memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第32节

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d　having　composed　it；　but　this　denial　had　not　been　addressed　directly　to　me。　　Having　learnt；　no　doubt；　that　my　credit　was　increasing；　he　thought　himself　obliged　to　write　to　me；　that　he　might　rank　me　with　his　party。　　He　might　have　availed　himself　of　the　intermediation　of　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　but　preferred　putting　the　duc　de　Richelieu　into　his　confidence；　and　begged　him　to　fulfil　the　delicate　function　of　literary　Mercury。　　I　was　alone　when　the　marechal　came　to　me　with　an　assumed　air　of　mystery。　　His　first　care　was　to　look　around　him　without　saying　a　word；　and　it　was　not　until　after　he　had　shaken　the　curtains；　and　peeped　into　every　corner　of　the　apartment；　that　he　approached　me；　who　was　somewhat　surprised　at　his　monkey　tricks。

〃I　am　the　bearer；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃of　a　secret　and　important　communication；　which　I　have　been　entreated　to　deliver　after　five　or　six　hundred　cautions　at　least：　it　is　a；　defection　from　the　enemy's　camp；　and　not　the　least　in　value。〃

Fully　occupied　by　my　quarrel　with　the　ladies　of　the　court；　I　imagined　that　he　had　brought　me　a　message　of　peace　from　some　great　lady；　and；　full　of　this　idea；　I　asked　him　in　haste　the　name　of　her　whose　friendship　I　had　acquired。

〃Good；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　about　a　lady；　is　it？　　It　is　from　a　personage　fully　as　important；　a　giant　in　power；　whose　words　resound　from　one　extremity　of　Europe　to　another；　and　whom　the　Choiseuls　believe　their　own　entirely。〃

　〃It　is　M。　de　Voltaire；〃　I　said。

〃Exactly　so：　your　perspicacity　has　made　you　guess　it。〃

　〃But　what　does　he　want　with　me？〃

〃To　be　at　peace　with　you；　to　range　himself　under　your　banner；　secretly　at　first；　but　afterwards　openly。〃

〃Is　he　then　afraid　openly　to　evince　himself　my　friend？〃　　I　replied；　in　a　tone　of　some　pique。

〃Rather　so；　and　yet　you　must　not　feel　offended　at　that。　　The　situation　of　this　sarcastic　and　talented　old　man　is　very　peculiar；　his　unquiet　petulance　incessantly　gives　birth　to　fresh　perils。　　He；　of　necessity；　must　make　friends　in　every　quarter；　left　and　right；　in　France　and　foreign　countries。　　The　necessary　consequence　is；　that　he　cannot　follow　a　straight　path。　　The　Choiseuls　have　served　him　with　perfect　zeal：　do　not　be　astonished　if　he　abandon　them　when　they　can　no　longer　serve　him。　　If　they　fall；　he　will　bid　them　good　evening；　and　will　sport　your　cockade　openly。〃


〃But；〃　I　replied；　〃this　is　a　villainous　character。〃

〃Ah；　I　do　not　pretend　to　introduce　to　you　an　Aristides　or　an　Epaminondas；　or　any　other　soul　of　similar　stamp。　　He　is　a　man　of　letters；　full　of　wit；　a　deep　thinker；　a　superior　genius；　and　our　reputations　are　in　his　hands。　　If　he　flatters　us；　posterity　will　know　it；　if　he　laugh　at　us；　it　will　know　it　also。　　I　counsel　you　therefore　to　use　him　well；　if　you　would　have　him　behave　so　towards　you。〃

〃I　will　act　conformably　to　your　advice；〃　said　I　to　the　　marechal；　〃at　the　same　time　I　own　to　you　that　I　fear　him　like　a　firebrand。〃

〃I；　like　you；　think　that　there　is　in　him　something　of　the　infernal　stone：　he　burns　you　on　the　slightest　touch。　　But　now；　to　this　letter；　you　will　see　what　he　says　to　you。　　He　begs　me　most　particularly　to　conceal　from　every　body　the　step　he　has　taken　with　you。　　What　he　most　dreads　is；　lest　you　should　proclaim　from　the　housetops　that　he　is　in　correspondence　with　you。　　I　conjure　you；　on　his　behalf；　to　exercise　the　greatest　discretion；　and　I　think　that　you　are　interested　in　doing　so；　for；　if　what　he　has　done　should　be　made　public；　he　will　not　fail　to　exercise　upon　you　the　virulence　of　his　biting　wit。〃

Our　conversation　was　interrupted　by　a　stir　which　we　heard　in　the　chateau；　and　which　announced　to　us　the　king。　　The　marechal　hastily　desired　me　not　to　show　Voltaire's　letter　to　the　king　until　I　had　read　it　previously　to　myself。　　〃He　does　not　like　this　extraordinary　man；〃　he　added；　〃and　accuses　him　of　having　failed　in　respect；　and　perhaps　you　will　find　in　this　paper　some　expression　which　may　displease　him。〃

Scarcely　had　I　put　the　epistle　in　my　pocket；　when　the　king　entered。

〃What　are　you　talking　about；〃　said　he；　〃you　seem　agitated？〃

〃Of　M。　de　Voltaire；　sire；〃　I　replied；　with　so　much　presence　of　mind　as　to　please　the　duc　de　Richelieu。

〃What；　is　he　at　his　tricks　again？　　Have　you　any　cause　of　complaint　against　him？〃

〃Quite　the　reverse；　he　has　charged　M。　d'Argental　to　say　to　M。　de　Richelieu；　that　he　was　sorry　that　he　could　not　come　and　prostrate　himself　at　my　feet。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　king；　remembering　the　letter　to　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　〃he　persists　in　his　coquetries　towards　you：　that　is　better　than　being　lampooned　by　him。　　But　do　not　place　too　much　confidence　in　this　gentleman　of　the　chamber：　he　weighs　every　thing　in　two　scales；　and　I　doubt　much　whether　he　will　spare　you　when　he　evinces　but　little　consideration　for　me。〃

Certainly　Richelieu　had　a　good　opportunity　of　undertaking　the　defence　of　his　illustrious　friend。　　He　did　no　such　thing；　and　I　have　always　thought　that　Voltaire　was　the　person　whom　the　duke　detested　more　heartily　than　any　other　person　in　the　world。　　He　did；　in　fact；　dread　him　too　much　to　esteem　him　as　a　real　friend。

〃M。　d'Argental；〃　said　the　king；　〃unites　then　at　my　court　the　double　function　of　minister　of　Parma　and　steward　of　Ferney。*　Are　these　two　offices　compatible？〃

*The　name　of　Voltaire's　residence…　TRANS

〃Yes；　sire；〃　replied　the　duke；　laughing；　〃since　he　has　not　presented　officially　to　your　majesty　the　letters　of　his　creation　as　comte　de　Tournay。〃

The　king　began　to　laugh。　　This　was　the　name　of　an　estate　which　Voltaire　had；　and　which　he　sometimes　assumed。



CHAPTER　XVI


Unpublished　letter　of　Voltaire　to　madame　du　BarryReply　of　the　countessThe　marechale　de　MirepoixHer　first　interview　with　madame　du　BarryAnecdote　of　the　diamonds　of　madame　de　Mirepoix　The　king　pays　for　themSingular　gratitude　of　the　marechaleThe　portfolio；　and　an　unpublished　letter　of　the　marquise　de　Pompadour

By　the　way　in　which　the　king　continued　to　speak　to　me　of　M。　de　Voltaire；　I　clearly　saw　how　right　the　duke　was　in　advising　me　to　read　the　letter　myself　before　I　showed　it　to　my　august　protector。　　I　could　not　read　it　until　the　next　day；　and　found　it　conceived　in　the　following　terms：

〃MADAME　LA　COMTESSE：I　feel　myself　urged　by　an　extreme　desire　to　have　an　explanation　with　you；　after　the　receipt　of　a　letter　which　M。　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　wrote　to　me　last　year。　　This　nobleman；　nephew　of　a　gentleman；　as　celebrated　for　the　name　he　bears　as　by　his　own　reputation；　and　who　has　been　my　friend　for　more　than　sixty　years；　has　communicated　to　me　the　pain　which　had　been　caused　you　by　a　certain　piece　of　poetry；　of　my　writing　as　was　stated；　and　in　which　my　style　was　recognised。　　Alas！　　madame；　ever　since　the　most　foolish　desire　in　the　world　has　excited　me　to　commit　a　great　deal　of　idle　trash　to　paper；　not　a　month；　a　week；　nay；　even　a　day　passes　in　which　I　am　not　accused　and　convicted　of　some　great　enormity；　that　is　to　say；　the　malicious　author　of　all　sorts　of　turpitudes　and　extravagancies。　　Eh！　　；　the　entire　life…time　of　ten　men　would　not　be　sufficient　to　write　all　with　which　I　am　charged；　to　my　unutterable　despair　in　this　world；　and　to　my　eternal　damnation　in　that　which　is　to　come。

〃It　is　no　doubt；　much　to　die　in　final　impenitence；　altho'　hell　may　contain　all　the　honest　men　of　antiquity　and　a　great　portion　of　those　of　our　times；　and　paradise　would　not　be　much　to　hope　for　if　we　must　find　ourselves　face　to　face　with　messieurs　Freron；　Nonatte；　Patouillet；　Abraham　Chauneix；　and　other　saints　cut　out　of　the　same　cloth。　　But　how　much　more　severe　would　it　be　to　sustain　your　anger！　　The　hatred　of　the　Graces　brings　down　misfortune　on　men　of　letters；　and　when　he　embroils　himself　with　Venus　and　the　Muses　he　is　a　lost　being；　as；　for　instance；　M。　Dorat；　who　incessantly　slanders　his　mistresses；　and　writes　nothing　but　puerilities。

〃I　have　been　very　cautious；　in　my　long　career；　how　I　committed　such　a　fault。　　If　perchance　I　have　lightly　assailed　the　common　cry　of　scribblers　or　pendants　who　were　worthless；　I　have　never　ceased　to　burn　incense　on　the　altars　of　the　ladies；　them　I　have　always　sung　when　Icould　not　do　otherwise。　　Independently；　madame；　of　the　profound　respect　I　bear　all　your　sex　I　profess　a　particular　regard　towards　all　those　who　approach　our　sovereign；　and　whom　he　invests　with　his　confidence：　in　this　I　prove　myself　no　less　a　faithful　subject　than　a　gallant　Frenchman；　and　I　venerate　the　God　I　serve　in　his　constant　friendships　as　I　would　do　in　his　caprices。　Thus　I　was　far　from　outraging　and　insulting　you　still　more　grievously　by　composing　a　hateful　work　which　I　detest　with　my　whole　heart；　and　which　makes　me　shed　tears　of　blood　when　I　think　that　people　did　not　blush　to　attribute　it　to　me。

〃Believe　in　my　respectful　attachment；　madame；　no　less　than　in　my　cruel　destiny；　which　renders　me　odious　to　those　by　whom　I　would　be　loved。　　My　enemies；　a　portion　of　whom　are　amongst　yours；　certainly　succeed　each　other　with　frightful　eagerness　to　try　my　wind。　Now　they　have　just　published　under　my　name　some　attacks　on　the　poor　president　Henault；　whom　I　love　with　sincere　affection。　　What　have　they　not　attributed　to　me　to　inculpate　me　with　my　friends；　with　my　illustrious　protectors；　M。　le　marechal　duc　de　Richelieu　and　their　majesties　the　king　of　Prussia　and　the　czarina