memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第25节

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resent　me　until　they　should　accord　their　permission　for　me　to　appear。　　M。　de　Roquelaure　took　this　reply　to　the　Choiseuls。　　Madame　de　Grammont；　enchanted；　thinking　the　point　already　gained；　sent　madame　de　Bearn　an　invitation　to　supper　the　next　day；　but　this　was　not　the　countess's　game。　　She　was　compelled　to　decide　promptly；　and　she　thought　to　preserve　a　strict　neutrality　until　fresh　orders　should　issue。　　What　do　you　suppose　she　did？　　She　wrote　to　us；　madame　de　Grammont　and　myself；　that　she　had　scalded　her　foot；　and　that　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　go　from　home。

On　receiving　her　note　I　believed　myself　betrayed；　forsaken。　　Comte　Jean　and　I　suspected　that　this　was　a　feint；　and　went　with　all　speed　to　call　on　the　comtesse　de　Bearn。　　She　received　us　with　her　usual　courtesy；　complained　that　we　had　arrived　at　the　very　moment　of　the　dressing　of　her　wound；　and　told　us　she　would　defer　it；　but　I　would　not　agree　to　this。　　My　brother…in…law　went　into　another　room；　and　madame　de　Bearn　began　to　unswathe　her　foot　in　my　presence　with　the　utmost　caution　and　tenderness。　　I　awaited　the　evidence　of　her　falsehood；　when；　to　my　astonishment；　I　saw　a　horrible　burn！　　I　did　not　for　a　moment　doubt；　what　was　afterwards　confirmed；　namely；　that　madame　de　Bearn　had　actually　perpetrated　this；　and　maimed　herself　with　her　own　free　will。　　I　mentally　cursed　her　Roman　courage；　and　would　have　sent　my　heroic　godmother　to　the　devil　with　all　my　heart。

Thus　then　was　my　presentation　stopped　by　the　foot　of　madame　de　Bearn。　　This　mischance　did　not　dampen　the　zeal　of　my　friends。　　On　the　one　hand；　comte　Jean；　after　having　stirred　heaven　and　earth；　met　with　the　comtesse　d'Aloigny。　　She　consented　to　become　my　godmother　immediately　after　her　own　presentation；　for　eighty　thousand　livres　and　the　expenses　of　the　ceremony。　　But　mesdames　received　her　so　unsatisfactorily；　that　my　own　feelings　told　me；　I　ought　not　to　be　presented　at　court　under　her　auspices。

We　thanked　the　comtesse　d'Aloigny　therefore；　and　sent　her；　as　a　remuneration；　twenty　thousand　livres　from　the　king。

Whilst　comte　Jean　failed　on　one　side；　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　succeeded　on　another。　　He　was　someway　related　to　madame　de　Bearn。　He　went　to　visit　her；　and　made　her　understand　that；　as　the　Choiseuls　neither　gave　nor　promised　her　anything；　she　would　be　wrong　in　declaring　for　them：　that；　on　the　other　hand；　if　she　declared　for　me；　I　could　procure　for　her　the　favor　of　the　king。　　Madame　de　Bearn　yielded　to　his　persuasions；　and　charged　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　to　say　to　me；　and　even　herself　wrote；　that　she　put　herself　entirely　into　my　hands；　and　that；　as　soon　as　she　was　well；　I　might　rely　on　her。　　What；　I　believe；　finally　decided　this　lady　was；　the　fear　that　if　she　did　not　comply　with　what　I　required；　I　should　content　myself　with　the　comtesse　d'Aloigny。

Now　assured　of　my　introductress；　I　only　directed　my　attention　to　the　final　obstacle　of　my　presentation；　I　mean　the　displeasure　of　mesdames。　　I　do　not　speak　of　madame　Louise；　of　whom　I　can　only　write　in　terms　of　commendation；　but　I　had　opposed　to　me　mesdames　Victoire　and　Sophie；　and　especially　madame　Adelaide；　who；　as　the　eldest；　gave　them　their　plan　of　conduct。　　This　latter；　who　had　given　too　much　cause　to　be　spoken　of　herself　to　have　any　right　to　talk　of　others；　never　ceased　haranguing　about　the　scandal　of　my　life；　and　I　had　recently；　unknown　to　myself；　fallen　into　complete　disgrace　with　her。　　This　is　the　case。

The　apartment　from　which　I　had　dislodged　M。　de　Noailles　had　been　requested　of　the　king　by　madame　Adelaide。　　Ignorant　of　this　I　had　installed　myself　there。　　I　soon　learned　that　I　had　offended　the　princess；　and　instantly　hastened　to　offer　her　the　apartments　she　wished　to　have。　　She　came　into　them；　but　as　it　was　necessary　for　me　to　be　accommodated　somewhere；　the　king　gave　me　the　former　apartments　of　his　daughter。　　This　was　what　madame　Adelaide　called　an　act　of　tyranny；　she　made　the　chateau　echo　with　her　complaints：　she　said　I　had　driven　her　out；　that　I　wished　to　separate　her　from　her　sisters；　that　I　should　wean　her　father's　affection　entirely　from　her。　　Such　injustice　distressed　me　excessively。　　I　sent　to　request　the　king　to　come　to　me；　and　when　he　entered　I　threw　myself　at　his　feet；　entreating　him　to　appease　his　daughter　on　any　terms；　and　to　let　me　go　away；　since　I　brought　such　trouble　into　his　family。

The　king；　irritated　at　madame　Adelaide　's　conduct；　went　to　her；　and　told　her；　in　a　private　interview；　that　he　would　make　certain　matters　public　if　she　did　not　hold　her　tongue；　and　she；　alarmed；　ceased　her　clamor；　or　rather；　contented　herself　in　complaining　in　a　lower　key。



CHAPTER　XIII


Of　the　presentationThe　king　and　the　duc　de　Richelieu　at　comtesse　du　Barry'sM。　de　la　VauguyonConversationLetter　of　the　duke　to　the　comtesse　du　BarryReplyThe　countess　unites　herself　with　the　Jesuit　partyMadame　LouiseMadame　SophieM。　BertinMadame　de　Bercheny

This　fit　of　anger　of　madame　Adelaide　had　given　additional　courage　to　the　cabal。　　It　began　to　exclaim　　and　plot　against　me　with　redoubled　force；　hoping　thus　to　intimidate　the　king；　and　effectually　bar　my　presentation；　but　it　only　tended　to　hasten　it。　One　evening；　when　the　king　and　the　marechal　de　Richelieu　were　with　me；　he　said　to　me；

〃A　stop　must　be　put　to　these　clamors。　　I　see　that　until　you　are　presented；　there　will　be　doubts　perpetually　arising　and　tormenting　us　on　the　subject；　and　until　it　takes　place　I　shall　have　no　ease。　！　　Let　us　take　the　best　means　in　our　power　of　reducing　these　malcontents　to　silence。〃


〃　Sire；〃　replied　the　marechal；　〃make　your　will　palpable；　and　you　will　see　all　the　court　submit。〃

〃Yes；　but　my　daughters？〃

〃Mesdames　know　better　than　any　persons　the　deference　due　to　your　orders。〃

〃I　assure　you；〃　replied　the　king；　〃that　it　will　be　an　unpleasant　quarter　of　an　hour　for　me　to　pass。〃

〃Well；　sire；　then　charge　one　of　us　with　the　mission：　the　bishop　of　Senlis；　for　instance；　or　M。　de　la　Vauguyon。　　I　feel　assured　that　either　of　them　will　acquit　himself　admirably　in　the　business；　with　the　previous　understanding　that　your　majesty　will　support　him　with　your　authority。〃

〃I　will　do　so　most　assuredly；　but　it　will　be　best　not　to　use　it　but　at　the　last　extremity。　　I　have　no　wish　to　be　made　a　bugbear　to　my　family。〃

〃As　to　the　selection　of　an　ambassador；〃　I　interrupted；　〃I　beg　it　may　not　fall　on　M。　de　Roquelaure；　he　has　been　working　against　me　for　some　time。〃

〃Why　not　send　M。　de　Jarente？〃　　inquired　the　king。

〃Ah；　sire；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃because　we　cannot　trust　him；　he

is　a　gay*　fellow。　　Madame　Sophie　might　tell　him；　that　he　only　took　the　part　of　madame　du　Barry；　because　he　passes　his　life　amongst　petticoats。〃

Flippant；　light…minded；　unreliable。　　At　the　time　this　book　was　written　〃gay〃　did　not　carry　its　present　connotation　of　homosexuality；　nor　did　it　always　carry　the　connotation　of　cheerful　and　happy　that　preceded　the　present　connotation。　Gutenberg　ed。

〃True　enough；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　prefer　the　duc　de　la　Vauguyon：　he　has　a　good　reputation〃

〃And　well　deserved；〃　said　the　old　marechal；　sneering。　　〃Yes；　sire；　he　is　a　pious　man；　at　least；　he　plays　his　part　well。　　〃

〃Peace；　viper；　you　spare　nobody。〃

〃Sire；　I　am　only　taking　my　revenge。〃

〃Why　do　you　not　like　the　governor　of　my　grandsons？〃

〃In　truth；　sire；　I　must　confess　to　you；　that　except　yourself　and　the　ladies；　I　have　not　many　likings　at　Versailles。〃

Louis　XV　smiled；　and　I　pulled　the　bell；　when　a　valet　appeared；　I　said；

〃Go　and　find　M。　de　la　Vauguyon　for　his　majesty。〃

When　we　were　alone；　〃What；　already？　　〃said　Louis　XV。

〃Madame　is　right；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃we　must　strike　while　the　iron　is　hot。〃

The　king　began　to　pace　up　and　down　the　room；　which　was　his　invariable　custom　when　anything　disturbed　him：　then　suddenly　stopping；

〃I　should　not　be　astonished　at　a　point　blank　refusal　from　M。　de　la　Vauguyon。〃

〃Oh；　sire；　make　yourself　easy；　the　governor　has　no　inclination　to　follow　the　steps　of　Montausier　or　Beauvilliers。　　In　truth　you　are　very　candid；　and　I　must　tell　you；　that　you　have　too　good　an　opinion　of　us。〃

At　this　moment　M。　de　la　Vauguyon　entered。　　He　saluted　the　king　with　humility；　and　asked　him；　in　a　mild　tone　of　voice；　what　his　pleasure　was　with　him。

〃A　real　mark　of　your　zeal；〃　was　the　king's　reply。

〃And　of　your　gallantry；〃　added　the　marechal；　who　saw　the　hesitation　of　the　king。　　Louis　XV　was　enchanted　that　another　should　speak　for　him。　　M。　de　Richelieu　continued：

〃His　majesty；　monsieur　le　duc；　wishes　that　you　should　prepare　mesdames　to　receive　our　dear　countess　here；　when　she　shall　appear　before　them　to　pay　the　homage　of　her　respect　and　devotion。〃

The　king；　emboldened　by　these　words；　said；　〃Yes；　my　dear　duke；　I　can　only　find　you　in　the　chateau　who　have　any　influence　over　the　princesses；　my　daughters。　　They　have　much　respect；　and　no　less　friendship；　for　you。　　You　will　easily　bring　them　to　reason。〃

As　M。　de　la　Vauguyon　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　undertake　the　charge；　the　marechal　added；

〃Yes；　sir；　to　manage　this　business　properly；　you　and　M。　de　Senlis　are　the　only　men　in　the　kingdom。〃

The　marechal　had　his　reasons　for　saying　this；　for　a　secret　jealousy　existed　between　the　governor　and　the　grand　almoner。　　M。　de　la　Vauguyon　made　haste　to　say；　that　he　could　not　resist　his　maje