memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第23节

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r；　and　understand　each　other。〃

〃But　where　can　we　see　her？〃

〃That　is　easy　enough。　　She　claims　from　the　house　of　Saluces　a　property　of　three　hundred　thousand　livres：　she　is　very　greedy　for　money。　　Send　some　one　to　her；　who　shall　whisper　in　her　ear　that　I　see　you　often；　and　that　your　protection　can　serve　her　greatly　in　her　lawsuit：　she　will　come　to　you　post　haste。〃

I　approved　the　counsel　of　the　chancellor；　and；　in　concert　with　comte　Jean；　I　once　again　made　use　of　the　ministry　of　the　good　M。　Morand；　whom　I　had　recompensed　largely　for　his　good　and　loyal　services。　　This　was；　however；　the　last　he　ever　rendered　me；　for　I　learned　some　months　after　my　presentation　that　he　had　died　of　indigestion：　a　death　worthy　of　such　a　life　and　such　a　man。

M。　Morand；　after　having　found　out　the　attorney　of　madame　the　comtesse　de　Bearn；　went　to　him　under　some　pretext；　and　then　boasted　of　my　vast　influence　with　the　chancellor。　　The　lawyer；　to　whom　madame　de　Bearn　was　to　pay　a　visit　on　that　very　day；　did　not　fail　to　repeat　what　M。　Morand　had　told　him。　　The　next　day　the　comtesse；　like　a　true　litigant；　called　upon　him：　she　related　her　affair　to　him；　and　begged　him　to　use　his　interest　with　me。

〃I　would　do　it　with　pleasure；〃　said　the　worthy；　〃if　I　did　not　think　it　better　that　you　should　see　the　comtesse　du　Barry　yourself。　I　can　assure　you　that　she　will　be　delighted　to　aid　you。〃

Madame　de　Bearn　then　came　to　me　with　M。　Morand。　　Gracious　heavens！　how　simple　we　were　to　take　so　much　pains　with　this　lady：　had　we　known　her　better　we　should　not　have　been　so　long　in　coming　to　the　point。　　Scarcely　any　thing　was　said　at　this　first　visit：　I　contented　myself　with　assuring　her　of　my　good　will。　　On　the　same　day　the　vicomte　Adolphe　du　Barry　told　his　father　that　that　the　young　de　Bearn　had　asked　him　the　evening　before；　if　I　had　found　a　　to　present　me；　that　in　case　I　had　not；　his　mother　would　not　refuse　such　a　service；　should　it　be　desired　by　the　king。　　Comte　Jean　and　I　perfectly　understood　the　lady。　　She　came　again；　and　I　renewed　the　expression　of　my　desire　to　be　useful　to　her。　　She　replied　in　a　hackneyed　phrase；　that　she　should　be　charmed　to　prove　her　gratitude　to　me。　　I　took　her　word。

〃Madame；〃　said　I　to　her；　〃you　cannot　be　ignorant　that　I　ardently　desire　to　be　presented。　　My　husband　has　sent　in　his　proofs　of　nobility；　which　have　been　received；　I　now　only　want　a　　（godmother）；　if　you　will　officiate　in　that　capacity；　I　shall　owe　you　a　debt　of　gratitude　all　my　life。〃

〃Madame；　I　am　at　the　king's　orders。〃

〃But；　madame；　the　king　has　nothing　to　do　with　this。　　I　wish　to　be　presented；　will　you　be　my　introductress？〃

〃Madame；　the　first　wish　of　my　heart　is　to　be　agreeable　to　you；　I　only　desire　that　the　king　indicate　in　some　way；　no　matter　how　trifling；　his　will　on　this　point。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　I　exclaimed；　with　impatience；　〃I　see　you　will　not　give　me　a　direct　reply。　　Why　should　you　wish　the　king　to　interfere　in　what　does　not　concern　him？　　Is　it　your　intention　to　oblige　me；　yes　or　no？〃

〃Yes；　madame；　certainly；　but　you　must　be　aware　of　the　tremendous　cabal　which　is　raised　against　you。　　Can　I　contend　against　it　alone；　and　who　will　sustain　me　thro'　it？〃

〃I　will　to　the　full　extent　of　my　power　as　long　as　I　am　here；　and　the　king　will　always　do　so。　　I　can　assure　you；　that　he　will　be　grateful　for　your　exertions　in　my　behalf。〃

〃I　should　like　to　have　half　a　line　from　his　majesty　as　a　protection　and　assurance。〃

〃And　that　you　will　not　get。　　The　king's　signature　must　not　be　compromised　in　this　affair；　and　I　do　not　think　I　ought　to　ask　for　it；　let　us　therefore；　madame；　cease　this　discourse；　since　you　ask　such　terms　for　your　complaisance。〃

The　comtesse　de　Bearn　rose；　I　did　the　same；　and　we　parted　mutually　dissatisfied　with　each　other。

My　friends；　my　brother…in…law；　and　his　sisters；　impatiently　awaited　the　result　of　my　conversation　with　madame　de　Bearn。　　I　told　them　all　that　had　passed；　giving　my　opinion　of　this　lady　as　I　thought　hera　malicious　provoking　creature。

〃How　soon　you　torment　yourself；〃　said　the　chancellor　to　me。　　〃Do　you　not　see　that　this　woman　wants　a　price　to　be　bidden　for　her？　She　is　yours；　body　and　soul；　but　first　of　all　she　must　be　paid。〃

〃Let　that　be　no　obstacle；〃　said　comte　Jean；　〃we　will　give　her　money；　but　present　us　she　must。〃

On　this　it　was　decided；　that；　on　the　following　morning；　my　brother…in…law　should　go　to　Paris　to　find　M。　Morand；　and　get　him　to　undertake　the　arrangement。

The　next　day　my　brother…in…law　went　to　M。　Morand's；　and　when　he

had　disclosed　his　message　concerning　the　comtesse；　the　good　Morand　began　to　laugh。　　He　told　the　count；　that　the　previous　evening　this　lady　had　sent　for　him；　and；　on　going　to　her　house；　madame　de　Bearn；　as　a　set…off　against　the　inconveniences　which　might　result　to　her　from　being　the　instrument　of　my　presentation；　had　stipulated　for　certain　compensations；　such；　for　instance；　as　a　sum　of　two　hundred　thousand　livres；　a　written　promise　of　a　regiment　for　her　son；　and　for　herself　an　appointment　in　the　establishment　of　the　future　。　　This　was　the　point　aimed　at　by　all　the　ambitious　courtiers。　　Comte　Jean　thought　these　conditions　preposterous。　　He　had　a　　from　me；　and　desired　M。　Morand　to　offer　the　lady　one　hundred　thousand　livres；　and　to　add　an　assurance　that　the　king　should　be　importuned　to　place　young　Bearn　advantageously；　and　to　station　the　mother　to　her　wishes；　and　thereupon　my　brother…in…law　returned　to　Versailles。

The　comte　Jean　had　scarcely　returned　an　hour；　when　we　received　a　letter　from　M。　Morand；　stating；　that　he　had　gone；　in　consequence　of　the　instructions　of　comte　Jean；　to　the　comtesse　de　Bearn；　that　he　had　found　the　lady　pliant　enough　on　the　first　point；　and　disposed　to　content　herself　with　the　half　of　the　sum　originally　demanded；　that　on　point　the　second；　I　mean　the　appointments　of　herself　and　son；　she　would　come　to　no　compromise；　and　stuck　hard　and　fast　to　the　written　promise　of　the　king；　that　he；　Morand；　thought　this　an　obstacle　not　to　be　overcome　unless　we　subscribed　to　her　wishes。　This　letter　put　me　in　an　excessively　ill…humor。　　I　saw　my　presentation　deferred　till　doom's　day；　or；　at　least；　adjourned　。　　I　questioned　my　friends：　the　unanimous　advice　was　that　I　ought　to　mention　it　to　the　king　at　one　of　his　evening　visits；　and　I　determined　to　do　so　without　loss　of　time。

When　his　majesty　came　I　received　him　very　graciously；　and　then　said　to　him；

〃Congratulate　me；　sire；　I　have　found　my　godmother。〃

〃Ah；　so　much　the　better。〃　　（I　know　that；　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　he　said　〃so　much　the　。〃）

〃And　who；〃　asked　the　king；　with　impatience；　〃may　the　lady　be？〃

〃Madame　de　Bearn；　a　lady　of　quality　in　her　own　right；　and　of　high　nobility　on　her　husband's　side。〃

〃Yes；　he　was　a　；　and　the　son　has　just　left　the　pages。　　Ah！　　she　will　present　you　then。　　That's　well；　I　shall　feel　favored　by　her。〃

〃Would　it　not　be　best；　sire；　to　tell　her　so　yourself？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　certainly；　but　after　the　ceremony。〃

〃And　why　not　previously？〃

〃Why？　　because　I　do　not　wish　to　appear　to　have　forced　your　presentation。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　I　replied；　striking　the　floor　with　my　foot；　〃you　will　not　do　for　me　what　you　would　do　for　a　woman　who　is　a　complete　stranger　to　you。　　Many　thanks　for　your　excessive　kindness。〃

〃Well；　well；　do　not　scold。　　Anger　does　not　become　you。〃

〃No　more　than　this　indifference　suits　you；　it　is　cruel。　　If　you　recede　from　saying　a　word；　what　will　you　do　when　I　tell　you　of　the　conditions　of　madame　de　Bearn？〃

〃What　does　the　good　comtesse　ask　for？〃

〃Things　past　conception。〃

〃What？〃

〃She　has　stipulations　unlimited。〃

〃But　what　are　they　then？〃

〃A　hundred　thousand　livres　for　herself。〃

〃What；　only　that？　　We　will　grant　so　much。〃

〃Then　a　regiment　for　her　son。〃

〃Oh；　he　is　the　wood　they　make　colonels　of；　and　if　he　behave　well〃

〃But　then！　　She　wishes　to　be　annexed　in　some　station　or　other　to　the　household　of　the　future　。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　impossible：　all　the　selections　have　been　made：　but　we　will　make　an　equivalent　by　placing　one　of　her　family　about　the　person　of　one　of　the　princes；　my　grandson。　　Is　this　all？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　that　is　all；　with　one　small　formality　excepted。　　This　lady；　who　is　one　of　much　punctilio；　only　considers　　engagements　as　binding。　　She　wishes　for　one　word　in　your　majesty's　hand…writing〃

〃A　most　impertinent　woman！〃　　cried　the　king；　walking　with　rapid　strides　up　and　down　my　room。　　〃She　has　dared　not　to　believe　me　on　my　word！　　Writing！signature！　　She　mistrusts　me　as　she　would　the　lowest　scribbler　of　France。　　A　writing！　　My　signature！　　My　grandfather；　Louis　XIV；　repented　having　given　his　to　Charost。　　I　will　not　commit　a　similar　error。〃

〃But；　sire；　when　a　prince　has　a　real　desire　to　keep　his　word；　it　is　of　little　import　whether　he　gives　it　in　writing。〃

At　these　words；　Louis　XV　frowned　sternly；　but　as　he　had　the　best　sense　in　the　world；　he　saw　that　he　was　wrong；　and　having　no　reply　to　make；　he　determined　to　flee　away。　　I　ran　after　him；　and　taking　him　by　the　arm；　he　said；　with　assumed　anger；　which　did　not　deceive　me：

　〃Leave　me；　madame；　you　have　offended　my　honor。〃

〃Well；　then；　monsieur　la　France；〃　replied　I；　assuming　also　a　scolding　tone；　〃