memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第53节

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〃Because　I　reproach　myself　with　having　in　my　own　prosperity　forgotten　one　of　my　earliest　and　dearest　friends；　who　loved　me　with　the　tenderest　affection。　　Possibly　she　may　now　be　in　trouble　or　difficulties；　from　which　I　might　have　a　thousand　ways　of　relieving　her；　but　it　is　never　too　late　to　do　good。　　To…morrow；　early；　you　shall　set　out　for　Paris；　when　there；　go　to　the　rue　Saint　Martin；　inquire　for　the　sign　of　la　Bonne　Foi；　it　is　kept　by　a　pastrycook；　named　M。　Mathon；　of　whom　I　wish　you　to　learn　every　particular　relative　to　his　daughter　Genevieve。〃

My　wishes　were　laws　to　Henriette；　who　instantly　retired　to　prepare　for　her　journey。　　I　had　not　ventured　to　desire　her　to　glean　any　information　concerning　the　brother　of　Genevieve；　and　yet　at　the　recollection　of　the　handsome　Nicolas　my　heart　beat　impetuously。　With　what　impatience　did　I　await　the　return　of　Henriette！　　at　length　she　came。

〃Well！〃　　said　I。

〃I　have　found　out　M。　Mathon；〃　answered　Henriette。

〃Which；　the　father？〃

〃Yes；　madam。〃

〃And　what　is　his　present　occupation？〃

〃As　usual；　madam；　superintending　his　kitchen　and　shop。〃

〃Is　he　alone　in　his　business？〃

〃Oh；　no！　　madam；　he　is　assisted　by　his　son；　a　fine　dark　handsome　young　man。〃

〃His　son　then　lives　with　him？〃

〃Yes；　madam；　and　he　is　married。〃

〃Married！but　it　is　not　of　this　young　man　I　wish　to　speak；　but　of　his　sister；　of　Genevieve；　tell　me　of　her。〃

〃I　only　learned；　madam；　that　she　had　married　a　tailor；　named　Guerardwho；　after　having　been　very　unsuccessful　in　business；　died　suddenly；　leaving　her　wholly　destitute　with　two　young　children。〃

I　immediately　wrote　the　following　note　to　my　early　friend：

〃The　comtesse　du　Barry　having　heard　of　the　misfortunes　of　madame　Guerard；　and　knowing　how　much　she　is　deserving　of　a　better　fate；　is　desirous　of　being　useful　to　her。　　She　therefore　requests　madame　Guerard　will　call　next　Monday；　at　two　o'clock；　on　her　at　her　hotel；　rue　de　la　Pussienne。〃

Poor　Genevieve　nearly　fainted　when　she　received　this　note；　which　was　conveyed　to　her　by　a　footman　wearing　my　livery。　　She　could　not　imagine　to　whom　she　was　indebted　for　procuring　her　such　exalted　patronage；　and　she　and　her　family　spent　the　intervening　hours　before　her　appointed　interview　in　a　thousand　conjectures　on　the　subject。　　On　Monday；　punctually　at　two　o'clock；　she　was　at　the　hotel　dressed　in　her　best；　her　lovely　countenance　setting　off　the　humble　style　of　even　her　holiday　garb。　　She　knew　me　the　instant　she　saw　me；　and；　in　the　frank　simplicity　of　her　own　heart　imagining　she　could　judge　of　mine；　she　ran　to　me；　and　threw　herself　into　my　arms；　exclaiming；

〃Oh；　my　dear　Jeannette；　what　pleasure　does　it　afford　me　to　meet　you　again。　　Oh！　　I　see　how　it　is；　you　are　the　friend　of　the　comtesse　du　Barry；　and　it　is　to　you　I　shall　owe　my　future　good　fortune；　as　I　do　this　present　mark　of　her　favor。〃

〃No；　my　good　Genevieve；〃　cried　I；　weeping　for　joy；　〃she　who　now　embraces　you　is　the　comtesse　du　Barry。〃

After　we　had　a　little　recovered　ourselves；　I　took　my　friend　by　the　hand；　and　led　her　to　a　sofa；　where　we　seated　ourselves　side　by　side。　　Returning　to　the　scenes　of　our　early　youth；　I　related　to　Genevieve　all　that　had　occurred　sincemy　adventures；　faults；　and　favour。　　When　I　had　concluded　my　recital；　Genevieve　commenced　hers；　but　it　was　soon　told。　　There　is　little　to　relate　in　the　life　of　a　woman　who　has　passed　her　days　in　the　virtuous　discharge　of　her　duties。

Our　mutual　confidences　being　over；　and　having　again　exchanged　a　most　affectionate　embrace；　I　put　into　the　hands　of　my　companion　a　portfolio；　containing　30；000　livres　in　bank　bills。　　I　promised　her　likewise　to　obtain　for　her　some　lucrative　situation。　　〃Do　more　than　this　for　me！〃　　cried　Genevieve。　　〃Since　you　will　still　grant　me　your　friendship；　secure　for　me　the　happiness　of　occasionally　meeting　you。　　I　can　with　truth　declare；　that　of　all　your　proofs　of　kindness　and　regard；　that　which　I　prefer　is　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you。〃

This　ingenuous　request　touched　my　heart；　and　I　replied　to　it　by　fondly　caressing　the　warm…hearted　Genevieve；　and　assuring　her　that　my　purse　and　my　house　should　be　ever　open　to　her。　　We　then　resumed　our　interesting　reminiscences；　and　Genevieve　was　the　first　to　speak　of　her　brother。　　At　the　name　of　Nicolas　I　felt　the　blood　mount　to　my　very　forehead；　and　an　indefinable　sensation　passed　over　me　at　the　mention　of　him　who　had　possessed　my　virgin　love。　I　strove；　however；　to　conceal　from　my　friend　the　powerful　emotion　which　agitated　me；　and　　I　replied；　with　apparent　tranquillity；　that　I　should　be　happy　to　assist　her　brother　with　the　best　of　my　credit　and　influence；　and　I　kept　my　word　by　obtaining　for　him；　at　the　solicitation；　of　his　sister；　some　lucrative　situation；　the　exact　nature　of　which　I　do　not　now　recollect；　where　they　resided　together　in　ease　and　comfort。　　I　had　only　to　recommend　them　to　the　notice　of　M。　de　Boulogne；　who　felt　himself　much　flattered　at　being　selected　by　me　to　make　the　fortunes　of　my　two　friends。

》From　this　time　Genevieve　visited　me　as　frequently　as　she　could；　and　her　society　delighted　me；　whilst；　in　her　conversation　I　found　　a　frankness　and　sincerity　which　I　had　vainly　sought　for　at　court。　She　had　loved　me　when　a　simple　milliner；　and　she　cherished　the　same　fond　regard　for　me　in　my　improved　situation。　　Her　friendship　has　not　forsaken　me　in　my　reverses；　and　I　feel　quite　assured　that　death　only　will　dissolve　the　tender　friendship　which　still　subsists　between　us。　　As　for　her　brother；　he　spared　me　much　shame　and　confusion　by　never　seeking　my　presence；　a　meeting　with　him　would　indeed　have　overwhelmed　me　with　painful　recollections。

And　now；　my　friend；　I　am　about　to　relate　to　you　an　adventure；　the　bare　mention　of　which　covers　my　cheek　with　guilty　blushes；　fain　would　I　conceal　it　from　you；　but　my　promise　is　given　to　lay　my　whole　heart　before　you；　and　it　shall　be　done；　cost　what　it　may。

I　know　not　why　it　should　ever　have　been　permitted　you　gentlemen　to　frame　laws；　which；　while　they　permit　you；　in　the　gratification　of　your　passions；　to　descend　ever　so　low　in　the　scale　of　society　without　any　disgrace　attaching　itself　to　you　from　the　obscure　condition　of　the　object　of　your　search；　to　us　females　it　is　prohibited；　under　penalty　of　incurring　the　utmost　degradation；　to　gratify　the　inclination　of　our　hearts　when　awakened　by　one　of　more　humble　rank　than　our　own。　　A　great　lord　may　love　a　kitchen　maid；　a　noble　duke；　like　M。　de　Villeroi；　may　indulge　his　fancy　for　a　waiting…woman；　and　yet　lose　no　portion　of　his　dignity；　or　of　the　esteem　in　which　the　world　holds　him；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　woe　to　the　high…born　dame　who　should　receive　the　homage　of　an　obscure　citizen；　or　the　noble　countess　who　should　lend　a　favourable　ear　to　the　sighs　of　her　；　the　public　voice　would　loud　and　angrily　inveigh　against　so　flagrant　a　breach　of　decorum。　　And　why　should　this　be？　　But；　my　friend；　do　you　not　see　in　my　seeking　to　defend　so　weak　a　cause　sufficient　intimation　that　such　a　justification　involves　a　consciousness　of　requiring　it？　　Alas！　　I　plead　guilty；　and　will　no　longer　delay　the　painful　confession　I　have　to　make。

Do　you　remember　a　singularly　handsome　young　man；　who；　during　my　abode　with　madame　Lagarde；　fascinated　me　till　my　very　senses　seemed　bewildered　by　my　passion。　　You　know　how　he　betrayed　me；　and　how；　through　him；　I　was　expelled　the　house；　as　well　as　the　termination　of　this　foolish　adventure。　　You　are　now　to　pass　over　seven　or　eight　years；　and　take　your　place　with　me　in　the　drawing…room；　in　which　I　stood　when　I　rang　to　summon　a　servant　to　convey　a　letter　to　the　duc　de　Villeroi。　　You　may　remember　what　I　told　you　in　the　last　chapter　of　the　person　who　entered；　of　his　agitation　and　his　blushes；　and　of　his　fixing　his　eyes　with　deep　meaning　upon　me　till　he　quitted　the　room…this　servant　was　Noel！

Had　I　listened　to　the　dictates　of　prudence；　I　should；　without　loss　of　time；　have　obtained　against　him　a　；　which　would　have　freed　me　from　all　chance　of　discovery　through　his　means；　but　I　could　not　listen　to　such　cool…blooded；　though　cautious；　suggestions。　　One　idea　only　took　possession　of　my　mindthe　absurd　desire　to　know　what　had　become　of　Noel　since　we　separated；　and　by　what　accident　I　now　found　him　wearing　my　livery　in　the　castle。　　With　this　intent　I　availed　myself　of　the　first　moment　I　was　secure　from　interruption；　to　summon　him　to　my　presence。　He　threw　himself　at　my　feet；　imploring　of　me　to　pardon　his　audacity。　〃Alas；　madam！〃　　said　he；　〃I　am　more　unfortunate　than　guilty。　　I　saw　you　walking　some　time　since；　and　I　could　obtain　no　rest　or　peace　till　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　obtain　admission　to　your　establishment。　Punish　me　for　my　temerity　if　you　will；　expel　me　from　the　castle；　have　me　confined　in　a　prison；　I　deserve　it　all；　but；　voluntarily；　I　cannot　leave　this　house；　and　if　you　will　only　permit　my　stay；　I　solemnly　vow　you　shall　see　nothing　in　my　conduct　but　the　zeal　of　an　attached　and　respectful　servant。〃

I　was　weak　enough　to　pardon　Noel　and　shortly　after　to　raise　him　to　the　rank　of　；　which　brought　him　infinitely　too　much　about　me。

Yes；　my　friend；　the　woman　is；　after　all　attempts　to　excuse　it；　blamable　for　bestowing　her　affection　on　one　below　herself　in　the　scale　of　society。　　Nature　herself　appears