memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第56节

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t　all　he　advanced　materially　aided　our　wishes。　　He　afterwards　reaped　the　reward　of　his　friendly　services；　for　when　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　had　displaced　the　duc　de　Choiseul；　he　bestowed　on　M。　de　la　Ville　the　title　of　；　an　office　created　for　him；　and　the　bishopric　　of　Tricomie。　　The　good　abbe　did　not；　however；　long　enjoy　his　honours；　but　ended　his　career　in　1774。

This　conversation　had　been　repeated　to　me；　and；　on　my　side；　I　left　no　means　untried　of　preventing　Louis　XV　from　placing　further　confidence　in　his　minister；　but；　feeble　and　timid；　he　knew　not　on　what　to　determine；　contenting　himself　with　treating　the　duke　coolly；　he　sought；　by　continual　rebuffs　and　denials　to　his　slightest　request；　to　compel　him　to　demand　that　dismissal　he　had　not　the　courage　to　give。

Whilst　these　things　were　in　agitation；　madame　de　Mirepoix；　who　had　been　for　some　days　absent　from　Versailles；　came　to　call　upon　me。　　This　lady　possessed　a　considerable　share　of　wit；　and；　although　on　the　most　intimate　terms　with　me；　had　not　altogether　broken　off　with　the　des　Choiseuls；　to　whom　she　was　further　bound　on　account　of　the　prince　de　Beauvau；　her　brother。　　It　therefore　excited　in　me　no　surprise；　when　I　heard　that　the　des　Choiseuls　had　called　on　her　to　ascertain；　whether　it　would　not　be　possible；　through　her　mediation；　to　come　to　some　terms　with　me。

〃And　you　must　not　be　angry　with　me；〃　continued　she；　〃for　undertaking　the　；　I　well　foresaw　all　the　difficulties；　and　entertained　no　hopes　of　its　success；　but　upon　second　thoughts；　I　considered　it　better　I　should　accept　the　mission；　for；　in　case　of　a　negative　being　returned；　it　will　be　safe　in　my　keeping；　and　I　will　not　add　to　the　chagrin　of　a　failure　the　shame　of　a　defeat。〃

〃It　is　my　opinion；〃　replied　I；　〃that　all　propositions　coming　from　these　people　should　be　rejected；　they　have　compelled　me　to　raise　between　them　and　myself　an　immense　wall　of　hatred；　not　less　difficult　to　surmount　than　the　grand　wall　of　China。〃



〃Yet；〃　replied　the　marechale；　smiling；　〃they　are　disposed　to　pay　any　price　for　so　doing。〃

〃I　have　friends；〃　said　I；　〃from　whom　I　can　never　separate　myself。〃

〃They　are　willing　that　your　friends　shall　be　theirs　likewise；〃　cried　she；　〃for　they　see　that　M。　de　Maupeou；　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere；　and　the　abbe　Terray；　are　provided　for；　and　that　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　alone　remains　to　be　suitably　established；　M。　de　Choiseul　would　be　happy　to　aid　him　in　obtaining　the　post　of　minister　of　naval　affairs。〃

〃Well；　and　the　duchesse　de　Grammont；〃　inquired　I；　〃would　she　visit　me？〃

〃Oh；　as　to　that；　I　know　nothing　about　it；　and　can　venture　no　opinion；　my　commission　does　not　extend　so　far。〃

〃I　understand　you；〃　said　I；　〃she　seeks　for　peace　only　as　it　would　enable　her　the　better　to　carry　on　her　hostilities　against　me。　　I　am　sorry；　madame　la　marechale；　that　I　cannot　accept　your　terms　for　a　reconciliation。〃

〃Remember；　I　pray　of　you；　that　I　have　been　an　ambassadress；　and　nothing　more；〃　said　madame　de　Mirepoix；　〃recollect　I　have　spoken　to　you　in　the　words　of　others；　not　my　own。　　I　must　beg　of　you　to　be　secret；　if　you　divulge　the　particulars　of　this　morning's　conversation；　it　is　I　who　will　suffer　by　it：　your　friends　will　be　displeased　with　me　for　my　interference；　and　I　have　no　inclination　to　provoke　the　anger　of　a　party　so　powerful　as　yours。〃

I　promised　the　marechale　to　observe　an　inviolable　secrecy；　and；　so　well　have　I　kept　my　promise；　that　you　are　the　first　person　to　whom　I　ever　breathed　one　syllable　of　the　affair。　　I　must　own；　that　it　struck　me　as　strange；　that　the　duc　de　Choiseul　should　abandon　his　cousin；　and　consent　to　take　his　seat　beside　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　whom　he　detested：　perhaps　he　only　sought　to　deceive　us　all　by　gaining　time；　till　the　death　of　the　king。　　But　what　avails　speculation　upon　the　words　and　actions　of　a　courtier；　whose　heart　is　an　abyss　too　deep　for　gleam　of　light　to　penetrate？



CHAPTER　XXVI


Baron　d'Oigny；　general　post…masterThe　king　and　the　countess　read　the　opened　lettersThe　disgrace　of　de　Choiseul　resolved　uponAnecdoteSpectre　of　Philip　II；　king　of　SpainThe　duc　de　Choiseul　banishedVisits　to　ChanteloupThe　princessesThe　dauphin　and　dauphinessCandidates　for　the　ministry

The　interference　of　madame　de　Mirepoix；　originating；　as　it　did；　in　the　duc　de　Choiseul；　let　me　at　once　into　the　secret　of　his　fears　and　the　extent　of　my　own　power。　　The　knowledge　of　the　weakness　of　my　adversary　redoubled　my　energy；　and　from　this　moment；　I　allowed　no　day　to　pass　without　forwarding　the　great　work；　till　I　succeeded　in　effecting　the　duke's　ruin　and　securing　my　own　triumph。　　The　pamphleteers　in　the　pay　of　my　enemies；　and　those　who　merely　copied　these　hirelings；　assert　that　one　evening　after　supper；　when　Louis　was　intoxicated　with　wine　and　my　seductions；　I　prevailed　upon　him　to　sign　a　　against　his　minister；　which　he　immediately　revoked　when　the　break　of　day　had　restored　to　him　his　senses。　　This　was　a　malicious　falsehood。　You　shall　hear　the　exact　manner　in　which　the　　were　signed。

On　the　evening　of　the　23d　of　December；　his　majesty　having　engaged　to　sup　with　me；　I　had　invited　M。　de　Maupeou；　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere；　and　the　prince　de　Soubise。　　It　appears；　that　the　king；　previously　to　coming；　had　gone　to　visit　the　dauphiness；　he　had　not　mentioned　whither　he　was　going；　so　that　his　attendants　believed　him　to　be　in　my　apartments；　and　directed　M。　d'Oigny；　post…master　general；　to　seek　him　there。　　The　baron　brought　with　him　a　packet　of　opened　letters；　when　he　saw　me　alone　he　wished　to　retire；　for　the　servants；　believing　him　to　be　one　of　the　expected　guests；　had　ushered　him　in。　However；　I　would　not　permit　him　to　go　until　the　king's　arrival；　and；　half　sportively；　half　seriously；　I　took　from　him　his　letters；　protesting　I　would　detain　them　as　hostages　for　his　obedience　to　my　desires。　　At　this　moment　Louis　XV　entered　the　room；　and　M。　d'Oigny；　having　briefly　stated　his　business；　bowed　and　departed。　The　baron　was　a　very　excellent　man；　possessing　an　extensive　and　intelligent　mind；　he　wrote　very　pleasing　poetry；　and　had　not　his　attention　been　occupied　by　the　post　he　filled；　he　might　have　made　a　conspicuous　figure　in　literature。

When　we　were　left　to　ourselves；　I　said　to　the　king；

〃Now；　then；　for　this　interesting　and　amusing　budget；　for　such；　I　doubt　not；　it　will　prove。〃

〃Not　so　fast；　madam；　if　you　please；〃　replied　Louis　XV；　〃perhaps　these　papers　may　contain　state　secrets　unfit　for　your　eye。〃



〃Great　secrets　they　must　be；〃　said　I；　laughing；　〃confided　thus　to　the　carelessness　of　the　post。〃　　So　saying；　I　broke　the　seal　of　the　envelope　so　hastily；　that　the　greater　part　of　the　letters　and　notes　were　scattered　over　the　carpet。

　〃Well　done；〃　cried　the　king。

〃I　entreat　your　majesty's　pardon；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　will　repair　the　mischief　as　far　as　I　can。〃

I　stooped　to　collect　the　fallen　papers；　and　the　king　had　the　gallantry　to　assist　me：　we　soon　piled　the　various　letters　upon　a　tray；　and　began　eagerly　to　glance　over　their　contents。　　My　good　fortune　made　me　select　from　the　mass　those　epistles　addressed　to　the　members　of　the　country　parliaments；　they　were　filled　with　invectives　against　me；　insulting　mention　of　the　king；　and　praises　of　the　duc　de　Choiseul。　　I　took　especial　care　to　read　them　in　a　loud　and　distinct　voice。

〃This　really　is　not　to　be　endured；〃　cried　Louis　XV；　〃that　the　mistaken　zeal　of　these　long…robed　gentlemen　should　make　them　thus　compliment　my　minister　at　my　expense。〃



〃So　much　the　worse　for　you；　sire；〃　replied　I；　〃considering　that　you　continue　to　prefer　your　minister　to　every　other　consideration。〃

As　I　continued　searching　through　the　letters；　I　found　and　read　the　following　phrase：〃Spite　of　the　reports　in　circulation；　I　do　not　believe　it　possible　that　M。　de　Choiseul　will　be　dismissed；　he　is　too　necessary　to　the　　king；　who；　without　him　would　be　as　incapable　as　a　child　of　managing　his　affairs：　his　majesty　must　preserve　our　friend　in　office　in　spite　of　himself。〃

When　I　had　finished；　the　king　exclaimed；　in　an　angry　tone；　〃We　shall　see　how　far　the　prophecy　of　these　sapient　gentlemen　is　correct；　and　whether　their　'friend'　is　so　important　to　me　that　I　dare　not　dismiss　him。　　Upon　my　word；　my　minister　has　placed　himself　so　advantageously　before　his　master；　as　to　exclude　him　entirely　from　the　eyes　of　his　subjects。〃

Whilst　these　words　were　speaking；　M。　de　Maupeou　and　M。　de　la　Vrilliere　were　announced；　the　king；　still　warm；　let　fall　some　words　expressive　of　his　displeasure　at　what　had　happened。　　The　gauntlet　was　thrown；　and　so　well　did　we　work　upon　the　irritated　mind　of　Louis　XV；　that　it　was　determined　M。　de　Choiseul　should　be　dismissed　the　following　day；　December　24；　1770。　　Chanteloup　was　chosen　for　the　place　of　his　retreat；　and　M。　de　la　Vrilliere；　by　the　dictation　of　the　king；　wrote　the　following　letter　to　the　duke：

〃Cousin；…；　The　dissatisfaction　caused　me　by　your　conduct　compels　me　to　request　you　will　confine　yourself　to　your　estate　at　Chanteloup；　whither　you　will　remove　in　four　and　twenty　hours　from　the　date　hereof。　　I　should　have　chosen　a　more　remote　spot　for　your　place　of　exile；　were　it　not　for　the　great　esteem　I　entertain　for　the　duchesse　de　Choiseul；　in　whose　delicate　health