memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第87节

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as　been　left　at　Trianon；　has　called　incessantly　for　you　the　whole　of　this　day；　she　asserts　that　she　has　matters　of　importance　to　communicate　to　you。〃

Whatever　surprise　I　experienced　at　this　intelligence；　it　was　impossible　it　could　be　otherwise　than　true；　for　was　it　likely　that；　at　a　time　like　the　present；　comte　Jean　would　attempt　to　impose　such　a　tale　upon　me。

〃What　would　you　have　me　do？〃　　asked　I　of　my　brother…in…law。

〃Hark　ye；　sister；〃　replied　he；　〃we　are　both　of　us　in　a　very　critical　situation　just　now；　and　should　spare　no　endeavour　to　extricate　ourselves　from　it。　　Very　possibly　this　girl　may　be　in　possession　of　facts　more　important　than　you　at　present　conceive　possible；　the　earnestness　with　which　she　perseveres　in　her　desire　of　seeing　you；　and　her　repeated　prayers　to　those　around　her　to　beg　your　attendance；　proves　that　it　is　something　more　than　the　mere　whim　of　a　sick　person；　and　in　your　place；　I　should　not　hesitate　to　comply　with　her　wishes。〃

〃And　how　could　we　do　so？　　〃said　I。

〃To…night；〃　returned　he；　〃when　all　your　guests　have　retired；　and　Versailles　is　in　a　manner　deserted；　I　will　fetch　you；　we　have　keys　which　open　the　various　gates　in　the　park；　and　walking　through　which；　and　the　gardens；　we　can　reach　Trianon　unobserved。　　No　person　will　be　aware　of　our　excursion；　and　we　shall　return　with　the　same　caution　with　which　we　went。　　We　will；　after　our　visit；　cause　our　clothes　to　be　burnt；　take　a　bath；　and　use　every　possible　precaution　to　purify　ourselves　from　all　chance　of　infection。　　When　that　is　done　you　may　venture　into　the　apartment　of　his　majesty；　even　if　that　malady　which　at　present　hangs　over　him　should　turn　out　to　be　the　small…pox。〃

I　thought　but　little　of　the　consequences　of　our　scheme；　or　of　the　personal　danger　I　incurred；　and　I　promised　my　brother…in…law　that　I　would　hold　myself　in　readiness　to　accompany　him。　　We　then　conversed　together　upon　the　state　of　the　king；　and；　what　you　will　have　some　difficulty　in　crediting；　not　one　word　escaped　either　of　us　relative　to　our　future　plans　or　prospects；　still　it　was　the　point　to　which　the　thoughts　of　comte　Jean　must　naturally　have　turned。

We　were　interrupted　in　our　《　tete…a…tete　》　by　the　arrival　of　the　marechale；　whose　exactitude　I　could　not　but　admire。　　Comte　Jean；　having　hastily　paid　his　compliments；　left　us　together。

〃Well；　my　dear　countess；〃　said　she；　taking　my　hand　with　a　friendly　pressure；　〃and　how　goes　on　the　dear　invalid？〃

〃Better；　I　hope；〃　replied　I；　〃and　indeed；　this　illness；　at　first　so　alarming　to　me；　seems　rather　calculated　to　allay　my　former　fears　and　anxieties　by　affording　the　king　calm　and　impartial　reflection；　the　result　of　it　is　that　my　dreaded　rival　of　the　　　is　dismissed。〃

〃I　am　delighted　to　hear　this；〃　replied　madame　de　Mirepoix；　〃but；　my　dear　soul；　let　me　caution　you　against　too　implicitly　trusting　these　deceitful　appearances；　to…morrow　may　destroy　these　flattering　hopes；　and　the　next　day〃



〃Indeed！〃　　cried　I；　interrupting　her；　〃the　physicians　answer　for　his　recovery。〃

〃And　suppose　they　should　chance　to　be　mistaken；〃　returned　my　cautious　friend；　〃what　then？　　But；　my　dear　countess；　my　regard　or　you　compels　me　to　speak　out；　and　to　warn　you　of　reposing　in　tranquillity　when　you　ought　to　be　acting。　　Do　not　deceive　yourself；　leave　nothing　to　chance；　and　if　you　have　any　favour　to　ask　of　the　king；　lose　no　time　in　so　doing　while　yet　you　have　the　opportunity。〃

〃And　what　favour　would　you　advise　me　to　ask？〃　　said　I

〃You　do　not　understand　me；　then？〃　　exclaimed　the　　marechale；　〃I　say　that　it　is　imperatively　necessary　for　you　to　accept　whatever　the　king　may　feel　disposed　to　offer　you　as　a　future　provision；　and　as　affording　you　the　means　of　passing　the　remainder　of　your　days　in　ease　and　tranquillity。　　What　would　become　of　you　in　case　of　the　worst？　　Your　numerous　creditors　would　besiege　you　with　a　rapacity；　still　further　excited　by　the　support　they　would　receive　from　court。　　You　look　at　me　with　surprise　because　I　speak　the　language　of　truth；　be　a　reasonable　creature　I　implore　of　you　once　in　your　life；　and　do　not　thus　sacrifice　the　interests　of　your　life　to　a　romantic　disregard　of　self。〃

I　could　not　feel　offended　with　the　marechale　for　addressing　me　thus；　but　I　could　not　help　fancying　the　moment　was　ill　chosen；　and　unable　to　frame　an　answer　to　my　mind；　I　remained　silent。　Mistaken　as　to　the　cause　of　my　taciturnity；　she　continued；

〃Come；　I　am　well　pleased　to　see　you　thus　reflecting　upon　what　I　have　said；　but　lose　no　time；　strike　the　iron　while　it　is　hot。　Do　as　I　have　recommended　either　to…night　or　early　to…morrow；　possibly；　after　that　time　it　may　be　too　late。　　May　I　venture　also　to　remind　you　of　your　friends；　my　dear　countess。　　I　am　in　great　trouble　just　now；　and　I　trust　you　will　not　refuse　to　obtain　for　me；　from　his　majesty；　a　favour　of　which　I　stand　in　the　utmost　need50；000　francs　would　come　very　seasonably；　I　have　lost　that　sum　at　cards；　and　must　pay　it；　but　how　I　know　not。〃

〃Let　not　that　distress　you；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　can　relieve　you　of　that　difficulty　until　the　king's　convalescence　enables　him　to　undertake　the　pleasing　office　of　assisting　your　wishes。　　M。　de　Laborde　has　orders　to　honour　all　my　drafts　upon　him；　I　will

therefore　draw　for　the　sum　you　require。〃　　So　saying；　I　hastily　scrawled　upon　a　little　tumbled　piece　of　paper　those　magic　words；　which　had　power　to　unlock　the　strong　coffers　of　a　court　banker。　The　　marechale　embraced　me　several　times　with　the　utmost　vivacity。

〃You　are　my　guardian　angel；〃　cried　she；　〃you　save　me　from　despair。　But；　tell　me；　my　generous　friend；　do　you　think　M。　de　Laborde　will　make　any　difficulty？〃

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃should　you　suppose　it　possible　he　will　do　so？〃

〃Oh；　merely　on　account　of　present　circumstances。〃

〃What　circumstances？〃

〃The　illnessno；　I　mean　the　indisposition　of　his　majesty。〃

〃He　is　an　excellent　man；〃　said　I；　〃and　I　doubt　not　but　he　will　act　nobly　and　honourably。〃

〃If　we　could　but　procure　his　majesty's　signature〃

〃But　that　is　quite　impossible　to…night。〃

〃I　know　it　is；　and；　therefore；　I　will　tell　you　what　I　think　of　doing。　　Perhaps；　if　I　were　to　set　out　for　Paris　immediately；　I　might　be　able　to　present　this　cheque　before　Laborde　is　acquainted　with　our　misfortune。　　It　is　not　late；　so　farewell；　my　dearest　countess。　　I　shall　return　to…morrow　before　you　are　up；　but　do　not　forget　what　I　have　said　to　you；　and　remember；　that　under　any　circumstances；　the　king　should　secure　you　a　safe　and　ample　independence。　　If　his　death　finds　you　well　provided　for；　you　will　still　have　a　court；　friends；　relatives；　partisans；　in　a　word；　the　means　of　gratifying　every　inclination。　　Be　guided　by　me；　and　follow　my　advice。〃

And　after　this　lesson　of　practical　morality；　the　marechale　quitted　me　to　hurry　to　Paris；　and　I；　wearied　and　heartsick；　flew　to　my　crowded　salons　as　a　remedy　against　the　gloomy　ideas　her　conversation　had　given　rise　to。

On　this　evening　my　guests　were　more　numerous　and　brilliant　than　usual；　for　no　person　entertaining　the　least　suspicion　of　the　king's　danger；　all　vied　with　each　other　in　evincing；　by　their　presence；　the　desire　they　felt　of　expressing　their　regard　for　me。　　My　friends；　acquaintances；　people　whom　I　scarcely　knew　at　all；　were　collected　together　in　my　drawing…rooms；　this　large　assemblage　of　joyous　and　cheerful　faces；　drove　away　for　a　moment　all　the　gloom　which　had　bung　over　me。　　I　even　forgot　the　morning's　visitor；　and　if　the　health　of　the　king　were　at　all　alluded　to；　it　was　only　。　　It　seemed　a　generally　understood　thing　not　to　believe　him　seriously　ill；　in　fact；　to　deny　all　possibility　of　such　a　thing　being　the　case。　　Thus　all　went　on　as　usual；　scandal；　slander；　epigrams；