memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第26节

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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　majesty's　orders；　and　his　desire　to　be　agreeable　to　me。

〃Ah！　　you　will　then　do　something　for　me？〃　　I　replied。　　〃I　am　delighted　and　proud。〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　the　duke　with　much　gravity；　〃friends　are　proved　on　occasion。〃

〃The　present　one　proves　your　attachment　to　me；〃　said　I　in　my　turn；　〃and　his　majesty　will　not　think　it　wrong　of　me；　if；　as　a　recompense；　I　embrace　you　in　his　presence〃：　and；　on　saying　this；　I　went　up　to　the　duc　de　la　Vauguyon；　and　gave　him　two　kisses；　which　the　poor　man　took　as　quietly　as　possible。

〃That's　well；〃　said　the　king。　　〃You　are；　la　Vauguyon；　a　man　of　a　thousand。　　Listen　attentively　to　me。　　I　wish　much　that　the　comtesse　du　Barry　should　be　presented；　I　wish　it；　and　that；　too；　in　defiance　of　all　that　can　be　said　and　done。　　My　indignation　is　excited　beforehand　against　all　those　who　shall　raise　any　obstacle　to　it。　　Do　not　fail　to　let　my　daughters　know；　that　if　they　do　not　comply　with　my　wishes；　I　will　let　my　anger　fall　heavily　on　all　persons　by　whose　counsels　they　may　be　persuaded；　for　I　only　am　master；　and　I　will　prove　it　to　the　last。　　These　are　your　credentials；　my　dear　duke；　add　to　them　what　you　may　think　fitting；　I　will　bear　you　out　in　any　thing〃

〃Mercy！〃　　said　the　duc　de　Richelieu　to　me　in　an　undertone；　〃the　king　has　poured　forth　all　his　energy　in　words；　he　will　have　none　left　to　act　upon　if　he　meets　with　any　resistance。〃　　The　marechal　knew　the　king　well。

〃I　doubt　not；　sire；〃　replied　the　duc　de　la　Vauguyon；　〃that　the　respectful　duty　of　mesdames　will　be　ready　to　comply　with　your　desires。〃

〃I　trust　and　believe　it　will　prove　so；〃　replied　the　king　hastily。　〃I　am　a　good　father；　and　would　not　that　my　daughters　should　give　me　cause　to　be　angry　with　them。　　Let　madame　Adelaide　understand；　that　she　has　lately　had　a　mistaken　opinion　of　me；　and　that　she　has　an　opportunity　of　repairing　her　error　in　the　present　instance。　The　princesses　are　not　ignorant　that　I　have　often　shut　my　eyes　upon　certain　affairs。　　Enough；　they　must　now　testify　their　attachment　for　me。　　Why　should　they　oppose　the　presentation　of　the　comtesse？　　　they　were　not　so　squeamish　in　the　days　of　madame　de　Pompadour。〃

At　these　latter　words　I　could　not　forbear　laughing。　　La　Vauguyon　and　de　Richelieu　left　us　and　here　the　conversation　terminated。



The　next　morning　they　brought　me　a　note　from　the　duc　de　la　Vauguyon。　Thus　it　ran：

MADAME；Ready　to　serve　you；　I　wish　to　have　a　few　minutes'　conversation　with　you。　　Be　persuaded　that　I　will　not　tell　you　anything　but　what　will　be　agreeable　and　useful　to　you。〃

I　instantly　answered：

〃You　are　too　good　a　friend　for　me　to　refuse　to　see　you　willingly　under　any　circumstances；　and　particularly　the　present。　　Your　conduct　yesterday　assures　you　my　eternal　regard。　　Come　instantly；　my　grateful　heart　expects　you　with　impatience。〃

My　sister…in…law；　to　whom　I　showed　this　correspondence；　said　to　me；　〃This　gentleman　does　not　come　to　see　you　for　your　bright　eyes；　and　yet　his　visit　is　not　disinterested。〃

〃What　interest　can　he　have　to　serve？〃



〃None　of　his　own；　perhaps；　but　those　villainous　Jesuits。〃

〃Don't　you　like　them；　sister　of　mine？〃

〃I　hate　nobody。〃

M。　de　la　Vauguyon　arrived；　and　as　soon　as　we　were　alone；　he　said　to　me；

〃Well；　madame；　I　am　now　on　the　point　of　going　to　fight　your　battles。　　I　have　to　deal　with　a　redoubtable　foe。〃

〃Do　you　fear？〃

〃Why；　I　am　not　over　confident；　my　position　is　a　delicate　one。　Mesdames　will　perforce　obey　the　orders　of　the　king；　but　they　will　not　find　much　pleasure　in　seeing　me　the　ambassador　sent　to

them：　all　the　Choiseul　party　will　vociferate　loudly。　　Nevertheless；　to　prove　my　devotion　to　you；　I　brave　it　all。〃

〃You　may　rely　on　it　that　I　will　never　forget　the　service　you　are　about　to　render　me。〃

〃I　have　only　one　favor　to　ask　of　you。　　Authorize　me　to　say　to　mesdames；　that　if　the　pleasures　of　life　distract　your　attention　from　religious　duties；　your　soul　is　in　truth　fully　devoted　to　our　holy　religion；　and　that　far　from　supporting　the　philosophers；　you　will　aid；　by　your　influence　with　the　king；　every　measure　advantageous　to　the　society　of　Jesuits。〃

The　hypocritical　tone　in　which　this　was　uttered；　almost　compelled　me　to　burst　out　into　a　fit　of　laughter；　but　the　serious　posture　of　my　affairs　induced　me　to　preserve　my　gravity；　and　I　answered　in　a　serious　tone；

〃Not　only；　monsieur　le　duc；　do　I　authorize　you　to　say　so　much；　but　I　beg　you　to　declare　to　mesdames　that　I　am　already　filled　with　love　and　respect　for　the　Jesuits；　and　that　it　will　not　be　my　fault　if　they　do　not　return　amongst　us。〃

〃Ah；　you　are　a　treasure　of　wisdom；〃　replied　the　duke；　kissing　my　hand　with　fervor；　〃and　I　am　disgusted　at　the　way　you　are　calumniated。〃

〃I　know　no　reason　for　it；　for　I　have　never　done　harm　to　any　person。　　Assure　mesdames　that　I　am　sincerely　grieved　that　I　am　not　agreeable　to　them；　and　would　give　half　my　life　to　obtain；　not　their　friendship；　of　which　I　do　not　feel　myself　worthy；　but　their　indifference。　　Deign　also　to　tell　them；　that　at　all　times　I　am　at　their　disposal；　and　beseech　them　to　consider　me　as　their　humble　servant。〃

〃It　is　impossible　to　behave　more　correctly　than　you　do；　and　I　am　confident　that　mesdames　will　soon　discard　their　unjust　prejudices。　Thus；　it　is　well　understood　that　our　friends　will　be　yours。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　provided　they　are　really　mine。〃

〃Certainly。　　I　answer　for　them　as　I　answer　for　you。〃

And　thus；　my　friend；　did　I　find　myself　allied　to　the　Jesuitical　party。

The　duke　commenced　the　attack　with　madame　Louise；　the　most　reasonable　of　the　king's　daughters。　　This　angelic　princess；　already　occupied　with　the　pious　resolution　which　she　afterwards　put　into　execution　in　the　following　year；　contented　herself　with　saying　some　words　on　the　commotion　occasioned　by　my　presence　at　Versailles；　and　then；　as　if　her　delicacy　had　feared　to　touch　on　such　a　subject；　she　asked　the　duc　de　la　Vauguyon；　if　the　king　ordered　her　to　receive　the　comtesse　du　Barry。

〃Yes；　madame；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃it　is　the　express　will　of　his　majesty。〃

〃I　submit　to　his　wish：　the　lady　may　come　when　she　will。〃

The　duke；　contented　with　his　success　so　far；　went　next　to　madame　Sophie。　　This　princess　was　not　unkind；　but　subject　to　attacks　of　the　nerves；　which　from　time　to　time　soured　her　natural　disposition：　she　had　her　caprices　of　hatred；　her　fits　of　love。　　The　day　when　the　duke　talked　to　her　of　my　presentation　she　was　very　much　provoked　against　me；　and　after　the　opening　speech　of　the　ambassador；　flung　in　his　teeth　the　report　of　the　apartments；　which　I　have　already　told　you。　　The　duke　explained　to　her；　and　that　too　without　saying　anything　unfavorable　of　madame　Adelaide；　and　concluded　by　begging　her　to　concede　the　favor　I　besought。　　Madame　eluded　this；　by　saying；　that　before　she　gave　a　definite　reply　she　wished　to　confer　with　her　sisters。

Madame　Victoire　was　not　more　easily　persuaded。　　This　princess　had　amiable　qualities；　solid　virtues　which　made　her　loved　and　respected　by　the　whole　court；　but　she　had　but　little　will　of　her　own；　and　allowed　herself　to　be　led　by　the　Choiseuls；　who；　to　flatter　her；　told　her　that　she　alone　had　inherited　the　energy　of　her　grandfather；　Louis　XIV。　　She　was　advised　to　display　it　in　this　instance；　and；　she　would　willingly　have　done　so。　　The　comtesse　de　Bercheny；　one　of　her　ladies　in　waiting；　was　the　person　who　urged　her　on　to　the　greatest　resistance。　　This　lady　did　not　cease　to　exclaim　against　me；　and　to　fan　the　flame　of　displeasure　which；　but　for　her；　would　never　have　appeared。　　I　was　informed　of　the　mode　adopted　by　madame　de　Bercheny　to　injure　me。　　I　sent　for　M。　Bertin；　who　was　devoted　to　my　service；　and　begged　him　to　go　and　speak　to　the　lady；　he　went；　and　made　her　understand　that　the　king；　enraged　against　her；　would　expel　her　from　Versailles；　if　she　were　not　silent。　The　comtesse　de　Bercheny　was　alarmed；　and　under　pretence　of　taking　a　tour；　left　the　court　for　a　month。　　You　will　see　anon　the　result　of　all　these　conferences。



CHAPTER　XIV


The　princesses　consent　to　the　presentation　of　madame　du　Barry　Ingenious　artifice　employed　by　the　king　to　offer　a　present　to　the　duc　de　la　VauguyonMadame　du　Barry's　letter　respecting　itThe　duke's　replyThe　king's　letterThe　court　in　despairCouplets　concerning　madame　du　BarryHer　presentationA　change　in　public　opinionAn　evening　party　at　the　house　of　the　countessJoy　of　her　partizansConversation　with　the　chancellor　respecting　the　lady　of　the　marechal　de　Mirepoix

The　departure　of　the　comtesse　de　Bercheny　was　announced　to　the　princesses　in　the　manner　least　likely　to　provoke　their　regrets。　Nevertheless；　a　rumor　never　slept　at　Versailles；　a　whisper　was　quickly　circulated　thro'…out　the　castle；　that　this　sudden　and　unexpected　journey　had　originated　in　the　king's　weariness　of　her　continual　philippics　against　me；　and　it　was　clearly　comprehended　by　all；　that　a　similar　disgrace　would　be　the　portion　of　those　who　should　offend　the　monarch　whilst　seeking　to　procure　my　humiliation。　This　show　of　firmness　was　sufficient　to　repress　the　daring　flights　of　those　self…constituted　heroines；　whose　courage　las