memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第62节

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！



Whilst　we　were　conversing　in　this　manner；　a　female；　between　the　age　of　forty　and　fifty；　entered　the　room。　　She　saluted　me　with　great　affectation　of　politeness；　and　then；　without　speaking　to　Rousseau；　went　and　seated　herself　familiarly　upon　a　chair　on　the　other　side　of　the　table：　this　was　Therese；　a　sort　of　factotum；　who　served　the　master　of　these　apartments　both　as　servant　and　mistress。　　I　could　not　help　regarding　this　woman　with　a　feeling　of　disgust；　she　had　a　horrible　cough；　which　she　told　us　was　more　than　usually　troublesome　on　that　day。　　I　had　heard　of　her　avarice；　therefore　to　prevent　the　appearance　of　having　called　upon　an　unprofitable　errand；　I　inquired　of　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau　how　much　the　music　would　cost。

〃Six　sous　a　page；　madam；〃　replied　he；　〃is　the　usual　price。〃

〃Shall　I；　sir；〃　asked　I；　〃leave　you　any　cash　in　hand　for　the　purchase　of　what　paper　you　will　require？〃

〃No；　I　thank　you；　madam；〃　replied　Rousseau；　smiling；　〃thank　God！　　I　am　not　yet　so　far　reduced　that　I　cannot　purchase　it　for　you。　　I　have　a　trifling　annuity〃

〃And　you　would　be　a　much　richer　man；〃　screamed　Therese；　〃if　you　would　insist　upon　those　people　at　the　opera　paying　you　what　they　owe　you。〃　　These　words　were　accompanied　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　intended　to　convey　a　vast　idea　of　her　own　opinion。

Rousseau　made　no　reply；　indeed　he　appeared　to　me　like　a　frightened　child　in　the　presence　of　its　nurse；　and　I　could　quickly　see；　that　from　the　moment　of　her　entering　the　room　he　had　become　restless　and　dejected；　he　fidgeted　on　his　seat；　and　seemed　like　a　person　in　excessive　pain。　　At　length　he　rose；　and　requesting　my　pardon　for　absenting　himself；　he　added；　〃My　wife　will　have　the　honour　to　entertain　you　whilst　I　am　away。〃　　With　these　words　he　opened　a　small　glass…door；　and　disappeared　in　the　neighbouring　room。

When　we　were　alone　with　Therese；　she　lost　no　time　in　opening　the　conversation。

〃Madam；〃　cried　she；　〃I　trust　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　excuse　M。　Rousseau；　he　is　very　unwell；　it　is　really　extremely　vexatious。〃

I　replied　that　M。　Rousseau　had　made　his　own　excuses。　　Just　then　Therese；　wishing　to　give　herself　the　appearance　of　great　utility；　cried　out；

〃Am　I　wanted　there；　M。　Rousseau？〃

〃No；　no；　no；〃　replied　Jean　Jacques；　in　a　faint　voice；　which　died　away　as　if　at　a　distance。

He　soon　after　re…entered　the　room。

〃Madam；〃　said　he；　〃have　the　kindness　to　place　your　music　in　other　hands　to　copy；　I　am　truly　concerned　that　I　cannot　execute　your　wishes；　but　I　feel　too　ill　to　set　about　it　directly。〃

I　replied；　that　I　was　in　no　hurry；　that　I　should　be　in　Paris　some　time　yet；　and　that　he　might　copy　it　at　his　leisure。　　It　was　then　settled　that　it　should　be　ready　within　a　week　from　that　time；　upon　which　I　rose；　and　ceremoniously　saluting　Therese；　was　conducted　to　the　door　by　M。　Rousseau；　whose　politeness　led　him　to　escort　me　thither；　holding　his　cap　in　his　hand。　　I　retired；　filled　with　admiration；　respect；　and　pity。

When　next　I　saw　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　I　could　not　refrain　from　relating　to　him　all　that　had　happened。　　My　recital　inspired　him　with　the　most　lively　curiosity　to　see　Rousseau；　whom　he　had　never　met　in　society。　　It　was　then　agreed；　that　when　I　went　to　fetch　my　music　he　should　accompany　me；　disguised　in　a　similar　manner　to　myself；　and　that　I　should　pass　him　off　as　my　uncle。　　At　the　end　of　the　eight　days　I　repaired　early　as　before　to　Paris；　the　duke　was　not　long　in　joining　me　there。　　He　was　so　inimitably　well　disguised；　that　no　person　would　ever　have　detected　the　most　elegant　nobleman　of　the　court　of　France　beneath　the　garb　of　a　plain　country　squire。　　We　set　out　laughing。　　like　simpletons　at　the　easy　air　with　which　he　wore　his　new　costume；　nevertheless　our　gaiety　disappeared　as　we　reached　the　habitation　of　J。　　J。　Rousseau。　　Spite　of　ourselves　we　were　compelled　to　honour　and　respect　the　man　of　talent　and　genius；　who　preferred　independence　of　ideas　to　riches；　and　before　whom　rank　and　power　were　compelled　to　lay　aside　their　unmeaning　trappings　ere　they　could　reach　his　presence。　　When　we　reached　the　fifth　landing…place　I　rang；　and　this　time　the　door　was　opened　by　Therese；　who　told　us　M　Rousseau　was　out。

〃But；　madam；〃　answered　I；　〃I　am　here　by　the　direction　of　your　husband　to　fetch　away　the　music　he　has　been　engaged　in　copying　for　me。〃

〃Ah；　madam；〃　exclaimed　she；　〃is　it　you？　　I　did　not　recollect　you　again；　pray　walk　in。　　M。　Rousseau　will　be　sure　to　be　at　home　for　you。〃

〃So；　then；〃　thought　I；　〃even　genius　has　its　visiting　lists。〃　　We　entered；　Jean　Jacques　formally　saluted　us；　and　invited　us　to　be　seated。　　He　then　gave　me　my　music；　I　inquired　what　it　came　to；　he　consulted　a　little　memorandum　which　lay　upon　the　table；　and　replied；　〃　So　many　pages；　so　much　paper；　eighteen　livres　twelve　sous；〃　which；　of　course；　I　instantly　paid。　　The　duc　d'Aiguillon；　whom　I　styled　my　uncle；　was　endeavoring　to　lead　Rousseau　into　conversation；　when　the　outer　bell　rang。　　Therese　went　to　open　the　door；　and　a　gentleman　entered；　of　mature　age；　although　still　preserving　his　good　looks。　　The　duke　regarded　him　in　silence　and　immediately　made　signs　for　me　to　hasten　our　departure；　I　obeyed；　and　took　leave　of　Rousseau；　with　many　thanks　his　punctuality。　　He　accompanied　us　as　before　to　door；　and　there　I　quitted　him　never　to　see　him　more。　　As　we　were　descending　the　staircase；　M。　d'Aiguillon　told　me　that　the　person　who　had　so　hastened　our　departure　was　Duclas；　and　that　his　hurry　to　quit　Rousseau　arose　from　his　dread　of　being　recognised　by　him。　　Although　M。　Duclas　was　a　very　excellent　man；　I　must　own　that　I　owed　no　small　grudge　for　a　visit　which　had　thus　abridged　ours。

In　the　evening　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　and　myself　related　to　the　king　our　morning's　pilgrimage。　　I　likewise　recounted　my　former　visit；　which　I　had　concealed　until　now。　　Louis　XV　seemed　greatly　interested　with　the　recital　of　it；　he　asked　me　a　thousand　questions；　and　would　fain　hear　the　most　trifling　particulars。

〃I　shall　never　forget；〃　said　Louis　XV；　〃the　amazing　success　obtained　by　his　''　There　certainly　were　some　beautiful　airs〃；　and　the　king　began　to　hum　over　the　song　of

〃