memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第31节

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〃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　children　respect　him。　　If　the　marechal　was　respected　by　the　public；　believe　me　he　would　be　so　by　his　family。〃

This　retort　was　perhaps　too　severe。　　I　found　this　by　the　silence　of　the　king；　but　as；　in　fact；　it　imported　little；　and；　by　God's　help；　I　was　never　under　much　constraint　with　him；　I　saw　him　blush；　and　then　he　said　to　me；

〃Now；　I　undertake　to　bring　madame　de　Guemenee　into　proper　order。　The　favor　I　ask　is；　that　you　would　not　meddle。　　I　have　power　enough　to　satisfy　you；　but；　for　heaven's　sake；　do　not　enter　into　more　quarrels　than　you　have　already。　　It　seems　to　me　that　you　ought　to　avoid　them　instead　of　creating　such　disturbances。〃

He　had　assumed　a　grave　tone　in　reading　me　this　lecture：　but　as　we　were　in　a　place　in　which　majesty　could　not　be　committed；　I　began　to　laugh　heartily；　and　to　startle　him；　I　said　that　henceforward　I　would　pilot　my　bark　myself；　and　defend　myself　by　openly　assailing　all　persons　who　testified　an　aversion　to　me。　　How　laughable　it　was　to　see　the　comic　despair　in　which　this　determination　threw　the　king。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　whole　court　would　be　at　loggerheads；　and　he　could　not　restrain　himself　from　exclaiming；　that　he　would　a　hundred　times　rather　struggle　against　the　king　of　Prussia　and　the　emperor　of　Germany　united；　than　against　three　or　four　females　of　the　chateau。　　In　a　word；　I　frightened　him　so　completely；　that　he　decided　on　the　greatest　act　of　courage　he　had　ever　essayed　in　my　favor：　it　was；　to　desire　the　intervention　of　the　duc　de　Choiseul　in　all　these　quarrels。

The　credit　of　this　minister　was　immense；　and　this　credit　was　based　on　four　powerful　auxiliaries；　namely　the　parliament；　the　philosophers；　the　；　and　the　women。　　The　high　magistracy　found　in　him　a　public　and　private　protector。　　The　parliaments　had　themselves　a　great　many　clients；　and　their　voices；　given　to　the　duc　de　Choiseul；　gave　him　great　power　in　the　different　provinces。　　The　philosophers；　ranged　under　the　banner　of　Voltaire；　who　was　their　god；　and　of　d'Alembert；　their　patriarch；　knew　all　his　inclinations　for　them；　and　knew　how　far　they　might　rely　on　his　support　in　all　attempts　which　they　made　to　weaken　the　power　of　the　clergy；　and　to　diminish　the　gigantic　riches　which　had　been　amassed　by　prelates　and　monasteries。　The　writers　were　equally　devoted　to　him：　they　progressed　with　the　age；　and　as　on　all　sides　they　essayed　to　effect　important　reforms；　it　was　natural　that　they　should　rally　about　him　in　whose　hands　was　the　power　of　their　operations。

The　ladies　admired　his　gallantry：　in　fact；　the　duc　de　Choiseul　was　a　man　who　understood　marvellously　well　how　to　combine　serious　labors　with　pleasure。　　I　was；　perhaps；　the　only　woman　of　the　court　whom　he　would　not　love；　and　yet　I　was　not　the　least　agreeable　nor　the　most　ugly。　　It　was　very　natural　for　them　to　exalt　his　merit　and　take　him　under　their　especial　protection。　　Thus　was　he　supported　in　every　quarter　by　them；　they　boasted　of　his　measures；　and　by　dint　of　repeating　in　the　ears　of　every　body　that　M。　de　Choiseul　was　a　minister　；　and　the　support　of　monarchy；　they　had　contrived　to　persuade　themselves　of　the　truth　of　their　assertion。　　In　fact；　if　France　found　herself　freed　from　the　Jesuits；　it　was　to　the　duc　de　Choiseul　that　this　was　owing；　and　this　paramount　benefit　assured　to　him　universal　gratitude。

The　king　was　fully　aware　of　this　unanimity　of　public　opinion　in　favor　of　his　minister。　　He　was；　besides；　persuaded；　that　in　arranging　the　；　and　concluding　the　alliance　with　the　imperial　house；　the　duc　de　Choiseul　had　evinced　admirable　diplomatic　talents；　and　rendered　France　real；　and　important；　service。　His　attachment　to　him　was　incumbent；　and　rested　on　solid　foundations。　　If；　at　a　subsequent　period；　he　dismissed　him；　it　was　because　he　was　deceived　by　a　shameful　intrigue　which　it　will　cost　me　pain　to　develop　to　you；　because　I　took　by　far　too　much　a　leading　part　in　it；　which　now　causes　me　the　deepest　regret。

Now；　by　the　act　of　my　presentation；　the　duc　de　Choiseul　would　be　compelled　to　meet　me　often；　which　would　render　our　mutual　situation　very　disagreeable。　　On　this　account　the　king　sought　to　reconcile　us；　and　would　have　had　no　difficulty　in　effecting　his　wishes　had　he　only　had　the　resistance　of　the　minister　and　his　wife　to　encounter。　　The　lady　had　not　much　influence　over　her　husband；　and　besides　she　had　too　much　good　sense　to　struggle　against　the　wishes　of　the　king：　but　the　duchesse　de　Grammont　was　there；　and　this　haughty　and　imperious　dame　had　so　great　an　ascendancy　with　her　brother；　and　behaved　with　so　little　caution；　that　the　most　odious　reports　were　in　circulation　about　their　intimacy。

It　could　scarcely　be　hoped　that　we　could　tame　this　towering　spirit；　which　saw　in　me　an　odious　rival。　　Louis　XV　did　not　flatter　himself　that　he　could　effect　this　prodigy；　but　he　hoped　to　have　a　greater　ascendancy　over　his　minister。　　It　was　to　the　duc　de　Choiseul；　therefore；　that　he　first　addressed　himself；　desirous　of　securing　the　husband　and　wife　before　he　attacked　the　redoubtable　sister。　The　next　morning；　after　my　warm　assault　on　the　prince　de　Soubise；　he　profited　by　an　audience　which　the　duke　requested　at　an　unusual　hour　to　introduce　this　negotiation　of　a　new　kind；　and　the　details　I　give　you　of　this　scene　are　the　more　faithful；　as　the　king　gave　them　to　me　still　warm　immediately　after　the　conversation　had　terminated。

The　state　affairs　having　been　concluded；　the　king；　seeking　to　disguise　his　voluntary　embarrassment；　said　to　the　duke；　smiling；

〃Duc　de　Choiseul；　I　have　formed　for　my　private　hours　a　most　delightful　society：　the　most　attached　of　my　subjects　consider　themselves　highly　favored　when　I　invite　them　to　these　evening　parties　so　necessary　for　my　amusement。　　I　see　with　pain　that　you　have　never　yet　asked　me　to　admit　you　there。〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　the　duke；　〃the　multiplicity　of　the　labors　with　which　your　majesty　has　charged　me；　scarcely　allows　me　time　for　my　pleasures。〃

〃Oh；　you　are　not　so　fully　occupied　but　that　you　have　still　some　time　to　spend　with　the　ladies；　and　I　think　that　I　used　to　meet　you　frequently　at　the　marquise　de　Pompadour's。〃

〃Sire；　she　was　my　friend。〃

〃Well；　and　why；　is　not　the　comtesse　du　Barry？　　Who　has　put　it　into　your　head　that　she　was　opposed　to　you？　　You　do　not　know　her：　she　is　an　excellent　woman：　not　only　has　she　no　dislike　to　you；　but　even　desires　nothing　more　than　to　be　on　good　terms　with　you。〃

〃I　must　believe　so　since　your　majesty　assures　me　of　it；　but；　sire；　the　vast　business　with　which　I　am　overwhelmed〃

〃Is　not　a　sufficing　plea；　I　do　not　allow　that　without　a　special　motive；　you　should　declare　yourself　against　a　person　whom　I　honor　with　my　protection。　　As　you　do　not　know　her；　and　cannot　have　any　thing　to　urge　against　her　but　prejudices　founded　on　false　rumors　and　scandalous　fabrications；　I　engage　you　to　sup　with　me　at　her　apartments　this　evening；　and　I　flatter　myself　that　when　I　wish　it　you　will　not　coin　a　parcel　of　reasons　in　opposition　to　my　desire。〃

〃I　know　the　obedience　that　is　due　to　your　majesty；〃　said　de　Choiseul；　bowing　low。

〃Well；　then；　do　first　from　duty　what　I　flatter　myself　you　will　afterwards　do　from　inclination。　　Duc　de　Choiseul；　do　not　allow　yourself　to　be　influenced　by　advice　that　will　prove　injurious　to　you。　　What　I　ask　cannot　compromise　you；　but　I　should　wish　that　with　you　all　should　be　quiet；　that　no　one　should　struggle　against　me；　and　that　too　with　the　air　of　contending　against　a　person's　station。　　Do　not　reply；　you　know　perfectly　what　I　would　say；　and　I　know　what　belongs　to　myself。〃

Here　the　conversation　terminated。　　The　duc　de　Choiseul　did　not　become　my　friend　any　the　more；　but　behaved　towards　me　with　all　due　consideration。　　He　used　grace　and　　in　his　proceedings；　without　mingling　with　it　anything　approaching　to　nonsense。　　He　never　allowed　himself；　whatever　has　been　said；　to　dart　out　in　my　face　any　of　those　epigrams　which　public　malignity　has　attributed　to　him。　Perhaps　like　many　other　persons　in　the　world；　he　has　said　many　pleasantries　of　me　which　have　been　reported　as　said　in　my　presence；　but　I　repeat　that　he　never　uttered　in　my　society　a　single　word　with　which　I　had　cause　to　be　offended。

At　this　juncture　I　received　a　letter　of　which　I　had　the　folly　to　be　proud；　altho'　a　little　reflection　should　have　made　me　think　that　my　situation　alone　inspired　it：　it　was　from　M。　de　Voltaire。　　This　great　genius　was　born　a　courtier。　　Whether　he　loved　the　protection　of　the　great；　or　whether　he　thought　it　necessary　to　him；　he　was　constantly　aiming；　from　his　youth　upwards；　at　obtaining　the　countenance　of　persons　belonging　to　a　high　rank；　which　made　him　servile　and　adulatory　whilst　they　were　in　power；　and　full　of　grimace　towards　them　when　the　wind　favor　ceased　to　swell　their　sails。　　It　was　in　this　way　that　mesdames　de　Chateauroux　and　de　Pompadour　had　had　his　homage。　　He　had　sung　their　praises；　and；　of　course；　he　could　not　forget　me。　　You　will　recall　to　mind　the　letter　which　he　wrote　to　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　on　occasion　of　the　piece　of　poetry　entitled　〃。〃　　He　had　denied　having　composed　it；