memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第4节
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The Queen； the true queen； had been good to her as to everybody。 Marie Antoinette remembered that the favorite had not been wicked。 The debts of Du Barry were paid and money enough was given to her so that she could still give with both hands。 Lucienne became an echo of Versailles。 Foreign kings and Parisian philosophers came to chat in its portals。 Minerva visited shameless Venus。 But wisdom took not root at Lucienne。
For the Revolution； alas！ had to cut off this charming head； which was at one time the ideal of beautyof court beauty。 Madame du Barry gave hospitality to the wounded at the arrest of the queen。 〃These wounded youths have no other regret than that they have not died for a princess so worthy as your Majesty；〃 she said。 〃What I have done for these brave men is only what they have merited。 I consoled them； and I respect their wounds when I think； Madame； that without their devotion； your Majesty would no longer be alive。 Lucienne is yours； Madame； for was it not your beneficence which gave it to me？ All I possess has come to me through the royal family。 I have too much loyalty to forget it。〃
But negro Zamor became a citizen like Mirabeau。 It was Zamor who took to Du Barry her lover's head。 It was Zamor who denounced her at the club of the Jacobins。 〃The fealty （faith） of the black man is white；〃 said the negro。 But he learned how to make it red。 Jeanne was imprisoned and tried before Dumas。
〃Your age？〃
〃Forty…two years。〃 She was really forty…seven。 Coquetry even at the guillotine。
The public accuser； Fouquier Tinville； was not disarmed by the sweet voluptuousness still possessed by this pale and already fading beauty。 He accused her of treason against the nation。 Could the defender of Du Barry； who had also defended Marie Antoinette； find an eloquent word？ No； Fouquier Tinville was more eloquent than Chauveau…Lagarde。 So the mistress of Louis was condemned。 It was eleven o'clock in the eveningthe hour for supper at Versailles when she was queen！
She passed the night in prayer and weeping； or rather in a frenzy of fright。 In the morning she said it was 〃too early to die〃； she wished to have a little time in order to make some disclosures。 The Comite sent someone to listen to her。 What did she say？ She revealed all that was hidden away at Lucienne； she gave word by word an inventory of the treasures she had concealed； forgetting nothing； for did not each word give her a second of time？
〃Have you finished？〃 said the inquisitor。 〃No；〃 said Jeanne。 〃I have not mentioned a silver syringe concealed under the staircase！〃
Meanwhile the horses of destiny stamped with impatience； and spectators were knocking at the prison gate。 When they put her； already half dead； on the little cart； she bent her head and grew pale。 The Du Barry alonea sinner without redemption。
She saw the people in the square of Louis XV； she struck her breast three times and murmured： 〃It is my fault！〃 But this Christian resignation abandoned her when she mounted the scaffoldthere where the statue of Louis XV had beenand she implored of the executioner：
〃One moment； Mr。 Executioner！ One moment more！〃
But the executioner was pitiless Sanson。 It was block and the knifewithout the 〃one moment！〃
Such was the last bed of the Du Barry。 Had the almanac of Liege only predicted to her that the one who would lead her to her bed for the last time would not be a King but a citizen executioner； it might have beenbut why moralize？
Robert Arnot
To the Reader
As the early part of Madame du Barry's career had little to differentiate it from the life of an ordinary courtezan； the editor has deemed it best to confine the memoirs to the years in her life which helped to make history。
Editor*
*〃Editor here means the author； who is assuming the persona of the editor of the Comtesse's memoirs。
CHAPTER I
Letter from LebelVisit from LebelNothing conclusiveAnother visit from LebelInvitation to sup with the kingInstructions of the comte Jean to the comtesse
One morning comte Jean entered my apartment； his face beaming with delight。
'Read；〃 said he； giving me a letter； 〃read； Jeannette： victory is ours。 News from Morand。 Lebel is coming to Paris； and will dine with us。 Are we alone？〃
〃No； there are two of your countrymen whom you invited yesterday。〃
〃I will write and put them off。 Morand alone must dine with Lebel； he ought to have a place at the feast which he furnishes with such good music。 Come； my dear girl； we touch the moment of importance； it is in your beauty and power of pleasing that I place all my hopes。 I think I may rely on you； but； above all； do not forget that you are my sister…in…law。〃
〃Brother…in…law；〃 said I； laughing； 〃it is not unnecessary that I should know decidedly to which of family I am married？ The custom in France is not that a woman be the undivided property of three brothers。〃
〃That only happens in Venice；〃 replied the comte； 〃my brother Elie is too young； you must be the wife of Guillaume； my second brother。〃
〃Very well； I am the comtesse Guillaume du Barry； that does famously well； we like to know whom we are married to。〃
After this conversation； comte Jean insisted on presiding at my toilette。 He acquitted himself of the task； with a most laughable attention。 During two good hours； at least； he tormented first Henriette； and then the female hairdresser； for I had not yet followed the mode； which began to be very general； of having my hair dressed by a man。 Comte Jean passed alternately from my dressing…room to the kitchen。 He knew Lebel was a gallant and a gourmand*； and he was anxious to please him in all senses at once。
*He seems to mean 〃gourmet〃 rather than 〃gourmand。〃 …Gutenberg editor
At one o'clock I was under arms； and prepared to receive him on whom my destiny depended。 As soon as I reached the drawing…room； comte Jean compelled me to submit to the test of a rigid examination。
His serious air amused me much as he gazed at me some time in solemn silence。 At length his forehead relaxed； a smile of satisfaction played on his lips； and extending his arms to me； without venturing to touch me； 〃You are charming； divine；〃 he said； 〃Lebel ought to go and hang himself if he does not fall down at your knees。〃
Soon afterwards the folding…doors were hastily opened； and a servant announced M。 Lebel； ； with M。 Morand。 The comte went to meet the arrivals； and as I now saw Lebel for the first time； he presented him to me formally。
〃Sister； this is M。 Lebel； ； who has done us the honor to come and dine with us。〃
〃And he confers a real pleasure on us；〃 said I； looking smilingly on M。 Lebel。 My look had its effect； for Lebel remained mute and motionless from admiration at my person。 At length he stammered out a few incoherent words； which I imagined to be compliments。 The comte watched Lebel anxiously； and Morand began to rub his hands； saying：
〃Well； sir； what think you of our celestial beauty？〃
〃She is worthy of a throne；〃 replied Lebel； bending his head before me； and taking my hand； which he pressed respectfully to his lips。 This reply was； perhaps； inadvertently made； but I took it as a good augury。 〃Yes；〃 added Lebel； 〃you are the most lovely creature I ever met； though no one is more in the habit of seeing handsome females than myself。〃
〃And of causing them to be seen by others；〃 replied comte Jean。
This was an opening which was not followed up by Lebel。 His first enthusiasm having passed； he measured me from head to foot； as if he would take an accurate description of my person。
For my part I began to support the looks of Lebel with more assurance。 He was a man of no particular 〃mark or likelihood；〃 but had made his way。 Living at Versailles had given him a certain air of easy impertinence； but you could not discover anything distinguished in his manners； nothing which concealed his humble extraction。 The direction of the gave him much influence with the king； who found the convenience of such a man； who was willing to take upon himself all the disagreeable part of his clandestine amours。 His duties placed him in contact with the ministers； the lieutenant of police； and the comptroller…general。 The highest nobility sought his friendship with avidity。 They all had a wife； a sister； a daughter； whom they wished to make the favorite sultana； and for this it was necessary to get the ear of Lebel。 Thus； under a libertine prince； the destinies of France were at the mercy of a 。
I should tell you； however； that I never had occasion but to speak well of him； and that I have the utmost gratitude for all he did for me。 The attachment he testified on our first meeting has never been altered。 He gave me his protection as far as it was necessary for me； and when the favor of the king had accorded to me a station； whence all the court sought to hurl me； Lebel seconded me with all his power in my efforts to preserve it。 I will say； that it is to his vigilance that I owe the overthrow of more than one conspiracy against me。 He was a warm a
