memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第51节

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e　castle；　and　great　assiduities　there；　to　protest　that　his　visits　thither　were　not　in　honour　of　my　charms；　but　for　those　of　my　waiting…maid。　　However；　my　vanity　had　rendered　me　his　constant　dupe。

　I　felt　perfectly　astonished　as　I　listened　to　Henriette's　recital；　and　when　she　had　ceased；　I　conjured　her　to　tell　me　candidly；　whether　she　had　not　invented　the　whole　tale　either　out　of　spite　to　Sophie　or　with　a　design　to　make　me　break　off　further　friendship　with　the　duke。　　This　she　most　solemnly　denied；　and　recommended　me　to　make　inquiries　amongst　my　friends；　who　would　be　compelled　to　bear　testimony　to　the　truth　of　all　she　had　asserted。　　I　determined　to　do　so；　and　the　first　person　whom　I　was　enabled　to　interrogate　respecting　the　affair　was　the　bishop　de　Senlis。　　This　prelate　came　frequently　to　see　me；　and　I　found　his　society　each　day　more　pleasing。　　He　served　me　as　a　kind　of　gazette　of　all　that　passed　with　the　princesses；　in　whose　opinion　I　had　still　the　misfortune　not　to　be　in　the　very　highest　estimation。　　When　occasion　required　it；　M。　de　Roquelaure　would　venture　to　take　my　part；　and　that　without　making　a　single　enemy；　for　who　could　be　offended　with　one　so　affable；　so　good；　so　full　of　kindness　towards　all？　　In　fact；　the　worthy　bishop　was　so　fortunate　as　to　obtain　the　love　of　every　person　who　knew　him；　and；　in　the　most　select　society　of　opposing　parties；　each　would　reserve　a　place　for　good　M。　de　Roquelaure。

When　I　questioned　him　as　to　his　knowledge　of　the　affair；　his　embarrassment　was　evident。

〃What　a　world　is　this！　　〃cried　he。　　〃Why；　let　me　ask；　do　you　listen　to　those　who　repeat　such　mortifying　tales　to　you？〃

〃Because；　my　lord；　my　friends　will　not　see　me　made　the　sport　of　a　heartless　and　perfidious　friend；　and；　if　you　entertain　the　slightest　regard　for　me；　I　conjure　you　to　tell　me　all　you　know　upon　the　subject。〃

〃And　do　you；　my　good　madam；　conceive　that　it　would　become　my

sacred　calling　to　speak　ill　of　my　neighbour？　　besides；　surely　you　would　not　attach　any　belief　to　the　idle　reports　spread　about　the　castle　by　ill…disposed　persons？〃

〃All　this　has　nothing　to　do　with　my　question；　my　lord；〃　resumed　I。　〃I　ask　you　once　again；　whether　you　ever　heard　the　duc　de　Villeroi　assign　his　passion　for　one　of　my　women　as　the　reason　for　his　visits　to　me？　　Have　you；　my　lord　bishop？　　I　entreat　you　to　answer。〃

〃Madam；　I　have　not；〃　said　the　good　prelate；　colouring　deeply。

〃Ah；　monsieur　de　Roquelaure；〃　cried　I；　〃you　must　not　say　mass　to…morrow；　for　I　greatly　fear　you　have　just　committed　a　certain　fault　which　is　styled　fibbing。〃

The　bishop　made　no　reply；　and　his　silence　spoke　volumes　of　confirmation。

Scarcely　had　he　quitted　me　than　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　entered；　to　whom　I　put　the　same　question；　and　he　frankly　confessed；　that　the　excuse　alleged　to　have　been　used　by　the　duc　de　Villeroi　was　strictly　the　expression　of　that　gentleman。

〃I　was　wrong；〃　said　the　duke；　〃not　to　have　mentioned　it　to　you；　but　I　was　silent　from　a　desire　to　preserve　peace　between　you。　Now　that　the　affair　has　been　revealed　to　you；　I　will　not　sully　my　lips　with　a　falsehood　for　the　pleasure　of　upholding　an　unprincipled　man。〃

〃I　will　not　ask　you　to　tell　me　more；〃　replied　I。　　〃I　know　enough　to　make　me　despise　the　cowardly　spirit　of　him　whom　I　reject　as　unworthy　of　my　friendship。〃　　So　saying；　I　ran　to　my　writing…table；　and　wrote　to　the　duc　de　Villeroi　the　following　note：

〃MONSIEUR　LE　DUC；I　love　my　friends　with　all　their　faults；　but　I　cannot　pardon　their　perfidy；　and；　since　from　what　I　have　heard　I　am　left　to　conclude；　that　but　for　the　charms　of　my　attendant　Sophie；　I　should　not　have　been　favoured　with　so　many　of　your　visits；　I　now　write　to　warn　you；　that　I　this　day　dismiss　the　unfortunate　object　of　your　admiration　from　my　service；　and　therefore　recommend　you　to　cease　all　further　communication。　Your　presence　in　my　house　would　be　any　thing　but　agreeable　to　me；　and　since　the　fair　object　which　has　hitherto　attracted　you　will　no　longer　dwell　under　my　roof；　I　presume　your　presenting　yourself　before　me　would　only　be　more　painful　than　you　have　hitherto　found　it。　　The　frankness　of　my　conduct　may　offend　you；　but　it　cannot　surprise　or　grieve　you　more　than　your　duplicity　has　me。

〃I　remain　with　befitting　sentiments；　monsieur　le　duc；

〃Your　most　humble　and　obedient　servant。〃

When　I　had　completed　my　letter；　I　rang；　and　a　footman　attended。　〃Go；　〃said　I　to　him；〃　carry　this　note　immediately　to　the　duc　de　Villeroi；　and　wait；　if　it　be　necessary；　the　whole　day；　until　you　can　return　with　the　assurance　that　you　have　delivered　it　into　his　own　hand。〃

Whilst　I　was　thus　speaking　to　the　man；　who　had　been　engaged　by　my　steward；　and　very　recently　entered　into　my　service；　I　chanced　to　look　at　him　inadvertently；　when　my　attention　was　arrested　by　seeing　him　rapidly　change　colour。　　I　could　not　at　the　moment　conceive　what　could　thus　agitate　him；　and　making　a　sign　for　him　to　depart　immediately　upon　his　commission；　he　slowly　left　the　room；　regarding　me　as　he　went　in　such　a　manner；　that　I　could　not　fail　recognising　him：　and　here；　my　friend；　I　must　lay　aside　every　particle　of　self…love　and　vanity　ere　I　can　make　you　a　complete　confession；　the　retrospect　of　my　life　brings　many　events；　of　which　the　remembrance　is　indeed　painful　to　me；　and　only　the　solemn　promise　I　am　under　to　conceal　nothing　restrains　me　from　consigning　many　particulars　to　oblivion。　　I　am　once　more　about　to　incur　the　chance　of　drawing　down　your　contempt　by　my　candour；　but　before　I　enter　upon　the　subject；　permit　me　to　conclude　my　affair　with　the　duc　de　Villeroi。

My　letter　was　a　thunderbolt　to　the　duke。　　He　better　than　any　one　knew　the　extent　of　my　credit；　which　he　dreaded；　lest　I　might　employ　it　to　his　injury；　he　therefore　hastened　to　reply　to　me　in　the　following　words：

〃MADAME　LA　COMTESSE；I　am　a　most　unhappy；　or　rather　a　vilely　calumniated　man；　and　my　enemies　have　employed　the　most　odious　means　of　making　me　appear　despicable　in　your　eyes。　　I　confess；　that　not　daring　to　aspire　to　you；　I　stopped　at　the　footstool　of　your　throne；　but　I　wholly　deny　the　words　which　have　been　laid　to　my　charge。　　I　venture　to　expect　from　your　justice　that　you　will　grant　me　the　favour　of　an　opportunity　of　exculpating　myself　from　so　black　a　charge。　　It　would　be　cruel　indeed　to　condemn　a　man　without　hearing　him。

〃I　am　with　the　most　profound　respect；　&c。〃

To　this　hypocritical　epistle　I　replied　by　another　note　as　follows：

〃Every　bad　and　unfavourable　case　may　be　denied；　monsieur　le　duc；　therefore　I　am　not　astonished　at　your　seeking　to　repel　the　charge　of　having　uttered　the　disrespectful　words　laid　to　your　charge。　　As　for　the　explanations　you　offer　me　they　would　be　fruitless；　I　will　have　none　with　those　who　have　either　been　my　friends　or　appeared　to　be　such。　　I　must　therefore　beg　you　will　cease　all　attempts　at　a　correspondence　which　can　lead　to　no　good　results。

〃I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　&c。；　&c。〃

After　this　business　was　despatched；　I　caused　Sophie　to　be　sent　for　to　attend　me。

〃Well；　Sophie；〃　said　I；　〃　you　perceive　the　confusion　you　have　occasioned　through　your　folly。　　Is　it　then　true　that　the　duc　de　Villeroi　has　spoken　of　love　to　you？〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　madam；〃　replied　the　poor　girl；　weeping　bitterly。

〃And　you　return　his　passion。〃

〃I　believe　so；　madam。〃

This　　confession　made　me　smile。　　I　continued

〃Then　you　are　not　quite　sure　of　the　fact？〃

〃No；　madam；　for　when　I　do　not　see　him　I　forget　all　about　it；　but　when　he　is　before　me；　so　handsome　and　so　generous；　so　full　of　love；　I　try　to　make　myself　equally　fond　of　him；　but　somehow　I　cannot　help　preferring　his　courier；　M。　l'Eclair。〃

These　last　words　completely　destroyed　all　attempts　at　preserving


my　gravity；　and　I　burst　into　the　most　uncontrollable　laughter；　which；　however；　soon　gave　place　to　a　painful　recollection　of　how　soon　this　young　and　artless　creature；　as　simple　as　she　was　beautiful；　was　likely　to　lose　this　open…heartedness　in　the　hands　of　her　seducer。

〃Sophie；〃　said　I　to　her　at　last；　〃this　unfortunate　affair　forbids　my　retaining　you　any　longer　in　my　service；　I　am　compelled　to　send　you　from　me。　　I　trust　this　noble　lover　of　yours　will　never　forsake　you；　have　a　care　only　to　conceal　from　him；　should　you　persist　in　encouraging　his　addresses；　that　he　has　a　rival　in　the　person　of　his　courier；　l'Eclair。〃

Sophie　threw　herself　weeping　at　my　feet。　　I　raised　and　encouraged　her　by　the　kindest　words　to　pursue　the　right　path；　but　I　remained　steady　in　my　determination　of　sending　her　from　me。

I　was　not　mistaken。　　The　duc　de　Villeroi　became　the　possessor　of　poor　Sophie；　and　publicly　boasted　of　having　her　under　his　protection。　He　did　not；　however；　proceed　to　these　extreme　measures　until　he　had　essayed　every　possible　means　of　effecting　a　reconciliation　with　me；　and　he　employed　more　than　a　hundred　persons　in　the　vain　attempt　of　inducing　me　to　pardon　him。　　With　this　view　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　whose　succour　he　had　implored；　observed　to　me　that　it　was　sometimes　necessary　to　feign　to　overlook　an　insult；　I　replied；　that　dissimulation　was　an　art　I　knew　nothing　of；　nor　did　I　wish　ever　to　acquire　it。

〃Really；　my　dear　countess；〃　cried　she；　〃you　should　not　live　at　court；　you　are　absolutely　unfit　for　it。〃

〃It　may　be　so；〃　replied　I；　〃but　I　would　rather　quit　Versailles　a