memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第24节

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

〃Well；　then；　monsieur　la　France；〃　replied　I；　assuming　also　a　scolding　tone；　〃I　will　give　you　satisfaction。　　Choose　your　time；　weapons；　and　place；　I　will　meet　you；　and　we　shall　see　whether　you　have　courage　to　kill　a　woman　who　lives　for　you　only；　and　whom　you　render　the　most　miserable　creature　in　existence。〃

Louis　XV　gave　me　a　kiss；　and　laughingly　said；　〃I　ought　to　make　you　sleep　in　the　Bastille　to…night。〃

〃I　am　then　more　merciful　than　you；　for　I　think　I　shall　make　you　sleep　in　the　couch　you　love　best。〃

This　reply　amused　the　king　excessively；　and　he　himself　proposed　to　send　for　madame　de　Bearn。　　I　should　speak　of　my　presentation　before　him；　and　then　without　making　any　positive　concession；　he　would　see　what　could　be　done　to　satisfy　her。

For　want　of　any　other；　I　accepted　this　。



CHAPTER　XII


The　comtesse　de　BearnThe　supperLouis　XVIntrigues　against　my　presentationM。　de　RoquelaureThe　scalded　footThe　comtesse　d'AloignyThe　duc　d'Aiguillon　and　madame　de　BearnAnger　of　the　king's　daughtersMadame　Adelaide　and　the　comtesse　du　Barry　Dissatisfaction　of　the　king

M。　Morand　was　again　put　in　requisition；　and　went　from　me　to　ask　madame　de　Bearn　to　come　and　sup　at　my　apartments。　　We　were　in　committeemy　sisters…in…law；　myself；　and　comte　Jean。　　The　comtesse　made　some　difficulties　at　first；　under　pretence　that　she　was　afraid　to　refuse　me　a　second　time。　　Our　messenger　assured　her　by　saying；　that　a　supper　would　not　bind　her　to　any　thing；　and　that　she　should　still　be　at　liberty　to　give　any　reply　she　pleased。　　Madame　de　Bearn　allowed　herself　to　be　persuaded；　and　sent　me　word　that　she　would　accept　my　invitation。　　She　would　have　reflected　twice　before　she　so　far　committed　herself；　had　she　at　all　suspected　the　turn　we　meant　to　serve　her。　　But　I　saw　by　the　wording　of　her　note；　that　she　still　hoped　that　the　king　would　be　induced　to　grant　me　the　written　promise　which　I　asked　for　her。

She　came。　　I　received　her　with　all　possible　courtesy；　and　yet　not　with　much　heartiness。　　I　could　not　help　remembering　the　vexatious　terms　she　set　upon　her　complaisance。　　However；　the　supper　was　gay　enough；　comte　Jean　and　my　sisters…in…law；　who　knew　very　well　how　to　dissemble；　did　the　honors　in　a　most　agreeable　way。　　On　leaving　table　we　went　into　the　drawing…room；　and　then　began　to　discuss　the　serious　question　which　had　brought　us　together。　　At　the　first　words　which　comte　Jean　uttered；　madame　de　Bearn；　taking　my　hands　with　a　respectful　familiarity；　said　to　me：　〃I　hope；　madame；　that　you　will　not　have　a　bad　opinion　of　me；　if　I　put　such　conditions　to　my　desire　of　obliging　you。　　The　situation　of　my　family　requires　it；　but　it　is　only　a　trifle　for　the　king　to　grant。〃

〃Much　more　than　you　imagine；　madame；〃　I　replied。　　〃The　king　does　not　care　to　involve　himself　in　such　engagements。　　He　does　not　like；　moreover；　that　his　sacred　word　should　be　doubted。〃

〃Ah？〃　　replied　the　cunning　creature；　〃heaven　forbid　that　I　should　not　blindly　trust　to　the　king's　word；　but　his　memory　may　fail；　or　he；　like　other　men；　may　forget。〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　comte　Jean；　with　the　utmost　gravity；　〃madame　is　a　lady　as　full　of　prudence　as　of　kindness；　but　yet　a　little　too　exacting。　　Madame　wishes　to　have　a　promise　signed　for　herself　and　son：　that　is　too　much。　　Why　does　she　not　content　herself　in　dividing　the　difficulty；　by　satisfying　herself　with　a　verbal　promise　for　what　concerns　herself；　and　with　a　written　engagement　for　what　relates　to　her　son？〃

〃；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃I　am　anxious　to　arrange　all　to　our　mutual　satisfaction。　　But　his　majesty　would　not　surely　refuse　the　entreaties　of　madame　for　what　I　ask。〃

〃I　will　speak　to　him　of　it　the　first　time　I　see　him。〃

〃Oh；　you　are　a　charming　woman。　　You　will　obtain　all　from　the　king；　and　make　a　sure　friend〃

〃Whose　friendship　is　very　difficult　to　acquire；〃　said　I；　interrupting　her。

The　countess　would　have　replied　to　this；　when　my　first　；　opening　the　two　folding…doors　of　the　room；　announced　the　king。

At　this　unexpected　name　my　guest　trembled；　and　in　spite　of　the　thick　rouge　which　covered　her　cheeks；　I　perceived　she　turned　pale。　She　then　saw　the　scene　we　had　prepared　for　her：　she　wished　herself　a　hundred　leagues　off：　but　she　could　do　nothing；　but　remain　where　she　was。　　I　took　her　by　the　hand；　all　trembling　as　she　was；　and　presented　her　to　the　king；　saying；

〃Sire；　I　now　do　for　this　lady；　in　my　own　drawing…room；　what　she　will　have　the　kindness　to　do　for　me　at　the　state…chamber。〃

〃Ah；〃　replied　the　king；　〃is　it　madame　de　Bearn　that　you　present　to　me？　　I　am　indeed　delighted。　　Her　husband　was　one　of　my　faithful　servants：　I　was　much　pleased　with　her　son　when　he　was　one　of　pages；　and　I　perceive　that　she　herself　is　desirous　of　testifying　to　me　her　attachment　to　my　person。　　I　thank　you；　madame；　you　cannot　confer　a　greater　favor　on　me；　and　I　shall　embrace　every　opportunity　of　proving　to　you　how　much　satisfaction　your　conduct　affords　me。〃

Each　word　that　the　king　uttered　went　to　the　heart　of　the　countess。　However；　making　a　virtue　of　necessity；　she　replied；　that　she　was　proud　and　happy　at　what　the　king　had　said　to　her；　and　that　it　would　be　her　constant　aim　to　please　his　majesty；　flattering　herself　that　the　king　would　remember　the　services　of　the　Bearn　family；　and　would　think　of　her　in　the　dispensation　of　his　bounties。

〃You　may　rely　on　it；　madame；〃　replied　Louis　XV；　〃especially　if　the　comtesse　du　Barry　applies　to　me　in　your　behalf。〃

Then；　turning　towards　me；　〃When；　then；　is　this　redoubtable　presentation　to　take　place？〃

〃On　the　day；　sire；　when　your　majesty　shall　think　proper；〃　I　replied。

〃Well！　　I　will　send　the　duc　de　Richelieu　to　you；　who　will　arrange　the　whole。〃

This　settled；　the　subject　was　turned；　but　madame　de　Bearn　lost　her　tongue　entirely。　　In　spite　of　all　her　endeavors；　her　forehead　became　contracted　every　moment；　and　I　am　sure　she　went　away　vexed　and　disappointed。

The　following　morning；　the　comte　Jean　and　my　sister…in…law　went　to　her　house。　　They　testified　their　regret　for　what　had　occurred　the　previous　evening；　they　assured　her　that　we　would　not　take　any　advantage　of　the　conditionless　engagement　which　she　had　made　to　present　me；　and　that　altho'　it　was　impossible　to　ask　the　required　guarantees　from　the　king；　still　we　should　most　undeviatingly　adhere　to　the　clauses　of　the　treaty：　they　added；　that　they　came　to　enquire　when　she　should　choose　to　receive　the　hundred　thousand　livres。　　The　countess　replied；　that　in　spite　of　the　real　disadvantage　which　she　must　henceforward　labor　under　in　this　affair；　she　felt　great　friendship　for　me；　and　would　not　refuse　to　oblige　me；　and　she　flattered　herself　that　I　would　espouse　her　cause　with　the　king。　　The　comte　Jean　assured　her　of　this；　and　settled　with　her　the　period　of　the　payment　of　the　hundred　thousand　livres；　which　were　to　be　paid　at　sight　on　her　drawing　on　M。　de　la　Borde；　the　court…banker。

Thus　then　my　presentation　was　an　assured　matter：　nothing　now　could　prevent　it；　at　least　I　fancied　so　to　myself。　　I　reckoned　without　my　host；　I　did　not　know　yet　all　the　malice　of　a　courtier　lady　or　gentleman。　　As　it　was；　however；　M。　de　Choiseul　and　his　vile　sister　had　gained　over　one　of　my　servants；　for　they　knew　all　that　had　passed。　　They　soon　learned　that　madame　de　Bearn　had　come　to　supper　with　me；　and　that　after　supper　a　visit　of　the　king's　had　decided　this　lady　on　my　presentation：　this　they　determined　to　prevent。

For　this　end；　they　despatched　as　ambassador　the　chevalier　de　Coigny　to　the　house　of　madame　de　Bearn。　　He；　following　the　instruction；　sought　by　turns　to　seduce　and　intimidate　the　countess；　but　all　went　for　nothing。　　Madame　de　Bearn　told　the　chevalier　de　Coigny；　that　she　had　been　with　me　to　ask　my　influence　with　the　chancellor。　　The　chevalier　left　her　without　being　able　to　obtain　any　other　information。

This　bad　success　did　not　dishearten　the　Choiseuls。　　They　sent　this　time　to　madame　de　Bearn；　M。　de　Roquelaure；　bishop　of　Senlis；　and　grand　almoner　to　the　king。　　This　prelate　was　much　liked　at　court；　and　in　high　favor　with　mesdames　（the　king's　daughters）。　　We　were　good　friends　together　at　last；　but　in　this　particular　he　was　very　near　doing　me　great　wrong。　　M。　de　Roquelaure　having　called　on　madame　de　Bearn；　told　her　that　he　well　knew　the　nature　of　her　communications　with　me。

〃Do　not　flatter　yourself；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　obtain　thro'　the　influence　of　the　comtesse　du　Barry；　all　that　has　been　promised　you。　　You　will　have　opposed　to　you　the　most　powerful　adversaries　and　most　august　personages。　　It　cannot　be　concealed　from　you；　that　mesdames　contemplate　the　presentation　of　this　creature　with　the　utmost　displeasure。　　They　will　not　fail　to　obtain　great　influence　over　the　future　dauphin；　and　will　do　you　mischief　with　him；　so　that；　whether　in　the　actual　state　of　things；　or　in　that　which　the　age　and　health　of　the　king　must　lead　us　to　anticipate；　you　will　be　in　a　most　unfortunate　situation　at　court。〃

The　old　bishop；　with　his　mischievous　frankness；　catechised　madame　de　Bearn　so　closely；　that　at　length　she　replied；　that　so　much　respect　and　deference　did　she　entertain　towards　the　princesses；　that　she　would　not　present　me　until　they　should　accord　their　permission　for　me　to　appear。