太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > memoirs of the comtesse du barry >

第55节

memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第55节

小说: memoirs of the comtesse du barry 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



ur sacred person。〃

〃Oh;〃 said the king; 〃I do not fear that; I am but too well used to the offence to feel astonishment at its occurrence。〃

I placed the paper in the hand of Louis XV; whose eye easily recognised the handwriting of madame de Grammont。  〃Ah; ah!〃 cried he; 〃is it so?  let us see what this restless lady has to say of us all。〃  I watched the countenance of the king as he read; and saw the frown that covered it grow darker and darker; nevertheless he continued to read on without comment till he had reached the end; then sitting down and looking full at the chancellor; he exclaimed;

〃Well; M。 de Maupeou; and what do you think of this business?〃

〃I am overwhelmed with consternation; sire;〃 replied he; 〃when I think that one of your majesty's ministers should be able to conspire thus openly against you。〃

〃Stay;〃 cried Louis hastily; 〃that fact is by no means proved。 The duchesse de Grammont is a mad woman; who involves the safety of her brother; if I only believed him capable of such treachery; he should sleep this night in the Bastille; and to…morrow the necessary proceedings should be commenced against him: as for his sister; I will take care of her within four good walls; and avenge myself for her past misconduct; by putting it out of her power to injure me further。〃

〃Sire;〃 said I; in my turn; 〃remember she is a woman; I beseech you to pardon her; and let the weight of your just indignation fall upon her brother。〃

〃Chancellor;〃 cried the king; 〃this business must not be lightly passed over。〃

〃Nor without due consideration;〃 replied M。 de Maupeou; 〃your majesty may look upon this letter as the basis of a secret plot: as for the duchess; I am of my cousin's opinion; despise her audacious attempts; but spare not her brother; he alone is the guilty as well as dangerous person。〃

The king made no answer; but rose; and crushing the letter in his hand; threw it from him。

〃Would;〃 exclaimed he at last; 〃that the fiends had those who take such delight in disgusting me with my very existence。  Heavens! how justly may I say I despise all men; nor have I a much better opinion of your sex; madame la comtesse; I must warn you。〃

〃Much obliged; sire;〃 cried I; 〃 really I was not prepared for such gallantry。  It is rather hard that you should quarrel with me because this disagreeable duchess behaves ill!  Upon my word it is very unpleasant!〃

〃Come; come;〃 said Louis XV; kissing my cheek; 〃don't you be a naughty child; if I had not you; where should I turn for consolation amidst the torments by which I am surrounded?  Shall I tell you? In the midst of all these perplexing affairs; there are moments in which I fear I may not be promoting the happiness of my people。〃

〃Your majesty is greatly mistaken;〃 replied the chancellor; 〃the nation in general must esteem themselves most happy under your reign; but it will always happen that ill…disposed persons seek to pervert the public opinion; and to lead men's minds astray。  The duchess; when travelling; was the faithful and active agent of her brother。  The duke; to secure his stay in the ministry; will eagerly avail himself of every adventitious aid; within your kingdom he seeks the support of the parliaments and philosophers; without; he claims the succour of Germany and Spain。  Your majesty is certainly master of your own will; and it would ill become me to point out the path you should tread; but my duty compels me to say; that the duc de Choiseul is the greatest enemy of the royal house: of this he gave me a convincing proof in the case of your august son; and now; if he fancied he should find it more advantageous to have the dauphin for his master〃

〃Chancellor of France;〃 cried Louis; much agitated; 〃do you know what you are asserting?〃

〃The truth; sire;〃 I exclaimed。  〃The public voice accuses the duc de Choiseul of the death of your son; they declare〃



〃How!  you; too; madam!〃  exclaimed the king looking at me fixedly。

〃And why not; sire?  I am merely repeating what is in every one's mouth。〃

〃I have heard this horrible charge before;〃 added the king; 〃the Jesuits informed me of it; but I could not give credit to such a monstrosity。〃

〃So much the worse;〃 replied I;  〃in the world in which we live we should always be on our guard。〃

〃Sire;〃 added the chancellor; with the most diabolical address; 〃I am persuaded that M。 de Choiseul is the most honourable man in the world; and that he would shudder at the bare idea of any attempt upon the life of your majesty; but his relations; friends; and creatures believe; that; supported by the dauphiness; he would continue in office under your successor。  Who can answer for their honour?  Who can assure you; that some one among them may not do that for the duke which he would never venture to attempt himself?

〃This is the personal danger your majesty runs so long as M。 de Choiseul continues in office; were he dismissed; the world would soon abandon the disgraced minister; and the dauphiness be amongst the first to forget him。〃

The king was pale with agitation; and for some minutes continued traversing the apartment with hasty strides; then he suddenly stopped。

〃You are then convinced; M。 de Maupeou;〃 cried he; 〃that the duke  is leagued with the parliaments to weaken my authority?〃

〃There are palpable proofs to that effect;〃 replied the chancellor; 〃your majesty may recollect the skilful manner in which; on the 3d of last September; he avoided attending you to parliament; most assuredly; had he not been the friend of rebels; he would not have shrunk from evincing by his presence how fully he shared your just indignation。〃

〃That is but too true;〃 cried Louis XV; 〃and I felt much annoyed at the time; that he preferred going to amuse himself at the house of M。 de Laborde; when his duty summoned him to my side。〃

〃Your majesty cannot fail to perceive how everything condemns him; his personal conduct; equally with that of his sister; proves how little he regards his royal master's interest; and should your clemency resolve upon sparing him now; you may find your mercy produce fatal effects to yourself。〃

〃His dismissal;〃 resumed the king; 〃would disorganize all my political measures。  Who could I put in his place?  I know no one capable of filling it。〃

〃Your majesty's wisdom must decide the point;〃 replied the chancellor。  〃My duty is to lay before you the true state of things; this I have done; and I know myself well enough not to intrude my counsel further。  Nevertheless; I cannot help remarking; that in your majesty's court there are many as capable as M。 de Choiseul of directing affairsM。 d'Aiguillon; for example。〃

〃Ah!〃  answered Louis XV; 〃this is not the moment; when M。 d'Aiguillon is smarting from his severe contest with the long robes; to elevate him over the head of my hitherto…esteemed minister。〃

M。 de Maupeou and myself perceived that we should best serve my friend's cause by refraining from pressing the matter further; and we therefore changed the conversation。  Nevertheless; as what had already passed had taken its full effect upon the king's mind; he suggested an idea which I should never have dreamed of recommending; and that was to consult the abbe de la Ville on the subject。

The abbe de la Ville; head clerk of foreign affairs; was a man who; at the advanced period of fourscore; preserved all the fire and vivacity of youth; he was acquainted with ministerial affairs even better than M。 de Choiseul himself。  Having formerly belonged to the Jesuits; to whom he was entirely devoted; he had appeared to accelerate the period of their destruction; never had he been able to pardon his patron the frightful part he had compelled him to enact in the business。  Years had not weakened his ancient rancour; and it might be said; that he had clung to life with more than natural pertinacity; as unwilling to lay it down till he had avenged himself on de Choiseul。  Louis XV wrote to him; desiring he would avail himself of the first pretext that occurred to request an audience。  This note was forwarded by a footman; the good abbe easily divined that this mystery concealed some great design; he therefore hastened to solicit an audience as desired。  When introduced into the cabinet of the king; his majesty inquired at once;

〃Monsieur l' abbe; can I depend upon your discretion?〃

〃Sire;〃 replied the abbe; with a blunt frankness; 〃I am sorry your majesty can doubt it。〃

〃Be satisfied; sir;〃 replied the king; 〃I had no intention to offend you; but I wish to consult you upon a point; the importance of which you will fully appreciate; answer me without disguise。 Do you believe that the services of the duc de Choiseul are useful to my kingdom; and that my interests would suffer were I to dismiss him?〃

〃Sire;〃 replied M。 de la Ville; without hesitation; 〃I protest to you; as a man of honour; that the presence of the duc de Choiseul is by no means essential to the ministry; and that your majesty's interests would sustain not the slightest injury by his absence。〃

After this the abbe de la Ville entered into particulars unnecessary to repeat here; it is sufficient to say; that all he advanced materially aided our wishes。  He afterwards reaped the reward of his friendly serv

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的