memoirs of the comtesse du barry-第9节

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The　duc　de　Duras　was　not　an　ill…disposed　person；　but　inconceivably　stupid；　indeed；　wit　was　by　no　means　a　family　inheritance。　　Both　father　and　son；　good　sort　of　people　in　other　respects；　were　for　ever　saying　or　doing　some　good　thing　in　support　of　their　reputation　for　stupidity　at　court。　　One　day　the　king　quite　jokingly　inquired　of　the　duc　de　Duras；　what　was　done　with　the　old　moons。　　〃Upon　my　word；　sire；〃　replied　he；〃　I　can　give　you　no　idea；　never　having　seen；　but　with　your　majesty's　permission；　I　will　endeavor　to　learn　from　M。　de　Cassini*！〃　　To　such　a　pitch　did　the　poor　man's　simplicity　extend。　　Both　father　and　son　were　nominated　to　attend　the　king　of　Denmark；　when　on　his　road　to　visit　France。　　The　king　observed　to　a　person　who　repeated　it　to　me：　〃The　French　are　generally　styled　a　clever；　witty　nation；　I　cannot　say　I　should　ever　have　been　able　to　discover　it；　had　I　been　tempted　to　form　my　opinion　from　the　specimen　they　have　sent　me。〃

　　　　　　　　*The　royal　astronomer　Gutenberg　ed。

As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　after　saying　so　many　unfavorable　things　of　the　Messrs。　　de　Duras；　I　must　do　them　the　justice　to　say；　that　their　conduct　towards　me　was　everything　that　could　be　desired。　I　was　always　glad　to　see　them；　it　gave　my　own　imagination　a　sort　of　sedative　dose　to　converse　with　these　two　simple…minded　beings；　whose　interests　I　was　always　ready　to　promote　by　every　means　in　my　power；　and　I　trust　the　memory　of　what　I　have　done　will　be　long　remembered　by　the　noble　house　of　Duras。

This　supper　did　not　pass　off　so　gaily　as　the　former　one。　　The　duc　de　Duras　spoke　as　little　as　possible；　in　the　dread　of　making　some　unlucky　speech；　and　the　duc　d'Ayen　sat　devouring　the　spleen　he　could　not　give　vent　to；　and　meditating　fresh　objects　upon　whom　to　exercise　his　malignity；　he　vainly　endeavored　to　lead　me　on　to　make　some　ridiculous　observation；　but　without　success；　happily　for　him；　the　king　did　not　perceive　his　aim。　　My　royal　lover　was　indeed　so　entirely　engrossed　by　me；　that　he　lost　all　the　duke's　manoeuvres；　his　transports　appeared　too　much　for　his　senses　to　sustain；　and　he　vowed　that　I　should　never　quit　him　more；　but　remain　to　be　elevated　by　his　power　to　the　first　place　at　court。　At　the　monarch's　sign；　the　two　guests　withdrew。

When　the　duc　d'Ayen　quitted　the　room；　'That　nobleman　is　by　no　means　to　my　taste；〃　said　I　to　the　king；　〃he　has　the　air　of　a　spy；　who　wishes　me　no　good。〃

〃Do　you　really　think　so；　my　lovely　comtesse？〃

〃I　am　certain　of　it；　and　I　already　shudder　at　the　bare　anticipation　of　an　enemy　having　access　to　your　majesty's　ear。〃

〃Reassure　yourself；〃　said　the　king；　with　the　utmost　tenderness；　〃in　me　you　have　a　sure　defender；　who　will　never　forsake　you；　look　upon　me　from　this　minute　as　your　natural　protector；　and　woe　to　him　on　whose　head　your　displeasure　shall　fall。〃

After　this　conversation　the　king　and　myself　retired　to　rest；　and　when　he　quitted　me　in　the　morning；　he　entreated　me　not　to　return　to　Paris；　but　to　give　him　my　company　for　a　whole　week。　　Lebel　made　his　appearance　to　beg　I　would　consider　myself　mistress　of　the　apartments　I　occupied；　and　that　he　had　received　orders　to　provide　me　with　an　establishment　upon　the　most　handsome　scale。

That　very　day　Henriette；　whom　I　had　sent　for；　and　instituted　as　my　head　waiting…woman；　informed　me；　that　an　old　gentleman；　attired　as　tho'　for　a　grand　gala；　but　who　refused　to　send　in　his　name；　begged　to　be　permitted　to　pay　his　respects。　　I　bade　her　admit　him；　it　was　the　duc　de　Richelieu。

〃Madame　la　comtesse；〃　said　he；　bowing　low；　〃I　come　to　complain　of　your　want　of　condescension；　unless；　indeed；　your　memory　has　been　at　fault。　　Was　it　possible　that　when　I　had　the　honor　of　supping　with　you　the　other　night；　you　did　not　recollect　your　former　old　friend？〃

〃If；　indeed；　my　forgetfulness　were　a　fault；　monsieur　le　marechal；　it　was　one　in　which　you　bore　an　equal　share；　you　were　not　more　forward　than　myself　in　displaying　marks　of　recognition。〃

〃That　arose　only　from　the　dazzling　increase　of　your　beauty。　You　were　but　a　nymph　when　last　my　eyes　had　beheld　you；　and　now　you　are　matured　into　a　goddess。〃

The　duke　then　made　some　slight　allusion　to　the　family　of　madame　Lagarde；　but　guessing　with　his　admirable　tact；　that　such　reminiscences　could　not　be　particularly　agreeable　to　me；　he　dexterously　turned　the　conversation；　by　requesting　permission　to　present　to　me　his　nephew；　the　duc　d'Aiguillon；　that　he　might　leave　a　worthy　substitute　and　champion　near　the　king　when　state　affairs　called　him　into　Gascony；　he　craved　my　kind　offices　to　obtain　the　intimate　acquaintance　of　comte　Jean。　　They　were　subsequently　at　daggers　drawn　with　each　other；　but　this　haughty　overbearing　lord　conducted　himself　at　first　with　the　most　abject　servility。　　The　third　favor　he　had　to　solicit　was　that　I　would　name　him　to　the　king　as　frequently　as　opportunities　occurred　to　form　one　of　our　supper　parties。　　All　this　I　engaged　to　do；　nor　indeed　could　I　refuse　after　the　violent　protestations　of　friendship　he　made　me。

〃You　will；　ere　long；〃　said　he；　〃see　the　whole　court　at　your　feet；　but　beware　of　considering　them　all　as　your　friends；　have　a　care；　above　all；　of　the　duchesse　de　Grammont。　　She　has　been　long　endeavoring　to　obtain　the　king's　affections；　and　she　will　see　with　hatred　and　fury　another　more　worthy　engrossing　the　place　she　has　so　vainly　contended　for；　she　and　her　impertinent　brother　will　call　in　the　aid　of　the　devil　himself　to　dispossess　you　of　your　elevated　seat；　you　are　lost　if　you　do　not　twist　both　their　necks。〃

〃How；　monsieur　le　marechal；　shall　I　mark　my　career　by　a　murder？〃

〃You　take　me　too　literally；　I　only　mean　that　in　your　place　I　would　not　be　at　the　trouble　of　keeping　any　terms　with　them。〃

〃Ah；　monsieur　le　duc；　I　understand　you　now；　yet　it　seems　a　bad　augury　to　have　to　begin　my　reign　by　cabals　and　intrigues。〃

〃Alas！　　my　fair　comtesse；　you　are　too　good；　too　guileless　for　a　court　life；　between　ourselves　we　are　all　hypocrites　more　or　less；　mistrust　every　one；　even　those　make　the　finest　protestations。〃

〃In　that　case　the　first　object　of　my　suspicion　would　be　my　old　and　esteemed　friend　the　marechal　de　Richelieu。〃

〃Ah；　madame！　　this　is　not　fair　usage；　thus　to　turn　my　weapons　against　myself；　and　to　fight　me　with　my　own　arms。〃

Upon　this　the　duke　quitted　me；　and　scarcely　had　he　left　the　room；　when　the　duc　la　Vauguyon　entered。　　This　gentleman　offered　me　no　advice；　he　contented　himself　by　styling　the　Jesuits　his　〃very　good　friends；〃　and　continually　turning　the　conversation　upon　their　merits。　　I　allowed　him　to　express　his　attachment；　without　interruption；　for　these　disagreeable　men；　whom　I　determined　in　my　own　mind　to　have　nothing　to　do　with；　recollecting　all　I　had　heard　of　their　dislike　to　our　sex。　　After　an　hour　passed　in　amusing　talk；　the　duc　de　la　Vauguyon　retired；　well　pleased　with　his　visit；　and　his　place　was　immediately　supplied　by　comte　Jean；　to　whom　I　communicated　all　that　had　passed　between　my　late　visitors　and　myself。

〃For　heaven's　sake；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　not　be　the　dupes　of　these　great　lords；　before　we　range　ourselves　under　the　banners　of　either　of　them　let　us　secure　our　own　footing；　let　us　wait　till　you　are　presented。〃

〃But；　my　good　friend；　I　must　be　a　married　lady　to　obtain　that　honor。〃

〃And　so　you　will　be　shortly；　do　not　be　uneasy　about　that。　　I　have　written　to　my　brother　William　to　set　out　without　delay　for　Paris。　　Your　swain　will　be　easily　induced　to　marry　you。　　What　do　you　think　of　that？〃

I　gave　comte　Jean　to　comprehend；　by　signs；　that　I　left　my　destiny　in　his　hands；　and　he　kissed　my　hands　and　withdrew。　　The　king　managed　to　steal　a　few　minutes　to　converse　with　me。

〃You　did　not　intrust　me；　my　sweet　friend；〃　said　he；　〃with　the　circumstance　of　your　having　formerly　known　the　duc　de　Richelieu；　less　reserved　on　the　subject　than　you　were；　he　told　me　he　had　seen　you　at　the　house　of　madame　Lagarde；　who　considered　you　one　of　her　dearest　friends。〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　I；　〃I　was　too　much　occupied　with　your　majesty；　to　think　of　any　other　person　in　the　world。〃

My　answer　delighted　him；　he　looked　at　me　in　the　most　gracious　manner。

〃You　would　almost　persuade　me　that　you　love　me；〃　said　he；　smiling。

〃Indeed；　your　majesty；〃　said　I；　〃I　only　pray　that　you　desire　the　continuance　of　my　affection。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　replied　he；　kissing　my　hand　with　fervor；　〃you　do　but　partake　of　my　tenderness　for　you。〃

These　words　flattered　my　vanity；　and　here　I　must　declare　that　if　I　never　felt　for　the　king　that　violent　attachment　which　is　termed　love；　I　ever　entertained　for　him　the　warmest　esteem。　　He　was　so　attentive；　so　kind　to　me；　that　I　must　have　been　a　monster　of　ingratitude　could　I　have　looked　upon　him　with　indifference。

Our　supper　on　this　night　was　again　lively　as　the　first　had　been。　The　duc　de　Richelieu　entertained　us　with　several　amusing　anecdotes；　not　that　they　contained　any　thing　very　piquant；　but　the　duke　related　them　well；　and　we　were　all　in　the　humor　to　be　pleased；　and　laughed　heartily　at　what　he　said。　　Comte　Jean；　whose　eye　constantly　followed　me；　appeared　perfectly　satisfied　with　all　I　said　or　did。　　As　for　the　king；　he　seemed　enchanted　with　me；　and　seemed　wholly　occupied　in　watching　my　looks；　that　he　might　anticipate　my　wants。　　After　supper；　in　the　《　tete…a…tete　》　which　followed；　he　explained　hi