memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第5节

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　a　warm　and　sincere　friend；　and　not　at　all　interested　in　the　services　he　rendered。　　He　did　a　great　deal　of　good；　as　well　as　harm；　in　private。　　I　know　poor　families　whom　he　has　assisted　with　his　own　purse；　when　he　could　obtain　nothing　for　them　from　the　king；　for　Louis　was　only　prodigal　in　his　pleasures。

However；　we　dined；　and　Lebel　praised　me　incessantly　to　the　very　skies；　and　that　with　so　much　warmth；　that　I　was　fearful　at　one　time　he　would　fall　in　love　with　me　himself；　and　would　not　resign　me　to　another。　　Thank　heaven；　Lebel　was　a　faithful　servant。

After　dinner；　when　we　left　the　table；　Lebel　paid　me　some　compliments；　then　pulling　out　his　watch；　he　spoke　of　an　appointment　at　the　Marais；　and　left　without　saying　a　word　of　seeing　us　again。

At　this　abrupt　departure；　comte　Jean　and　I　looked　at　each　other　with　astonishment。　　As　for　Morand；　he　was　overjoyed。

〃Well；　comtesse；〃　said　he；　〃behold　the　number　of　your　slaves　increased　by　an　illustrious　adorer。　　You　have　made　a　conquest　of　M。　Lebel；　and　I　am　certain　he　has　gone　away　deeply　smitten。〃

〃I　hope　we　shall　see　him　again；〃　said　comte　Jean。

〃Do　you　doubt　it？〃

〃Assure　him；〃　said　I；　〃of　the　pleasure　it　will　afford　us　to　receive　him　as　he　merits。〃

Several　persons　entered；　and　M。　Morand；　profiting　by　the　bustle　which　their　entrance　occasioned；　approached　me；　and　said；　in　a　low　tone；

〃You　are　in　possession　of　his　heart；　will　you　charge　me　with　any　message　to　him？〃

〃M。　Morand；〃　was　my　reply；　〃what　are　you　thinking　of？　　A　woman　of　my　rank　throw　herself　at　any　person's　head？〃

〃No；　certainly　not；　but　you　can　send　him　a　kind　word；　or　some　affectionate　token。〃

〃I　could　not　think　of　it；　M。　Lebel　appeared　to　me　a　most　agreeable　man；　and　I　shall　be　at　all　times　delighted　to　see　him。〃

Morand　asked　nothing　more　than　this；　and　there　our　conversation　ended。

Two　days　elapsed　without　being　marked　by　any　event。　　Comte　Jean　had　spent　them　with　much　anxiety。　　He　was　absent；　when；　on　the　third　morning；　Henriette　came　hastily　into　my　room。　　〃Madame；〃　she　said；　〃the　　of　the　king　is　in　the　drawing…room；　and　inquires　if　you　will　receive　him。〃

At　this　news　I　was　surprised　and　vexed。　　M。　Lebel　took　me　unawares；　my　toilette　was　not　begun。　　I　gave　a　hasty　glance　at　my　mirror；　〃Let　M。　Lebel　come　in〃；　and　M。　Lebel；　who　was　on　the　heels　of　my　maid；　entered　instantly。　　After　having　saluted　me；　he　said；

〃It　is　only　you；　Madame；　whom　one　might　thus　surprise。　　Your　beauty　needs　no　ornament；　your　charms　are　decoration　sufficient。〃

I　replied　to　this　compliment　with　（of　course）　much　modesty；　according　to　custom。　　We　entered　into　conversation；　and　I　found　that　Lebel　really　thought　me　the　sister…in…law　of　comte　Jean；　and　I　remarked　the　involuntary　respect　that　attended　even　his　familiarity。　I　left　him　in　his　error；　which　was　material　to　my　interests。　　He　talked　to　me　some　time　of　my　attractions；　of　the　part　which　a　female　like　myself　might　assume　in　France。　　But　fearing　to　compromise　myself；　I　made　no　reply；　but　preserved　the　reserve　which　my　character　imposed　upon　me。　　I　am　not　clever；　my　friend；　I　never　could　conduct　an　intrigue：　I　feared　to　speak　or　do　wrong；　and　whilst　I　kept　a　tranquil　appearance；　I　was　internally　agitated　at　the　absence　of　comte　Jean。

Fortune　sent　him　to　me。　　He　was　passing　the　street；　when　he　saw　at　our　door　a　carriage　with　the　royal　livery。　　Lebel　always　used　it　when　his　affairs　did　not　demand　a　positive　incognito。　　This　equipage　made　him　suspect　a　visit　from　Lebel；　and　he　came　in　opportunely　to　extricate　me　from　my　embarrassment。

〃Sir；〃　said　Lebel　to　him；　when　he　entered；　〃here　is　the　lady　whose　extreme　modesty　refuses　to　listen　to　what　I　dare　not　thus　explain　to　her。〃

〃Is　it　anything　I　may　hear　for　her？〃　　said　the　comte；　with　a　smiling　air。

〃Yes；　I　am　the　ambassador　of　a　mighty　power：　you　are　the　minister　plenipotentiary　of　the　lady；　and　with　your　leave；　we　will　go　into　your　private　room　to　discuss　the　articles　of　the　secret　treaty　which　I　have　been　charged　to　propose　to　you。　What　says　madame？〃

〃I　consent　to　anything　that　may　come　from　such　an　　ambassador。〃

Comte　Jean　instantly　led　him　into　another　room；　and　when　they　were　alone；　Lebel　said　to　him；　〃Do　you　know　that　your　sister…in…　law　is　a　most　fascinating　creature？　　She　has　occupied　my　thoughts　since　I　have　known　her；　and　in　my　enthusiasm　I　could　not　help　speaking　of　her　in　a　certain　quarter。　　So　highly　have　I　eulogized　her；　that　his　majesty　desires　an　interview　with　her；　that　he　may　judge　with　his　own　eyes　if　I　am　an　appreciator　of　beauty。〃

At　these　words　comte　Jean　felt　a　momentary　agitation；　but　soon　recovering　himself；　he　replied：

〃I　am　exceedingly　obliged　to　you；　sir；　for　the　favorable　disposition　you　have　evinced　towards　the　comtesse　du　Barry。　　She　and　I　have　as　much　respect　as　love　for　his　majesty；　but　my　sister…in…law　has　not　been　presented；　and；　consequently；　I　can　scarcely　see　how　she　can　be　allowed　to　pay　her　respects　to　his　majesty。〃

〃Do　not　let　that　disturb　you；　it　is　not　intended　that　she　shall　go　and　partake　of　the　magnificence　of　Versailles；　but　be　admitted　to　an　intimacy　much　more　flattering。　　Would　you　refuse　to　grant　him　that　pleasure？〃

〃It　would　be　a　crime　of　；〃　said　the　comte　Jean；　laughing；　〃and　my　family　have　too　much　respect　for　their　monarch。　We　should　not　be　content　with　a　fugitive　favor。〃

〃You　may　expect　everything　from　the　charms　of　the　comtesse；　I　am　certain　they　will　have　the　utmost　success；　but　for　me；　I　can　give　you　no　guarantee。　　You　must　run　the　chance。〃

〃Your　protection；　however；　is　the　only　thing　which　encourages　my　sister…in…law　in　this　affair。　　But　tell　me　when　is　this　meeting　to　take　place？〃

〃Instantly。　　The　king　is　impatient　to　see　the　comtesse　and　I　have　promised　that　she　will　sup　with　him　to…morrow　evening　in　my　apartment　at　Versailles。〃

〃How　is　she　to　be　introduced　to　the　king？〃

〃I　am　to　entertain　four　of　my　friends。〃

〃Who　are　they？〃

〃'First；　the　baron　de　Gonesse。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃

〃The　king　himself。〃

〃Well；　who　next？〃

〃The　duc　de　Richelieu。〃

〃Who　else？〃

〃The　marquis　de　Chauvelin。〃

〃Well？〃

〃The　duc　de　la　Vauguyon。〃

〃What；　the　devotee？〃

〃The　hypocrite。　　But　never　mind：　the　main　point　is；　that　you　must　not　appear　to　recognize　the　king。　　Instruct　your　sister…in…law　to　this　effect。〃

〃Certainly；　if　she　must　sin；　she　had　better　do　so　with　some　reason。〃

While　these　gentlemen　were　thus　disposing　of　me；　what　was　I　doing？　　Alone；　in　my　room；　I　waited　the　result　of　their　conference　with　mortal　impatience。　　The　character　I　had　to　play　was　a　superb　one；　and　at　the　moment　was　about　to　enter　on　the　stage；　I　felt　all　the　difficulties　of　my　part。　　I　feared　I　should　not　succeed；　but　fail　amid　the　insulting　hisses　of　the　Versailles　party。

My　fears　at　once　disappeared；　and　then　I　pictured　myself　sitting　on　a　throne；　magnificently　attired；　my　imagination　wandered　in　all　the　enchantments　of　greatness；　then；　as　if　from　remorse；　I　recalled　my　past　life。　　The　former　lover　of　Nicholas　blushed　before　the　future　mistress　of　Louis　XV。　　A　thousand　different　reflections　crowded　upon　me；　and　mingled　in　my　brain。　　If　to　live　is　to　think；　I　lived　a　whole　age　in　one　quarter　of　an　hour。　　At　length　I　heard　some　doors　open；　a　carriage　rolled　away；　and　comte　Jean　entered　my　chamber。

〃Victory！〃　　cried　he；　embracing　me　with　transport。　　〃Victory！　my　dear　Jeanne；　to…morrow　you　sup　with　the　king。〃

On　this　information　I　turned　pale；　my　strength　forsook　me；　and　I　was　compelled　to　sit　down；　or　rather　to　fall　into　a　chair；　for；　according　to　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau；　my　legs　shook　under　me　（）。　　This；　however；　was　the　only　movement　of　weakness　which　I　betrayed。　　When　I　recovered　a　little；　the　comte　Jean　told　me　the　conversation　he　had　had　with　Lebel。　　I　joked　about　the　title　of　baron　de　Gonesse；　and　I　promised　to　treat　the　king　as　if　ignorant　of　his　incognito。　　One　thing　only　made　me　uneasy；　and　that　was　supping　with　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　who　had　seen　me　before　at　madame　de　Lagarde's；　but　the　idea　that　he　would　not　remember　me　gave　me　renewed　courage。

On　so　important　an　occasion；　comte　Jean　did　not　forget　to　repeat　his　instructions　over　again。　　These　are　nearly　his　words；　for　I　think　I　learnt　them　by　heart。

〃Remember　that　it　is　on　your　first　interview　that　your　safety　depends。　　Let　him　learn；　through　you；　those　utter　tendernesses　which　have　been　sought　for　him　in　vain　heretofore。　　He　is　like　the　monarch　of　old；　who　was　willing　to　pay　the　half　of　his　crown　for　an　unknown　pleasure。　　Lebel　is　wearied　in　seeking　every　week　for　new　fruit。　　He　is　quite　disposed　to　serve　you；　and　will　second　you　in　the　best　manner。　　You　are　about　to　become　the　centre　of　attraction　to　all　courtiers；　and　noble　。　　You　must　expect　that　they　will　endeavor　to　cry　you　down；　because　you　will　have　carried　off　from　them　a　gem　to　which　every　family　has　its　pretensions。　　You　must　at　first　stand　firmly　before　the　storm；　but　afterward　you　will　find　all　enlist　themselves　under　your　banner；　who　have　no　wife；　sister；　nor　daughter；　that　is；　all　who　have　no　mistress　to　offer　to　the　king。　　You　must　attach　these　to　you　by　place　and　favor：　they　must　be　first　thought　of；　and　then　you　must　think　of　yourself　and