memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第78节

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The　king　supped　with　me　that　evening。　　By　some　singular　chance　he　was　on　this　occasion　in　the　happiest　temper　possible：　he　laughed；　sung；　joked　with　such　unusual　spirits；　that　I　hesitated　ere　I　disturbed　a　gaiety　to　which　Louis　XV　was　so　little　prone。　However；　I　took　him　aside；　saying；　〃Sire；　I　have　to　ask　atonement　and　reparation　for　a　most　horrible　piece　of　injustice。〃　　After　which；　I　proceeded　to　acquaint　him　with　the　distressing　history　of　his　unfortunate　mistress。　　He　appeared　perfectly　well　to　recollect　the　female　to　whom　I　alluded；　and　when　I　ceased　speaking；　he　said；　with　a　half…suppressed　sigh；

〃Poor　creature！　　she　has　indeed　been　unfortunate；　seventeen　years　and　five　months　in　prison！　　The　duc　de　la　　Vrilliere　is　greatly　to　blame　in　the　affair；　but　when　once　he　has　placed　persons　between　four　walls；　he　thinks　he　has　fulfilled　the　whole　of　his　duty。　　He　should　recollect；　that　a　good　memory　is　a　necessary　qualification　for　situation　he　holds；　it　is　indeed　an　imperative　duty　in　him　to　think　of　the　poor　wretches　he　deprives　of　their　liberty。〃

〃And　in　you　too；　sire；〃　interrupted　I；　〃and　it　appears　to　me　that　you　have　lost　sight　of　it；　in　the　present　affair；　as　culpably　as　your　minister。〃

〃I　confess　it；　indeed；〃　answered　Louis　XV；　〃but　the　unfortunate　sufferer　herself　was　not　without　a　due　share　of　blame　in　the　matter。　　Her　presumption　had　greatly　irritated　madame　de　Pompadour；　who　punished　her　as　she　thought　fit：　of　course　I　could　not；　consistently　with　the　regard　I　professed　for　the　marchioness；　interfere　in　the　execution　of　her　vengeance。〃

〃I　do　not　agree　with　you；〃　said　I。

〃Why；　what　else　could　I　do？〃　　asked　Louis　XV；　with　the　most　imperturbable　calmness；　〃she　had　superior　claims；　was　acknowledged　as　chief　favorite；　and　I　could　not　refuse　her　the　sacrifice　of　a　mere　temporary　caprice。〃

〃Very　well　said；〃　answered　I；　〃and　founded　upon　excellent　principles；　but　surely　it　was　not　necessary　to　shut　up　the　object　of　your　caprice　in　a　state　prison；　and；　above　all；　to　leave　her　there　for　such　a　length　of　time。　　However；　the　mischief　is　done；　and　all　we　have　to　think　of　is　to　repair　it。　　You　have　now；　sire；　a　fine　opportunity　of　displaying　your　royal　munificence。〃

〃You　think；　then；〃　returned　Louis　XV；　〃that　I　am　bound　to　make　this　unhappy　girl　some　present？　　Well；　I　will；　to…morrow　I　will　send　her　10；000　louis。〃

〃A　thousand　louis！〃　　exclaimed　I；　clasping　my　hands；　〃what；　as　a　recompense　for　seventeen　years'　imprisonment？　　No；　no；　sire；　you　shall　not　get　off　so　easily；　you　must　settle　on　her　a　pension　of　12；000　livres；　and　present　her　with　an　order　for　100；000　more　as　an　immediate　supply。〃

〃Bless　me！〃　　ejaculated　the　king；　〃why　all；　the　girls　in　my　kingdom　would　go　to　prison　for　such　a　dowry：　however；　she　shall　have　the　pension；　but；　in　truth；　my　treasury　is　exhausted。〃

〃Then；　sire；〃　returned　I；　〃borrow　of　your　friends。〃

〃Come；　come；　let　us　finish　this　business；　I　will　give　your　　4000　louis。〃

〃No；　I　cannot　agree；〃　answered　I；　〃to　less　than　5000。〃

The　king　promised　me　I　should　have　them；　and；　on　the　following　day；　his　valet　Turpigny　brought　me　the　order　for　the　pension；　and　a　bag；　in　which　I　found　only　4000　louis。　　This　piece　of　meanness　did　not　surprise　me；　but　it　made　me　shrug　up　my　shoulders；　and　sent　me　to　my　cabinet　to　take　the　sum　deficient　from　my　own　funds。　With　this　dowry　my　poor　　soon　found　a　suitable　husband　in　the　person　of　one　of　her　cousins；　for　whom　I　procured　a　lucrative　post　under　government。　　These　worthy　people　have　since　well　repaid　me　by　their　grateful　and　devoted　attachment　for　the　service　I　was　enabled　to　render　them。　　One　individual　of　their　family　was；　however；　far　from　resembling　them　either　in　goodness　of　heart　or　generosity　of　sentimentI　allude　to　the　brother　of　the　lady；　that　same　brother　who　formerly　supplied　his　sister　with　his　clothes；　that　she　might　visit　the　king　unsuspected。　　Upon　the　incarceration　of　the　father　the　son　succeeded　him　in　his　office　of　；　and　acquired　considerable　credit　at　court；　yet；　although　in　the　daily　habit　of　seeing　the　king；　he　neither　by　word　nor　deed　sought　to　obtain　the　deliverance　of　either　his　parent　or　sister。　　On　the　contrary；　he　suffered　the　former　to　perish　in　a　dungeon；　and　allowed　the　latter　to　languish　in　one　during　more　than　seventeen　years；　and　in　all　probability　she　would　have　ended　her　days　without　receiving　the　slightest　mark　of　his　recollection　of　his　unfortunate　relative。　　I　know　no　trait　of　base　selfishness　more　truly　revolting　than　the　one　I　have　just　related。

But　this　story　has　led　me　far　from　the　subject　I　was　previously　commencing：　this　narrative；　which　I　never　call　to　mind　without　a　feeling　of　pleasure；　has　led　me　away　in　spite　of　myself。　　Still　I　trust　that　my　narrative　has　been　sufficiently　interesting　to　induce　you　to　pardon　the　digression　it　has　occasioned；　and　now　I　will　resume　the　thread　of　my　discourse。



CHAPTER　XXXVII


　A　conspiracyA　scheme　for　poisoning　madame　du　BarryThe　four　bottlesLetter　to　the　duc　d'AiguillonAdvice　of　the　ministers　Opinion　of　the　physiciansThe　chancellor　and　lieutenant　of　policeResolution　of　the　council

Have　you　any　curiosity　to　learn　the　denouement　of　the　story　I　was　telling　you　of　my　anonymous　correspondent？　　Read　what　follows；　then；　and　your　wishes　shall　be　gratified：　that　is；　if　you　have　patience　to　hear　a　rather　long　story；　for　I　cannot　promise　you　that　mine　will　very　speedily　be　completed。　　Let　me　see：　where　did　I　leave　off？　　Oh；　I　recollect。

I　was　telling　you　that　madame　de　Mirepoix　urged　me　to　repair；　as　I　was　requested；　to　the　Baths　of　Apollo。　　I　had　a　key　which　opened　all　the　park　gates；　we　entered　the　park；　took　the　path　which　turns　off　to　the　left；　and　after　having　walked　for　about　five　minutes；　found　ourselves　opposite　the　person　we　were　in　search　of。　　It　was　a　female　of　from　thirty　to　forty　years　of　age；　of　diminutive　stature；　dressed　after　the　fashion　of　the　　of　the　day；　but　still　an　air　of　good　taste　was　evident　through　the　simplicity　of　her　attire。　　Her　countenance　must　once　have　been　handsome；　if　one　might　judge　by　the　beauty　of　her　eyes　and　mouth；　but　she　was　pale；　withered　and　already　impressed　with　the　traces　of　a　premature　old　age。　　But　her　beauties；　although　faded；　were　still　animated　by　a　quick　and　ever…varying　expression　of　a　keen　and　lively　wit。

Whilst　I　made　these　hasty　remarks　the　stranger　saluted　me；　and　afterwards　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　with　a　ease　of　manner　which　perfectly　surprised　me。　　Nor　did　she　in　any　other　instance　betray　the　embarrassment　of　a　person　who　finds　herself　for　the　first　time　in　the　presence　of　persons　of　a　rank　superior　to　her　own。

〃Madam；〃　she　said；　addressing　herself　to　me；　〃I　trust　you　will　pardon　me　for　having　given　you　the　trouble　of　coming　hither；　I　might　have　spared　it　you；　had　your　people　permitted　me　to　see　you　when　I　called　at　your　house　yesterday。〃

〃Your　invitation；〃　replied　I；　〃was　so　pressingly　enforced；　that　I　confess　my　curiosity　has　been　most　keenly　awakened。〃

〃I　will　immediately　satisfy　it；〃　answered　she；　〃　but　what　I　have　to　say　must　be　told　to　yourself　alone。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　marechale；　〃I　will　leave　you　for　the　present：　I　am　going　to　admire　that　fine　group　of　Girardon〃；　and　so　saying；　she　quitted　the　walk　in　which　I　was　standing。



Directly　she　was　gone　the　stranger　said　to　me；　〃Madam；　I　will　explain　myself　without　reserve　or　unnecessary　prolixity；　I　beseech　of　you　to　listen　attentively　whilst　I　tell　you；　in　the　first　place；　that　both　your　life　and　that　of　the　king　is　in　imminent　danger。〃

〃Heavens！〃　　cried　I；　〃　what　do　I　hear？〃

〃That　which　I　well　know　to　be　true；〃　answered　the　female；　with　a　　firm　voice；　〃I　repeat　that　your　life　and　that　of　the　king　is　in　danger。〃

These　words；　pronounced　in　a　low；　solemn　voice；　froze　me　with　terror；　my　limbs　tottered　under　me；　and　I　almost　sank　to　the　ground。　　The　stranger　assisted　me　to　a　bench；　offered　me　her　arm；　and　when　she　saw　me　a　little　recovered；　she　continued；

〃Yes；　madam；　a　conspiracy　is　afoot　against　yourself　and　Louis　XV。　You　are　to　be　made　away　with　out　of　revenge；　and　Louis　XV　is　to　suffer；　in　the　hopes　of　his　death　effecting　a　change　in　the　present　face　of　affairs。〃

〃And　who；〃　inquired　I；　〃are　the　conspirators？〃

'The　Jesuits　and　parliamentarians；　these　ancient　rivals；　equally　persecuted　by　the　royal　government；　have　determined　to　make　common　cause　against　their　mutual　foe。　　The　Jesuits　flatter　themselves　that　the　dauphin　inherits　the　kind　feelings　entertained　by　his　father　for　their　order；　and　the　parliamentarians　justly　reckon　upon　the　friendly　disposition　of　the　young　prince　towards　the　old　magistracy。　　Both　parties　equally　flatter　themselves　that　a　fresh　reign　would　bring　about　their　re…establishment；　and　they　are　impatient　to　accelerate　so　desirable　an　event：　the　conspiracy　is　directed　by　four　Jesuits　and　the　same　number　of　the　ex…members　of　the　parliament　of　Paris。　　The　remainder　of　the　two　corporations　are　not　initiated　in　the　secret　of　the　enterprise。　　I　am　not　able　at　present　to　give　you　the　names　of　the　eight　conspirators；　the　person　from　whom　I　derive　my　information　not　having　as　yet　confided　them　even　to　myself；　but　I　trust　ere　long　to　obtain　suc