memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第35节

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CHAPTER　XVII


Conversation　of　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix　with　the　comtesse　du　Barry　on　court　friendshipIntrigues　of　madame　de　BearnPreconcerted　meeting　with　madame　de　Flaracourt…Rage　of　madame　de　Bearn　Portrait　and　conversation　of　madame　de　Flaracourt　with　the　comtesse　du　BarryInsult　from　the　princesse　de　GuemeneeHer　banishmentExplanation　of　the　king　and　the　duc　de　Choiseul　relative　to　madame　du　BarryThe　comtesse　d'Egmont

However　giddy　I　was　I　did　not　partake　in　the　excessive　gaiety　of　madame　de　Mirepoix。　　I　was　pained　to　see　how　little　reliance　could　be　placed　on　the　sensibility　of　the　king；　as　well　as　how　far　I　could　esteem　the　consideration　of　the　marechale　for　madame　de　Pompadour；　from　whom　she　had　experienced　so　many　marks　of　friendship。　　This　courtier　baseness　appeared　to　me　so　villainous；　that　I　could　not　entirely　conceal　how　I　was　affected　with　displeasure。　Madame　de　Mirepoix　saw　it；　and；　looking　at　me　attentively；　said；

〃Do　you　feel　any　desire　to　become　pathetical　in　the　country　we　live　in？　　I　warn　you　that　it　will　be　at　your　own　expense。　　We　must　learn　to　content　ourselves　here　with　appearances；　and　examine　nothing　thoroughly。〃

〃'There　is　then　no　reality？〃　　said　I　to　her。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered　me；　〃but　only　two　things；　power　and　money：　the　rest　is　'leather　and　prunella'　　（）：　no　person　has　time　to　love　sincerely；　it　is　hatred　only　that　takes　deep　root　and　never　dies。　　To　hope　to　give　birth　to　a　real　passion；　an　Orestean　and　Pyladean　friendship；　is　a　dream　from　which　you　must　be　awakened。〃

'Then　you　do　not　love　me？〃

〃You　ask　me　a　very　awkward　question；　my　darling；　I　can　tell　you。　I　do　love　you；　and　very　much；　too：　I　have　proved　it　by　ranging　myself　on　your　side；　and　by　declaring；　with　the　utmost　frankness；　that　I　would　rather　see　you　in　the　situation　in　which　you　are；　than　any　other　woman　of　the　court。　　But　there　is　a　long　space　between　this　and　heroical　friendship：　I　should　deceive　you　if　I　were　to　affirm　the　contrary；　and　there　would　be　no　common　sense　in　giving　faith　to　my　words。　　Every　one　has　too　much　business；　too　much　intrigue；　too　many　quarrels　on　hand；　to　have　any　leisure　to　think　of　others：　every　one　lives　for　himself　alone。　　Mesdames　de　Guemenee　and　de　Grammont　appear　very　intimate：　that　is　easily　explained；　they　unite　against　a　common　enemy。　　But　were　your　station　left　vacant；　no　sooner　would　the　king　have　thrown　the　apple　to　one　of　them；　but　the　other　would　detest　her　instantly。〃

Contrary　to　custom　I　made　no　reply：　I　was　absorbed　in　painful　reflections　to　which　this　conversation　had　given　rise。　　The　marechale　perceived　it；　and　said；

〃We　should　fall　into　philosophy　if　we　probed　this　subject　too　deeply。　　Let　us　think　no　more　of　this：　besides；　I　have　a　new　defection　to　tell　you　of。　　Madame　de　Flaracourt　told　me　yesterday　that　she　much　regretted　having　misunderstood　you；　and　that　you　were　worth　more　than　all　those　who　persecute　you。　　She　appeared　to　me　disposed　to　ally　herself　to　you　for　the　least　encouragement　which　you　might　be　induced　to　hold　out　to　her。〃



〃You　know　very　well；〃　I　replied；　〃that　I　am　willing　to　adopt　your　advice。　　The　house　of　Flaracourt　is　not　to　be　despised；　and　I　ask　no　better　than　to　be　on　amicable　terms　with　the　lady。〃

〃Well；　then；　come　this　morning　and　walk　in　the　grove　nearest　the　pavilion；　I　shall　be　there　with　madame　de　Flaracourt：　we　will　meet　by　chance；　compliments　will　follow；　and　the　alliance　will　be　formed。〃

The　marechale　and　I　had　scarcely　separated　when　madame　de　Bearn　was　announced。　　This　lady　besieged　me　night　and　day。　　Gifted　with　a　subtle　and　penetrating　spiritthat　talent　which　procures　advancement　at　court；　she　saw；　with　pain；　that　I　sought　to　attract　other　females　about　me：　she　would　fain　have　remained　my　only　friend；　that　she　might；　unopposed；　influence　me　in　all　I　did。　　She　saw；　therefore；　the　appearance　of　madame　de　Mirepoix　in　my　drawing…room　with　uneasiness：　her　bad　humor　was　sufficiently　apparent　to　attract　the　notice　of　the　marechale；　who　laughed　at　it：　her　social　position　as　a　titled　woman；　and　the　king's　friendship；　giving　her　confidence　that　her　credit　would　always　exceed　that　of　my　godmother。

Madame　de　Bearn　was　compelled　to　submit　to　the　ascendancy　of　the　marechale；　but　yet　did　not　the　less　relax　in　her　efforts　to　keep　from　me　all　other　female　society；　she　hoped　that　at　last　the　king　would　distinguish　her；　and　call　her　into　his　intimacy　as　my　friend；　she　was　not　more　fond　of　the　comtesse　d'Aloigny；　altho'　the　nullity　of　this　lady　need　not　have　alarmed　her　much。　　For　me；　I　began　to　resent　the　irksomeness　of　having　incessantly　at　my　side　a　person　who　manifested　too　openly　her　desire　to　compel　me　to　submit　to　her　wishes；　and　I　waited；　to　secure　my　freedom；　only　until　the　circle　of　females　I　could　admit　to　my　society　should　be　extended。

Such　were　our　reciprocal　feelings　during　our　stay　at　Marly。　　The　madame　de　Bearn　watched　me　with　more　care　than　at　Versailles；　fearing；　no　doubt；　that　the　freedom　of　the　country　might　facilitate　connections　prejudicial　to　her　interests。　　Little　did　she　anticipate　on　this　day　the　stroke　which　was　in　preparation　for　her。　　I　asked　her　spitefully　to　take　a　turn　with　me　into　the　park；　and　I　took　care　not　to　announce　the　meeting　which　we　had　arranged。

Behold　us　then　walking　this　way　and　that；　quite　by　chance；　without　however　going　any　distance　from　the　pavilion。　　Madame　de　Bearn；　not　liking　the　vicinity　of　the　chateau；　was　desirous　to　go　into　the　wood。　　I　declined　this　under　vain　excuses；　when　suddenly　madame　de　Mirepoix　and　madame　de　Flaracourt　appeared　at　the　end　of　a　very　short　walk。

〃Let　us　turn　this　way；〃　said　the　countess　to　me；　〃here　comes　one　of　our　enemies；　whom　it　would　be　as　well　to　avoid。〃

〃Why　turn　away？〃　　I　replied；　〃she　is　alone；　we　are　two；　and　then　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix　is　not　opposed　to　us。〃

Saying　this；　I　advanced　towards　them。　　Madame　de　Flaracourt　appeared　very　gracious：　I　replied　to　her　advances　with　due　politeness；　and　instead　of　separating；　we　continued　to　walk　about　together。　　Madame　de　Bearn　saw　clearly　that　chance　was　not　the　sole　cause　of　this　meeting：　she　dissembled　as　well　as　she　could。　　I　afterwards　learnt　that　she　owed　me　a　spite；　particularly　for　the　mystery　which　I　had　made　of　this　occurrence。　　The　marked　silence；　and　the　sullen　air　she　assumed　during　this　interview；　and　which　her　sense　and　knowledge　of　the　world　should　have　prevented　her　from　manifesting；　proved　to　me；　on　this　occasion；　as　on　many　other　others；　that　temper　cannot　always　be　conquered；　and　that　at　times　it　will　burst　forth　in　spite　of　the　experience　and　caution　of　the　courtier。

I　did　not　give　myself　much　trouble　on　this　subject：　I　had　well　recompensed　the　good　offices　of　the　countess：　I　had　ample　proof　that　in　serving　me　she　had　acted　on　the　impulse　of　self…interest：　we　were　quits；　I　thought；　and　I　saw　no　reason　why　I　should　remain　isolated　just　to　serve　her　pleasure。

When　we　returned　to　my　apartments　I　saw　plainly；　by　her　mutterings；　her　sighs；　and　the　shrugging　of　her　shoulders；　that　she　was　deeply　irritated　at　what　had　just　taken　place。　　She　was　desirous　of　provoking　an　explanation；　but　as　that　could　only　tend　to　her　disadvantage；　she　contented　herself　with　leaving　me　earlier　than　her　usual　want；　without　saying　anything　disagreeable。　　Her　custom　was　not　to　leave　me　alone；　and　her　abrupt　departure　confirmed　me　in　the　idea　I　had　imbibed；　that　this　sort　of　comedy　had　much　thwarted　her。

In　the　course　of　the　same　day　I　received　a　visit　from　the　comtesse　de　Flaracourt。　　This　lady；　whose　sparkling　eyes　shone　with　an　air　of　mischief；　presented　herself　to　me　with　an　appearance　of　openness　and　confidence　which　completely　cloaked　the　malignity　and　treachery　of　her　character。　　She　threw　her　arms　round　my　neck　with　as　much　grace　as　tenderness；　and　taking　my　hand；　as　if　to　arrest　my　attention；　said：

〃I　ought；　madame；　to　explain　to　you　the　delay　that　I　have　made　before　I　introduce　myself　to　you；　as　well　as　the　promptitude　of　this　my　first　visit。　　I　was　prejudiced　against　you；　and　had　formed　a　false　estimate　of　you。　　My　　with　mesdames　d'Egmont；　de　Brionne；　and　de　Grammont　naturally　placed　me　in　the　rank　opposed　to　you：　so　much　for　what　has　passed。　　But　I　have　seen　you：　I　have　studied　you　at　a　distance；　as　well　as　close；　and　I　have　recognised；　without　difficulty；　the　injustice　of　your　enemies。　I　have　been　enraged　with　myself　for　having　been　deceived　regarding　you：　I　wish　to　repair　my　wrongs。　　Enlightened　by　the　opinion　of　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　I　have　not　hesitated　to　approach　you　under　her　auspices；　and　our　first　meeting　has　so　happily　furnished　me　with　an　opportunity　of　appreciating　you；　that　I　would　not　delay　any　longer　the　pleasure　of　making　you　a　personal　avowal　of　my　past　sentiments；　and　of　those　with　which　you　now　inspire　me。〃

The　tone　in　which　madame　de　Flaracourt　uttered　these　words　was　so　gracious　and　so　persuasive；　that　I　could　not　resist　the　pleasure　of　embracing　her。　　She　returned　my　kiss　with　the　same　eagerness；　and　would　not　listen　to　my　thanks。

〃All　is　explained　between　us；〃　she　continued；　〃let　us　forget　the　past；　and　let　us　do　as　if　meeting　for　the　first　time　to…day；　we　henceforward　date　this　as　the　first　of　our　acquaintance。〃

〃The　af