memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第84节

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bjects　more　piquant　than　the　preceding。

The　king；　in　a　fit　of　good　humour；　began　to　relate　his　adventures　with　madame　de　Grammont；　but　here　you　must　pardon　me；　my　friend；　for　so　entirely　did　his　majesty　give　the　reins　to　his　inclination　for　a　plain　style　of　language；　that；　although　excess　of　prudery　formed　no　part　of　the　character　of　any　of　the　ladies　assembled；　we　were　compelled　to　sit　with　our　eyes　fixed　upon　our　plate　or　glass；　not　daring　to　meet　the　glance　of　those　near　us。　　I　have　little　doubt　but　that　Louis　XV　indulged　himself　to　this　extent　by　a　kind　of　mental　vow　to　settle　the　affair　with　his　confessor　at　the　earliest　opportunity。

We　were　still　at　table　when　the　clock　struck　two　hours　past　midnight。

〃Bless　me！　　so　late？〃　　inquired　the　king。

〃Indeed；　sire；〃　replied　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix；　〃your　agreeable　society　drives　all　recollection　of　time　away。〃

〃Then　'tis　but　fit　I　should　furnish　you　all　with　memory　enough　to　recollect　what　is　necessary　for　your　own　health。　　Come；　my　friends；　morning　will　soon　call　us　to　our　different　cares；　so　away　to　your　pillows。〃

So　saying；　the　king　bade　us　a　friendly　farewell；　and　retired　with　the　ducs　de　Duras　and　de　Noailles。　　We　remained　after　his　majesty；　and　retiring　into　the　great　saloon；　threw　ourselves　without　any　ceremony　upon　the　different　couches　and　ottomans。

〃For　my　own　part；〃　said　the　prince　de　Soubise；　〃I　shall　not　think　of　separating　from　so　agreeable　a　party　till　daylight　warns　me　hence。〃

〃The　first　beams　of　morn　will　soon　shine　through　these　windows；〃　　replied　M。　d'Aiguillon。

〃We　can　already　perceive　the　brightest　rays　of　Aurora　reflected　in　the　sparkling　eyes　around　us；〃　exclaimed　M。　de　Cosse。

〃A　truce　with　your　gallantry；　gentlemen；〃　replied　madame　de　Mirepoix；　〃at　my　age　I　can　only　believe　myself　capable　of　reflecting　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun。〃

〃Hush！〃　　interrupted　madame　de　Forcalquier；　〃you　forget　we　are　at　Versailles；　where　age　is　never　thought　of；　but　where；　like　our　gracious　sovereign；　all　are　young。〃

〃Come；　ladies；〃　said　madame　de　Flaracourt；　〃let　us　retire；　I　for　one；　plead　guilty　of　being　in　need　of　repose。〃

〃No；　no！〃　　replied　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　〃let　us　employ　the　remaining　hours　in　pleasing　and　social　converse；〃　and　with　a　tremulous　voice　he　began　that　charming　trio　in　〃Selina　and　Azor；〃　〃。〃　　We　joined　chorus　with　him；　and　the　echoes　of　the　palace　of　Louis　XV　resounded　with　the　mirthful　strain。　　This　burst　of　noisy　mirth　did　not　last　long；　and　we　relapsed　into　increased　taciturnity；　spite　of　our　endeavours　to　keep　up　a　general　conversation。　　We　were　all　fatigued；　though　none　but　madame　de　Flaracourt　would　confess　the　fact。　　Tired　nature　called　loudly　for　repose；　and　we　were　each　compelled　to　seek　it　in　the　different　apartments　assigned　us。　　The　duc　d'Aiguillon　alone　was　compelled；　by　the　duties　of　his　office；　to　return　to　Versailles。

Upon　entering　my　chamber　I　found　my　brother…in…law　there；　in　the　most　violent　fit　of　ill　humour；　that　the　king　（who　was　in　fact　ignorant　of　his　being　at　Trianon）　had　not　invited　him　to　supper。　As　I　have　before　told　you；　comte　Jean　was　no　favourite　with　his　majesty；　and　as　I　had　displayed　no　wish　for　his　company；　Louis　XV　had　gladly　profited　by　my　indifference　to　omit　him　upon　the

present　occasion。　　I　endeavoured　to　justify　the　king；　without　succeeding；　however；　in　appeasing　comte　Jean；　who　very　unceremoniously　consigned　us　all　to　the　care　and　company　of　a　certain　old　gentleman；　whose　territory　is　supposed　to　lie　beneath　〃the　round　globe　which　we　inhabit。〃

　〃I　have　to　thank　you；〃　replied　I；　〃for　a　very　flattering　mode　of　saying　'good　night。'〃

〃Perhaps；〃　answered　comte　Jean　roughly；　〃you　would　prefer〃

〃Nothing　from　your　lips　if　you　please；　my　polite　brother；〃　cried　I；　interrupting　him；　〃nothing　you　will　say　in　your　present　humour　can　be　at　all　to　my　taste。〃

Chon　interfered　between　us；　and　effected　a　reconciliation；　which　I　was　the　more　willing　to　listen　to；　that　I　might　enjoy　that　sleep　my　weary　eye…lids　craved　for。　　Scarcely　was　my　head　on　my　pillow；　than　I　fell　into　a　profound　sleep：　could　I　but　have　anticipated　to　what　I　should　awake！　　It　was　eleven　o'clock　on　the　following　morning　when　an　immense　noise　of　some　person　entering　my　chamber；　aroused　me　from　the　sweet　slumbers　I　was　still　buried　in。　　Vexed　at　the　disturbance；　I　inquired；　in　a　peevish　tone；　〃Who　is　there？〃

〃Tis　I；　my　sister；〃　replied　Chon；　〃M。　de　Chamilly　is　here；　anxious　to　speak　with　you　upon　a　matter　of　great　importance。〃

Chamilly；　who　was　close　behind　mademoiselle　du　Barry；　begged　to　be　admitted。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Chamilly？　　〃cried　I；　〃and　what　do　you　want？　Is　mademoiselle　Julie　to　set　off　into　the　country　immediately？〃

〃Alas！　　madam；〃　replied　Chamilly；　〃his　majesty　is　extremely　ill。〃

These　words　completely　roused　me；　and　raising　myself　on　my　arm；　I　eagerly　repeated；　〃Ill！　　of　what　does　he　complain？〃

〃Of　general　and　universal　pain　and　suffering；〃　replied　Chamilly。

〃And　the　female　who　was　here　last　night；　how　is　she？〃

〃Nearly　as　bad；　madam；　she　arose　this　morning　complaining　of　illness　and　languor；　which　increased　so　rapidly；　that　she　was　compelled　to　be　carried　to　one　of　the　nearest　beds；　where　she　now　is。〃

All　this　tormented　me　to　the　greatest　degree；　and　I　dismissed　Chamilly　for　the　purpose　of　rising；　although　I　had　no　distinct　idea　of　what　it　would　be　most　desirable　to　say　or　do。　　My　sister…in…law；　with　more　self…possession；　suggested　the　propriety　of　summoning　Bordeu；　my　physician；　a　proposal　which　I　at　once　concurred　in；　more　especially　when　she　informed　me；　that　La　Martiniere　was　already　sent　for；　and　hourly　expected。

〃1　trust；〃　said　I；　〃that　Bouvart　knows　nothing　of　this；　for　I　neither　approve　of　him　as　a　man　or　a　doctor。〃

The　fact　was；　I　should　have　trembled　for　my　own　power；　had　both　Bouvart　and　La　Martiniere　got　the　king　into　their　hands。　　With　La　Martiniere　I　knew　very　well　I　was　no　favourite；　yet　it　was　impossible　to　prevent　his　attendance；　the　king　would　never　have　fancied　a　prescription　in　which　he　did　not　concur。

Meanwhile　I　proceeded　with　my　toilette　as　rapidly　as　possible；　that　I　might；　by　visiting　the　king；　satisfy　myself　of　the　nature　of　his　malady。　　Ere　I　had　finished　dressing；　my　brother…in…law；　who　had　likewise　been　aroused　by　the　mention　of　his　majesty's　illness；　entered　my　chamber　with　a　gloomy　look；　he　already　saw　the　greatness　of　the　danger　which　threatened　us；　he　had　entirely　forgotten　our　quarrel　of　the　preceding　evening；　but　his　temper　was　by　no　means　improved　by　the　present　state　of　things。　　We　had　no　need　of　explaining　ourselves　by　words；　and　he　continued　walking　up　and　down　the　room　with；　his　arms　folded　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　floor；　till　we　were　joined　by　the　　marechale　de　Mirepoix　and　the　comtesse　de　Forcalquier。　　Madame　de　Flaracourt　had　taken　her　departure　at　an　early　hour；　either　ignorant　of　what　had　occurred　or　with　the　intention　of　being　prepared　for　whatever　might　happen。

As　yet；　it　was　but　little　in　the　power　of　any　person　to　predict　the　coming　blow。　　〃The　king　is　ill；〃　said　each　of　us　as　we　met。　〃The　king　is　ill；〃　was　the　morning　salutation　of　the　ducs　de　Richelieu；　de　Noailles；　de　Duras；　and　de　Cosse。　　The　prince　de　Soubise　had　followed　the　example　of　madame　de　Flaracourt；　and　had　quitted　Trianon；　it　seemed　as　though　the　hour　for　defection　were　already　arrived。　　A　summons　now　arrived　from　his　majesty　who　wished　to　see　me。　　I　lost　not　a　moment　in　repairing　to　his　apartment；　where　I　found　him　in　bed；　apparently　in　much　pain　and　uneasiness。　　He　received　me　tenderly；　took　my　hands　in　his；　and　kissed　them；　then　exclaimed；

　〃I　feel　more　indisposed　than　I　can　describe；　a　weight　seems　pressing　on　my　chest；　and　universal　languor　appears　to　chain　my　faculties　both　of　body　and　mind。　　I　should　like　to　see　La　Martiniere。〃

〃And　would　you　not　likewise　wish　to　have　the　advice　of　Bordeu？〃

〃'Yes；〃　said　he；　〃let　both　come；　they　are　both　clever　men；　and　I　have　full　confidence　in　their　skill。　　But　do　you　imagine　that　my　present　illness　will　be　of　a　serious　nature？〃

〃By　no　means；　sire；〃　returned　I；　〃merely　temporary；　I　trust　and　believe。〃

〃Perhaps　I　took　more　wine　than　agreed　with　me　last　evening；　but　where　is　the　marechale？〃

〃In　my　chamber　with　madame　de　Forcalquier。〃

〃And　the　prince　de　Soubise？〃

〃He　has　taken　flight；〃　replied　I；　laughing。

〃I　suppose　so；〃　returned　Louis　XV；　〃he　could　not　bear　a　long　absence　from　Paris；　company　he　must　have。〃

〃In　that　respect　he　resembles　you；　sire；　for　you　generally　consider　company　as　a　necessary　good。〃

He　smiled；　and　then　closing　his　eyes　remained　for　some　minutes　silent　and　motionless；　after　a　while　he　said；

〃My　head　is　very　heavy；　so　farewell；　my　sweet　friend；　I　will　endeavour　to　get　some　sleep。〃



〃Sleep；　sire！〃　　said　I；　〃and　may　it　prove　as　healthful　and　refreshing　as　I　pray　it　may。〃

So　saying；　I　glided　out　of　the　room　and　returned　to　my　friends；　I　found　madame　de　Mirepoix　and　the　duc　de　Cosse　waiting　for　me　in　the　anteroom。


〃How　is　the　king？〃　　inquired　they　both　in　a　breath。

〃Better　than　I　expected；〃　I　replied；　〃but　he　is　desirous　of　sleeping。〃

〃So　much　the　worse；〃　observed　the　duc　de　Cosse；　〃I　should　have　thought　better　of　his