memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第8节

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ed。〃

〃And　what　does　it　contain？〃　　asked　I；　with　childish　eagerness。

〃Oh；　a　trifle　unworthy　of　her　who　is　now　the　mistress　of　his　warmest　love；　only　a　purse　containing　a　hundred　louis；　and　a　suit　of　emeralds　worth　a　similar　sum。　　He　bade　me　say　it　might　have　served　to　recompense　a　mere　fleeting　fancy；　but　that　it　is　unworthy　of　your　charms；　nor　can　he　insult　you　by　the　offer　of　it。〃

〃Will　he　then　see　me　again？〃　inquired　I。

〃To…morrow　evening；　if　agreeable　to　you。〃

〃Only　say　that　his　wishes　are　mine。〃

〃Would　you　wish　to　see　the　comte　Jean　before　you　rise？　　He　has　been　waiting　with　the　utmost　impatience　to　see　you　since　seven　o'clock　this　morning。〃

〃Let　him　come　in。〃

The　comte　entered；　and　I　saw　by　the　triumphant　joy　painted　on　his　face；　that　Lebel　had　told　him　of　propitious　state　of　things。　He　ran　up　to　me　with　outstretched　arms；　congratulating　me　upon　my　success；　and　putting　at　the　same　time　several　questions；　to　which；　either　from　mere　womanly　caprice；　or　presuming　upon　my　recent　elevation　to　the　character　of　prime　favorite；　I　refused　to　reply。

My　folly　drew　down　on　me　his　severe　anger；　and　several　oaths　escaped　his　lips；　which；　echoed　back　by　walls　so　unused　to　similar　violence；　struck　Lebel　with　terror。　　That　faithful　ally　placed　his　hand　over　his　mouth；　imploring　of　him　to　recollect　himself；　and　the　place　he　was　in。　　As　for　me；　dreading　some　foolish　burst　of　his　impetuosity；　I　tried　some　of　my　sweetest　smiles；　and　inviting　him　to　sit　beside　me；　related　to　him　and　Lebel　those　particulars　which　my　pen　refuses　to　retrace。　　Amongst　other　things；　I　told　them　I　had　said　to　the　king；　that　I　had　perfectly　known　who　he　was　all　the　preceding　evening　when　supping　with　him；　and　that　he　had　the　simplicity　to　say；　〃he　was　surprised　I　had　not　appeared　more　embarrassed　in　his　presence。〃

Our　conversation　terminated；　I　wished　to　return　to　Paris；　and　I　was；　without　further　hindrance；　allowed　to　depart。　　Scarcely　had　I　arrived　there　an　hour；　than　I　received　from　his　majesty　a　magnificent　diamond　agraffe；　worth　at　least　60；000　francs；　and　bank　notes　to　the　amount　of　200；000　livres。

Comte　Jean　and　myself　were　well　nigh　stupefied　with　astonishment　at　the　sight　of　such　treasures；　to　us；　who　had　never　in　our　lives　possessed　such　sums；　they　appeared　inexhaustible。　　My　brother…in…law　divided　them　into　two　equal　portions；　one　of　which　he　put　into　his　pocket；　and　the　other　into　my　。　　With　this　arrangement　I　did　not　interfere；　nothing　seemed　to　me　more　simple　than　that　he　should　satisfy　his　need　out　of　my　superfluity。　　I　bestowed　two　thousand　crowns　upon　Henriette；　and　expended　in　the　course　of　the　day　at　least　a　quarter　of　my　riches　in　trifles；　as　unnecessary　as　useless；　and　all　this　without　once　remembering　that　as　I　owed　my　present　abundance　to　a　momentary　inclination　on　the　part　of　the　king；　so　the　turn　of　an　hour；　or　a　fresh　fancy　on　the　part　of　my　munificent　adorer；　might　reduce　me　to　the　unprovided　state　in　which　I　had　been　so　lately。　　That　evening　was　passed　tete…a…tete　with　comte　Jean；　he　thought；　as　I　did；　that　the　foundation　of　our　treasure　was　firm　as　a　rock；　and　he　gave　me　many　counsels　for　the　future　which　I　promised　to　observe；　for　indeed　it　was　to　my　own　interest　to　do　so。　　Upon　how　many　follies　did　we　then　debate；　which；　but　a　few　days　afterwards　we　found　practicable。　　The　different　ministers　passed　in　review　before　us；　some　we　determined　upon　retaining；　whilst　others　were　dismissed；　and　already　I　began　in　idea　to　act　with　sovereign　power　over　these　illustrious　personages；　amongst　whom　I　anticipated　shortly　playing　so　important　a　part。　　〃After　all；〃　said　I；　〃the　world　is　but　an　amusing　theatre；　and　I　see　no　reason　why　a　pretty　woman　should　not　play　a　principal　part　in　it。〃



CHAPTER　III


The　king's　messageLetter　from　the　countessA　second　supper　at　VersaillesThe　duc　d'AyenA　short　account　of　M。　de　FleuryThe　duc　de　Duras　…Conversation　with　the　kingThe　next　dayA　visit　from　the　duc　de　RichelieuVisit　from　the　duc　de　la　VauguyonVisit　from　comte　JeanVisit　from　the　kingA　third　supperFavor

Early　the　following　day　I　received　a　message　from　the　king；　accompanied　with　a　bouquet　of　flowers　tied　round　with　a　string　of　diamonds。　　A　short　letter　was　annexed　to　this　splendid　gift；　which　I　would　transcribe　here；　had　it　not　been　taken　from　me　with　many　others。　　My　reply；　which　I　wrote　upon　the　spur　of　the　moment；　was　concise；　and；　as　I　preserved　the　rough　copy；　under　the　impression　of　its　being　one　day　useful；　I　can　give　the　reader　the　exact　words。

〃The　billet　traced　by　your　noble　hands；　renders　me　the　happiest　of　women。　　My　joy　is　beyond　description。　Thanks；　monsieur　le　Baron；　for　your　charming　flowers。　Alas！　　they　will　be　faded　and　withered　by　to…morrow；　but　not　so　fleeting　and　short…lived　are　the　sentiments　with　which　you　have　inspired　me。　　Believe　me；　the　desire　you　express　to　see　me　again　is　entirely　mutual；　and　in　the　impatience　with　which　you　await　our　next　interview；　I　read　but　my　own　sentiments。　　The　ardor　with　which　you　long　to　embrace　me；　is　fully　equalled　by　the　affection　which　leads　me　to　desire　no　gratification　greater　than　that　of　passing　my　whole　life　in　your　society。　　Adieu；　monsieur　le　baron；　you　have　forbidden　my　addressing　you　as　your　rank　and　my　respect　would　have　me；　I　will　therefore　content　myself　with　assuring　you　of　the　ardent　affection　of　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃COMTESSE　Du　Barry。〃

The　signature　I　adopted　was　a　bold　piece　of　falsehood；　but　it　was　too　late　to　recede；　besides；　I　was　addressing　myself　in　my　letter；　not　to　the　king；　but　to　the　baron　de　Gonesse；　for　Louis；　by　I　know　not　what　unaccountable　caprice；　seemed　to　wish　to　preserve　his　incognito。　　I　have　since　learned　that　Francis　I　assumed　the　same　name；　altho'　upon　a　very　different　occasion。　Replying　to　a　letter　from　Charles　V；　in　which　that　emperor　had　given　himself　a　long　string　of　high　sounding　titles；　he　contented　himself　with　simply　signing　his　letter；　〃