memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第85节

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〃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　case　had　he　been　more　wakeful。〃


〃Are　you　aware　of　the　most　imperative　step　for　you　to　take？〃　inquired　the　marechale　de　Mirepoix。

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃what　is　it？〃

〃To　keep　his　majesty　at　Trianon；〃　replied　she；　〃it　will　be　far　better　for　you　that　the　present　illness　should　take　its　course　at　Trianon　rather　than　at　Versailles。〃

〃I　second　that　advice；〃　cried　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　who　just　then　entered　the　room；　〃yes；　yes；　as　madame　de　Mirepoix　wisely　observes；　this　is　the　place　for　the　king　to　be　ill　in。〃

〃But；〃　exclaimed　I；　〃must　we　not　be　guided　by　the　physicians'　advice？〃

〃Do　you　make　sure　of　Bordeu；〃　said　the　duke；　〃and　I　will　speak　to　La　Martiniere。〃

M。　de　Cosse　took　me　aside；　and　assured　me　that　I　might　rely　upon　him　in　life　or　death。　　When　we　had　conversed　together　for　some

minutes；　I　besought　of　him　to　leave　the　place　as　early　as　possible；　〃Take　madame　de　Forcalquier　with　you；〃　said　I；　〃your　presence　just　now　at　Trianon　would　be　too　much　commented　upon。〃

He　made　some　difficulties　in　obeying　me；　but　I　insisted　and　he　went。　　After　his　departure；　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　the　marechale　and　myself　walked　together　in　the　garden。　　Our　walk　was　so　directed　that　we　could　see　through　the　colonnade　every　person　who　arrived　up　the　avenue。　　We　spoke　but　little；　and　an　indescribable　feeling　of　solemnity　was　mingled　with　the　few　words　which　passed；　when；　all　at　once；　our　attention　was　attracted　by　the　sight　of　comte　Jean；　who　rushed　towards　me　in　a　state　of　frenzy。

〃Accursed　day；〃　cried　he；　stopping　when　he　saw　us；　〃that　wretched　girl　from　Versailles　has　brought　the　small…pox　with　her。〃

At　this　fatal　news　I　heaved　a　deep　sigh　and　fainted。　　I　was　carried　under　the　portico；　while　the　poor　marechale；　scarcely　more　in　her　senses　than　myself；　stood　over　me　weeping　like　a　child；　while　every　endeavour　was　being　made　to　restore　me　to　life。　　Bordeu；　who　chanced　to　be　at　Versailles；　arrived；　and　supposing　it　was　on　my　account　he　had　been　summoned；　hastened　to　my　assistance。　　The　duc　de　Richelieu　and　comte　Jean　informed　him　of　all　that　had　passed；　upon　which　he　requested　to　see　the　unfortunate　female　immediately；　while　he　was　conducted　thither；　I　remained　alone　with　the　marechale　and　Henriette；　who　had　come　to　Trianon　with　my　suite。　　My　first　impulse　upon　regaining　the　use　of　my　senses；　was　to　throw　myself　in　the　arms　of　the　marechale。

〃What　will　become　of　me？〃　　exclaimed　I；　weeping；　〃if　the　king　should　take　this　fatal　malady；　he　will　never　survive　it。〃

〃Let　us　hope　for　the　best；〃　answered　madame　de　Mirepoix；　〃it　would　be　encouraging　grief　to　believe　a　misfortune；　which　we　have　at　present　no　reason　to　suspect。〃

Comte　Jean　now　rejoined　us；　accompanied　by　Bordeu　and　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　their　countenances　were　gloomy　and　dejected。　　The　miserable　victim　of　ambition　had　the　symptoms　of　the　most　malignant　sort　of　small…pox；　this　was　a　finishing　stroke　to　my　previous　alarms。　　However；　comte　Jean　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃Bordeu　will　arrange　that　the　king　shall　remain　here。〃

This　assurance　restored　me　to　something　like　composure；　but　these　hopes　were　speedily　dissipated　by　the　arrival　of　La　Martiniere。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　　inquired　he；　〃is　the　king　very　ill？〃

〃That　remains　for　you　to　decide〃；　replied　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　〃but　however　it　may　be；　madame　du　Barry　entreats　of　you　not　to　think　of　removing　the　king　to　Versailles。〃

〃And　why　so？〃　　asked　La　Martiniere；　with　his　accustomed　abruptness。　〃His　majesty　would　be　much　better　there　than　here。〃

〃He　can　nowhere　be　better　than　at　Trianon；　monsieur；〃　said　I。

〃That；　madam；〃　answered　La　Martiniere；　〃is　the　only　point　upon　which　you　must　excuse　my　consulting　you；　unless；　indeed；　you　are　armed　with　a　physician's　diploma。〃

〃Monsieur　la　Martiniere；〃　cried　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　〃you　might　employ　more　gentle　language　when　speaking　to　a　lady。〃

〃Was　I　sent　for　hither；〃　inquired　the　angry　physician；　〃to　go　through　a　course　of　politeness？〃

For　my　own　part　I　felt　the　utmost　dread；　I　scarcely　knew　of　what。　Bordeu；　seeing　my　consternation；　hastened　to　interfere；　by　saying；


〃At　any　rate；　monsieur　la　Martiniere；　you　will　not　alarm　the　king　needlessly。〃

　〃Nor　lull　him　into　a　false　security；〃　answered　the　determined　La　Martiniere。　　〃But　what　is　his　malady　have　you　seen　him；　doctor　Bordeu？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Then　why　do　we　linger　here？　　Your　servant；　ladies　and　gentlemen。〃

The　medical　men　then　departed；　accompanied　the　duc　de　Richelieu。



CHAPTER　XL


La　Martiniere　causes　the　king　to　be　removed　to　VersaillesThe　young　prophet　appears　again　to　madame　du　BarryPrediction　respecting　cardinal　de　RichelieuThe　joiner's　daughter　requests　to　see　madame　du　BarryMadame　de　Mirepoix　and　the　50；000　francsA　《　soiree　》　in　the　salon　of　madame　du　Barry

We　continued　for　some　minutes　silently　gazing　on　the　retreating　figures　of　La　Martiniere　and　his　companions。

〃Come；〃　said　the　marechale；　〃let　us　return　to　the　house〃；　saying　which；　she　supported　herself　by　the　arm　of　comte　Jean；　whilst　I　mechanically　followed　her　example；　and　sadly　and　sorrowfully　we　bent　our　steps　beneath　the　splendid　colonnade　which　formed　the　entrance　to　the　mansion。

When　I　reached　my　chamber；　I　found　mademoiselle　du　Barry　there；　still　ignorant　of　the　alarming　news　I　had　just　learned。　　She　earnestly　pressed　me　to　return　to　bed；　but　this　I　refused；　for　my　burning　anxiety　to　learn　every　particular　relative　to　the　king　would　have　prevented　my　sleeping。　　How　different　was　the　style　of　our　present　conversation　to　that　of　the　preceding　evening；　no　sound　of　gaiety　was　heard；　hushed　alike　were　the　witty　repartee；　and　the　approving　laugh　which　followed　it。　　Now；　we　spoke　but　by　fits　and　starts；　with　eye　and　ear　on　the　watch　to　catch　the　slightest　sound；　whilst　the　most　trifling　noise；　or　the　opening　of　a　door；　made　us　start　with　trepidation　and　alarm。　The　time　appeared　to　drag　on　to　an　interminable　length。

At　last　the　duc　de　Richelieu　made　his　appearance。

〃Well；　my　friends；〃　said　he；　〃the　king　is　to　be　removed　to　Versailles；　spite　of　your　wishes；　madam；　spite　of　his　own　royal　inclination；　and　against　mine；　likewise。　　La　Martiniere　has　thundered　forth　his　edict；　and　poor　Bordeu　opposed　him　in　vain。　His　majesty；　who　expresses　a　wish　to　remain　here；　stated　his　pleasure　to　La　Martiniere。

'〃Sire；'　answered　the　obstinate　physician；　'it　cannot　be。　　You　are　too　ill　to　be　permitted　to　take　your　choice　in　the　matter；　and　to　the　chateau　at　Versailles　you　must　be　removed。'

〃'Your　words　imply　my　being　dangerously　indisposed；'　said　the　king；　inquiringly。

〃'Your　majesty　is　sufficiently　ill　to　justify　every　precaution；　and　to　require　our　best　cares。　　You　must　return　to　the　chateau；　Trianon　is　not　healthy；　you　will　be　much　better　at　Versailles。'

〃'Upon　my　word；　doctor；'　replied　the　king；　'your　words　are　far　from　consoling；　there　must　be　danger；　then；　in　my　present　sickness？'

〃'There　would　be　considerable　danger　were　you　to　remain　here；　whilst　it　is　very　probable　you　may　avoid　any　chance　of　it　by　following　my　directions　with　regard　to　an　immediate　removal　to　Versailles。'

〃'I　feel　but　little　disposed　for　the　journey；'　said　his　majesty。

〃'Still；　your　majesty　must　be　removed；　there　is　an　absolute　necessity　for　it；　and　I　take　all　the　responsibility　upon　myself。'

〃'What　do　you　think　of　this　determination；　Bordeu？'

〃'I　think；　sire；　that　you　may　be　permitted　to　please　yourself。'

〃'You　hear　that；　La　Martiniere？'

〃'Yes；　sire；　and　your　majesty　heard　my　opinion　likewise。'　Then　turning　towards　Bordeu；　'Sir；'　exclaimed　he；　'I　call　upon　you　in　my　capacity　of　head　physician　to　the　king；　to　state　your　opinion　in　writing；　and　to　abide　by　the　consequences　of　it；　you　who　are　not　one　of　his　majesty's　physicians。'

〃At　this　direct　appeal；　your　doctor；　driven　to　extremities；　adopted　either　the　wise　or　cowardly　resolution　of　maintaining　a　strict　silence。　　The　king；　who　was　awaiting　his　reply　with　much　impatience；　perceiving　his　reluctance　to　speak；　turned　towards　the　duc　de　Duras；　who　was　in　attendance　upon　him；　and　said；　'Let　them　take　me　when　and　where　my　head　physician　advises。'〃

At　this　recital　I　shed　fresh　tears。　　The　duke　afterwards　told　us　that　when　La　Martiniere　had　quitted　his　majesty；　he　went　to　ascertain　the　condition　of　the　wretched　girl　who　had　introduced　all　this　uneasiness　among　us；　and　after　having　attentively　examined　her；　he　exclaimed；　〃She　is　past　all　hope；　God　only　knows　what　the　consequences　may　be。〃　　This　gloomy　prognostic　added　still　more　to　my　distress；　and　whilst　those　around　me　strove　to　communicate　fresh　hopes　and　confidence　to　my　tortured　mind；　I　remained　in　a　state　too　depressed　and　dejected　to　admit　one；　even　one　ray　of　consolation。

The　king　was　removed　from　Trianon；　followed　by　all　the　persons　belonging　to　his　suite。　　The　marechale　insisted　upon　deferring　her　departure　till　I　quitted　the　place。　　We　set　out　a　few　minutes　after　his　majesty；　and　my　coachman　had　orders　to　observe　the　same　slow　pace　at　which　the　royal　carriage　travelled。　　Scarcely　had　we　reached　Versailles；　when　mechanically　directing　my　eyes　towards　the　i