memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第76节

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e　and　displeasure；　the　king　viewed　it　as　a　piece　of　open　rebellion；　and　resolved　to　punish　the　writer　with　his　heaviest　displeasure；　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　asked　nothing　better；　and　ere　an　hour　had　elapsed；　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere　received　orders　to　draw　up　a　　in　which　the　king　expressed　his　discontent　of　the　comte　de　Broglie；　deprived　him　of　the　commission　he　had　given　him　to　go　and　receive　the　princess　of　Savoy；　and　exiled　him　to　Buffee；　one　of　his　estates　near　Angouleme。

This　was　a　matter　of　great　talk　at　the　chateau；　no　one　could　imagine　what　had　made　the　comte　de　Broglie　conduct　himself　so　foolishly。　　It　was　at　this　period　that　M。　d　Marchault　said　of　him；　when　he　saw　him　pass　his　house　on　his　way　to　Buffee；　〃He　has　the　ministry　by　the　tail。〃

M。　de　Broglie　having　gone；　his　majesty　was　compelled　to　look　out　for　another　confidant；　and　raised　to　that　eminence　M。　Lemoine；　clerk　of　his　closet。　　M。　Lemoine；　in　an　inferior　station　had　shown　himself　competent　to　fill　the　highest　offices　in　the　state。　　Such　abilities　are　rare。　　He　was　an　excellent　lawyer；　admirable　chancellor　of　exchequer；　and　had　the　king　said　to　him；　〃I　make　thee　a　general；〃　he　would；　the　next　day；　have　commanded　armies　and　gained　victories。　　Despite　his　merit　he　lived　long　unknown：　the　reason　was　obvioushe　knew　nothing　of　intrigue；　and　his　wife；　though　pretty；　was　discreet；　and　these　are　not　the　means　to　advance　a　man　at　court。

Louis　XV；　who　knew　something　of　men　when　he　chose　to　study　them。；　was　not　slow　in　detecting　the　talent　of　Lemoine；　and　in　consequence　gave　him　that　station　in　which　de　Broglie　had　been　installed。　　No　sooner　had　Lemoine　glanced　over　the　affairs　submitted　to　his　control；　than　he　became　master　of　them；　as　much　as　though　they　had　occupied　the　whole　of　his　life；　and　in　a　short　time　he　gave　to　his　situation　an　importance　which　it　had　never　before　reached。　Unwilling；　however；　to　incur　hatred；　he　enveloped　himself　in　profound　mystery；　so　much　so　that　nobody；　with　the　exception　of　Messrs。　　d'Aiguillon　and　de　Sartines；　knew　anything　of　his　labors。　This　pleased　the　king；　who　was　averse　to　publicity。

The　duc　d'Aiguillon　could　not　conceal　his　joy　at　being　freed　from　de　Broglie；　his　most　troublesome　colleague。　　It　was　a　grand　point　gained　for　him；　as　he　could　now　make　sure　of　the　post　of　secretary…at…war；　the　main　object　of　his　ambition。　　He　wished　to　be　placed　in　the　duc　de　Choiseul's　position；　and　to　effect　this　he　redoubled　his　attentions　towards　the　king；　who；　though　not　really　regarding　him；　at　length　treated　him　as　the　dearest　of　his　subjects。　　There　are　inexplicable　mysteries　in　weak　characters；　obstinacy　alarms　them；　and　they　yield　because　they　hate　resistance。

The　king　was　　to　death；　and　became　daily　more　dull　and　heavy。　　I　saw　his　gloom　without　knowing　how　to　disperse　it；　but　it　did　not　make　me　particularly　uncomfortable。　　Occupied　with　my　dear　duc　de　Brissac　I　almost　forgot　his　majesty　for　him：　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　who　had　more　experience　than　I　had　in　the　affairs　at　Versailles；　and　who　knew　the　king　well；　was　alarmed　at　my　negligence；　and　spoke　to　me　of　it。

〃Do　you　not　see；〃　she　said；　one　day；　〃what　a　crisis　is　at　hand？〃

〃What　crisis？〃　　I　asked。

〃The　king　is　dying　of　ennui。〃

〃True。〃

〃Does　it　not　alarm　you？〃　　said　the　marechale。

〃Why　should　it？〃

〃What　makes　him　so？　　Think　well　when　I　tell　you　that　your　mortal　enemy　has　seized　Louis　XV；　your　most　redoubtable　enemy；　！〃

〃Very　well；　but　what　would　you　have　me　do？〃


〃You　must　amuse　him。〃

'That　is　easier　said　than　done。〃

〃You　are　right；　but　it　is　compulsory。　　Believe　me；　kings　are　not　moulded　like　other　men：　early　disgusted　with　all　things；　they　only　exist　in　a　variety　of　pleasures；　what　pleases　them　this　evening　will　displease　them　tomorrow；　they　wish　to　be　happy　in　a　different　way。　　Louis　XV　is　more　kingly　in　this　respect　than　any　other。　You　must　devise　amusements　for　him。〃

〃Alas；〃　I　replied；　〃how？　　Shall　I　give　him　a　new　tragedy　of　la　Harpe's；he　will　yawn；　an　opera　of　Marmontel；he　will　go　to　sleep。　　Heavens！　　how　unfortunate　I　am！〃

〃Really；　my　dear；〃　replied　the　marechale；　〃I　cannot　advise　you；　but　I　can　quote　a　powerful　example。　　In　such　a　case　madame　de　Pompadour　would　have　admitted　a　rival　near　the　throne。〃

〃Madame　de　Pompadour　was　very　amiable；　my　dear；〃　I　replied；　〃and　I　would　have　done　so　once　or　twice；　but　the　part　of　Mother　Gourdan　does　not　suit　me；　I　prefer　that　of　her　young　ladies。〃

At　these　words　the　marechale　laughed；　whilst　I　made　a　long　grave　face。　　At　this　instant　comte　Jean　entered；　and　exclaimed；

〃Really；　ladies；　you　present　a　singular　contrast。　　May　I　ask　you；　sister；　what　causes　this　sorrow？　　What　ails　you？〃

〃Oh；　brother！〃　　was　my　response；　〃the　king　is　dying　of　ennui。〃





〃That　is　no　marvel；〃　said　my　brother…in…law。

〃And　to　rouse　him；〃　I　added；　〃it　is　necessary；　the　marechale　says；　that　I　must　take　a　pretty　girl　by　the　hand；　and　present　her　to　the　king　with　these　words：　'Sire；　having　found　that　you　grow　tired　of　me；　I　present　this　lady　to　you；　that　you　may　amuse　yourself　with　her。〃

　'That　would　be　very　fine；〃　replied　comte　Jean；　〃it　would　show　him　that　you　had　profited　by　my　advice。〃　　Then；　whispering　in　my　ear；　〃You　know；　sister；　I　am　capable　of　the　greatest　sacrifices　for　the　king。〃

〃What　are　you　saying；　Comte　Jean？〃　　asked　the　　marechale；　who　had　heard　some　words。

〃I　said　to　my　sister；〃　answered　he；　coolly；　〃that　she　ought　to　be　executed　to　please　the　king。〃

〃And　you；　too；　brother；〃　I　cried。





〃Yes；　sister；〃　said　he；　with　a　theatrical　tone；　〃I　see　the　dire　necessity；　and　submit　to　it　unrepiningly。　　Let　us　yield　to　fate；　or　rather；　let　us　so　act　as　to　make　it　favorable　to　us。　　The　king　requires　some　amusement；　and　let　us　find　him　a　little　wench。　We　must　take　heed　not　to　present　any　fine　lady：　no；　no；　by　all　the　devils！　　Excuse　me；　marechale；　'tis　a　habit　I　have。〃

〃It　is　nature；　you　mean；〃　replied　the　marechale：　〃the　nightingale　is　born　to　sing；　and　you；　comte　Jean；　were　born　to　swear；　is　it　not　true？〃

〃；　madam；　you　are　right。〃

After　this　conversation　the　marechale　went　out；　and　Comte　Jean　departed　to　arrange　his　plans　for　the　king's　amusement。

However；　the　ennui　of　Louis　XV　was　somewhat　dissipated　by　the

tidings　of　the　various　incidents　which　occurred　at　the　grand　entry　of　the　dauphin　and　dauphiness　into　Paris。　　We　learnt　that　the　duc　de　Brissac；　as　governor　of　Paris；　on　receiving　the　dauphiness；　said；

〃Madam；　you　see　about　you　two　hundred　thousand　lovers。〃　　He　was　right；　the　princess　looked　like　an　angel。　　I　had　taken　a　mortal　aversion　to　her。　　Alas！　　circumstances　have　too　fully　avenged　me：　this　unfortunate　queen　loses　popularity　daily；　her　perfidious　friends　have　sacrificed　her　to　their　interests。　　I　pity　her。



CHAPTER　XXXVI


Visit　from　a　strangerMadame　de　Pompadour　and　a　Jacobinical　monkContinuation　of　this　historyDeliverance　of　a　state　prisoner　A　meeting　with　the　stranger

One　day；　at　an　hour　at　which　I　was　not　accustomed　to　see　any　person；　a　lady　called　and　requested　to　see　me；　she　was　informed　that　I　was　visible　to　no　person。　　No　matter；　she　persisted　in　her　request；　saying　that　she　had　to　speak　to　me　upon　matters　of　the　first　importance；　and　declared；　that　I　should　be　delighted　with　her　visit。　　However；　my　servants；　accustomed　to　the　artifices　practised　by　persons　wishing　to　see　me　for　interested　purposes；　heeded　very　little　the　continued　protestations　of　my　strange　applicant；　and　peremptorily　refused　to　admit　her；　upon　which　the　unknown　retired　with　the　indication　of　extreme　anger。

Two　hours　afterwards　a　note；　bearing　no　signature；　was　brought　me；　in　which　the　late　scene　was　described　to　me；　and　I　was　further　informed；　that　the　lady；　so　abruptly　repulsed　by　my　servants；　had　presented　herself　to　communicate　things　which　concerned　not　only　my　own　personal　safety　but　the　welfare　of　all　France；　a　frightful　catastrophe　was　impending；　which　there　was　still　time　to　prevent；　the　means　of　so　doing　were　offered　me；　and　I　was　conjured　not　to　reject　them。　　The　affair；　if　treated　with　indifference；　would　bring　on　incalculable　misfortunes　and　horrors；　to　which　I　should　be　the　first　victim。　　All　this　apparent　mystery　would　be　cleared　up；　and；　the　whole　affair　explained；　if　I　would　repair　on　the　following　day；　at　one　o'clock；　to　the　Baths　of　Apollo。　　A　grove　of　trees　there　was　pointed　out　as　a　safe　place　of　rendezvous；　and　being　so　very　near　my　residence；　calculated　to　remove　any　fears　I　might　entertain　of　meeting　a　stranger；　who；　as　the　note　informed　me；　possessed　the　means　of　entering　this　secluded　spot。　　I　was　again　conjured　to　be　punctual　to　the　appointed　hour　as　I　valued　my　life。

The　mysterious　and　solemn　tone　of　this　singular　epistle　struck　me　with　terror。　　Madame　de　Mirepoix　was　with　me　at　the　moment　I　received　it。　　This　lady　had　a　peculiar　skill　in　physiognomy；　and　the　close　attention　she　always　paid　to　mine　was　frequently　extremely　embarrassing　and　disagreeable　She　seemed　（as　usual）　on　the　present　occasion　to　read　all　that　was　passing　in　my　mind；　however；　less　penetrating　eyes　than　hers　might　easily　have　perceived；　by　my　sudden　agitation；　that　the　paper　I　held　in　my　hand　contained　something　more　than　usua