memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第36节

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ur　acquaintance。〃

〃The　affability　with　which　you　have　presented　yourself　to　me；〃　I　replied；　〃does　not　permit　me　to　believe　that　I　have　only　known　you　from　this　morning；　I　am　in　an　illusion　which　will　only　allow　me　to　look　on　our　recent　alliance　as　an　ancient　friendship。〃

After　having　exchanged　some　conversation　of　the　same　tenor；　we　talked　of　my　situation　as　regarded　the　other　females　of　the　court。

〃They　hate　you　for　two　reasons；〃　said　the　countess：　〃in　the　first　place；　because　you　have　made　a　conquest　which　all　the　world　envies　you；　secondly　because　you　are　not　one　of　us。　　There　is　not　one　family　who　can　lean　on　you　in　virtue　of　the　rights　of　blood；　or　alliances　which　stand　instead　of　it。　　You　have　superseded　a　woman　who　more　than　any　other　could　have　a　claim　to　your　good　fortune：　she　is　sister　to　the　prime　minister；　who　has　in　her　train；　like　Lucifer；　more　than　a　third　part　of　heaven；　for　all　the　courtiers　hang　on　her　brother。

〃On　the　other　hand；　we　are　not　accustomed　to　remain　so　long　in　opposition　to　the　will　of　the　king。　　Such　a　resistance　is　not　natural　to　us；　it　weighs　upon　us；　it　harms　us；　the　favor　of　our　master　being　our　chief　good。　　We　are　only　something　thro'　him；　and　when　combatting　against　him　we　have　neither　the　courage　nor　the　perseverance。　　Thus　you　may　be　very　certain　that　the　majority　of　women　who　oppose　you　do　it　against　the　grain：　and　if　you　add　to　this　that　they　are　incessantly　exposed　to　the　murmurs　and　complaints　of　their　husbands；　sons；　brothers；　and　lovers；　you　will　easily　be　convinced　that　they　only　aspire　to　finding　a　means　of　reconciling　the　regard　they　owe　to　the　Choiseuls　and　the　terror　which　they　inspire；　with　the　desire　they　have　to　seek　your　protection　and　the　friendship　of　the　king。　　The　cabal　only　flies　on　one　wing；　and　I　cannot　divine　its　situation　at　the　commencement　of　the　next　winter。　　Do　not　disquiet　yourself　any　more　with　what　it　can　do：　keep　yourself　quiet；　continue　to　please　the　'master；'　and　you　will　triumph　over　the　multitude　as　easily　as　you　have　conquered　the　resistance　of　mesdames。〃

Such　was　the　language　of　the　comtesse　de　Flaracourt：　it　agreed；　as　you　will　perceive；　with　that　of　madame　de　Mirepoix；　and　I　ought　the　more　to　believe　it；　as　it　was　the　fruit　of　their　experience　and　profound　knowledge　of　court　manners。　　Their　example　proved　to　me；　as　well　as　their　words；　that　all　those　who　approached　the　king　could　not　bear　for　a　long　time　the　position　in　which　he　placed　those　whom　he　did　not　look　upon　with　pleasure。　However；　Louis　XV　evinced　more　plainly　from　day　to　day　the　ascendancy　I　had　over　his　mind。　　He　assisted　publicly　at　my　toilet*；　he　walked　out　with　me；　left　me　as　little　as　possible；　and　sought　by　every　attention　to　console　me　for　the　impertinences　with　which　my　enemies　bespattered　me。　　The　following　anecdote　will　prove　to　you　how　little　consideration　he　had　for　those　persons　who　dared　to　insult　me　openly。

One　day　at　Marly；　I　entered　the　drawing…room；　there　was　a　vacant　seat　near　the　princesse　de　Guemenee；　I　went　to　it；　and　scarcely　was　seated　when　my　neighbor　got　up；　saying；　〃What　horror！〃　　and　betook　herself　to　the　further　end　of　the　room。　　I　was　much　confused：　the　offence　was　too　public　for　me　to　restrain　my　resentment；　and　even　when　I　wished　to　do　so　the　thing　was　scarcely　possible。　　The　comte　Jean；　who　had　witnessed　it；　and　my　sisters…in…law；　who　learnt　it　from　him；　were　enraged。　　I　was　compelled　to　complain　to　the　king；　who　instantly　sent　the　princesse　de　Guemenee　an　order　to　quit　Marly　forthwith；　and　betake　herself　to　the　princesse　de　Marsan；　　of　the　children　of　the　royal　family　of　France；　of　whose　post　she　had　the　reversion。

Never　did　a　just　chastisement　produce　a　greater　effect。　　The　outcry　against　me　was　louder　than　ever；　it　seemed　as　tho'　the　whole　nobility　of　France　was　immolated　at　〃one　fell　swoop。〃　To　have　heard　the　universal　clamor；　it　would　have　been　thought　that　the　princess　had　been　sent　to　the　most　obscure　prison　in　the　kingdom。　　This　proof　of　the　king's　regard　for　me　did　much　mischief；　no　doubt；　as　it　furnished　my　enemies　with　a　pretext　to　accuse　me　of　a　vindictive　spirit。　　Could　I　do　otherwise？　　Ought　I　to　have　allowed　myself　to　be　overwhelmed　with　impunity；　and　was　it　consistent　with　the　dignity　of　my　august　protector；　that　I　should　be　insulted　thus　openly　by　his　subjects；　his　courtiers；　his　guests；　even　in　the　private　apartments　of　his　palace？

However；　this　wrath　of　the　nobility　did　not　prevent　the　Choiseul　family　from　experiencing　a　feeling　of　fright。　　They　had　just　received　a　signal　favor。　　The　government　of　Strasbourg；　considered　as　the　key　of　France　and　Alsace；　had　been　given　in　reversion　to　the　comte　de　Stainville；　brother　of　the　duc　de　Choiseul。　　Certainly　this　choice　was　a　very　great　proof　of　the　indulgence　of　the　king；　and　the　moment　was　badly　chosen　to　pay　with　ingratitude　a　benefit　so　important。　　This　did　not　hinder　the　duchesse　de　Grammont；　and　all　the　women　of　her　house；　or　who　were　her　allies；　from　continuing　to　intrigue　against　me。　　It　was　natural　to　believe　that　the　king　would　not　permit　such　doing　for　a　long　time；　and　that　should　he　become　enraged　at　them；　that　I　should　attempt　to　soothe　his　anger。

Matters　were　in　this　state；　when　one　morning；　after　his　accustomed　routine；　the　duc　de　Choiseul　requested　a　private　audience　of　the　king。　　〃I　grant　it　this　moment；〃　said　the　prince；　〃what　have　you　to　say　to　me？〃

〃I　wish　to　explain　to　your　majesty　how　excessively　painful　is　the　situation　in　which　I　am　placed　with　regard　to　some　of　the　members　of　my　family。　　All　the　females；　and　my　sister　at　their　head；　attack　me　about　a　quarrel　which　is　strange　to　me；　and　with　which　I　have　declared　I　would　not　meddle。〃

〃You　do　well；　monsieur　le　duc；〃　said　the　king；　with　cool　gravity；　〃I　am　much　vexed　at　all　that　is　going　on；　and　have　resolved　not　to　suffer　it　any　longer。〃

The　decision　of　this　discourse　made　a　deep　impression　M。　de　Choiseul：　he　sought　to　conceal　it　whilst　he　replied：

〃It　is　difficult；　sire；　to　make　women　listen　to　reason。〃

〃All　are　not　unreasonable；〃　rejoined　the　king：　〃your　wife；　for　instance；　is　a　model　of　reason　and　wisdom：　she　has　perfect　control　of　herself。　　She　is　the　wise　woman　of　scripture。〃

This　flattery　and　justly　merited　eulogium；　which　the　king　made　of　the　duchess　whenever　he　found　an　opportunity；　was　the　more　painful　to　M。　de　Choiseul；　as　his　conduct　was　not　irreproachable　towards　a　woman　whose　virtues　he　alone　did　not　justly　appreciate。　　It　was　a　direct　satire　against　his　sister's　conduct；　whose　ascendancy　over　him；　her　brother；　the　king　well　knew。　　He　replied　that　the　good　behavior　of　his　wife　was　the　safeguard　of　his　family；　and　he　greatly　regretted　that　the　duchesse　de　Grammont　had　not　a　right　to　the　same　eulogium。

〃I　beg　you；〃　said　the　prince；　〃to　engage　her　to　change　her　language；　and　to　conduct　herself　with　less　boldness；　if　she　would　not　have　me　force　her　to　repent。〃

〃That；　sire；　is　a　mission　painful　to　fulfil；　and　words　very　hard　to　convey　to　her。〃

〃So　much　the　worse　for　her；〃　replied　the　king；　elevating　his　voice；　〃if　she　bear　any　friendship　for　you；　let　her　prove　it　in

this　particular：　your　interests　should　keep　her　mouth　shut。〃

The　duke　had　no　difficulty　to　comprehend　the　indirect　menace　implied：　he　instantly　renewed　his　regrets　for　the　　disturbances　that　had　occurred。

〃Add　；〃　said　Louis　XV。　　〃I　am　content　with　you　and　your　services；　duke。　　I　have　just　proved　this　to　you；　by　giving　your　brother　more　than　he　could　expect　from　me；　but　have　not　I　the　right　to　have　my　intimacies　respected？　　It　appears　to　me　that　if　you　spoke　more　decidedly　in　your　family　you　would　command　more　attention。〃

〃This　makes　me　fear；　sire；　that　your　majesty　does　not　believe　me　sincere　in　my　expression　of　the　regret　which　I　just　took　the　liberty　to　utter　to　your　majesty。〃

〃；　monsieur　le　duc；　you　certainly　do　not　like　madame　du　Barry。〃

〃I　neither　like　nor　hate　her；　sire；　but　I　see　with　trouble　that　she　receives　at　her　house　all　my　enemies。〃

〃Whose　fault　is　that　if　it　be　so？　　Your　own；　you；　who　would　never　visit　her；　she　would　have　received　you　with　pleasure；　and　I　have　not　concealed　from　you　the　satisfaction　I　should　have　experienced。〃

These　last　words　made　the　duke　start；　his　eyes　became　animated。　After　a　moment's　reflection　he　said　to　the　king；

〃Sire；　is　it　indispensably　necessary　for　the　service　of　　the　state　that　I　endeavor　to　attain　the　good…will　of　madame　la　comtesse　du　Barry？〃

〃No。〃

〃Well；　then；　sire；　allow　matters　to　remain　as　they　are。　　It　would　cost　me　much　to　quarrel　with　my　whole　family；　the　more　so　as　this　sacrifice　is　not　useful　to　you；　and　would　in　no　wise　alter　my　position　with　your　majesty。〃

However　painful　to　the　king　such　a　determination　might　be；　he　did　not　allow　the　duke　to　perceive　it；　he　dissembled　the　resentment　he　felt；　and　contented　himself　with　saying；

〃Duc　de　Choiseul；　I　do　not　pretend　to　impose　chains　on　you；　I　have　spoken　to　you　as　a　friend　rather　than　as　a　sovereign。　　Now　I　return　to　what　was　said　at　first；　and　accept　with　confidence　the　promise　you　make　me　not　to　torment　a　lady　whom　I　love　most　sincerely。〃

Thus　ended　a　conversation　from　which　the　duke；　with　a　less　haughty　disposition；　m