memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第74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！



Madame　de　Forcalquier　most　ardently　desired　the　place　of　lady　of　honor；　without　flattering　herself　with　any　hopes　of　obtaining　it；　and；　not　liking　to　ask　me　openly　for　it；　she　applied　to　the　duc　de　Cosse。　　I　felt　some　regret　that　she　had　gone　to　work　in　so　circuitous　a　manner；　and　in　consequence　wrote　her　the　following　note：

〃MADAM；　I　am　aware　that　you　are　desirous　of　obtaining　the　post　of　lady　of　honor。　　You　should　not　have　forgotten　that　I　am　sufficiently　your　friend　to　have　forwarded　your　wishes　by　every　possible　exertion。　　Why　did　you　apply　to　a　third　person　in　preference　to　seeking　my　aid？　　I　really　am　more　than　half　angry　with　you　for　so　doing。　Believe　me；　my　friends　need　not　the　intervention　of　any　mediator　to　secure　my　best　services。　　You；　too；　will　regret　not　having　made　your　first　application　to　me；　when　I　tell　you　that　I　was　reserving　for　you　the　very　place　you　were　seeking　by　so　circuitous　a　route。　　Yes；　before　you　had　asked　it；　the　post　of　lady　of　honor　was　yours。　　I　might　have　sought　in　vain　for　a　person　more　eminently　qualified　for　the　office　than　yourself；　or　one　in　whom　I　could　place　more　unlimited　confidence。　Come；　my　friend；　I　pray　of　you；　not　to　thank　me；　who　have　found　sufficient　reward　in　the　pleasure　of　obliging　you；　but　to　acknowledge　the　extreme　kindness　and　alacrity　with　which　his　majesty　has　forwarded　your　wishes。

〃Believe　me；　dear　madam；

〃Yours；　very　sincerely；

〃THE　COMTESSE　Du　Barry。〃

Madame　de　Forcalquier　was　not　long　in　obeying　the　summons　contained　in　my　note；　she　embraced　me　with　the　warmest　gratitude　and　friendship；　delighted　at　finding　herself　so　eligibly　established　at　court；　for　at　that　period　every　person　regarded　the　comte　d'Artois　as　the　only　hope　of　the　monarchy；　and　blinded　by　the　universal　preference　bestowed　on　him；　the　young　prince　flattered　himself　that　the　crown　would　infallibly　ornament　his　brows。　　I　have　been　told；　that　when　first　the　queen's　pregnancy　was　perceived；　a　general　lamentation　was　heard　throughout　the　castle；　and　all　ranks　united　in　deploring　an　event　which　removed　the　comte　d'Artois　from　the　immediate　succession　to　the　throne。

Up　to　the　present　moment　I　knew　Madame　de　Forcalquier　only　as　one　whose　many　charms；　both　of　mind　and　person；　joined　to　great　conversational　powers　and　the　liveliest　wit；　had　rendered　her　the　idol　of　society；　and　obtained　for　her　the　appellation　of　。　　I　knew　not　that　this　woman；　so　light　and　trifling　in　appearance；　was　capable　of　one　of　those　lively　and　sincere　attachments；　which　neither　time　nor　change　of　fortune　could　destroy　or　diminish。　　She　had　a　particular　friend；　a　madame　Boncault；　the　widow　of　a　stockbroker；　and　she　was　anxious　to　contribute　to　her　well…doing。　　With　this　view　she　solicited　of　me　the　place　of　lady　in　waiting　for　this　much…esteemed　individual。　Astonished　at　the　request　I　put　a　hasty　negative　on　it。

〃If　you　refuse　me　this　fresh　favor；〃　said　madame　de　Forcalquier；　〃you　will　prevent　me　from　profiting　by　your　kindness　to　myself。〃

〃And　why　so？〃　　inquired　I。

〃I　owe　to　madame　Boncault；〃　answered　she；　〃more　than　my　life；　I　am　indebted　to　her　for　tranquillity；　honor；　and　the　high　estimation　in　which　the　world　has　been　pleased　to　hold　me。　　I　have　now　an　opportunity　of　proving　my　gratitude；　and　I　beseech　of　you　to　assist　my　endeavors。〃

〃But　tell　me；　first；〃　cried　I；　〃what　is　the　nature　of　this　very　important　service　you　say　madame　de　Boncault　has　rendered　you；　is　it　a　secret；　or　may　I　hear　it？〃

〃Certainly；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃although　the　recital　is　calculated　to　bring　the　blush　of　shame　into　my　cheek。　　Are　we　alone；　and　secure　from　interruption？〃

I　rang　and　gave　orders　that　no　person　should　be　suffered　to　disturb　us；　after　which　madame　de　Forcalquier　proceeded　as　follows：

〃I　was　scarcely　seventeen　years　old；　when　my　parents　informed　me　that　they　had　disposed　of　my　hand；　and　that　I　must　prepare　myself　to　receive　a　husband　immediately。　　My　sentiments　were　not　inquired　into；　nor；　to　confess　the　truth；　was　such　an　investigation　usual；　or　deemed　a　matter　of　any　import。　　A　young　female　of　any　rank　has　no　voice　in　any　transaction　till　the　day　which　follows　her　marriage；　until　then　her　wishes　are　those　of　her　family；　and　her　desires　bounded　by　the　rules　of　worldly　etiquette。　　I　had　scarcely　conversed　twice　or　thrice　with　my　future　lord；　and　then　only　for　a　few　minutes　at　a　time；　before　he　conducted　me　to　the　foot　of　the　altar；　there　to　pronounce　the　solemn　vow　which　bound　me　his　for　life。　　I　had　scarcely　seen　him；　and　barely　knew　whether　he　was　agreeable　or　disagreeable。　　He　was　neither　young　nor　old；　handsome　nor　ugly；　pleasing　nor　displeasing；　just　one　of　those　persons　of　whom　the　world　is　principally　composed；　one　of　those　men　who　enter　or　leave　a　saloon　without　the　slightest　curiosity　being　excited　respecting　him。　　I　had　been　told　that　I　ought　to　love　my　husband；　and　accordingly　I　taught　myself　to　do　so；　but　scarcely　had　the　honeymoon　waned；　than　my　fickle　partner　transferred　his　affections　from　me　to　one　of　my　attendants；　and　to　such　a　height　did　his　guilty　passion　carry　him；　that　he　quitted　his　home　for　Italy；　carrying　with　him　the　unfortunate　victim　of　his　seductive　arts。　　It　was　during　his　absence　that　I　first　became　acquainted　with　madame　Boncault；　she　was　my　own　age；　and　equally　unfortunate　in　her　domestic　life；　the　same　tests；　griefs；　and　a　great　similarity　of　temper　and　disposition　soon　united　us　in　the　bonds　of　the　firmest　friendship；　but　as　she　possessed　a　stronger　and　more　reasonable　mind　than　I　did；　she　forgot　her　own　sorrows　to　administer　to　mine。　　However；　if　the　whole　truth　must　be　owned；　I　ought　to　confess　that　my　chief　consolation　was　derived　from　a　young　cousin　of　my　own；　who　freely　lavished　upon　me　that　unbounded　affection　I　would　fain　have　sought　from　my　husband。

〃Meanwhile；　wearied　of　his　folly；　this　latter　returned；　and；　after　having　transferred　his　capricious　fancies　to　at　least　half　a　dozen　mistresses；　he　finished　where　he　should　have　begun　by　attaching　himself　to　her；　who；　as　his　wife；　had　every　claim　to　his　homage。　　Men　are　unaccountable　creatures；　but　unfortunately　for　my　husband　his　senses　returned　too　late；　my　heart　was　too　entirely　occupied　to　restore　him　to　that　place　he　had　so　hastily　vacated。　　My　affections　were　no　longer　mine　to　bestow；　but　equally　shared　by　my　estimable　friend　madame　Boncault　and　my　young　and　captivating　cousin。　　I　was　a　bad　hand　at　dissimulating；　and　M。　de　Forcalquier　perceived　enough　of　my　sentiments　to　excite　his　jealous　suspicions；　and　immediately　removed　with　me　to　one　of　his　estates。

〃However；　my　cousin　（whom　my　husband　was　far　from　suspecting）　and　madame　Boncault　accompanied　me　in　my　retreat；　there　myself　and　my　admirer；　more　thrown　together　than　we　had　been　at　Paris；　began　insensibly　to　lay　aside　the　restraint　we　had　hitherto　imposed　on　our　inclinations；　and　commenced　a　train　of　imprudences　which　would　quickly　have　betrayed　us　had　not　friendship　watched　over　us。　　The　excellent　madame　Boncault；　in　order　to　save　my　reputation；　took　so　little　care　to　preserve　her　own；　that　M。　de　Forcalquier　was　completely　caught　by　her　manoeuvre。　　One　morning；　finding　me　alone；　he　said；

〃'　Madam；　I　am　by　no　means　satisfied　with　what　is　going　on　here。　Your　friend　is　wholly　devoid　of　shame　and　modesty；　she　has　been　with　us　but　one　short　fortnight；　and　is　now　the　open　and　confessed　mistress　of　your　cousin。'

〃'Sir；'　exclaimed　I；　trembling　for　what　was　to　follow；　'you　are；　you　must　be　mistaken：　the　thing　is　impossible。　　Madame　Boncault　is　incapable'

〃'Nonsense；　madam；'　replied　M。　de　Forcalquier；　'I　know　what　I　am　saying。　　Several　things　have　induced　me　to　suspect　for　a　long　while　what　I　now　assert　with　perfect　confidence　of　its　truth；　but　if　you　are　still　incredulous；　behold　this　proof　of　guilt　which　I　found　just　now　in　your　cousin's　chamber。'

〃So　saying；　my　husband　put　into　my　hands　a　letter　written　by　my　cousin　evidently　to　some　female　in　the　chateau；　whom　he　solicited　to　admit　him　that　evening　to　the　usual　place　of　rendezvous；　where　he　flattered　himself　their　late　misunderstanding　would　be　cleared　up。

〃After　having　read；　or；　to　speak　more　correctly；　guessed　at　the　contents　of　this　fatal　letter；　I　conjured　my　husband　to　replace　it　where　he　had　found　it；　lest　his　guests　should　suspect　him　of　having　dishonorably　obtained　possession　of　their　secret。　　He　quitted　me；　and　I　hastened　in　search　of　my　friend：　I　threw　myself　on　my　knees　before　her；　and　related　all　that　had　passed；　accusing　myself　of　the　basest　selfishness　in　having　consented　to　save　my　honor　at　the　expense　of　hers；　then　rising　with　renewed　courage　I　declared　my　intention　of　confessing　my　imprudence　to　my　husband。　Madame　Boncault　withheld　me。　　'Do　you　doubt　my　regard　for　you？'　asked　she；　'if　indeed　you　do　justice　to　my　sincere　attachment　to　you；　permit　me　to　make　this　one　sacrifice　for　your　safety。　　Leave　your　husband　at　liberty　to　entertain　his　present　suspicions　respecting　me；　but　grant　me　one　favor　in　your　turn。　　Speak　to　your　cousin；　request　him　to　quit　the　　chateau；　for　should　he　remain　the　truth　will　be　discovered；　and　then；　my　friend；　you　are　lost　past　my　endeavors　to　save　you。'

〃Less　generous　than　madame　Boncault；　I　consented　to　follow　her　advice。　　However；　I　have　ne