memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第28节

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hange　of　conduct　towards　me；　by　urging　the　impossibility　of　refusing　obedience　to　the　express　command　of　the　king。

The　other　princesses　did　not　evince　greater　firmness　when　overwhelmed　by　the　complaints　of　the　cabal；　and　in　a　manner　bent　their　knee　before　the　wives　of　the　French　nobility；　asking　their　pardon　for　their　father's　error　in　selecting　a　mistress　from　any　rank　but　theirs。　　About　this　period　a　song；　which　I　admired　greatly；　was　circulated　abroad。　　My　enemies　interpreted　it　to　my　disadvantage；　but　I　was　far　from　being　of　the　same　opinion。　　It　was　successively　attributed　to　the　most　clever　men　in　Paris；　and　I　have　myself　met　with　four　who　each　asserted　himself　to　be　the　author；　in　justice　it　should　be　ascribed　to　him　who　appeared　the　most　calculated　to　have　written　it；　and　who　indeed　claimed　it　for　his　ownthe　chevalier　de　Boufflers。　　I　do　not　know　whether　you　recollect　the　lines　in　question。　　I　will　transcribe　them　from　memory；　adding　another　couplet；　which　was　only　known　amongst　our　own　particular　circle；　but　which　proves　most　incontestably　the　spirit　of　kindness　with　which　the　stanzas　were　composed。

Lise；　ta　beaute　seduit；　　　Et　charme　tout　le　monde。　En　vain　la　duchesse　en　rougit；　　　Et　la　princesse　en　gronde；　Chacun　sait　que　Venus　naquit　　　De　l'ecume　de　l'onde。

En　rit…elle　moins　tous　les　dieux。　　　Lui　rendre　un　juste　hommage！　Et　Paris；　le　berger　fameux；　　　Lui　donner　l'avantage　Meme　sur　la　reine　des　cieux　　　Et　Minerve　la　sage？

Dans　le　serail　du　grand　seigneur。　　　Quelle　est　la　favorite？　C'est　la　plus　belle　au　gre　de　coeur　　　Du　maitre　qui　l'habite。　C'est　le　seul　titre　en　sa　faveur　Et　c'est　le　vrai　merite。

Que　Grammont　tonne　contre　toi；　　　La　chose　est　naturelle。　Elle　voudrait　donner　la　loi　　　Et　n'est　qu'　une　mortelle；　Il　faut；　pour　plaire　au　plus　grand　roi；　　　Sans　orgueil　etre　belle。*

*From　those　readers　who　may　understand　this　chanson　in　the　original；　and　look　somewhat　contemptuously　on　the　following　version；　the　translator　begs　to　shelter　himself　under　the　well…known　observation　of　Lord　Chesterfield；　〃that　everything　suffers　by　translation；　but　a　bishop！〃　　Those　to　whom　such　a　dilution　is　necessary　will　perhaps　be　contented　with　the　skim…milk　as　they　cannot　get　the　cream。…　TRANS。

Thy　beauty；　seductress；　leads　mortals　astray；　Over　hearts；　Lise；　how　vast　and　resistless　thy　sway。　Cease；　duchess；　to　blush！　　cease；　princess；　to　rave　Venus　sprang　from　the　foam　of　the　ocean　wave。　All　the　gods　pay　their　homage　at　her　beauteous　shrine；　And　adore　her　as　potent；　resistless；　divine！　To　her　Paris；　the　shepherd；　awarded　the　prize；　Sought　by　Juno　the　regal；　and　Pallas　the　wise。

Who　rules　o'er　her　lord　in　the　Turkish　；　Reigns　queen　of　his　heart；　and　e'er　basks　in　his　smile？　'Tis　she；　who　resplendent；　shines　loveliest　of　all；　And　beauty　holds　power　in　her　magic　thrall。　Then　heed　not　the　clamors　that　Grammont　may　raise；　How　natural　her　anger！　　how　vain　her　dispraise！　'Tis　not　a　mere　mortal　our　monarch　can　charm；　Free　from　pride　is　the　beauty　that　bears　off　the　palm。

This　song　was　to　be　found　in　almost　every　part　of　France。　　Altho'　the　last　couplet　was　generally　suppressed；　so　evident　was　its　partial　tone　towards　me；　in　the　midst　of　it　all　I　could　not　help　being　highly　amused　with　the　simplicity　evinced　by　the　good　people　of　France；　who；　in　censuring　the　king's　conduct；　found　nothing　reprehensible　but　his　having　omitted　to　select　his　mistress　from　elevated　rank。

The　citizens　resented　this　falling　off　in　royalty　with　as　much　warmth　and　indignation　as　the　grandees　of　the　court；　and　I　could　enjoy　a　laugh　on　the　subject　of　their　angry　displeasure　as　soon　as　my　presentation　was　decided　upon。

The　intrigues　carried　on　by　those　about　the　princesses；　and　the　necessity　of　awaiting　the　perfect　recovery　of　madame　de　Bearn；　delayed　this　（to　me）　important　day　till　the　end　of　the　month　of　April；　1770。　　On　the　evening　of　the　21st　the　king；　according　to　custom；　announced　a　presentation　for　the　following　day；　but　he　durst　not　explain　himself　more　frankly；　he　hesitated；　appeared　embarrassed；　and　only　pronounced　my　name　in　a　low　and　uncertain　voice；　it　seemed　as　tho'　he　feared　his　own　authority　was　insufficient　to　support　him　in　such　a　measure。　　This　I　did　not　learn　till　some　time　afterwards；　and　when　I　did　hear　it；　I　took　the　liberty　of　speaking　my　opinion　upon　it　freely　to　his　majesty。

On　the　next　day；　the　22d；　I　was　solely　engrossed　with　my　dress：　it　was　the　most　important　era　of　my　life；　and　I　would　not　have　appeared　on　it　to　any　disadvantage。　　A　few　days　previously；　the　king　had　sent　me；　by　the　crown　jeweller；　Boemer；　a　set　of　diamonds；　valued　at　150；000　livres；　of　which　he　begged　my　acceptance。　Delighted　with　so　munificent　a　present　I　set　about　the　duties　of　the　toilette　with　a　zeal　and　desire　of　pleasing　which　the　importance　of　the　occasion　well　excused。　　I　will　spare　you　the　description　of　my　dress；　were　I　writing　to　a　woman　I　would　go　into　all　these　details；　but　as　I　know　they　would　not　be　to　your　taste；　I　will　pass　all　these　uninteresting　particulars　over　in　silence；　and　proceed　to　more　important　matter。

Paris　and　Versailles　were　filled　with　various　reports。　　Thro'out　the　city；　within；　without　the　castle；　all　manner　of　questions　were　asked；　as　tho'　the　monarchy　itself　was　in　danger。　　Couriers　were　dispatched　every　instant　with　fresh　tidings　of　the　great　event　which　was　going　on。　　A　stranger　who　had　observed　the　general　agitation　would　easily　have　remarked　the　contrast　between　the　rage　and　consternation　of　my　enemies　and　the　joy　of　my　partizans；　who　crowded　in　numbers　to　the　different　avenues　of　the　palace；　in　order　to　feast　their　eyes　upon　the　pageantry　of　my　triumphal　visit　to　court。

Nothing　could　surpass　the　impatience　with　which　I　was　expected；　hundreds　were　counting　the　minutes；　whilst　I；　under　the　care　of　my　hairdresser　and　robemaker；　was　insensible　to　the　rapid　flight　of　time；　which　had　already　carried　us　beyond　the　hour　appointed　for　my　appearance。　　The　king　himself　was　a　prey　to　an　unusual　uneasiness；　the　day　appeared　to　him　interminable；　and　the　eagerness　with　which　he　awaited　me　made　my　delay　still　more　apparent。　　A　thousand　conjectures　were　afloat　as　to　the　cause　of　it。　　Some　asserted　that　my　presentation　had　been　deferred　for　the　present；　and；　in　all　probability；　would　never　take　place；　that　the　princesses　had　opposed　it　in　the　most　decided　manner；　and　had　refused　upon　any　pretense　whatever　to　admit　me　to　their　presence。　　All　these　suppositions　charmed　my　enemies；　and　filled　them　with　hopes　which　their　leaders；　better　informed；　did　not　partake。

Meanwhile　the　king's　restlessness　increased；　he　kept　continually　approaching　the　window　to　observe　what　was　going　on　in　the　court…yard　of　the　castle；　and　seeing　there　no　symptoms　of　my　equipage　being　in　attendance；　began　to　lose　both　temper　and　patience。　　It　has　been　asserted；　that　he　gave　orders　to　have　the　presentation　put　off　till　a　future　period；　and　that　the　duc　de　Richelieu　procured　my　　by　force；　this　is　partly　true　and　partly　false。　　Whilst　in　ignorance　of　the　real　cause　of　my　being　so　late；　the　king　said　to　the　first　gentleman　of　the　chamber；

〃You　will　see　that　this　poor　countess　has　met　with　some　accident；　or　else　that　her　joy　has　been　too　much　for　her；　and　made　her　too　ill　to　attend　our　court　to…day；　if　that　be　the　case；　it　is　my　pleasure　that　her　presentation　should　not　be　delayed　beyond　to…morrow。〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃your　majesty's　commands　are　absolute。〃

These　words；　but　half　understood；　were　eagerly　caught　up；　and　interpreted　their　own　way　by　those　who　were　eager　to　seize　anything　that　might　tell　to　my　prejudice。

At　length　I　appeared；　and　never　had　I　been　more　successful　in　appearance。　　I　was　conducted　by　my　godmother；　who；　decked　like　an　altar；　was　all　joy　and　satisfaction　to　see　herself　a　sharer　in　such　pomp　and　splendor。　　The　princesses　received　me　most　courteously；　the　affability；　either　real　or　feigned；　which　shone　in　their　eyes　as　they　regarded　me；　and　the　flattering　words　with　which　they　welcomed　my　arrival；　was　a　mortal　blow　to　many　of　the　spectators；　especially　to　the　ladies　of　honor。　　The　princesses　would　not　suffer　me　to　bend　my　knee　before　them；　but　at　the　first　movement　I　made　to　perform　this　act　of　homage；　they　hastened　to　raise　me；　speaking　to　me　at　the　same　time　in　the　most　gracious　manner。

But　my　greatest　triumph　was　with　the　king。　　I　appeared　before　him　in　all　my　glory；　and　his　eyes　declared　in　a　manner　not　to　be　misunderstood　by　all　around　him　the　impetuous　love　which　he　felt　for　me。　　He　had　threatened　the　previous　evening　to　let　me　fall　at　his　feet　without　the　least　effort　on　his　part　to　prevent　it。　I　told　him　that　I　was　sure　his　gallantry　would　not　allow　him　to　act　in　this　manner；　and　we　had　laid　a　bet　on　the　matter。　　As　soon　as　I　approached　him；　and　he　took　my　hand　to　prevent　me；　as　I　began　to　stoop　before　him；　〃You　have　lost；　sire；〃　said　I　to　him。

〃How　is　it　possible　to　preserve　my　dignity　in　the　presence　of　so　many　graces？〃　　was　his　reply。

These　gracious　words　of　his　majesty　were　heard　by　all　around　him。　　My　enemies　were　wofully　chagrined；　but　what　perfected　their　annihilation　was　the　palpable　lie　which　my　appearance　gave　to　their　false　assertions。　　They　had　blazoned　forth　everywhere