memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第73节

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　refuse　to　grant　me　the　double　amnesty　which　I　ask　of　your　goodness。〃

I　replied　thus：

〃Your　letter；　monsieur　le　duc；　seduces　me　no　more　than　your　words。　　I　know　you　well；　and


appreciate　you　fully。　　I　was　ignorant　up　to　this　time；　that　amongst　the　duties　of　your　office；　certain　such　functions　were　imposed　upon　you。　It　appears　that　you　attend　to　them　as　well　as　to　others；　and　I　sincerely　compliment　you　thereupon；　I　beg　of　you　to　announce　it　in　the　'Court　Kalendar。'　It　will　add；　I　am　convinced；　to　the　universal　esteem　in　which　you　are　held。

〃As　to　madame　de　Laugeac；　she　is　even　more　insignificant　than　you；　and　that　is　not　saying　much。　I　thank　her　for　her　esteem　and　attachment；　but　can　dispense　with　any　marks　of　them；　no　good　can　come　from　such　an　one　as　she。　　Thus；　M。　le　duc；　keep　quiet　both　of　you；　and　do　not　again　attempt　measures　which　may　compromise　me。　　Do　your　business　and　leave　me　to　mine。

〃I　am；　with　all　due　consideration；

〃Your　servant；

〃COMTESSE　DU　BARRY〃

I　mentioned　this　to　the　king；　who　insisted　on　reconciling　me　with　；　who　came　and　knelt　to　me。　　I　　granted　the　pardon　sought；　out　of　regard　for　Louis　XV；　but　from　that　moment　the　contempt　I　felt　for　the　duke　increased　an　hundredfold。



CHAPTER　XXXIV


Conversation　with　the　kingMarriage　of　the　comte　d'Artois　IntriguesThe　place　of　lady　of　honorThe　marechale　de　Mirepoix　The　comtesse　de　Forcalquier　and　madame　du　BarryThe　comtesse　de　Forcalquier　and　madame　Boncault

The　king　was　much　annoyed　at　the　indifference　I　evinced　for　all　state　secrets；　and　frequently　observed　to　me；　〃You　are　not　at　all　like　madame　de　Pompadour：　she　was　never　satisfied　unless　she　knew　all　that　was　going　on；　and　was　permitted　to　take　an　active　part　in　every　transaction；　she　would　frequently　scold　me　for　not　telling　her　things　of　which　I　was　myself　ignorant。　　She　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　most　secret　intrigues；　and　watched　every　turn　of　my　countenance；　as　though　she　sought　to　read　in　my　eyes　the　inmost　thoughts　of　my　mind。　　Never；〃　continued　the　king；　〃did　woman　more　earnestly　desire　supreme　command；　and　so　completely　had　she　learned　to　play　my　part；　that　I　have　frequently　surprised　her　giving　private　instructions　to　my　ambassadors；　differing　altogether　from　what　I　myself　had　dictated　to　them。　　Upon　the　same　principle　she　maintained　at　various　courts　envoys　and　ministers；　who　acted　by　her　orders；　and　in　her　name；　she　even　succeeded　in　obtaining　the　friendship　of　the　grave　and　austere　Marie　Therese；　who　ultimately　carried　her　condescension　so　far；　as　only　to　address　the　marchioness　by　the　title　of　'cousin'　and　'dear　friend。'　　I　must　confess；　however；　that　these　proceedings　on　the　part　of　madame　de　Pompadour　were　by　no　means　agreeable　to　me；　and　I　even　prefer　your　ignorance　of　politics　to　her　incessant　interference　with　them。〃

This　was　said　by　Louis　XV　upon　the　occasion　of　the　approaching　marriage　of　the　comte　d'Artois；　the　object　of　universal　cabal　and　court　intrigue　to　all　but　myself；　who　preserved　perfect　tranquillity　　amidst　the　general　excitement　that　prevailed。

Various　reasons　made　the　marriage　of　this　prince　a　matter　of　imperative　necessity。　　In　the　first　place；　the　open　gallantry　of　the　young　count　had　attracted　a　crowd　of　disreputable　personages　of　both　sexes　to　Versailles；　and　many　scandalous　adventures　occurred　within　the　chateau　itself；　secondly；　a　motive　still　more　important　in　the　eyes　of　Louis　XV；　originated　in　the　circumstance　of　neither　the　marriage　of　the　dauphin　nor　that　of　the　comte　de　Provence　having　been　blest　with　any　offspring。　　The　king　began　to　despair　of　seeing　any　descendants　in　a　direct　line；　unless　indeed　heaven　should　smile　upon　the　wedded　life　of　the　comte　d'Artois。　　Louis　XV　disliked　the　princes　of　the　blood；　and　the　bare　idea　that　the　duc　d'Orleans　might　one　day　wield　his　sceptre　would　have　been　worse　than　death。

Many　alliances　were　proposed　for　the　prince。　　Marie　Josephe；　infanta　of　Spain；　was　then　in　her　twentieth　year；　and　consequently　too　old。　　The　princess　Marie…　Francoise…Benedictine…Anne…Elizabeth…　Josephe…Antonine…Laurence…Ignace…　Therese　…Gertrude…Marguerite…　Rose；　etc。；　etc。；　of　Portugal；　although　younger　than　the　first…　mentioned　lady；　was　yet　considered　as　past　the　age　that　　would　have　rendered　her　a　suitable　match　for　so　young　a　bridegroom。　The　daughter　of　any　of　the　electoral　houses　of　Germany　was　not　considered　an　eligible　match；　and　the　pride　of　the　house　of　Bourbon　could　not　stoop　to　so　ignoble　an　alliance。　　There　was　no　alternative　left　therefore；　but　to　return　to　the　house　of　Savoy；　and　take　a　sister　of　the　comtesse　de　Provence。　　This　proposal　was　well　received　by　the　royal　family；　with　the　exception　of　the　dauphiness；　who　dreaded　the　united　power　and　influence　of　the　two　sisters；　if　circumstances　should　ever　direct　it　against　herself　or　her　wishes；　and　I　heard　from　good　authority；　that　both　the　imperial　Marie　Therese　and　her　daughter　made　many　remonstrances　to　the　king　upon　the　subject。　　〃The　empress；〃　said　Louis　XV；　one　day；　〃believes　that　things　are　still　managed　here　as　in　the　days　of　the　marquise　de　Pompadour　and　the　duc　de　Choiseul。　　Thank　heaven；　I　am　no　longer　under　the　dominion　of　my　friend　and　her　pensionaries。　　I　shall　follow　my　own　inclinations；　and　consult；　in　the　marriage　of　my　grandson；　the　interests　of　France　rather　than　those　of　Austria。〃

The　little　attention　paid　by　Louis　XV　to　the　representations　of　Marie　Therese　furnished　my　enemies　with　a　fresh　pretext　for　venting　their　spleen。　　They　accused　me　of　having　been　bribed　by　the　court　of　Turin；　which　ardently　desired　a　second　alliance　with　France。　　I　was　most　unjustly　accused；　for　I　can　with　truth　affirm；　that　the　comte　de　la　Marmora；　ambassador　from　Piedmont　to　Paris；　neither　by　word　nor　deed　made　any　attempt　to　interest　me　in　his　success。　　The　king　was　the　first　person　who　informed　me　of　the　contemplated　marriage；　and　my　only　fault　（if　it　could　be　called　one）　was　having　approved　of　the　match。

More　than　one　intrigue　was　set　on　foot　within　the　chateau　to　separate　the　princes。　　Many　were　the　attempts　to　sow　the　seeds　of　dissension　between　the　dauphin　and　the　comte　d'Artois；　as　well　as　to　embroil　the　dauphin　with　。　　The　first　attempt　proved　abortive；　but　the　faction　against　　succeeded　so　far　as　to　excite　a　lasting　jealousy　and　mistrust　in　the　mind　of　Marie　Antoinette。　　This　princess　was　far　from　contemplating　the　marriage　of　the　comte　d'Artois　with　any　feelings　of　pleasure；　and　when　her　new　sister…in…law　became　a　mother；　she　bewailed　her　own　misfortune　in　being　without　children　with　all　　the　feelings　of　a　young　and　affectionate　heart。　　Heaven　did　not；　however；　always　deny　her　the　boon　she　so　ardently　desired。

You　will；　readily　believe　that　the　same　anxiety　prevailed　upon　the　occasion　of　this　approaching　marriage　as　had　existed　at　the　unions　of　the　dauphin　and　the　comte　de　Provence；　to　obtain　the　various　posts　and　places　the　ambition　of　different　persons　led　them　to　desire　in　the　establishment　of　the　newly　married　pair。　Wishing　on　my　own　part　to　offer　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix　a　proof　of　my　high　estimation　of　her　friendship　towards　me；　I　inquired　of　her　whether　a　superior　employment　about　the　person　of　the　comtesse　d'Artois　would　be　agreeable　to　her？

〃Alas！　　my　dear　creature；〃　replied　the　good…natured　marechale；　〃I　am　too　old　now　to　bear　the　toil　and　confinement　of　any　service。　The　post　of　lady　of　honor　would　suit　me　excellently　well　as　far　as　regards　the　income　attached　to　it；　but　by　no　means　agree　with　my　inclinations　as　far　as　discharging　its　functions　goes。　　You　see　I　am　perfectly　candid　with　you。　　Listen　to　me；　if　you　really　wish　to　oblige　me；　you　can　do　thisgive　the　title　to　another；　and　bestow　the　pecuniary　part　of　the　engagement　on　me。　　In　that　manner　you　will　be　able　to　gratify　two　persons　at　the　same　time。〃

〃I　will　endeavor；〃　said　I；　〃to　meet　your　wishes　as　far　as　I　possibly　can；　and　you　may　be　assured　that　you　shall　derive　some　advantage　from　this　marriage。〃

And　I　kept　my　word　by　shortly　after　obtaining　for　the　marechale　a　sum　of　50；000　livres；　a　most　needful　supply；　for　the　poor　marechale　had　to　re…furnish　her　house；　her　present　fittings…up　being　no　longer　endurable　by　the　eye　of　modish　taste：　she　likewise　received　an　augmentation　of　20；000　livres　to　her　pension。　　This　proceeding　was　highly　acceptable　to　her；　and　the　king　afforded　his　assistance　with　the　best　possible　grace。　　He　could　be　generous；　and　do　things　with　a　good　grace　when　he　pleased。

The　refusal　of　the　marechale；　which　it　was　agreed　we　should　keep　secret；　obliged　me　to　cast　my　eyes　upon　a　worthy　substitute；　and　I　at　length　decided　upon　selecting　the　comtesse　de　Forcalquier；　a　lady　who　possessed　every　charm　which　can　charm　and　attract；　joined　to　a　faultless　reputation；　and；　setting　aside　her　strict　intimacy　with　myself；　the　court　（envious　as　it　is）　could　find　no　fault　with　her。　　I　was　convinced　she　would　not　be　long　in　acquiring　an　ascendency　over　the　mind　of　the　princess　and　I　was　equally　well　assured　she　would　never　turn　this　influence　against　myself；　this　was　a　point　of　no　small　importance　to　me。

Madame　de　Forcalquier　most　ardently　desired　the　place　of　lady　of　honor；　without　flattering　herself　with　any　hopes　of　obtaining　it；