memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第60节

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ver　by　his　timidity　and　want　of　self…confidence。

The　open　and　undisguised　censure　passed　by　the　whole　court　upon　the　conduct　of　Louis　XV　was　not　the　only　thing　which　annoyed　his　majesty；　who　perpetually　tormented　himself　with　conjectures　of　what　the　rest　of　Europe　would　say　and　think　of　his　late　determinations。

〃I　will　engage；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　am　finely　pulled　to　pieces　at　Potsdam。　　My　dear　brother　Frederick　is　about　as　sweet…tempered　as　a　bear；　and　I　must　not　dismiss　a　minister　who　is　displeasing　to　me　without　his　passing　a　hundred　comments　and　sarcastic　remarks。　Still；　as　he　is　absolute　as　the　Medes　and　Persians；　surely　he　can　Have　no　objection　to　us　poor　monarchs　imitating　him；　and　allow　me　the　same　privilege　in　mine。　　After　all；　why　should　I　need　his　or　any　other　person's　opinion；　let　the　whole　world　applaud　or　condemn；　I　shall　still　act　according　to　my　own　best　judgment。〃

On　my　side　I　was　far　from　feeling　quite　satisfied　with　the　accounts　I　continued　to　receive　from　Chanteloup；　above　all　I　felt　　irritated　at　the　parade　of　attachment　made　by　the　prince　de　Beauvau　　for　the　exiles；　and　I　complained　bitterly　of　it　to　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix。

〃What　can　I　do　to　help　it；〃　said　she；　〃my　sister…in…law　is　a　simpleton；　who；　after　having　ruined　her　brother；　will　certainly　cause　the　downfall　of　her　husband。　　I　beseech　you；　my　dear；　out　of　regard　for　me；　to　put　up　with　the　unthinking　conduct　of　the　prince　de　Beauvau　for　a　little　while；　he　will　soon　see　his　error　and　amend　it。〃　　He　did　indeed　return　to　our　party；　but　his　obedience　was　purchased　at　a　heavy　price。

Some　days　after　the　disgrace　of　the　duc　de　Choiseul；　I　received　a　letter　from　M。　de　Voltaire。　　This　writer；　who　carped　at　and　attacked　all　subjects；　whether　sacred　or　profane；　and　from　whose　satires　neither　great　nor　small　were　exempt；　had　continual　need　of　some　powerful　friend　at　court。　　When　his　protector；　M。　de　Choiseul；　was　dismissed；　he　saw　clearly　enough　that　the　only　person　on　whom　he　could　henceforward　depend　to　aid　and　support　him；　was　she　who　had　been　chiefly　instrumental　in　removing　his　first　patron。　　With　these　ideas　he　addressed　to　me　the　following　letter　of　condolence　or；　to　speak　more　correctly；　of　congratulation。　It　was　as　follows：

〃MADAME　LA　COMTESSE；Fame；　with　her　hundred　tongues；　has　announced　to；　me　in　my　retreat　the　fall　of　M。　de　Choiseul　and　your　triumph。　　This　piece　of　news　has　not　occasioned　me　much　surprise；　I　always　believed　in　the　potency　of　beauty　to　carry　all　before　it；　but；　shall　I　confess　it？　　I　scarcely　know　whether　I　ought　to　congratulate　myself　on　the　success　you　have　obtained　over　your　enemies。　　M；　de　Choiseul　was　one　of　my　kindest　friends；　and　his　all…powerful　protection　sufficed　to　sustain　me　against　the　malice　of　my　numerous　enemies。　May　a　humble　creature　like　me　flatter　himself　with　the　hope　of　finding　in　you　the　same　generous　support？　　for　when　the　god　Mars　is　no　longer　to　be　found；　what　can　be　more　natural　than　to　seek　the　aid　of　Pallas；　the　goddess　of　the　line　arts？　Will　she　refuse　to　protect　with　her　aegis　the　most　humble　of　her　adorers？

〃Permit　me；　madam；　to　avail　myself　of　this　opportunity　to　lay　at　your　feet　the　assurance　of　my　most　respectful　devotion。　　I　dare　not　give　utterance　to　all　my　prayers　in　your　behalf；　because　I　am　open　to　a　charge　of　infidelity　from　some；　yet　none　shall　ever　detect　me　unfaithful　in　my　present　professions；　at　my　age；　'tis　time　our　choice　was　made；　and　our　affections　fixed。　　Be　assured；　lovely　countess；　that　I　shall　ever　remain　your　attached　friend；　and　that　no　day　will　pass　without　my　teaching　the　echoes　of　the　Alps　to　repeat　your　much…esteemed　name。

〃I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　malady；　yours；　etc。；　etc。〃

You　may　be　quite　sure；　my　friend；　that　I　did　not　allow　so　singular　an　epistle　to　remain　long　unanswered。　　I　replied　to　it　in　the　following　words：

〃SIR；The　perusal　of　your　agreeable　letter　made　me　almost　grieve　for　the　disgrace　of　the　duc　de　Choiseul。　　Be　assured；　that　to　his　own　conduct；　and　that　of　his　family；　may　be　alone　attributed　the　misfortune　you　deplore。

〃The　regrets　you　so　feelingly　express　for　the　calamity　which　has　befallen　your　late　protector　do　honour　to　your　generous　heart；　but　recollect　that　your　old　friends　were　not　the　only　persons　who　could　appreciate　and　value　your　fine　talents；　to　be　esteemed　worthy　the　honourable　appellation　of　your　patron　is　a　glory　which　the　proudest　might　envy；　and；　although　I　cannot　boast　of　being　a　Minerva；　who；　after　all；　was　possibly　no　wiser　than　the　rest　of　us；　I　shall　always　feel　proud　and　happy　to　serve　you　with　my　utmost　credit　and　influence。

〃I　return　you　my　best　thanks　for　the　wishes　you　express；　and　the　attachment　you　so　kindly　profess。　　You　honour　me　too　much　by　repeating　my　name　amidst　the　bosom　of　the　Alps！　　be　assured；　that　I　shall　not　be　behindhand　in　making　the　saloons　of　Paris　and　Versailles　resound　with　yours。　　Had　I　leisure　for　the　undertaking；　I　would　go　and　teach　it　to　the　only　mountain　worthy　of　re…echoing　itat　the　foot　of　Parnassus。

〃I　am；　sir；　yours；　etc。；　etc。〃

You　perceive；　my　friend；　that　I　intended　this　reply　should　be　couched　in　the　wittiest　style　imaginable；　yet；　upon　reading　it　over　at　this　lapse　of　time；　it　appears　to　me　the　silliest　thing　ever　penned；　nevertheless；　I　flattered　myself　I　had　caught　the　tone　and　manner　in　which　M。　de　Voltaire　had　addressed　me：　he　perceived　my　intention；　and　was　delighted　with　the　flattering　deference　it　expressed。　　You　know　the　vanity　of　men　of　letters；　and　M。　de　Voltaire；　as　the　first　writer　of　the　age；　possessed；　in　proportion；　the　largest　portion　of　conceit。



CHAPTER　XXVIII


　A　few　words　respecting　Jean　Jacques　RousseauThe　comtesse　du　Barry　is　desirous　of　his　acquaintanceThe　countess　visits　Jean　Jacques　RousseauHis　household　furniture　His　portraitTherese　second　visit　from　madame　du　Barry　to　Jean　Jacques　RousseauThe　countess　relates　her　visit　to　the　kingBillet　from　J。　　J。　　Rousseau　to　madame　du　BarryThe　two　duchesses　d'Aiguillon

Spite　of　the　little　estimation　in　which　I　held　men　of　letters；　generally　speaking；　you　must　not　take　it　for　granted　that　I　entertained　an　equal　indifference　for　all　these　gentlemen。　　I　have　already；　I　fear；　tired　your　patience　when　dwelling　upon　my　ardent　admiration　of　M。　de　Voltaire；　I　have　now　to　speak　to　you　of　that　with　which　his　illustrious　rival；　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau；　inspired　methe　man　who；　after　a　life　so　filled　with　constant　trouble　and　misfortunes；　died　a　few　years　since　in　so　deplorable　a　manner。　　At　the　period　of　which　I　am　now　speaking　this　man；　who　had　filled　Europe　with　his　fame；　was　living　at　Paris；　in　a　state　bordering　upon　indigence。　　I　must　here　mention；　that　it　was　owing　to　my　solicitation　that　he　had　been　permitted　to　return　from　his　exile；　I　having　successfully　interceded　for　him　with　the　chancellor　and　the　attorney…general。　　M。　Seguier　made　no　difficulty　to　my　request；　because　he　looked　upon　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau　as　the　greatest　enemy　to　a　set　of　men　whom　he　mortally　hatedthe　philosophers。　　Neither　did　M。　de　Maupeou；　from　the　moment　he　effected　the　overthrow　of　the　parliament；　see　any　objection　to　bestowing　his　protection　upon　a　man　whom　the　parliaments　had　exiled。　　In　this　manner；　therefore；　without　his　being　aware　of　it；　Rousseau　owed　to　me　the　permission　to　re…enter　Paris。　　Spite　of　the　mortifying　terms　in　which　this　celebrated　writer　had　spoken　of　the　king's　mistresses；　I　had　a　lively　curiosity　to　know　him；　all　that　his　enemies　repeated　of　his　uncouthness；　and　even　of　his　malicious　nature；　far　from　weakening　the　powerful　interest　with　which　he　inspired　me；　rather　augmented　it；　by　strengthening　the　idea　I　had　previously　formed　of　his　having　been　greatly　calumniated。　　The　generous　vengeance　which　he　had　recently　taken　for　the　injuries　he　had　received　from　Voltaire　particularly　charmed　me。*　　I　thought　only　how　I　could　effect　my　design　of　seeing　him　by　one　means　or　another；　and　in　this　resolution　I　was　confirmed　by　an　accident　which　befell　me　one　day。

*Jean　Jacques　Rousseau　in　his　journey　through　Lyons　in　June　1770　subscribed　for　the　statue　of　Voltaire。author

It　was　the　commencement　of　April；　1771；　I　was　reading　for　the　fourth　time；　the　〃；〃and　for　the　tenth；　or；　probably；　twelfth；　the　account　of　the　party　on　the　lake；　when　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix　entered　the　room。　　I　laid　my　open　volume　on　the　mantel…piece；　and　the　marechale；　glancing　her　eye　upon　the　book　I　had　just　put　down；　smilingly　begged　my　pardon　　for　disturbing　my　grave　studies；　and　taking　it　in　her　hand；　exclaimed；

〃Ah！　　I　see　you　have　been　perusing　''；　I　have　just　been　having　more　than　an　hour's　conversation　respecting　its　author。〃

〃What　were　you　saying　of　him？〃　　asked　I。

〃Why；　my　dear；　I　happened　to　be　at　the　house　of　madame　de　Luxembourg；　where　I　met　with　the　comtesse　de　Boufflers。〃

〃Yes；　I　remember；〃　said　I；　〃the　former　of　these　ladies　was　the　particular　friend　of　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau。〃

〃And　the　second　also；〃　answered　she；　〃and　I　can　promise　you；　that　neither　the　one　or　the　other　spoke　too　well　of　him。〃

〃Is　it　possible？〃　　exclaimed　I；　with　a　warmth　I　could　　not　repress。

〃The　duchess；〃　resumed　madame　de　Mirepoix；　〃says　he　is　an　ill…bred　and　ungrateful　man；　and　the　countess　i