memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第54节

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elf　appears　to　have　planted　in　our　bosoms　a　kind　of　instinct；　which　warns　us　from　it；　and　a　prejudice　against　all　those　who　so　degrade　themselves。　　It　is　different　with　men；　they　can　confer　rank　and　elevation　on　the　beloved　object。　A　woman　should　always　have　reason　to　look　up　to　and　feel　proud　of　the　man　to　whom　she　consigns　her　heart；　this　species　of　vanity　is　mixed　with　the　noblest　love；　and　the　woman　who　can　overlook　it；　acts　from　passion　of　the　lowest；　basest　kind。　　How　easy　is　it　to　reason！　　Alas！　　Why　have　I　not　always　acted　as　well　as　I　speak。

I　was　thus　again　a　second　time　enthralled　by　Noel；　and　much　more　so；　too；　than　I　will　now　tell　you。　　My　faithful　Henriette；　whose　devoted　attachment　for　me　kept　her　ever　watchful　of　my　safety　and　reputation；　was　thunderstruck　at　perceiving　what　I　vainly　strove　to　conceal　from　her；　and；　as　she　has　since　told　me；　was　long　in　deciding　whether　to　speak　to　me　of　the　affair；　when　an　unexpected　incident　arose；　which　determined　her；　at　every　risk　of　my　displeasure；　to　use　her　endeavors　to　put　an　end　to　so　disgraceful　a　connexion；　which　must　infallibly　have　ended　in　my　disgrace。

One　night；　or　rather　midnight；　all　was　at　rest　in　the　castle；　and　I　was　sleeping　peacefully　in　the　arms　of　Noel；　when　all　at　once　I　was　awakened　by　the　sudden　opening　of　an　outer　door；　which　announced　to　me　the　approach　of　the　king；　who　had　merely　one　more　door　to　open　ere　he　would　be　in　my　apartment。　　Noel；　terrified；　leaped　quickly　out　of　bed；　and　ran　to　seek　refuge　in　a　small　chamber　adjoining　where　Henriette　slept。　　Happily　she　was　yet　awake；　and；　by　the　light　of　a　night…lamp　or　　recognized　Noel；　who；　with　clasped　hands；　conjured　her　to　take　pity　upon　him。　Henriette　saw　the　danger；　and　putting　out　her　hand；　seized　him；　and　drawing　him　rapidly　towards　her；　made　him　lie　down　beside　her。　　Noel；　struck　with　her　goodness；　was　preparing　to　offer　her　the　same　marks　of　his　gratitude　he　had　shown　me　of　his　respect；　but　repulsing　him；　she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Wretch；　think　not　it　is　on　your　account　I　thus　expose　my　reputation；　'tis　to　save　that　of　my　beloved　mistress；　either　conduct　yourself　with　silent　respect　or　you　are　lost。〃　　At　this　threat　Noel　's　courage　melted　away　and　he　lay　still　as　a　frightened　child。　　〃Listen；〃　said　Henriette；　〃if　you　do　not　quit　this　place　to…morrow　at　break　of　day；　without　seeking　to　see　madame　again；　I　will　denounce　you　to　the　king；　who　will　inflict　upon　you　the　most　dreadful　punishment。〃

Whilst　these　things　were　passing　in　the　chamber　of　Henriette；　I　did　not　feel　perfectly　at　ease　on　my　side；　and　many　were　the　wise　reflections　I　made　upon　my　folly；　as　well　as　the　promises　I　gave　never　again　to　expose　myself　to　such　imminent　danger。　　Nor　did　my　terrors　abate　till　after　the　king　had　quitted　me。　　At　the　sound　of　my　bell　Henriette　hastened　to　my　bed…side。

〃My　good　Henriette；〃　said　I　to　her；　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　〃what　a　night　of　anxiety　have　I　passed；　I　must　indeed　confess〃

〃Fear　not；　my　beloved　mistress；〃　replied　she；　〃I　will　watch　over　your　safety；　and　trust　to　be　enabled　fully　to　provide　for　it。〃

I　durst　not　then　ask　for　any　further　explanation　of　her　words；　for　such　was　the　ascendancy　her　good　and　steady　conduct　had　given　her　over　me；　that　she　would　certainly　have　blamed　me　for　my　glaring　imprudence。　　I　pressed　her　hand　in　mute　thankfulness；　she　comprehended　my　silence　and　left　me　to　myself。

At　the　end　of　some　days；　seeing　nothing　of　Noel；　I　ventured　to　question　her　as　to　his　fate：　she　then　related　to　me　all　you　have　been　told；　and　added；　that　the　day　following　this　shameful　and　unfortunate　night　she　had　lost　no　time　in　apprizing　the　comte　Jean　of　all　that　had　occurred；　who　had　quickly　despatched　Noel　out　of　the　kingdom；　furnishing　him　with　a　purse　of　ten　thousand　livres　to　defray　his　travelling　expenses。　　Such　was　the　fortunate　termination　of　this　disgraceful　affair；　and　now；　having　completed　my　painful　confession；　I　will　change　the　subject　to　others　doubtless　more　calculated　to　interest　you　than　the　recital　of　such　lapses。



CHAPTER　XXV


Madame　du　Barry　succeeds　in　alienating　Louis　XV　from　the　due　de　ChoiseulLetter　from　madame　de　GrammontLouis　XVThe　chancellor　and　the　countessLouis　XV　and　the　abbe　de　la　VilleThe　marechale　de　Mirepoix　and　madame　du　Barry

Matters　now　assumed　an　air　of　importance。　　My　struggle　with　the　des　Choiseuls　had　become　a　deadly　war；　which　could　only　be　terminated　either　by　his　downfall　or　my　dismissal　from　court；　this　latter　measure　was　not　very　probable；　an　old　man　is　not　easily　detached　from　a　woman　whom　he　loves；　and　each　day　only　added　to　my　ascendancy　over　the　mind　of　the　king。　　It　is　true；　that　the　same　force　of　habit　which　enchained　Louis　XV　to　me　bound　him　likewise　to　M。　de　Choiseul。　　The　idea　of　change　terrified　him；　and　so　great　was　his　dread　of　fresh　faces；　that　he　would　have　preferred　dying　with　his　old　minister；　to　creating　a　younger　one　who　might　witness　his　end。　　Happily　the　duke　himself　brought　on　the　crisis　of　his　fate；　his　power　was　cramped　on　all　sides；　yet；　resolved　not　to　lay　it　down　till　the　last　extremity；　he　sought　to　stay　his　failing　credit　with　the　rising　influence　of　the　dauphiness。　His　enemies　were　not　slow　in　pointing　out　to　the　king　his　minister's　frequent　visits　and　great　assiduities　to　a　foreign　princess；　and　enlarged　upon　the　fatal　effects　this　new　alliance　might　produce　to　the　monarchy。

Meanwhile　the　chancellor；　threatened　by　the　parliaments；　saw　only　one　way　of　averting　the　storm　which　was　about　to　burst　on　his　head。　　This　was　to　introduce　into　the　cabinet　persons　entirely　devoted　to　himself；　but　to　accomplish　his　purpose；　it　was　necessary　to　exclude　the　duc　de　Choiseul　and　his　party。　　M。　de　Maupeou　came　to　me　in　December；　and　after　having　gently　scolded　me　for　what　he　termed　my　carelessness；　he　showed　me　a　letter　from　the　duchesse　de　Grammont；　which；　he　said；　would　wonderfully　aid　our　plans。　This　letter　was　written　to　one　of　the　presidents　of　the　parliament　of　Toulous；　M。　de　。　　I　cannot　give　you　his　name；　for；　although　I　have　preserved　the　original　of　the　letter；　I　have　mislaid　the　envelope　on　which　the　address　was　written。　　I　here　give　you　a　copy　of　this　curious　and　important　production：

〃MONSIEUR　LE　PRESIDENT；　I　promised　to　give　you　the　exact　details　of　all　that　passed　in　this　gay　metropolis；　and　'tis　with　much　pleasure　I　sit　down　to　fulfill　my　engagement。　　Things　go　on　much　as　usual；　or；　perhaps；　I　should　be　speaking　more　correctly；　were　I　to　say　they　are　rapidly　progressing　from　bad　to　worse。　　We　have　no　longer　a　king　in　France；　all　power　is　lodged　in　the　hands　of　one　sprung　from　the　most　infamous　origin；　who；　in　conjunction　with　others　as　intriguing　as　herself；　seeks　only　to　ruin　the　kingdom；　and　to　degrade　it　in　the　eyes　of　other　nations。

〃The　noble　firmness　of　sovereign　courts　is　odious　to　people　of　this　class；　thus　you　may　imagine　the　detestation　in　which　they　regard　the　candid　and　loyal　conduct　of　the　duke。　　I　n　the　hopes　of　procuring　the　dismissal　of　my　brother；　they　have　chosen　for　his　successor　wretch　loaded　with　crimes；　a　coward；　an　extortioner；　a　murdererthe　duc　d'Aiguillon。　As　for　you　gentlemen；　who　now　constitute　our　parliament；　your　places　will　soon　be　filled　by　a　magistracy　drawn　from　the　dregs　of　society；　a　troop　of　slaves；　deaf　and　blind；　except　as　he　who　pays　them　best　will　have　them　exercise　those　powers。

〃This　is　no　time　for　indolent　repose；　we　must　at　once　courageously　and　unanimously　defeat　the　guilty　schemes　of　our　enemies。　　So　long　as　my　brother　retains　his　present　post　he　will　support　you　with　his　best　interest；　but；　should　he　be　dismissed；　your　business　will　soon　be　finished。

〃I　beg　my　best　remembrances；　first；　to　your　excellent　lady；　and　after　her；　to　madame　B。　and　madame　L。；　not　forgetting　the　marquise　de　Chalret；　whose　wit　is　truly　Attic；　nor　the　marquise　de　Ps；　who　conceals　beneath　the　graceful　exterior　of　a　Languedocian　the　soul　of　one　of　Corneille's　Roman　matrons。　　For　yourself　rely　upon　my　warmest　friendship　and　endeavours　to　serve　you。　　My　brother　is　most　anxious　to　know　you；　after　the　flattering　manner　in　which　I　have　mentioned　you　to　him。　When　will　you　gratify　us　both　by　visiting　Paris？

〃Ever　yours；〃

Nothing　could　have　arrived　more　　for　our　purpose　than　this　letter。　　I　was　still　engaged　in　its　perusal　when　the　king　was　announced；　I　wished　to　hurry　it　back　into　the　hands　of　M。　de　Maupeou；　but　he；　more　crafty　than　I；　requested　I　would　keep　it。

〃It　is　fitting；〃　said　he；　〃that　it　should　be　seen　by　the　right　person。〃

Louis　XV；　astonished　at　the　strange　scene；　inquired　what　it　meant。

〃A　most　shameful　piece　of　scandal；　sire；〃　replied　I。

〃An　infamous　epistle；〃　added　the　chancellor；　〃which　one　of　my　friends　managed　to　abstract　from　the　post…office；　and　forwarded　to　me：　I　brought　it　to　madame　la　comtesse；　that　she　might　admire　the　determined　malice　of　our　enemies。〃

〃You　excite　my　curiosity；〃　cried　Louis　XV。　　〃Madame；　have　the　kindness　to　allow　me　to　see　this　paper。〃


〃Indeed；　sire；〃　exclaimed　I；　〃I　know　not　whether　I　ought　to　obey　your　majesty；　so　entirely　has　the　writer　of　the　letter　forgotten　the　respect　duc　to　your　sacred　person。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　do　not　fear　that；　I　am　but　too　well　used　to　the　offenc