memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第79节

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ng　as　yet　confided　them　even　to　myself；　but　I　trust　ere　long　to　obtain　such　　a　mark　of　confidence。〃

The　female　ceased　speaking；　and　I　remained　in　a　state　of　doubt；　fear；　and　alarm；　impossible　to　describe。　　Still　one　thing　appeared　clear　to　me；　that　information　so　mysteriously　conveyed　was　not　deserving　of　belief；　unless　supported　by　more　corroborating　testimony。　　My　unknown　friend　evidently　divined　all　that　was　passing　in　my　mind；　for　she　observed；

〃I　perceive　that　my　recital　appears　to　you　improbable；　one　particular　which　I　will　state　may　perhaps　overcome　your　incredulity。　　Are　you　not　in　the　habit；　madam；　of　taking　every　evening　　mixed　with　a　large　proportion　of　orange…　flower　water？〃

〃I　am；〃　replied　I。

〃This　day；〃　continued　my　informant；　〃you　will　receive　four　bottles　of　orange…flower　water　contained　in　a　box　bearing　the　usual　appearances　of　having　come　from　the　perfumers'；　but　it　is　sent　by　other　hands；　and　the　liquor　contained　in　the　flasks　is　mingled　with　a　deadly　poison。〃

These　last　words　made　me　tremble。　　〃You　must　complete　your　kind　offices；〃　cried　I　to　my　visitor；　〃by　bringing　me　acquainted　with　the　person　from　whom　you　have　derived　your　intelligence：　that　individual　must　be　acquainted　with　the　whole　of　the　plot；　and；　believe　me；　I　will　not　be　unmindful　of　either　of　you。〃

〃Stay　one　instant；〃　replied　the　lady；　without　evincing　the　slightest　emotion；　〃the　man　who　was　my　informant　is　assuredly　aware　of　the　names　of　those　concerned　in　the　conspiracy；　but　he　has　charged　me　not　to　state　who　he　is　but　upon　certain　conditions；　a　recommendation　I　shall　most　certainly　attend　to。〃

〃Be　assured；〃　interrupted　I；　〃that　your　demands　shall　be　acceded　to；　you　shall　yourself　fix　the　price　of　your　entire　disclosure　of　every　fact　connected　with　the　business。〃

〃It　will　not　be　an　exorbitant　one；〃　replied　the　lady；　〃merely　600；000　francs；　to　be　equally　divided　between　the　friend　you　desire　to　know　and　myself；　for　this　sum；　which　is　not　a　very　large　one；　you　may　command　the　services　of　both　of　us。　　One　word　more；　madam；　and　I　am　gone。　　Observe　a　strict　silence　upon　all　I　have　told　you；　or；　if　you　must　have　a　counsellor　in　such　perilous　circumstances；　confide　merely　in　some　tried　friend；　say　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　or　the　chancellor；　or　both　should　you　deem　it　necessary；　but　have　a　care　how　you　admit　a　third　to　a　participation　of　the　affair；　you　could　scarcely　select　another　person　without　choosing　one　already　corrupted　by　your　enemies。　　It　is　said　that　they　are　in　correspondence　with　even　those　persons　immediately　about　the　person　of　the　king。　　Adieu；　madam；　I　will　see　you　at　your　own　apartments　the　day　after　to…morrow；　when　I　trust　you　will　have　ready　100；000　francs；　on　account　of　the　600；000　I　have　stipulated　for。〃

So　saying；　she　curtsied　and　left　me；　overcome　with　surprise。　　A　thousand　fearful　ideas　pressed　upon　my　brain；　and　my　heart　sickened　at　the　long　train　of　gloomy　images　which　presented　themselves。　　I　had　had　sufficient　proofs　since　my　elevation　of　the　deadly　hatred　borne　me　by　those　whom　my　good　fortune　had　rendered　my　enemies：　yet；　hitherto；　my　strongest　apprehensions　had　never　been　directed　to　anything　more　terrible　than　being　supplanted　in　the　favor　of　the　king；　or　being　confined　in　my　chateau　du　Lucienne。　　The　horrible　ideas　of　murder；　poison；　or　assassination　by　any　means；　had　never　presented　themselves　to　me。　　All　at　once　I　recollected　the　young　man　in　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries；　his　predictions　of　my　future　greatness　had　been　accomplished。　　He　had　also　announced　to　me　fearful　vicissitudes；　and　had　threatened　to　appear　to　me　when　these　catastrophes　were　about　to　occur。　　Doubtless　he　would　keep　his　word；　now　was　the　time　for　so　doing；　and　I　timidly　glanced　around　as　I　caught　the　sound　of　a　slight　rustle　among　the　branches；　fully　expecting　to　see　my　young　prophet；　but　the　figure　which　met　my　eye　was　that　of　madame　de　Mirepoix；　who；　tired　of　waiting；　had　come　to　rejoin　me。

'What！　　〃said　she；　〃are　you　alone？　　I　did　not　observe　your　visitor　leave　you。　　Did　she　vanish　into　air？〃

〃Very　possibly；〃　answered　I。

〃So　then；〃　replied　the　marechale；　〃she　proved　a　fairy；　or　some　beneficent　；　after　all？〃

〃If　she　were　a　spirit；〃　said　I；　〃it　certainly　was　not　to　the　better　sort　she　belonged。〃

〃Have　a　care；〃　cried　the　marechale；　〃I　have　already　formed　a　thousand　conjectures　as　to　what　this　woman　has　been　telling。〃





〃And　all　your　suppositions；〃　replied　I；　〃would　fall　short　of　the　reality。　　Listen；　my　dear　marechale；〃　added　I；　rising；　and　taking　her　arm　to　proceed　homewards；　〃I　have　been　strictly　prohibited　from　admitting　any　counsellor　but　the　duc　d'Aiguillon　and　the　chancellor；　still　I　can　have　no　reserves　with　you；　who　I　know；　from　the　regard　you　bear　both　to　the　king　and　myself；　will　advise　me　to　the　best　of　your　power。〃

As　we　walked　towards　the　chateau；　I　explained　to　my　companion　the　joint　conspiracy　of　the　Jesuits　and　ancient　members　of　the　parliament　against　the　king's　life　and　my　own。　　When　I　had　ceased　speaking；　she　replied；

〃All　this　is　very　possible；　despair　may　conduct　the　Jesuits　and　parliamentarians　to　the　greatest　extremities；　but　still　this　mysterious　female　may　be　nothing　more　than　an　impostor。　　At　any　rate；　I　am　anxious　to　learn　whether　the　box　she　described　has　been　left　at　your　house；　if　so；　it　will　be　a　strong　corroboration；　if　not；　a　convincing　proof　of　the　falsehood　of　what　she　asserts。〃

We　had　by　this　time　reached　the　bottom　of　the　staircase　which　conducted　to　my　apartments；　we　ascended　the　stairs　rapidly；　and　the　first　person　I　met　in　the　anteroom　was　Henriette。

〃Henriette；〃　said　I；　〃has　any　thing　been　brought　for　me　during　my　absence？〃

〃Nothing　except　a　box　of　orange…flower　water　from　Michel　the　perfumer's；　which　I　presume　you　ordered；　madam。〃


A　glance　of　mutual　surprise　and　consternation　passed　between　the　marechale　and　myself。　　We　entered　my　chamber；　where　madame　de　Mirepoix　opened　the　fatal　box；　it　contained　the　four　bottles　exactly　as　had　been　described。　　We　regarded　each　other　in　profound　silence；　not　daring　to　communicate　our　reflections。　　However；　it　was　requisite　to　take　some　steps；　and；　catching　up　a　pen；　I　hastily　wrote　the　following　billet　to　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；

〃MONSIEUR　LE　DUC；　Whatever　may　be　the　affairs　with　which　you　are　at　present　occupied；　I　pray　of　you　to　throw　them　aside；　and　hasten　to　me　instantly　upon　receipt　of　this。　　Nothing　can　equal　in　importance　the　subject　upon　which　I　wish　to　see　you；　I　cannot　now　explain　myself　fully；　but　prepare　for　news　of　the　most　horrible　description；　and　it　refers　to　the　safety　and　preservation　of　the　most　valuable　life　in　the　kingdom。　　I　cannot　delay　time　by　writing　more；　I　can　only　beseech　of　you　not　to　lose　one　moment　in　obeying　this　summons。　　Adieu；　fail　not　to　come　and　bring　me　back　this　note。〃

The　duke　hastened　to　me　full　of　terror　and　alarm。

〃Your　letter　has　really　frightened　me；〃　said　he；　〃what　can　be　the　matter？　　Surely　the　life　of　his　majesty　is　not　in　danger？〃

〃Too　truly　is　it；〃　answered　I；　〃but　sit　down；　and　you　shall　know　all　the　affair。　　The　marechale　is　already　aware　of　the　matter　and　need　not　withdraw。〃

The　duke　listened　with　extreme　attention　to　the　recital　of　my　interview　in　the　grove　surrounding　the　Baths　of　Apollo；　as　well　as　to　the　account　of　the　discourse　I　had　held　there　with　the　strange　female。　　I　endeavoured　to　relate　the　conversation　as　minutely　and　accurately　as　possible；　but　still　the　duke　sought　further　particulars。　　He　inquired　the　style　of　countenance；　dress；　manner；　and　tone　of　voice　possessed　by　the　。　　One　might　have　supposed；　by　the　closeness　of　his　questions；　that　he　already　fancied　he　had　identified　this　mysterious　personage：　he　then　examined　the　box；　which　stood　on　the　table；　and　remarked；　〃This　is　a　very　serious　affair；　nor　can　I　undertake　the　management　of　it　alone；　it　involves　a　too　great　responsibility。　　Spite　of　the　lady's　assertions；　I　am　confident　the　fullest　confidence　might　be　placed　in　all　the　ministers。　　However；　I　will　first　have　a　conference　with　M。　de　Saint…Florentin　and　the　chancellor；　in　whose　presence　I　will　send　for　the　lieutenant　of　police；　and　the　contents　of　these　bottles　shall　be　immediately　analyzed。〃

The　duke；　without　quitting　me；　wrote　immediately　to　his　two　colleagues　as　well　as　to　M。　de　Sartines；　requesting　this　latter　to　repair　to　my　apartment　without　delay。　　One　of　the　ministers　summoned　by　M。　d'Aiguillon　was　not　at　that　moment　at　Versailles；　having　left　at　an　early　hour　in　the　morning　for　Paris。　　Neither　he　nor　M。　de　Sartines　could　possibly　be　with　us　before　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　it　was　therefore　agreed　to　adjourn　our　conference　till　their　arrival。　　Meanwhile　M。　d'Aiguillon；　the　marechale；　and　myself；　remained　in　a　state　of　the　most　cruel　anxiety。　　The　duke　first　blamed　me　for　not　having　caused　the　woman　to　be　arrested；　and　afterwards　he　confessed　to　the　marechale；　that　perhaps　it　was　better　the　conspiracy　should　be　allowed　time　to　ripen　into　maturity。　　Daring　this　time　the　liquid　contained　in　the　four　bottles　was　being　decomposed：　M。　Quesnay；　first　physician；　Messrs。　　Thiebault　and　Varennes；　visiting　physicians；　M。　de　la　Martiniere；　counsellor　of　state；　surgeon　to　his　majesty；　as　well　as　Me