memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第72节

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Amongst　the　pages　of　the　chapel　was　one　whom　the　king　distinguished　so　greatly；　that　he　raised　him　to　the　rank　of　a　gentleman　of　the　bedchamber；　and　confided　to　his　charge　the　cabinet　of　medals；　for　which　he　had　imbibed　a　taste　since　his　liaison　with　madame　de　Pompadour。　　This　esteemed　page　was　named　M。　D…n；　who　united　to　the　most　amiable　wit　a　varied　and　deep　knowledge　of　men　and　things。　　He　had　had　adventures　at　an　age　when　they　are　usually　just　understood；　and　talked　of　them　with　the　utmost　indiscretion。　But　this　so　far　from　doing　him　any　injury　in　the　eyes　of　the　world　only　served　to　make　him　the　more　admired；　for　women　in　general　have　an　inclination　for　those　who　do　not　respect　their　reputation。

At　the　period　I　allude　to　a　madame　de　Blessac；　a　very　well…looking　woman；　took　upon　herself　to　be　very　kindly　disposed　towards　the　gentleman…in…waiting。　　She　told　him　so；　and　thereupon　M。　de　Dn　ranged　himself　under　her　banner；　and　swore　eternal　constancy。　　However；　the　lady；　by　some　accident；　became　greatly　smitten　with　the　prince　de　la　Trimouille；　and　without　quitting　the　little　keeper　of　medals；　gave　him　a　lord　for　a　substitute。　M。　Dn　soon　learnt　this　fact；　that　he　was　not　the　sole　possessor　of　a　heart　which　formed　all　his　joy　and　glory。　　He　found　he　was　deceived；　and　he　swore　to　be　revenged。

Now　the　prince　de　la　Trimouille　had　for　his　mistress　mademoiselle　Lubert；　an　opera…dancer；　very　pretty　and　extraordinarily　silly。　M。　Dn　went　to　her；　〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　he；　〃I　come　to　offer　my　services　to　you　in　the　same　way　that　M。　de　la　Trimouille　has　offered　his　to　madame　de　Blessac；　with　whom　I　was　on　exceedingly　intimate　terms。〃

The　services　of　young　Dn　were　accepted；　and　he　was　happy。　He　then　wrote　to　his　former　mistress；　saying；　that　anxious　to　give　her　a　proof　of　his　sincere　attachment　he　had　visited　mademoiselle　Lubert；　that　he　might　leave　her　at　leisure　to　receive　the　visits　of　the　prince　de　la　Trimouille。

Madame　de　Blessac；　stung　to　the　quick；　quarrelled　with　the　prince；　who　was　excessively　enraged　with　his　rival；　and　there　certainly　would　have　been　an　affair　between　these　two　gentlemen；　had　not　the　king　preserved　the　peace　by　sending　his　gentleman　to　St。　Petersburg　as　　to　the　embassy。　　M。　Dn　went　to　Russia；　therefore；　and　on　his　return　came　to　see　me；　and　is　now　one　of　the　most　welcome　and　agreeable　of　the　men　of　my　private　circle。

As　to　madame　de　Blessac；　she　continued　to　carry　on　the　war　in　grand　style。　　Her　husband　dying　she　married　again　a　foolish　count；　three　parts　ruined；　and　who　speedily　dissipated　the　other　quarter　of　his　own　fortune　and　the　whole　of　his　wife's。　　Madame　Ramosky　then　attacked　the　rich　men　of　the　day　one　after　another。　　One　alone　stood　out　against　her；　it　was　M。　de　la　Garde；　who　had　been　one　of　my　admirers。　　Madame　Ramoski　wrote　to　him；　he　did　not　answer。　　At　length　she　determined　on　visiting　him；　and　wrote　him　a　note；　to　say　that　she　should　call　upon　him　about　six　o'clock　in　the　evening。　　What　did　M。　de　la　Garde？　　Why　he　gave　a　ball　on　that　very　evening；　and；　when　madame　Ramoski　reached　his　hotel；　she　found　it　illuminated。　　As　she　had　come　quite　unprepared　she　was　compelled　to　return　as　she　came；　very　discontentedly。

But　to　leave　madame　de　Blessac　and　M。　Dn；　and　to　talk　of　my　own　matters。　　We　had　at　this　period　a　very　great　alarm　at　the　chateau；　caused　by　the　crime　of　a　man；　who　preferred　rather　to　assassinate　his　wife　than　to　allow　her　to　dishonor　him。　　It　is　worthy　of　narration。

A　pretty　shopkeeper　of　Paris；　named　Gaubert；　who　lived　in　the　rue　de　la　Montagne　Sainte…　Genevieve；　had　recently　married　a　woman　much　younger　than　himself。　　From　the　Petit　Pont　to　the　rue　Mouffetard；　madame　Gaubert　was　talked　of　for　her　lovely　face　and　beautiful　figure；　she　was　the　Venus　of　the　quarter。　　Everybody　paid　court　to　her；　but　she　listened　to　none　of　her　own　rank；　for　her　vanity　suggested　that　she　deserved　suitors　of　a　loftier　rank。

Her　husband　was　very　jealous。　　Unfortunately　M。　Gaubert　had　for　cousin　one　of　the　valets　of　the　king：　this　an；　who　knew　the　taste　of　his　master；　thought　how　he　could　best　turn　his　pretty　cousin　to　account。　　He　spoke　to　her　of　the　generosity　of　Louis　XV；　of　the　grandeur　of　Versailles；　and　of　the　part　which　her　beauty　entitled　her　to　play　there。　　In　fact；　he　so　managed　to　turn　the　head　of　this　young　woman；　that　she　begged　him　to　obtain　for　her　a　place　in　the　king's　favor。　　Consequently　Girard　（that　was　his　　name）　went　to　madame　de　Laugeac；　and　told　her　the　affair　as　it　was。　　She　pleased　with　an　opportunity　of　injuring　me；　went　to　Paris；　and　betook　herself　　to　the　shop　of　madame　Gaubert。　She　found　her　charming；　and　spoke　of　her　to　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere；　and　both　agreed　to　show　her　portrait　to　his　majesty。　But　how　to　procure　this　portrait？　　Her　husband　was　her　very　shadow；　and　never　left　her。　　；　who　was　never　at　a　loss；　issued　a　　against　him；　and　the　unfortunate　man　was　shut　up　in　Fort　l'Eveque。　　It　was　not　until　the　portrait　was　finished　that　he　was　set　at　liberty。

He　returned　to　his　home　without　guessing　at　the　motives　of　his　detention；　but　he　learned　that　his　wife　had　had　her　portrait　painted　during　his　absence；　and　his　jealousy　was　set　to　work。　Soon　a　letter　from　Girard；　a　fatal　letter；　which　fell　into　his　hands；　convinced　him　of　the　injury　done　him。　　He　took　his　wife　apart；　and；　feigning　a　resignation　which　he　did　not　feel；　〃My　love；〃　he　said；　〃I　loved　thee；　I　love　thee　still：　I　thought；　too；　that　thou　wert　content　with　our　competence；　and　wouldst　not　have　quitted　thine　husband　for　any　other　in　the　world：　I　have　been　convinced　otherwise。　　A　letter　from　Girard　informs　me；　that　with　thine　own　consent　the　king；　whom　thy　portrait　has　pleased；　desires　to　see　thee　this　very　day。　　It　is　a　misfortune；　but　we　must　submit。　　Only　before　thou　art　established　at　Versailles；　I　should　wish　thee　to　dine　with　me　once　more。　　You　can　invite　cousin　Girard；　too；　for　I　owe　him　something　for　what　he　has　done　for　thee。〃

The　young　wife　promised　to　return　and　see　her　husband。　　That　evening　at　the　performance　at　the　court　she　was　seated　in　the　same　box　with　the　marquise　de　Laugeac；　the　king's　glass　was　directed　towards　her　the　whole　time；　and　at　the　termination　of　the　spectacle　it　was　announced　to　her；　that　she　was　to　sleep　at　the　chateau　the　next　evening。　　The　project　was　never　realized。

The　next　day；　according　to　promise；　the　young　wife　went　to　Paris　with　the　valet。　　She　informed　her　husband　of　the　success　which　had　befallen　her；　and　he　appeared　delighted。　　Dinner　being　ready；　they　seated　themselves　at　table；　ate　and　drank。　　Girard　began　to　laugh　at　his　cousin　for　his　complaisance；　when　suddenly　all　desire　to　jest　left　him。　　He　experienced　most　horrible　pains；　and　his　cousin　suffered　as　well　as　himself。　　〃Wretches！〃　　said　Gaubert　to　them；　〃did　you　think　I　would　brook　dishonor？　　No；　no！　　I　have　deceived　you　both　the　better　to　wreak　my　vengeance。　　I　am　now　happy。　　Neither　king　nor　valet　shall　ever　possess　my　wife。　　I　have　poisoned　you；　and　you　must　die。〃　　The　two　victims　implored　his　pity。　　〃Yes；〃　said　he　to　his　wife；　〃thy　sufferings　pain　me；　and　I　will　free　you　from　them。〃　　e　then　plunged　a　knife　to　her　heart；　and；　turning　to　Girard；　said；　〃As　for　thee；　I　hate　thee　too　much　to　kill　thee；　die。　　〃And　he　left　him。

The　next　day　M。　de　Sartines　came　and　told　me　the　whole　story。　　He　had　learnt　them　from　the　valet；　who　had　survived　his　poisoning　for　some　hours。　　Gaubert　could　not　be　found；　and　it　was　feared　that　he　would　attempt　some　desperate　deed。　　No　one　dared　mention　it　to　the　king；　but　the　captain　of　the　guards　and　the　first　gentleman　in　waiting　took　every　possible　precaution；　and　when　Louis　XV　asked　for　the　young　female　who　was　to　be　brought　to　him；　they　told　him　that　she　had　died　of　a　violent　distemper。　　It　was　not　until　some　days　afterwards　that　the　terror　which　pervaded　the　chateau　ceased。　　They　had　found　the　body　of　the　unfortunate　Gaubert　on　the　banks　of　the　Seine。

In　spite　of　what　had　passed；　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere　had　the　impudence　to　present　himself　to　me。　　I　treated　him　with　disdain；　reproaching　him　and　Laugeac　for　their　conduct。　　He　left　me　in　despair；　and　wrote　me　the　following　letter：

〃MADAME　LA　COMTESSE；…Your　anger　kills　me。　　I　am　guilty；　but　not　so　much　so　as　you　may　imagine。　　The　duty　of　my　office　compels　me　to　do　many　things　which　are　disagreeable　to　me。　　In　the　affair　for　which　you　have　so　slightingly　treated　me　there　was　no　intent　to　injure　you；　but　only　to　procure　for　the　king　an　amusement　which　should　make　him　the　more　estimate　your　charms　and　your　society。　Forgive　a　fault　in　which　my　heart　bore　no　share；　I　am　sufficiently　miserable；　and　shall　not　know　repose　until　I　be　reinstated　in　your　good　graces。

〃As　for　the　poor　marchioness　she　is　no　more　to　blame　than　myself。　　She　feels　for　you　as　much　esteem　as　attachment；　and　is　anxious　to　prove　it　at　any　opportunity。　　I　beseech　you　not　to　treat　her　rigorously。　　Think　that　we　only　work　together　for　the　good　of　the　king；　and　that　it　would　be　unjust　of　you　to　hate　us　because　we　have　endeavored　to　please　this　excellent　prince。　　I　hope　that；　contented　with　this　justification；　you　will　not　refuse　to　grant　me　the　double　amnesty　which　I　ask　of　your　goodness。〃

I　replied