memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第34节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Since　we　are　friends；　madame；〃　said　she；　seating　herself　in　a　chair；　〃do　not　think　ill　of　me　if　I　establish　myself　at　my　ease；　and　take　my　station　as　in　the　days　of　yore。　　The　king　loves　you：

so　much　the　better。　　You　will　have　a　double　empire　over　him。　　He　did　not　love　the　marquise；　and　allowed　himself　to　be　governed　by　her；　for　with　himI　ask　pardon　of　your　excessive　beautycustom　does　all。　　It　is　necessary；　my　dear　countess；　to　use　the　double　lever　you　have；　of　your　own　charms　and　his　constant　custom　to　do　to…morrow　what　he　does　to…day　because　he　did　it　yesterday；　and　for　this　you　lack　neither　grace　nor　wit。〃

I　had　heard　a　great　deal　concerning　madame　de　Mirepoix；　but　I　own　to　you；　that　before　I　heard　her　speak　I　had　no　idea　what　sort　of　a　person　she　would　prove。　　She　had　an　air　of　so　much　frankness　and　truth；　that　it　was　impossible　not　to　be　charmed　by　it。　　The　greater　part　of　the　time　I　did　not　know　how　to　defend　myself　from　herat　once　so　natural　and　so　perfidious；　and　occasionally　I　allowed　myself　to　love　her　with　all　my　heart；　so　much　did　she　seem　to　cherish　me　with　all　enthusiasm。　　She　had　depth　of　wit；　a　piquancy　of　expression；　and　knew　how　to　disguise　those　interested　adulations　with　turns　so　noble　and　beautiful　that　I　have　never　met；　neither　before　nor　since；　any　woman　worthy　of　being　compared　with　her。　　She　was；　in　her　single　self；　a　whole　society；　and　certainly　there　was　no　possibility　of　being　wearied　when　she　was　there。　　Her　temper　was　most　equable；　a　qualification　rarely　obtained　without　a　loss　of　warmth　of　feeling。　　She　always　pleased　because　her　business　was　to　please　and　not　to　love；　and　it　always　sufficed　her　to　render　others　enthusiastic　and　ardent。　　Except　this　tendency　to　egotism；　she　was　the　charm　of　society；　the　life　of　the　party　whom　she　enlivened　by　her　presence。　　She　knew　precisely　when　to　mourn　with　the　afflicted；　and　joke　with　the　merry…hearted。　　The　king　had　much　pleasure　in　her　company：　he　knew　that　she　only　thought　how　to　amuse　him；　and；　moreover；　as　he　had　seen　her　from　morning　till　evening　with　the　marquise　de　Pompadour；　her　absence　from　my　parties　was　insupportable　to　him；　and　almost　contrary　to　the　rules　of　etiquette　at　the　chateau。

I　cannot　tell　you　how　great　was　his　satisfaction；　when；　at　the　first　supper　which　followed　our　intimacy；　he　saw　her　enter。　　He　ran　to　meet　her　like　a　child；　and　gave　a　cry　of　joy；　which　must　have　been　very　pleasing　to　the　marechale。

〃You　are　a　dear　woman；〃　he　said　to　her；　with　an　air　which　accorded　with　his　words；　〃I　always　find　you　when　I　want　you；　and　you　can　nowhere　be　more　in　place　than　here。　　I　ask　your　friendship　for　our　dear　countess。〃

〃She　has　it　already；　sire；　from　the　moment　I　saw　her；　and　I　consider　my　intimacy　with　her　as　one　of　the　happiest　chances　of　my　life。〃

The　king　showed　the　utmost　good　humor　in　the　world　during　the　rest　of　the　evening。　　He　scolded　me；　however；　for　the　mystery　I　had　made　in　concealing　from　him　the　agreeable　visit　of　the　marechale。　　I　justified　myself　easily　by　the　pleasure　which　this　surprise　caused　him；　and；　on　my　side；　gave　my　sincere　thanks　to　the　chancellor。

〃You　owe　me　none；〃　said　he；　〃the　good　marechale　felt　herself　somewhat　ill　at　ease　not　to　be　on　close　terms　with　her　who　possesses　the　affections　of　the　king。　　It　is　an　indispensable　necessity　that　she　should　play　a　part　in　the　lesser　apartments；　and　as　the　principal　character　no　longer　suits　her；　she　is　contented　to　perform　that　of　confidante；　and　ran　here　on　my　first　intimation。〃

〃Never　mind　the　motive　that　brought　her；〃　I　said；　〃she　is　a　companion　for　me　much　more　desirable　than　madame　de　Bearn。〃

〃First　from　her　rank；〃　said　the　chancellor；　smiling　maliciously；　〃and　then　by　virtue　of　her　cousinship　with　the　Holy　Virgin。〃

I　confess　that　I　was　ignorant　of　this　incident　in　the　house　of　Levi；　and　I　laughed　heartily　at　the　description　of　the　picture；　in　which　one　of　the　lords　of　this　house　is　represented　on　his　knees　before　the　mother　of　God；　who　says　to　him；　〃