memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第38节

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　sudden　noise　and　bustle　drew　Moireau　from　the　contemplative　admiration　into　which　the　splendor　of　the　piece　had　thrown　him。　　The　disturbance　arose　from　a　general　move；　which　was　taking　place　in　the　box　belonging　to　the　gentlemen　in　waiting。　　Madame　d'Egmont　had　just　arrived；　attended　by　four　or　five　grand　lords　of　the　court　covered　with　gold；　and　decorated　with　the　order　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　two　ladies　richly　dressed；　from　whom　she　was　distinguished　as　much　by　the　superior　magnificence　of　her　attire　as　by　her　striking　beauty。

Moireau　could　not　believe　his　eyes；　he　felt　assured　he　beheld　madame　Rossin；　yet　he　fancied　he　must　be　under　the　influence　of　some　fantastic　dream；　but　every　look；　every　gesture　of　the　princess；　a　thousand　trifles；　which　would　have　escaped　the　notice　of　a　common　observer；　but　which　were　engraved　in　indelible　characters　on　the　heart　of　her　admirer；　all　concurred　to　assure　him　that　he　recognised　in　this　lovely　and　dazzling　female；　so　splendidly　attired　and　so　regally　attended；　the　cherished　mistress　of　his　affections；　she　whom　that　very　morning　he　had　held　in　his　embrace。　　He　addressed　a　thousand　questions　to　those　about　him；　from　whom　he　learnt　his　own　good　fortune　and　the　exalted　rank　of　her　he　had　won。　　Scarcely　could　he　restrain　the　burst　of　joy；　when　informed　that　the　fair　object；　glittering　with　jewels　and　radiant　in　beauty；　was　the　daughter　of　Richelieu；　and　the　wife　of　one　of　the　princes　of　the　noble　houses　of　Egmont。

A　thousand　tumultuous　and　flattering　ideas　rushed　in　crowds　to　the　brain　of　young　Moireau；　and　he　saw　in　anticipation　a　long　and　brilliant　vista　opening　before　him。　　Poor　inexperienced　youth！　　He　mistook　the　wisest　and　safest　path；　which　would　have　been　to　have　appeared　ignorant　of　the　high　rank　of　his　mistress；　and　to　have　induced　her；　from　motives　of　affection；　to　preside　over　his　fortunes；　and　to　rise　by　her　means　without　allowing　her　to　suspect　he　guessed　her　ability　to　bestow　riches　and　preferment。　He；　on　the　contrary；　hastened　to　her　with　the　account　of　his　having　discovered　her　real　rank　and　station。　　Madame　d'Egmont；　whose　self…possession　enabled　her　to　conceal　the　terror　and　uneasiness　his　recital　inspired　her　with；　listened　calmly　and　silently　till　he　had　ceased　speaking；　and　then　asked　him；　with　a　playful　smile；　if　he　was　quite　sure　of　being　in　his　right　senses？　〃For　how　otherwise　could　you；〃　said　she；　〃confuse　a　poor　obscure　widow　like　myself　with　the　rich　and　powerful　princess　you　speak　of？　　My　friend；　you　are　under　the　influence　of　a　dream；　believe　me；　I　am　neither　more　nor　less　than　poor　widow　Rossin；　and　can　boast　of　no　claim　to　the　illustrious　name　of　Egmont　or　Richelieu。〃

But　the　more　she　spoke　the　less　she　persuaded；　and　young　Moireau　was　not　to　be　reasoned　out　of　his　conviction。　　of　her　identity　with　the　high…born　princess　of　Egmont；　and　he　alternately　employed　threats　and　promises　to　induce　her　to　confess　the　fact；　but　the　lady　was　firm　and　immovable。　　Resolved　at　all　risk　to　preserve　her　incognito；　she　found　herself　compelled　to　bring　the　affair　to　a　conclusion；　by　feigning　extreme　anger　at　the　pertinacity　with　which　Moireau　importuned　her　upon　a　subject　which　she　protested　she　knew　nothing：　her　lover　retaliated；　and　a　desperate　quarrel　ensued。　　Moireau　rushed　angrily　from　her　presence；　vowing　that　he　would　publish　his　adventure　thro'out　Paris；　an　empty　threat；　which　his　devotion　to　the　princess　would　never　have　permitted　him　to　carry　into　execution。

Madame　d'Egmont；　however；　was　not　so　sure　that　her　secret　was　safe；　and　she　lost　not　an　instant　in　repairing　to　the　house　of　M。　de　Sartines；　to　obtain　from　him　a　　against　the　aspiring　shopman；　who；　seized　in　the　street；　was　conveyed　away；　and　confined　as　a　maniac　in　a　madhouse；　where；　but　for　a　circumstance　you　shall　hear；　he　would　doubtless　be　still。

I　happened　to　be　with　the　king　when　the　lieutenant　of　police　arrived　upon　matters　connected　with　his　employment。　　According　to　custom；　Louis　inquired　whether　he　had　anything　very　amusing　to　communicate　to　him？　　〃Many　things；　sire；〃　replied　he；　〃and　amongst　others　an　anecdote　of　madame　d'Egmont〃；　and　he　began　to　relate　to　us；　word　for　word；　what　I　have　written　you。　　The　king　laughed　till　he　cried；　as　for　me；　altho'　I　could　not　help　finding　the　tale　sufficiently　comic　to　induce　risibility；　I　listened　with　more　coolness；　and　when　it　was　completed；　I　exclaimed；

〃Can　it　be；　sire；　that　you　will　permit　this　unfortunate　young　man　to　be　the　eternal　victim　of　so　unprincipled　a　woman？〃

〃What　would　you　have　me　do？〃　　said　Louis；　〃how　can　I　interfere　without　compromising　the　reputation　of　madame　d'Egmont？〃

〃Allow　me　to　say；〃　replied　I；　〃that　this　fear　ought　not　to　prevent　your　majesty's　interference。　　You　are　father　of　your　subjects；　and　the　respect　you　entertain　for　madame　d'Egmont　should　not　outweigh　your　duty；　which　imperatively　calls　upon　you　to　command　the　release　of　this　wretched　young　man。〃

〃But；〃　argued　the　king；　〃by　such　a　step　I　shall　for　ever　disoblige　the　duc　de　Richelieu　and　his　family。〃

〃Fear　it　not；〃　cried　I；　〃if　your　majesty　will　trust　to　me；　I　will　undertake　to　bring　the　marechal　and　his　nephew　to　approve　of　your　proceedings；　and　as　for　the　rest　of　his　family；　let　them　go　where　they　will；　for　the　empire　of　the　world　I　should　be　sorry　to　bear　them　company。〃

This　manner　of　speaking　pleased　the　king；　and；　turning　to　M。　de　Sartines；　〃Lieutenant　of　police；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　heard　my　fair　chancellor；　you　will　act　in　strict　conformity　with　the　orders　she　will　transmit　you　from　me。〃

〃Then　take　these　orders　now；　sir；〃　said　I：　〃in　the　first　place；　this　ill…treated　young　Moireau　must　immediately　be　set　at　liberty；　and　my　own　police　（for　I　must　tell　you　I　had　them）　will　give　me　the　faithful　account　of　all　your　proceedings　in　this　affair。〃

The　king　comprehended　my　meaning。　　〃You　will　keep　a　careful　watch；〃　added　he　to　M。　de　Sartines；　〃that　no　harm　befalls　this　unfortunate　youth；　whom；　I　beg；　you　will　discreetly　recommend　to　quit　France　ere　the　malice　of　those　who　have　reason　to　fear　his　reappearance　works　him　some　evil。〃

〃And　who；　sire；〃　asked　I；　〃shall　dare　injure　one　whom　your　majesty　deigns　to　honor　with　your　protection？〃

〃Madame；〃　replied　M。　de　Sartines；　〃even　his　majesty's　high　patronage　cannot　prevent　a　secret　blow　from　some　daring　hand；　a　quarrel　purposely　got　up；　a　beverage　previously　drugged；　a　fall　from　any　of　the　bridges　into　the　river；　or；　even　the　supposition　of　one　found　dead；　having　destroyed　himself。〃

〃You　make　me　shudder；〃　said　I；　〃in　thus　unveiling　the　extent　of　human　depravity。　　So；　then；　this　young　man；　whose　only　fault　appears　to　have　been　that　captivating　the　eyes　of　a　noble　lady；　should　perish　in　a　dungeon；　or　save　his　life　at　the　sacrifice　of　country；　friends；　connections；　and　all　this　for　having　listened　to　the　passion　of　a　woman；　as　licentious　in　manners　as　illustrious　by　birth：　this　frightful　injustice　rouses　all　my　indignation。　Well；　then；　since　the　power　of　the　monarch　of　France　is　insufficient　to　protect　his　oppressed　subject　in　his　own　realms；　let　him　shield　him　from　want　in　a　foreign　land；　by　allowing　him　a　pension　of　one　hundred　louis。　　I　will　take　upon　myself　to　defray　the　expenses　of　his　journey。〃

Thus　saying；　I　was　hastening　to　the　adjoining　room；　where　stood　my　；　to　take　from　it　a　thousand　crowns　I　wished　to　give　for　the　purpose。　　The　king　held　me　back　by　my　arm；　saying　to　me；

〃You　are　the　most　excellent　creature　I　know　of；　but　you　see　I　am　always　master。　　I　will　undertake　to　provide　for　this　young　man。　M。　de　Sartines；〃　pursued　he；　〃I　wish　to　secure　to　him　a　thousand　crowns　yearly；　and；　further；　you　will　supply　him　with　six　thousand　francs　ready　money；　which　M。　de　la　Borde　will　repay　to　your　order。　〃　said　the　king；　turning　to　me。

My　only　reply　was　to　throw　my　arms　around　his　neck　without　ceremony；　spite　of　the　presence　of　a　witness；　who　might　blush　at　my　familiarity。　〃You　are　indeed；〃　said　I；　〃a　really　good　prince；　it　is　only　a　pity　you　will　not　assert　your　right　to　rule　alone。〃

〃You　are　a　little　rebel；〃　cried　he；　〃to　doubt　my　absolute　power。〃　This　tone　of　playful　gaiety　was　kept　up　some　time　after　the　departure　of　the　lieutenant　of　police。

M。　de　Sartines　returned　next　day　to　tell　me　that　everything　had　been　accomplished　to　my　desire。　　〃M。　Moireau；〃　said　he；　〃has　left　prison；　and　departs　for　Spain　to…morrow　morning：　his　intention　is　to　join　some　friends　of　his　at　Madrid。　　He　is　informed　of　all　he　owes　you；　and　entreats　your　acceptance　of　his　most　grateful　and　respectful　acknowledgments。　　Will　you　see　him？〃



〃That　would　be　useless；〃　answered　I；　〃say　to　him　only；　that　I　request　he　will　write　to　me　upon　his　arrival　at　Madrid；　and　give　me　the　history　of　his　late　adventure　in　its　fullest　details。〃

Moireau　did　not　disappoint　me；　and　so　soon　as　his　letter　reached　me　I　hastened　to　copy　it；　merely　suppressing　the　date　of　the　place　from　which　it　was　written；　and　forwarded　it　immediately　to　the　comtesse　d'Egmont；　with　the　following　note：

〃The　many　proofs　of　tender　attachment　with　which　the　widow　Rossin　honored　young　Moireau　make　me　believe　that　she　will　learn　with　pleasure　of　my　having　the　good　fortune　to　rescue　the　ill…fated　yo