memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第30节

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　ought　to　consider　myself　as　very　fortunate　that　he　deigned　to　visit　me；　and　accordingly　received　him　with　all　the　civility　I　could　display；　and　the　welcome　reception　which　he　always　experienced　drew　him　frequently　to　my　abode。

The　friendship　with　which　he　honored　me　was　not　agreeable　to　my　enemies；　and　they　tried　by　every　possible　means　to　seduce　him　from　me。　　They　got　his　near　relations　to　talk　to　him　about　it；　his　intimate　friends　to　reason　with　him；　the　females　whom　he　most　admired　to　dissuade　him　from　it。　　There　was　not　one　of　these　latter　who　did　not　essay　to　injure　me　in　his　estimation；　by　saying　that　he　dishonored　himself　by　an　acquaintance　with　me。　　There　was　amongst　others　a　marquise　de　Beauvoir；　the　issue　of　a　petty　nobility；　whom　he　paid　with　sums　of　gold；　altho'　she　was　not　his　mistress　by　title。　　Gained　over　by　the　Choiseuls；　she　made　proposals　concerning　me　to　the　prince　of　so　ridiculous　a　nature；　that　he　said　to　her　impatiently：　〃I'　faith；　my　dear；　as　in　the　eyes　of　the　world　every　woman　who　lives　with　a　man　who　is　not　her　husband　is　a　；　so　I　think　a　man　is　wise　to　choose　the　loveliest　he　can　find；　and　in　this　way　the　king　is　at　this　moment　much　better　off　than　any　of　his　subjects。〃

Only　imagine　what　a　rage　this　put　the　marquise　de　Beauvoir　in：　she　stormed；　wept；　had　a　nervous　attack。　　The　comte　de　la　Marche　contemplated　her　with　a　desperate　tranquillity；　but　this　scene　continuing　beyond　the　limits　of　tolerable　patience；　he　was　so　tired　of　it　that　he　left　her。　　This　was　not　what　the　marquise　wished；　and　she　hastened　to　write　a　submissive　letter　to　him；　in　which；　to　justify　herself；　she　confessed　to　the　prince；　that　in　acting　against　me　she　had　only　yielded　to　the　instigations　of　the　cabal；　and　particularly　alluded　to　mesdames　de　Grammont　and　de　Guemenee。

The　comte　de　la　Marche　showed　me　this　letter；　which　I　retained　in　spite　of　his　resistance　and　all　the　efforts　he　made　to　obtain　possession　of　it　again。　　My　intention　was　to　show　it　to　the　king；　and　I　did　not　fail　to　give　it　to　him　at　the　next　visit　he　paid　me：　he　read　it；　and　shrugging　up　his　shoulders；　as　was　his　usual　custom；　he　said　to　me；

〃They　are　devils　incarnate；　and　the　worst　of　the　kind。　　They　try　to　injure　you　in　every　way；　but　they　shall　not　succeed。　　I　receive　also　anonymous　letters　against　you；　they　are　tossed　into　the　post…box　in　large　packets　with　feigned　names；　in　the　hope　that　they　will　reach　me。　　Such　slanders　ought　not　to　annoy　you：　in　the　days　of　madame　de　Pompadour；　the　same　thing　was　done。　　The　same　schemes　were　tried　to　ruin　madame　de　Chateauroux。　　Whenever　I　have　been　suspected　of　any　tenderness　towards　a　particular　female；　every　species　of　intrigue　has　been　instantly　put　in　requisition。　Moreover；〃　he　continued；　〃madame　de　Grammont　attacks　you　with　too　much　obstinacy　not　to　make　me　believe　but　that　she　would　employ　all　possible　means　to　attain　her　end。〃

〃Ah；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃because　she　has　participated　in　your　friendship　you　are　ready　to　support　her。〃

〃Do　not　say　so　in　a　loud　tone；〃　he　replied　laughingly；　〃her　joy　would　know　no　bounds　if　she　could　believe　it　was　in　her　power　to　inspire　you　with　jealousy。〃

〃But；〃　I　said；　〃that　insolent　Guemenee；　has　she　also　to　plume　herself　on　your　favors　as　an　excuse　for　overpowering　me　with　her　hatred；　and　for　tearing　me　to　pieces　in　the　way　she　does？〃

〃No；〃　was　the　king's　answer；　〃she　is　wrong；　and　I　will　desire　her　father…in…law　to　say　so。〃

〃And　I　will　come　to　an　explanation　with　the　prince　de　Soubise　on　this　point；　and　we　will　see　whether　or　not　I　will　allow　myself　to　have　my　throat　cut　like　an　unresisting　sheep。〃

I　did　not　fail　to　keep　my　word。　　The　prince　de　Soubise　came　the　next　morning；　chance　on　that　day　induced　him　to　be　extraordinarily　gallant　towards　me；　never　had　he　praised　me　so　openly；　or　with　so　much　exaggeration。　　I　allowed　him　to　go　on；　but　when　at　length　he　had　finished　his　panegyric；　〃Monsieur　le　marechal；〃　said　I　to　him；　〃you　are　overflowing　with　kindness　towards　me；　and　I　wish　that　all　the　members　of　your　family　would　treat　me　with　the　same　indulgence。〃

Like　a　real　courtier　he　pretended　not　to　understand　me；　and　made　no　reply；　hoping；　no　doubt；　that　the　warmth　of　conversation　would　lead　me　to　some　other　subject；　but　this　one　occupied　me　too　fully　to　allow　me　to　divert　my　attention　from　it；　and；　seeing　that　he　　continued　silent；　I　continued：　〃Far　from　treating　me　as　well　as　you　do；　madame　your　daughter…in…law　behaves　towards　me　like　a　declared　enemy；　she　assails　me　by　all　sorts　of　provocation；　and　at　last　will　so　act；　that　I　shall　find　myself　compelled　to　struggle　against　her　with　open　force。〃

You　must　be　a　courtier；　you　must　have　been　in　the　presence　of　a　king　who　is　flattered　from　morning　to　night　in　all　his　caprices；　to　appreciate　the　frightful　state　in　which　my　direct　attack　placed　the

prince　de　Soubise。　　Neither　his　political　instinct；　nor　the　tone　of　pleasantry　which　he　essayed　to　assume；　nor　the　more　dangerous　resource　of　offended　dignity；　could　extricate　him　from　the　embarrassment　in　which　he　was　thrown　by　my　words。　　He　could　do　nothing　but　stammer　out　a　few　unintelligible　phrases；　and　his　confusion　was　so　great　and　so　visible；　that　the　marquis　de　Chauvelin；　his　not　over　sincere　friend；　came　to　his　assistance。　　The　king；　equally　surprised　at　what　I　had　just　said；　hastily　turned　and　spoke　to　Chon；　who　told　me　afterwards；　that　the　astonishment　of　Louis　XV　had　been　equal　to　that　of　the　prince　de　Soubise；　and　that　he　had　evinced　it　by　the　absence　of　mind　which　he　had　manifested　in　his　discourse　and　manners。

M。　de　Chauvelin　then　turning　towards　me；　said；　〃Well；　madame；　on　what　evil　herb　have　you　walked　to…day？　　Can　it　be　possible　that　you　would　make　the　prince；　who　is　your　friend；　responsible　for　the　hatred　which　ought　to　be　flattering　rather　than　painful　to　you；　since　it　is　a　homage　exacted　towards　your　brilliant　loveliness？〃

〃In　the　first　place；〃　I　replied；　〃I　have　no　intention　to　cast　on　monsieur　le　marechal；　whom　I　love　with　all　my　heart；　the　least　responsibility　relative　to　the　object　of　which　I　complain。　　I　only　wished　to　evince　to　him　the　regret　I　experienced　at　not　seeing　all　the　members　of　his　family　like　him：　this　is　all。　　I　should　be　in　despair　if　I　thought　I　had　said　anything　that　would　wound　him；　and　if　I　have　done　so；　I　most　sincerely　ask　his　pardon。〃

On　saying　these　words　I　presented　my　hand　to　the　prince；　who　instantly　kissed　it。

〃You　are；〃　said　he；　〃at　the　same　time　cruel　and　yet　most　amiable：　but　if　you　have　the　painful　advantage　of　growing　old　at　court；　you　will　learn　that　my　children　have　not　all　the　deference　and　respect　towards　me　which　they　owe　to　their　father；　and　I　often　am　pained　to　see　them　act　in　a　manner　entirely　opposite　to　my　desires；　however　openly　manifested。　　If　my　daughter　does　not　love　you；　it　is　to　me；　most　probably；　that　you　must　look　for　the　　and　：　it　is　because　I　love　you　so　much　that　she　is　against　you。　　I　have　committed　an　error　in　praising　you　before　her；　and　her　jealousy　was　not　proof　against　it。〃

〃That　is　very　amiable　in　you；〃　said　I；　〃and　now　whatever　may　be　my　feelings　against　the　princesse　de　Guemenee；　I　will　endeavor　to　dissemble　it　out　of　regard　for　you；　and；　I　assure　you；　that　however　little　consideration　your　daughter…in…law　may　testify　towards　me；　I　will　show　her　a　fair　side：　endeavor　to　make　peace　between　us。　　I　only　ask　to　be　let　alone；　for　I　do　not　seek　to　become　the　enemy　of　any　person。〃

Altho'　M。　de　Soubise　said　that　he　had　no　influence　over　the　princesse　de　Guemenee；　I　learned；　subsequently；　that　the　day　after　this　scene　he　testified　to　the　Guemenee　some　fears　as　to　his　future　destiny　at　court。　　He　begged　her　not　to　oppose　herself　to　me；　to　be　silent　with　respect　to　me；　and　to　keep　herself　somewhat　in　the　shade　if　she　would　not　make　some　advances　towards　me。　　His　daughter…　in…law；　whose　arrogance　equalled　her　dissipation　and　dissolute　manners；　replied；　that　she　was　too　much　above　a　woman　of　my　sort　to　fear　or　care　for　me；　that　my　reign　at　the　chateau　would　be　but　brief；　whilst　hers　would　only　terminate　with　her　life：　that　she　would　never　consent　to　an　act　of　weakness　that　would　be　derogatory　to　her　character　and　rank。　　In　vain　did　the　prince　try　to　soften　her；　and　make　her　consider　that　my　influence　over　the　king　was　immense：　he　preached　to　the　desert；　and　was　compelled　to　abandon　his　purpose　without　getting　any　thing　by　his　endeavors。

I　now　return　to　my　conversation　with　him。　　During　the　time　it　lasted　the　king　did　not　cease　talking　to　Chon；　all　the　time　listening　with　attention　to　what　the　prince　and　I　were　saying；　and　he　did　not　approach　us　until　the　intervention　of　M。　de　Chauvelin　had　terminated　this　kind　of　a　quarrel。　　He　returned　to　his　seat　in　front　of　the　fire；　and　when　we　were　alone；　said　to　me；

〃You　have　been　very　spiteful　to　the　poor　marechal；　and　I　suffered　for　him。〃

〃You　are　an　excellent　friend；　and；　no　doubt；　it　is　the　affection　you　bear　to　M。　de　Soubise　which　makes　you　behave　so　harshly　to　me。　Can　I　not；　without　displeasing　you；　defend　myself　when　I　am　attacked？〃

〃I　did　not　say　so；　but　is　it　necessary　that　he　must　be　responsible　for　the　follies　of　his　relations？〃

〃In　truth；　sire；　so　much　the　worse　for　the　father　who　cannot　make　his　c