memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第42节

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　puppet　they　allow　themselves　to　become　in　the　hands　of　the　greatest　simpleton　who　will　take　the　trouble　of　leading　them。〃

I　endeavored　to　appease　his　anger；　by　reminding　him；　that　he　could　not　expect　perfection　from　his　daughters；　and　that；　forced　as　they　were　to　hear　me　continually　spoken　ill　of　by　my　enemies；　it　was　next　to　impossible　they　should　be　able　to　prevent　themselves　from　adopting　the　opinion　of　those　around　them。　　〃And　that；〃　said　he；　〃is　what　I　principally　find　fault　with。　　What　have　they　to　do　with　aping　the　tone　of　those　about　them；　and　what　point　of　their　duty　teaches　them　to　detest　those　whom　I　love？　　I　will　take　care　to　let　them　know　my　displeasure。〃

All　my　endeavors　were　in　vain；　I　could　obtain　no　change　of　his　purpose；　and；　summoning　the　archbishop　de　Senlis；　he　spoke　to　him　in　a　manner　that　plainly　evinced　his　intention　of　making　him　responsible　for　the　actions　of　the　princesses。　　Poor　M。　de　Roquelaure　called　all　the　saints　in　paradise　to　witness　his　innocence。

〃Silence；　sir；〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃I　am　perfectly　certain　this　affair　has　not　gone　on　without　your　knowledge　and　probable　participation。　　I　know　you　well　for　a　person　devoted　to　the　ladies；　as　a　gay；　gallant　gentleman　need　be：　I　know　likewise　that　you　expend　the　revenues　of　your　bishopric　and　livings　upon　the　prettiest　girls　of　Paris；　thus　I　can　hardly　suppose　you　would　have　counselled　my　daughters'　conduct。　　No；　I　blame　those　wicked　and　vindictive　scandal…mongers；　whose　age　is　their　only　protection；　and　those　intriguing　men　who　beset　my　daughters'　ears。〃

〃Sire；〃　protested　the　trembling　bishop；　〃I　entreat　you　to　believe　I　am　innocent　of　the　whole　affair。〃

〃Sir；〃　interrupted　the　king；　〃I　know　well　that　you　are　as　good　a　courtier　as　a　prelate；　but　still　I　believe　you　merely　ape　your　betters；　and　far　from　entertaining　any　personal　dislike　to　the　comtesse　du　Barry；　you　would　not　object　to　receive　either　the　archbishopric　of　d'Albi　or　Sens　from　her　hands；　were　they　in　her　power　to　bestow。〃

The　conversation　went　on　in　this　style　for　more　than　half　an　hour。　　The　king；　who　had　amused　himself　highly　at　the　terror　of　the　bishop；　left　off　in　excellent　humor。

This　interview　had　not　been　productive　of　equal　amusement　to　M。　de　Roquelaure；　whose　self…love　had　been　deeply　humbled　by　the　way　in　which　the　king　had　spoken。　　No　sooner　did　he　feel　himself　at　liberty；　than　he　hastened　to　communicate　to　the　princesses　the　violent　displeasure　they　had　excited；　and　these　ladies；　so　brave　and　daring　whilst　their　father　appeared　to　offer　no　show　of　authority　or　anger；　durst　proceed　no　further　when　they　heard　of　his　seriously　disapproving　of　it；　and　they　felt　the　full　inconsistency　of　their　conduct；　in　first　admitting　me　into　their　presence；　and　then　refusing　to　meet　me　at　any　other　place。　　The　consequence　of　their　deliberation　upon　the　subject　was　to　depute　the　bishop　de　Senlis　to　call　upon　me。　　This　accommodating　prelate　discharged　his　mission　with　the　utmost　amenity；　presenting　me　with　the　united　compliments　of　the　royal　sisters；　who　all　joined　in　requesting　the　pleasure　of　meeting　me　at　Chantilly。　　Had　not　the　prince　de　Conde　held　out　the　flattering　prospect　of　giving　me　a　fete　wholly　to　myself；　in　all　probability　I　should　have　profited　by　their　invitation；　but　knowing　of　the　secret　intention　of　the　prince；　I　returned　for　answer；　〃that　it　was　sufficiently　flattering　and　gratifying　to　me；　to　find　that　I　still　preserved　any　portion　of　the　princesses'　kind　favor；　but　that　I　was　abundantly　honored　by　the　intimation　of　my　presence　being　agreeable。　　Nevertheless；　as　I　had　good　authority　for　conjecturing　that　it　might　not　be　equally　so　to　many　of　the　ladies　of　their　court；　I　should　abstain　from　giving　offence　to　any　one　by　my　presence。〃

〃Ah；　madame；；；　cried　M。　de　Roquelaure；　〃I　entreat　of　you　not　to　insist　upon　my　carrying　the　latter　part　of　this　message　to　the　princesses；　they　would　be　so　much　grieved。〃

〃Well；　then；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃tell　them　that　I　am　indisposed；　and　that　the　state　of　my　health　will　detain　me　at　Versailles。〃

'That　indeed；〃　said　he；　〃　is　a　more　respectful　message；　and

further　I　would　venture　to　ask　of　your　goodness；　that　since　it　is　not　your　pleasure　to　honor　Chantilly　with　your　presence；　that　you　will　have　the　kindness　to　mention　in　the　proper　quarter；　that　far　from　my　royal　ladies　opposing　any　obstacle　to　your　going；　they　would　have　been　much　delighted　with　your　presence　there。〃

〃Be　assured；　sir；〃　answered　I；　〃　that　I　shall　ever　feel　proud　and　honored　by　the　princesses'　notice；　and　I　will　take　care　that　the　faithful　account　of　all　their　gracious　condescension　shall　be

faithfully　and　loudly　reported。〃

The　bishop　departed　much　pleased　with　the　success　of　his　negotiation；　and；　above　all；　with　the　agreeable　turn　the　affair　had　taken。

When　I　next　saw　the　king；　I　said　to　him；　〃Your　daughters；　sire；

are　as　amiable　as　you　would　have　them；　they　have　been　informed　that　some　evil　disposed　persons　have　asserted；　that　they　had　prohibited　my　being　of　the　party　to　Chantilly；　and　in　order　to　testify　how　differently　they　　were　disposed　towards　me；　they　despatched　the　bishop　de　Senlis。〃

〃A　most　fit　person　to　be　intrusted　with　such　a　commission；〃　replied　the　king；　〃for　I　have；　in　every　instance；　endeavored　to　justify　the　wishes　of　this　holy　pillar　of　the　church；　this　worthy　prelate　with　his　double…faced　politeness；　towards　those　whom　he　openly　compliments；　and　reviles　in　private；　just　as　his　interest　may　require　it。　　Well！　　and　what　did　you　say　to　him？〃

〃That　I　most　humbly　thanked　the　princesses；　but　that　the　state　of　my　health　did　not　permit　of　my　visiting　Chantilly　for　the　present。〃

〃That　is　all　very　well；〃　answered　Louis　XV；　〃you　have　framed　your　excuse　with　much　generosity；　which　I　greatly　fear　will　meet　with　a　very　different　turn；　for　if　you　do　not　accompany　me　to　Chantilly；　the　report　circulated　will　be；　that　the　princesses　have　forbidden　you　their　presence；　which　my　dearly　beloved　daughters；　whose　characters　I　fully　understand；　will　neither　affirm　nor　deny　before　the　public；　whilst　in　private　they　will　vow　that　they　prohibited　you　from　following　them。　　Always　excepting　madame　Louise；　who　is　an　angel　upon　earth；　as　she　will　most　assuredly　be　one　day　in　heaven；　where　I　trust　her　prayers　for　me　and　mine　will　be　heard。〃

I　did　not　at　the　time　pay　any　particular　attention　to　the　latter　part　of　the　king's　discourse；　for；　indeed；　the　beginning　was　far　more　interesting　to　me；　but　when　I　afterwards　learnt　that　madame　Louise　had　quitted　the　grandeurs　of　Versailles　for　the　gloom　and　austerity　of　a　convent　I　recollected　it；　and　easily　comprehended　that　it　was　spoken　in　allusion　to　an　event　which　took　place　some　time　afterwards；　and　of　which　I　shall　speak　in　its　proper　place。　However；　the　king's　prediction　was　exactly　verified；　and　the　report　in　general　circulation　was；　that　the　princesses　had　declared　their　intention　of　not　going　to　Chantilly；　it　was　further　rumored；　that　I　was　there；　but　in　a　private　and　concealed　manner。　　This　is　wholly　untrue；　the　king　would　never　have　permitted　such　a　humiliation；　nor　do　I　believe　I　should　have　submitted　to　it　had　he　even　desired　it。　　However　all　this　may　be；　he　sought　to　recompense　me　for　his　absence　by　writing　a　most　delightful　letter；　which　I　will　subjoin　for　your　gratification。　　To　me　it　was　of　so　much　the　greater　value；　that　having　its　royal　writer's　permission　to　show　it；　it　became　the　first　death…blow　I　aimed　at　the　cabal　against　me。　　The　king　possessed　a　much　greater　portion　of　wit　and　talent　than　the　weakness　and　timidity　of　his　character　permitted　to　appear。



CHAPTER　XX


Unpublished　letter　of　Louis　XVMadame　du　Barry's　cousin；　M。　de　MaupeouThe　comtesse　du　Barry　saves　the　life　of　a　young　girl　seduced　by　the　arts　of　the　cure　of　her　villageShe　obtains　pardon　of　the　comte　and　comtesse　de　LouerneThe　king　presents　her　with　LucienneA　second　meeting　with　the　youthful　prophetHis　further　predictionsHe　is　sought　forHis　mysterious　letter　to　the　countess

〃How　does　my　sweet　friend　contrive　to　bear　our　tedious　separation？　　is　she　happy　and　amused？　　In　that　case　I　can　say；　she　has　greatly　the　advantage　over　him　who　now　addresses　her。　　No；　my　lovely　countess；　I　am　dragging　on　a　tedious　and　uninteresting　existence；　spite　of　the　great　and　earnest　endeavors　of　my　good　cousin　and　host　to　provide　for　my　enjoying　the　gaiety　by　which　I　am　surrounded；　but；　alas！　　amidst　the　many　faces　with　which　his　mansion　is　thronged；　that　one　which　is　dearest　to　me　is　wanting；　and　all　becomes　a　blank　in　my　eyes；　and　I　yawn　with　irrepressible　weariness　in　the　midst　of　the　glittering　pageants　given　to　honor　my　arrival；　and　you　may　rest　assured　that　I　shall　hail　with　delight　the　termination　of　a　visit；　which　seems　already　to　have　swelled　the　period　of　our　separation　into　ages。　　I　will　not　attempt　to　conceal　from　you；　that　those　who　have　good　cause　to　envy　your　supreme　dominion　over　my　heart；　have　set　every　scheme　in　action　to　lead　me　even　into　a　temporary　oblivion　of　you；　but　their　attempts　are　as　vain　as　their　impotent　rivalry；　and　need　cause　no　uneasiness　to　you；　my　beloved　friend。　　I　frequently　smile　at　the　vast　pains　and　precautions　of　which　my　''　is　the　object；　and　I　am　　encountering　'