memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第33节

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　protectors；　M。　le　marechal　duc　de　Richelieu　and　their　majesties　the　king　of　Prussia　and　the　czarina　of　Russia！

〃I　could　excuse　them　for　making　war　upon　strangers　in　my　name；　altho'　that　would　be　a　pirate's　method；　but　to　attack；　under　my　banner；　my　master；　my　sovereign　lord；　this　I　can　never　pardon；　and　I　will　raise　against　them　even　a　dying　voice；　particularly　when　they　strike　you　with　the　same　blows；　you；　who　love　literature；　you；　who　do　me　the　honor　to　charge　your　memory　with　my　feeble　productions。　It　is　an　infamy　to　pretend　that　I　fire　on　my　own　troops。

〃Under　any　circumstances；　madame；　I　am　before　you　in　a　very　delicate　situation。　　There　is　in　Versailles　a　family　which　overwhelms　me　with　marks　of　their　friendship。　　Mine　ought　to　appertain　to　it　to　perpetuity；　yet　I　learn　that　it　is　so　unfortunate　as　to　have　no　conception　of　your　merit；　and　that　envious　talebearers　place　themselves　between　you　and　it。　　I　am　told　that　there　is　a　kind　of　declared　war；　it　is　added；　that　I　have　furnished　supplies　to　this　camp；　the　chiefs　of　which　I　love　and　esteem。　　More　wise；　more　submissive；　I　keep　myself　out　of　the　way　of　blows；　and　my　reverence　for　the　supreme　master　is　such；　that　I　turn　away　my　very　eyes　that　they　may　not　be　spectators　of　the　fight。

〃Do　not　then；　madame；　think　that　any　sentiment　of　affection　has　compelled；　or　can　compel　me　to　take　arms　against　you。　　I　would　refuse　any　proposition　which　should　rank　me　as　hostile　to　you；　if　the　natural　generosity　of　your　enemies　could　so　far　forget　it。　　In　reality　they　are　as　incapable　of　ordering　a　bad　action　as　I　am　of　listening　to　those　who　should　show　themselves　so　devoid　of　sense　as　to　propose　such　a　thing　to　me。

〃I　am　persuaded　that　you　have　understood　me；　and　I　am　fully　cleared　in　your　eyes。　　It　would　be　delightful　to　me　to　ascertain　this　with　certainty。　　I　charge　M。　le　marechal　duc　de　Richelieu　to　explain　to　you　my　disquietude　on　this　head；　and　the　favor　I　seek　at　your　hands；　from　you　who　command　France；　whilst　I；　I　ought　to　die　in　peace；　not　to　displease　any　person；　and　live　wisely　with　all。　　I　conclude；　madame　la　comtesse；　this　long　and　stupid　epistle；　which　is；　in　fact；　less　a　letter　than　a　real　case　for　consideration；　by　begging　you　to　believe　me；　etc。；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃VOLTAIRE

〃；　April　28；　1769。　　Gentleman　in　ordinary　to　the　king。

〃P。　　S。　　My　enemies　say　everywhere　that　I　am　not　a　Christian。　　I　have　just　given　them　the　lie　direct；　by　performing　my　Easter　devotions　（）　publicly；　thus　proving　to　all　my　lively　desire　to　terminate　my　long　career　in　the　religion　in　which　I　was　born；　and　I　have　fulfilled　this　important　act　after　a　dozen　consecutive　attacks　of　fever；　which　made　me　fear　I　should　die　before　I　could　assure　you　of　my　respect　and　my　devotion。〃

This　apology　gave　me　real　pleasure。　　I　pretended　to　believe　the　sincerity　of　him　who　addressed　me；　altho'　he　had　not　convinced　me　of　his　innocence；　and　I　wrote　the　following　reply　to　M。　de　Voltaire；　which　a　silly　pride　dictates　to　me　to　communicate　to　you；　in　conjunction　with　the　letter　of　the　philosopher：

〃MONSIEUR：Even　were　you　culpable　from　too　much　friendship　towards　those　you　cherish；　I　would　pardon　you　as　a　recompense　for　the　letter　you　address　to　me。　　This　ought　the　more　to　charm　me；　as　it　gives　me　the　certainty　that　you　had　been　unworthily　calumniated。　Could　you　have　said；　under　the　veil　of　secrecy；　things　disagreeable　to　a　great　king；　for　whom；　in　common　with　all　France；　you　profess　sincere　love？　　It　is　impossible。　　Could　you；　with　gaiety　of　heart；　wound　a　female　who　never　did　you　harm；　and　who　admires　your　splendid　genius？　　In　fact；　could　those　you　call　your　friends　have　stooped　so　low　as　not　to　have　feared　to　compromise　you；　by　making　you　play　a　part　unworthy　of　your　elevated　reputation？　　All　these　suppositions　were　unreasonable：　I　could　not　for　a　moment　admit　them；　and　your　two　letters　have　entirely　justified　you。　　I　can　now　give　myself　up　without　regret　to　my　enthusiasm　for　you　and　your　works。　It　would　have　been　too　cruel　for　me　to　have　learnt　with　certainty　that　he　whom　I　regarded　as　the　first　writer　of　the　age　had　become　my　detractor　without　motive；　without　provocation。　　That　it　is　not　so　I　give　thanks　to　Providence。

〃M。　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　did　not　deceive　you　when　he　told　you　that　I　fed　on　your　sublime　poetry。　　I　am　in　literature　a　perfect　novice；　and　yet　am　sensible　of　the　true　beauties　which　abound　in　your　works。　　I　am　to　be　included　amongst　the　stones　which　were　animated　by　Amphion：　this　is　one　of　your　triumphs；　but　to　this　you　must　be　accustomed。

〃Believe　also　that　all　your　friends　are　not　in　the　enemy's　camp。　There　are　those　about　me　who　love　you　sincerely；　M。　de　Chauvelin；　for　instance；　MM。　de　Richelieu　and　d'Aiguillon：　this　latter　eulogizes　you　incessantly；　and　if　all　the　world　thought　as　he　does；　you　would　be　here　in　your　place。　　But　there　are　terrible　prejudices　which　my　candor　will　not　allow　me　to　dissemble；　which　you　have　to　overcome。　There　is　　who　complains　of　you；　and　this　one　must　be　won　over　to　your　interests。　　He　wishes　you　to　testify　more　veneration　for　what　he　venerates　himself；　that　your　attacks　should　not　be　so　vehement　nor　so　constant。　　Is　it　then　impossible　for　you　to　comply　his　wishes　in　this　particular？　　Be　sure　that　you　only；　in　setting　no　bounds　in　your　attacks　on　religion；　do　yourself　a　vast　mischief　with　the　person　in　question。

〃It　will　appear　strange　that　I　should　hold　such　language　to　you：　I　only　do　it　to　serve　you：　do　not　take　my　statements　unkindly。　　I　have　now　a　favor　to　ask　of　you；　which　is；　to　include　me　in　the　list　of　those　to　whom　you　send　the　first　fruits　of　the　brilliant　productions　of　your　pen。　　There　is　none　who　is　more　devoted　to　you；　and　who　has　a　more　ardent　desire　to　convince　you　of　this。

〃I　am；　；　with　real　attachment；　etc。〃

I　showed　this　letter　to　M。　de　Richelieu。

〃Why；〃　he　inquired；　'have　you　not　assured　him　as　to　your　indiscretion；　which　he　fears？〃


〃Because　his　fear　seemed　to　me　unjust；　and　I　leave　you　to　represent　me　to　him　as　I　am；　and　now；〃　I　added；　〃it　does　not　appear　to　me　necessary　for　the　king　to　know　anything　of　this。〃

〃You　think　wisely；　madame；　what　most　displeased　him　was　to　see　madame　de　Pompadour　in　regular　correspondence　with　M。　de　Voltaire。〃

I　have　related　to　you　this　episode　of　my　history；　that　it　may　recompense　you　for　the　tiresome　details　of　my　presentation。　　I　resume　my　recital。　　I　told　you　that　M。　de　Maupeou　had　told　me　that　he　would　endeavor　to　bring　madame　la　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　and　introduce　her　to　me；　trusting　to　the　friendship　she　had　evinced　for　madame　de　Pompadour　during；　the　whole　time　of　the　favor　and　life　of　her　who　preceded　me　in　the　affections　of　Louis　XV。　　I　found；　to　my　surprise；　that　he　said　nothing　to　me　concerning　it　for　several　days；　when　suddenly　madame　la　marechale　de　Mirepoix　was　announced。

At　this　name　and　this　title　I　rose　quite　in　a　fluster；　without　clearly　knowing　what　could　be　the　object　of　this　visit；　for　which　I　was　unprepared。　　The　marechale；　who　followed　closely　on　the　valet's　heels；　did　not　give　me　time　for　much　reflection。　　She　took　me　really