memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第6节

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e　to　you　by　place　and　favor：　they　must　be　first　thought　of；　and　then　you　must　think　of　yourself　and　me；　my　dear　girl。〃

〃All　this　is　well　enough；〃　I　replied；　〃but　as　yet　I　am　nothing。〃

〃！　　to…morrow　you　will　be　everything；〃　cried　comte　Jean；　with　his　determined　energy。　　〃But　we　must　think　about　this　morrow。　　Make　haste；　noble　comtesse；　go　to　all　the　milliners；　seek　what　is　elegant　rather　than　what　is　rich。　　Be　as　lovely；　pleasing；　and　gay　as　possible；　this　is　the　main　point；　and　God　will　do　all　the　rest。〃

He　pronounced　this　blasphemy　in　a　laughing　tone；　and　I　confess　I　could　not　help　joining　in　the　laugh；　and　then　hastened　to　comply　with　his　directions。



CHAPTER　II


A　slight　prefaceArrival　at　VersaillesPortrait　of　the　kingThe　duc　de　RichelieuThe　marquis　de　ChauvelinThe　duc　de　la　Vauguyon…Supper　with　the　kingThe　first　nightThe　following　dayThe　curiosity　of　comte　JeanPresents　from　the　kingHow　disposed　of

The　chances　against　our　succeeding　in　our　enterprise　were　at　least　a　thousand　to　one。　　The　sea　upon　which；　trusting　to　the　favorable　influence　of　my　leading　star；　we　were　about　to　venture；　was　filled　with　rocks　and　shoals　which　threatened　the　poor　mariner　who　should　direct　his　bark　near　them。　　In　the　first　place；　I　had　to　dread　my　obscure　birth；　as　well　as　the　manner　in　which　my　life　had　been　passed；　and　still　more　had　I　to　fear　the　indifferent　reputation　of　comte　Jean。　　There　was　more　than　sufficient　in　all　this　to　disturb　a　head　far　stronger　than　I　could　boast。　　However；　thanks　to　my　thoughtfulness；　no　troublesome　thoughts　interfered　to　break　my　rest　on　the　night　preceding　a　day　so　important　to　me；　and　I　slept　as　tranquilly　as　though　upon　waking　I　had　no　other　occupation　for　my　time　than　a　walk　on　the　boulevards；　or　a　drive　to　the　Bois　de　Boulogne。

Comte　Jean；　however；　had　passed　a　very　different　night；　for　once；　the　whisperings　of　ambition　had　overcome　even　his　natural　indifference　and　carelessness；　and　tired　of　tossing　upon　a　sleepless　pillow；　he　arose　at　the　first　break　of　day；　reproached　me　for　slumbering　so　long；　and　allowed　me　neither　peace　nor　rest　till　I　joined　him　dressed　for　our　journey。　　At　length；　we　set　out　according　to　our　agreement　with　Lebel；　I　was　closely　muffled　up　in　my　large　the　carriage　rolled　along　till　we　reached　Versailles；　where　we　had　for　the　last　month　engaged　a　lodging；　which　might　be　useful　to　us　in　all　events；　we　alighted；　and　after　vainly　seeking　a　few　moments'　repose；　proceeded　on　foot　to　Lebel；　in　whose　apartments　we　were　to　attire　ourselves　in　a　suitable　manner。

〃You　are　welcome；〃　said　the　comte；　〃pray　consider　yourself　as　at　home。〃

〃I　accept　your　augury；〃　replied　I；　〃it　would　be　amusing　enough　to　find　that　my　young　prophet　had　predicted　rightly。〃

〃Well　then；〃　said　my　conductor；　laughing；　〃I　recommend　you　to　manage　a　slip　on　the　staircase；　it　would　be　taking　possession　after　the　manner　of　the　ancients。〃

〃No；　no；　I　thank　you；〃　answered　I；　〃no　falls　if　you　please；　they　are　not　propitious　in　France。〃

Whilst　we　were　thus　speaking；　we　were　crossing　a　long　suite　of　chambers；　and　reached　the　one　at　which　we　were　expected。　　We　knocked　cautiously　at　a　door；　which　was　opened　to　us　with　equal　caution。　　Scarcely　had　we　entered；　than　Lebel　came　eagerly　forward　to　receive　us。

〃Ah；　madame！〃　　cried　he；　〃I　began　to　fear　you　might　not　come；　you　have　been　looked　for　with　an　impatience〃

〃Which　can　hardly　equal　mine；〃　interrupted　I；　〃for　you　were　prepared　for　your　visitor；　whilst　I　have　yet　to　learn　who　is　the　friend　that　so　kindly　desires　to　see　me。〃

〃It　is　better　it　should　be　so；〃　added　Lebel　；　〃do　not　seek　either　to　guess　or　discover　more；　than　that　you　will　here　meet　with　some　cheerful　society；　friends　of　mine；　who　will　sup　at　my　house；　but　with　whom　circumstances　prevent　my　sitting　down　at　table。〃

〃How！〃　said　I；　with　affected　surprise；　〃not　sup　with　us？〃

〃Even　so；〃　replied　Lebel；　and　then　added　with　a　laugh；　〃　and　I　sit　down　to　supper　together！　　What　an　idea！　　No！　　you　will　find　that　just　as　the　guests　are　about　to　sit　down　at　table；　I　shall　suddenly　be　called　out　of　the　room；　and　shall　only　return　at　the　close　of　the　repast。〃

All　this　was　but　of　small　import　to　me。　　Nevertheless；　I　affected　to　regret　the　unavoidable　absence　of　Lebel。　　In　fact；　I　believe　that　the　first　breath　inspired　at　court　is　fraught　with　falsehood　and　deceit；　entirely　destructive　to　every　feeling　of　natural　candor。

Lebel；　with　the　most　ceremonious　gallantry；　conducted　me　to　a　private　dressing…room；　where　I　found　several　females　waiting　to　assist　me　at　my　toilet；　I　abandoned　myself　to　their　cares；　which　were；　indeed；　most　skilfully　exercised　in　my　behalf。　　They　wrought　wonders　in　my　appearance；　bathing　me　after　the　Eastern　fashion；　adorning　my　hair　and　person；　till　I　issued　from　their　hands　blooming　and　beauteous　as　an　houri。

When　I　returned　to　the　room　in　which　Lebel　was　expecting　me；　his　surprise　was　almost　overpowering。

〃You　are；　indeed；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃the　new　sun　which　is　to　rise　upon　Versailles。〃

〃Excellent！〃　　cried　I；　laughing　extravagantly；　〃but　like　the　planet　you　are　pleased　to　compare　me　with；　I　must　reserve　my　splendid　rising　till　I　have　obtained　fresh　powers　from　the　aid　of　night。〃*

*；　is　the　witty　reply　in　the　original；　but　which　it　is　impossible　to　render　fully　and　piquantly　through　the　dilution　of　a　translation。…tr。

The　comte　entered；　and　joined　his　congratulations　upon　the　beauty　of　my　appearance；　all　at　once　the　hasty；　sound　of　a　bell；　violently　pulled；　was　heard。

〃The　object　of　your　attack　approaches；〃　said　Lebel　to　me；　〃it　would　be　as　well　to　reconnoitre　a　little。　　Remember；　not　a　word　of　his　rank；　no　cast　down；　timid　looks　at　his　sovereign　power；　no　bending　of　knees；　or　faltering　of　voice。〃

The　advice　thus　given　was　useless。　　Comte　Jean；　who　bore　the　reputation　of；　at　least；　a　man　of　much　cool　impudence；　was；　I　am　certain；　more　deficient　than　myself　in　courage　upon　the　occasion；　and　I　verily　believe；　asked　himself　several　times　whether　he　dared　appear　before　his　prince　with　one　whom　he　was　falsely　asserting　to　be　his　sister…in…law。　　However　these　thoughts　might　or　might　not　have　disturbed　him；　we　proceeded　onwards　till　we　reached　the　apartment　where　our　invited　friends　were　expecting　us；　and　here　I　will；　with　the　reader's　permission；　digress　awhile；　in　order　to　say　a　few　introductory　words　respecting　the　four　personages　with　whom　I　had　the　honor　of　supping。

And　first；　Louis　XVth；　king　of　France　（or　as　he　was　upon　the　present　occasion　styled　the　baron　de　Gonesse）；　was　one　of　those　sentimental　egotists　who　believed　he　loved　the　whole　world；　his　subjects；　and　his　family；　while　in　reality；　the　sole　engrossing　object　was　。　　Gifted　with　many　personal　and　intellectual　endowments；　which　might　have　disputed　the　palm　with　the　most　lively　and　engaging　personages　of　the　court；　he　was　yet　devoured　by　ennui；　and　of　this　he　was　well　aware；　but　his　mind　was　made　up　to　meet　this　ennui；　as　one　of　the　necessary　accompaniments　of　royalty。　　Devoid　of　taste　in　literary　matters；　he　despised　all　connected　with　the　；　and　esteemed　men　only　in　proportion　to　the　number　and　richness　of　their　armorial　bearings。　M。　de　Voltaire　ranked　him　beneath　the　lowest　country…squire；　and　the　very　mention　of　a　man　of　letters　was　terrifying　to　his　imagination　from　its　disturbing　the　current　of　his　own　ideas；　he　revelled　in　the　plenitude　of　power；　yet　felt　dissatisfied　with　the　mere　title　of　king。　　He　ardently　desired　to　signalize　himself　as　the　first　general　of　the　age；　and　prevented　from　obtaining　this　（in　his　opinion）　highest　of　honors；　entertained　the　utmost　jealousy　of　Frederick　II；　and　spoke　with　undisguised　spleen　and　ill…humor　of　the　exploits　of　his　brother　of　Prussia。

The　habit　of　commanding；　and　the　prompt　obedience　he　had　ever　met　with；　had　palled　upon　his　mind；　and　impressed　him　with　feelings　of　indifference　for　all　things　which　thus　appeared　so　easily　obtained；　and　this　satiety　and　consequent　listlessness　was　by　many　construed　into　melancholy　of　disposition。　　He　disliked　any　appearance　of　opposition　to　his　will；　not　that　he　particularly　resented　the　opposition　itself；　but　he　knew　his　own　weakness；　and　feared　lest　he　should　be　compelled　to　make　a　show　of　a　firmness　he　was　conscious　of　not　possessing。　　For　the　clergy　he　entertained　the　most　superstitious　veneration；　and　he　feared　God　because　he　had　a　still　greater　awe　and　dread　of　the　devil。　　In　the　hands　of　his　confessor　he　confidently　believed　was　lodged　the　absolute　power　to　confer　on　him　unlimited　license　to　commit　any　or　every　sin。　He　greatly　dreaded　pamphlets；　satires；　epigrams；　and　the　opinion　of　posterity　and　yet　his　conduct　was　that　of　a　man　who　scoffs　at　the　world's　judgment。　　This　hasty　sketch　may　with　safety　be　taken　as　the　portrait　of　Louis　XV；　although　much　might　be　added；　yet　for　the　present　I　will　confine　myself　to　the　outline　of　my　picture；　which　I　shall　have　frequent　occasion　to　retouch　in　the　course　of　my　journal；　it　is　my　intention　to　present　him　in　all　possible　lights　before　the　reader；　and　I　flatter　myself　I　shall　produce　a　perfect　resemblance　of　the　man　I　seek　to　depict。　　Let　us　now　proceed　to　consid