memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第61节

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〃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　insists　upon　it　he　is　a　downright　pedant。〃

'Shameful；　indeed；〃　cried　I；　〃but　can　you；　my　dear　friend；　account　for　the　ill…nature　with　which　these　ladies　speak　of　poor　Rousseau？〃

〃Oh！　　Yes；〃　replied　the　marechale；　〃their　motives　are　easily　explained；　and　I　will　tell　you　a　little　secret；　for　the　truth　of　which　I　can　vouch。　　Madame　de　Luxembourg　had　at　one　time　conceived　the　most　lively　passion　for　Jean　Jacques。〃

〃Indeed！〃　　cried　I；　〃and　he〃

〃Did　not　return　it。　　As　for　madame　de　Bouffiers；　the　case　was　exactly　reversed；　and　Rousseau　has　excited　her　resentment　by　daring　long　to　nurse　a　hopeless　flame；　of　which　she　was　the　object：　this　presumption　on　the　part　of　the　poet　our　dignified　countess　could　never　pardon。　　However；　I　entreat　of　you　not　to　repeat　this；　remember；　I　tell　you　in　strictest　secrecy。〃

〃Oh；　be　assured　of　my　discretion；〃　said　I；　〃I　promise　you　not　to　publish　your　secret〃　（which；　by　the　way；　I　was　very　certain　was　not　communicated　for　the　first　time　when　told　to　me）。

This　confidence　on　the　part　of　the　marechale　had；　in　some　unaccountable　　manner；　only　increased　the　ardent　desire　I　felt　to　see　the　author　　of　the　〃〃；　and　I　observed　to　madame　de　Mirepoix；　that　I　had　a　great　curiosity　to　be　introduced　to　Rousseau。

〃I　fear；〃　said　she；　〃you　will　never　be　able　to　persuade　him　to　visit　at　the　chateau。〃

〃How　then　can　I　accomplish　my　desire　of　seeing　this　celebrated　man？〃

〃By　one　simple　method；　if　he　will　not　come　to　you；　you　must　go　to　him。　　I　would　willingly　accompany　you；　but　he　knows　me；　and　my　presence　would　spoil　all。　　The　best　thing　you　can　do　is　to　dress　yourself　quite　plainly；　as　a　lady　from　the　country；　taking　with　you　one　of　your　female　attendants。　　You　may　take　as　a　pretext　for　your　visit　some　music　you　would　wish　to　have　copied。　Be　sure　to　treat　M。　de　Rousseau　as　a　mere　copyist；　and　appear　never　to　have　heard　of　his　superior　merit：　do　this；　and　you　will　receive　the　best　possible　reception。〃

I　greatly　approved　of　the　marechale　's　advice；　which　I　assured　her　I　would　delay　no　longer　than　till　the　following　day　to　put　into　practice；　and；　after　some　further　conversation　upon　J。　　J。　　Rousseau；　we　parted。

Early　the　next　day　I　set　out　for　Paris　accompanied　by　Henriette；　there；　in　pursuance　of　the　suggestion　of　madame　de　Mirepoix；　I　dressed　myself　as　a　person　recently　arrived　from　the　country；　and　Henriette；　who　was　to　accompany　me；　disguised　herself　as　a　villager。　I　assure　you；　our　personal　attractions　lost　nothing　by　the　change　of　our　attire。　　From　the　rue　de　la　Jussienne　to　the　rue　Platriere　is　only　a　few　steps；　nevertheless；　in　the　fear　of　being　recognised；　I　took　a　hired　carriage。　　Having　reached　our　place　of　destination；　we　entered；　by　a　shabby　door；　the　habitation　of　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau：　his　apartments　were　on　the　fifth　floor。　　I　can　scarcely　describe　to　you；　my　friend；　the　emotions　I　experienced　as　I　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　author　of　〃Heloise。〃　　At　each　flight　of　stairs　I　was　compelled　to　pause　to　collect　my　ideas；　and　my　poor　heart　beat　as　though　I　had　been　keeping　an　assignation。　　At　length；　however；　we　reached　the　fifth　story；　thereafter　having　rested　a　few　minutes　to　recover　myself；　I　was　about　to　knock　at　a　door　which　was　opposite　to　me；　when；　as　I　approached；　I　heard　a　sweet　but　tremulous　voice　singing　a　melancholy　air；　which　I　have　never　since　heard　anywhere；　the　same　voice　repeated　the　romance　to　which　I　was　listening　several　times。　　When　it　had　entirely　ceased　I　profited　by　the　silence　to　tap　with　my　knuckles　against　the　door；　but　so　feeble　was　the　signal；　that　even　Henriette；　who　was　close　behind　me；　could　not　hear　it。　　She　begged　I　would　permit　her　to　ring　a　bell　which　hung　near　us；　and；　having　done　so；　a　step　was　heard　approaching　the　door；　and；　in　a　minute　or　two；　it　was　opened　by　a　man　of　about　sixty　years　of　age；　who；　seeing　two　females；　took　off　his　cap　with　a　sort　of　clumsy　gallantry；　at　which　I　affected　to　be　much　flattered。

〃Pray；　sir；〃　said　I；　endeavouring　to　repress　my　emotion；　〃does　a　person　named　Rousseau；　a　copier　of　music；　live　here？〃

〃Yes；　madam；　I　am　he。　　What　is　your　pleasure？〃

〃I　have　been　told；　sir；　that　you　are　particularly　skilful　in　copying　music　cheaply；　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　undertake　to　copy　these　airs　I　have　brought　with　me。〃

〃Have　the　goodness　to　walk　in；　madam。〃

We　crossed　a　small　obscure　closet；　which　served　as　a　species　of　antechamber；　and　entered　the　sitting…room　of　M。　de　Rousseau；　who　seated　me　in　an　arm…chair；　and　motioning　to　Henriette　to　sit　down；　once　more　inquired　my　wishes　respecting　the　music。

〃Sir；〃　said　I；　〃as　I　live　in　the　country；　and　but　very　rarely　visit　Paris；　I　should　be　obliged　to　you　to　get　it　done　as　early　as　possible。〃

〃Willingly；　madam；　I　have　not　much　upon　my　hands　just　now。〃

I　then　gave　to　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau　the　roll　of　music　I　had　brought。　　He　begged　I　would　continue　seated；　requested　permission　to　keep　on　his　cap；　and　went　to　a　little　table　to　examine　the　music　I　had　brought。

Upon　my　first　entrance　I　had　perceived　a　close　and　confined　smell　in　these　miserable　apartments；　but；　by　degrees；　I　became　accustomed　to　it；　and　began　to　examine　the　chamber　in　which　I　sat　with　as　strict　a　scrutiny　as　though　I　had　intended　making　an　inventory　of　its　contents。　　Three　old　elbow…chairs；　some　rickety　stools；　a　writing…table；　on　which　were　two　or　three　volumes　of　music；　some　dried　plants　laid　on　white…brown　paper；　beside　the　table　stood　an　old　spinet；　and；　close　to　the　latter　article　of　furniture；　sat　a　fat　and　well…looking　cat。　　Over　the　chimney　hung　an　old　silver　watch；　the　walls　of　the　room　were　adorned　with　about　half　a　dozen　views　of　Switzerland　and　some　inferior　engravings；　two　only；　which　occupied　the　most　honourable　situations；　struck　me；　one　represented　Frederick　II；　and　under　the　picture　were　written　some　lines　（which　I　cannot　now　recollect）　by　Rousseau　himself；　the　other　engraving；　which　hung　opposite；　was　the　likeness　of　a　very　tall；　thin；　old　man；　whose　dress　was　nearly　concealed　by　the　dirt　which　had　been　allowed　to　accumulate　upon　it；　I　could　only　distinguish　that　it　was　ornamented　with　a　broad　riband。　　When　I　had　sufficiently　surveyed　this　chamber；　the　simplicity　of　which；　so　closely　bordering　on　want　and　misery；　pained　me　to　the　heart；　I　directed　my　attention　to　the　extraordinary　man　who　was　the　occasion　of　my　visit。　　He　was　of　middle　height；　slightly　bent　by　age；　with　a　large　and　expansive　chest；　his　features　were　common　in　their　cast；　but　possessed　of　the　most　perfect　regularity。　　His　eyes；　which　he　from　time　to　time　raised　from　the　music　he　was　considering；　were　round　and　sparkling　but　small；　and　the　heavy　brows　which　hung　over　them；　conveyed　an　idea　of　gloom　and　severity；　but　his　mouth；　which　was　certainly　the　most　beautiful　and　fascinating　in　its　expression　I　ever　saw；　soon　removed　this　unfavourable　impression。　　Altogether　there　belonged　to　his　countenance　a　smile　of　mixed　sweetness　and　sadness；　which　bestowed　on　it　an　indescribable　charm。

To　complete　my　description；　I　must　not　forget　to　add　his　dress；　which　consisted　of　a　dirty　cotton　cap；　to　which　were　fixed　strings　of　a　riband　that　had　once　been　scarlet；　a　pelisse　with　arm…holes；　a　flannel　waistcoat；　snuff…coloured　breeches；　gray　stockings；　and　shoes　slipped　down　at　the　heel；　after　the　fashion　of　slippers。　Such　was　the　portrait；　and　such　the　abode　of　the　man　who　believed　himself　to　be　one　of　the　potentates　of　the　earth　and　who；　in　fact；　had　once　owned　his　little　court　and　train　of　courtiers；　for；　in　the　century　in　which　he　lived；　talent　had　become　as　arbitrary　as　sovereign　powerthanks　to　the　stupidity　of　some　of　our　grandees　and　the　caprice　of　Frederick　of　Prussia。

Meanwhile　my　host；　undisturbed　by　my　reflections；　had　quietly　gone　over　his　packet　of　music。　　He　found　amongst　it　an　air　from　〃　；〃　which　I　had　purposely　placed　there；　he　half　turned　towards　me　and　looking　steadfastly　at　me；　as　if　he　would　force　the　truth　from　my　lips。

〃Madam；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　know　the　author　of　this　little　composition？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　I；　with　an　air　of　as　great　simplicity　as　I　could　assume；　〃it　is　written　by　a　person　of　the　same　name　as　yourself；　who　writes　books　and　composes　operas。　　Is　he　any　relation　to　you？〃

My　answer　and　question　disarmed　the　suspicions　of　Jean　Jacques；　who　was　about　to　reply；　but　stopped　himself；　as　if　afraid　of　uttering　a　falsehood；　and　contented　himself　with　smiling　and　casting　down　his　eyes。　　Taking　courage　from　his　silence；　I　ventured　to　add；〃The　M。　de　Rousseau　who　composed　this　pretty　air　has　written　much　beautiful　music　and　many　very　clever　works。　　Should　I　ever　know　the　happiness　of　becoming　a　mother　I　shall　owe　to　him　the　proper　care　and　education　of　my　child。〃　　Rousseau　made　no　reply；　but　he　turned　his　eyes　towards　me；　and　at　this　moment　the　expression　of　his　countenance　was　perfectly　celestial；　and　I　could　readily　imagine　how　easily　he　might　have　inspired　a　warmer　sentiment　than　that　of　admiration。

Whilst　we　were　conversing　in　this　manner；　a　female；　between　the　age　of　forty　and　fifty；