；　madame：　I　only　inquire。　　For　my　part；　I　see　no　legitimate　motive　for　this　proscription　of　madame　du　Barry。〃

〃A　woman　without　character！〃

〃Character！　　Why；　madame；　who　has　any　in　these　days？　　M。　de　Crebillon　the　younger　would　be　at　a　loss　to　tell　us　where　to　find　it。〃

This　reply　made　the　duke　and　his　sister　smile　again。　　The　chancellor　went　on　thus：

〃It　appears　to　me　that　persons　were　less　difficult　in　the　times　of　madame　de　Pompadour。〃

〃But　a　creature　who　has　been　so　low　in　society！〃

〃Have　you　seen　her　so；　madame？　　And　supposing　it　has　been　the　case；　do　we　interdict　all　ladies　of　conduct　not　less　blamable　from　an　introduction　at　court。　　How　many　can　you　enumerate；　madame；　who　have　led　a　life　much　more　scandalous？　　Let　us　count　them　on　our　fingers。　　First；　the　marechale　de　Luxembourg；　one；　then〃

〃Then　the　comtesse　de　Choiseul；　my　sister…in…law；〃　added　the　duke；　〃we　know　it　as　well　as　you；　sir。　　But　this　is　not　the　matter　in　question。　　You　are　not　ignorant　that　our　enemies　surround　this　madame　du　Barry；　and　it　is　of　your　alliance　with　them　that　I　complain。〃

〃You　see　everything　with　a　jaundiced　eye；　monsieur　le　duc。　　But　if　you　fear　the　influence　of　this　lady　with　the　king；　why　do　you　not　present　yourself　at　her　apartments？　　She　would　be　delighted　to　receive　you。〃

〃No；　no！〃　　cried　the　duchess；　〃my　brother　will　never　present　himself　to　such　a　creature。　　If　he　would　degrade　himself　so　low；　I　would　never　forgive　him　as　long　as　I　live。　　Since　you　show　your　gratitude　for　what　has　been　done　for　you　by　leaguing　yourself　with　this　woman；　tell　her　from　me　that　I　detest　her；　and　that　I　will　never　rest　until　I　have　sent　her　back　again　to　her　dunghill。〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　the　chancellor；　〃I　will　evince　my　gratitude　to　the　duke　by　not　delivering　such　a　message〃；　and　the　chancellor　went　out。

M。　　de　Maupeou　came　to　tell　me　the　whole　of　this　conversation；　which　　wrote　down　under　his　dictation；　that　I　might　show　it　to　the　king。　　You　will　see　in　my　next　letter　what　resulted　from　all　this；　and　how　the　ill…timed　enmity　of　the　Choiseuls　served　my　interests　most　materially。



CHAPTER　XI


A　word　concerning　the　duchesse　de　ChoiseulThe　apartment　of　the　Comte　de　NoaillesThe　NoaillesIntrigues　for　presentationThe　comte　de　BearnM。　Morand　once　moreVisit　of　the　comtesse　Bearn　to　the　comtesse　du　BarryConversationInterested　complaisance　The　king　and　the　comtesse　du　BarryDispute　and　reconciliation

I　showed　the　king　this　conversation；　in　which　I　had　so　shamefully　vilified　by　the　duchesse　de　Grammont。　　Louis　XV　was　very　much　inclined　to　testify　his　disapprobation　to　this　lady；　but　was　withheld　by　the　consideration　he　felt　for　the　duke　and　（particularly）　the　duchesse　de　Choiseul。　　This　latter　lady　was　not　beloved　by　her　husband；　but　her　noble　qualities；　her　good　heart；　made　her　an　object　of　adoration　to　the　whole　court。　　You　could　not　speak　to　any　person　of　madame　de　Choiseul　　without　hearing　an　eulogium　in　reply。　　The　king　himself　was　full　of　respect　towards　her；　so　much　so；　that；　on　the　disgrace　of　the　duke；　he　in　some　sort　asked　her　pardon　for　the　chagrin　which　he　had　caused　her。　　Good　conduct　is　no　claim　to　advancement　at　court；　but　it　procures　the　esteem　of　the　courtiers。　　Remember；　my　friend；　this　moral　maxim：　there　is　not　one　of　greater　truth　in　my　whole　journal。

The　king；　unable　to　interpose　his　authority　in　a　woman's　quarrel；　was　yet　determined　on　giving　a　striking　proof　of　the　attachment　he　bore　to　me。　　I　had　up　to　this　period　occupied　Lebel's　apartments　in　the　chateau：　it　was　not　befitting　my　station；　and　the　king　thought　he　would　give　me　those　of　madame　de　Pompadour；　to　which　I　had　some　claim。　　This　apartment　was　now　occupied　by　the　comte　de　Noailles；　governor　of　the　chateau；　who；　as　great　fool　as　the　rest　of　his　family；　began　to　exclaim　most　lustily　when　the　king's　will　was　communicated　to　him。　　He　came　to　his　majesty　complaining　and　lamenting。　　The　king　listened　very　quietly　to　his　list　of　grievances；　and　when　he　had　moaned　and　groaned　out　his　dolorous　tale；　his　majesty　said　to　him；

〃My　dear　count；　who　built　the　chateau　of　Versailles？〃

〃Why；　sire；　your　illustrious　grandfather。〃

〃Well；　then；　as　I　am　at　home；　I　mean　to　be　master。　　You　may　establish　the　seat　of　your　government　where　you　will；　but　in　two　hours　the　place　must　be　free。　　I　am　in　earnest。〃

The　comte　de　Noailles　departed　much　disconcerted；　took　away　his　furniture；　and　the　same　evening　I　installed　myself　in　the　apartments。　You　must　think　that　this　was　a　fresh　cause　of　chagrin；　and　created　me　more　enemies。　　There　are　certain　families　who　look　upon　the　court　as　their　hereditary　domain：　the　Noailles　was　one　of　them。　However；　there　is　no　grounds　of　pretension　to　such　a　right。　Their　family　took　its　rise　from　a　certain　Adhemar　de　Noailles；　　of　Toulouse；　ennobled；　according　to　all　appearance；　by　the　exercise　of　his　charge　in　1459。　　The　grandfather　of　these　Noailles　was　a　domestic　of　M。　de　Turenne's；　and　his　family　was　patronized　at　court　by　madame　de　Maintenon。　　Everybody　knows　this。　　But　to　return　to　my　presentation。

M。　de　Maupeou；　whose　good　services　I　can　never　sufficiently　vaunt；　came　to　me　one　day；　and　said；　〃I　think　that　I　have　found　a　lady　。　　I　have　a　dame　of　quality　who　will　do　what　we　want。〃

〃Who　is　it？〃　　said　I；　with　joy。

〃A　comtesse　d'Escarbagnas；　a　litigious　lady；　with　much　ambition　and　avarice。　　You　must　see　her；　talk　with　her；　and　understand　each　other。〃

〃But　where　can　we　see　her？〃

〃That　is　easy　enough。　　She　claims　f