memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第69节

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〃But；　madam〃

〃Nay；　sir；　answer　without　hesitation；　I　wish　you　to　be　candid；　otherwise　my　exceeding　frankness　may　displease　you。〃

〃I　know；　madam；〃　replied　the　hypocrite；　〃that　his　majesty　finds　great　pleasure　in　your　charming　society。〃

〃And　yet；　sir；〃　answered　I；　〃his　majesty　experiences　equal　delight　in　the　company　of　your　wife。　　How　answer　you　that；　M。　de　Rumas？〃

〃My　wife；　madam！〃

〃Yes；　sir；　in　the　company　of　madame　de　Rumas；　he　pays　her　many　private　visits；　secretly　corresponds　with　her〃


〃The　confidence　of　his　majesty　must　ever　honor　his　subjects。〃

〃But；〃　replied　I；　quickly；　〃may　dishonor　a　husband。〃

〃How；　madam！　　What　is　it　you　would　insinuate？〃

〃That　your　wife　would　fain　supplant　me；　and　that　she　is　now　the　mistress　of　the　king；　although　compelled　to　be　such　in　secret。〃

〃Impossible；〃　exclaimed　M。　de　Rumas；　〃and　some　enemy　to　my　wife　has　thus　aspersed　her　to　you。〃

〃And　do　you　treat　it　as　a　mere　calumny？〃　　said　I。　　〃No；　sir；　nothing　can　be　more　true；　and　if　you　would　wish　further　confirmation；　behold　the　letter　which　madame　de　Rumas　wrote　to　the　king　only　the　day　before　yesterday；　take　it　and　read　it。〃

〃Heaven　preserve　me；　madam；〃　exclaimed　the　time…serving　wretch；　〃from。　　presuming　to　cast　my　eyes　over　what　is　meant　only　for　his　majesty's　gracious　perusal；　it　would　be　an　act　of　treason　I　am　not　capable　of　committing。〃

〃Then；　sir；〃　returned　I；　〃I　may　reasonably　conclude　that　it　is　with　your　sanction　and　concurrence　your　wife　intrigues　with　the　king？〃




〃Ah；　madam；〃　answered　the　wily　de　Rumas；　in　a　soft　and　expostulating　tone；　〃trouble　not；　I　pray　you；　the　repose　of　my　family。　　I　know　too　well　the　virtue　of　madame　de　Rumas；　her　delicacy；　and　the　severity　of　her　principles；　I　know　too　well　likewise　the　sentiments　in　which　her　excellent　parents　educated　her；　and　I　defy　the　blackest　malice　to　injure　her　in　my　estimation。〃

〃Wonderfully；　sir！〃　　cried　I；　〃so　you　determine　to　believe　your　wife's　virtue　incorruptible；　all　the　while　you　are　profiting　by　her　intrigues。　　However；　I　am　too　certain　of　what　I　assert　to　look　on　with　the　culpable　indifference　you　are　pleased　to　assume；　whilst　your　　wife　is　seeking　to　supplant　me　at　the　chateau；　you　shall　hear　of　me　before　long。　　Adieu；　sir。〃

So　saying；　I　quitted　the　room　in　search　of　the　marechale；　to　whom　I　related　what　had　passed。

〃And　now；　what　think　you　of　so　base　a　hypocrite？〃　　asked　I；　when　I　had　finished　my　account。

〃He　well　deserves　having　the　mask　torn　from　his　face；〃　replied　she；　〃　but　give　yourself　no　further　concern；　return　home；　and　depend　upon　it；　that；　one　way　or　other；　I　will　force　him　into　the　path　of　honor。〃

I　accordingly　ordered　my　carriage　and　returned　to　Versailles；　where；　on　the　same　evening；　I　received　the　following　letter　from　the　marechale：

〃MY　DEAR　COUNTESS；　My　efforts　have　been　attended　with　no　better　success　than　yours。　　Well　may　the　proverb　say；　'There　is　none　so　deaf　as　he　who　will　not　hear；'　and　M。　de　Rumas　perseveres　in　treating　all　I　advanced　respecting　his　wife　as　calumnious　falsehoods。　　According　to　his　version　of　the　tale；　madame　de　Rumas　has　no　other　motive　in　seeing　Louis　XV　so　frequently；　but　to　implore　his　aid　in　favor　of　the　poor　in　her　neighborhood。　　I　really　lost　all　patience　when　I　heard　him　attempting　to　veil　his　infamous　conduct　under　the　mask　of　charity；　I　therefore　proceeded　at　once　to　menaces；　telling　him　that　you　bad　so　many　advantages　over　his　wife；　that　you　scorned　to　consider　her　your　rival：　but　that；　nevertheless；　you　did　not　choose　that　any　upstart　pretender　should　dare　ask　to　share　his　majesty's　heart。　To　all　this　he　made　no　reply；　and　as　the　sight　of　him　only　increased　my　indignation；　I　at　length　desired　him　to　quit　me。　　I　trust　you　will　pardon　me　for　having　spoken　in　as　queenlike　a　manner　as　you　could　have　done　yourself。

〃Adieu；　my　sweet　friend。〃

This　letter　was　far　from　satisfying　me；　and　I　determined　upon　striking　a　decisive　blow。　　I　sent　for　Chamilly；　and　treating　him　with　all　the　contempt　he　deserved；　I　told　him；　that　if　the　king　did　not　immediately　give　up　this　woman　he　might　prepare　for　his　own　immediate　dismissal。　　At　first　Chamilly　sought　to　appease　my　anger　by　eager　protestations　of　innocence；　but　when　he　found　I　already　knew　the　whole　affair；　and　was　firmly　fixed　in　my　determination；　he　became　alarmed；　threw　himself　at　my　knees；　and　promised　to　do　all　I　would　have　him。　　We　then　agreed　to　tell　Louis　XV　some　tale　of　madame　de　Rumas　that　should　effectually　deter　him　from　thinking　further　of　her。

In　pursuance　with　this　resolution；　Chamilly　informed　the　king；　that　he　had　just　been　informed　that　madame　de　Rumas　had　a　lover；　who　boasted　of　being　able　to　turn　his　majesty　which　way　he　pleased；　through　the　intervention　of　his　mistress。　　Louis　XV　wrote　off　instantly　to　M。　de　Sartines；　to　have　a　watchful　eye　over　the　proceedings　of　the　Rumas　family。　　The　lieutenant　of　police；　who　had　some　regard　for　me；　and　a　still　greater　portion　of　fear；　was　faithful　to　my　interests；　and　rendered　to　Louis　XV　the　most　horrible　particulars　of　the　profligate　mode　of　life　pursued　by　madame　de　Rumas；　assuring　him；　that　from　every　consideration　of　personal　safety；　his　majesty　should　shun　the　acquaintance。　　The　king；　incensed　at　the　trick　put　upon　him　by　these　seemingly　virtuous　people；　was　at　first　for　confining　both　husband　and　wife　in　prison；　but　this　measure　I　opposed　with　all　my　power；　for；　satisfied　with　the　victory　I　had　gained；　I　cared　for　no　further　hurt　to　my　adversaries。　　I　contrived；　to　insinuate　to　the　worthy　pair　the　propriety　of　their　avoiding　the　impending　storm　by　a　timely　retreat　into　the　country；　a　hint　they　were　wise　enough　to　follow　up；　so　that　I　was　entirely　freed　from　all　further　dread　of　their　machinations。

All　those　who　had　served　me　in　this　affair　I　liberally　rewarded；　Marin　received　for　his　share　500　louis。　　It　is　true　he　lost　the　confidence　of　Chamilly；　but　he　gained　mine　instead；　so　that　it　will　easily　be　believed　he　was　no　sufferer　by　the　exchange。　　I　caused　the　marechale　to　receive　from　the　king　a　superb　Turkey　carpet；　to　which　I　added　a　complete　service　of　Sevres　porcelain；　with　a　beautiful　breakfast　set；　on　which　were　landscapes　most　delicately　and　skilfully　drawn　in　blue　and　gold：　I　gave　her　also　two　large　blue　porcelain　cots；　as　finely　executed　as　those　you　have　so　frequently　admired　in　my　small　saloon。　　These　trifles　cost　me　no　less　a　sum　than　2800　livres。　　I　did　not　forget　my　good　friend　M。　de　Sartines；　who　received　a　cane；　headed　with　gold；　around　which　was　a　small　band　of　diamonds。　　As　for　Chamilly；　I　granted　him　his　pardon；　and　I　think　you　will　admit　that　was　being　sufficiently　generous。

After　having　thus　recompensed　the　zeal　of　my　friends；　I　had　leisure　to　think　of　taking　vengeance　upon　the　duc　de　Richelieu　for　the　part　he　had　acted。　　He　came　of　his　own　accord　to　throw　himself　into　the　very　heat　of　my　anger。　　He　had　been　calling　on　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　where　he　had　seen　with　envious　eyes　the　magnificent　carpet　I　had　presented　her　with；　the　cupidity　of　the　duke　induced　him；　after　continually　recurring　to　the　subject；　to　say；　that　where　my　friends　were　concerned；　no　one　could　accuse　me　of　want　of　liberality。　　〃No；　sir；〃　answered　I；　〃I　consider　that　no　price　can　sufficiently　repay　the　kind　and　faithful　services　of　a　true　friend；　nor　can　baseness　and　treachery　be　too　generally　exposed　and　punished。〃　　From　the　tone　in　which　I　spoke　the　old　marechal　easily　perceived　to　what　I　was　alluding。　　He　was　wise　enough　to　be　silent；　whilst　I　followed　up　this　first　burst　of　my　indignation；　by　adding；

〃For　instance；　monsieur　le　duc；　how　can　I　sufficiently　repay　your　friendly　zeal　to　supply　the　king　with　a　new　mistress？〃

〃I；　madam？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　you；　I　am　aware　of　all　your　kind　offices；　and　only

lament　my　inability　to　reward　them　in　a　suitable　manner。〃

〃In　that　case　I　shall　not　attempt　to　deny　my　share　in　the　business。〃

〃You　have　then　sufficient　honor　to　avow　your　enmity　towards　me？〃

〃By　no　means　enmity；　madam。　　I　merely　admit　my　desire　to　contribute　to　the　amusement　of　the　king；　and　surely；　when　I　see　all　around　anxious　to　promote　the　gratification　of　their　sovereign；　I　need　not　be　withheld　from　following　so　loyal　an　example。　　The　duc　de　Duras　was　willing　to　present　his　own　relation　for　his　majesty's　acceptance；　the　abbe　Terray　offers　his　own　daughter；　Comte　Jean　his　sister…in…law；　whilst　I　simply　threw　a　humble　and　modest　female　in　his　majesty's　path。　　I　cannot　see　in　what　my　fault　exceeds　that　of　the　gentlemen　I　have　just　mentioned。〃

〃You　really　are　the　most　audacious　of　men；〃　replied　I；　laughing；　〃I　shall　be　obliged　to　solicit　a　　to　hold　you　a　prisoner　in　Guienne。　　Upon　my　word；　your　nephew　and　myself　have　a　valuable　and　trustworthy　friend　in　you。〃

〃Hark　ye；　madam；〃　rejoined　the　marechal。　　〃I　know　not；　in　the　first　place；　whether　his　majesty　would　very　easily　grant　you　this　；　which　most　certainly　I　do　not　deserve。　You　have　served　my　nephew　and　neglected　me；　I　wished　to　try　the　strength　of　my　poor　wings；　and　I　find；　like　many　others；　that　I　must　not　hope　to　soar　to　any　height。〃

While　we　were　thus　talking　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix　was　announced。　I　was　still　much　agitated；　and　she　im