memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第77节

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rceived；　by　my　sudden　agitation；　that　the　paper　I　held　in　my　hand　contained　something　more　than　usual。

〃What　ails　you？〃　　asked　she；　with　the　familiarity　our　close　intimacy　warranted；　〃does　that　note　bring　you　any　bad　news？〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃it　tells　me　nothing；　but　it　leaves　me　ample　room　for　much　uneasiness　and　alarm：　but；　after　all；　it　may　be　merely　some　hoax；　some　foolish　jest　played　off　at　my　expense；　but　judge　for　yourself。〃　　So　saying；　I　handed　her　the　letter：　when　she　had　perused　it；　she　said；


〃Upon　my　word；　if　I　were　in　your　place；　I　would　clear　up　this　mystery；　good　advice　is　not　so　easily　met　with　as　to　make　it　a　matter　of　difficulty　to　go　as　far　as　the　Baths　of　Apollo　to　seek　it。　　It　is　by　no　means　impossible　but　that；　as　this　paper　tells　you；　some　great　peril　is　hanging　over　you。　　The　marquise　de　Pompadour；〃　continued　madame　de　Mirepoix；　〃received　more　than　once　invitations　similar　to　this；　which　she　never　failed　to　attend；　and　I　recollect　one　circumstance；　in　which　she　had　no　cause　to　regret　having　done　so：　without　the　kind　offices　of　one　of　these　anonymous　writers　it　is　very　possible　that　she　might　have　expired　heart　broken；　and　perhaps　forsaken　in　some　state　prison；　instead　of　ending　her　days　in　the　chateau　of　Versailles；　honored　even　to　the　tomb　by　the　friendship　and　regard　of　the　king　of　France。〃

I　asked　my　friend　to　explain　her　last　observation；　and　she　replied　as　follows：

〃One　day　an　anonymous　billet；　similar　to　this；　was　left　for　madame　de　Pompadour：　it　requested　her　to　repair；　at　a　specified　hour；　to　the　church　of　the　Jacobins；　rue　Saint　Honore；　in　Paris；　where　she　was　promised　some　highly　important　communications。　The　marchioness　was　punctual　to　the　rendezvous；　and；　as　she　entered　the　church；　a　Jacobite；　so　entirely　wrapped　in　his　capuchin　as　to　conceal　his　features；　approached　her；　took　her　by　the　hand；　and　conducted　her　to　an　obscure　chapel；　where；　requesting　her　to　sit　down；　he　took　a　seat　himself；　and　began　as　follows：

〃'Madam；　you　are　about　to　lose　the　favor　of　the　king；　a　party　is　at　work　to　give　a　new　mistress　to　the　king；　the　lady　is　young；　beautiful；　witty；　and　possessed　of　an　insatiable　ambition；　for　the　last　six　months　she　has　been　in　the　daily　habit　of　seeing　the　king；　unknown　to　you　and　all　the　court；　and　this　has　been　accomplished　in　the　following　manner：　her　father　is　　to　his　majesty；　and　she　has　an　only　brother；　two　years　younger　than　herself；　whose　astonishing　resemblance　to　her　has　created　continual　mistakes；　this　brother　is　promised　the　inheritance　of　his　father's　office；　and；　under　pretext　of　acquiring　the　due　initiation　for　future　post；　has　been　permitted　every　morning　to　attend　the　king's　rising。

〃'However；　this　embryo　page　is　the　sister；　who　comes　each　morning　disguised　in　her　brother's　clothes。　　The　king　has　had　many　private　conversations　with　the　designing　beauty；　and；　seduced　by　her　many　charms　of　mind　and　person；　as　well　as　dazzled　by　the　hidden　and　concealed　nature　of　their　intrigue；　finds　his　passion　for　her　increases　from　day　to　day。　　Many　are　the　designing　persons　ready　to　profit　by　the　transfer　of　the　king's　affections　from　you　to　this　fresh　favorite；　and　they　flatter　themselves　the　desired　event　is　close　at　hand。　　You　are　to　be　confined　by　a　　to　the　isle　of　St。　Margaret；　for　the　place　of　your　exile　is　already　chosen。　　The　principal　conspirators　are　two　powerful　noblemen；　one　of　whom　is　reputed　your　most　intimate　friend。　　I　learned　all　these　particulars；'　continued　the　Jacobite；　'from　a　young　penitent；　but　not　under　the　seal　of　confession。　　This　penitent　is　the　particular　friend　of　the　female　in　question；　who　confided　the　secret　to　her；　from　whom　I　received　it；　accompanied　by　the　most　flattering　promises　of　future　protection　and　advancement。　　These　splendid　prospects　excited　her　jealous　envy；　and　she　came　here　to　confess　the　whole　to　me；　requesting　I　would　seek　you　out　and　inform　you　of　the　whole　affair。　　Here　is　a　letter　she　obtained　unknown　to　her　aspiring　friend；　which　she　wishes　you　to　see；　as　a　pledge　of　the　veracity　of　her　statement。'　The　marchioness　cast　her　eyes　over　the　paper　held　out　to　her　by　the　Jacobite。　　It　was　a　letter　addressed　by　the　king　to　his　new　mistress。

〃You　may　imagine　the　terror　of　madame　de　Pompadour；　her　anxiety　and　impatience　to　return　to　Versailles。　　However；　ere　she　quitted　the　friendly　monk　she　assured　him　of　her　lasting　gratitude；　and　begged　of　him　to　point　out　how　she　could　best　prove　it。　　'For　myself；'　replied　he；　'I　ask　nothing；　but　if　you　would　render　me　your　debtor；　confer　the　first　vacant　bishopric　on　a　man　whom　I　greatly　esteem；　the　abbe　de　Barral。'　You　will　easily　suppose　that　the　abbe　de　Barral　had　not　long　to　wait　for　his　preferment：　as　for　the　Jacobite　the　marchioness　never　again　saw　or　heard　anything　of　him。　　She　mentioned　him　to　the　newly　appointed　bishop；　who　could　not　even　understand　to　what　she　alluded。　　She　related　the　affair；　when　he　called　heaven　to　witness　that　he　knew　nothing　of　any　Jacobite　either　directly　or　indirectly。〃

〃And　how　did　the　marchioness　get　rid　of　her　rival？〃　　inquired　I　of　madame　de　Mirepoix。

〃By　a　very　simple　and　effective　expedient。　　She　sent　for　the　duc　de　Saint　Florentin；　whom　she　requested　immediately　to　expedite　two　；　one　for　the　；　who　was　shut　up　in　the　chateau　de　Lectoure；　and　the　other　for　the　daughter；　whom　the　marchioness　sent　to　the　isle　of　St。　Marguerite；　to　occupy　the　place　she　had　so　obligingly　destined　for　herself。〃

〃And　now；〃　asked　I；　〃did　these　unfortunate　people　ever　get　out　of　prison？〃

〃That　I　know　not；〃　answered　the　marechale；　〃and；　God　forgive　me；　for　aught　I　ever　inquired　they　may　be　there　now。〃

〃If　so；〃　cried　I；　〃the　conduct　of　both　the　king　and　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere　is　abominable　and　unpardonable。〃

〃Why；　bless　your　heart；　my　dear；〃　exclaimed　the　marechale；　〃do　you　expect　that　his　majesty　should　recollect　all　the　pretty　women　he　has　intrigued　with；　any　more　than　the　poor　duke　can　be　expected　to　keep　a　list　in　his　memory　of　the　different　persons　he　has　sent　to　a　prison？　　He　would　require　a　prodigious　recollection　for　such　a　purpose。〃　　This　unfeeling　reply　filled　me　with　indignation；　and　redoubled　the　pity　I　already　felt　for　the　poor　prisoners。　　I　immediately　despatched　a　note　to　the　duc　de　Saint　Florentin；　requesting　he　would　come　to　me　without　delay：　he　hastened　to　obey　my　summons。　　When　he　had　heard　my　recital　he　remained　silent　some　minutes；　as　though　collecting　his　recollections　upon　the　subject；　and　then　replied；

〃I　do　indeed　remember　that　some　obscure　female　was　confined　in　the　chateau　of　the　isle　Sainte　Marguerite　at　the　request　of　madame　de　Pompadour；　but　I　cannot　now　say；　whether　at　the　death　of　the　marchioness　any　person　thought　of　interceding　for　her　release。〃

〃That　is　precisely　what　I　wish　to　ascertain；〃　cried　I；　〃return　to　your　offices；　monsieur　le　duc；　and　use　your　best　endeavors　to　discover　whether　this　unfortunate　girl　and　her　parent　are　still　in　confinement；　nor　venture　again　in　my　presence　until　you　have　despatched　the　order　for　their　deliverance：　you　will　procure　a　conveyance　for　them　from　their　prison　to　Paris　at　the　expense　of　government。　　You　understand；　my　lord？〃

The　following　morning　the　duke　brought　me　the　desired　information。　He　told　me；　that　the　father　had　been　dead　seven　years；　　but　the　daughter　still　remained　a　prisoner：　the　order　for　restoring　her　to　liberty　had　been　forwarded　the　night　preceding。　　I　will　now　briefly　relate　the　end　of　this　mournful　story。

Three　weeks　after　this　I　received　an　early　visit　from　　the　duc　de　la　Vrilliere；　who　came　to　apprize　me；　that　　my　protegee　from　the　isle　of　　St。　Marguerite　was　in　my　　antechamber　awaiting　permission　to　offer　me　her　grateful　thanks。　　I　desired　she　might　instantly　be　admitted；　her　appearance　shocked　me；　not　a　single　trace　of　that　beauty　which　had　proved　so　fatal　to　its　possessor　now　remained。　She　was　pale；　emaciated；　and　her　countenance；　on　which　care　and　confinement　had　imprinted　the　wrinkles　of　premature　old　age；　was　sad　and　dejected　even　to　idiocy。　　I　could　have　wished　that　madame　de　Pompadour；　by　way　of　punishment　for　her　cruelty；　could　but　have　seen　the　object　of　her　relentless　persecution。　　I　think　she　would　have　blushed　for　herself。　　When　the　poor　girl　entered　my　apartment　she　looked　wildly　around　her；　and　casting　herself　at　my　feet；　inquired　with　many　tears　to　what　motive　she　was　indebted　for　my　generous　interference　in　her　behalf。　　The　duc　de　la　Vrilliere　contemplated　with　the　utmost　　the　spectacle　of　a　misery　he　had　so　largely　contributed　to。　　I　requested　of　him　to　leave　us　to　ourselves。　　I　then　raised　my　weeping　；　consoled　her　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　and　then　requested　her　to　give　me　the　history　of　her　captivity。　　Her　story　was　soon　told：　she　had　been　an　inhabitant　of　the　same　prison　for　seventeen　years　and　five　months；　without　either　seeing　a　human　being；　or　hearing　the　sound　of　a　human　voice。　　Her　recital　made　me　shudder；　and　I　promised　her　that　henceforward　her　life　should　be　rendered　as　happy　as　it　had　hitherto　been　miserable。

The　king　supped　with　me　that　evening。　　By　some　singular　chance　he　was　on　this　occasion　in　the　happiest　temper　possible：　he　l